Under Construction, How Am I Doing?

[eraymos]

Here ar a few pics of my house so far. My Thai brother in-law is the construction forman. All comments both negative and positive would be greatly appreciated. Wish I knew about this forum before I started.

[kamalabob2]

Eraymos: It really looks like a fine job on a sensible sized home. I especially like the fact that you or your builder has taken steps to deal with rain water, roof gutters and downspouts PRIOR to rendering or painting the exterior walls. You won't have to make gutters an "after the fact" project.

In my experience an item you might want to address when your electricians are wiring your home is to install in your ATTIC two Philips TCH065 1 X 21W or the slightly smaller sized Philips TCH065 1 X 14W Maintenance free VERY affordable T5 florescent light all in one fixture. No ballast or starter or bulb to buy it is a self contained unit that will last as long as your home. WHY would you want a couple of lights controlled by a ground floor single wall switch in your attic you might ask? Simple you will have cause or concern to go up into your attic space to look for possible leaks BEFORE the leaks show on your ceiling. You will save money and grief by checking for roof tile leaks on any big RAIN with WIND, instead of waiting for spots to show on the ceiling. These EASY to wire, very cost effective light fixtures are at most every Philips dealer including stores such as Big C. Two of these energy efficient light fixtures will illuminate your attic area FAR better than any normal flashlight. It will be a very minor cost to have two of these lights installed in your attic and forever you have the comfort to know you can just switch on a light switch to check for any problems (or creatures) in your attic.

I also think you have good sized windows and I wish you a smooth completion on your home building project.

[Artisi]

Why didn't you put aluminium foil reflective insulation under the roof tiles - an excellent method in helping to keep the roof space temperature down.

[Crossy]

Looking good

I'll echo Artsis comment about the insulation, not too late yet although it will need to be held in place with wire netting or similar (it goes shiny side DOWN).

Your worksite looks very tidy, a credit to your contractor and site manager.

Any decisions on electrics yet? Check here for some ideas http://crossy.co.uk/wiring/

[eraymos]

Why didn't you put aluminium foil reflective insulation under the roof tiles - an excellent method in helping to keep the roof space temperature down.

Like I said, wish I knew about this forum before I started.Any ideas about what to do now? Have thought about insulating the floor of the attic and vent fans.

[eraymos]

Eraymos: It really looks like a fine job on a sensible sized home. I especially like the fact that you or your builder has taken steps to deal with rain water, roof gutters and downspouts PRIOR to rendering or painting the exterior walls. You won't have to make gutters an "after the fact" project.

In my experience an item you might want to address when your electricians are wiring your home is to install in your ATTIC two Philips TCH065 1 X 21W or the slightly smaller sized Philips TCH065 1 X 14W Maintenance free VERY affordable T5 florescent light all in one fixture. No ballast or starter or bulb to buy it is a self contained unit that will last as long as your home. WHY would you want a couple of lights controlled by a ground floor single wall switch in your attic you might ask? Simple you will have cause or concern to go up into your attic space to look for possible leaks BEFORE the leaks show on your ceiling. You will save money and grief by checking for roof tile leaks on any big RAIN with WIND, instead of waiting for spots to show on the ceiling. These EASY to wire, very cost effective light fixtures are at most every Philips dealer including stores such as Big C. Two of these energy efficient light fixtures will illuminate your attic area FAR better than any normal flashlight. It will be a very minor cost to have two of these lights installed in your attic and forever you have the comfort to know you can just switch on a light switch to check for any problems (or creatures) in your attic.

I also think you have good sized windows and I wish you a smooth completion on your home building project.

[Crossy]

Why didn't you put aluminium foil reflective insulation under the roof tiles - an excellent method in helping to keep the roof space temperature down.

Like I said, wish I knew about this forum before I started.Any ideas about what to do now? Have thought about insulating the floor of the attic and vent fans.

Hindsight is always 20:20

The best place for the insulation is under the tiles (it gets dusty if on top of the ceiling), and if you've not got a ceiling in the way I don't think it's too late to install. Have a word with an insulation supplier, I expect you'll be able to support the insulation using wires or wire netting (chicken wire) fixed to the steelwork.

There is a thread here somewhere discussing the very stuff, if only I could find it

EDIT I'm talking about the fibre insulation with reflective foil on one or both sides here

[eraymos]

Why didn't you put aluminium foil reflective insulation under the roof tiles - an excellent method in helping to keep the roof space temperature down.

Like I said, wish I knew about this forum before I started.Any ideas about what to do now? Have thought about insulating the floor of the attic and vent fans.

Hindsight is always 20:20

The best place for the insulation is under the tiles (it gets dusty if on top of the ceiling), and if you've not got a ceiling in the way I don't think it's too late to install. Have a word with an insulation supplier, I expect you'll be able to support the insulation using wires or wire netting (chicken wire) fixed to the steelwork.

There is a thread here somewhere discussing the very stuff, if only I could find it

EDIT I'm talking about the fibre insulation with reflective foil on one or both sides here

What are you saying, something like "Homemart stay cool" under/between the roofs frame? What about mounting it with wire and then covering with sheetrock to give it a finished look? Anybody see any problems with that? Was also thinking of doing the same with the end walls of the attic.

[Crossy]

What are you saying, something like "Homemart stay cool" under/between the roofs frame? What about mounting it with wire and then covering with sheetrock to give it a finished look? Anybody see any problems with that? Was also thinking of doing the same with the end walls of the attic.

Yup, got it in one

Are you thinking of a cathedral ceiling or a regular flat ceiling? The insulation needs an air gap on the foil side to work properly so fix the stuff between the joists and set your sheetrock an inch or so from the foil surface.

Your builder may be able to come up with a better way of fixing the insulation, but whatever you do ensure all access points to the roof space have mozzie screen to stop the local fauna building homes in your insulation

[eraymos]

Thanks Crossy . Most likely going to have drop ceilings. I know that sheetrock would just be an extra expence, but I like things neat.Agree that mozzie screen is a must. Any ideas/comments on what type of windows I should use?

[kamalabob2]

You can get straight answers in English about ULTRA KOOL from a good Home Mart such as the "Khun Muk" the owners daughter of the Surin Home Mart who was educated in England or directly from the experts at www.scg.co.th They have many technical advisors at Siam Cement Group that will e-mail, postal mail or speak with you about any product they sell. Ultra Kool is an easy product for your building staff to work with IF you get them the Installation directions in Thai, regarding the proper "air gap", etc..

Not EVERY Home Mart charges the same price for the exact same product, it pays to shop around. Delivery options can vary between Home Marts.

[Rimmer]

Nice house. Clean job site, that's always good. What ever possessed you to use those dreadful cinder blocks on such a nice house? Any gains you make on the roof insulation could go straight out the walls.

You should be coming in around eight to ten k a square meter finished right?

You have used conwood for the sofits, Good, it is usual to run them from the wall to the weatherboard, It is much easier to run them lengthways as you have done but does not look quite so good. Have you got mesh screens under/over the conwood to keep out the critters?

You have filled in the crawl space under the house, builders like to do this to support the pipes but it leaves no place for the U traps and check valves in the gray water pipes, so get ready for smells and lots of critters coming to stay.

The builder has cast a concrete band around the house at window height and tied the sow poons together with steel at the top, this is very correct and OK in a single story house.

The concrete is a home mix right? Hope it was vibrated down. I see lots of holes.

Nice C Pack roof, pleased you did not choose blue tiles

Check that big roof for flex. It's not the weight of a roof but the over pressure on the leeward side that will get you every time. see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/banjopicker/275894454/

Are the tiles screwed on, nailed on, wired on or free standing hang on?

Put some insulation in the roof, stay away from fancy double sided shiny plastic stuff with plastic bubbles in the middle, it is highly inflammable and drops hot melted plastic on your head. Use plain foil shiny up or down, it don't matter one iota as long as it is vented which yours is. Sorry guys!! see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/banjopicker/299861218/

Utilize your very nice roof space to keep the place cool. My ceilings are over eight meters and the place stays like a meat locker, see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/banjopicker/400655062/

You have copied my gable ends and airwinds good choice see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/banjopicker/3033494301/

Take LOTS of pictures of the water pipes, the electrics and run large empty pipes and conduits under the walkways and drive for later use, mark them or photograph them, you will want to run cables under the concrete at some stage for lights or cameras or whatever..

Ask your sparks about running a ring main rather than the usual mess they install here. Use proper yellow conduit and junction boxes with conduit bushes to the boxes. Use flexible steel conduit for the lights.

Pictures of the pipes and septic tanks next perchance?

[eraymos]

Thanks for the advice I guess I am doing OK.

As for the cinder blocks, all outside walls will be double cavity.

I figure that the final cost for my house will be 7-8k per square meter (about 175 sq m)

My wife`s family is doing most of the work, so I`m not being charged farang prices.

I do want farang quality, and that is why I wanted to Know what you guys think of the house so far.

I`m also wondering about windows. Any suggestions to what type?

All sugestions/advice in general is greatly appreciated.

Thanks again,

Eraymos

[neverdie]

I think crossy was talking about the insulation thread by the thai visa poster SWEALTERS, I'm sure if you search his nicname and look at his posts you will find the thread in questions. He has heaps of good advice about insulation & stuff about keeping cool.

I hope your home brings you many happy years eraymos.

[eraymos]

I think crossy was talking about the insulation thread by the thai visa poster SWEALTERS, I'm sure if you search his nicname and look at his posts you will find the thread in questions. He has heaps of good advice about insulation & stuff about keeping cool.

I hope your home brings you many happy years eraymos.

Have seen what swealters and others like crossy have to say, and insulation is goinng in with shiny side down. I think I`m going to take kalamabob2`s advice about ventfans/lights.

Thinking about windows now. I don`t want heat coming in that way either. I have a 1 meter roof overhang on 3 sides and a 2.5 meter overhang on the front side of the house.

[Rimmer]

Thanks for the advice I guess I am doing OK.

As for the cinder blocks, all outside walls will be double cavity.

I figure that the final cost for my house will be 7-8k per square meter (about 175 sq m)

My wife`s family is doing most of the work, so I`m not being charged farang prices.

I do want farang quality, and that is why I wanted to Know what you guys think of the house so far.

I`m also wondering about windows. Any suggestions to what type?

All sugestions/advice in general is greatly appreciated.

Thanks again,

Eraymos

You are very lucky to have a family that can build so well. and 7 to 8 k is a great price per square meter, for such a good looking house

I just hate cinder blocks, I always use them for perimiter walls and hard core. But that's just me!!

If you go for the standard anodized color finish of aluminum window frames they are not so expensive, do not warp and Mr. Ant can't eat them. Three grades of metal frames are available, the middle grade is fine, the thin cheap ones rattle when the wind blows and the expensive thick grade is a bit overkill and close to PVC prices.