Questions on View Talay 5 and 7

[colmx]

Hi All,

I have been looking at Condos a lot recently (online) and have come to the conclusion that I am better off buying a large apartment in an older building, than a small apartment in a newer building, so i have focussed in on View Talay 5 or 7 in Jomtien

Of course there are several trade offs and pros/cons that I have identified on these older buildings versus the newer lagoona type developments :

Cons:

·       Poor facilities & common areas

·       Old lifts, possible infestations

·       Old windows and doors

·       Awkward rectangular shoebox shape

Pros:

·       Sea views, some unlikely to ever get interrupted

·       Location, on baht bus route, near bars restaurants food mart etc

·       Bigger units 48 SQM versus 27 SQM in most new developments

·       Better soundproofing than new units?

·       Potentially easier to resell, especially if a modern spec?

I am considering purchasing a shell unit and fitting it out to my spec, I have noticed that a few units for sale have managed to squeeze in a separate bedroom and living room by some clever design/planning, which is what i would also like to do

e.g.

https://www.thailand-property.com/condo-for-sale-in-view-talay-5-jomtien-chonburi_5177377

or

https://towncountryproperty.com/property/condo-for-sale-and-rent-view-talay-5-jtc23230/

I like this division of the living space from sleeping space

So on to my questions that hopefully some of the BMs here can help with!

Dimensions:

What are exact dimensions for 48 SQM condo? Is it 8 Meters x 4 Meters rectangle?

I am guessing this includes the balcony, and if so what is the depth of the balcony (small red arrow on pic below)
What is the depth of the main room, i.e. the distance from the bathroom wall to balcony windows (larger red arrow on pic below)

Aspect:

Is the Jomtien facing (south side) really that hot?

Are owners allowed to install sun shades on the balcony to provide some sun protection or tinted windows?

Windows:

Can owners replace the aluminium sliding door with PVC or modern aluminium windows?
If so do they have do they have to be center opening same as the original, or can I go with something modern like 2 or 3 moving panels?

Air Con:

The plastic ducting that i have seen in some Condos looks awful.

For those that have had AC newly installed, is it possible to chase a groove into the wall to hide AC cables and pipework?

Front door:

Are owners allowed to replace the front door? If so do they have to be a certain type to ensure consistency in the look and feel of the corridors?

Building works:

How much advance notice is required for building works?

Is it a question of requesting the maintenance window for the works and waiting, or is further permission and consultation needed?

Thanks in advance for any input or advice!

[tossiam]

I'm in VT 2, rules might differ between VT projects/buildings as committee and management are different and can pass different rules through for their building.

I'd recommend contacting the offices of VT 5 and 7 to ask for transcripts of AGM and meeting minutes, as well as any official building regulation / house rules, and skim through these for the info you're after.

As a general pointer any permanent work that is visible from the outside of the unit (front door, balcony) will require approval from the office, and will most often be denied.

[davidge]

On 05/02/2023 at 16:53, colmx said:

Hi All,

I have been looking at Condos a lot recently (online) and have come to the conclusion that I am better off buying a large apartment in an older building, than a small apartment in a newer building, so i have focussed in on View Talay 5 or 7 in Jomtien

Of course there are several trade offs and pros/cons that I have identified on these older buildings versus the newer lagoona type developments :

Cons:

·       Poor facilities & common areas

·       Old lifts, possible infestations

·       Old windows and doors

·       Awkward rectangular shoebox shape

Pros:

·       Sea views, some unlikely to ever get interrupted

·       Location, on baht bus route, near bars restaurants food mart etc

·       Bigger units 48 SQM versus 27 SQM in most new developments

·       Better soundproofing than new units?

·       Potentially easier to resell, especially if a modern spec?

I am considering purchasing a shell unit and fitting it out to my spec, I have noticed that a few units for sale have managed to squeeze in a separate bedroom and living room by some clever design/planning, which is what i would also like to do

e.g.

https://www.thailand-property.com/condo-for-sale-in-view-talay-5-jomtien-chonburi_5177377

or

https://towncountryproperty.com/property/condo-for-sale-and-rent-view-talay-5-jtc23230/

I like this division of the living space from sleeping space

So on to my questions that hopefully some of the BMs here can help with!

Dimensions:

What are exact dimensions for 48 SQM condo? Is it 8 Meters x 4 Meters rectangle?

I am guessing this includes the balcony, and if so what is the depth of the balcony (small red arrow on pic below)
What is the depth of the main room, i.e. the distance from the bathroom wall to balcony windows (larger red arrow on pic below)

Aspect:

Is the Jomtien facing (south side) really that hot?

Are owners allowed to install sun shades on the balcony to provide some sun protection or tinted windows?

Windows:

Can owners replace the aluminium sliding door with PVC or modern aluminium windows?
If so do they have do they have to be center opening same as the original, or can I go with something modern like 2 or 3 moving panels?

Air Con:

The plastic ducting that i have seen in some Condos looks awful.

For those that have had AC newly installed, is it possible to chase a groove into the wall to hide AC cables and pipework?

Front door:

Are owners allowed to replace the front door? If so do they have to be a certain type to ensure consistency in the look and feel of the corridors?

Building works:

How much advance notice is required for building works?

Is it a question of requesting the maintenance window for the works and waiting, or is further permission and consultation needed?

Thanks in advance for any input or advice!

I didn’t see this when it was first posted, sorry. I can’t answer all of the questions by any means but I have stayed in both VT5 and VT7. I’m not in Jomtien now, but am happy to check some things out when I’m back there (probably end of May).

A few thoughts:

’Cons’ I don’t consider them to be older buildings, unlike some condos I’ve seen and stayed in. I don’t know what you consider to be poor facilities, but pools are excellent, there are laundries, restaurant, minimart etc on site. No Gyms - but I haven’t been in a gym in about 40 years 😊

Maintenance isn’t an issue. Lifts are good. Maybe the fact the buildings are basically concrete and tiles means they survive well.

Some units in VT7 are a different shape. The ones in the ‘wings’ that are largely unsold. I haven’t been inside one but a friend said they are an awkward shape to do much with. I don’t know if they’d be easier to split. Otherwise, yes, all of them are 48sqm rectangles and, yes, that includes the balcony.

I haven’t measured! They are ‘long and narrow’ rather than ‘short and wide’ though the width isn’t too bad. I wouldn’t want to split them into a 1-bed as you’d lose some space and a lot of the condo would be very dark. 

My ‘guess’ is that it’s about 4m by 10m with a 4x2 balcony. My ‘guess’ is that the distance from the bathroom wall to the balcony doors is about 7m. As I said, I’m happy to try and check when I’m back and will apologise if I’m way off.

What I’ve guessed as 7m fits the depth of a wardrobe against the bathroom wall, room to fully open it (3ft?), a king size bed, a dining chair and a 3-seater sofa. Honestly, the width is a bit of a waste as you end up with a lot of unused space in the middle. A 48sqm studio doesn’t feel cramped.

I’ve stayed in condos on both sides of building and didn’t find the south side a problem. Yes, the sun hits the balcony at certain time of day (morning to early afternoon) but it helps clothes dry quickly 😁

A few units in the buildings have sun shades on the balcony so I guess it’s allowed. I can’t imagine tinted glass being an issue, nor putting in better balcony doors but can’t be certain. Main condo doors are uniform so I’m guessing there will be restrictions on changing it.

I don’t think I can really help with anything else but, as I said, am happy to try and check some things when I get back - if you give me a nudge.

There are BMs that own in VT5 and VT7 so maybe they’ll chip in.

[penboy]

If you are in Jomtien, pop in to the view talay offices on Theppraya road. Ask to do a viewing in vt 5 and 7. Look at both 48m and 85m in vt7. The 85 m is a weird shape. 

Buying a shell is a good idea. Avoid using wood unless it has been treated well against termites. A well designed 48m condo could be quite spacious for a single guy. TV on the wall. pivoting bracket, chase in the cables.

An 85m condo will take a separate bedroom, but not IMO a 48.

vt5 only has thai name on the Jomtien side left. vt7 has foreigner name available.

[penboy]

vt7 48 is 4.50m X 11.05m

The other one is 86, two walls are at a KINK.

vt5 has 4.5m X  11.05 someone's maths is a bit off

balconies are included in overall size

 

[golferboy]

Don't put the bedroom in next to the window. 

You will lose all the natural light in the living area and kitchem. 

Then you will be living in a Cave. 

Ive seen some done like this in vt6 and they cant rent them long term. 

The best they get is holiday lets, and they are the last to be taken. 

If you do, go for a double unit if you have the funds. 

The 48 m is great space for a single guy. 

But living with a gf you need a bedroom. 

The lack of privacy in a studio wears thin after a while. 

 

 

 

[Jackie2013]

How's the Juristic in VT5/VT7? 

10 years in and several - many, actually - units unsold in VT7. How does that work in term of CAM. The developer paying up? 

[Sloracer]

I have a double unit in Vt7. It's basically 2 of the 48sqm units joined together. 

It's configured with 2 bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. The main bedroom room is very big while the second is small. Fits a single or double bed which I will use for occasional visitors and or an office

I looks south, great view and no issue with heat. Nice breeze here but can be a little noisy from bars and road traffic.

I don't like the juristic staff, not overly helpful, just do the minimum.

As mentioned, you can't make any changes visible from outside. You must use their standard entry door in vt7, not the most attractive thing and locks like a bank vault. I already have shades so I assume thats not an issue. 

A couple of pics below to give you a perspective.

The main bedroom is seperated by a glass wall and sliding doors which makes it more open and spacious feel.

 

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

@Sloracer Very nice apartment mate - thanks for sharing 👍

[Sloracer]

I forgot to mention. At Vt7 Juristic will charge a ฿200 per day cleaning fee when you have workers on site. This can add up for a long project.

I did some minor renovation work mainly painting and tiling and removing a lot of stuff I didn't like. I just went ahead and did it, no booking. I was just advised no work on weekends.

One of the tradies mentioned that they may ask for a bond to be paid if major work is being done. No one asked.

If you plan to do a full reno you really need to spend a lot of time lining up reliable tradies. This is a big challenge I found out. Most are self taught operators and jack of all trades, and standards of work can be poor.

You need to be there to check every step of the work and make corrections where needed. Unless you speak Thai, language barrier adds another hurdle to the process.

[CampariO]

1 hour ago, Sloracer said:

I forgot to mention. At Vt7 Juristic will charge a ฿200 per day cleaning fee when you have workers on site. This can add up for a long project.

Same at VT5.

[Sloracer]

A couple of other observations I made when looking at Vt 5 & 7.

Vt 5 appeared to be better maintained both inside and the grounds. It's also tucked away from main road so will be quiet. Overall the entire property has a nice feel about it. From memory it only had 2 lifts so wait times can be longer.

For me the property layout of VT7 is sprawling and a little awkward. Not quiet as tidy as VT5. 

Vt7 has 5 lifts and low traffic so rarely a wait for lifts, often counted in seconds.