In a previous post about reasons to buy a renovation project condo in Bangkok we discussed the benefits if having a good vision, imagination and patience when considering bare shell or older properties that need to be refreshed. Below we will discuss one of our sales client’s purchases and show you how they went about renovating an older or sub-optimal Bangkok condo or penthouse into a brand new condo with the exact style they set out of find but at the fraction of the price of a new Bangkok luxury condo at the same size.
The Bangkok Property (Pre-Renovation)
- Condo Location: Phrom Phong
- Proximity to BTS: 500 meters
- Building Type: Lowrise Condominium
- Building Age (at time of Purchase): 7 yearsBuil
- Unit Type: Duplex Penthouse Corner Unit
- Size: 267 square meters
- Style: Unmaintained but finished
- Standout Features:
- 2 Full-sized living rooms on both floors
- Extra room for kitchen pantry
The Customer
The buyer was a European family with two teenage daughters and wanted to buy a Bangkok property with enough space for each daughter to have their own bedroom as well as have the ability to have a baby grand piano. They lived outside Thailand but planned to buy a condo and renovate in time for the children’s school year at a nearby Bangkok international school.
The Condo Showing Process
We showed the client and family about 5-6 condos in older buildings and various locations in the Asoke and Phrom Phong area. The first few condos has various issues, for our client, one being further away from the main roads and skytrain was an issue since the two daughters would benefit greatly from being within walking distance to a shopping mall or park. We showed the client a couple of condos that were just very large, of course the larger the property is, the more it will cost to renovate, so calculating the cost of renovating 400-500 square meters was a deal breaker for any large condos. We also showed condos that were within budget, but the buildings were a over 20 years old and a bit dilapidated for our client’s taste. As a Bangkok real estate agency we got lucky because the very last property we were able to schedule a viewing for before the client flew back to their country they resided was the property they ended up purchasing. The property was like many penthouses, basically forgotten by the property owner who purchased from the developer 7 years prior but did not ever live in the unit. The condition was fully finished but very dusty, but the unit was very unique since it had a separate room next to the open kitchen, and a full second living room which fit the client family’s goals perfectly as there was space for the daughters’ beloved piano. The condominum was a lowrise with modest faculties and minimal lobbies but what it lacked in common facilities it far exceeded in the location which was within easy walking distance to Benjasiri Park and Emporium shopping center as well as the Phrom Phong BTS skytrain station.
The Bangkok Penthouse Condo Renovation Results
- Renovation Style: Contemporary Scandinavian
The Floor Plans
The Lower Floor
Living Room / Open Plan Kitchen
Open Plan Kitchen
Staircase Landing
Living Room Number 2 (upstairs)
Bedroom 1
Bedroom 2
Bedroom 3
The Bangkok Renovation Project Real Estate Listings
Renovation project condos come in all shapes, sizes and conditions. The classic saying passed down from parents to children “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” holds true for renovation project condos in Bangkok, but it also goes the other way around as you could say “one person’s treasure is another person’s trash as this penthouse was fully finished and just a bit dusty, many people would have elected to just clean it up and furnish it and it was ready to move in but our client had a vision of a Scandinavian contemporary style and followed through with it as you can see below.
Before: (click image to open the original listing)
After: (click image to open the original listing)
