Help Needed For Engineer's Material Specifications

[wannaboon]

hi

as it is, i'm sort of overbudget for the house plan with the part about the engineer's material specs still not done.

i'm trying to find a cheap or free solution to this problem.

some posts i read suggest that the builder would not be able to come up with the material specs and advise to hire a structural engineer.

i would like to ask if the material specs are much more than about the type and quantity of rebar used in the column and beams, and if not, would any members here be able to offer some advice based on their own or professional construction experience

thanks

[excaliber]

i

i'm trying to find a cheap or free solution to this problem.

thanks

The structural plans should include the foundation details, footings and piling, grade beams, upper beams if 2-story, roof structure (steel), etc.

try going to your local amphur or Orborta office where they have engineers who can prepare the structural drawings and certify them.

The plans are the best form of communication you have with the builders, if they're not detailed and/or incomplete you'll be spending the money you tried to save on aspirin. Better to skimp on extras/materials, etc., then to try and build without good plans.

Edited June 17, 2009 by excaliber

[Crossy]

I agree ^^^

But, if your house is designed on the Thai standard 4 x 4m grid with no massive spans the builder will be able to use his standard dimensions and quantities to get building approval (depends upon the location, BKK will definately require approved structural drawings).

We used one of the free house plans provided by the government here http://www.crossy.co.uk/Thai_House_Plans/index.html as a basis for the structure and then mucked about with internal layouts and the roof line. Construction approval given very quickly in Pathum Thani as the structure of these designs is pre-approved

All we have to do now is build it

[wannaboon]

The structural plans should include the foundation details, footings and piling, grade beams, upper beams if 2-story, roof structure (steel), etc.

try going to your local amphur or Orborta office where they have engineers who can prepare the structural drawings and certify them.

The plans are the best form of communication you have with the builders, if they're not detailed and/or incomplete you'll be spending the money you tried to save on aspirin. Better to skimp on extras/materials, etc., then to try and build without good plans.

hi excaliber

i agree with you

however the land is not chanote and does not require building approval

i have seen your advertisement regarding building plans but the prices are on the bangkok side

any chance you might be able to do the material specs with stress testing for a very reasonable price?

[wannaboon]

But, if your house is designed on the Thai standard 4 x 4m grid with no massive spans the builder will be able to use his standard dimensions and quantities to get building approval (depends upon the location, BKK will definately require approved structural drawings).

thanks for the reply crossy.

the design is non-standard for thai.

a talented member of <URL Automatically Removed> has kindly done a 3D model for me:

http://<URL Automatically Removed>/construction-in-thaila...ne-here-11.html

till page 14

[wannaboon]

oh there is some censorship for url links so the above doesnt work.

well there are only a few forums for construction in thailand

[excaliber]

The structural plans should include the foundation details, footings and piling, grade beams, upper beams if 2-story, roof structure (steel), etc.

try going to your local amphur or Orborta office where they have engineers who can prepare the structural drawings and certify them.

The plans are the best form of communication you have with the builders, if they're not detailed and/or incomplete you'll be spending the money you tried to save on aspirin. Better to skimp on extras/materials, etc., then to try and build without good plans.

hi excaliber

i agree with you

however the land is not chanote and does not require building approval

i have seen your advertisement regarding building plans but the prices are on the bangkok side:

[/color]

any chance you might be able to do the material specs with stress testing for a very reasonable price?

care to give any examples of fees "on the bangkok side"? I don't advertise fees since no two projects are the same.

"i'm trying to find a cheap or free solution to this problem",..... What profession are you in, maybe we can exchange services....

Stress testing?? are you wanting to build with pre-stressed concrete structure/beams? Flat roof by any chance? location?

Edited June 20, 2009 by excaliber

[Chaichara]

oh there is some censorship for url links so the above doesnt work.

well there are only a few forums for construction in thailand

You are probably going to find that it will be difficult to get anyone to take a serious interest in your project.

[trogers]

Definitely a sunday school dropout. I remember the Good Lord's advice on counting the cost and building a house on sand.

[JRinger]

Definitely a sunday school dropout. I remember the Good Lord's advice on counting the cost and building a house on sand.

I happen to come across wanna's other posts on another forum with the name teak in it. It seems he managed to get free 3D renderings from another poster so who knows? he may very well be capable of getting it all for "cheap as possible or free"......

[trogers]

Definitely a sunday school dropout. I remember the Good Lord's advice on counting the cost and building a house on sand.

I happen to come across wanna's other posts on another forum with the name teak in it. It seems he managed to get free 3D renderings from another poster so who knows? he may very well be capable of getting it all for "cheap as possible or free"......

Remember the original design for the Sydney Opera House? Easy to render, impossible to build.

[excaliber]

The structural plans should include the foundation details, footings and piling, grade beams, upper beams if 2-story, roof structure (steel), etc.

try going to your local amphur or Orborta office where they have engineers who can prepare the structural drawings and certify them.

The plans are the best form of communication you have with the builders, if they're not detailed and/or incomplete you'll be spending the money you tried to save on aspirin. Better to skimp on extras/materials, etc., then to try and build without good plans.

hi excaliber

i agree with you

however the land is not chanote and does not require building approval

i have seen your advertisement regarding building plans but the prices are on the bangkok side

any chance you might be able to do the material specs with stress testing for a very reasonable price?

What's your idea of "a very reasonable price" ???

[excaliber]

The structural plans should include the foundation details, footings and piling, grade beams, upper beams if 2-story, roof structure (steel), etc.

try going to your local amphur or Orborta office where they have engineers who can prepare the structural drawings and certify them.

The plans are the best form of communication you have with the builders, if they're not detailed and/or incomplete you'll be spending the money you tried to save on aspirin. Better to skimp on extras/materials, etc., then to try and build without good plans.

hi excaliber

i agree with you

however the land is not chanote and does not require building approval

i have seen your advertisement regarding building plans but the prices are on the bangkok side

any chance you might be able to do the material specs with stress testing for a very reasonable price?

For your information, I am an Architect, not a Structural Engineer. I do however use a licensed Structural Engineer to design, prepare & sign the structural drawings. Your statement about seeing my fees advertised and being on the Bangkok side is false? I have never advertised fees for structural drawings, stress evaluations, soils reports, etc. My work is strictly Architectural & design (& finished construction drawings). If you want to pm me I will get you in touch with the Structural Engineer although he doesn't speak English and he doesn't work for free.

[wannaboon]

care to give any examples of fees "on the bangkok side"? I don't advertise fees since no two projects are the same.

"i'm trying to find a cheap or free solution to this problem",..... What profession are you in, maybe we can exchange services....

Stress testing?? are you wanting to build with pre-stressed concrete structure/beams? Flat roof by any chance? location?

hi excaliber

there are some adverts in the classifieds in which prices were quoted on a per m2 basis

with your clarification i understand them to be just the architectural part only.

[excaliber]

care to give any examples of fees "on the bangkok side"? I don't advertise fees since no two projects are the same.

"i'm trying to find a cheap or free solution to this problem",..... What profession are you in, maybe we can exchange services....

Stress testing?? are you wanting to build with pre-stressed concrete structure/beams? Flat roof by any chance? location?

hi excaliber

there are some adverts in the classifieds in which prices were quoted on a per m2 basis

with your clarification i understand them to be just the architectural part only.

Hi wannaboon,

The engineering and structural aspects of any projects are usually obtained after knowing all the other details of materials used for (& on) walls, roof structure, roof materials, etc., and can not easily be determined by area alone. If you want to give more details of your house and what exactly you require I can give it to the Structural Engineer for his evaluation, the CAD files will be needed as well. Depending on your requirements & details above will determine his fees.

On the other hand, if your land isn't deeded and you don't need any permission to build, why all the trouble about the structure? The builder should be able to sort it out without much difficulty...I know of someone building a 750 Sqm house without structural drawings at all !! (can't say that's the smartest thing to do but I guess he doesn't want to pay extra for proper drawings) Remember that the drawings are the best form of communication you have with the builder. He will build 'to the plans'. You will still need to check and make sure he's adhering to the plans but without plans you'd be babysitting 24/7 and if you don't speak Thai/Isaan, don't have building experience yourself, etc., then you better stock up on crates of aspirin.....The plans are the last aspect of building that you want to cut corners on; most every part of the house can be repaired down the road, the structure, on the other hand can not be as easily....Basically, concrete & steel ( & the earth below) will be supporting your house for a long time. If you take necessary precautions and monitor the concrete pour, steel placement, etc., etc., then your house should serve you well throughout your lifetime......

Edited June 22, 2009 by excaliber

[wannaboon]

Hi wannaboon,

The engineering and structural aspects of any projects are usually obtained after knowing all the other details of materials used for (& on) walls, roof structure, roof materials, etc., and can not easily be determined by area alone. If you want to give more details of your house and what exactly you require I can give it to the Structural Engineer for his evaluation. Depending on your requirements & details above will determine his fees.

On the other hand, if your land isn't deeded and you don't need any permission to build, why all the trouble about the structure? The builder should be able to sort it out without much difficulty...I know of someone building a 750 Sqm house without structural drawings at all !! (can't say that's the smartest thing to do but I guess he doesn't want to pay extra for proper drawings) Remember that the drawings are the best form of communication you have with the builder. He will build 'to the plans'. You will still need to check and make sure he's adhering to the plans but without plans you'd be babysitting 24/7 and if you don't speak Thai/Isaan, don't have building experience yourself, etc., then you better stock up on crates of aspirin.....The plans are the last aspect of building that you want to cut corners on; most every part of the house can be repaired down the road, the structure, on the other hand can not be as easily....Basically, concrete & steel ( & the earth below) will be supporting your house for a long time. If you take necessary precautions and monitor the concrete pour, steel placement, etc., etc., then your house should serve you well throughout your lifetime......

hi excaliber

thanks for the sound advice

the background of the situation was explained in the other forum but not here. initially when contracting with the architect on an agreed amount, he said his drawing would include "how much iron to use"

towards the end, he said that i would have to pay more for the engineer drawing.

my purpose posting was to seek some advice on what a typical thai architect drawing would include, and also how to proceed on the way going forward

i realised that my previous comment "of prices being on bkk side" could have been misconstruced as "expensive". i did not mean it to be that way.

nevertheless, i take full responsiblity for the statement. kindly accept my humblest apologies

[excaliber]

hi excaliber

thanks for the sound advice

the background of the situation was explained in the other forum but not here. initially when contracting with the architect on an agreed amount, he said his drawing would include "how much iron to use"

towards the end, he said that i would have to pay more for the engineer drawing.

my purpose posting was to seek some advice on what a typical thai architect drawing would include, and also how to proceed on the way going forward

i realised that my previous comment "of prices being on bkk side" could have been misconstruced as "expensive". i did not mean it to be that way.

nevertheless, i take full responsiblity for the statement. kindly accept my humblest apologies

When you say that "how much iron to use", was that in Thai or English ? additionally, this doesn't really indicate full, structurally engineered detailed drawings; i.e., footing sizes, support column sizes, beams, grade beams, piling, roof structure, etc......I don't think you're going to find a licensed Structural Engineer on these forums. If you require a fully, detailed report including stress, compressive strengths, tensile, etc., based on load/materials, etc., it's highly advised to see a professional. If you do require the above you will need a soils report as well.

Also, "what a typical thai architect drawing would include" would not include the structural drawings in most cases as the Architect is not qualified to prepare and/or certify the structure. The certification assumes responsibility (I use the term loosely) for the structure in case it falls apart some time down the road.

and one more thing: Your statement about wanting to get this accomplished "cheap or free" only leaves one to wonder and perhaps not take your request seriously.

Edited June 22, 2009 by excaliber