An educational experience richer: replacing floor tiles in Thailand (reader's submission)
We bought a house that is now six years old. About a year ago some of the floor tiles started to come loose. Three months ago, after a very hot day, we heard a dull, cracking sound in the evening, as if the earth was slightly cracking. It turned out that a row of floor tiles had come loose.
We asked some local craftsmen, chaangs, to assess the problem. This was a challenge in itself. Repair proved impossible, partly because the original tiles were no longer available. Their expertise made little impression. Ultimately, based on photos on Facebook of the work of other tilers, we chose a particular chaang. His approach and knowledge of details such as joint width and the height of the floor made an impression. He preferred specific brands of materials, such as the well-known brand 'Krokodil', and specialized exclusively in tiling. It was 50% more expensive than the other chaangs we had considered. After drawing up the materials list, we were able to determine a budget. It took him 80 days to complete an area of approximately 9m² and with the help of his wife, who helped with sweeping and grouting. The labor cost was approximately 37.000 baht and the materials 25.000 baht.
Are we satisfied? Not dissatisfied, but not particularly impressed either. He claimed to have 20 years of experience, but we encountered some disappointments. Too many small, disruptive errors were made, which led to additional repair work. For example, he forgot to remove and shorten a door, which meant that the tiling around the door had to be redone. He used permanent red and blue markers to mark skirting boards, which left stains on the white painted skirting boards. He preferred plastic skirting boards because he found painting wooden skirting boards difficult; I ended up doing the painting myself. On the last day, intended for minor corrections, he noticed that I was the second customer who was very precise; according to him, other chaangs would have left long ago. He had drawn up a handwritten contract with moments of delivery and payment. When he asked for payment halfway through the work, with only part of the tiles laid, we refused. My wife had to patiently explain that this was according to the contract.
Our experience with chaangs in Thailand has been mixed. It turns out to be difficult to find good specialists. They prefer new construction projects to repairs and seem to have a choice of work. Caution is advised, because they are quickly inclined to stop work.
37000 baht for 9 days of work?? Seems quite exaggerated to me. He would have laughed with this farang
I am a retired floorer, when I read this I already know enough to tell you that this man is a scammer like most Thais when they come to do work for a Farang.
The costs for 9 days of “Work” have already been overpaid by 50%. max. 1.500 bath per day, incl. His wife.!! He is certainly not a professional if he lays the tiles on a door that must be able to open. Stone skirting boards must be placed, also like the floor, if these skirting boards are not for sale in Thailand, (which would surprise me very much) you saw them with a , water tile saw, skirting the floor tiles yourself.
If you have a flooring contractor who still needs to make “small repairs” after laying the tiles!? should come and perform, you already know enough.!!
After placing the floor tiles and grouting, there should be no more repairs left behind.!!
In Thailand, 90% of the people in Thailand are unskilled Bricoleurs who “can do” in the Construction sector!? offer and they are all the same Scammers for a foreigner.!!
The biggest mistake that tilers almost always make in this country is closing the joint between the floor and the wall. This should either remain open, covered by a skirting board, or flexible with, for example, silicone. If the floor is completely closed, the slightest 'settlement' will push the tiles upwards, causing them to loosen.
I had checked this before I gave the order and it happened
Hi,
I have been working here for more than 10 years with a woman and her husband, the woman does the work, I supervise that everything runs as we are used to in Europe
Prices are made by me, payment is made to me and I handle everything with the woman who does the work, so we have no problems. I live in Pattaya and can reach me by phone 0846762650
Tsa, let me start with this, every Thai thinks they are an atomic scientist and they can do everything and Ferang has no idea, I think that 35.000 is a lot since the average wage of a professional is around 500 to 700 baht 700 for a highly educated. Buy your own materials or bring the contractor with you. I had my house renovated to measure 25 by 15 meters plus 2 more houses on my land and a teak house in the ornamental garden. PS this is not something to worry about. This can only be done if you want to steal from a professional via the internet, there are several FB sites of foreigners who provide questions and advice in this area. I personally have always had local contractors, but I went first first. look at what kind of work they did and only pay them at the end and try to agree on a fixed price, you pay so you decide not to
Dear Jan, you are not going to argue, but those amounts are really up for discussion for a daily wage.
Doubling for a self-employed person with assistance is not uncommon in many parts of Thailand.
Nevertheless, the author was duped quite a bit with the hourly wage.
A friend of mine has also had tiles that have come loose, the reason being that poor mortar was used and linear expansion.
The loose tiles including old mortar were removed and replaced and ready and yes, unfortunately you can see that.
Payment arrangements, material in advance after showing, statement or you come along.
Labor per project or week.
That 500 to 700 is a thing of the past. At least in the big cities you will no longer find decent workers for less than 1000 baht per day. A job at the beginning of the year. 4 people (3+supervisor) 4 days calculated. 25000 baht. Without material. Only paid after delivery. You can say, do I look for someone else, or do it myself, but the first is easier said than done as a farang and at 70 years old I am not going to start something like that again
Do we really need to have that discussion about wages again?
I recently had a major job done here by a local contractor.
Everything in perfect order. And yes, I paid 500 THB/day.
Anyway, a Farang apparently likes to be tricked with the explanation that you no longer find cheap craftsmen.
If the topic starter pays 37000 Baht for 9 days, this corresponds to a monthly wage of 111000 Baht. I never earned that much during my professional career in Belgium. I call this pure theft.
Hi Roger.
In what place.
I am looking for a good and reliable contractor
I agree with Gerardus, in the big cities it is very difficult to find good professionals, and they know that, that is why they ask more money, not only from farangs, but also from their own people.
4 people – 4 days – 1000 Baht per day.
If my mental math is still correct, the total is: 16000 Baht.
If you want to pay 25000, then go for it.
Like I said, sometimes you have no other choice. It was an urgent job and I can no longer do it myself. Then you'll be happy that you find someone.
Last week a new floor was laid here in Roi Et, by a contractor.
100m2 tiles 60×60.
The first workman who came made a mess with the joint width.
Called in contractor, removed everything, contractor paid for the broken tiles.
I asked a knowledgeable person who had done his work how much he wanted if he did it.
Price...200 baht per m2 contractor thought it was too expensive.
Man who finally did it got 150 Baht pm2
They are now also neatly laid out.
So the writer of the piece above, 80 m2 should be possible for 12000 baht. I'm a little worried that you paid too much.
I may be wrong, but when I look at that trowel - when that thing is so hot, to the left of the tile that is being laid, it looks like it is lying in the sand.
I don't see any reinforcement either.
If there is a surface, it seems to me that it is not clean, and perhaps the mortar is on the tiles and sand? sticks, but not to the surface.
I'm not a tiler, but it seems to me that the surface should have been thoroughly cleaned before laying tiles.
A Thai 'tiler' has the bad habit of using virtually no or very small joints. The result is that if the tiles are not 100% the same size, after a few rows they will have immense difficulty getting everything lined up nicely.
I tiled my bathroom (wall) in Thailand myself and my father-in-law asked why I used such large joints (3mm). I couldn't really give him a proper answer.
I once saw a Thai busy placing tiles against the wall in cement glue (with a glue comb). They were hit with a hammer as if his life depended on it. Still don't understand why all that hammering is necessary. Thai logic for sure.
But hey, we the Farang always know best. It's a good thing that a Thai neatly ignores our advice 😉
In our bathroom there are no joints at all on the wall tiles. We have expensive decorative tiles and everyone thinks that there is wallpaper stuck to them because it is such a beautiful whole. We would never have had this result with joints
During my career I was active in the construction sector.
I have never known anyone to install wall or floor tiles without joints. What nonsense this is. This is really asking for trouble.
Gerard,
Maybe read khun moo's comment just below. What smart guy now installs tiles without joints?
I'd say good luck with your wallpaper 😉
We woke up in the night when it turned out that about 10 wall tiles had fallen from the wall and a large number were still bulging.
As often happens, the work is often outsourced to family that people do not want to pass up.
Nowadays people already realize that they need to add joints between the tiles.
It is Isaan and you will sometimes be faced with surprises.
Wouldn't the title of this topic be better:
“An educational experience armor” instead of richer?
37000 Baht for 9 days of work, hourly rate only. Then they've done you a good job.