So you’ve decided to purchase a pool villa and give yourself a great lifestyle here in tropical Hua Hin. After looking at many different properties and weighing up all of your options you’ve decided that you’d like to build a new property. Congratulations. What now?
Confirm a Design – The first and most important aspect of this type of purchase is to confirm a design with your builder or developer. If you are happy with a standard design that’s great but perhaps you’d like to make some changes. Most developers will have an on-site architect who can walk around the showhouse or other properties, go through any changes you want and then put a design on paper. There is often a bit of going back and forth with this process until everything is just right. It’s absolutely essential that everything is confirmed down to the smallest detail as the floor plan will be included in the contracts. Once the slab and basic structure are in place aspects of the design cannot be changed (except with extensive work and cost). Questions you might want to ask yourself: How big do you want your swimming pool to be? How deep do you want your swimming pool to be? Do you want a double or single carport? Do you want single or double glazing? Is there enough storage? Are the bedrooms big enough? What’s the view from the bedrooms and bathrooms like? Is there ample terrace space? Are you happy with an open-plan kitchen and living area?
Choose a Kitchen – There are many great options on kitchens in Hua Hin including The Cabinet and KVIK who offer great European quality kitchens. Again you get to choose a design that suits you personally i.e. a keen culinary genius may want a different design to an amateur like myself. Choose from different colours, cabinets and appliances and ensure that you have an eye catching kitchen for your new home.
Choose Your Tiles – This is an essential when it comes to giving your property it’s overall feel and ambience. What colours will go with the kitchen and furniture? What colours do you want in your bathrooms and will they match with the fittings? What colour pool tiles do you want?
Choose Your Furniture – Most developments will include a furniture voucher with every purchase from between 400,000 to 1,000,000 Baht. If you are not buying on a development and doing a private build there are several good furniture shops in Hua Hin that can give you a good deal on a furniture package. You can spend this voucher on all loose furniture, decorative items and artwork as you see fit.
Choose Your Doors and Cabinets – With most new purchases in Hua Hin you can also decide on the colours and materials of all the doors, fitted cabinets and walk-in wardrobes. You could also have your own input on the design of these items.
Choose Your Plants and Trees – Most developments will also have a budget for trees and gardens so you can go some way to also making your tropical garden look beautiful too.
All these options and choices can be somewhat daunting but I find that most buyers really seem to enjoy customising their home and seeing all their ideas and choices coming to fruition. Making a property unique to yourself and your family will give you the feeling that this property is truly ‘yours’
Photo credits in order: Mali Signature, Baan Phu Thara, The Bibury, The Clouds
