Building a new house in Isaan

[Muhendis]

50 minutes ago, MJCM said:

@Muhendis

 

Thx for the link.

 

According to your link  HDPE pipe full orange jacket – electrical conduit (Acu-Power HDPE pipe).

 

Never seen a full orange HDPE jacket here in TiT

 

So it seems they just use the black with red (orange) stripe here

 

 

 

Or whatever is to hand at Trynottodo Thaiwatsadu

[MJCM]

13 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Or whatever is to hand at Trynottodo Thaiwatsadu

5555555555555

 

Ours we bought from RST, they always (used to) have stock and also they have a great selection of the connectors. (And there is a quality difference in them as well as we have unfortunately found out)

[unheard]

16 hours ago, Encid said:

We plan to have the water lab tested, as we plan on using it in the bathroom and kitchen for our guest house.

Surprised to see that they've neglected to install a pump pad.

Isn't it a required feature?

Obviously, not on your well since you haven't applied for a permit.

Still, there's a good reason to have one as to prevent surface water from entering the well.

Regarding the testing lab... Have you already selected one?

I've used one located in Bangkok. Let me know if you need their contact info.

Their tested parameters:

PH, Turbidity, Color, Total Hardness, Chloride, Total Iron, Manganese, Nitrate, Sulfate, Total Dissolved Solids, Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Selenium, Zinc, Cyanide, Fluoride, Non Carbonate Hardness, Standard Plate Count, Coliform Bacteria, E. Coli

[Encid]

19 hours ago, Muhendis said:

HDPE pipe colours

https://www.acu-tech.com.au/about-us/pipe-colours/

Thanks for that link although it probably does not apply here in Thailand.

This is probably the closest to what I bought:

 

 

I checked the receipt for what I purchased at Global House and it is LDPE pipe rated at 4 bar (or 58 PSI) pressure and LDPE compression fittings rated at 8 bar (or 116 PSI) pressure.

 

 

[Encid]

3 hours ago, unheard said:

Surprised to see that they've neglected to install a pump pad.

Isn't it a required feature?

Obviously, not on your well since you haven't applied for a permit.

Still, there's a good reason to have one as to prevent surface water from entering the well.

Good idea!

I'll look into that next time I visit.

I had to leave and return home before they finished on site so I do not know the current status of the bund wall where they drilled the well.

 

 

4 hours ago, unheard said:

Regarding the testing lab... Have you already selected one?

I've used one located in Bangkok. Let me know if you need their contact info.

Their tested parameters:

PH, Turbidity, Color, Total Hardness, Chloride, Total Iron, Manganese, Nitrate, Sulfate, Total Dissolved Solids, Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Selenium, Zinc, Cyanide, Fluoride, Non Carbonate Hardness, Standard Plate Count, Coliform Bacteria, E. Coli

Sounds very comprehensive.

What sized water sample did you provide them with?

Yes I would like to know their contact info please.  

[unheard]

47 minutes ago, Encid said:

What sized water sample did you provide them with?

Yes I would like to know their contact info please.  

From what I remember, they've asked me to send them four 1-liter bottles.

Their recommendation is to buy drinking water bottles, empty them out and then refill with well water.

A process that largely eliminates potential cross-contamination.

They also offer the convenience service (extra cost), when they come to your site to collect the samples.

https://www.testtech.co.th/public/th

 

[Encid]

Well we won't be getting any test samples soon... the whole village is now in quarantine due to a COVID outbreak.

My BIL has been hospitalized and my wife is very concerned about the safety and health of her parents.

Not a very happy Songkran this year...  

[Muhendis]

18 hours ago, Encid said:

Well we won't be getting any test samples soon... the whole village is now in quarantine due to a COVID outbreak.

My BIL has been hospitalized and my wife is very concerned about the safety and health of her parents.

Not a very happy Songkran this year...  

Hope all works out well for you and yours.

[Encid]

On 4/2/2022 at 5:08 PM, sometimewoodworker said:

Do you realise that going from AutoCAD to SketchUp is really easy for walls and floors? Also they are by nature exact as to measurements, if your AutoCAD is accurate of course.

Now that I have a bit of free time on my hands I thought that I'd give this a try.

Did you use the free online version or did you download the software and use it locally on your PC?

Any ideas which would be better?

[sometimewoodworker]

15 hours ago, Encid said:

Now that I have a bit of free time on my hands I thought that I'd give this a try.

Did you use the free online version or did you download the software and use it locally on your PC?

Any ideas which would be better?

I used the free download to my Mac. Since the design concept was done in and before 2014 and I generally don’t use SketchUp now I have no idea of the restrictions or capabilities of the online version.

[Encid]

Well the best laid plans of mice and men... change!

 

Not only did BIL, his wife, and daughter contact COVID, but FIL MIL and nephew decided to isolate themselves away from the village on the farm.

There was a makeshift shelter already there next to the pond where FIL would rest during the heat of the day... but now it has become their temporary home.

It is a good thing that we had the electric connected and had the bore drilled so the basics were already there for them.

This is how they were living:

 

 

 

[Encid]

We decided that they needed a few more basic amenities so we decided to build them a toilet.

FIL and MIL didn't mind taking a trowel and a roll of tissue paper for a walk on the farm to find a quiet place to do their number 2's, but nephew was very shy and reluctant.

We figured a toilet would be useful to have later on as the farm workers and our new house builders would need somewhere to go too.

 

So here is the toilet construction in progress:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

And voila!

The finished result:

 

 

[GarryP]

2 minutes ago, Encid said:

 

Photo looked really weird, like they were floating while carrying the toilet. Had to give it a second look to get round the optical illusion.  

[KhunLA]

Is it grounded ... ????

[Encid]

We also decided to add a branch and some valves to the LDPE water pipe to divert it from the pond to a new water tank and pump so the family could bathe without having to climb down into the pond.

We added a couple of taps and some hoses so the water could be used for clothes washing, dish washing, and garden watering as well.

 

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

There was another hurdle that needed to be overcome... the owner of the land adjacent to ours had complained about our land fill, saying that it encroached on our her land.

FIL was visited one morning (with no advance warning) by a delegation of people including the complainant, the local pooyai baan, the pooyai baan of FIL's village, and several other local "officials".

So without our consent FIL hired a back hoe to excavate the land on her side back to the original level... at our expense of course.

What he didn't do (and jumped the gun too early) was try to verify exactly where the government survey markers were.

They were in fact just covered by about 1cm of soil which could have easily been brushed away without disturbing the entire profile.

Once the survey markers were exposed, the complaint was withdrawn and were were given the blessing of the local pooyai baan to proceed however we wanted.

 

Here is the new land profile on that side:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the additional cost (16,000 baht) I must admit that it does make a much more interesting front view to our land.

[Encid]

20 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Is it grounded ... ????

No.

I don't know how to do it.

The family have asked the local leccies and they don't know how to do it.

I would really appreciate some advice on what to do as it's a serious safety concern.

 

I have just opened a new topic in the Electrical Forum here to seek some expert advice.

[KhunLA]

38 minutes ago, Encid said:

No.

I don't know how to do it.

The family have asked the local leccies and they don't know how to do it.

I would really appreciate some advice on what to do as it's a serious safety concern.

 

I have just opened a new topic in the Electrical Forum here to seek some expert advice.

Being all metal, gets zapped by lightning, hate be sittin' there.  Need to earth one of the corners, and maybe add an antenna ... ????

[Encid]

We have started planting vetiver grass seedlings along the sides and tops of the sloping filled land to minimize erosion.

The grass should grow to about 1.5 metres in height with an extensive root system about 3 metres deep within 2 years.

One of HM the King Rama 9's initiatives for Thailand which I am happy and thankful to follow.

Thanks also to other Forum members here who also suggested it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

We also decided to build a concrete wall on the side of the land facing our troublesome neighbour... 60 metres in total.

It is to be built just inside our property boundary leaving the government survey markers untouched and in plain sight.

After obtaining a couple of quotes from local builders with dubious engineering input, we decided on a prefabricated RC kit wall obtained from the local building supplier in Phon.

Labour will be provided by one of my BIL's friends who has experience in the local house building industry, and is trusted.

 

It is not designed to be a retaining wall, just a barrier to keep unwanted animals (buffalo, cows, dogs, people etc.) off our land from that particular side.

 

 

Each set consists of a 3m high H-shaped pole which is to be buried 1m deep, then 7 sections of panels, then a final top section.

Distance between the poles is designed to be 2.5m and this include a small allowance or gap to allow the panels to be guided down between the poles.

Each set cost 3,700 baht and included an extra pole for free which closes the final section of the wall.

Delivery was free because we were previous customers and it was not a long distance from Phon to the farm.

 

In order to ensure that the poles are straight and level, I had lengthy discussions with the builder, and we agreed a build strategy.

 

Here are the wall sections being delivered:

 

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

Work on the wall starts...

Holes have been dig at 2.5m centres and a string line run and level to represent the base of the wall.

The holes were dug about 1.1m deeper than the string line, then filled with 100mm of concrete to ensure that the base of all the poles are exactly the same.

After that the poles were lifted into place and propped up with timber so they could be positioned correctly with respect to each other.

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

After pole positioning, the holes are filled with concrete and a mini-footing created at the string line height to act as a base for the horizontal slat sections.

Work can only proceed initially from one pole outwards to the pole either side, because we do not have any mechanical lifting devices (such as a crane or hyab) to assist with the work... everything has to be manually lifted by hand.

It is a slow and tedious process, and is being continually interrupted by heavy rain (which needs draining and also the new slope behind the wall is eroding too with all the water), but it is well understood and the use of a spirit level is ensuring that we will have a straight and horizontal wall.

It is progressing well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

A week later (due to daily heavy rainfall casing delays with concrete pours and drainage issues)) the final cap sections of the panels are being fitted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

A couple of days later, and the job is finally done.

And I am very happy with the result.

It really pays to talk through all the issues together with the builder, and have a clear understanding of the desired outcome.

Sure we had a few minor problems... but we talked through them together and found solutions together... and then we shared a few beers and had a laugh together at the end of each day.

I found it to be a very rewarding experience... and I think that the builder is also secretly proud of his work too!

It is an in-your-face construction, totally unlike any others in the local area, highly visible from the road, and a real middle finger salute to our formerly troublesome neighbour.

FIL, MIL, and BIL are really happy with it too.

 

Apart from the agreed cash payment and the daily free beers, I gave the builder a full case of "see-sip degree" as his bonus for doing a good job.

He was pretty happy!

 

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

The daily heavy rain continues.

Our neighbour has had her land ploughed, as preparation for this year's rice harvest.

They were very careful not to come anywhere our wall's footings.

 

 

[Encid]

Now some bad news...

One of our power poles has fallen down.

It was one at a corner where the cable route changed direction.

The pole was not supported by guy wires either, which I wanted at all changes in direction but our builder said "not needed".

From the photos it is evident that the workers took a short-cut... pole was not sunk deep enough and not enough concrete poured either.

 

 

 

 

[Encid]

We sent the photos to our builder and he said he will fix it, but we will have to wait until the current monsoon storm has passed.

When my wife sent him the photos and confronted him on the phone, saying she trusted in him our engineer, but he should have listened more to her husband he said "sorry... I make mistake".

 

The cables have now been isolated back at the meter.

 

[Crossy]

Ouch! At least you didn't get the "domino effect" with the lot going over ???? 

 

Our poles were installed by a PEA crew on moonlight. On a Sunday, PEA uniforms, PEA truck, poles stamped "PEA", cash to the "supervisor"

 

Nothing has moved apart from one which was the victim of a crappy "retaining wall" which didn't do much retaining. That was fixed with some digging out and 1m³ of concrete, it didn't actually fall over due to the cables providing the function of guy wires. I expect it to survive WW3.

 

[KhunLA]

Whoa.  I think you should have gone another meter down, into the grade/level below the rice paddy.  That dirt is a wee bit too loose for my liking.  Was an accident waiting to happen.  The rest should be reset deeper also.