Pest Control Building Ground Level

[legendarysurfer]

Contemplating the next house to build/rebuild in the Isaan: Raised or Ground Level. I like the idea of the more traditional style raised Isaan house, but note that they eventually get built out (that is, under), anyway. If that's going to happen, why not just build ground level and go up? My wife does not like ground level because of the ease of access for frogs, geckos, snakes and other creepy crawlers to get in the house. Anyone have some experience with pest control at ground zero?

[roiet]

Contemplating the next house to build/rebuild in the Isaan: Raised or Ground Level. I like the idea of the more traditional style raised Isaan house, but note that they eventually get built out (that is, under), anyway. If that's going to happen, why not just build ground level and go up? My wife does not like ground level because of the ease of access for frogs, geckos, snakes and other creepy crawlers to get in the house. Anyone have some experience with pest control at ground zero? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My in laws have a ground level house. What a mess. There is no possible pest control at all. Your wife knows from experience. I would like to here from some insiders how to do this. I built my house 50 cm above ground on cement pillars and access the ground or first floor via 50 cm stairs. You find a lot of new houses in Isaan built like this. On the side of the carport I filled up sand like a slope, but must keep the carport always clean. Other sections of the house no problem at all.

[olaus]

I have a ground- level house since 4 years. So far no problems with snakes and rats. Once I had to sweep out a small frog. But you have to keep the inner- doors (with net) closed.

A house on stilts is of course even more secure. But if you get old or handicapped you may have problems with the steps.

It can also be more easy to arrange enough shadow from trees and bushes, if you live in a house not too high.

Olaus

[Diggerbasher]

If you don't need the extra space a house on stilts has far less rodent visitors but is a worry with small children.

[NarrLing]

There are a variety of plants and herbs recommended to ward off pests. If planted near windows and doors, they will act as a natural repellent and ward off many of the insect pests.

Gardening books and forums claim:

Marigolds will repel snakes, snails etc.

Lemongrass produces citronella and wards off insects.

Garlic wards off ants.

The list goes on…

I don’t think you will ever banish rodents, geckos and tupgares (sp) from houses out in the country. They seem to find the smallest of openings. I love watching the geckos clearing up the mossies that make it past the insect screens on the house.

I personally think the only way to keep rodents and snakes out, whether ground floor or on stilts, is by using physical barriers like screen doors/windows fitted to all openings in the house.

Cheers

NL

[ProThaiExpat]

I live on one ground level and in my second year had some ground termite infestation which I controlled with aerosol spray.

This year they ate out the underlayment of my granite topped kitchen sink support.

I contacted a pest control service and they came out and injected the gound with poison and drilled behind doors, etc. through my foundation to reach termintes under the slab.

Three months now and not a critter. They come once a month and spray by minimum amount of decorative shrubs to control ants and the like. Expensive at 1k Baht a month, but that included the initial foundation drilling. It is cheaper in the second year.

My house has a minimum of wood, ie. cabinets and molding, but I got tired of replacing them and the kitchen cabinets would be pricey to replace. I even removed some of my cabinet baseboards so critters would lose some of their favorate homes.

I enjoy the occasional visit from geckos and lizzards as they eat the occasional spider or other critter who get by my screens and doors guarded with insulation and under door protectors.

I did visit a elevated house of a friend and was impressed. If I had it to do all over again, I would probably go the pillar and post above ground house route as you only climb the stairs when going out in the car unless your a gardener. Mor privacy as well if you have close neighbors.

[legendarysurfer]

Thanks for sharing. Especially sobering was the warning about a house on stilts not being elders and baby-friendly. Reminds me of what we did with the family house. Built out the downstairs with the intent of doubling home size for the whole family. Everyone ended-up moving downstairs and now the traditional areas of the home go greatly under-used, except for the Buddha room and clothes drying rack. Considering the cost, we wasted a lot of money on a small return.

Other things I'm particularly taking away from this thread are: the use of under door insulators, indoor screen door, screens all around, plugging holes and a mosquito zapper.

[ProThaiExpat]

Some random tips:

1. Screens on the inside or outside? Most do it on the inside in Thailand, not for me.

2. Screw vs. glue strip for underdoor barrier? My sticky ones all fell off so went with the screw type.

3. Sliding doors and windows removable from the inside or outside? Most in Thailand are removable from the outside and then they put bars on the outside to keep them from being removed by burgalars? I had mine removable from the inside for security reasons and no bars.

4. Floors all the same height or rooms with water step down? I went for level floors throughout my one level home. Taught my Thai to clean bathrooms western stye with a mop, not a bucket wash down. Had my tile floors, 18" squares all same color throughout, sloped sligntly toward the side of the house that has sliding glass doors so when spills occur or pipes leak, the water drains to the outside and I don't have puddles in inaccessable places.

5. Insisted on non-wood building materials. Delighted with HomePro PVC baseboard. Termites only attacked the wood.

6. Granite counter tops with under-mount sinks and lavs. Thai granite is less than half the cost of imported.

7. Inside and outside kitchens.

8. Garange with electric sliding door and electric gate. Design garage width to accomodate cabinets entire wall for "garage storage. Had Thai cabinets with lucite doors built to measure so I can see what is in storage. The Thai standard kitchen storage unit style is ideal.

9. Downlighters work well, are very inexpensive and easy to change out if you have a suspended ceiling, which appears to be standard.

10. Built in closets are pricey because sliding mirror doors here are quite expensive. I paid 20k Baht per 3 meter door but the quality was superb and makes the room.

11. Consider double brick walls for insulation. Shouldn't be too much more expensive and I wish I had. Likewise, insulate the suspended ceiling.

12. Plan your aircon condeser location for sound and visibility. Installers will put them anywhere. Mine were part of the house design as they require cement pads and reasonably close from condenser to indoor unit.

13. Have electric outlets put on every wall and in large rooms more than one.

14. If you are making the drawings for yourhouse, make a furniture plan, including beds and then adapt the room configuration, door placement and lights and plugs in conformance with the furniture plan.

15. Specify ceiling to be a minimum of 2.75 meters. The higher the better in my view. No reason to lower the ceiling in the bathroom. I created a bathroom soffit to carry the over sink mirror lights, otherwise the ceilings are 2.95 meters.

15. Unnessary to tile the ceiling of the shower if the ceiling height is over 2 meters.

16. I used the western "dam" approach to creating my shower enclosure with shower curtain. Much easier to change shower curtains that maintain the cleanliness of a glass enclosure with the humidity here.

17. Consider a seperate enclusure or room for toilet or a pony wall.

18. Thai front doors open outwards. Mine opens inward.

19. Glass block works well here where privacy and light are needed but watch the sun side of the house in this regard.

20. If you go with steps, make sure they are of western design in regard to tread depth and riser height being equal throughout. Most stairs in homes I have navigated here are nightmares.

21. Water tank and pump, as well as grounding water adjacent outlets, is a must.

I welcome PMs is you have any specific questions.

Others who have built their own houses are encouraged to contribute their tips.

[Diggerbasher]

I've found ant/termite sprays to be very effective and now only get troubled in the rainy season when their looking for a dry home.

[lopburi3]

A lot of good information in PTE post on building. I do have reservations about inward opening entry door as this is much easier to breach than a door that has to be pulled outward to gain entry. Also for fire escape it is generally better to have a door that opens outward (required for most public buildings in the west I believe). Although if no dead bolt type lock is used the outward door is easier to open with the old credit card.

Agree that glue does not hold up in the heat here at all. Those glue backed wire covers are useless in my experience until you screw them to wall.

[malcolminthemiddle]

A lot of good information in PTE post on building.  I do have reservations about inward opening entry door as this is much easier to breach than a door that has to be pulled outward to gain entry.  Also for fire escape it is generally better to have a door that opens outward (required for most public buildings in the west I believe).  Although if no dead bolt type lock is used the outward door is easier to open with the old credit card.

Agree that glue does not hold up in the heat here at all.  Those glue backed wire covers are useless in my experience until you screw them to wall.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Install a pest control system within the building foundations during construction. Primarily a leaky pipe with pour holes at easy to reach locations. Insecticide is poured down the pourr holes every now and then. Quite common nowadays in new builds in Thailand.

[malcolminthemiddle]

A lot of good information in PTE post on building.  I do have reservations about inward opening entry door as this is much easier to breach than a door that has to be pulled outward to gain entry.  Also for fire escape it is generally better to have a door that opens outward (required for most public buildings in the west I believe).  Although if no dead bolt type lock is used the outward door is easier to open with the old credit card.

Agree that glue does not hold up in the heat here at all.  Those glue backed wire covers are useless in my experience until you screw them to wall.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[ProThaiExpat]

lop3: Are there special hinges used on out-swinging doors in Thailand so intruders are twarted from simply removing the hinge pin? The ones I have seen don't seem to be specially configured.

If the hinge pin is inaccessable from the outside and the door swings outward, how do the remove the door when desired?

[udon]

If I ever build a house in LoS, it would be 10ft off the ground, mainly for ventilation, a nice view, ease of maintenance and a proviso for a future ramp for when I'm a decrepid, cranky, old bastard in a wheelchair..... not long to go......