Building An House In The Boonies

[mrbojangles]

Hi guys,

On one plot of land we have near Chaiya Phuum, last year we cleared away some Mango trees etc. to make way for a drive leading up to where the house will be. We then had about 15 trucks of that red coloured soil/dirt laid down and that made a drive way and an area for where the bungalow will eventually go.

This photo is looking back towards the road

And this photo is looking from the driveway, to the site where the bungalow will be built

I'm just after your'e experiences of building in the boonies and how it differes to building in the city etc.

My mrs is adamant that we just build the house on top of the dirt/soil we had laid last year. But i'm a "foundation" type of guy. I like to have an hole dug and concrete poured etc. Am i being over the top for the way things are done in the villiages, or should i stand my ground and insist on proper footings.

Many thanks if you can share your experiences and frustrations.

For info, i am looking at building a single storey, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a european and a thai kitchen

[macb]

Well I did a house history from buying the land to raising it and selecting a builder to build:

I have a lot of information and pics if your interested: Thai building is different from Uuropean building;

Have you got a land paper?

Your going to build a bungalow?

How near is your Electricty Supply?

Is the area subject to Flooding?

I looked at three builders before I chose one watch out the the hidden extras

Send me a PM with you email address

[mrbojangles]

Well I did a house history from buying the land to raising it and selecting a builder to build:

I have a lot of information and pics if your interested: Thai building is different from Uuropean building;

Have you got a land paper?

Your going to build a bungalow?

How near is your Electricty Supply?

Is the area subject to Flooding?

Thanks macb, i'd be very interested

To answer the above:

Yes we have the Chanot

Well, i say a bungalow but what i mean is a single storey. We are going to buy something near a beach and that will be bigger. This one is really for her family with a "farang" room for me when i go up.

We already have full water, drainage and electricity supply.

As for flooding. That's a difficult one to answer. The main village does get flooding but this land is a tad higher up. Last year the land got very wet but didn't flood, even though about 100 meteres away they where in about 2 feet of water

Send me a PM with you email address

Will do

[TBWG]

Hi guys,

On one plot of land we have near Chaiya Phuum, last year we cleared away some Mango trees etc. to make way for a drive leading up to where the house will be. We then had about 15 trucks of that red coloured soil/dirt laid down and that made a drive way and an area for where the bungalow will eventually go.

This photo is looking back towards the road

And this photo is looking from the driveway, to the site where the bungalow will be built

I'm just after your'e experiences of building in the boonies and how it differes to building in the city etc.

My mrs is adamant that we just build the house on top of the dirt/soil we had laid last year. But i'm a "foundation" type of guy. I like to have an hole dug and concrete poured etc. Am i being over the top for the way things are done in the villiages, or should i stand my ground and insist on proper footings.

Many thanks if you can share your experiences and frustrations.

For info, i am looking at building a single storey, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a european and a thai kitchen

Hi Mrbojangles

I thought just like you, but western style foundation just does not work over here...one minute the ground is rock hard, have a downpour and it turns to jelly! your western footings would be constantly on the move.

I took a lot of convincing to go Thai style but after 4 years house is still standing with no cracks. See pic Just make sure they use best quality concrete and adequate steel (rebar) watch contractor puts in correct diameter steel rather than skimping on size to save money.

Save all your concerns for the plumbing, I have no traps in the bath and a hot and cold plumbed toilet!! Some of these rural builders have never seen western sanitary ware and where completely thrown by a bidet!

Good luck but I think you can sleep easy on the foundation front

TBWG

[TBWG]

Hi Again

Having just re-read your post I would point out that Thai footings involve piles driven into the ground which are connected to uprights via concrete and steel bar and connected to each other via above ground concrete and steel reinforced beams.

It is not just a matter of building on top of the raised soil

TBWG

[mrbojangles]

Thanks for the info TBWG

Your house looks lovely btw

[barryofthailand]

We were going to build a house on my wifes land in Surin. She has electric, but thats about it. The medical facilaties are not up to my standard, and I would have to get epstar satelite for the internet @ 1500 baht per month, and their are no cable TV so theirs another 1500 a month for UBC, and their a question on wheather the signals could even be picked up as the cell signals are weak to none, so after lengthy conversations we have decided to wait until the facilaties improve if ever, In the mean time we will stay on the Eastern Seabord.

I've researched building in Thailand and a one story home about 160sq meters using Q-con blocks and either UPVC double glazed windows or Aluminum doble glazed windows can be built for around one million baht with an attached 2 car garage.

Barry

[jing jing]

I've researched building in Thailand and a one story home about 160sq meters using Q-con blocks and either UPVC double glazed windows or Aluminum doble glazed windows can be built for around one million baht with an attached 2 car garage.

Barry

Keep researching.

[Dave the Dude]

Hi guys,

On one plot of land we have near Chaiya Phuum, last year we cleared away some Mango trees etc. to make way for a drive leading up to where the house will be. We then had about 15 trucks of that red coloured soil/dirt laid down and that made a drive way and an area for where the bungalow will eventually go.

This photo is looking back towards the road

And this photo is looking from the driveway, to the site where the bungalow will be built

I'm just after your'e experiences of building in the boonies and how it differes to building in the city etc.

My mrs is adamant that we just build the house on top of the dirt/soil we had laid last year. But i'm a "foundation" type of guy. I like to have an hole dug and concrete poured etc. Am i being over the top for the way things are done in the villiages, or should i stand my ground and insist on proper footings.

Many thanks if you can share your experiences and frustrations.

For info, i am looking at building a single storey, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a european and a thai kitchen

Hi Mrbojangles

I thought just like you, but western style foundation just does not work over here...one minute the ground is rock hard, have a downpour and it turns to jelly! your western footings would be constantly on the move.

I took a lot of convincing to go Thai style but after 4 years house is still standing with no cracks. See pic Just make sure they use best quality concrete and adequate steel (rebar) watch contractor puts in correct diameter steel rather than skimping on size to save money.

Save all your concerns for the plumbing, I have no traps in the bath and a hot and cold plumbed toilet!! Some of these rural builders have never seen western sanitary ware and where completely thrown by a bidet!

Good luck but I think you can sleep easy on the foundation front

TBWG

Hi MrBojangles (and TBWG)

Please take note of TBWG's comments re plumbing. Im a plumber and the standards of plumbing work i'v seen is awful (my house included). I had all the same concerns as you stated and thankfully my home has been completed to a good standard and like TMWG,its still standing (his home that is,not too sure about him,though!). Please ensure builder understands your HOT/COLD water requirements and make sure 'traps' are correctly installed in all sinks/wet rooms.

Good luck and dont forget,its no problem to ask for advice.

Dave the Dude

[Rinrada]

Finally managed to clear away a bit of Top soil but at the moment still...poo chaa haa... Still living in the gatehouse at the bottom of "our"mountain but maybe one day.....

[paulsmithson]

I am a professional builder in the Uk and in truth Thai building standards suck! Regardless of the what the previous posters have said foundation design is of paramount importance if you want your building to last any length of time. it matters not where in the world you are going to build the science is the same!!!!! That is why the new airport is sinking!!!

Remember that what the Thai are used to building in the countryside just big garden sheds and their homes have no weight loadings in them!!!!!

You cannot beat a good european type of foundation--either a properly constructed raft foundation or driven piles!!!not just holes dug in the ground by some farmer then filled with concrete.

Plumbing is atrocious with service pipes needlessly buried underground when they could be run above the ceilings then dropped down to feed sanitary appliances and water traps---wow the only trap the Thai know of is the Farang trap!!!!!

Electrics are even worse with no earthing in many cases.

roofing Hahahahahahahhahaha!!! like i said they are shed builders !

Remember it is your money and although you will constantly meet the ---You know nothing farang---we always do it this way in Thailand attitude----make them do it your way or not at all!!!

Hey and foget all the bullshit you read here and other places about face!!! Your money and your command!!!

Dealing with Thais is no different than dealing with any other race---money talks and sensible good manners together with firmness and politeness is expected everywhere in the world----it does not mean you have to be a mug to stay popular with the Thai.

[frankafey]

If you have not already, check out this site: www.coolthaihouse.com

[pumpuiman]

Footings are a must. I asked that the footings in the plan for my home in Isaan be enlarged.

You would be nuts to not have a solid foundation to build on.

[mrbojangles]

Thanks for all the replies and links guys, i will look at them later today. The comments on the Plumbing and Electrical issues i will take on board

As for foundations. I think i will pile drive (i know it depends on the soil) but how deep approx do you have to go for a single storey dwelling?

Thanks again

P.S. Pumpuiman, nice looking house. I can imagine a few headaches getting that finished to your spec.

Rinrada, how far out from civilization is that? Looks a great view.

[phibunmike]

Please ensure builder understands your HOT/COLD water requirements and make sure 'traps' are correctly installed in all sinks/wet rooms.

IMHO, don't get too hung up on the traps. Remember, traps are there to prevent odours from coming back up from the drains. My kitchen sink drains straight out into the field next to the house (keeps my papaya watered), so no need for traps. My toilets go into a septic tank, so of course they need traps. My showers have traps, but not for odour, rather to prevent scorpions and millipedes from appearing in the shower. Building conditions differ from place to place, so it is a good idea to think to one's self "why do I want...." before saying "I must have...".

Cheers,

Mike

[Mai Krap]

For starters be careful where you put your house. There is safty in numbers, thats why in rural areas Thais live in villages. If you do choose to build away from others make sure somebody is always at your house, you can never leave it alone even for one afternoon. Go back and look through the forum where guys have gotten into trouble with thieves and other things, many times it happend because they chose to have privacy.

I guess location is more important than about anything. Just yesterday I was looking at a newly constructed Germans home who visets one time per year. The home is beutiful and surrounded by a wall enclosing 3 rai of land. The home is also covered in red clay dust as he built directly on the trail that leads to about 200 rice fields and everybody but the somtam lady goes by there about 1o times a day full speed dusting the entire place out. Pigs can also be problems, pig farmers dont mind the smells but Im sure any westerner including myself does. Then you have the charcoal industry, I was smoked out of a beutiful home I rented in Loie years ago. I doubt I would have ever moved and may have still been living there to this day if it were not for this guy moving in and then setting up first one and then 2 charcoal ovens. Yes he and his children lived right on top of the things and covered in suit, they will have a nice case of black lung for thier troubles.

Wires and plumbing is not to be worried about, it can all be redone or corrected unlike in western construction. The big worry is overall design and getting it right, that you cannot change. Please, please, please, do not build some monster of a enclosed house, you will be sorry for wasting your money. There is nothing like sitting around in some mold infested airconed room in the heat of summer. Nevermind trying to be active after you sit around in the airconditioning all day. Build on poles and leave the first floor open on three sides putting a Thai kitchen and one or two restrooms in. You will be having guests and parties, best to keep it all down stairs where you can wash up the afterparty with a hose. This also gives you the best place ever to hang around reading and drinking cool beverages during the very hotest part of summer. Jim Thompson was the smartest farang that ever built a house over here. While it would be near imposible to duplicate it you should at least go their and hang around to help you get some ideas. Smaller stilted and airy rooms are far superior to concrete eurocastles, try to adapt some design features and update it with concrete and rebar construction. The single biggest mistake Ive seen is guys listening to their wives and building walls everywhere which blocks the air from flowing leaving you in a sweat box.

Pole type construction can not be underestimated for raising the security level of your home. I dont think I need to bother with details here but bars on second story windows are much harder for a thief to deal with. This can also help you keep out the mice, rats, and the super evil ants that thrive within enclosed type structures.

I will try and get back to this but I have laid out some basic issues. Insulation, roof design, concrete mixes, concrete vibrators, water access, insects, tropical gardens, fish ponds, water gardens, geese, swimming pools, mold issues and few other things I didnt get into here but are important considerations before you start construction.

[paulsmithson]

There is a lot of sense in what Mai Krab says about elevating the house for security reasons. Easy and cheap to block a stair acccess to the first floor and dogs both outside and inside that secure area will make access for thieves very difficult. CCTV and good external lighting, possibley controlled by motion sensors??? very affordable.

if you do live in a village then walling yourself in and screening yourself from the neighbours is not helpful---Let them see what is going on---you may need their help oneday

[chownah]

There may be safety in numbers but when you live close to your neighbors you get to hear their dogs and roosters, cats in heat, late night vomiting after an entire evening of drunken karaoke which is loud enough for you to sing along even from your own home. Also you get to smell their pig pens and burning plastic. Even their early morning routines can be amusing.

Chownah

[phibunmike]

There may be safety in numbers but when you live close to your neighbors you get to hear their dogs and roosters, cats in heat, late night vomiting after an entire evening of drunken karaoke which is loud enough for you to sing along even from your own home. Also you get to smell their pig pens and burning plastic. Even their early morning routines can be amusing.

Chownah

Thanks Chownah, not often I laugh out loud while sitting at the computer So true, so very true....

[sendbaht]

Chownah........ you are one funny guy... thanks!

[Mai Krap]

There may be safety in numbers but when you live close to your neighbors you get to hear their dogs and roosters, cats in heat, late night vomiting after an entire evening of drunken karaoke which is loud enough for you to sing along even from your own home. Also you get to smell their pig pens and burning plastic. Even their early morning routines can be amusing.

Chownah

You left out late night sex noises (Mostly animal but sometimes human), lao khao marriage counsuling, obnoxious children, Three day drunken benders and all night karaoke with fireworks when somebody dies which seems to be about one time every week, bell ringing contests between rival wats and novice monks before daylight, If youre lucky and live close to Thai Muslims, the occaisonal all night calls for prayer over loud speakers, Pai being a example. Did I mention the day your neighbor decides to become a pro chicken fighter and shows up with twenty new roosters? How about the day the neighbors all move back from Bangkok and put 20 people in the house next door where you thought a normal family lived? What about the day the Phu Yai Bahn upgrades his loud speaker system to now overlap the village anouncments 4 kilometers away when you live one block over. If you live in rural Thailand no matter where you go you will have babies crying, buffalo shitt, obnoxious music, both good and bad neigbors to deal with, how you choose to live amongst them and deal with it is up to you.

In general there are things that go on that sometimes I have never even dreamed up but once you live in the countryside you learn to put up with much. Call it a kharma thing or Zen thing or Bhudda lessons or just the simple fact that in all likelyhood that those reading this as teens in a western country disturbed the middle age neigbors back home and now they themselves are the middle aged neighbors who are being disturbed. Thailand aint going to change much for better or worse as long as the locals have rice and the sun rises. For me I just curse on occaision and smile then move on to the next thing. Did I mention my driveway and the local improvement project that payed jackasses to dig it up for no reason, kharma baby, Peace is all in your head. In conclusion I would not change a thing, I love it all and if anything living back in the western world would be more disturbing for me than dealing with others lives here, The play is the thing, here you are offered a vip all access invitation to it.

[mrbojangles]

Thanks very much guys, for telling me of your experiences and to Mai Khrap for taking the time for a long thought out reply

I will add some further details and piccies about the land. It is a plot of about 3.5 Rai and is very close to the villiage if not actually in the villiage. We are on a lane leading off the main villiage road, there is 3 houses before you get to ours (1 farang next to ours). As there is just so much room, the mrs family live on the plot, in the stick type wooden houses. The family consisting of mum and dad, 2 brothers and wives and 3 kids. Also, they take care of the mango, pappaya, banana and coconut trees along with lots of other stuff they grow. They also take care of the fish farm we have and the plot with Man Sam Palang growing, which is about 10 minutes away.

As i will at the maximum, only spend 2 weeks a year there, the intention is to build the house and let whoever wants to, live in the house. The only condition i will have is that, I will have my own air conditioned bedroom with en-suite, double glazing and farang bed, which will be strictly off limits to all.

As for the fencing, below is the fence that is erected and we don't have any plans to change it.

The wall the farang built next door

Every day mama clears the weeds

Mango's

Some other stuff ??

and some other stuff ??

Edited February 14, 2007 by mrbojangles

[Thaddeus]

What about the day the Phu Yai Bahn upgrades his loud speaker system to now overlap the village anouncments 4 kilometers away when you live one block over

Our Poo Yai has just done that....... when I see him strutting through the village later in the day, I'd swear blind he is doing a Brothers Gibb impression.

Sorry Mr BoJ.... didn't mean to turn to frivolity, so........

The only condition i will have is that, I will have my own air conditioned bedroom with en-suite, double glazing and farang bed, which will be strictly off limits to all.

Good idea..... it's enforcing the off-limits part that can be somehow difficult.... I woke up at 5am this morning with a month old puppy trying to get milk out of my nose.

[Dave the Dude]

Good idea..... it's enforcing the off-limits part that can be somehow difficult.... I woke up at 5am this morning with a month old puppy trying to get milk out of my nose.

Hi Thad

Serve you right for keeping it up there

Try using a fridge it lasts longer !

[mrbojangles]

The only condition i will have is that, I will have my own air conditioned bedroom with en-suite, double glazing and farang bed, which will be strictly off limits to all.

Good idea..... it's enforcing the off-limits part that can be somehow difficult.... I woke up at 5am this morning with a month old puppy trying to get milk out of my nose.

Yeah, i want to be a bit more subtle than having a huge chain and padlock on the door.

Anybody got any suggestions, as to how you keep the rest of the family out !!

[khunandy]

The only condition i will have is that, I will have my own air conditioned bedroom with en-suite, double glazing and farang bed, which will be strictly off limits to all.

Good idea..... it's enforcing the off-limits part that can be somehow difficult.... I woke up at 5am this morning with a month old puppy trying to get milk out of my nose.

Yeah, i want to be a bit more subtle than having a huge chain and padlock on the door.

Anybody got any suggestions, as to how you keep the rest of the family out !!

Blue vein cheese mate, on a plate next to the door..works every time

[mrbojangles]

The only condition i will have is that, I will have my own air conditioned bedroom with en-suite, double glazing and farang bed, which will be strictly off limits to all.

Good idea..... it's enforcing the off-limits part that can be somehow difficult.... I woke up at 5am this morning with a month old puppy trying to get milk out of my nose.

Yeah, i want to be a bit more subtle than having a huge chain and padlock on the door.

Anybody got any suggestions, as to how you keep the rest of the family out !!

Blue vein cheese mate, on a plate next to the door..works every time

Funny that cos me and the Mrs where only joking about this today. She was making some Pok Pok (som tam) and was adding in the "delightfully pungent" Pallaah (sp). I never go anywhere near the kitchen when she opens that up and she said the same about cheese. Maybe you have the solution

P.S. Just read your topic on the house. Excellent thread and glad everything is going great

[Mai Krap]

The only condition i will have is that, I will have my own air conditioned bedroom with en-suite, double glazing and farang bed, which will be strictly off limits to all.

Good idea..... it's enforcing the off-limits part that can be somehow difficult.... I woke up at 5am this morning with a month old puppy trying to get milk out of my nose.

Yeah, i want to be a bit more subtle than having a huge chain and padlock on the door.

Anybody got any suggestions, as to how you keep the rest of the family out !!

Since you have a nice bit of land you might consider 2 or 3 smaller Thai/Balinese type houses with one to serve as a kitchen. If you figured out the size you want your bedroom you could just build it as a single long house with a ultimate farang restoom with a huge bathtub. It would also be very nice in the hot season to have windows running down both sides of the room for the breeze, aircons here are horrible with their mold inside, Ive given up on them myself. If you put a nice lockable gate on the bottem of your stairs and built a nice private balcony upstairs you could maitain some level of privacy.

Heres a couple pictures of Thompsons in Bangkok,,,,,

[blue eyes]

Mai Krap, You really have the life of living in rural Thailand down.It seems that everything that you have said in this thread rings true with us.The wife and I are presently surviving in USA.But have a home in the village that we try to visit as often as time and money allow.Good luck to anyone that does not have a high tolerance for other peoples ways.That is a must in rural Thailand.

[Naam]

"Some of these rural builders have never seen western sanitary ware and where completely thrown by a bidet!"

*****

not only rural builders but Pattaya builders too. i know one who thought that westerners use the toilet during weekdays and the bidets on weekends. had a similar experience with plumbing subcontractor when i build my home in Florida. he took me aside and asked me in a whispering voice "what exactly is this thing used for?" my dry answer was " our kitchen sink is not big enough so we use the bidets to wash our vegetables".