Avalon

caller · Ace Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 1716 Location: Londonistan

Hi JK - yes, a beer would be good if I'm there! Cheers

Funny about that guy and the pool, he's stuck in my mind, I think because he seemed so relaxed and unbothered about, what I perceived as a real lack of privacy (but I am a Brit).

It's been interesting to see over the last 3 years how the place has literally developed and also to note some of the re-sale prices being asked.

My use of the word 'hate' was too strong and feel WL expressed it better how I feel? I think it would have benefited from some control over what was built where and with the exception of one row of the initial house design, it just appears very unco-ordinated (is that a word), but as you say, each to their own.

I guess someone else will think the same about what I eventually end up with (if it's not in Korat).
_________________
I know nothing

johnnyk · Guru Joined: 02 Sep 2005 Posts: 893

Some houses do lack privacy but plantings can fix that quite easily, quickly and cheaply unless of course one opted for a fully paved terrace.
I had my garden put in in two days for example and it gives decent privacy now and will grow quickly.
No question some of the initial design parameters have gone by the wayside. At first it was fairly strict about what could be built and so on but some of that has fallen victim to financial considerations, I suspect.
One reason may be that the number of plots in the first stage was reduced by the municipality who wanted more public green space. Not a bad thing but this no doubt threw some financial projections out the window.
Seems to me recouping some of that may be the reason for the awful (not full of awe!) rental units being built at the foot of phase 2. They are totally out of scale and ugly to boot with what seem to me to be some real design screwups... putting the swimming pools under the structures in the shade????
I had thought Idea

northern euros came to Thiland to find some warm sun but I may be misguided in that assumption!
Mai bin lai, the beer will be well chilled when you turn up. thumbs up

johnnyk · Guru Joined: 02 Sep 2005 Posts: 893

Something that might be worth noting about the spirited discussion here of avalon over time -
The majority of owners are skandis whom I suspect do not post or even look at HHAD so we don't really know what proportion of owners are happy or not.

miked · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 8:46 am Post subject: Avalon

Kendo,
yes dodgy builders in the u.k.doing general work.but not new builds.building regs in the u.k. are so strict that new builds carry a 10 year warranty.
i have sent you a p.m. and hope that you will send me photo's of your house. do you mind if i reproduce sections of them togrther with my honest comments.??
miked

kendo · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject:

Miked Just e-mailed you some pics.

suej · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject:

We are also Avalon owners. As one of the first to move in nearly 2 years ago we are very satisfied with our villa. It far exceeded our expectations for what we paid less than a decent car in the uk.

Yes we have had our problems as you would expect with a new build. We still have some settlement cracks which are being done when i am out in the summer. On the whole we have had no major problems , when we have had issues the developer and we have,he has dealt with them. There was one misunderstanding not to do with the building work which was sorted .

I agree with JohnnyK Avalon is a good site well situated , good security and it is developing into a pleasant estate as people have planted their gardens. Im sorry for those having problems but the many people i know on Avalon are happy with their puchase a few are not ( a few )

Im out in July / August we will have to meet Johnny, Alan is into fishing if your interested ?

2dandan · Specialist Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 125

I'm also an Avalon owner and like JohnnyK and Photoguy, I actually like my house too. I know lots of other owners of different nationalities and generally they all enjoy their houses in Avalon.

ps. I think that I may have been the carefree guy relaxing at my pool.

miked · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject: Avalon

just received some pictures from kendo of his house. it looks well planed and built. just shows if you take the trouble to get involved you get a good quality and value for money.
kendo, thanks for the picture
miked

Super Joe · Guru Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 581

taking your original point miked, after all the good builders are taken up by, say the first 15 developers, what are the later developers left to work with ?
its ok if they know good builders from outside the province
many arent proper tradesmen as you said miked, but some obviously are

if people buy the lower priced properties i donk think they can expect high quality finishing work or materials, but they should get a structually sound house, with safe electrics etc
.

miked · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 8:32 pm Post subject: Avalon

i do think that thais build for show and not quality. two good examples of this, no earth wiring and single brick construction. the house that i,m renting gets as hot as hell and i keep getting kicks from my computer etc etc. its 3 years old, looks wonderful but i doubt in 10 years if it will still be standing. its got a fantastic shaped roof, but the roof panels have been bolted down from outside ( very common here) and it leaks in at least 10 places. top quality teak wood used for windows with hinges and locks so primative looks like a butcher fitted them. the whole house has been built for show without any thought of how to keep the heat and rain out. so many problems, cracking walls etc it really needs to be pulled down. this house is i repeat is 3 years old.!!!!
miked

johnnyk · Guru Joined: 02 Sep 2005 Posts: 893

crazy88 · Professional Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 387

Miked

Although very slightly off topic,why are you still renting the place ?

Confused

paper thin walls

getting electrocuted

multiple roof leaks

structural problems

should be torn down

Just curious as you make it sound like something I would not put my dogs in given a choice .

Crazy 88

PS. I am also intrigued as to why a building would have "top quality" teakwood windows (worth more than the rest of the place put together by the sound of it) and the cheapest,nastiest roof available that has not even been done properly ???

miked · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:47 pm Post subject: Avalon

crazy 8 i think you have missed the point of my post. i never said the windows are top quality teak wood. what i did say is the windows have been made from top quality teak wood. you can have the best material in the world but that doesn't mean the end result will be top quality. in fact a decent amount of money was spent on materials for the house. the house is owned by my thai brother in law and he just let a local builder construct thinking that he would get a good job done. he did not. even the materials for the roof are o.k but the construction is awful and thats why its got so many leaks .all he was worried about that the finished job would look the best house in the village. as for the walls he never thought about double brick or cavity walls or earth wiring because these like foundations cannot been seen, unlike the merc. sitting in the car port.
as for why we live here. its just a base, it gives me an address here and a secure connection for my computers. my wife and i have several business interests here and and in the uk. its cheap to live here and we spend little time here. while away we don't have to worry about security because they are next door.
miked

Super Joe · Guru Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 581