Housebuilding Thread

[Cylon]

A company in Phuket sells continuous guttering,made with a roll forming machine onsite.Pre painted.

[SantiSuk]

I see that this thread still attracts attention - as so it should.

Just one more thing to think about if you are a supervising your new build:

After 5 years I suffered from blocked pipes to my external septic tanks (those round concrete ring jobbies) from the most heavily trafficked of the water drains - kitchen sink. Chemicals and a drain rods (Global House stocks drain rods - an essential maintenance item in any event) would not clear the pipe. Luckily my house was built with underfloor access and not for the first time I can thank my wife for the status conscious nature of her choices in building the house up off the ground about 4 feet. So, possible to cut out/dismantle the bit of pipe that led to the extremities of the house before diving underground to go to the tank.

I found that the bottom eighth of the pipe had been silted up with calcium and I don't know what. That in itself would not be a problem but the silt was not entirely solid, so bits had clearly broken away and travelled to the nearest bend/join restriction and collected there leading to blockage. It was then I realised that the silting had mostly occurred due to the fact the piping under the house had been installed dead level*. Had they put even a slight incline on it I suspect the problem would at the very least have been deferred a decade or two.

So - one to watch if you are checking out your build on a regular basis or one to explain to your Thai partner for instruction of the builder/gang. Of course a piece of water treatment kit in the chain of your supply would also prevent the problem (I had a salt water machine in a house I owned in the UK) in the first place but no doubt that is a whole different subject with its pros and cons.

* Sods law - when you want something dead level most Thai builders can't manage it, but when you want a slope (eg wet room floors to drain away) they can often miraculously find a dead level!

[Crossy]

Doesn't time fly?

Wifey told me a couple of weeks back that we had lived in our home for two years, I'm still fixing stuff and probably will be forever.

Such is life

[Crossy]

I Think an update is in order, no new structures have gone up yet (a car port with a solar roof is in the planning / waiting for finances stage, more on that if it happens).

Meanwhile the garden has been growing under the influence of Wifey's passion for all things green:-

Even more pots of stuff upstairs (does help keep it cool mind):

And the genset has acquired a (slightly) quiet enclosure:

[Daffy D]

Very nice.

Thanks for the update always good to know how things turn out

[Farangathon]

Crossy,

Thanks for the entertaining play by play. I'm (my wife with my money) building one near Surin. Not even close to the monstrosity you built, but still excited to get it livable and be able to add on little things as we go. I do have to say the gutter guy did a fantastic job given the difficult roof. I'd like to see how things go with the carport/solar roof idea. I want to be totally self-sufficient, but everyone says it is too expensive still, so please keep the updates going.

Congrats on an awesome castle.

[Crossy]

Thanks chanztastic, I won't tell Wifey you called her baby a 'monstrosity'

Indeed, having a place that you (ok the good lady) own and not having to worry about awkward landlords is nice, I've always been a DIY chap so I do enjoy maintaining / fixing stuff (but not a failed pipe at 3AM).

There are a few threads on solar in the Electrical forum. But by and large, if mains power is available a completely off-grid solution is not practical on a cost basis (mainly battery replacement).

Going grid-tie and effectively storing your daytime excess power in the supply grid (meter goes backwards) and then using it at night (meter goes forwards again) has a payback period of about 7 years (and improving).

If the Thai My Solar Roof initiative gets going again with its generous export tariff the payback period will be significantly shortened.

[cheeryble]

That's wonderful Crossy, haven't seen since you were on wasteland.

ps are the geese tasty?

[Crossy]

That's wonderful Crossy, haven't seen since you were on wasteland.

ps are the geese tasty?

Do you really think Wifey would let me eat them?? The eggs are delicious mind

[Charlie1]

Question about the rain gutter: May I ask how much per meter? We actually want to install a rain gutter (In Krabi area) on our house and I've got an offer of 350,- Baht per meter, galvanized steel. Is that price ok? or should I bargain?

Thanks anyone for your comments and input!

[Crossy]

350 per metre installed isn't too bad, probably around what we paid (it's been a while).

[IMHO]

Question about the rain gutter: May I ask how much per meter? We actually want to install a rain gutter (In Krabi area) on our house and I've got an offer of 350,- Baht per meter, galvanized steel. Is that price ok? or should I bargain?

Thanks anyone for your comments and input!

I recently (as in, 2 days ago) had some extra guttering put in upcountry at the home town. They had some regular sized no-name galvanized for 200/M, Bluescope brand for 250/M, and some huge stuff that was about 8" deep/wide for 350/M.

[cheeryble]

I had some galvanised put into a V join between two roofs.

It's made bespoke and I paid for the "better" grade.

It lasted a very modest number of years then started leaking from pinholes or worse.

It's true I don't clean out the leaves as I should ....it's awkward....but if it was plastic it would NEVER leak.

ps I patch the leaks with cleaning/black bitumen/canvas/more bitumen (called Flintcote from BP I think) it lasts a while.

Pain in the arse so don't use it unless you're in an open area.

[Farangathon]

Thanks chanztastic, I won't tell Wifey you called her baby a 'monstrosity'

Sorry Crossy, I meant no bad by that, I just meant it was a big mansion. What you said about solar is basically the same I've read everywhere else. That's ok, electricity is cheap where I am, and I can wait if solar ever gets reasonable.

[Crossy]

In the spirit of keeping this thread alive and not cluttering the forum with my ramblings here is:-

The Two Day Carport - In Pictures

After considerable time moaning about getting into a hot car it was finally decided to construct a carport. I have the ulterior motive of it also being a convenient location for some solar panels which SWMBO won't let anywhere near her feature roof.

Day 1

Verticals go in, concrete foundations are 50 cm deep as defined by them as knows

My original design didn't have the cross braced 'girders' the supervisor (my step-son) thought they needed beefing up to support the weight of solar panels, I'm not going to argue.

The crew are Burmese who have done steelwork for us before, moonlighting from their official jobs.

My attempts at cheeper labour by teaching the chooks to weld failed miserably, they were returned to egg laying duties.

[Crossy]

Day 2

Moving right along the girders go on.

Finally, the roof tiles, cheap ones but the same colour as the house roof.

The parking area is gravel in keeping with our 'rustic' (gravel and grass) drive. Sandbags courtesy of the local ampur during the last flood season and filled by my grand-daughter (no not all of them) keep the gravel roughly in place.

It's not architecturally beautiful or an engineering miracle, but it keeps the sun off and didn't cost the earth. All in, 33k Baht including food and after-work beer for the boys.

[IMHO]

Your step-son was correct to use truss beams on that span - even w/out the added weight of solar panels

[Crossy]

Your step-son was correct to use truss beams on that span - even w/out the added weight of solar panels

Yeah, with a 6m span I suspect so, even though the designs I based it on didn't have them. I can hang on the beams and they don't move and I'm not a slim and silth-like farang

The Burmese chaps are actually steel fabricators for one of the big housing companies, they've done other stuff for us in the past although this is the biggest job that they've done as moonlighters.

[IMHO]

Your step-son was correct to use truss beams on that span - even w/out the added weight of solar panels

Yeah, with a 6m span I suspect so, even though the designs I based it on didn't have them. I can hang on the beams and they don't move and I'm not a slim and silth-like farang

The Burmese chaps are actually steel fabricators for one of the big housing companies, they've done other stuff for us in the past although this is the biggest job that they've done as moonlighters.

Not surprising - I'm guessing it's around 40cm high, with trusses at about 80cm.. in which case it can probably support around 3 tons

[Crossy]

Not surprising - I'm guessing it's around 40cm high, with trusses at about 80cm.. in which case it can probably support around 3 tons

Yeah, the dimensions are about that. nice to know I can hang my engine crane from it

[JAFO]

Nice build thread and beautiful end product Crossy. I skimmed over some of it but got the jest of it. More of these threads are a great form of information for other considering heading down the path to build.

We did a build fusing a stilted home style with more modern materials but used all the teak from the original house we tore down. The project took 11 months from start to finish. We are up North on about 2.5 Rai of land but in a small mooban.

[cheeryble]

I see that this thread still attracts attention - as so it should.

Just one more thing to think about if you are a supervising your new build:

After 5 years I suffered from blocked pipes to my external septic tanks (those round concrete ring jobbies) from the most heavily trafficked of the water drains - kitchen sink. Chemicals and a drain rods (Global House stocks drain rods - an essential maintenance item in any event) would not clear the pipe. Luckily my house was built with underfloor access and not for the first time I can thank my wife for the status conscious nature of her choices in building the house up off the ground about 4 feet. So, possible to cut out/dismantle the bit of pipe that led to the extremities of the house before diving underground to go to the tank.

I found that the bottom eighth of the pipe had been silted up with calcium and I don't know what. That in itself would not be a problem but the silt was not entirely solid, so bits had clearly broken away and travelled to the nearest bend/join restriction and collected there leading to blockage. It was then I realised that the silting had mostly occurred due to the fact the piping under the house had been installed dead level*. Had they put even a slight incline on it I suspect the problem would at the very least have been deferred a decade or two.

So - one to watch if you are checking out your build on a regular basis or one to explain to your Thai partner for instruction of the builder/gang. Of course a piece of water treatment kit in the chain of your supply would also prevent the problem (I had a salt water machine in a house I owned in the UK) in the first place but no doubt that is a whole different subject with its pros and cons.

* Sods law - when you want something dead level most Thai builders can't manage it, but when you want a slope (eg wet room floors to drain away) they can often miraculously find a dead level!

Late reply.....

but this sounds suspiciously like something that happens regularly in condos at least:

Tilers washing out their cement/grout containers under the tap and it washing down and filling/part filling the pipe.

Yes the bends can get 100% stopped up and it ain't much fun sawing the section out (I think I've done it with a hacksaw) as it is varying degrees full of hard cementitious whatever,

[Crossy]

Late reply.....

but this sounds suspiciously like something that happens regularly in condos at least:

Tilers washing out their cement/grout containers under the tap and it washing down and filling/part filling the pipe.

Yes the bends can get 100% stopped up and it ain't much fun sawing the section out (I think I've done it with a hacksaw) as it is varying degrees full of hard cementitious whatever,

I think Cheery's internet pipe has a blockage too, a couple of duplicate posts removed

[Crossy]

A bunch of troll posts have been removed.

Meanwhile SWMBO has acquired a carbon-neutral cooking appliance.

Charcoal fired hob, works incredibly well.

Charcoal comes from renewable forest, burned in the traditional manner and delivered by a man on a bike. Definitely low impact.

[Crossy]

Since there's been some renewed interest in this thread an update is in order.

 

Trees have grown somewhat and the grandkids have a larger above-ground pool. Yes, I know the grass needs cutting

 

 

The front sitting area now has a roof, there's a similar one on the other side housing the Thai kitchen. Structurally similar to the car-port (the same team built it) its main purpose is to keep the rain out of the narrowest section of the downstairs.

 

 

Wifey also installed a sala to sit in whilst watching her fish in their new pond.

 

 

Yes, those blue pipes will get boxed in and the concrete rings housing the bio-filters have a concealing hedge growing.

 

 

Sala was built by a small outfit in Phetchabun and brought to Bangkok on a trailer (minus the roof). It's mostly Mai Padu (a hardwood, but cheaper than Mai Daeng), the gables are Shera.

 

 

[Crossy]

On 17/07/2013 at 6:07 PM, Crossy said:

Whilst I wasn't looking the chickens got a new palace.

OK, I did help build it, but no construction photos as the camera was out of order.

Only the left side with the split door is for the chickens, the right side is for 'potting', or more likely, me, when I've been a bad doggie

 

The chicken palace has been replaced by a new version.

 

 

with high-rise roosting

 

 

24/7 dining and drinking

 

 

and bathing for the aquatic residents

 

 

 

[whatawonderfulday]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

The chicken palace has been replaced by a new version.

 

 

with high-rise roosting

 

 

24/7 dining and drinking

 

 

and bathing for the aquatic residents

 

 

 

Crossy, Impressive residence. What would look nice would be some Peacocks and hens.

[Crossy]

Of course we now have a pile of lumber.

 

 

SWMBO decided that I was to convert this into a picnic table and benches.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

It's not quite complete, bench No.1 hasn't had it's stain on the seat and bench No.2 is still a kit.

 

But SWMBO has decreed that tonight it will be inaugurated with a Korean dinner :)

 

 

 

 

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, whatawonderfulday said:

Crossy, Impressive residence. What would look nice would be some Peacocks and hens.

 

I'd love some pea-fowl. But Wifey says they're too noisy (yeah, and guinea fowl aren't?) and they will fly away (guineas can and do fly too).

 

Anyway, right now the guineas are in residence and the other side where the chooks are supposed to live is temporary storage whilst the "barn" which is going up where the old chook palace was sited is completed.

 

[Crossy]

 

Of course, I "had" to buy some tools to complete the task.

 

So a 6" belt sander and a decent 1/2" router have been added to the repertoire of the tool shed :)