House Construction During Rainy Season?

[FACTOR]

Hi. Is it best NOT to start buiding a house during rainy season?

I've heard that you should "raise the land" with a lot of dirt and let it sit for at least one rainy season.

After the land "has been raised" is there anything else that can or cannot be done during rainy season?

Any other tips about starting construction on a house in relation to rainy season would be appreciated.

FACTOR

[David48]

I used to sell land.

One of the best things about when it rains solidly is that you can see the 'invisible' water channels and the natural drainage areas.

From what I've read, it's great to 'season' the newly built (building) pad for a season.

If you are building on stumps ... doesn't matter as much.

EDIT .. might also be better in the Building Forum ... lot's of knowledgeable guys there with practical experience.

Edited January 4, 2013 by David48

[FACTOR]

Thanks for the tips.

Another question, maybe a dumb one I should have asked first: can I raise the land or build the pad during rainy season, say, on a non-rain day? The thing is is I am presently not in Laos at the land and cannot be there until late June, about the time the rains start.

Yes, this post might be better in the Building Forum. Thanks.

[Crossy]

Despite the fact that it seems you're not building in Thailand (Laos) I'll move this to the building forum for expert views.

[jpinx]

About 300 metres from me a thai guy bought a plot, cleared the rubbish and "raised" it by about half a metre - all done before the rainy season just past. He is now building a timber house sitting on concrete stumps. Today the roof sheeting went on. All very logical as he can now complete the floors, walls, etc. out of the rain and sun.

Has to be said that the sizing of his timbers looks minimal - to say the least - and so far no diagonal bracing.

Edited to add a more direct answer - You need to raise the land and let the additional earth settle for as long as possible to eliminate voids. The rainy season helps this process considerably.

Edited January 4, 2013 by jpinx

[David48]

^^ In any of the houses where I have seen the structural element there has been no 'no diagonal bracing'. Nor 'Ant Capping'

Maybe they don't suffer the sheer wind forces we do in our home countries.

Come time for me to build here ... there will be the odd diagonal bracing...

[callao]

the idea about letting the fill settle over a rainy season is that the soil is clay and letting it sit thru a rainy season allows the clay to fully expand with moisture over that time, I have a lot in VTE that I did last year that is ready to build now, so as long as you have a dry window to do your foundation after that you should be fine

[callao]

I thought you had the pad done already and were ready to start in june if you want to build the building pad during the rainy season you might have some problems, my land was rice fields before and had to wait till february cuz the land was still holding water till then and you couldn't get a truck or tractor on it, and you dont want to just dump and fill 1 meter at once better to fill in like 1 foot lifts and wheelroll the lift with the tractor and do it 2 more times, if the existing ground and stable ( not wet and pumpy) and can find fill dirt that is not too wet you should be fine, if you're going to do this PM me I have a Lao friend that has dump trucks and tractor for a fair price 20 m by 30 m up 1 meter compacted trucked in 9 million kip 1200 US I start my place next month after sitting thru this past rainy season

[FACTOR]

Thanks, guys, for all the tips. Now, I've got an idea of what my first steps should be in what will be a long process, but I'm not in a hurry anyway. First, I need to get rid of a lot of brush and weeds. Then I will raise the land (Callao I might PM you in a few months about your friend who can do this); the next step after raising the land will be to build the pad.

Thanks again.

[simon43]

I built all of my small Phuket hotels in the rainy season. But this does create some practical issues:

- When it is raining heavily, you cannot easily work on any internal works which should not be getting wet, such as room electric cabling and plugs

- Of course, you cannot work where you need to perform measurements on a live electricity system,

- Cement and tile grouts/glues generally will not dry easily when it's raining

- Rain drops can 'pattern' your wet cement!

- Your workers (and you) usually will not like working when it's pouring with rain and you are getting covered in sticky mud

During the rainy season, we tended to work during the night-time, after the rain had stopped.

This is a photo of one construction site - the rain puddles are obvious

Simon

Edited January 7, 2013 by simon43

[callao]

in Vientiane it should be no problem finding good fill dirt and buiilding the pad is done as you are bringing fill in so you want to buili it up 1 meter a foot at a time compacting iit by wheel rolling it with the tractor and it will tighten up good you want to have 2 ft minimum under your bottom of footing elevation and you can use a standard spread footing slab foundation VTE is much dryer than southern thailand so not as much of an issue, I start my foundation next month