Plai Phraya is an inland district in the north of the province, mostly oil palm and rubber. Many properties are more than a house: there is a yard for produce, somewhere to keep fertiliser, and working vehicles such as a two-wheel tractor, a pickup or a small truck.
Steel work here supports a living. Shelters for machinery, storage sheds and covered work areas. One warning from the start: do not simply copy a domestic carport design. Height, width, knocks from vehicles and what goes underneath are all different.
What people here usually ask us to build
Steel Carports →A carport-style frame, made taller and wider, works for pickups, tractors and plantation machinery. Measure the height with the vehicle fully loaded, not empty.
Metal Roofing & Re-roofing →Sheds for fertiliser, produce or tools need eaves long enough to stop driving rain, and a way for heat and fumes to escape. A roof that only keeps rain off from directly above is not enough.
Roller Shutters →Tool and machinery sheds out in the plantation, away from the house, need to lock. A rolling shutter opens wide enough for vehicles and does not need swing space in front like hinged doors.Farm sheds and machinery shelters: measure the real thing first
A machinery shelter starts with measuring what will actually go under it. A pickup loaded with palm bunches stands far taller than an empty one, and the classic mistake is measuring the empty truck and ending up with a roof the loaded truck cannot get under. Post spacing must also let you reverse a trailer or turn in without hitting anything, and posts by the entrance should have a concrete collar at the base, because they get hit most.
Something plantation owners often do not realise: some fertilisers corrode steel. Stack sacks against a post or on a steel frame and the damp plus fertiliser eats that spot much faster than anywhere else. The simplest fix is pallets, kept away from posts, on a dry floor.
Sheds inland also deal with trapped heat and seasonal downpours. If you store fertiliser or farm chemicals, do not close in every side; leave vents high up for heat and fumes, and make the eaves longer than on a house. The trade-off is that more openness lets in more rain, so the balance depends on what you actually keep inside.
- Measure vehicle height fully loaded and add a margin before setting roof height.
- Give posts beside the vehicle entrance a concrete collar to take knocks.
- Never stack fertiliser or chemicals against steel posts. Use pallets, set apart.
- Fertiliser stores need high-level vents to release heat and fumes.
- Shed eaves should overhang further than on a house; monsoon rain blows well inside.
Getting there and booking a site survey
About 60–70 km from Krabi Town
Send photos on LINE before we book: the build spot, the vehicle or machine that will park there when loaded, the access track from the main road, and a location pin. If the plantation track is dirt, tell us whether a pickup can get in all year or only in the dry season.
Plai Phraya is one of the further districts from town, so surveys may be combined with jobs in Ao Luek or Khao Phanom. In the rains, plantation tracks can get too slippery, meaning steel has to be carried the last stretch or the date moves. Any travel cost for outlying areas is shown in the quotation before you agree.
Subdistricts we cover in Plai Phraya
- Plai Phraya
- Khao Khen
- Khao To
- Khiri Wong
Permits and permission
In Plai Phraya district, ask the subdistrict municipality (thesaban tambon) or Subdistrict Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor) for the subdistrict where the land is. Storage buildings and sheds on agricultural land may be treated differently from a house, both in terms of land type and building use, so ask before you build. At provincial level, contact the Krabi Provincial Public Works and Town Planning Office. This is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules differ between local offices and change over time, so confirm with the office that covers your address before any work starts. If you rent, get the landlord's approval in writing first.
Questions from Plai Phraya
Can you build a shelter for a tractor and pickup on our Plai Phraya plantation?
Yes. We look at loaded vehicle height, post spacing for turning, and the ground on the plantation. If the vehicle is there on survey day, we can measure most accurately.
The access track is dirt. Can the steel truck get in?
Usually a pickup gets in when it is dry, but in the rainy season some tracks are impassable, so we may have to carry steel in or move the date. Send a photo of the track on LINE when you first contact us.
Is a steel frame all right for a fertiliser store? Will it rot?
It works, but fertiliser must not touch the steel, as some types are corrosive. Store sacks on pallets away from posts, keep the floor dry and ventilate the shed. Do all that and the frame lasts much longer.
We have steel and roof sheets left from an old shed. Can you reuse them?
If they are in good condition, yes. We offer labour-only for owners who already have materials, but Rong must check the steel is not so corroded that it cannot carry the load. Send photos of the materials on LINE first.
Useful reading for Plai Phraya
Labour-Only vs Full Contract for Home Projects in ThailandLabour-only or full contract for a home project in Thailand? Who buys materials, where the savings are real, the risks, and how we handle both options.
Hiring a Contractor in Krabi as a Foreigner: A Practical GuideA practical guide for foreigners hiring a contractor in Krabi: comparable quotes, deposits, cash bills vs VAT invoices, warranties and working in English.
Do You Need Permission for a Carport or Extension in Krabi?A cautious general guide to permission for carports and extensions in Krabi: local offices, landlord and village approval, and when to use an engineer.