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

[Crossy]

We have a moat! Yes with water but no crocodiles. Then a 2m lift to our land level with a 1 or 2m wall on top.

 

If a potential burglar gets over that or the 2m high gates he will have to get past the 12 legged security system (2 dogs, 2 geese).

 

We rarely bother locking anything except the main access door at night, we also lock the bedroom door but that's just force of habit.

 

My Malaysian-Chinese ex had a house with bars in Port Klang, I never really liked being inside but when she got burgled they broke in through the roof!! 

[EVENKEEL]

2 hours ago, Tanomazu said:

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.

Nothing ever happens until it happens. I get what you're saying, I've been exposed to the shi**ty side of life so if bars don't look quite ascetic, so be it. My daughter dislikes them, my G/F likes them as do I. I don't live in an upperscale village, I'm on a pretty busy street with pedestrian and loads of vehicles passing all day. As they say, locks keep honest people out.   

[Tanomazu]

16 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Nothing ever happens until it happens. I get what you're saying, I've been exposed to the shi**ty side of life so if bars don't look quite ascetic, so be it. My daughter dislikes them, my G/F likes them as do I. I don't live in an upperscale village, I'm on a pretty busy street with pedestrian and loads of vehicles passing all day. As they say, locks keep honest people out.   

Oh it will definitely be a deterrent if security is a main concern. I'm sure they work. Usually.

 

Just can't get onboard with the look, it really looks like prison.

 

 

[bankruatsteve]

Sorry if already mentioned, but the one thing I wish I had done is have 1" PVC run as far as possible before downsizing to 1/2" for water distribution.  

[Crossy]

I'm afraid that my opinion of security bars is that if I think they are needed in a particular area then I don't want to live in that area.

 

But that's just my opinion of course, others are entitled to theirs.

 

 

[ChaiyaTH]

On 9/5/2021 at 3:34 PM, martijn12345 said:

Window security, as much as I hate them, will be there prison bars in front of the windows. My wife really wants them, and I have no better solution.

I really think that is so extremely pointless and ugly at the same time, it's so easy to break in 95% of all doors in TH if they really wanted. A proper and visible security / CCTV system would do more if you ask me.

 

I would design a separate enclosed room in the house build for this system too, you can also do all your electric, solar stuff etc. in there and make it a safe room right away.

Edited September 14, 2021 by ChaiyaTH

[sometimewoodworker]

3 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

 

I would design a separate enclosed room in the house build for this system too, you can also do all your electric, solar stuff etc. in there and make it a safe room right away.

We have one of those. It has reenforced concrete for walls floor and ceiling with a custom built, so I am sure of the steel used, steel door. Of someone gets in the house it isn’t going to be the easiest thing to get into. 

[Kinnock]

Remarkably few regrets after our design and build adventure.

 

One issue - I asked for a proper damp proof course in the walls and a membrane under the floor slab.  Everyone, including architect, builder and wife told me it was not necessary in Thailand  ("as it's not cold and damp like in your home country") ..... wrong!   Surprisingly, physics is the same here, and damp still rises. 

 

Fortunately the floor was high enough to prevent issues on interior walls, but outside is a never-ending painting job at the base of the walls.

[nauseus]

On 9/13/2021 at 9:33 AM, transam said:

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..

Hi Transam, saw your msg thanks. As you seem to be an expert chippy, can you recommend a good wood filler I can buy in Thailand? For small screw holes which I have to use again, don't need much. Ta.

 

[EVENKEEL]

14 hours ago, Crossy said:

I'm afraid that my opinion of security bars is that if I think they are needed in a particular area then I don't want to live in that area.

 

But that's just my opinion of course, others are entitled to theirs.

 

 

In the US I'd agree about the bars over the windows. If I was house hunting I'd avoid certain areas altogether.

 

Here in Thailand the house I have is of the older Thai style house, single story with bars between inside screen and wood framed swinging windows so not so easily seen and upgraded to sliders. Many houses such as mine scattered around all have these bars. There's a place a few houses down 23 mil asking and they have bars all around, I only give selling price as indicator to neighborhood.

 

 

[transam]

13 hours ago, nauseus said:

Hi Transam, saw your msg thanks. As you seem to be an expert chippy, can you recommend a good wood filler I can buy in Thailand? For small screw holes which I have to use again, don't need much. Ta.

 

To be honest, I have never looked for any, sorry.....????

[nauseus]

2 minutes ago, transam said:

To be honest, I have never looked for any, sorry.....????

No worries.

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, nauseus said:

No worries.

I like this product. Comes in several colors, dries pretty quick, does not shrink much it's cheap and (surprising given the smell) cleans up with water. 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

15 hours ago, nauseus said:

Hi Transam, saw your msg thanks. As you seem to be an expert chippy, can you recommend a good wood filler I can buy in Thailand? For small screw holes which I have to use again, don't need much. Ta.

 

Using filler for a screw hole that is going to be reused is never going to work well it will never do a good job. It provides virtually no holding power and will pull out. You can use epoxy (cheap and easy to get) but that is not much better as it’s too brittle.
 

A cross grain plug (not a dowel or toothpicks  as that’s end grain) will give the best results. Plug cutters are easily available, easy to use and cheap, you make your own plugs from matching wood. Then use a normal drill bit and PVA to glue them home. You can even buy the ready cut plugs, this is one place

[Yellowtail]

Sorry, SWW is correct, I missed that the holes needed to be used again and I imagine the Bosny filler is useless for that.

 

That said, for small holes I have found that (end-grain or otherwise) kabob sticks work quite well. Fill the hole with white-glue, soak the stick(s) in white-glue for a few minutes and drive it/them in. I usually wait until the next day to trim them off and re-drill. 

 

Of course if you can go a size up on the screws or use a little longer screws you may not have to fill the holes...

 

 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

That said, for small holes I have found that (end-grain or otherwise) kabob sticks work quite well. Fill the hole with white-glue, soak the stick(s) in white-glue for a few minutes and drive it/them in. I usually wait until the next day to trim them off and re-drill. 

It very much depends on the amount of load that the screws are going to hold and how many need fixing if thats a good idea. The only data so far is that there are several, so maybe not so good.

 

An example is piano hinge, where I typically only use every second hole and the screws are plentiful enough that 1 in 3 would probably work for strength but 1 in 2 is better for closure with that I would use toothpicks.

[Yellowtail]

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It very much depends on the amount of load that the screws are going to hold and how many need fixing if thats a good idea. The only data so far is that there are several, so maybe not so good.

Indeed.

 

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

An example is piano hinge, where I typically only use every second hole and the screws are plentiful enough that 1 in 3 would probably work for strength but 1 in 2 is better for closure with that I would use toothpicks.

Nothing shows off an nice box better than a properly installed piano hinge...

 

[gk10012001]

On 9/12/2021 at 11:10 PM, 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 in your car too.  Over time I have actually used a car fire extinguisher twice.  Never on my own vehicle, but on minor car accidents I came upon that stayed minor but could have gotten out of control

[Crossy]

Off topic/trolling post plus several bickering replies have gone walkabout.

 

Let's keep it civil and on-topic shall we?

 

[gk10012001]

Two doggies are a pretty effective burglar alarm and relatively cheap and have other benefits also

[zzzzz]

On 9/18/2021 at 1:25 PM, gk10012001 said:

Two doggies are a pretty effective burglar alarm and relatively cheap and have other benefits also

till someone feeds them poisoned meat

[Yellowtail]

2 hours ago, zzzzz said:

till someone feeds them poisoned meat

Dude's watching too much TV.....

 

If someone is killing your dogs to get in, not much is going to stop them....

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 9/5/2021 at 2:15 PM, martijn12345 said:

we have contacted 3, hopefully reliable companies

Theres  your first mistake

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 9/14/2021 at 8:25 PM, Kinnock said:

Remarkably few regrets after our design and build adventure.

 

One issue - I asked for a proper damp proof course in the walls and a membrane under the floor slab.  Everyone, including architect, builder and wife told me it was not necessary in Thailand  ("as it's not cold and damp like in your home country") ..... wrong!   Surprisingly, physics is the same here, and damp still rises. 

 

Fortunately the floor was high enough to prevent issues on interior walls, but outside is a never-ending painting job at the base of the walls.

Add  GANZAM to  the concrete  mix when the company mix  it, cpac  can do this

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 9/5/2021 at 2:57 PM, jak2002003 said:

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

is  only  ok if you dont plan to use aircon as then you have to cool a  larger  volume

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 9/5/2021 at 3:30 PM, martijn12345 said:

I think we get 5 years. Is 10 years something we could/should ask for, or it just depends on the company, what they offer?

be aware  any guarantee  in Thailand probably  isnt worth the paper its  printed  on.

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 9/5/2021 at 2:15 PM, martijn12345 said:

have a lot of good reviews

remember you  cannot  often post bad  reviews  in Thailand due to defamation laws

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 9/7/2021 at 8:20 PM, Jen65 said:

As regards to planting trees for shade - absolutely do NOT plant palm trees within 10 mtrs of your house !!  I just spent 10,000 baht and the hire of a 5t kubota to get rid the massive root spread that was going under the foundations , into the concrete and strangling the septic on the house I bought to renovate !!   The're useless anyway - all the palms at the top get in your gutters and drop off to make a mess !   

https://gardentabs.com/are-palm-trees-roots-invasive/

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 9/13/2021 at 9:07 AM, transam said:

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...????

as  daft as their doorstop  placement right next to the hinge, nuts  just right to rip the hing out of  the frame  or  door

[Robin]

Don' even think of using a 'local contractor/handyman,  for any work.  Only use experienced labour from your builder.  it might seem cheaper to use local labour, but it will cost you in the years to come.  I have had to re-do virtually everything in my house done by local 'experts'   Thai electricians are the worst.   As is anything done in the 'Thai way.'