When you ask Thai contractors for quotes, you will often be offered two options: ruam wat-sadu (a full contract, including materials) or kha raeng (labour-only, where you provide the materials). Foreign homeowners are sometimes surprised by the second option, but it is common here.
Both can work well. The right choice depends on how much time you have, how confident you are buying building materials, and how much risk you are willing to carry. We offer both, and this article explains the trade-offs honestly.
What each option means
Full contract
The contractor supplies materials and labour. You agree a scope and a price; the contractor orders the right steel, sheets, fixings and coatings, gets them delivered, and builds.
Labour-only
You buy and deliver the materials; the contractor provides the team, tools and know-how to build. The contractor usually gives you a materials list, but buying, checking and getting items to site is your job.
Mixed
Somewhere in between: you supply some items, often the visible finishes such as roof sheets or deck boards, and the contractor supplies the rest.
Who buys what
| Full contract | Labour-only | |
|---|---|---|
| Steel sections | Contractor | Owner |
| Roof sheets, deck boards | Contractor | Owner |
| Fixings, sealants, flashing | Contractor | Owner (often forgotten) |
| Primer and paint | Contractor | Owner |
| Delivery to site | Contractor | Owner |
| Checking sizes and quality | Contractor | Owner, with contractor checking on arrival |
| Waste removal | As agreed | As agreed |
The small items in that list are where labour-only jobs most often stall. A missing box of roof screws can stop work.
Where the savings are real
Labour-only genuinely saves money when:
- You already have materials, perhaps left over from another project or salvaged in good condition
- You have a trade account or a supplier who gives you good prices
- You want a specific product and would rather buy it yourself
- The job is simple, with a short materials list and little room for error
- You live near a builders' merchant in Krabi Town and can collect easily
It also gives you direct control over what goes into the job, which some owners value.
Where the savings disappear
Wrong sizes or specifications
Steel comes in many section sizes and wall thicknesses. Roof sheets come in different profiles and thicknesses. A section that looks similar but is thinner can make a structure weaker. A sheet with the wrong profile will not match flashing or ridge pieces.
Delivery delays
If materials arrive late, the team may have to leave and come back, and a slot in the schedule is lost. On sites with difficult access, or for Ko Lanta and other boat-access areas, a missed delivery is especially costly.
Material quality
Not all steel or coatings are equal. Cheaper products can look the same on the shelf and fail sooner, particularly near the sea. Read our article on stopping rust on steel near the sea before choosing coatings.
Quantities
Buying too little stops work; buying too much wastes money. Off-cuts, overlaps and allowances for mistakes are easy to overlook.
Your time
Sourcing, comparing, ordering, chasing delivery and receiving materials all take time. For someone who does not read Thai, it can take a lot more.
Risks checklist for labour-only
Before choosing labour-only, be sure you can answer yes to most of these:
- I have a full written materials list from the contractor, including small items
- I understand the specifications (sizes, thicknesses, profiles, coatings)
- I have a supplier who can deliver to site on a set date
- Someone will be on site to receive and check the delivery
- I have somewhere dry and secure to store materials
- I accept responsibility if materials are wrong or late
- I have a Thai speaker to help with suppliers, if needed
If several answers are no, a full contract is probably less stress.
How we handle both
Full contract with us
- Free site survey by Rong
- Written itemised quote, with steel grade and rust protection that you choose
- We order and deliver materials
- 30% deposit to buy materials, balance as written in the quote
- Cash bill, not a VAT invoice
- One-year warranty under the site conditions written in the quote
Labour-only with us
- Free site survey and a written quote for labour
- A materials list for you to buy against
- We check materials when they arrive and tell you if something looks wrong before we use it
- The warranty covers our workmanship; material defects are between you and your supplier
See our labour-only price guide for how we price it, and the general pricing page for what drives cost.
Which projects suit which option
Often fine as labour-only
- Simple lean-to roofs and small awnings
- Re-roofing with sheets you have already chosen
- Small storage rooms with a straightforward frame
Usually better as a full contract
- Large roofs or complex roof shapes
- Cantilever structures and anything with engineering input
- Coastal projects where coating systems matter
- Island or remote sites where a missing part is expensive
If you are comparing quotes from several contractors, our guide on hiring a builder in Krabi as a foreigner explains how to line them up fairly.
Next step
Not sure which suits your project? Send photos and a short description through LINE on our contact page, and tell us whether you already have any materials. We can quote both ways so you can compare.
