02 : Building a house - Nong Kung Si - Initial Research Questions

[Petey303]

Background:
I have never built a house, have never been involved in the building of a house, and don't know what I am doing ???? I do know how to think about stuff and how to write down a list of desires and concerns. That what this post is.

 

I had started a google doc in Jan 2019 (more than one year ago). I just started dumping all my questions and added to it as I did my online research. I sometimes answered my questions and also added questions as I went. These were things I didn't want to forget to ask when we started to engage with a builder/architect.

 

Items to make sure we have:

• Water filter system - must have - storage tanks?
• Mosquito control
• Air flow
• Shade
• Ethernet for Access Points
• Sewer Pipe along the front and left side of house - rainwater from the street
• Remote controlled gate
• AC outlets everywhere  >Suggested to do a full interior drawing
• Video cameras - remote wired to wiring closet (analog?)
• Ring type doorbell outside the gate
• Bottom floor bedroom - soundproofed
• Bottom floor bedroom bathroom - steam room, Toto toilet
• Wiring out to front gate including doorbell in conduit
• Outside urinal with flush  >Gave this one up ???? I am still thinking of an outdoor shower

 

More:

• Septic tank or septic leach field? >This is a septic tank like Thais use, not the leach fields we use in the American Midwest
• Tool shed - where?
• Shaded outdoor area - where?
• Wiring closet - where? Cooled how?
• Make sure Toto toilet has electric wiring
• Thermal efficiency of walls - make sure outside walls are thick
• Natural light downstairs

 

Newer stuff:

• Make sure we have smoke alarms - wired to low voltage directly (no batteries, WiFi enabled)
• Outdoor shower?
• Make sure all lights are LED, even outside
• Check for outside electrical outlets 
• Hose bibs
• Steam room in the master bedroom shower
• Urinal in the master bedroom
• Floor to ceiling tile in kitchen
• Customize the walk in closets - how?
• Must have outdoor kitchen in the back - cook tops, electricity, etc.
• Multiple APs with one SSID - flush mount. How managed?

 

Things to review with the American Architect:

• Downstairs natural light - light pipes? >Looked at light pipes and skylights : removed after speaking with Thai architect (heat and roof leaking were issues)
• Electrical safety - grounded
• Flow of rooms
• Water filtration system
• Air flow and filtration
• Ability to switch to back up generator >Was originally thinking to not do this
• Wiring closet - where and how cooled?
• All wiring (even low voltage) in conduit
• Cavity Walls for insulation and sound proofing? Add insulation 
• Roof: Seal everything while roof is easy to access
• Acrylic seal the concrete walls for moisture barrier (and be able to paint over acrylic)

 

This was my initial list, before any drawings, before any plans. General items I wanted to address.

[carlyai]

Yes nice list and good thinking. You'll need a good reputable builder for this project, not the local village mob that many of us use.

You can build what ever you want, to a good standard as long as you have the money.

ThaiVisa, DYI forum and Electrical forum have some very experienced members and they can help a lot.  One advice I think we all would give you is that you need to be on the site while building. Be present for the whole build.

[Crossy]

I would add termite control system, even if your home is steel and concrete. They can do a lot of invisible damage.

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, carlyai said:

One advice I think we all would give you is that you need to be on the site while building. Be present for the whole build.

 

Yes, the only time things went awry during our build was when we failed to at least visit every day.

 

Catch the errors before they need whole walls knocking down

[lopburi3]

12 minutes ago, Petey303 said:

Remote controlled gate

More trouble than worth in most cases and a danger if have pets - normally maid can help.

13 minutes ago, Petey303 said:

Wiring out to front gate including doorbell in conduit

Why any wire for doorbell?  Radio types are cheap and work very well and new models do not even require batteries - press creates electric.

15 minutes ago, Petey303 said:

Septic tank or septic leach field? >This is a septic tank like Thais use, not the leach fields we use in the American Midwest

Tank required but leach field not if in city with grey water drainage.

17 minutes ago, Petey303 said:

Wiring closet - where and how cooled?

Is this a house or factory - no closet or cooling required - just normal power panels.

 

19 minutes ago, Petey303 said:

Ethernet for Access Points

Why?  WiFi is today and everything is set up for that access.

 

20 minutes ago, Petey303 said:

Urinal in the master bedroom

You like the bar smell?  Much better to flush toilet.

 

Sorry but you seem to be planning a Park Avenue home in a very poor area of the country so might not be the best fit - and the building is likely to be a nightmare.  

[Suddenplans]

M2?  Bedrooms?  Number of people/family living in the house?  Budget?  Amenities?  Pool?  Landscaping?  Size of lot?  Are there views?  Style of house?  Sustainability?  Your list seems to be focused on details.  You might zero in on broader concepts of how you want to live in this 'home'.

[JoeMc]

Having built a house ..I could write volumes... few quick points;

Check orientation of the house plan ..sun/heat big consideration

Go single story ..dont want stairs ..

Don't even think about a pool ..

Extended roof with maximum covered decking around the house ..

Think trees ..shade ..

Buy best black windows and doors u can afford .. (good security) Dont be tempted by cheap rubbish in DIY stores ..

Maximise doors outlets ..French doors, double doors, sliding doors  .. (got 5)

If you want to enjoy the house forget about mosquito mesh .. use lace curtains 

Flooring big consideration..

Build good covered car ports ..min 2 cars

Plumbing, bathrooms, drainage, guttering, built in wardrobes , railing, gates, endless ...

Finally and the most important..build 2 kitchens ..

Plan, check, plan, plan again, 

Good luck .. bottom line is how much money have u got ..

 

[JoeMc]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Yes, the only time things went awry during our build was when we failed to at least visit every day.

 

Catch the errors before they need whole walls knocking down

100% .. tell a Thai what exactly u want he'll do it but let him think..serious problem 

The best thing I bought when managing the build was a BOX OF CHALK ..awesomely helpful to draw on a wall or where ever

[Crossy]

3 minutes ago, JoeMc said:

The best thing I bought when managing the build was a BOX OF CHALK ..awesomely helpful to draw on a wall or where ever

 

Better than drawing with a stick on the ground, and take a photo of it before the evidence gets "accidentally" erased/altered.

 

[kimjohansen]

FYI - There are free Thailand House Plans available on the internet.  They are pre-approved, so you just have to print them out and bring them to the local planning office to obtain a building permit.  They are in both English & Thai, so any contractor can use them.  They also come with building supply lists and approximate costs.  I used them to build a house in Burirum and it made the project much easier.  Definitely choose a local contractor that has built many houses in your area, ask to go see some and talk with the owners.

 

 https://<URL Automatically Removed>/view.php?pg=thai_house_plans

 

[GreasyFingers]

You missed the first question that should be asked, where is the water (rain) going to flow to. Thais, and many others, do not think of that question.

Second question, if you are married. Be prepared for a divorce or an interrupted relationship.

The other posters will help with the other stuff.

[1FinickyOne]

look at a lot of pictures on line and look for things that might make the house special...

 

we just bought a home w/a little canal/moat around the house and it prevents ants from coming in... have fun with your project.

[samtab]

good luck ????

[Petey303]

20 hours ago, Crossy said:

I would add termite control system, even if your home is steel and concrete. They can do a lot of invisible damage.

Added to the list - thanks!

[bodga]

20 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Yes, the only time things went awry during our build was when we failed to at least visit every day.

 

Catch the errors before they need whole walls knocking down

You NEED  to be onsite  ALL day not  just  pop in for  an hour or  so, you need to watch everything they do, anything that can be hidden in concrete will be, don't become their friends.

I'm  not able to be in Bangkok at the moment and needed to fix an aircon drain pipe, my Wife  asked an aircon guy to do this and this is the bodge he did.

One length of  pipe  glued would  have fixed it in 10 seconds, instead  3  joints a  pile  of  silicon no correct connectors and glue  blobbed on a  pipe. This is their normal and then he told her it was  difficult and charged her 500  baht for a 10 second  job. I'll be ripping the lot  out when I can get up there.

The  full story was I  fitted the correct  pipe 12  months  ago and it dripped onto someones  window 10  floors  down so  office asked us to extend  the pipe (  its the only way to do it here another building bodge during construction) so again whilst I was not there the Wife  got a man to extend the pipe, he  cut it off didn't  glue  it  on and it  blew  off over time. So you see, a  simple job and two bodges already 500 baht per  time, nice little  earner.

I always do my own work here unless like  this I can't  get there and I knew this small thing was not critical.

[bodga]

20 hours ago, Petey303 said:

Things to review with the American Architect

PM me with his  name , I used one once, it  was painful this could be the same  person, good  luck with that.

[bodga]

20 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

20 hours ago, Petey303 said:

Remote controlled gate

More trouble than worth in most cases and a danger if have pets - normally maid can help.

Nonsense, when done CORRECTLY works for years and years, also put IR sensors which cut door  closing if anyone/thing dog  goes through. The  big issue though is done correctly, of  course , I did it myself.

[Petey303]

20 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

20 hours ago, Petey303 said:

Wiring out to front gate including doorbell in conduit

Why any wire for doorbell?  Radio types are cheap and work very well and new models do not even require batteries - press creates electric.

This is for a video doorbell.

 

20 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

20 hours ago, Petey303 said:

Wiring closet - where and how cooled?

Is this a house or factory - no closet or cooling required - just normal power panels.

I want all low voltage wired into one area - I plan on an ethernet switch with PoE, one or two servers (one for video, one for local cloud), UPS for the internet including the Access points, etc.

 

20 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

20 hours ago, Petey303 said:

Ethernet for Access Points

Why?  WiFi is today and everything is set up for that access.

I plan on multiple Access points upstairs and downstairs. Maybe three per floor, maybe one outdoor, not sure yet. One access point would not be enough ????

 

20 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

20 hours ago, Petey303 said:

Urinal in the master bedroom

You like the bar smell?  Much better to flush toilet.

Personal choice

 

20 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Sorry but you seem to be planning a Park Avenue home in a very poor area of the country so might not be the best fit - and the building is likely to be a nightmare. 

Yes, this will definitely be the Taj Mahal in the middle of a Thai farm village. I am spending a lot of time, this effort posting here included, to make sure it is not a nightmare. I am ready for hard work, some headaches, and a really nice house when done.

 

Thanks for the comments!

[bodga]

2 minutes ago, Petey303 said:

Yes, this will definitely be the Taj Mahal in the middle of a Thai farm village.

Be  prepared for a lot of <deleted>  stirring neighbours  who  will complain about everything you do.

Advice from someone whose been there and  done  that.

This included some neighbours fabricating stories of  illegal activity proven false to officials who turned up to check.

Pay the local Police the 1000 baht a month for a "red  box" basically a get out of jail free  card when needed, They will visit  your  house periodically to check things are  ok.

[Petey303]

19 hours ago, Suddenplans said:

M2?  Bedrooms?  Number of people/family living in the house?  Budget?  Amenities?  Pool?  Landscaping?  Size of lot?  Are there views?  Style of house?  Sustainability?  Your list seems to be focused on details.  You might zero in on broader concepts of how you want to live in this 'home'.

Good point - I should have started with the 30,000 foot view.

 

We are looking at two floors, about 4 bedrooms (one downstairs for me when I am too old to climb the stairs), expecting to pay 6M Baht or more, lot is currently 28m x 29m, big master bathroom with jacuzzi tub, Hong Pra, big open downstairs, indoor and outdoor kitchen in the same vicinity (walk out the kitchen door to the outside kitchen).

 

The posts have not caught up to real time yet. I am working on documenting the process thus far. I will post the initial drawings next.

[Petey303]

18 hours ago, JoeMc said:

Extended roof with maximum covered decking around the house ..

Think trees ..shade ..

Yes, for sure!

 

18 hours ago, JoeMc said:

Buy best black windows and doors u can afford .. (good security) Dont be tempted by cheap rubbish in DIY stores ..

Another good one - adding explicitly to the list.

18 hours ago, JoeMc said:

Build good covered car ports ..min 2 cars

Yep, will do 

18 hours ago, JoeMc said:

Plumbing, bathrooms, drainage, guttering, built in wardrobes , railing, gates, endless ...

Yes, working with a civil engineer on lot drainage, gutters, etc. 

[Petey303]

17 minutes ago, bodga said:

PM me with his  name , I used one once, it  was painful this could be the same  person, good  luck with that.

Sent via PM

[bodga]

Get some surge protectors and voltage regulators at the main consumer unit for the electrics  if you are out in the  village or  kiss  goodbye to some of that electrical stuff especially LED  lighting which doesn't like cacky voltages.

The   brown outs are fairly frequent and  lightning strikes on the cable somewhere can easily  happen.

Don't trust anything you are  told by Thai workmen, they will tell you any old  nonsense to avoid doing something the correct way, including "no need  earth cable"  followed by "your'e not  Thai we don't  do it like that here"

Buy your'e  own materials, check they haven't swapped  them, don't  let them thin the paint down, they add so  much water there's  more water than paint. 

MOST  IMPORTANT, ask foe GANZUM in the concrete ground floors, this is a  waterproofer

[Petey303]

10 minutes ago, bodga said:

Pay the local Police the 1000 baht a month for a "red  box" basically a get out of jail free  card when needed, They will visit  your  house periodically to check things are  ok.

Adding this to the to do list - sounds like a prudent suggestion

[bodga]

Re-  good  windows, If someone wants  to get in glass breaks very easily doesn't  matter how  good they are.

You can get UPVC here and aluminium comes in various thicknesses, get the thickest walled as even that is thin.

Blocks can be AAC aerated concrete the  thinnest one and do  a  double  wall, wouldnt bother with the wall insulation, make sure no insects and RATS can get inside it  though, keep  your trees away from the house, RATS and SQUIRRELS  will try to get into your roof to nest and they can chew through many materials.

I'd go with the  metal roof with either spray foam or  the stick  on stuff under it and minimum 4 inch ceiling insulation anything more is overkill.

[bodga]

If your'e  relying  on Village  water, don't, it can often be low  pressure, dirty and turned off, save yourself a lot  of  hassle  dig a  deep  water well with submersible  pump, 80-150k cost.

[bodga]

Surge  volt regulators etc

[DJ54]

1 hour ago, bodga said:

LED  lighting which doesn't like cacky voltages.

The   brown outs are fairly frequent an

Have LED in kitchen and two bedrooms work great and are efficient. Once thunderstorm came through zapped all three.

Fortunately easily replaced and not expensive and I’ve an extra

set just Incase..

 

 

[carlyai]

On 5/1/2020 at 8:39 AM, lopburi3 said:

More trouble than worth in most cases and a danger if have pets - normally maid can help.

Why any wire for doorbell?  Radio types are cheap and work very well and new models do not even require batteries - press creates electric.

Tank required but leach field not if in city with grey water drainage.

Is this a house or factory - no closet or cooling required - just normal power panels.

 

Why?  WiFi is today and everything is set up for that access.

 

You like the bar smell?  Much better to flush toilet.

 

Sorry but you seem to be planning a Park Avenue home in a very poor area of the country so might not be the best fit - and the building is likely to be a nightmare.  

I've change my opinion about wifi and I have fibre to the house. I'd put in CAT 5 or 7 or whatever the spec. is now as then you know for sure when you get buffering it is not your problem but an incoming problem.

[CaptainCarrot]

One detail: electrical socket outlets. Many hotels are now fitting multi-type outlets which accept US/Europe/UK/Aus/plugs. I don't know whether they would comply with code here, so you may need to retrofit later if there is a completion inspection. I am slowly replacing all the old plugs in my house with them. Schneider make a selection.

There are suggestions to use voltage stabilisers, but if you install a backup generator that system should include a serious voltage stabiliser, and be designed to link in to the lightning protection.

Also you may want to import plumbing fittings : shower head, pipe bidet etc as in my experience local stuff in Asia is not of high quality (and that goes for door furniture as well), though maybe there are importers of better stuff.

I'd want a carp pond too.

Oh and the last apartment I rented had a urinal in the shower! Much better to have it in the master bedroom as you plan. Like Rab Nesbitt: a touch of style for the ensuite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYaq0nXzIxo