An oil palm or rubber plantation in Krabi needs somewhere dry for the tractor, the pickup and the sprayer, a place to keep fertiliser out of the rain, and often a covered yard where workers can handle fruit bunches or latex in hard sun or a downpour. These buildings don't need to look like a house. They need to work: tall enough for the vehicles, open to the breeze, dry inside and not a mud bath underfoot.
When Rong walks the site, he measures the tallest vehicle or machine that will go in, including anything mounted on it, and the trucks that come to collect the harvest. He looks at turning space for getting in and out, whether the ground is soil or laterite, where rainwater runs and whether it floods in the wet season, and the wind direction. An open shed in the middle of a plantation catches wind from above and from underneath the roof.
The usual mistakes: building the roof too low, so the next tractor doesn't fit; putting a post right where vehicles reverse or turn; stacking fertiliser on bare ground, where it gets damp and eats away the base of the posts; and not raising the footings above standing water.
To be clear about scope: we build open-sided sheds and roofs for farm use. We don't build enclosed warehouses or factories. If you manage the farm from abroad or through a local manager, send wide photos of the area, the access track, the vehicles that will use it and a location pin on LINE, in English if you like; our English-speaking admin will arrange the survey. Your manager can still help on site with the finer details.
- Jobs start from
- 10,000 THB
- Team experience
- 30+ years
- Site survey
- Free
- Steel grade
- Your choice
Designs and options
Open-sided tractor and machinery shelters
A steel-frame roof with open sides so vehicles can come and go from several directions. Allow height for machinery you might buy later, and keep posts out of turning circles. If you want to lock up small tools, an enclosed store can be built at one end.
Fertiliser and farm chemical stores
Needs better protection from wind-driven rain than a tractor shelter, but still has to breathe so it doesn't get damp. Sacks should sit on a raised floor or pallets, not on the ground. Fertiliser and chemicals speed up rust, so post bases and the lower frame need extra protection, and the store should be kept apart from workers' living quarters.
Roofs over palm collection or buying yards
Large areas with trucks and grab loaders moving in and out all day. The roof must clear the collection trucks, the posts must be far enough apart for vehicles to work, and post bases should have impact guards, because they get hit by vehicles and fruit bunches.
Covered work areas for rubber or farm workers
Shade and airflow for daytime work and rest. If people spend long hours underneath, choose roofing that reduces heat. Rong will also talk about wind direction so smells from a rubber yard don't blow towards the house.
Materials: the honest pros and cons
Metal roof sheeting
Near the sea: depends on specPros
- Economical over large areas
- Lightweight, so the frame doesn't need to be as heavy
Worth knowing
- Hot underneath and loud in heavy rain
- Cut edges and screw holes are where rust starts
Inland plantations, such as around Khao Phanom, Plai Phraya or Lam Thap, do well with standard metal sheeting. Near the sea, choose a sheet with a better anti-rust coating.
Metal sheeting with PU foam insulation
Near the sea: depends on specPros
- Cuts heat and rain noise
- Worth it where people work under the roof for long periods
Worth knowing
- Costs more than plain sheeting
- If water gets into the foam through a bad joint, it is hard to fix
For parking vehicles or storage only, plain sheeting is usually enough. Insulated sheeting pays off over work or rest areas.
Structural steel frame (posts, beams and purlins)
Near the sea: depends on specPros
- Strong, and can span wide enough for vehicles to work easily
- Can be extended later
Worth knowing
- Post bases in contact with soil, mud and fertiliser rust quickly
- The wider the span, the heavier the frame and the higher the cost
You can choose the steel type, size and rust-protection system. Rong explains the pros and cons first and writes your choice into the quotation. Post footings should sit above the ground and clear of standing water.
How the price is worked out
Work starts from 10,000 THB, but there is no fixed price and we can't give a real figure in advance. It depends on the size, the height you need, the post spacing, the roofing material, the ground and footing work, whether a truck carrying steel can reach the site, and steel and material prices at the time, which change constantly. Rong does a free site survey first, then prices the job in a written, itemised quotation based on material prices at that time. Remote or boat-access locations such as Ko Lanta and Ko Phi Phi carry a travel fee, which is shown in the quotation before you agree to anything.
There is no fixed price. It depends on your site and on steel and material prices at the time. The site survey is free.
Included
- Site survey: vehicle heights, access, drainage and ground condition
- Layout and post position options, with the pros and cons explained
- Written, itemised quotation
- Steel frame (posts, beams, purlins) with anti-rust primer and top coat
- Roofing in the agreed material
- Clearing away offcuts and waste when the job is finished
Not included
- Materials, if you choose a labour-only contract
- Land filling, levelling or concrete floors, unless listed in the quotation
- Electrics, lighting and plumbing
- Gutters and drainage around the shed, unless listed in the quotation
- Enclosed warehouses, factories or large industrial buildings
How a job with us runs
- 1
Send photos on LINE
Photos plus a location pin. Rong tells you early if the idea is realistic.
- 2
Free site survey
He checks the walls, the ground and where the rain will go — the things photos can’t show.
- 3
Written, itemised quote
Full contract (labour + materials) or labour-only. Nothing hidden in a lump sum.
- 4
30% deposit, then work starts
Only once you have agreed the design and price. Payment is by cash bill, no VAT invoice.
- 5
Walk-through before handover
We check every point with you. 1-year warranty under the conditions in the quote.
How long it takes
It depends on the size, the footings, the ground and the weather. On plantations with dirt access tracks, a truck carrying steel may not get in during the rainy season, so plan the work for drier months. Rong gives a timeline after the survey and it goes in the quote.
1-year warranty: what it covers
One year, under the site-specific conditions written into your quotation.
Covered
- Steel frame and roofing, where the fault is in our workmanship
- 1-year warranty under the site-specific conditions written in your quotation
Not covered
- Damage from vehicles or machinery hitting posts or the frame
- Anything the quotation does not list as covered by the warranty
Farm Sheds & Machinery Shelters: questions we get asked
How high should a tractor shed be?
We won't give a number without measuring, because every machine is different. Rong measures the tallest vehicle or machine that will go in, including anything mounted on it, and allows for future machinery and collection trucks. If you are not sure what you will be running in a few years, build higher now rather than altering it later.
Will storing fertiliser under a steel roof make it rust faster?
Yes, faster than normal use, because chemical fertiliser draws in moisture and attacks steel. The post bases and lower frame go first. Keep sacks on pallets away from the posts, raise the footings above the ground, paint thoroughly, and sweep up spilled fertiliser around the posts regularly.
Do you build warehouses or factory buildings?
No. We build open-sided sheds and roofs for farm use, not enclosed warehouses or large factories. If you are not sure which side of the line your project falls, send photos and a short description on LINE and Rong will tell you honestly.
I live overseas and the farm is run by a manager. Can we still do this?
Yes. Your manager can send photos, rough measurements and a location pin on LINE, and be on site for the free survey. The written, itemised quotation then gives you something clear to review before paying the 30% deposit.
The plantation is remote with a dirt track. Can you get there?
Usually, but the question is whether a truck with steel and roof sheets can reach the build spot, and dirt tracks are often a problem in the rainy season. Send a photo of the access track too. A travel fee only applies to remote or boat-access areas, and it is stated in the quotation before you agree.
How do payment and deposits work? Can you issue a tax invoice?
We take a 30% deposit before work starts, and the balance is paid as set out in the quotation. We issue a cash bill, but we are not VAT-registered and cannot provide a tax invoice. If your business needs one for its accounts, please tell us before you commit so there are no surprises.
Read this before you build
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.
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