I'M Not A Builder But .....

[prk888]

About 2 weeks ago there was a sizeable sea-water swamp behind our condos, just west of the Jomtien Yacht Club (Na Jomtien) and opposite Pinnacle Resort

On a monday a continuous convoy of heavy trucks appeared frantically dumping soil into the swamp. After just one day of manic activity, tree felling, dumping and infilling the piling began.

We are told 40 bungalows are being erected for the local holiday hotel/resort. To date it seems the piles for the majority of the buidlings are already installed. Building blocks are being stockpiled.

After the recent storms the site is now a quagmire again but activity continues unabated.

My questions are ............ how long before? ........... when will they ?................. will hotel guests be insured? ................. will they meet the high-season deadline? ...... will the sois be restored? Or what?

PS - the condition of the sois now outrut Koh Samet's muddy tracks too.

[craigt3365]

Hmmmm. Sounds typical for building around here. I live across from the Ambassador and our moo baan was a swamp before also. We have a bit of a problem growing trees as the water table is sooooo high. But, all the houses are doing great after 5 years. I know many of the owners here and nobody has had any issues.

That whole area you are in is truly a swamp. I ride my scooter around those sois a fair amount. Kinda hard to do after a rain. That road to the View floods all the time. But they have a new drain in....so we will see if that helps.

I will ride over today or tomorrow and have a peak. We eat at those seaside restaurants near there quite often....

[prk888]

as a young boy in UK many years ago i recall that any infill land could not be built on for 7 years

[contemplating]

fill it and build! Maybe buildings dont fall down because of filling and building, but they do get a lot of cracks in the walls and floors. Sometimes they dont bother to fill very far outside of the building, so the soil starts to erode, then the walls crack and the slab cracks, but if its a Thai house in the country side, they dont care. I have also seen swamps one week, and next week, they are filled in, and construction starts. Even filled in over the local garbage dump. I wonder about the methane they will have to deal with. As for the streets, the rain and floods with eventually wash the mud off. Im sure no one will clean it. Any pot holes will be repaired within 10 years.

[PattayaParent]

If the piling has been done properly there's little chance of a problem with the buildings.

[craigt3365]

My house was vacant for 3 years. I checked closely for cracked slabs or walls. Nothing. And have not heard of any in this village that have that problem either. But for sure, it is something to worry about.

My brother's house in the US has just developed a crack straight through his master bedroom. It is big enough to slip a coin into it. Really bad.

I had to have the drains redone here. During a rain, I was walking around the exterior of the house and the fill was like pudding. I slipped down almost to my knee in a few spots. Dang near lost my flip flop! So....decided better to get the water away and installed gutters all around the house and garage. Seems to have helped a bunch.

[LennyW]

If the piling has been done properly there's little chance of a problem with the buildings.

Correct, if the building is constructed properly there is no reason it should have any problems.

The ones you see with the cracks are usually of a "cheap" build, one of the most common causes of cracking is a badly constructed roof - if the house does not have a concrete beam on top of the pillars around the perimiter of the house to carry the roof RUN AWAY!!!, so many chancers will construct a house like this because they save money on steel & concrete, they weld the steel for the roof to the re-bar protruding from the pillars and as soon as you start to get heating and cooling cycles (expansion & contraction) the steel pushes on the pillars causing cracks - and no ammount of filler will fix it!!

[FarangBuddha]

Just about everything west of Sukhumvit is built on landfill...so consider yourself informed.

[manarak]

FarangBuddha

This is total BS.

[Heng]

Buy on Pratumnak Hill. At least you have gravity on your side.

[prk888]

update ................. 5th October

the more it rains the more soil trucks are sent; clinker and stones spread daily on the Koh Samet ravines; mini soi lakes now filling with Koi carp; water levels rising all around the area; poor old workers washed away every night; machinery toppling over; piling continues; hopes still high.

[VictorStone]

There are two ways:

- either wait 2 years after refilling, and build standard foundations

- or make pilings deep enough to support the weight of the building given the underground's characteristics.

[jori]

If the piling has been done properly there's little chance of a problem with the buildings.

Correct, if the building is constructed properly there is no reason it should have any problems.

The ones you see with the cracks are usually of a "cheap" build, one of the most common causes of cracking is a badly constructed roof - if the house does not have a concrete beam on top of the pillars around the perimiter of the house to carry the roof RUN AWAY!!!, so many chancers will construct a house like this because they save money on steel & concrete, they weld the steel for the roof to the re-bar protruding from the pillars and as soon as you start to get heating and cooling cycles (expansion & contraction) the steel pushes on the pillars causing cracks - and no ammount of filler will fix it!!

If there is no firm base to pile into then piling is useless,the water table is somewhat high in this region anyway. A concrete beam running around the top of the pillars is just about as useless as well,a corner pillar giving way will lift the entire roof. Soft sand is an ideal compacting base ,but water run off will drag it all away. Digging a four foot square by four foot deep to support a pillar is not piling ,just spreading the weight.

There are two ways:

- either wait 2 years after refilling, and build standard foundations

- or make pilings deep enough to support the weight of the building given the underground's characteristics.

More like 5 years. A raft foundation coupled with the 4 foot square x 4foot deep pillar footing will help ,then build with lightweight superblocks,with a single skin roof,keep away from roofing tiles to save weight.

[LennyW]

Remind me not to employ "jori" as one of my structural engineers!!

Edited October 8, 2010 by LennyW

[craigt3365]

I drove by there 2 days ago. It is a small lake and one of the supply trucks was axle deep in the mud. Stuck and leaning to one side!

[PhilHarries]

^^ Lenny, there's a difference between a structural and a civil engineer.

We're dealing with the sh1t and paper clips brigade.

Yes, if piling is done correctly and well you have a good start. But that's all it is, you need to properly tie the pile caps together to make a solid foundation. But even that's wasted if they don't drive the piles to the correct depth nor test them.

But if they're just bungalows I'd be surprised if they really piled the foundations.

Still they'll look nice for a year, maybe two.

[prk888]

^^ Lenny, there's a difference between a structural and a civil engineer.

We're dealing with the sh1t and paper clips brigade.

Yes, if piling is done correctly and well you have a good start. But that's all it is, you need to properly tie the pile caps together to make a solid foundation. But even that's wasted if they don't drive the piles to the correct depth nor test them.

But if they're just bungalows I'd be surprised if they really piled the foundations.

Still they'll look nice for a year, maybe two.

[prk888]

craig - you've seen the site. Out of interest are you a builder? Reading the TV comments does the piling look effective to you?

Everything is still 'floating' currently, Daily truck loads of stones/clinker dumped in huge mounds in the deepest holes in the main soi only to be crushed into hills by heavy trucks or washed away by rains. "Dont ya just love this place?" Never a dull moment.

[craigt3365]

craig - you've seen the site. Out of interest are you a builder? Reading the TV comments does the piling look effective to you?

Everything is still 'floating' currently, Daily truck loads of stones/clinker dumped in huge mounds in the deepest holes in the main soi only to be crushed into hills by heavy trucks or washed away by rains. "Dont ya just love this place?" Never a dull moment.

No, I'm not a builder...but feel like one after our recent construction project! No fun for sure....

I was not able to get an up close inspection. That truck was blocking the small soi leading into the site. And there was a huge puddle on the other street with cars in front of me and behind me.

I will try and stop by tomorrow as I now have a scooter to use and it will be much easier to get a closer look.

[prk888]

craig - you've seen the site. Out of interest are you a builder? Reading the TV comments does the piling look effective to you?

Everything is still 'floating' currently, Daily truck loads of stones/clinker dumped in huge mounds in the deepest holes in the main soi only to be crushed into hills by heavy trucks or washed away by rains. "Dont ya just love this place?" Never a dull moment.

No, I'm not a builder...but feel like one after our recent construction project! No fun for sure....

I was not able to get an up close inspection. That truck was blocking the small soi leading into the site. And there was a huge puddle on the other street with cars in front of me and behind me.

I will try and stop by tomorrow as I now have a scooter to use and it will be much easier to get a closer look.

PM me and maybe i can meet you there for a squizz and a chuckle!

[jori]

I'd like to know of any domestic housing(not condo) that has ever been piled, screwed or thumped in, probably never, period.There was enough rain to halt construction in the vicinity in the last few weeks but the passing of the monsoon season will see re newed energy applied to put up more of the concrete rubbish.

Just by a fluke was this area spared the major flooding that occured close by that would ensured a complete devasting wash out,if not this time certainly next monsoon with the reported anticipated increase in precipitation in the years to come, will be the reckoning ,anyway who gives a toss just how the roof is affixed here,probably that's all that will be showing next monsoon season anyway,getting through you front door 10 foot underground will be the problem.

Just what worth would anybody put on any property here now? Recently I was offered a (once) 25 million Baht house ,down to 10 million and that price was negotiable (PM me for details) that was overpriced I estimate by at least 9.9 million ,not worth a carrot ,not worth a light,still never mind Lenny ,i'll send you a get well card eventually LOL

[LennyW]

I'd like to know of any domestic housing(not condo) that has ever been piled, screwed or thumped in, probably never, period.There was enough rain to halt construction in the vicinity in the last few weeks but the passing of the monsoon season will see re newed energy applied to put up more of the concrete rubbish.

Just by a fluke was this area spared the major flooding that occured close by that would ensured a complete devasting wash out,if not this time certainly next monsoon with the reported anticipated increase in precipitation in the years to come, will be the reckoning ,anyway who gives a toss just how the roof is affixed here,probably that's all that will be showing next monsoon season anyway,getting through you front door 10 foot underground will be the problem.

Just what worth would anybody put on any property here now? Recently I was offered a (once) 25 million Baht house ,down to 10 million and that price was negotiable (PM me for details) that was overpriced I estimate by at least 9.9 million ,not worth a carrot ,not worth a light,still never mind Lenny ,i'll send you a get well card eventually LOL

ALL of the houses i have built and sold over the last 8 years here in Pattaya have had drilled in piles, ALL!! Some of us know what we are talking about then of course there is you.:jerk: , you really should refrain from commenting on stuff you know nothing about, just makes you look stupid!

[jori]

I'd like to know of any domestic housing(not condo) that has ever been piled, screwed or thumped in, probably never, period.There was enough rain to halt construction in the vicinity in the last few weeks but the passing of the monsoon season will see re newed energy applied to put up more of the concrete rubbish.

Just by a fluke was this area spared the major flooding that occured close by that would ensured a complete devasting wash out,if not this time certainly next monsoon with the reported anticipated increase in precipitation in the years to come, will be the reckoning ,anyway who gives a toss just how the roof is affixed here,probably that's all that will be showing next monsoon season anyway,getting through you front door 10 foot underground will be the problem.

Just what worth would anybody put on any property here now? Recently I was offered a (once) 25 million Baht house ,down to 10 million and that price was negotiable (PM me for details) that was overpriced I estimate by at least 9.9 million ,not worth a carrot ,not worth a light,still never mind Lenny ,i'll send you a get well card eventually LOL

ALL of the houses i have built and sold over the last 8 years here in Pattaya have had drilled in piles, ALL!! Some of us know what we are talking about then of course there is you.:jerk: , you really should refrain from commenting on stuff you know nothing about, just makes you look stupid!

Saved at last!,a last refuge for the many drowning souls,screwed in,banged in,makes not an ounce of difference,I'd lay odds that all around when push comes to shove and the surrounding develpoments are tilting ,twisting,disappearing and sinking in deluges of running water yours are up there with the rest of them.

[craigt3365]

I'd like to know of any domestic housing(not condo) that has ever been piled, screwed or thumped in, probably never, period.There was enough rain to halt construction in the vicinity in the last few weeks but the passing of the monsoon season will see re newed energy applied to put up more of the concrete rubbish.

Just by a fluke was this area spared the major flooding that occured close by that would ensured a complete devasting wash out,if not this time certainly next monsoon with the reported anticipated increase in precipitation in the years to come, will be the reckoning ,anyway who gives a toss just how the roof is affixed here,probably that's all that will be showing next monsoon season anyway,getting through you front door 10 foot underground will be the problem.

Just what worth would anybody put on any property here now? Recently I was offered a (once) 25 million Baht house ,down to 10 million and that price was negotiable (PM me for details) that was overpriced I estimate by at least 9.9 million ,not worth a carrot ,not worth a light,still never mind Lenny ,i'll send you a get well card eventually LOL

ALL of the houses i have built and sold over the last 8 years here in Pattaya have had drilled in piles, ALL!! Some of us know what we are talking about then of course there is you.:jerk: , you really should refrain from commenting on stuff you know nothing about, just makes you look stupid!

Saved at last!,a last refuge for the many drowning souls,screwed in,banged in,makes not an ounce of difference,I'd lay odds that all around when push comes to shove and the surrounding develpoments are tilting ,twisting,disappearing and sinking in deluges of running water yours are up there with the rest of them.

Golden Sands is looking great after all these years...

[Tokay]

If the piling has been done properly there's little chance of a problem with the buildings.

Well, they are doomed then.