House Repairs ... the Thai way ...

[David48]

House Repairs ... the Thai way ...

Guys, you may remember back a bit, the Thai household which I belong to built a double carport from new.

carport-do-it-yourself-and-cheap

Also, we were looking at enclosing a large area on the ground floor to make a bedroom for me and the gf and the twins which will be born early next year. enclosing-a-downstairs-bedroom-need-advice-please

Well, that downstairs bedroom build has morphed into a full scale house repair !

Major issues being, rotten, weathered external panelling, sinking posts/foundations and extensive termite damage.

You might say ... just rebuild the house!

The little house by the pond

But it's a living dwelling ... the Family stays there so a compromise project is underway and I thought I might just share it because there might be a small interest from those who read this Forum.

It will all be photos with a little commentary from me where appropriate.

OH ... before the question is asked ... I'm contributing Bt 40,000 for the bedroom build, the gf Bt 10,000 and her Father the balance.

Estimate for the job is Bt 150,000

Also remember ... this is neither my, nor my gf's house ... it's her parents home so I have little, if any input.

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[David48]

The soon to be enclosed bedroom ... the catalyst for the project.

The weathered weatherboards. Man that timber was thin to start with!

Structural Termite Damage (in the beams)

Cosmetic Termite Damage

Termites even ate through the electric cable!

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[David48]

The steel beams have already started to be coated with rust proof paint.

What looks like hexagonal concrete posts are actually to become the footings which are driven in the mud

That recently completed carport came in handy for this build.

The beams can be painted, no matter the weather.

Two different styles of concrete ... about which I don't know.

Green and Blue ... any ideas?

I think the cat is more then guarding the sand pile!

That area which will become our bedroom.

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[FACTOR]

Good luck with your project. Let us know how it goes.

[reflectionx]

The two styles of concrete - they are both Portland cements. The blue bag is the first one here:

http://www.cemexthailand.com/eng/ce/ce_pr.asp

According to the description, it is for heavy construction which requires high compressive strength or/ resistance, such as concrete structures, buildings, dams and bridges.

The green bag normally serves фор mortar beds, to make brick walls, etc.

One thing that you should be worried about is the cement curing times. Make sure that they leave enough time prior to tiling, painting, etc. Usually curing times are about 1 month for newly poured concrete and 1 week for mortar and rendering.

Good luck with the twins

[David48]

^^ Thanks for the concrete explanation ... perfect ...

From the upstairs bedroom looking down on to what will be our bedroom.

Many reasons for the complete roof removal.

• The Wooden beans and joists and batons will be replaced with steel.

• It leaks and new tiles have been bought.

• Plus, it was deemed by the owner that it is going to be lifted to give a higher ceiling height.

Just the joists left.

Then just the posts and main support beam.

How the House would have looked when it was originally built.

It was a House built in stilts, dirt floor, two bedrooms up, kitchen and bathroom downstairs.

Then, as the Farm had a bit of money, it slowly grew to accommodate more Family members.

It's a common story throughout Thailand I'm sure.

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[David48]

Just the posts are left.

Then, of course ... it rains.

What the puddle highlights is that the concrete floor, which is quite thin and a bit wavy will need to be levelled before the tiles are laid.

Most likely (hoping actually) it won't sink further as this was done maybe 15/20 years ago and all the settlement has occurred. Well, that's the advice of the builder ... and he usually pumps for good footings, so there is some confidence in his opinion.

It's a polished concrete floor and I read the riot act to the gf that she should ensure that the concrete is etched before it's levelled and the tiles laid.

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[David48]

There goes another wall.

If you have a close look, the green wood is what was left of the wooden window frame after a termites dinner over a few months.

The concrete floor being cut to access the timber posts and the footings.

Footings .. ah, I knew there was something missing when we dropped the posts into the mud 20 years ago.

Really surprised how thin the concrete slab was.

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[reflectionx]

The last picture - I don't see any rebars (to bond the old and new concrete)?

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

[David48]

The last picture - I don't see any rebars (to bond the old and new concrete)?

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

Great pick-up and my belief that there is no plan to do.

But there are footings!

These long concrete posts have been driven into the mud.

There are difficult to see but I circled them in red.

I know that footing in the area go down 10, sometimes 15 metres in new builds, but this is a light weight timber structure resting on earth that has been compressed for 15 or 20 years, so a different comparison.

reflectionx ... great pick up ... ... I just did a Council footpath repair and tied the new to old with the steel reo, so I know what you mean.

[David48]

Using acro props (that's what I call them) the house is raised to level again.

Just exactly what 'level' is adjudged to be ... I don't know.

But my gf says the windows can be opened and closed again and the door doesn't jam,

so they must be getting it close to correct.

Up close

Forming up the rebar

Those posts certainly have seen better days,

but obviously not worth replacing with new concrete ones.

With everything, it's a compromise between cost and outcome.

Not something I'm paying for so I just hope they hold up for another 20 years.

The new footing ...

Thanks for all the comments ...

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[moench]

Hi David ,

I have a private question ,how you cane live with 3 generation unter one roof?

I am in Thailand over 15 years and I know thaiculture very we'll ,but I can't except this living.

Bevore my first kid born ,I move my wife out from her family home. Ok ,her mam come to help my wife in the first month but still she know ,where is the door. Me and my wife have a different way of thinking about take care a kid ,or how to behave ,wacke up time,sleeping time ,I mean privat live . We have now a very nice relationship to my FIL and MIL . Her father live now at my farm and look after my rubber tree ,cut gras ,give fertiliser and supervising my worker.

[David48]

That's OK.

May I say ... it's a little frustrating that very few people actually read the OP.

Many people assume that my living arrangements are the same as theirs.

that I live in a house where I am the head of the table, wife and a few kids

taking up the spare chairs ... nothing could be further from the truth.

It's not my house. The Farm house belongs to the gf's parents.

Actually there are 4 generations living at the Farm (but not in the FarmHouse)

The gf's Grandmother lives in this place ...

As does the gf's Aunt, the Aunts grandson and the gf's drunk Uncle.

The gf's sister lives in a converted garage next to the Farmhouse.

The gf's sister's kids sometimes live in the FarmHouse and sometimes in this place if, and I say 'if' their mother is home.

The gf's Aunt's son and his gf and the gf's brother lives also at the Farm ...

Then we have the gf's other sister, and her 2 kids who sometimes also sleep at the house in any available space.

The Farm Mother sleeps at the house ... but the Farm Father sleeps here ...

He sleeps here so that he can guard his Fish Ponds from poachers.

I can tell you quite honestly ... the amount of Thai life that I have lived and is sheltered to most here on the Forum is an eye-opener ...

When you share the same shitter with them all ...

you are not sheltered with much.

Then, all around this Farm are her relatives ... various Aunts and Uncles ... some real (blood) some honorary.

You learn to integrate very quickly.

But it's my outlook which keeps my sanity ... life is what it is.

Change what you can, accept what you can't.

Compromise, but never your core values.

Ha Ha ... that said ... the gf asks for more money then I said I would pay ... we are fighting BIG time ... such is life ...

.

[IMHO]

Just exactly what 'level' is adjudged to be ... I don't know.

.

Look around for a length of transparent hose with water in it

[falkan]

you renovating a dog house? you can't be serious you going to live in there?

why not put a couple of millions in and you will have a - ok - thai house to live in..

[PeterSmiles]

That's OK.

May I say ... it's a little frustrating that very few people actually read the OP.

Many people assume that my living arrangements are the same as theirs.

that I live in a house where I am the head of the table, wife and a few kids

taking up the spare chairs ... nothing could be further from the truth.

It's not my house. The Farm house belongs to the gf's parents.

Actually there are 4 generations living at the Farm (but not in the FarmHouse)

The gf's Grandmother lives in this place ...

LR DSCF6399.JPG

As does the gf's Aunt, the Aunts grandson and the gf's drunk Uncle.

The gf's sister lives in a converted garage next to the Farmhouse.

LR DSCF5527.JPG

The gf's sister's kids sometimes live in the FarmHouse and sometimes in this place if, and I say 'if' their mother is home.

The gf's Aunt's son and his gf and the gf's brother lives also at the Farm ...

LR DSCF5529.JPG

Then we have the gf's other sister, and her 2 kids who sometimes also sleep at the house in any available space.

The Farm Mother sleeps at the house ... but the Farm Father sleeps here ...

LR DSCF5536.JPG

He sleeps here so that he can guard his Fish Ponds from poachers.

I can tell you quite honestly ... the amount of Thai life that I have lived and is sheltered to most here on the Forum is an eye-opener ...

When you share the same shitter with them all ... LR DSCF5555.JPG

you are not sheltered with much.

Then, all around this Farm are her relatives ... various Aunts and Uncles ... some real (blood) some honorary.

You learn to integrate very quickly.

But it's my outlook which keeps my sanity ... life is what it is.

Change what you can, accept what you can't.

Compromise, but never your core values.

Ha Ha ... that said ... the gf asks for more money then I said I would pay ... we are fighting BIG time ... such is life ...

.

Looks like you've won the lottery mate.

[David48]

you renovating a dog house? you can't be serious you going to live in there?

why not put a couple of millions in and you will have a - ok - thai house to live in..

Then, all around this Farm are her relatives ... various Aunts and Uncles ... some real (blood) some honorary.

You learn to integrate very quickly.

But it's my outlook which keeps my sanity ... life is what it is.

Change what you can, accept what you can't.

Compromise, but never your core values.

.

Looks like you've won the lottery mate. alt=whistling.gif width=19 height=18>

Since we welcome a few smart asses to this thread ... I like to add that we are not married, both of us are unemployed and she pregnant with Twins ...

It seems that all hope is lost for us ...

But, you know ... just somehow, we will struggle though this and come out the other side better and stronger.

In years to come, the girlfriend will inherent the multi-acre Farm on the outskirts of Bangkok ... not that far from the end of the extended BTS. Imagine what that place is currently worth ...

The money is always in the land value ... not the house that sit's atop of it.

My gf will become my wife and once the kids are settled, she will be able to use her Business Degree and her 12 years of working experience as a manager with an International Company to good use in my home country earning a tidy coin.

As for her looks ... beauty is in the eye of the beholder ... but if searched around the Forum a bit ... you will see more then occasional photo of her ...

OH ... did I mention, she's also a member here, and quite well regarded.

Have I hit the Jackpot? ... we both think so.

We are both bright, relatively young, both University trained, best friends, have a common outlook on life and love ... indeed ... the ours is the Future ... our options are a plenty.

As for PeterSmiles ... I hope you are enjoying your life in Pattaya ... but falkan, you've been a member here for more then 4 years ... I expected better ... but I suppose that is what living in PatPong does for your outlook.

Next ...

.

.

[IMHO]

It's true, Christmas can feel like a lot of work. But when you look back on all the Christmases in your life, you'll find you've created family traditions and lasting memories. Those memories, good and bad, are really what help to keep a family together over the long haul. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

What's so hard work about Christmas BTW? String up a few lights, turn up the music, have a beer and let the women cook. Can't say it''s ever stressed me out

Hard work for me is a work day that starts at 4AM and rarely finishes before 7PM, and is only broken up by sneaking in a few TV posts every now and than - give me holidays like Christmas any day over that

Edited December 6, 2013 by IMHO

[reflectionx]

OP, just ignore haters; they have nothing better to do with their lives anyway

Focus on the good things to come. Having recently become a first time parent, I can assure you that you need to conserve all of your energy (actually double that since you got twins ) for what's coming. Focus on what's the most important - your family.Things will only get better!

Keep us posted.

Sent via the app thingy

[David48]

Hi David ,

I have a private question ,how you cane live with 3 generation unter one roof?

I am in Thailand over 15 years and I know thaiculture very we'll ,but I can't except this living.

Bevore my first kid born ,I move my wife out from her family home. Ok ,her mam come to help my wife in the first month but still she know ,where is the door. Me and my wife have a different way of thinking about take care a kid ,or how to behave ,wacke up time,sleeping time ,I mean privat live . We have now a very nice relationship to my FIL and MIL . Her father live now at my farm and look after my rubber tree ,cut gras ,give fertiliser and supervising my worker.

Agreed, it's not ideal, but it is what it is. It does garner great respect for me from the Thais ... when I first said I'd come and stay for 2 months, I think that they thought I last 2 weeks, maybe not even 2 days.

Like a Family, we argue, but they have embraced me with open arms, don't ask anything from me.

Building this bedroom for my gf and the soon to be born baby is the first major investment.

Also, I have an open mind, I try and understand others before I diss them.

Plus, it's a Farm, lots or room to get out of the house ... I never feel cramped.

I split my time 1/2 between Australia and Thailand and when I live in Australia, I live alone, so I don't mind a bit of Family around.

[Daffy D]

Just a side note.

Having built a car port I assume you have a car.

You know how messy builders can be especially when pulling things down, just be careful where they chuck the nails, especially from the old roof.

We had the corrugated tin roof replaced some time ago and the builders just chucked the old nails everywhere.

Within a few days I had a punctures on my brand new truck with brand new tyres on every wheel and months later am still finding the odd nail lying about.