BoJangles Budget Bungalow in the Boonies

[mrbojangles]

They have also finished putting up the external framing round all of the windows and front door. These are just of the front but I think it's an improvement.

The front view before the framing

And after

[Crossy]

Must be about time to move in BJ

I hate moving, at least as a second place you don't actually have the stress of packing up and shifting

[mrbojangles]

Must be about time to move in BJ

As the electric is already connected, the wife and daughter have been sleeping there since the tiling was finished in the bedroom. I'll see what it's like later this week but i think I'm gonna carry on staying in the hotel in Chaiyaphum for as long as possible, cos there are a couple of pubs there

[mrbojangles]

Tiling has started on the outside but the wife has already started putting plants everywhere.

[mrbojangles]

Remember this?

Well the bed is just about ready and just now needs a mattress.

[necronx99]

Did you choose a good outdoor tile?

As in one that is not going to be slick as Ice when it's wet?

[mrbojangles]

Did you choose a good outdoor tile?

As in one that is not going to be slick as Ice when it's wet?

Yeah necron, I chose them and they are proper outside tiles which don't get (too) slippy whe wet. Part of the reason this is all taking so long is due to having to wait for me to pick and choose finishings. I won't let anyone make a decision on tiles, colours and other design stuff. If it needs to wait till my next visit, so be it.

[necronx99]

Did you choose a good outdoor tile?

As in one that is not going to be slick as Ice when it's wet?

Yeah necron, I chose them and they are proper outside tiles which don't get (too) slippy whe wet. Part of the reason this is all taking so long is due to having to wait for me to pick and choose finishings. I won't let anyone make a decision on tiles, colours and other design stuff. If it needs to wait till my next visit, so be it.

My mate let his wife finish off the tiling on his house. She did the whole of outside including the carport which has a 15 degree slope in kitchen tiles. I fell over 3 times when i was there, god knows how many times he has.

[Naam]

the house has come up real nice! how's the budget coming up MrBo?

[mrbojangles]

the house has come up real nice! how's the budget coming up MrBo?

Cheers Naam. Been a bit lazy lately and haven't been putting the bills and labour into the spreadsheet. I'll get around to it when we get back to Saudi.

[Naam]

the house has come up real nice! how's the budget coming up MrBo?

Cheers Naam. Been a bit lazy lately and haven't been putting the bills and labour into the spreadsheet. I'll get around to it when we get back to Saudi.

i wouldn't worry too much. your Mrs has (obviously with your guidance) done a bloody good job as far as i can see.

p.s. i do like your "floating" bed!

[necronx99]

the house has come up real nice! how's the budget coming up MrBo?

Cheers Naam. Been a bit lazy lately and haven't been putting the bills and labour into the spreadsheet. I'll get around to it when we get back to Saudi.

i wouldn't worry too much. your Mrs has (obviously with your guidance) done a bloody good job as far as i can see.

p.s. i do like your "floating" bed!

He won't like it after the monk comes and tells them there is no way they can sleep with their heads in that direction...

[Khun Jean]

Make it 2 meter by 2 meter and you can sleep in any direction you wish.

[mrbojangles]

He won't like it after the monk comes and tells them there is no way they can sleep with their heads in that direction...

Already been approved that one, necron. One of many superstitions that were taken into account before we started to build. The front porch steps not being directly in front of the front door was one of my biggest annoyances but I think it doesn't look too bad.

[mrbojangles]

Not much has been happening over the last couple of months. As was always the plan, especially once waterproof, if the brothers had other work to do they would do that and then drop back onto ours later on. They have been kept busy on a couple of good projects but are now going back to ours for a week or so and then back again when we get over for our holidays next month.

Just got some piccies of what they have been doing over the last few days.

This is at the back of the bathroom and will house the clean water tank, water pump, washing machine etc. I wanted the roof below the glass bricks but ohhh well, never mind.

[mrbojangles]

They have also started doing a small garden wall at the front. This isn't a land boundary wall but will be back filled with some soil to level it off with the front steps of the house and I'll probably pave it or something. There will then be some steps to go down to the natural ground level. Don't know whether to rip the tree out or box it in with a brick wall around it. Ideas would be welcome.

[mrbojangles]

Been asked to give an update but I haven't got many piccies at the moment. We had a very rushed couple of days in Chaiyaphum over the Christmas period. Literally only went there to deliver more tiles that I couldn't buy in Chaiyaphum and to give some instructions on some of the work. We are going back in April, so hopefully will get around to finishing off the remaining niff naff.

Just got these piccies through from the Niece, so sorry about the quality. In particular, the pictures don't show the true colour of the floor tiles. They look like a biege in the picture but in reality they are a very light grey. I also used the same tiles for the kitchen cabinets.

Here are a few of the kitchen. Still some finishing off to do including grouting, giving the tiles a good cleaning and then filling any holes in the walls and a final coat of paint. For the kitchen units we went for the typical plastic type doors as we are hardly there and haven't put in a Termite system. To be honest, they don't look too bad. Well, at least they don't IMO.

Looking at the right hand side of the kitchen units

The left hand side

And the kitchen dining table.

[mrbojangles]

Here are some of the bathroom. On the same trip as above, I bought a 1000L water tank, pump and filter system. The plumber has since connected everything and we have a fully operational toilet (inc bum gun), shower and water to all the sinks in the house. That's the end of my excuses to go into Chaiyaphum to Tawangdang

Heres a couple of the bathroom sink. Still have to do something underneath like a cupboard or something. And again the grouting needs finishing and the tiles a good scrubbing as they are still covered in residue from the tile adhesive after wiping.

Sorry about the quality of these 2, don't know how she sent these to me in such a small file.

Hot running water, instead of pouring a bucket of cold. Oh bliss. Can't wait.

Finally. A throne of my own with a proper flush and lockable door on the bathroom.

[sutton1001]

Awesome post mrbojangles!! Loved reading every post.

Having just purchased our land in Trang today me and the wife are feeling quite happy.

I'm here until 31st jan then back to the Wirral until May. Baby due in may so wont do anything for a couple of months to get used to being a father (firsts time). But will be building something similar to this, and have found lots I practical advice and ideas from it!

Look forward to reading further posts in the topic.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Khun Jean]

I was thinking of using those larger tiles for use in the kitchen, but i opted for granite instead.

Are those tiles not easily damaged when using hot pans, cutlery and plates are used on it.

[mrbojangles]

I was thinking of using those larger tiles for use in the kitchen, but i opted for granite instead.

Are those tiles not easily damaged when using hot pans, cutlery and plates are used on it.

One of the main reasons for going for the tiles was purely down to lack of available time to look around Granite shops and the Mrs wanted it finished. We were already in GlobalHouse they told me they were extremely hard wearing, after all, people walk on them all the time but they also said many other customers had used them in the kitchen. So we took a punt. I think they just need as much care as any normal Granite or Marble worktop would. i.e. chopping boards if cutting etc. We aren't going to be really putting pans on them as she has got an outside Thai kitchen, so she better bladdy use it

I'll post updates in here as to how they cope with day-to-day use. But if they don't cope very well it ain't too much money lost and I'll also opt for Granite.

[mrbojangles]

Awesome post mrbojangles!! Loved reading every post.

Having just purchased our land in Trang today me and the wife are feeling quite happy.

I'm here until 31st jan then back to the Wirral until May. Baby due in may so wont do anything for a couple of months to get used to being a father (firsts time). But will be building something similar to this, and have found lots I practical advice and ideas from it!

Look forward to reading further posts in the topic.

Thanks very much sutton. It's been my first build in Thailand and doing it from Saudi has given me a few headaches. However, against the will of the Mrs I dug my heels in, took my time and did it step by step. Overall, I'm happy with the outcome and I didn't have too many headaches and certainly non of the nightmmares you hear about. She's happy that we did it this way now.

A mate of mine has had something built similar in the Phillipines and it was done and dusted in about 3 months without him seeing any of the stages. He went there in December and is gutted that he didn't make clear many of his wishes and left them to make decisions he thought were obvious. It will now cost him quite a lot of money to put it as he wants it.

The thing with any build is that you will add or change things as you go along because you haven't thought of everything before you started. Therefore, my advice to anyone thinking of building is, if you can't oversee the project, take your time and build in stages. When you are happy with the first stage, move on to the next. IMO, it will be cheaper and with less headaches.

[mrbojangles]

Just got back from having 4 days in Chaiyaphum, so thought I'd give an update. Nobody has done much since our last visit as they had a big job on but I managed to get the BiL's for 2 days whilst we were there. I've also bought most of the stuff they need to finish off the odd's and sod's when they have time. After they have finished those things the only thing left for inside the house will be the skirting boards and architraves. We are going to put some colour on the walls and I'd sooner leave putting those on until we have finished painting. Experience tells me they will get paint over the shirting boards and architraves.

Here's a few piccies of the front room.

Looking at the front door, with the room divider. Had a granite top put on it the other day and now just needs grouting.

Looking from the living room towards 2 of the bedrooms and the kitchen at the back.

[mrbojangles]

Some of the kitchen. One thing I was really annoyed at is their use of silicone. Theyv'e done a great job all round and I'm really happy but their slap dash use of silicone has left it all over the tiles and plastic trim. I got it off the tiles no problem but time consuming, carefully using a craft knife and scraper but getting it off the plastic trim is proving difficult. Does anyone one a good way to take the excess off without scratching the plastic?

Right hand side of the kitchen. Must say I'm happy with using the tiles for the top at the moment. They seem to resist scratching at the moment but maybe in a few years I'll go for granite. We'll see.

Left hand side

And the dining table

[mrbojangles]

The water tank/pump/storage room is nearly finished. Just bought the roof this week and it#s now fitted. Needs one wall plastering, painting and the door putting on.

The 4 rain water holders are arriving tomorrow, so the blue pipe will go in the first one. The guy is also inter-connecting them with pipes so that we don't have to keep on moving the down pipe. The last rain water tank then has a pipe that feeds to the tank room and can be pumped straight in should there be a village water shortage (as there was this week)

Looking down the length of the house.

[rsokolowski]

Do you mean put all the waste water into one septic tank? Thought you could seperate and use washing up water etc from the waste from the toilet. Otherwise the septic tank will get filled up quicker. Also, I thought the bleach and washing up liquid killed off the bacteria that you need to eat the sh1t.

You should use two septic tanks, one for black water and one for the gray water. As you mentioned, the chemical waste would kill the bacterias if the two drains were fed to one and the same septic tank.

Yes, or a double chamber septic with the grey water feeding directly into the second chamber and thence to the leech-field / soakaway.

In reality most homes we've looked at feed grey water (sink, shower, washing machine) directly to whatever soakaway or main drainage is available.

Cheers chaps.

If anybody has any pictures of this process, please feel free to post them on here.

Try this reference. http://esa.un.org/iys/docs/san_lib_docs/Guidelines_Aceh%20and%20Nias.pdf

[smokie36]

Remember this?

DSCN1275.JPG

Well the bed is just about ready and just now needs a mattress.

DSCN1469.JPG

DSCN1471.JPG

DSCN1478.JPG

DSCN1480.JPG

Ah yes....don't forget your shin pads!

[David48]

Some of the kitchen. One thing I was really annoyed at is their use of silicone. Theyv'e done a great job all round and I'm really happy but their slap dash use of silicone has left it all over the tiles and plastic trim. I got it off the tiles no problem but time consuming, carefully using a craft knife and scraper but getting it off the plastic trim is proving difficult. Does anyone one a good way to take the excess off without scratching the plastic?

Right hand side of the kitchen. Must say I'm happy with using the tiles for the top at the moment. They seem to resist scratching at the moment but maybe in a few years I'll go for granite. We'll see.

DSCN1671.JPG

Left hand side

DSCN1673.JPG

And the dining table

DSCN1675.JPG

In the first photo, presuming you knew that you were going to have a splash-back, why did you position the GPOs (powerpoints/electrical outlets) within that splash-back? Wouldn't they have been better above the splash-back?

I'm sure there was a reason for the above ... just curious why?

Photo #3 ... is that a ghost walking outside, past the window ...

Great thread BTW ... always read with interest.

[mrbojangles]

Some of the kitchen. One thing I was really annoyed at is their use of silicone. Theyv'e done a great job all round and I'm really happy but their slap dash use of silicone has left it all over the tiles and plastic trim. I got it off the tiles no problem but time consuming, carefully using a craft knife and scraper but getting it off the plastic trim is proving difficult. Does anyone one a good way to take the excess off without scratching the plastic?

Right hand side of the kitchen. Must say I'm happy with using the tiles for the top at the moment. They seem to resist scratching at the moment but maybe in a few years I'll go for granite. We'll see.

DSCN1671.JPG

Left hand side

DSCN1673.JPG

And the dining table

DSCN1675.JPG

In the first photo, presuming you knew that you were going to have a splash-back, why did you position the GPOs (powerpoints/electrical outlets) within that splash-back? Wouldn't they have been better above the splash-back?

I'm sure there was a reason for the above ... just curious why?

Photo #3 ... is that a ghost walking outside, past the window ...

Great thread BTW ... always read with interest.

TBH David, it was pure oversight and not being there all the time it was down to having a lack of time to give to every detail. When I gave the electrician the sketches for the sockets and switches, I told him to put them at that height, (as that is the height we have them in Saudi) this would have been high enough for a splash back.

2 things I overlooked at the time was I forgot about the massive depth of the cement they use to bed the tiles on and so the finished floor height brought the base units higher and thus closer to the socket height.

The second thing was I didn't give them an exact height of the splashback but just told them to do it to the bottom of the windows the same as the table where the ghost is (he's the electrician BTW) but they decided to do the kitchen area ones much higher. I think they just cut a tile in half which is about 300mm. It's no major disaster and I have seen loads of kitchens with outlets in the tiles but what I will have to do is get a neater outlet surround in chrome or something and also some extention screws to bring the sockets further out.

Lesson learnt and just one of those details for those thinking of building to bear in mind.

[mrbojangles]

Yes, or a double chamber septic with the grey water feeding directly into the second chamber and thence to the leech-field / soakaway.

In reality most homes we've looked at feed grey water (sink, shower, washing machine) directly to whatever soakaway or main drainage is available.

Cheers chaps.

If anybody has any pictures of this process, please feel free to post them on here.

Try this reference. http://esa.un.org/iys/docs/san_lib_docs/Guidelines_Aceh%20and%20Nias.pdf

Excellent link