Problems During Construction

[tuky]

As the Gas Bottles thread has run it's race I thought it might be a good idea to start a new thread concerning problems we encountered during the construction of our houses.

One that springs to mind was drainage in one of our bathrooms.

The original house design had the shower as a sunken recess only. This seems to be the norm in Thai domestic buildings from what I have seen. We opted to install an enclosed shower unit in this space without think too much about the implications. The contractor installed the unit and plumbed it directly to the original drainage for the existing shower recess. What this effectively did was block the drain in the recess, leaving the water that gathered nowhere to run to.

If you are doing similar to what I have done please be aware of this and perhaps place the shower unit on the oposite side from the drainage hole and install a separate drain.

I have not been home yet to see how it was remedied but aparently my wife had the contractor in to fix the problem. I am now worried that all he has done is open the pipe under the shower unit to allow drainage. This would mean that the shower water will continue to run out onto the floor to drain away later.

[lopburi3]

It may not be a water problem if the drain was properly installed in a low point of the room and room was made with a good sloop. But there is likely to be a very bad smell coming up if no water trap drain is in use and if it is in use you need access to keep it clean.

I have opted to use shower curtains rather than enclosures as it makes it much easier to keep clean and you can have a larger area to move around. May not look as western but it seems to be more practical here (where you have real tile baths).

[Krub]

I have opted for a low wall separating the toilet bowl area from the shower area wihich means no need for either the shower both nor the curtains.

It looks semi western but keeps the Tahi feel of the whole tile bathroom

Fortunately I noticed it on the plan drawings and was able to add it at that point.

We have juts started on the foundations and I am atrting to worry about the water tanks (in and out) and the earth wiring....another subject altogether

[roiet]

As the Gas Bottles thread has run it's race I thought it might be a good idea to start a new thread concerning problems we encountered during the construction of our houses.

One that springs to mind was drainage in one of our bathrooms.

The original house design had the shower as a sunken recess only. This seems to be the norm in Thai domestic buildings from what I have seen. We opted to install an enclosed shower unit in this space without think too much about the implications. The contractor installed the unit and plumbed it directly to the original drainage for the existing shower recess. What this effectively did was block the drain in the recess, leaving the water that gathered nowhere to run to.

If you are doing similar to what I have done please be aware of this and perhaps place the shower unit on the oposite side from the drainage hole and install a separate drain.

I have not been home yet to see how it was remedied but aparently my wife had the contractor in to fix the problem. I am now worried that all he has done is open the pipe under the shower unit to allow drainage. This would mean that the shower water will continue to run out onto the floor to drain away later.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The water volume of your shower is very high and will always exceed the capacity

of the drainage. I think your drainage pipe below is the standard Thai 1.5 inch. You need at least 3 inch drainage pipe to allow a fast disposal of the shower water.

[Digger]

As the Gas Bottles thread has run it's race I thought it might be a good idea to start a new thread concerning problems we encountered during the construction of our houses.

One that springs to mind was drainage in one of our bathrooms.

The original house design had the shower as a sunken recess only. This seems to be the norm in Thai domestic buildings from what I have seen. We opted to install an enclosed shower unit in this space without think too much about the implications. The contractor installed the unit and plumbed it directly to the original drainage for the existing shower recess. What this effectively did was block the drain in the recess, leaving the water that gathered nowhere to run to.

If you are doing similar to what I have done please be aware of this and perhaps place the shower unit on the oposite side from the drainage hole and install a separate drain.

I have not been home yet to see how it was remedied but aparently my wife had the contractor in to fix the problem. I am now worried that all he has done is open the pipe under the shower unit to allow drainage. This would mean that the shower water will continue to run out onto the floor to drain away later.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The water volume of your shower is very high and will always exceed the capacity

of the drainage. I think your drainage pipe below is the standard Thai 1.5 inch. You need at least 3 inch drainage pipe to allow a fast disposal of the shower water.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How do you reach that conclusion? Water comes out of a tap with a half inch gap and goes down a drain with a 1.5 inch pipe - I have had these built in showers (albeit Duscholux models, not the one shown but almost the same) for 2 years and never had any problems with water drainage through standard size drainage pipes. Considering Duscholux comes from Europe and has the same size drain hole as my shower in England, really not sure how you reach this conclusion. Unless Tukyleith has fitted some kind of fire hydrant shower, I dont think it will be a problem.

[Digger]

As the Gas Bottles thread has run it's race I thought it might be a good idea to start a new thread concerning problems we encountered during the construction of our houses.

One that springs to mind was drainage in one of our bathrooms.

The original house design had the shower as a sunken recess only. This seems to be the norm in Thai domestic buildings from what I have seen. We opted to install an enclosed shower unit in this space without think too much about the implications. The contractor installed the unit and plumbed it directly to the original drainage for the existing shower recess. What this effectively did was block the drain in the recess, leaving the water that gathered nowhere to run to.

If you are doing similar to what I have done please be aware of this and perhaps place the shower unit on the oposite side from the drainage hole and install a separate drain.

I have not been home yet to see how it was remedied but aparently my wife had the contractor in to fix the problem. I am now worried that all he has done is open the pipe under the shower unit to allow drainage. This would mean that the shower water will continue to run out onto the floor to drain away later.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You will probably find that they have broken a couple of tiles, fitted a new drain to connect with your original one and then re-tiled the two or three tiles they broke. Easy job and can be done in less than half a day at cost of about 500 baht or less by a decent tradesman.

[penzman]

The water volume of your shower is very high and will always exceed the capacity

of the drainage. I think your drainage pipe below is the standard Thai 1.5 inch. You need at least 3 inch drainage pipe to allow a fast disposal of the shower water.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From what I've observed with our shower the problem is with the small lid they 've installed on top of the drain. It is 1 1/2 inch in size but the holes in it don't let enough water flow through the drain, it is the equivalent of an half in pipe. The lid is also a pain as I have remove all the hair caught in it on a daily basis.

[Merlin]

From what I've observed with our shower the problem is with the small lid they 've installed on top of the drain. It is 1 1/2 inch in size but the holes in it don't let enough water flow through the drain, it is the equivalent of an half in pipe. The lid is also a pain as I have  remove all the hair caught in it on a daily basis.

heh - - that was the same story when we moved into this place a while back... My wife took the grid off - simple Thai logic, no?

[jayenram]

I have opted for a low wall separating the toilet bowl area from the shower area wihich means no need for either the shower both nor the curtains.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We did similar but the separating wall is 2 metres high. We laid the floor tiles to fall toward the shower drain which is opposite to the door. Therefore we could install wooden doors to match the rest of the house.

I also double trapped the drain outlet (all waste water outlets, in fact) in an effort to keep the dreaded cockroaches out.

BTW, it is likely that the mains (or pumped) water pressure is in the region of 10 p.s.i.g. (0.75 barg) therefore will flow out of a 0.5" tap in greater volume than that which will flow through a 1.5" drain where there is virtually no pressure at all.

[tutsiwarrior]

presumably one would lay out the drainage/sewage pipes before the foundation is laid. Also one would presume that a Thai builder would just use previous experience if there was no supervision. If one was to build on previous paddy land in the country that needed fill and a good layout would it be worth the money to hire a civil engineer to supervise? I am a mechanical engineer that builds power stations and my wife has good practical smarts but we would not necessarily be around to supervise the lay out to the septic tank, selection of materials and etc...

has anyone considered the option of hiring a civil engineer to guarantee proper shit flow and drainage prior to pouring the concrete?

[chico]

From what I've observed with our shower the problem is with the small lid they 've installed on top of the drain. It is 1 1/2 inch in size but the holes in it don't let enough water flow through the drain, it is the equivalent of an half in pipe.

The lid is also a pain as I have remove all the hair caught in it on a daily basis.

but this will avoid you taking it off, and cleaning underneath!!

heh - - that was the same story when we moved into this place a while back... My wife took the grid off - simple Thai logic, no?

and what is the "simple thai logic" going to do, when the drainage pipe fills up with the hair and opther particles, and nothing will go anymore??

[lopburi3]

and what is the "simple thai logic" going to do, when the drainage pipe fills up with the hair and opther particles, and nothing will go anymore??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Boil some water and send it down the drain? Or use some Drano?

But the real problem is that the trap to block critters, small and large (snakes) and smells is normally located in that drain cover (if they even bothered to have one).

[ProThaiExpat]

Long hair Thai using shower, drain backed up, called falang to help, removed drain cover and got coat hanger and tried to roto root it, no luck. Thai got long handled mop, turned it over and pushed it down about a meter, drain cleared.

My shower, less hair, but still drain cover and white plastic bug guard, still gets clogged with hair often. I just remove the drain cover while showering and nothing can get caught in it. My drain is in the corner of the shower so this is possible. Rather than bend over at the start of the shower, I have thought of connecting a light chain to the drain cover so I can just yank it.

For those who are planning your bathroom, you might consider a separate room, a true W/C for the toilet, mine also has a bidet. Japanese would never consider a toilet in the same room with a bathing facility, perhaps that is where I got my prediliction. The cost of a wall or a wall and return is hardly worth mentioning in Thailand and not very space occupying.

I have often wondered how genteel ladies in very expensive western bathrooms feel as they recline into their bubble bath so that there heads are at toilet seat height and the toilet is placed adjacent to the tub.

[jayenram]

The lid is also a pain as I have  remove all the hair caught in it on a daily basis.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Should only be a problem for another couple of years, Betty. Then you'll have non left!

[Digger]

Long hair Thai using shower, drain backed up, called falang to help, removed drain cover and got coat hanger and tried to roto root it, no luck.  Thai got long handled mop, turned it over and pushed it down about a meter, drain cleared.

My shower, less hair, but still drain cover and white plastic bug guard, still gets clogged with hair often.  I just remove the drain cover while showering and nothing can get caught in it.  My drain is in the corner of the shower so this is possible.  Rather than bend over at the start of the shower, I have thought of connecting a light chain to the drain cover so I can just yank it.

For those who are planning your bathroom, you might consider a separate room, a true W/C for the toilet, mine also has a bidet.  Japanese would never consider a toilet in the same room with a bathing facility, perhaps that is where I got my prediliction.  The cost of a wall or a wall and return is hardly worth mentioning in Thailand and not very space occupying.

I have often wondered how genteel ladies in very expensive western bathrooms feel as they recline into their bubble bath so that there heads are at toilet seat height and the toilet is placed adjacent to the tub.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cant speak for private houses but I have stayed in some VERY smart hotels in Tokyo and everyone had the toilet in the main bathroom. Never could fathom out though how to use those electric seats and hot water flushes First time I thought I'd broken the thing when sitting down and the ###### toilet starts whirring at me....

[JimGant]

Slow drainage could be caused in inadequate/missing venting. My first house here had a toilet that would sometimes flush realllllll slow while making gurgling sounds. Adding a simple stack pipe where the drainage pipe exited the house solved the problem. Of course, trying to explain why I wanted to pay for extra pipe to extend to roof level when knee level would do never quite got across.

Inadequate sink/shower drainage could also be from bad venting, a situation that would become more noticeable when the septic tank is filled up to drain pipe level.

Oh, keep that drain cover on - and locked down. Had a friend who came back from a trip, saw his shower drain cover off and to the side. He put it back on, not thinking too much about it. The next day he saw a gold and black movement under his couch -- a 5 foot Banded Krait (so called 'two-stepper,' as that's about as far as you get when they bite). Since then, I have found these covers can work themselves loose very easily; so, after his story, I'm pretty religious about checking my drain covers. (Probably not a problem in the city, but this happened in the Doi Saket area of Chiang Mai.)

[Crazy Dave]

As the Gas Bottles thread has run it's race I thought it might be a good idea to start a new thread concerning problems we encountered during the construction of our houses.

One that springs to mind was drainage in one of our bathrooms.

The original house design had the shower as a sunken recess only. This seems to be the norm in Thai domestic buildings from what I have seen. We opted to install an enclosed shower unit in this space without think too much about the implications. The contractor installed the unit and plumbed it directly to the original drainage for the existing shower recess. What this effectively did was block the drain in the recess, leaving the water that gathered nowhere to run to.

If you are doing similar to what I have done please be aware of this and perhaps place the shower unit on the oposite side from the drainage hole and install a separate drain.

I have not been home yet to see how it was remedied but aparently my wife had the contractor in to fix the problem. I am now worried that all he has done is open the pipe under the shower unit to allow drainage. This would mean that the shower water will continue to run out onto the floor to drain away later.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You will probably find that they have broken a couple of tiles, fitted a new drain to connect with your original one and then re-tiled the two or three tiles they broke. Easy job and can be done in less than half a day at cost of about 500 baht or less by a decent tradesman.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the tiles are 30 by 30, the drain hole is in the corner, the shower unit is about 1 meter, the shower unit has to be taken out, half a dozen tiles have to be cut out and the concrete underneath chopped out to lay the new pipe, the new pipe concreted in and new tiles laid and grouted, then the shower cubicle needs to be refitted, its 300 baht in materials, you introduce me to the guy that can do it in half a day and i will pay him 500baht per day plus materials.

[Crazy Dave]

presumably one would lay out the drainage/sewage pipes before the foundation is laid. Also one would presume that a Thai builder would just use previous experience if there was no supervision. If one was to build on previous paddy land in the country that needed fill and a good layout would it be worth the money to hire a civil engineer to supervise? I am a mechanical engineer that builds power stations and my wife has good practical smarts but we would not necessarily be around to supervise the lay out to the septic tank, selection of materials and etc...

has anyone considered the option of hiring a civil engineer to guarantee proper shit flow and drainage prior to pouring the concrete?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

foundations first and beam work, then walls, then pipes, then concrete poors for the floors, thats the order.

[Crazy Dave]

As the Gas Bottles thread has run it's race I thought it might be a good idea to start a new thread concerning problems we encountered during the construction of our houses.

One that springs to mind was drainage in one of our bathrooms.

The original house design had the shower as a sunken recess only. This seems to be the norm in Thai domestic buildings from what I have seen. We opted to install an enclosed shower unit in this space without think too much about the implications. The contractor installed the unit and plumbed it directly to the original drainage for the existing shower recess. What this effectively did was block the drain in the recess, leaving the water that gathered nowhere to run to.

If you are doing similar to what I have done please be aware of this and perhaps place the shower unit on the oposite side from the drainage hole and install a separate drain.

I have not been home yet to see how it was remedied but aparently my wife had the contractor in to fix the problem. I am now worried that all he has done is open the pipe under the shower unit to allow drainage. This would mean that the shower water will continue to run out onto the floor to drain away later.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The water volume of your shower is very high and will always exceed the capacity

of the drainage. I think your drainage pipe below is the standard Thai 1.5 inch. You need at least 3 inch drainage pipe to allow a fast disposal of the shower water.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have never in my whole life seen a 3inch pipe used for shower drainage, the drain hole for a euro style shower basin is 1 and a half, same as a bath, normal houses here they will use 1 and half inch pipe,hotels and expensive houses 2 inch to 2 and a half inch pipe, also dont forget that most showers have water saving taps on them which restrict a ###### of a lot of the flow..

[astral]

I have opted for a low wall separating the toilet bowl area from the shower area wihich means no need for either the shower both nor the curtains.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not a good idea unless you have drains on both sides.

Otherwise you can end up with a lake outside the wall and nowhere for the

water to run away.

My bathroom is open and I keep a squeege mop in there.

The rule is you mop the floor after a shower, then it dries off quickly ready for the

next person

who enters.

[astral]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can we have a shot of your wife using the shower, so we can see the real problems??

[tuky]

Can we have a shot of your wife using the shower, so we can see the real problems??  :D

You will just have to come over and see for yourself, lets make it friday as that is her "friends in the shower" day

[Boon Mee]

Can we have a shot of your wife using the shower, so we can see the real problems??  :D

You will just have to come over and see for yourself, lets make it friday as that is her "friends in the shower" day

If you're going to have "friends in the shower" I'd prefer the more typical Thai shower with the a big stone crock w/water and ladle.

Let's play "Drop The Soap"!

[astral]

Can we have a shot of your wife using the shower, so we can see the real problems??  :D

You will just have to come over and see for yourself, lets make it friday as that is her "friends in the shower" day

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the offer.

I note you will still be overseas................

so we won't be interuppted.

[Boon Mee]

Does know the approximate price of Fill Dirt in the Central part of LOS? Like how much per 1 cu meter?

By Central, I'm in Suphanburi and need about 3k cu meters of fill and later some "Naa Din" - Top Soil.

Thanks guys!

Boon mee

[RDN]

.... I'm in Suphanburi...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No you're not! Looks more like Uphanburi!

[Kringle]

Slow drainage could be caused in inadequate/missing venting. My first house here had a toilet that would sometimes flush realllllll slow while making gurgling sounds. Adding a simple stack pipe where the drainage pipe exited the house solved the problem. Of course, trying to explain why I wanted to pay for extra pipe to extend to roof level when knee level would do never quite got across.

Inadequate sink/shower drainage could also be from bad venting, a situation that would become more noticeable when the septic tank is filled up to drain pipe level.

Oh, keep that drain cover on - and locked down. Had a friend who came back from a trip, saw his shower drain cover off and to the side. He put it back on, not thinking too much about it. The next day he saw a gold and black movement under his couch -- a 5 foot Banded Krait (so called 'two-stepper,' as that's about as far as you get when they bite). Since then, I have found these covers can work themselves loose very easily; so, after his story, I'm pretty religious about checking my drain covers. (Probably not a problem in the city, but this happened in the Doi Saket area of Chiang Mai.)

I agree with Jim on this but would also add that it's not JUST venting to the roof line but that all drains should be vented from inside the house. Raised my venting outside and was informed by my good friend from the US that the reason I still had gurgling toilets is because ALL the drains were not vented, meaning kitchen and batroom sinks but little I can do now as the house is finished barring tearing out a lot of concrete. Next house, next house 555555

[Boon Mee]

.... I'm in Suphanburi...

No you're not! Looks more like Uphanburi!

Thanks for pointing that out, RDN - I'm having trouble with the "encoding" feature on this machine running XP Pro.

It keeps defaulting back to "western european" or some such and my location in Thai gets screwed up

It ends up looking like this after I've logged off even tho I typed "saw sua", "sara uu" etc: Ù¾ÃóºØÃÕ It's like the "saw sua" doesn't take or something. Wierd...

Anyhow, anybody know what the average size load a typical truck that hauls dirt - like in capacity? Maybe 12 cubic meters?

Edited March 13, 2005 by Boon Mee

[AndyW]

In Chiang Mai, I just paid 250 bt for 5 cubic metre truck - not good quality soil, but ok for fill. That included a tractor for working the soil once it was dumped. Price varies with quality of soil & distance to transport.

[Boon Mee]

In Chiang Mai, I just paid 250 bt for 5 cubic metre truck - not good quality soil, but ok for fill.  That included a tractor for working the soil once it was dumped.  Price varies with quality of soil & distance to transport.

Thanks Andy...