Building a House in Issan

[sirineou]

4 minutes ago, Cashboy said:

The Thai girl was talking to the "Technician" on the way to the builders merchant today and they were discussing the roof.

He said:

1)  Don't get SGS to make and instal the trusses.  There have been problems.

2)  Don't use those aluminimum strips with screws to hold the roof tiles.  Weld your own steel battons for holding the roof tiles

3)  Don't use the insulation below the roof tiles.  He says it falls off and damages the suspended ceiling after 3 years.  He states to leave the tiles exposed underneath.

 Dont know what he means insulation below tiles? If he means sprayed on PU foam , I agree, All you need under the tiles id reflecting foil,

the insulation will go on your drop ceiling and insulate your living space from the Attic space.

[Cashboy]

6 minutes ago, sirineou said:

You seem to be doing everything right.

Keep am eye, that they vibrate the concrete when they pour, that they use spacers to get proper coverage on the steel, and that the concrete trucks don't add too much water in the mix.

When they pour the columns make sure they wrap them so that they don't loose too much moisture to the air while curing and lose straight.

If it is very hot and sunny when they pour the slab, spray some water on it a couple of times a day for a couple of days , it will give you a stronger slab and diminish cracks.

That is funny that you say that because I always remember on building site I used to hose down the concrete I did the day before a couple of times a day for three days on the basis that it would be stronger because not go off so quickly.

No idea if they used a vibrator.  The Thai girl never mentioned it.

Again, I was always told to lay concrete as dry as possible for strength.

I am not sure if they watered the concrete today but shall ask the Thai girl tomorrow to ask and get the hose out.

At least they back filled it so if they pour water on it now would retain the mositure.

I understand the Thai girl bought 60,000 bt of steel today again and plastic that I gather is for wrapping around the concrete.

 

Edited February 9, 2018 by Cashboy

[Cashboy]

10 minutes ago, sirineou said:

 Dont know what he means insulation below tiles? If he means sprayed on PU foam , I agree, All you need under the tiles id reflecting foil,

the insulation will go on your drop ceiling and insulate your living space from the Attic space.

I was thinking he was talking about the reflective foil that didn't make sense to me.

I didn't know that PU foam was available in Thailand.

I would rather insulate, as you say, above the ceiling with rockwool (non flamable).

I shall clarify that when I get there in two weeks.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Cashboy

[sirineou]

11 minutes ago, Cashboy said:

I was thinking he was talking about the reflective foil that didn't make sense to me.

I didn't know that PU foam was available in Thailand.

I would rather insulate, as you say, above the ceiling with rockwool (non flamable).

I shall clarify that when I get there in two weeks.

 I have seen several people use sprayed  PU foam in Thailand but always on metal roof and mostly to deaden the noise. Now most metal roof comes with foam on it already. 

17 minutes ago, Cashboy said:

That is funny that you say that because I always remember on building site I used to hose down the concrete I did the day before a couple of times a day for three days on the basis that it would be stronger because not go off so quickly.

No idea if they used a vibrator.  The Thai girl never mentioned it.

Again, I was always told to lay concrete as dry as possible for strength.

I am not sure if they watered the concrete today but shall ask the Thai girl tomorrow to ask and get the hose out.

At least they back filled it so if they pour water on it now would retain the mositure.

I understand the Thai girl bought 60,000 bt of steel today again and plastic that I gather is for wrapping around the concrete.

 

No need to worry about the footing columns as they are buried and kept moist by the ground, and very litle to do with the beams that they will do next as they will probably be backfilled soon after they are poured. You might want to place termite control tubes on the in  side of the beams to be able to treat the ground after you are done building, If you still have time to do so with out holding up the building too long.

notice the black pipe inside the beams 

 

[Cashboy]

11 minutes ago, sirineou said:

 I have seen several people use sprayed  PU foam in Thailand but always on metal roof and mostly to deaden the noise. Now most metal roof comes with foam on it already. 

No need to worry about the footing columns as they are buried and kept moist by the ground, and very litle to do with the beams that they will do next as they will probably be backfilled soon after they are poured. You might want to place termite control tubes on the in  side of the beams to be able to treat the ground after you are done building, If you still have time to do so with out holding up the building too long.

notice the black pipe inside the beams 

 

 

I saw that picture of your the other day and thought that your builders were so efficient and planning ahead that that was a ring circuit for electric sockets in the rooms.

How does some black pipe that looks like conduit keep termites out?

 

Looks like my "Technician" went over the top as I have 6 x 16mm raw bar in each column while you have 4 x 16mm raw bar.

Looks like I shall be going over budget!

 

Another question:

I have never seen anyone in Thailand put a damp proof membrane before concreting the floor slab.

I thought that this would be useful against damp but also when concreting would retain the water in the concrete mix and therefore not go off so fast and make it stronger.

 

Oh;  and another question;  why have you raw bar sticking out of the horitonald concrete beams?

 

 

Edited February 9, 2018 by Cashboy

[sirineou]

31 minutes ago, Cashboy said:

 

I saw that picture of your the other day and thought that your builders were so efficient and planning ahead that that was a ring circuit for electric sockets in the rooms.

How does some black pipe that loks like conduit keep termites out?

 

Another question:

I have never seen anyone in Thailand put a damp proof membrane before concreting the floor slab.

I thought that this would be useful against damp but also when concreting would retain the water in the concrete mix and therefore not go off so fast and make it stronger.

 

 

 The black pipe is perforated,  Notice the black pipe sticking out of the beam on the left side? 

 the exterminator attaches a pump there and pumps insecticide that gets sprayed in the space inside'

Yea I don't see  poly (vapor barrier)that we use in the west used in Thailand either.

Two needs for it,

one is to prevent the concrete from losing water to the ground. especially if the ground is sandy and dry, both problems you don't have.(I suspect the perk rate of your clay that I see in the picture, as is mine, is very low)

the other is to keep dampness off from your floor. I don't have that problem because   my ground floor is open to the air,  but the house we build for the sister in law next door, many years ago did not have a vapor barrier, and I suspect my wife's parents house they build years ago and we now own, never had it, and neither of these places seem to have any dampness problems . so I suspect neither will you, . (I suspect the tiles on the floor set in the concrete shiel it, as opposed with carpeting or wood used in the west.but I don't know that for a fact,simply speculating.

 

Edited February 9, 2018 by sirineou

[Cashboy]

Horitonal ground floor raw bar beams being formed.

We are spending a fortune on steel raw using 12mm, 16mm and 20mm raw bar.

The "Technician" always goes to the large supplier ( Du Home) and checks the quality and selects the batches he wants delivered.

[Cashboy]

Finished the raw bar for the 1st floor footings.

10 m3 CPAC Super Plus Concrete was used (1,930bt / m3) as supposedly the best.

15 people on site laying it because it was important that is was all finished in 2 hours.

They did not use a vibrator but went around with large canes to shake it.

Steel shuttering removed early in the morning and the Thai girl is hosing it down every 2 hours during the day for the next 3 days to give it more strength.

 

 

 

[johng]

On 2/9/2018 at 11:37 PM, Cashboy said:

No idea if they used a vibrator.  The Thai girl never mentioned it.

They never admit to that !   

[Cashboy]

Content with everything so far.

We have a good team of labourers and site manager  (Thai girl calls him the "The Technician").

Once all the steel raw bar was put in position the Thai girl takes photos and emails them to a civil engineer  (Dr in enginnering) that is working at Chaing Mai University.  He is from the village and used to be at school with her.  He checks them and recommends any changes.

 

An example in this is that the horizontal steel raw bar should go over both bars now.

Similarly most Thai construction managers do not know or do this and you can get cracks after about three years.

We modifed this.

Here is a drawing of the Dr of Engineering explaining what needed to be changed.

Here is the technical drawing of how it should be done:

Edited February 17, 2018 by Cashboy

[Damian Murray]

Hi cashboy, do you have a Facebook page please?

[baansgr]

6 minutes ago, Damian Murray said:

Hi cashboy, do you have a Facebook page please?

Hes not been on line for 5 months, either the missus kicked him out already or even worse 

[Damian Murray]

2 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Hes not been on line for 5 months, either the missus kicked him out already or even worse 

I've just seen he's been another thread a couple of months ago with pics of his roof but I guess the silence here doesn't bode too well