Housebuilding Thread

craigt3365 · July 27, 2011

It is amazing to watch them work here. So much done by hand. We had an extension built on our patio. Maybe 9 pilings had to be dug. 1Mx1Mx1M. A lady did it, sitting on the ground, using a hose to soften things up. Took about a day for each hole. Unreal.

Crossy · July 28, 2011

It is amazing to watch them work here. So much done by hand. We had an extension built on our patio. Maybe 9 pilings had to be dug. 1Mx1Mx1M. A lady did it, sitting on the ground, using a hose to soften things up. Took about a day for each hole. Unreal.

I asked K. Dusit about using one of those little excavator beasties, would make short work of the pile cap holes, response, "man is cheaper"

Can't argue with that, at 300 Baht a day plus food and shelter you can get a lot of labour for the cost of a $25k machine.

bifftastic · July 28, 2011

Sometimes it can be false economy though.

We had our driveway concreted, C-Pac truck turned up, after the neighbours had spent an hour making a bamboo re-bar grid, truck emptied the concrete and it was all done and going off in the sunshine after 2, maybe three hours tops.

We need some more doing, around the sides of the house, firstly the Mrs said we'd just get everyone in to help, do it all by hand, no C-Pac truck (same logic, man is cheaper) but then she had a think about it, C-Pac truck, plus 3 people for 2 hours, or 6 or 7 people all day (food, red bull, whiskey). The C-Pac truck is cheaper. Plus it's done quicker.

I helped out when some neighbours were chipping in to build someone a house (He'd helped with some work on our house). We spent three days mixing concrete in a big tray and handing it in a chain of people to lay the concrete floor. There must have been ten people involved, we all had to be fed and watered, same cost for materials whatever way you do it.

It's the way it's done up where our house is, they're not really cash-rich and everyone chips in to help, which is great and all but I don't think the principle 'man is cheaper' necessarily pans out in everything. Especially if you're paying each person 300 baht a day as well.

If you've got the cash to get the machines in, sometimes that might be both cheaper and better quality work.

So it all depends on what you want done.

Your contractor, of course, may not agree! Unless his brother drives a C-Pac truck!

Good luck with the house Crossy!

Crossy · July 28, 2011

Bloody typical, after all the "dig it by hand" stuff, the mini-digger arrived this morning

I strongly suspect it was tied up on another job and rather than have the guys sitting around he got them started by hand. Anyway pile caps will all be dug out today

Crossy · July 28, 2011

As noted previously the arrival of the mini-digger significantly speeded up digging out of the pile caps.

So much so, that at the end of the day we have a lot of 1.8m deep holes.

Our own personal lunar landscape.

And a steadily increasing number of rebar cages

All under the watchful eye of my good lady and K. Dusit's son.

Crossy · July 31, 2011

First thing on Friday the sand, gravel and cement truck arrived.

The concrete block fairy also visited in the night

Hand mix concrete was placed in the pile cap holes and levelled, the idea being that when the re-bar cages are positioned there is no way that the re-bar can come in contact with the bare earth, no re-bar stands are required.

Once the concrete had gone off the piles were cut off with the angle-grinder and a block form constructed for the pile-cap.

Lunch delivery

A new, bigger and more robust re-bar bending rig has been built.

Measure twice, cut once, a good philosophy to follow

That's 25mm bar being bent cold and by hand!

mario299 · July 31, 2011

.

Measure twice, cut once, a good philosophy to follow

Better than measure once, cut twice...dam_n it's still too short!

Great pictures Crossy. keep them coming!

Crossy · August 3, 2011

Progress update, work is proceding apace as the rain that fell on Chiang Mai earlier in the week will arrive here as a significant river level rise early next week, K. Dusit wants to get the ground works complete before any chance of flooding.

Rebar cages have been places in the pile caps and aligned carefully.

We now have a small forest of steel sticking out of the holes.

A few petals in the bottom of each hole will appease the spirits of something or other.

Before the first truckload of concrete arrives.

The driver gets as near to the site as he can without getting stuck.

Its contents are rapidly barrowed into the waiting holes.

And vibrated to remove any air bubbles.

Before being smoothed to a finish that will be buried.

Formwork for the verticals and ground beams is now assembled, the rebar has already been bent ready to be placed.

Crossy · August 8, 2011

Blink and you'll miss it.

Whilst we were away for a couple of days R&R (actually I was installing lights in the MiL's new toilet block) the verticals were poured, formwork removed and holes backfilled.

The cement, formwork and re-bar fairies had been at work too.

And the first cement mixer I'd seen in Thailand was delivered.

Work continues apace putting a sand base down for the ground beams.

Meanwhile it has been determined that today is the best day to scare off the land spirits.

Offerings are made to the spirits

Gold, silver, bronze,

special wood

and diamonds

clothing and flowers

And the banana plants are planted.

During the day the cement, gravel and sand deliveries continue, note the correct loading of the pickup, once the springs bottom out you're ready to add another ton.

Mmmmm, delicious Concrete Cakes

Actually they're re-bar stands to keep the bar correctly positioned off the bottom of the formwork.

We now have concrete bases ready for the ground beams.

Crossy · August 12, 2011

Not a lot to report from the last few days, time has been spent mounting the re-bar and shuttering for the ground beams. K. Dusit intends pouring all the beams together in one shot.

I can't help being amazed by the amount of steel going into these beams, all set to withstand earthquakes and nuclear war

flying · August 12, 2011

Very nice to watch Crossy good luck & thanks for posting!

Mario I really enjoyed your video too!

I like that separate kitchen dining area.

donx · August 12, 2011

Thank you Crossy and keep this thread going. I'm sure you're catching the interest of many members.

Are you building a 2 story house? Perhaps that explains the need for all that steel.

Crossy · August 12, 2011

Yes Donx 2 floors, actually Thai style bungalow on sticks.

This is how the concrete cakes in post #40 work

Yes that bit of wood that would have ended up in the beam has been removed now things have set.

flying · August 13, 2011

This is how the concrete cakes in post #40 work

This is what we use in the US

Leave it to the Thai's to not waste anything.

Very good

Edited August 13, 2011 by flying

snarky66 · August 13, 2011

I would totally want 2 kitchens. One indoors to make coffee toast & wash dishes (no mozzies for me thanks) & another cooking place & wash up out side for the wok work, lots of hot oil & smoke. A nice 50 cm fan would disperse the smoke. Good one Crossy. Moving rapidly.

Crossy · August 14, 2011

All hands to the pumps today as the first of four CPAC trucks arrives with the concrete for the ground beams.

Barrowing and bucketing the concrete into place.

Lots of water on the formwork first.

Note the handy delivery trough, a piece of big PVC pipe cut in half.

The vibrator in action.

The small truck has 6 wheel nuts, so why should the big vehicle need more?

K. Dusit has it all under control.

A full size concrete truck needs a lot of buckets to place its load. The speed these move down the line and back for refilling is amazing.

harrry · August 14, 2011

You will have to be careful Crossy...when they built those cathedrals in England they used to bury a supervisor or two in the foundations to keep the spirits out.

mario299 · August 14, 2011

I would totally want 2 kitchens. One indoors to make coffee toast & wash dishes (no mozzies for me thanks) & another cooking place & wash up out side for the wok work, lots of hot oil & smoke. A nice 50 cm fan would disperse the smoke. Good one Crossy. Moving rapidly.

Yes, Snarky66, that's exactly what Mrs mario299 wanted with the kitchen idea...things that don't smoke and smell inside, things that do (propane cooker, bar-b-que, etc) outside.

Flying, glad to hear you liked our video, and Crossy...you gotta be having a lot of fun now that things are really starting to happen! What a nice foundation, nothing will bring this one down!

Keep em coming.

mario299

Crossy · August 17, 2011

Moving on apace, the formwork is off and sand filling commences.

The barrows and planks are out in force.

We did originally intend having a suspended floor downstairs, but K. Dusit recommended filling completely as we are prone to flooding and there may be issues with water pooling below. A damp proof membrane will go on top of the sand and below the concrete.

The survey crew from the Pest Management Company (Advance) arrive for discussions with K. Dusit and my lady wife.

And the barrowing goes on.

and on.

The installation crew from Advance arrive

whilst the boys carry on with the barrows

Apparently this is a Termite Control System

Crossy · August 17, 2011

Waste water disposal for the downstairs washroom starts to take shape.

Despite detailed drawings some head scratching and discussions ensue.

This room will be home to a basin, loo, shower, urinal and the washing machine, apparently all those pipes are required.

The termite chaps get started.

More discussions on the location of the drain for the washing machine.

It's becoming apparent why both BP and Shell are having oil leakage problems, we seem to have their well-heads here in our downstairs bog

Crossy · August 17, 2011

The re-bar crew get started on the upstairs beams.

Overnight rain has raised the river level.

and left a couple of muddy patches

The sand delivery truck unerringly finds one of them to get stuck in.

and the gravel truck finds the other.

The termite system is nearing completion

and is pressure tested

Meanwhile the sand fill is damped down, why use metered water when there is Thailand's largest river next door?

Litlos · August 17, 2011

Interesting to watch the progress. I was involved in turning the GF's shed into a really nice house up in Roi Et, my part was supply Baht and go offshore to earn more while she supervised the builders Basically all my suggestions were at best "modified" to local standards or ignored. The only real problems at the end with the modification are wet areas that do not drain properly and an electrical system that was not brought up to date, just added on to. The electrical system is diabolical and I I will have to allow sufficient time to pass before gradually bringing it up to spec. They have now worked out that I have a rough idea on building and can actually improve some things, without doing them Thai style.

While you have got all the diggers on site may be time to think of a decent electrical earth. A trick I have used in lightning prone areas is to make the stake 6 metres long, but sleeve the top two metres to eliminate static charges associated with lightning. Worked really well and ensured no stray spikes back into the electrical system from nearby lightning strikes.

Cheers

Litlos

bino · August 17, 2011

While you have got all the diggers on site may be time to think of a decent electrical earth.

I think it is a safe bet that Crossy has this covered!

Litlos · August 18, 2011

Very much tongue in cheek reply

Crossy · August 18, 2011

A trick I have used in lightning prone areas is to make the stake 6 metres long, but sleeve the top two metres to eliminate static charges associated with lightning. Worked really well and ensured no stray spikes back into the electrical system from nearby lightning strikes.

I'm intrigued by the idea of sleeving the upper part of the ground rod to reduce potential potentials (ouch) induced by lightning.

Do you have any scientific analysis of this technique, what are you using to sleeve the rods?

I wonder about the possibility of even getting a 6m stake into the ground.

Litlos · August 20, 2011

First time I saw this was in North West Australia, which in the summer season is very lightning prone. Later on I went on course on lightning/static/earthing and it was discussed in the text. Basically the concept was that when lightning hit in an ideal situation would dissipate the energy in a half globe type pattern through the ground. In less than ideal soil conditions the energy may run along the surface area until it dissipated over a larger area. The concept of sleeving the upper segment is just to ensure where the electrical earth meets mother earth is below where the chances of stray currents exist. The sleeve is simply some PVC pipe of whatever size. The bit about 6 metres etc is the spec we used, though we had to drill all our earth holes and used to aim for 6 metres to try and get a decent earth. If you have reasonably damp soil close to the surface the ratios can probably be scaled back. Unfortunately the reference material is in Oz and I am in BKK.

Hope that clarifies things a bit.

Cheers

harrry · August 20, 2011

First time I saw this was in North West Australia, which in the summer season is very lightning prone. Later on I went on course on lightning/static/earthing and it was discussed in the text. Basically the concept was that when lightning hit in an ideal situation would dissipate the energy in a half globe type pattern through the ground. In less than ideal soil conditions the energy may run along the surface area until it dissipated over a larger area. The concept of sleeving the upper segment is just to ensure where the electrical earth meets mother earth is below where the chances of stray currents exist. The sleeve is simply some PVC pipe of whatever size. The bit about 6 metres etc is the spec we used, though we had to drill all our earth holes and used to aim for 6 metres to try and get a decent earth. If you have reasonably damp soil close to the surface the ratios can probably be scaled back. Unfortunately the reference material is in Oz and I am in BKK.

Hope that clarifies things a bit.

Cheers

For those who have not been to Darwin it has some of the best natural sound and light shows anywhere.

Pacificperson · August 21, 2011

From what I remember, lightning is one reason that multiple grounding systems are not encouraged in the US. A local strike can cause large differences in the potential between two ground rods and induce large amperage flows between them through the wiring.

Crossy · August 21, 2011

From what I remember, lightning is one reason that multiple grounding systems are not encouraged in the US. A local strike can cause large differences in the potential between two ground rods and induce large amperage flows between them through the wiring.

Yup, probably the reason multiple rods are not permitted by Oz regs too.

I will do some further investigation of this technique of insulating the top part of the rod, whilst we have very wet ground (sometimes too wet when the river floods) anything that reduces the possibility of nasties getting in to my valuable technology is worth looking into.