As to building standards - that's up to the builder I think. You get what you deserve. If you are an absentee builder your chances of getting a good build are minimal, if you go everyday and take part you will be part of the process and able to control what happens. Building anywhere is really not rocket science - putting one stone on another with a bit of "muck" in between, in a reasonably straight line is not hard and can be done even by none DPS Balinese.
Your maintenance costs are continuous and ongoing particularly in the tropics regardless of how well the initial build was completed. If you don't paint it it rots.
I'm noticing a lot more construction outside of the capital - was in Lovina over weekend and lots of new builds (unfortunately also more derelicts).
Ubud is insane busy and seems that nobody is bother (or has time) to build there - noticed that prices there for a home stay have gone from 300k/night to 800k so why build?
Markit, when have you been in Ubud for the last time? because there is going constructions all over around Ubud, Jalan Suweta, jalan sri wedari, junjungan, kutuh kajah, kutuh kelod, banjar taman, penestaran........in front of my house I can see two new buildings on construction and on the same street there is another one.
I haven't been around some of these streets for a while and I went to a villa the other night in Jalan Sri Wedari to meet some friends and I was shock to see the whole road full of villas, hotels and restaurants, I still remember when was full of ricefields not long ago.
I think land was so cheap, that is the only reason why there is so much construction going on or villas and hotels around.
For a owner villa charging 500 $ per a night, if they are good enough on marketing and getting bookings, in a few months they already got the money spend on the land.