Building a new house in Isaan

[Encid]

And from the air...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

A few days later and the boxing or formwork for the foundation cages is nearly complete.

 

Rather than using plywood, our builder has opted to use cement cinder bricks, which he said was easier to work with and did not deform when the concrete gets poured. He doesn't bother trying to recover and re-use them.

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

And this morning (17 March) the foundation concrete was poured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Muhendis]

That all looks so right.

Lovely party atmosphere too.

[Encid]

On 3/6/2023 at 10:53 PM, sometimewoodworker said:

Your drawing is not of a staircase but a series of landings. 

as I mentioned my steps have a tread depth of 360mm (310mm would probably be better). Your suggested 600mm is short for a landing a ridiculously long for a staircase. That you seem to have one “step” at 500mm would be a tripping hazard or poor drafting.

I called them "access steps" not a "staircase".

You want to call them "landings" - up to you... in my mind they are still access steps.

 

And you seem to have problems reading the drawing... every step (or landing as you call them) has a projected tread length of 600mm... take another look... the drafting is not poor, your eyesight is!

 

Have another look... perhaps you are getting confused by the 10cm overhang (or nosing) on every tread? Can you find one tread (or step or landing) that has a length of 500mm?

 

And using the term "ridiculously" is rather subjective rather than objective isn't it?

 

Thank you for your input.

[Encid]

Just now, Muhendis said:

That all looks so right.

Lovely party atmosphere too.

It was magic!

Not a phone in sight either... despite our freely available AIS wifi.

Just lots of laughter, smiles, and conversations... an awesome day!

[Muhendis]

1 hour ago, Encid said:

The following day at 9 minutes past 9 am on the 9th day of March we held our house blessing ceremony.

 

It was a surprising (and humbling) turnout by the village... over 100 people came to wish us good luck and to throw a few coins into the house footings before the concrete gets poured... a truly happy day for the entire family.

 

We have been honoured...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appeasement of the spirits is so important in rural communities. 

[Khyron]

I like the new ideas you have for the wall. We also have land that is built higher than the adjacent area. Could you let us know what the price of the cement rings are? My wife and I are discussing it at this time, although a few years from building a wall. Thanks.

[firewight]

On 3/3/2023 at 6:21 PM, Encid said:

And this morning (3 March) the pile driver arrived and started work...

(Please no disparaging safety related comments... I know... I know... )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the piles are being driven into the land that has been settling for the past 11 months, and you can see that it is pretty slow work.

 

We opted to go with 26cm x 26cm x 6m long piles rather than 22cm x 22cm, as there was only a cost differential of 100 baht per pile (delivered) and it costs about 1000 baht per pile to drive.

 

There will be 27 piles driven.

 

None are being driven into the freshly filled land that we reclaimed behind the retaining wall (which hasn't moved at all by the way... but fingers are crossed and we're keeping a close eye on it.)

 

Very Nice!

 

Looking to get some piles hammered in myself, were these guys a private company that you arranged or did your builder manage/arrange them?

Edited March 20, 2023 by firewight
typo

[Encid]

1 hour ago, firewight said:

Very Nice!

 

Looking to get some piles hammered in myself, were these guys a private company that you arranged or did your builder manage/arrange them?

Our builder arranged it all.

[Encid]

10 hours ago, Khyron said:

I like the new ideas you have for the wall. We also have land that is built higher than the adjacent area. Could you let us know what the price of the cement rings are? My wife and I are discussing it at this time, although a few years from building a wall. Thanks.

It depends on the size that you want.

All major hardware stores carry them, and will deliver as well.

They are heavy, so if buying more than a couple forget using a pickup truck. 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 2/20/2022 at 12:53 AM, KarenBravo said:

Frankly, building on your wife's land, close to her family, is in my opinion a mistake. If (God forbid) things don't work out, the house is unsalable.

Never were more true words written.

 

I made al most every mistake it was possible to make while in Thailand, but I never heeded my wife's desire for me to build her a house next door to her mother.

Actually I never built her a house anywhere, which turned out to be a very wise decision.

[Encid]

Just now, thaibeachlovers said:

Never were more true words written.

 

I made al most every mistake it was possible to make while in Thailand, but I never heeded my wife's desire for me to build her a house next door to her mother.

Actually I never built her a house anywhere, which turned out to be a very wise decision.

That's twice now that you have made the same troll comments on this topic... the last time was only a few weeks ago... on 5 March.

You obviously didn't read my reply to you, also on 5 March.

Why don't you take your bitterness and negativity elsewhere?

It is certainly not welcome here.

 

[Netease]

I dont understand why builders just dont just use piers its simple and quick I put down 3 meter piers x 600 boreing was quick, 3 level house

[Encid]

Just now, Netease said:

I dont understand why builders just dont just use piers its simple and quick I put down 3 meter piers x 600 boreing was quick, 3 level house

It really depends on your location.

 

Your land is decidedly different to ours... we have flat land with very poor fine sandy loam which is very deep and no bedrock at all.

 

You appear to be in a hilly or mountainous area so the soil bearing capacity is likely to be much different.

[unheard]

56 minutes ago, Netease said:

I dont understand why builders just dont just use piers its simple and quick I put down 3 meter piers x 600 boreing was quick, 3 level house

Is there a solid rock layer (bedrock) that comes close to the surface?

Was your house plan permitted?

Edited March 20, 2023 by unheard

[unheard]

25 minutes ago, Encid said:

It really depends on your location.

 

Your land is decidedly different to ours... we have flat land with very poor fine sandy loam which is very deep and no bedrock at all.

Actually from what I've seen, builders normally create much wider footing pads to distribute the house's weight.

Especially for the multiple story houses.

 

 

[Netease]

19 minutes ago, Encid said:

It really depends on your location.

 

Your land is decidedly different to ours... we have flat land with very poor fine sandy loam which is very deep and no bedrock at all.

 

You appear to be in a hilly or mountainous area so the soil bearing capacity is likely to be much different.

We are on rice fields bedrock about 5 meters down from slab, land settled for about 2 years but was very well compacted, House has been finished for 2 years now it was a big build. we were very lucky had a good builder I checked his other work, had a very good electricitian that could get on with the builder, a commercial Air con company, but best of all our neighbour worked with the builder It was like winning the lottery to get a capable neighbour like him, he looks after every thing for us now while we are in Australia 

[Encid]

Just now, Netease said:

We are on rice fields bedrock about 5 meters down from slab, land settled for about 2 years but was very well compacted, House has been finished for 2 years now it was a big build. we were very lucky had a good builder I checked his other work, had a very good electricitian that could get on with the builder, a commercial Air con company, but best of all our neighbour worked with the builder It was like winning the lottery to get a capable neighbour like him, he looks after every thing for us now while we are in Australia 

 

Bedrock only 5m down?

Your soil bearing capacity is likely to be very different to ours.

 

Nice big house btw... 

Where are you located?

[Encid]

Just now, unheard said:

Actually from what I've seen, builders normally create much wider footing pads to distribute the house's weight.

Especially for the multiple story houses.

Those footings are the norm when piles are not used.

 

Also hammer driving piles so close to another dwelling is likely to result in cracks appearing in their walls from the resonant vibrations, so the wider RC footing pads are rightly used instead in a location like this.

[unheard]

1 minute ago, Encid said:

Those footings are the norm when piles are not used.

 

Also hammer driving piles so close to another dwelling is likely to result in cracks appearing in their walls from the resonant vibrations, so the wider RC footing pads are rightly used instead in a location like this.

Yeah, but piles are not used in rocky soils, regardless of proximity to other dwellings.

[Netease]

10 minutes ago, Encid said:

Bedrock only 5m down?

Your soil bearing capacity is likely to be very different to ours.

 

Nice big house btw... 

Where are you located?

Sankhamphaeng, we have 520m2 floor area if you would like an idea on Air Con let me know Our Air Con heats the water for the house as we have 5 bathrooms

[Encid]

Just now, Netease said:

Sankhamphaeng, we have 520m2 floor area if you would like an idea on Air Con let me know Our Air Con heats the water for the house as we have 5 bathrooms

Ahhh... Chiang Mai.

That's why your soil (and outlook) is so different to ours.

 

520 sq.m? That's huuuuge! 

You must have a large family.

 

Our Guest House will have an internal living area of only 68 sq.m. (+ 60 sq.m. of decking) and our Main House will have an internal living area of 168 sq.m. (+ 84 sq.m. of decking).

 

Initially we will be going with an electric demand water heater for the Guest House as we will be installing solar panels on the carport roof, but I am considering a solar hot water system from the Main House.

 

Using the AC to heat the water?

What do you do for hot water when you don't use the AC?

I'm interested but I don't think it would be practical compared with a solar powered solution... but I am open to suggestions.  

[unheard]

3 minutes ago, Encid said:

Ahhh... Chiang Mai.

That's why your soil (and outlook) is so different to ours.

Maybe in his particular spot..

 

I've had a chance to observe a few construction sites in the Chiang Mai vicinity and every single one of them used the common wide footing pads design for columns.

Like the ones in the picture I've just posted.

That's the reason for my question if his design has been permitted by the local authority.

[Netease]

4 minutes ago, Encid said:

Ahhh... Chiang Mai.

That's why your soil (and outlook) is so different to ours.

 

520 sq.m? That's huuuuge! 

You must have a large family.

 

Our Guest House will have an internal living area of only 68 sq.m. (+ 60 sq.m. of decking) and our Main House will have an internal living area of 168 sq.m. (+ 84 sq.m. of decking).

 

Initially we will be going with an electric demand water heater for the Guest House as we will be installing solar panels on the carport roof, but I am considering a solar hot water system from the Main House.

 

Using the AC to heat the water?

What do you do for hot water when you don't use the AC?

I'm interested but I don't think it would be practical compared with a solar powered solution... but I am open to suggestions.  

The system can heat the water with out the ait con on a heat exchanger is between the air con and the hot water tank the system also reduces the power needed to cool the aircon gas 

[Netease]

5 minutes ago, unheard said:

Maybe in his particular spot..

 

I've had a chance to observe a few construction sites in the Chiang Mai vicinity and every single one of them used the common wide footing pads design for columns.

Like the ones in the picture I've just posted.

That's the reason for my question if his design has been permitted by the local authority.

I used an architect that worked for the local authority he did the plans and structural steel the builder complained he did an over kill they didn't get on

[Netease]

12 minutes ago, unheard said:

Maybe in his particular spot..

 

I've had a chance to observe a few construction sites in the Chiang Mai vicinity and every single one of them used the common wide footing pads design for columns.

Like the ones in the picture I've just posted.

That's the reason for my question if his design has been permitted by the local authority.

That's because there are no booring Rigs that I  know of in Chiang Mai we found one that was doing a job in CM that came from Phitsanulok

[Netease]

37 minutes ago, unheard said:

Maybe in his particular spot..

 

I've had a chance to observe a few construction sites in the Chiang Mai vicinity and every single one of them used the common wide footing pads design for columns.

Like the ones in the picture I've just posted.

That's the reason for my question if his design has been permitted by the local authority.

That's because there are no booring Rigs that I  know of in Chiang Mai we found one that was doing a job in CM that came from Phitsanulok

[Netease]

That's because there are no booring Rigs that I  know of in Chiang Mai we found one that was doing a job in CM that came from Phitsanulok

It's not the bottom of the pier that holds the weight up its the pressure on the sides of the piers that stops them from sinking

[unheard]

2 hours ago, Netease said:

The system can heat the water with out the ait con on a heat exchanger is between the air con and the hot water tank the system also reduces the power needed to cool the aircon gas

That's the most unusual setup! ????

Is the equipment Thai sourced?