Preface

I have repeatedly been asked for supplying a list of hardwood houses/barns along with prices and photos.

I had such a list in the past, and I don't elaborate such a list any longer, for the simple reason that half of the houses/barns out of the list are sold soon after these were viewed, photos taken, and the list published online.

There are many Thai agents, with best connections, screening the rural areas, and if they find someone being inclined to sell, the agent deals and settles the deal promptly, pays cash promptly, and the house/barn will be removed in less than one week. The usual considerate, deliberate and too slow approach by foreigners interested in buying does not work out.

So the buyers are chiefly rich people from Bangkok, and Chiang Mai based companies producing wood art, craft, and furniture, but hardly foreigners.

If you are seriously interested in buying, you are required to suggest a date for viewing (by email, several days prior to viewing), and we will know soon after (2 or 3 days after) if and how many houses/barns are currently available for sale. Then view the houses/barns, and come to a decision soon without much delay. What you need to consider prior to buying, please, find outlined in the following chapters.

Introduction — How to Choose the Right Wood, How to Buy, How to Transport

If you wish to have a building made of hardwood, you may buy an old Thai house or a rice-barn, let dis­assemble the building, transport to your place, and rebuild it. You should consider several details which are briefly explained in the following.


Appearance of house or rice-barn

Probably you pay much attention on the outer appearance, but appearance is not that important as you might expect. The simple reason is, you will not get the house or barn in the same way rebuild as it was before, hence it will change its appearance anyway. If you wish the house/barn rebuild exactly in the way it was before, you have to draw, before and during dis­assembly, a detailed plan which shows clearly the number, position and direction of each structure, at least the main structures as there are the pillars and beams. A local builder whom you engage to dis­assemble the house/barn will not be able to draw such a plan (notwithstanding he will tell you he could do) and will not number the structures accordingly. An architect might be able to do this job for a fortune.


Your own idea how your wooden structure should be alike

The appearance of an existing house/barn can give you some idea how the rough structure could be when rebuilt. Just adopt the basic structure and proportions of the old house/barn, and create all details new and according to your specific requirements. Old Thai wooden houses on stilts, and rice-barns on stilts, do usually not suit well Western type of living. For instance, the interior is too dark as the windows are too small, the stairs are to steep and their steps of different height.


Need to judge on the main wooden parts

Usually, all parts of an old wooden structure are hardwood. Mostly, pillars and beams are redwood, whereas doors, windows, floor and wall planks are teak. Pillars in teak are rare nowadays. Pay much attention of size, diameter, length, and, of course, condition of wood. You can frequently find the pillars not standing on a concrete/brick base but in poor soil. This can but must not harm the lower part of the pillars. Most damage happens to those parts that remain wet for a long duration. A visible attack of some (lower) parts by termites may not be serious as they usually only damage temporarily a thin layer of the outer surface of hardwood and die out during hot season. Decorating elements are rare in old farm-houses, and if you wish but miss them in the old structure, then best is to buy them new - you get plenty choices.


Sales agreement

I recommend to issue and sign a written sales agree­ment with the house or barn owner. A Thai standard contract form (copies obtain­able from a stationary store) is sufficient, along with signed photo­copies of family documents, house document (tabien ban) and/or land title deed (e.g. chanot), photos of the original building, Thai identity card and foreign pass­port. The agree­ment has to be signed by two witnesses, too (best by village mayor and officials).


Receive the dis­assembled wooden parts

You will get all wooden parts of the whole house/barn, including roof tiles and screen wire, but not concrete parts if there were any. Before and during dis­assembly, do make a plan and number the pillars and main beams that you get them in exactly the same way after. Don't delegate this job. However, if you wish to arrange the pillars in a quite different manner, e.g. if you buy a farm-house with numerous pillars and wish to get a completely different building, then numbering is not necessary but you should pay attention of a good and dry place on your site to deposit the wooden parts safely. Wooden wall partitions, laths and ledges mostly suffer from dis­assembly, and you should consider to buy new ones, or buy an extra small wooden farm-house or barn for spare wood.


Temporary storage of dis­assembled wooden parts

If the new destination is located within the same district (usually Amphoe Doi Saket of Chiang Mai Province), or in a nearby district (e.g. Mueang, Mae Rim, San Sai, San Kam­phaeng), the wood can be dis­assembled, uploaded onto a truck or pick-up, and trans­ported immediately, usually by the same company. Then temporary storage of wood at the dis­assembly site is not necessary and not recommended. If trans­portation of wood has to be done by a company different to those executing dis­assembly, and/or the new destination is far away, temporary storage of wooden parts may be necessary. The wood should be stored at a dry place, safe and inaccessible by thieves, and closely to a spot where it could be easily uploaded onto a (large and heavy) truck. For temporary wood storage, I recommend to make a prior (written) arrange­ment with the previous owner of the wood (house or barn owner), with the land­lord of the storage spot, and, if there is no public street access to that spot, with the land­lord of the access road/plot.


Transport

Transport within the district or nearby has, so far, not caused any problems. Transport to more remote destinations, even within the same province, can become a big affair. In order to avoid any problems, you need to apply for permission at the Forest Depart­ment (Forest Depart­ment of Amphoe Doi Saket, this is located at the City Hall of Chiang Mai, about 9 km north of the old city center). The process until you get permission might take one month or even longer, maybe can speed up by paying an "express charge" to the officials. You may engage a forwarding agency domiciled in Chiang Mai or at the place of destination. In the past, it turned out not to be easy to find a carrier in Chiang Mai who is willing to do this job (except for transport to Bangkok). The company executing the trans­port of wood might encounter the situation to pay a toll at one or several police check points along the route to destination, even if proper document­ation and permission can be showed by the driver. There­fore, you should only engage an experienced and big forward­ing agency, or a law office which is co­operat­ing with a carrier, who can do all the necessary paper work and guarantee for smooth procedures.


Rebuild

Before you start rebuilding, do consider some improve­ments for the wooden structure. First of all and most important, do build concrete/brick bases for all the wooden pillars, 1-2 meters deep with much broadened underground base, and best connect them underground by reinforced concrete. If you will build a wooden staircase, its base should be concrete, too. Electricity lines can be laid underground in PVC pipes and above ground hidden by wooden panels. Insulation (foil) of roof is very important, as is air circulation (openings in the typical Lanna style roof).


Examples

The first two posts in the following are examples of old wooden rice-barns, dis­assembled, rebuilt and con­verted into bed­room pavilions. The outer appear­ance of the original structure is totally different from the result after completion. If you wish, you can view these pavilions near Doi Saket and also see the full set of photo­graphs taken before dis­assembly. The succeeding posts are examples of rice-barns and farm-houses offered for sale. All of them are sold already. If you are interested to buy, you need to visit the places (in Doi Saket district) to see what is currently avail­able for sale. Once a farm house or rice-barn is offered for sale, it will often take only a few weeks until it is sold. There­fore, I cannot provide a listing or photo sets of currently available farm houses or rice-barns.


Services offered

I can show you in the Doi Saket area farm houses and rice-barns currently avail­able for sale. I am able to arrange deconstruction, transport within the Chiang Mai area, and rebuild in­cluding foundation laying, electricity installation, installation of water pipes, heat insulation and so on.

Example 1 — Rice-Barn

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, 6 pillars.
FEATURES: Heavy big wooden pillars, in cross section square; the barn including pillars in good condition.
REBUILD: Rice-barn con­verted into a pavilion com­prising one bed­room and one living room.

REMARKS: The first photo shows the rice-barn at the original place, the second and third photos show it while under reconstruction at the new place.

Example 2 — Rice-Barn

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Small to medium, 8 pillars.
FEATURES: Slender wooden pillars, in cross section round; the barn including pillars in almost good condition.
REBUILD: Rice-barn converted into a pavilion com­prising one bed­room and a roofed verandah, the stair­case in wood and bath­room in bricks built separate on ground­floor.
REMARKS: The first photo shows the rice-barn at the original place, the second and third photos show it while under reconstruction at the new place.

F-L — Farm-House for Sale at 150,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Small, on 12 pillars.
FEATURES: The house was built of hardwood (Chumpi). It rests on square wooden pillars, 6 inch side length. The wood is in very good condition. An outstanding feature is the
beautiful windows with shutters.
PRICES: Sale price 150,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 15,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.
CODE: Farm-house L.

F-M — Farm-House for Sale at 200,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Small, on 20 pillars.
FEATURES: The house was built of mixed hardwood (teak and other type). 12 square wooden pillars of 6 inch side length, and 8 round wooden pillars. The wood is in very good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 200,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 17,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.
CODE: Farm-house M.

F-T — Farm-House for Sale at 350,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Large, number of pillars 28.
FEATURES: The 50 year old house is of nice appear­ance and was built of mixed hard­wood (teak and red­wood). It is said the pillars are red­wood whereas the planks and beams are teak. The pillars round in cross-section, floor planks rather broad. The pillars and most parts of other wood are in very good con­dition.
PRICES: Asking price 350,000 Baht, negoti­able; dis­assembly price 35,000 Baht.

R-B — Rice-Barn for Sale at 180,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Big, 8 pillars, ground size 6 x 3 meters.
FEATURES: On concrete pillars; the barn in a broadened non-tall beautiful style; roof with old tiles, all in nearly good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 180,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 15,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

R-C — Rice-Barn for Sale at 100,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium to big, 10 pillars.
FEATURES: On concrete pillars; the barn in very good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 100,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 12,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

R-E — Rice-Barn for Sale at 60,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, 12 wooden pillars; ground size 5.3 x 3.8 m, barn size 5.3 x 3.8 m.
FEATURES: The pillars square in cross section, pillars and beams in redwood (mai daeng), walls in teak. The pillars stand on low concrete pedestals. All wooden parts are in good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 60,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 10,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

R-D — Rice-Barn for Sale at 100,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, 10 wooden pillars; ground size 7 x 2.7 m, barn size 7 x 5.2 m.
FEATURES: The pillars include 6 redwood (mai daeng) pillars square in cross section, width 23 cm, and 4 teak pillars round in cross section, diameter 20 cm. All the other wood of the barn is said to be teak. The pillars stand on low concrete pedestals. All wooden parts are in good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 80,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 10,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

R-E1 — Rice-Barn for Sale at 280,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium to large, 12 wooden pillars; ground size 8.0 x 3.4 m, barn size 8.0 x 4.7 m.
FEATURES: The pillars round in cross section, pillars and beams in redwood (mai daeng), walls and floor in teak. Each pillar consists of two parts, a lower big one with a diameter of 40 cm, and a smaller upper one of less diameter. Most parts of the barn are in good condition, but some are in bad condition.
PRICES: Sale price 280,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 20,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

R-F — Rice-Barn for Sale at 110,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium to large, 8 wooden pillars; ground size 5.5 x 3 m, barn size 7.2 x 4.6 m.
FEATURES: The pillars are thick in diameter and octagonal in cross section. The pillars stand on low concrete pedestals. All pillars and the inner walls are in good condition, whereas the smaller beams and the outer walls are in bad condition. Built in 2515 B.E. (1972 C.E.).
PRICES: Sale price 110,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 15,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

R-F1 — Rice-Barn for Sale at 50,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, 10 wooden pillars; ground size 6 x 2.5 m, barn size 6 x 4.8 m.
FEATURES: The pillars include 6 thick redwood (mai daeng) pillars round in cross section, diameter 30 cm, and 4 smaller redwood pillars round in cross section, diameter 20 cm. Almost all wood of the barn is redwood, some boards are teak. The thick pillars and the inner walls and beams are in good condition, the smaller pillars and some other parts of the barn are in bad condition.
PRICES: Sale price 50,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 7,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

R-G — Rice-Barn for Sale at 90,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, 8 wooden pillars; barn size 5.2 x 5.2 m.
FEATURES: The pillars square in cross section, width 19 cm, pillars in redwood (mai daeng), beams, walls and other parts in teak. The barn in good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 90,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 10,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

R-H — Rice-Barn for Sale at 13,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Small, 6 wooden pillars; barn size 1.85 x 3.2 m, platform size of the barn 4.0 x 3.2 m.
FEATURES: The barn in teak and redwood (mai daeng), the pillars round in cross section, with diameter 18-20 cm, they stand on low concrete pedestals. The wood in good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 13,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 2,500 Baht; rebuild price (optional) on request.
CODE: Rice-barn H.

R-I — Rice-Barn for Sale at 80,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Small, 8 wooden pillars.
FEATURES: The barn in teak and other hardwood, the pillars round in cross section, diameter not recorded. The wood in good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 80,000 Baht; dis­assembly and transport price (optional) 15,000 Baht; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-N — Farm-House for Sale at 500,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium to big, number of pillars not recorded.
FEATURES: The house was built of mixed hard­wood (teak and other type). There are pillars round and octa­gonal in cross-section. The pillars and most
parts of other wood are in good con­dition, some parts of the roof are not in good con­dition. The build­ing year "พ.ศ. 06" (= 2506 B.E. = 1963 C.E.) is given on a wood-carved door.
PRICES: Asking price 500,000 Baht, negoti­able; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 30,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-S — Farm-House for Sale at 200,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, number of pillars 16.
FEATURES: The upper part of the house was built of mixed hard­wood (teak and other type), the pillars square in cross-section and long as the height of the upper floor. The pillars and most parts of other wood are in very good con­dition.
PRICES: Asking price 200,000 Baht, negoti­able; dis­assembly price 20,000 Baht.

R-J — Rice-Barn for Sale at 400,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, 12 wooden pillars.
FEATURES: The barn in teak and other hard­wood, the thick pillars round in cross section, dia­meter not recorded. The wood in very good condition.
PRICES: Asking price 400,000 Baht, negoti­able; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 25,000 Baht; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-A — Farm-House for Sale at 250,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, on 28 pillars, the main building area 8 x 9 meters.
FEATURES: The house on square and round teak pillars, the main building with entrance on 19 pillars, an adjacent building on 9 pillars; the main building in almost good condition, the extension not so good.
PRICES: Sale price 250,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 25,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-B — Farm-House for Sale at 500,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium to big, on about 50 pillars.
FEATURES: The segmented house was built about 70 years ago, in teak and other hardwood, on 42 slender teak pillars, round in cross section, plus about 8 pillars (3 missing); the house is in bad condition.
PRICES: Sale price 500,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 35,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-C — Farm-House for Sale at 72,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, on 34 pillars, the main building area 8.40 x 7.70 meters, plus the area of the kitchen and two entrances.
FEATURES: The house was built of hardwood, probably redwood (mai daeng), in 1970 C.E. (2513 B.E.). It rests on round wooden pillars (many with 23 cm in diameter). Nearly all of the wood is in good condition, except the pillars. Apparantly, the pillars were formarly set into or onto soil and suffered. Taken out, they were reshaped to a reduced diameter at their base, and then set on a concrete pedestal and fixed by iron. Hence, the pillars don't look nicely, but can be reduced in length and re-used, or completely replaced by concrete pillars.
PRICES: Sale price 72,000 Baht; dis­assembly price (optional) 9,000 Baht; trans­port price (optional) 900 Baht per truck; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-D — Farm-House for Sale at 135,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, on over 30 pillars, the main building area 5.80 x 14.20 meters, plus the area of the entrance.
FEATURES: The house was built of redwood (mai daeng) and teak. It rests on round wooden pillars, 6 of them 22 cm in diameter, the other pillars less thick. Nearly all of the wood is in good or sufficiently good condition. The pillars rest on low concrete pedestals.
PRICES: Sale price 135,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 20,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-F — Farm-House for Sale at 120,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Small, on 21 pillars, the main building area 4.8 x 8.0 meters, plus kitchen 4.1 x 4.4 meters, plus the area of the entrance 2.0 x 2.0 meters.
FEATURES: The house was built in teak, redwood (mai daeng), and another type of hardwood called mai chumpi. It rests on wooden pillars, round in cross section, about 17-20 cm in diameter. The pillars rest on low concrete pedestals. Nearly all of the wood is in quite good condition, and some parts (e.g. the inner walls) are in very good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 120,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 10,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-G — Farm-House for Sale at 300,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, on 27 pillars, the main build­ing area in­clud­ing entrance 7.35 x 7.70 meters, plus kitchen 4.40 x 7.30 meters.
FEATURES: 13 big pillars (with dia­meter of 22-27 cm) are in teak and octa­gonal in cross section, the remain­ing 14 pillars (with diameter of about 17 cm) are of either red­wood (mai daeng) or teak and round in cross section, except a few which are square in cross section. Most of the house was built of teak but some parts are in red­wood. All the pillars rest on 25 cm tall concrete pedestals. The condition of the wood is good to very good through­out, especially the pillars, except for a few minor parts and for one pillar of the kitchen. The house has a nice appearance.
PRICES: Sale price 300,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 20,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-I — Farm-House for Sale at 250,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Small to medium, 8 x 10.5 meters, on 14 pillars.
FEATURES: Built 1978; most of the wood is teak; the wooden pillars round in cross section, diameter 6 inch. The condition of the wood is very good.
PRICES: Sale price 250,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 15,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-H — Farm-House for Sale at 140,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Small to medium, on over 15 pillars.
FEATURES: The wooden pillars round in cross section, resting on low concrete pedestals. The condition of the wood is almost good.
PRICES: Sale price 140,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 10,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-J — Farm-House for Sale at 250,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, on 18 pillars.
FEATURES: Built about 1990; most of the wood is teak (pillars, walls, big beams), smaller beams are of other type of hardwood; comprising 18 long wooden pillars and 2 short wooden pillars, round in cross section. The condition of the wood is very good.
PRICES: Sale price 250,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 15,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.

F-K — Farm-House for Sale at 200,000 Baht

— SOLD —

LOCATION: District of Doi Saket.
SIZE: Medium, on 30 pillars, of which are 24 for the main build­ing, and 6 for the kitchen.
FEATURES: The house was built of hard­wood, the pillars are round and square in cross section and rest on concrete pedestals. The pillars are red­wood (mai daeng), the beams and other parts of the house is said to be teak. The main build­ing rests on 15 square pillars (circum­ference each about 70 cm) and 9 round pillars (circum­ference each about 56 cm), the kitchen on 6 round pillars (circum­ference each about 60 cm). All of the wood is in very good condition.
PRICES: Sale price 200,000 Baht; dis­assembly and trans­port price (optional) 30,000 Baht estimated; rebuild price (optional) on request.
CODE: Farm-house K.