Another foreigner building a house in rural Thailand.

[Woof999]

Finally agreed and signed a contract to sell the house I've loved for almost 4 years. Could still go tits up, but I'm now proceeding as if I need to find a new place.

 

Expecting this to happen, I've been scouting some established builders within Thailand to be the main contractors on a new build. One stood out based on their designs and past work. Just had a conversation with them about modifications to their standard designs and the impact on cost, when I asked which blocks they used as standard on all their builds. They told me they use 7.5cm QCon AAC blocks. I then asked how they chase cables into such thin blocks, and the builder tells me they route into the block, no problem.

 

Am I right in thinking that a 7.5cm block is way too thin to be chasing conduit into, especially on external walls? I do have the option of changing to 20cm (or any other thickness I want), and I also recall reading somewhere that the 20cm block is the thinnest that QCon recommend conduit chased into. I would want 20mm anyway because of the additional thermal / noise reduction benefits, but is it a red flag for a builder to be cutting significantly into these smaller blocks? I understand that the main load is taken by the pillars, but I wouldn't want any external wall to be only 3 or 4 centimetres thick in places. Too many weak points to induce cracking etc.

 

Hopefully I'm worrying about nothing and this isn't a red flag against using this builder.

[CharlieKo]

9 minutes ago, Woof999 said:

Hopefully I'm worrying about nothing and this isn't a red flag against using this builder.

That is standard practice here in Thailand. All builders do the same. 

[OneMoreFarang]

My internal walls (in a condominium) are 10cm thick. When I have a switch on one side of the wall and another switch on the opposite side, then there is a hole between the walls. I use 20mm pipes for the electrical cables. Pipes on the same wall on the opposite site are possible - just about.

When I drill screws in the wall, i.e. to hang the kitchen cabinets, I have to check the back side of those walls for cable pipes.

 

Personally, next time, I would use at least 15cm thickness everywhere. 

[Woof999]

3 minutes ago, CharlieKo said:

That is standard practice here in Thailand. All builders do the same. 

 

I guessed as such. Still not sure I'd be happy knowing it was the case in something I intend to stay in for many years though. At least it's not just this builder cutting corners that others don't.

 

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

My internal walls (in a condominium) are 10cm thick. When I have a switch on one side of the wall and another switch on the opposite side, then there is a hole between the walls. I use 20mm pipes for the electrical cables. Pipes on the same wall on the opposite site are possible - just about.

When I drill screws in the wall, i.e. to hang the kitchen cabinets, I have to check the back side of those walls for cable pipes.

 

Personally, next time, I would use at least 15cm thickness everywhere. 

 

Not quite so worried about internal walls. I'll likely spec either 10cm or 15cm for them to add a little extra internal space and will absolutely expect to have to use cable finders etc on any drilling. Cheers for the feedback.

[OneMoreFarang]

One thing which I recommend you make sure is that your walls are straight and plumb, and the angles are exactly 90 degrees.

With my recent renovation I somehow assumed this is something we don't have to talk about. Yeah, so much about assuming and all that...

 

For anything you do later straight and plumb and 90 degrees make life so much easier.

Tiles on the floor and walls

Cabinets

Any difference is headache. In any future project I would insist on max 3mm imperfection - I wonder how many Thai builders would accept that and be able to do that.

 

 

 

[Woof999]

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

One thing which I recommend you make sure is that your walls are straight and plumb, and the angles are exactly 90 degrees.

With my recent renovation I somehow assumed this is something we don't have to talk about. Yeah, so much about assuming and all that...

 

For anything you do later straight and plumb and 90 degrees make life so much easier.

Tiles on the floor and walls

Cabinets

Any difference is headache. In any future project I would insist on max 3mm imperfection - I wonder how many Thai builders would accept that and be able to do that.

 

 

 

 

Absolutely. Grew up in a house where all the joinery was done by my grandfather. He was a talented carpenter right up to the point that anything had to be straight, level or perpendicular. He put the "custom" into custom furniture.

 

I have an eye for things that aren't straight, some sort of inbuilt spirit level / protractor. I also intend to be onsite every day (first thing to be built is a workshop / office before the main house build). I'm fully expecting many of the workers to hate me, although I'll have made it very clear what is expected in terms of quality (demanded) upfront, so they can hate as much as they like.

[Morch]

Worrying is good, when building a house here. Mrs. Morch being Mrs. Morch compiled a list of questions/worries/things to check that came up on our notes during the house build. About 40% were actual issues.

 

As for the walls, I was concerned about it as well, so they demonstrated that usually they work with even thinner blocks. Wanted thick blocks, ended up with a 7.5x2 + cavity job. No complaints about heat and sound.

 

As for being hated, so long as it doesn't get out of hand, no problems. We did a good cop, bad cop act (me mostly 'serious', frowning, angry or whatever), Mrs. doing the more friendly/polite  Thai style (while directing me in English). But do keep it under control. We also visited every day, for at least an hour (often more), always brought cold drink, sometimes snacks/food for workers - which was much appreciated.

 

An old timer told me that if you still have your sanity, your marriage and some money when you're done, it's a win. Guess we won.

[CharlieKo]

1 hour ago, Woof999 said:

Still not sure I'd be happy knowing it was the case in something I intend to stay in for many years though. At least it's not just this builder cutting corners that others don't.

 

You could just run the cables on the walls, but aesthetically not very nice. Once they have channelled out the bricks for the cables they then cement over the conduit to fix it in place, then the walls are rendered  on both sides. I don't think you lose anything structurally.  

[Chris Daley]

You can buy them already built.

[Woof999]

3 hours ago, Morch said:

Worrying is good, when building a house here. Mrs. Morch being Mrs. Morch compiled a list of questions/worries/things to check that came up on our notes during the house build. About 40% were actual issues.

 

As for the walls, I was concerned about it as well, so they demonstrated that usually they work with even thinner blocks. Wanted thick blocks, ended up with a 7.5x2 + cavity job. No complaints about heat and sound.

 

As for being hated, so long as it doesn't get out of hand, no problems. We did a good cop, bad cop act (me mostly 'serious', frowning, angry or whatever), Mrs. doing the more friendly/polite  Thai style (while directing me in English). But do keep it under control. We also visited every day, for at least an hour (often more), always brought cold drink, sometimes snacks/food for workers - which was much appreciated.

 

An old timer told me that if you still have your sanity, your marriage and some money when you're done, it's a win. Guess we won.

 

The wife plays the good cop too well unfortunately, but we'll try and make it work. The contract is likely to be at least part turnkey, so it's up to the contractor to deliver what they promise, although I'm tempted to hire a project manager of my own. I plan to have a workshop built first, with a small (10x6 metres, so not tine) mezzanine living / office area. That way I'll essentially live on the site full time while the main house is built. What could possibly go wrong!

 

3 hours ago, CharlieKo said:

You could just run the cables on the walls, but aesthetically not very nice. Once they have channelled out the bricks for the cables they then cement over the conduit to fix it in place, then the walls are rendered  on both sides. I don't think you lose anything structurally.  

 

Yep. The house will cost around 7M or so to build as a bare shell, so no way I'll put up with exposed conduit on the walls. In fact I want them to hide additional cables over and above their standard, such as CAT~6, some AV and power cables to a few floor points so that the position of the TV in the master bedroom and living room can be flexible, plus under lighting for pool table and whatever else I come up with.

 

2 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

You can buy them already built.

 

A house? Yes indeed you can. I'm in one now. But they are a bugger to move ;)

[Artisi]

My build was double cavity 20cm plus render with all cables run thru' the roof space and setback in trenches down the walls under the render, the cavity was also vented into the roof space with wall vents in all rooms, this gave great air circulation and was extra

cool during the hot periods. 

[sirineou]

52 minutes ago, Woof999 said:

Am I right in thinking that a 7.5cm block is way too thin to be chasing conduit into, especially on external walls?

If the additional cost is not significant, I would recommend a cavity wall with a double 7.5 block , in the long run you would be happy you did.Also they will hide the columns. 

Caching the electrical was not a problem for me, You have to remember that thy are not like cement blocks and after the lines are run the chase channel is filled with cement. Just make sure that they put a screed over it before they render the walls etherlike you could get a hairline crack where they chase the electric. The crack is not structural but it is not aesthetically pleasing and you will have to  open the crack a little bit . fill it with plaster and repaint over it .

The screen they put over it acts almost like tape on drywall. 

 

[Pogust]

I built 3 houses with 20 cm Qcon blocks. Didn't use any concrete pillars except in corners. The top layer was two 7,5 cm blocks where I had rebar and concrete between. If building a one story light construction house it's possible to avoid all these pillars. I have concrete/rebar surrounding the house making it very strong construction.

[Mike Lister]

39 minutes ago, Pogust said:

I built 3 houses with 20 cm Qcon blocks. Didn't use any concrete pillars except in corners. The top layer was two 7,5 cm blocks where I had rebar and concrete between. If building a one story light construction house it's possible to avoid all these pillars. I have concrete/rebar surrounding the house making it very strong construction.

Did you use wall ties or is there no need?

[Pogust]

Cut grows with skilsaw at several points and glued rebar in. When pouring concrete and vibrating it well after walls are up it will bond together far better than thai way.

 

[JBChiangRai]

Here are some of the techniques we use building high end housing estates from scratch, you might like to consider some.

 

We use 8cm lightweight aerated concrete blocks on outside walls and conventional heavy blocks on inside walls.  We are aiming for high thermal mass inside with outside skin insulating the internal.  The other issue with lightweight blocks internally is longevity, hanging pictures, curtains etc is more difficult and over time they work loose.

 

Some of the things we do are no visible columns or beams, even on staircases, 3.2m ceilings on ground floor too, rooves are designed for solar panels, silent air conditioning (heat pumps in living rooms as Chiang Rai gets cold), sealed downlighters (no flies/mozzies), CAT6 cabling, IoT switches, a plant room, all utilities underground, concrete roads (tarmac doesn't last and if the developer chose tarmac it's a clue they cut corners), CAD house design & geolocation sun modeling by month to cut infra red transfer especially afternoon sun.  No two houses alike.  We design the sofas and have them made.  Our designs consider furniture placement too, for example even in spare rooms the wall behind a bed should be a minimum of 3.6m to allow king size bed and two 60cm bedside tables, in one house we designed in and fitted an elevator.

 

People buy after viewing showhouses, they are buying dreams and lifestyle with their heart not their head, the same way a lot of people buy cars, it's much harder to sell an empty house.

[JBChiangRai]

One more tip.

 

We used to always fit Mitsubishi air cons, then we tried Daikin, Carrier and now fit TCL if wall mount split and Fujitsu heat pump cassettes in living rooms.

 

Most inverter air cons nowadays are pretty good and silent, the no.1 air con seller on lazada is TCL, we have fitted dozens and no failures.  We buy Lazada and get a local guy to fit. There's no point paying high prices for air cons today, although it was different 10 years ago.

 

Surprisingly the worst air cons we have ever fitted were Daikin Smile inverter air cons, they have the worst sealing of logic boards for ghecko's and the lowest TiO2 content in the plastics leading to yellowing, even worse, the vanes yellow at a different rate.  I think we have replaced something around 5 or 6 logic boards in Daikin and had to replace one whole system because the power-board blew and a new TCL was cheaper than repairing it.

 

Target price for TCL air cons around 7,500 for 9,000 BTU and 13,000 BTU for 18,000 BTU.  We don't fit 24,000 BTU wall mounted units made by anyone because they are typically 18,000 BTU units running faster and noisier.

 

If using split systems in large rooms we prefer to fit multiple units, it's quieter and gives more consistent cooling.