Advise for first time building a new house. What mistakes did you make, what would you (NOT) do again.

[transam]

Don't do a typical Thai bathroom where the shower water goes all over the floor, cos it is very annoying if you get up in the night for a pee to walk water all over the place, you wouldn't have a bathroom like that in farangland..

 

Build in a shower wall with a step into the shower area, with a shower curtain so ALL the water stays in one place...????

I have seen some real daft bathroom arrangements since I have been here, the funniest was the shower was just behind the entrance door, with the loo pan in the far corner...????

[sezze]

Wooden doors and windows , takes more work , many times the quality is not up to par  , will need replacing a lot faster and more difficult then alu or pvc types .

 

 

[transam]

1 minute ago, sezze said:

Wooden doors and windows , takes more work , many times the quality is not up to par  , will need replacing a lot faster and more difficult then alu or pvc types .

 

 

Yes, they expand and contract depending on the moisture in the air, plus some bugs like eating wood.

My internal doors are all wood, I have had to plane all of them over the year's cos at times they will not close or rub..

[gk10012001]

On 9/5/2021 at 3:57 AM, jak2002003 said:

We have had built 3 houses in Thailand over the years we have lived here. 

 

These are my tips.

 

1.  Double brick all the walls, especially the exterior ones.   This provides great insulation, sound proofing, and hides unsightly support columns.  

 

2.  Have high ceilings with high windows to let the heat rise and leave the house.

 

3.  Get good installation in the roof to keep the heat from the baking sun out.

 

4.  Big tall windows and doors for air flow. 

 

5.  Have the house positioned so no rooms are going to get the strong sun shining into them from midday and afternoon. 

 

6.  Use the thick grade aluminium for the window frames so they don't warp, get damaged..etc...

 

Yes.  Most of the houses I have seen are pooly insulated, have thin walls, not even the somewhat standard concrete cinder block width common in the USA.  I am amazed at no screens on most windows or door ways.  Are there no mosquito or horse fly or common fly issues in Thailand?  I have read that stomach illnesses are very common over there and it reminds me of the WW 2 african campaigns and the sickness levels of the German Soldiers compared to the British Soldierss.  The Brits used much better covered latrines.  This keeps the flies from transmitting diseases as they buzz around and comtaminate food and drink.  I see so many open kitchens in Thailand and it does not take much for a few flies here and there to contaminate things.  They land, they eat by throwing up on a surface and then sucking it back in.  Pots and pans and dirty dishes left out all the time and open for any bugs to come and land on

[gk10012001]

Do put hot water faucet at sinks in the kitchen and bathroom!  Thais are notorious for only having running cold water taps at most sinks.  Either plumb in a hot water connection, or plan for simple Hot water on Demand heater at each sink.  Makes shaving in the bathroom easier.  makes washing dishes or pots and pans easier.  

[gk10012001]

On 9/6/2021 at 7:57 PM, misterphil said:

Urinals. You just gotta have urinals when you build your own house. 
 

And what about a seat in the shower and a shelf for the Mrs 20 different types of soaps that all do the same thing? Clean lol

 

I have never seen a urinal in any house in the USA.  It could be done, but I don't see the need

[Crossy]

35 minutes ago, sezze said:

Wooden doors and windows , takes more work , many times the quality is not up to par  , will need replacing a lot faster and more difficult then alu or pvc types .

 

We have all teak doors and windows with mai-daeng (Burmese ironwood) frames, only one door moves significantly with the weather and that one takes full sun and rain at times.

 

That said, none of it was cheap, Madam doesn't do cheap ???? 

[gk10012001]

Don't forget smoke alarms and CO detectors, either wired into the home or on batteries individually and make sure you check them often.

[Crossy]

Just now, gk10012001 said:

Don't forget smoke alarms and CO detectors, either wired into the home or on batteries individually and make sure you check them often.

 

Yes^^^.

 

Add extinguishers in your workshop, upstairs and downstairs and a fire-blanket for the kitchen (extinguisher powder makes the food more inedible). 

[transam]

Just now, Crossy said:

 

Yes^^^.

 

Add extinguishers in your workshop, upstairs and downstairs and a fire-blanket for the kitchen (extinguisher powder makes the food more inedible). 

....and make sure the Mrs cooks in the garden, or you could have a noisy day.....????

[Orinoco]

Make sure you have a minimum of 2 bathrooms !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm sure i don't need to say why !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Orinoco]

25 minutes ago, gk10012001 said:

I have never seen a urinal in any house in the USA.  It could be done, but I don't see the need

1) very convenient

2) good for the environment ( use less water )

3) Great to not be sodding about a toilet seat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4) Does not fill the septic tank up with unnecessary water.

 

Having one fitted in one bathroom on new build now.

we pee a lot as we get older +loads of coffee in the morning. 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2021 by Orinoco

[transam]

5 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

Make sure you have a minimum of 2 bathrooms !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm sure i don't need to say why !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haaaaah, below is a home essential for even one loooo...???? 

 

[Orinoco]

5 minutes ago, transam said:

Haaaaah, below is a home essential for even one loooo...???? 

 

My wife swears bind,  hers don't smell !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[transam]

3 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

My wife swears bind,  hers don't smell !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If her nostril's think Papaya Salad smells wonderful, then to her, they probably don't...????

[islandguy]

1. Look at slopes and water flows and put drains around house for flooding. Flat ground can flood without any outside water if/when you get extremely heavy rain. A few hours of 3cm an hour rain will cause flooding almost anywhere.

2. If using wood, go for recycled old hardwood house wood. Resistant to termites and warping.

3. Get the best electrician you can find. Good company in Fang, you can PM me.

4. If cleaning gutters (which do collect rainwater) is going to be dificult, consider French Drains instead

5. Consider having all the electric outside the walls to facilitate repairs and upgrades. Look at Industrial Design for examples. Plumbing can also be done this way in part.

6. Install a water filter with second tap for filling larger containers.

7. If you can’t find a good plumber have plans vetted by a pro and supervise every step of process.

8. Make sure floor levels are correct to drain water into drain inlets. Don’t approve without testing with a level that it will go into drain from all sides.

Never lose your temper!

[Orinoco]

Don't sit with them after so called work,  and buy or drink Lao Khao

They won't make your home any quicker,   or take more care of how they build it.

TIT.

[aussiep]

I have hoticed all aluminum windows and doors installed in Thai built houses are put in so they slide on the outside.
In AUST everything slides on the inside.
It is safer and not as easy to break in.
 

 

[islandguy]

Make sure the hole for the toilet in the floor is far enough away from the wall or both the tank lid and the seat won’t fit right.

[transam]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

We have all teak doors and windows with mai-daeng (Burmese ironwood) frames, only one door moves significantly with the weather and that one takes full sun and rain at times.

 

That said, none of it was cheap, Madam doesn't do cheap ???? 

When I bought my doors, I was told that they are genuine Mowogany, meticulously hand carved in Vindaloo India. Then securely transported on the Organic Express guarded by Winja assasins, so they would arrive in purrrfect condition....????‍♂️....????

[OneMoreFarang]

5 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

Do put hot water faucet at sinks in the kitchen and bathroom!  Thais are notorious for only having running cold water taps at most sinks.  Either plumb in a hot water connection, or plan for simple Hot water on Demand heater at each sink.  Makes shaving in the bathroom easier.  makes washing dishes or pots and pans easier.  

Except that cold water in Thailand is like warm water in other countries.

Warm water in kitchens makes sense. But in bathrooms to wash the hands or shave? I don't think so.

[Crossy]

8 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Except that cold water in Thailand is like warm water in other countries.

Warm water in kitchens makes sense. But in bathrooms to wash the hands or shave? I don't think so.

 

Yeah, I put hot in the bathroom sinks coz it was easy (water heaters are under the sinks), half the time the "cold" is too hot for a shower.

 

The tank now has shade grown up in the form of fruit trees so it's not nearly as bad as it used to be.

[Jen65]

9 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

We have all teak doors and windows with mai-daeng (Burmese ironwood) frames, only one door moves significantly with the weather and that one takes full sun and rain at times.

 

That said, none of it was cheap, Madam doesn't do cheap ???? 

termites still eat teak !!   The house I renovated had wooden hardwood internal door frames and doors but the termites had got in to the frames - how I will never know as they would have had to get through concrete to get in the frames !   ALL now UPVC or aluminium or stainless .  There are a few timbers that Termites don't like - not sure about Burmese Ironwood ??  

[Jen65]

On 9/7/2021 at 6:57 AM, misterphil said:

Urinals. You just gotta have urinals when you build your own house. 
 

And what about a seat in the shower and a shelf for the Mrs 20 different types of soaps that all do the same thing? Clean lol

 

all good except no shower screen so water water everywhere - nothing worse than paddling in water from the shower when only going to the loo !!  

[EVENKEEL]

So replaced all my old style windows with new sliders, 16 of them. So the question is about bars over window. We're modifying the old bars to fit over all windows. I read what others thought of bars and then I questioned if you have no bars do you still leave windows open in the evening or when you leave the house or do you have to check each window to make sure secured. Me I like windows left open, I really don't want to close each window in house if I leave for a bit.

 

I was raised in the country where doors were only locked while sleeping and windows left open, I used to leave my cars keys on the seat. But I don't feel that is safe in todays world.

[sometimewoodworker]

32 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

if you have no bars do you still leave windows open in the evening or when you leave the house or do you have to check each window to make sure secured. Me I like windows left open,

With our house we seldom have the windows open except for the coldest part of the year as neither of us enjoy the high humidity and temperatures that they bring when we want to enjoy the garden that is where we will be. The house is virtually always significantly cooler and 10% to 20% less humid, when it’s raining it can be 40% dryer. 
 

There is no need to check security as when a window is shut it locks.

[MarcIssan]

 

All these suggestion are great and I could have used some of them when I built my house 3 years ago. 

 

One rule I absolutely insisted on was that my builder was NOT going to be Thai and he must speak fluent English.  My logic was that house building was going to be stressful... on me particularly since I am a stickler on details..and I didn't want it to stress my marriage unnecessarily.  The last thing I  wanted was to be involved in a building project where me and the builder didn't speak the same language and where everything...all the details..needed to be translated by my wife who was unfamiliar with the building process and  whose answer to most things is "Let them do it!".  Oh hell no!

 

While I was designing my dream house  (FloorPlan3D software) I also searched the farang forums for builders.  After visiting a few building sites and talking with the builders involved, I found a Brit who lived 20km away who used nanoblocks in the construction process.  These are energy efficient precast blocks allowing the house to stay cool, and they are strong allowing for open floor plans because the roof trusses etc can rest on the perimeter walls leaving the interior unrestrained by columns etc generic to the Thai style of building.  After discussing plumbing, electrical, and roofing issues (common failure points of Thai builds) I settled on Andy and waited for my turn in his queue.

 

I copied and revised a building contract stating how draws would occur and when and put a change order system in place to cover things surely to come up that were not included in the contract.  Any and all changes were to be drawn out, sketched, or otherwise described, quoted as to the cost, and signed off by both me and the contractor BEFORE construction of the said item was to begin.  My contract stated that if the contractor proceeded with the said change without my prior approval, payment would not be guaranteed.

 

All went mostly well..nothing is perfect however the contractor took a parcel of land in lieu of partial payment on the completed project is now my neighbor and friend.  I love the house and having a contractor as a friend has benefits.

[transam]

Don't forget to fit a nice size wall extractor fan in the bathrooms, a must to stop everything steaming up...

[EVENKEEL]

14 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

With our house we seldom have the windows open except for the coldest part of the year as neither of us enjoy the high humidity and temperatures that they bring when we want to enjoy the garden that is where we will be. The house is virtually always significantly cooler and 10% to 20% less humid, when it’s raining it can be 40% dryer. 
 

There is no need to check security as when a window is shut it locks.

Me, I like fresh air in the house, unused rooms get that musty aroma with shut windows. Nice to air out the bedroom as well. Windows in living room get opened in the morning, only reason to close is if serious windy storm passes. But hey, to each their own.

[Tanomazu]

16 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

So replaced all my old style windows with new sliders, 16 of them. So the question is about bars over window. We're modifying the old bars to fit over all windows. I read what others thought of bars and then I questioned if you have no bars do you still leave windows open in the evening or when you leave the house or do you have to check each window to make sure secured. Me I like windows left open, I really don't want to close each window in house if I leave for a bit.

 

I was raised in the country where doors were only locked while sleeping and windows left open, I used to leave my cars keys on the seat. But I don't feel that is safe in todays world.

I like windows open at night, after sleep  and for part of the day. However, I would never in my life put bars on windows simply because I really hate the prison look it provides. Sure, I have to watch and make sure all windows are closed when I head out in theory, but the place I in live in is so safe, even when I forgot to do that nothing ever happened.

 

I think bars are overkill. You can put an inexpensive window alarm, which I have, and if a thief were to open it the alarm would most likely deter him more (sudden effect) than window bars. But then I never felt as safe as I do in Thailand, burglaries do happen of course, but I think they're relatively rare.

Edited September 14, 2021 by Tanomazu