DIY & Renovation Supplies

In Singapore, if you had a problem with your house or apartment, you would call in a contractor and the problem would be solved (though it was often expensive). In Thailand, the DIY culture is alive and well and many Thais (especially in the more rural areas) are able to do small renovation and repair jobs around the house. For example, my neighbour runs a small minimart and he painted the entire place and fitted the shelves, vinyl flooring, water heaters, and water pipes all by himself.

For DIY tools and supplies, the most famous store in Thailand is perhaps HomePro. HomePro is a massive store that stocks lots of DIY tools and supplies such as hand tools, garden tools, construction tools, ladders, paint, tiles, electrical appliances etc (think of it as a Toys-R-Us for adult men). If you need a contractor for various types of repairs, renovation, or construction works in your house, you can also ask them to make the arrangements for you as they have sub-contractors available, though the prices they charge are often much more expensive than other contractors outside.

Other stores in Thailand that operate with a similar concept to HomePro include Home Sukkapan, Home Expert, Home Improvement, Global House, Thai Watsadu, SCG Home Solutions, True Value.

I have not visited all of the stores above and, as my DIY needs are simple, I mostly go to HomePro. Here is my shopping experience at some of these stores so far:

Product range

All of the stores above work on a one-stop solution concept. However, the range available for certain items will be lesser than what you can find at independent specialist stores outside. Also, what you can find in one store may not be available in another. For example, I find that Thai Watsadu’s products are targeted at renovation contractors more while those at HomePro are targeted more at individual consumers.

But like me, if your needs are simple, you should be able to find all of your stuff at any of these stores.

Service

These stores typically have lots of attentive staff, ever ready to help. In all of my trips to these stores, I have had no problems getting myself understood and having the staff get me the correct item. However, other shoppers have commented that the staff lack product knowledge.

I find that the staff at these stores are generally fine with general product knowledge but in-depth knowledge is often lacking.

Quality

The quality of the products here vary, with international brands sold alongside Thai ones. In my experience, the Thai brands are often cheaper but of lower quality. And they sometimes do not work as promised by the salesman.

So it is always good to do your own research before going to the store and not just take the salesman’s word for it.

Pricing

I am not sure about the pricing across different stores and outlets under the same store as I have never paid close attention to this. But generally, the pieces here will generally be more expensive than those in the neighbourhood stores and those small independent ones outside.

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, if your needs are simple, you should be able to find the stuff you need at HomePro or any of these other stores. But even if you do not manage to get what you want, besides being a great way to beat the heat, a window shopping trip will often reveal many interesting items.