Need Extended Patio - Any Recommendations?

[craigt3365]

I bought this house a few months ago and got a real deal on it. I knew some modifications had to be made, and am working with some local companies here in Pattaya to help with this.

But! I thought I would run this by you guys and see if anyone has any recommendations.

The main issue is the house faces south and west. The existing patios are way to small. So, in the early morning and late afternoon, the sun shines directly through the large sliding glass doors. The wood frames got beat up pretty bad.

So, I would like to extend the patios to help keep the sun off the house as well as provide for a larger outdoor living area. We will plant some trees also, but still need a larger outdoor living area. I moved here to enjoy this great weather!

I have attached a picture of the house as well as what an architect has recommended. Basically, a sala kind of building will be built that runs parallel to the house. A very large rain gutter will be fitted between it and the existing roof line. If you look at the picture of the house, it will run from the left corner all the way to the right corner. Extending out 3 or 4 meters and following the roof line. This will allow the ceiling height to be the same as the house.

The "sala" roof will be the same materials and style as the house roof.

I know this will be expensive, but think it will look the best. I have also considered a pergola type patio roof...with maybe some corrugated roof of some sort. Maybe even slightly clear to let additional light in?

Anyway, just curious if any of you have ever had a patio extended on to your house and if so how was it done. Thanks for your help!!!!!

Craig

[trogers]

Simplest solution is to use architectural umbrellas, made from Teflon coated fibreglass that can last over 20 years. Design to wind force of 120km/h. Preferably white colour to allow light through and yet reflect most heat off.

http://www.taiyomc.com/main.php?mod=Umbrel...ts&parent=3

Local contact:

Ms Nao Sugimura - 081-6508350

[Crossy]

I would be wary of that huge valley, almost guaranteed to get pooling and the associated leaks

How about stripping the existing roof back a few metres and then effectively reducing the angle of the roof to cover the new area, would add a kink in the roof line, but would surely be less troublesome.

[arby]

I think I would cut the roof back on those 4 sides so that only 1 row of roof tiles overhang. Then I would attach the new patio cover to the house, under that lip, and extend it out the 4 meters that you want with a slight slope (at least 1cm per meter). Join the two corners of the extended patio cover together (fill in the triangle). I would use teak wood as my structural material and cover the whole thing with tinted polycarbonate. The use of real wood will enhance the appearance and take away from the all concrete surround.If you want to maintain the same roof appearance, then I would mount the same roof tiles on top of the polycarbonate for appearance sake only. Otherwise I would just leave the polycarbonate to stand alone. I would also heavily landscape the entire area with a tropical look and use some small diameter trees planted near the edge of the patio so their leaves extend over the patio cover giving you even more protection from the sun. I have built some homes like this and have also loosely covered the polycarbonate with palm fronds to let light in but reduce the heat even more. This might be the least expensive alternative and still achieve what you are trying to do and be aesthetically pleasing as well.

[Rimmer]

That roof line is already a nightmare, short of ripping it off and re building it you don't have much choice except to do it as your architect suggests. I have seen this type of add on join up roof to roof a few times with a gutter in between and they are, as Crossy says a problem. If the water does not get away fast enough or a drain is blocked you have a waterfall.

At least doing this way the roof angles will remain the same and it will match with you cabanas and roof line.

You definitely do not want to use clear or semi clear plastic or polycarbonate sheets, the sun is too hot here to let even a little light through and you will end up with a greenhouse. Also after 3 months the sheets get black where any vegetation touches it or mould grows on them and they look like s**t from underneath.

[craigt3365]

trogers: Thanks! Interesting soulution. But is there a vendor here in Pattaya that can handle this?

Crossy: That is what one company is proposing...I get the price quote tomorrow...but I think it is going to be crazy expensive. I will post here as an FYI.

arby: Very interesting. I have also thought about something like that. You wouldn't happen to have any pics, would you? This polycarbonate, is it that corrugated stuff I see at HomePro/Works? Comes in different colors? My big worry would be the noise when it rains. I had this when I lived in San Diego. Worked great, but was quite noisy when it rained. No biggie there as they got very little rain...might be a different story here?

Rimmer: Yeah, it is a nightmare. Really testing the builders I have quoting on this. One sat there and scratched his head for a few minutes, then just said "pang". Uh oh...

But I agree, that keeping the same material would look the best, just waiting for a final quote to see what the cost will be. One guy has proposed a very large gutter between them. He has already done one job where the water came up the other side, went under the tiles, and leaked through the roof. So, at least he has some (bad) experience with this already!

Thanks for all your comments!!!!!!!!

Craig

[trogers]

trogers: Thanks! Interesting soulution. But is there a vendor here in Pattaya that can handle this?

Those architectural umbrellas are made overseas (either Japan or Aust) in standard kit form and is installed by the local team based in Bangkok. The fabric is the same material as use in Fashion island, Seri centre and the new airport.

[trogers]

I am looking at your house without the intended extension. You need to spend money on surface drainage. Looking at the wide roof area sloping to the rear of the house, and the house is only 2m from the fence at this point, you need to add in rainwater gutters (HDPE type) at the edges of the roof and surface concrete gutters on ground level to manage and drain off rainwater.

If not, you will have a river of mud at the rear of the house and a line of eroded soil at the front. Grass do not grow well in the shade at the rear.

[craigt3365]

You are absolutely right! Where that huge valley is in the middle of the house, it pours down so hard it has cut a fairly large hole in the ground by the front door! So, yes...gutters all around for sure. Probably on the car port/maid's room also. And can you believe it (I am sure you can), the roof actually extends over into my neighbors yard in the back! Unreal building over here.

The architect's drawing is a little misleading. I plan only rocks, some pavers to walk on, and minimal plants around the back of the house. In the back on the right, as you look at the architect's rendering, will be the Thai kitchen. It is about 1/2 paved there with those red tiles already.

There is a decent sized drainage ditch all the way around the property. So I am sure he will drop the downspouts into them.

The front will be mostly decking from the house all the way to the pool and almost all the way over to that wall in the back. I will talk to him about drainage there also, don't want that water draining towards the house!

I am trying to keep it as low maintenance as possible, but know it will be a difficult task....plants grow so fast over here. I am trying to incorporate as much hardscape as possible. No watering, no trimming!

Thanks!

Craig

[trogers]

You may want to consider diverting roof rainwater into an underground tank for use in irrigating your landscape as Pattaya is known for water shortages during the dry season. Some others may even encourage filtering part of this stored water for the pool.

[Rimmer]

You may want to consider diverting roof rainwater into an underground tank for use in irrigating your landscape as Pattaya is known for water shortages during the dry season. Some others may even encourage filtering part of this stored water for the pool.

Not collecting roof rainwater and gray water in a tank is the biggest mistake I made when I built this house, I hate to see all that roof rainwater running to waste down the land drains. It would have been so easy to do as well at the time but now it's a major project.

[arby]

trogers: Thanks! Interesting soulution. But is there a vendor here in Pattaya that can handle this?

Crossy: That is what one company is proposing...I get the price quote tomorrow...but I think it is going to be crazy expensive. I will post here as an FYI.

arby: Very interesting. I have also thought about something like that. You wouldn't happen to have any pics, would you? This polycarbonate, is it that corrugated stuff I see at HomePro/Works? Comes in different colors? My big worry would be the noise when it rains. I had this when I lived in San Diego. Worked great, but was quite noisy when it rained. No biggie there as they got very little rain...might be a different story here?

Rimmer: Yeah, it is a nightmare. Really testing the builders I have quoting on this. One sat there and scratched his head for a few minutes, then just said "pang". Uh oh...

But I agree, that keeping the same material would look the best, just waiting for a final quote to see what the cost will be. One guy has proposed a very large gutter between them. He has already done one job where the water came up the other side, went under the tiles, and leaked through the roof. So, at least he has some (bad) experience with this already!

Thanks for all your comments!!!!!!!!

Craig

As you can see by the number of my posts that I hate to post on this forum as there are so many dipsh..ts here that just like to throw in their unqualified two cents worth AGAINST any useful information or advice from people who truly have experience. I already stuck my foot in ....so here I go again......but before I start let me qualify myself. I am an architect and builder, specializing in tropical designs. I have used polycarbonate in a lot of my designs since 2004 with great success. The surface DOES NOT MOLD OR STAIN from being in contact with plants, etc. Yes it is noisy when it rains but that can be remedied (if it really bothers you) by putting something over it like palm fronds, banana leaves, tile, etc. There is a company that makes synthetic palm fronds that are guaranteed to last for 20 years without mildewing, rotting, etc. if you do not want to use the real thing or want the maintenance. The tinted polycarbonates filter more light than the clearer versions and all of them have UV filters that reduce the heat. I have enclosed a few photos here of some different decks where I have used it. As you can see there are unlimited ways to disguise the appearance of it . I have also used polycarbonate to do an entire roof of a beach bungalow on the beach in Mexico and then covered it with palm fronds as well. If you would like any more information or photos, PM me and I will be glad to help you in any way I can. I have lots of photos of different projects I have used it on. And yes, polycarbonate has ribs in the interior of the panels and is sold at Home Pro , etc. for just over 1000 baht a 4' x 8' sheet but you can buy it in rolls or better yet, have one of the distributors install it for you at a very reasonable cost.

[craigt3365]

Very interesting. This is what I was thinking of. I get the price quote today for the design I posted. If I go into cardiac arrest, I have your pics and a few others to show as an alternative. What I do like is they let the light in. With this huge patio, the interior light will be drastically reduced. Great for my TV, but not for the rest of the house!

Actually, the corrugated roofing I was thinking of had very large ribs. I posted a few pics here of what I have seen in the local HomePro. Yours looks much better. I don't think the ones I was looking at are very pretty....but I am sure a lot less expensive than what is planned. We'll see....and I will keep you posted!

Craig

oops...forgot to add...those pics of Mexico bring back some great memories. I spent many months down there and loved it. Too bad it has gone into the sh***er lately.

Edited January 18, 2010 by craigt3365