Q Con Block - cost of laying?

[carlyai]

I built my shed from 10 cm qcon blocks. They seem to block the heat, so 150 mm should have better insulating properties.

Now the problem is with other than 75mm blocks, if you're up country, no one lays bigger blocks. They all have trowles etc for the 75mm blocks.

Price wise, it may have been better to make a cavity with two rows of 75mm.

Now I don't know who you have as a builder, but make sure the workmen come equipt with the right sized trowels, or give them the flick.

I ordered my blocks from SRC (think that's the correct abbreviation), at the SRC outlet shop.

I ordered the SRC blocklayers from the same shop. I talked to the blocklayer representative for our area at their shop.

I waited about 2 months to get the blocklayers etc from SRC.
They arrived with hardly any equipment, no invoices from my purchase, and got drunk. I thought this can't be right.

Anyway I ended up getting rid of them. Went back to SRC to complain and they said the supervisor was not employed by them anymore and had lots of work uncompleted and no guarantees. I said that I got the workmen as recommended by your SRC shop, who we talked to the supervisor and ordered the blocks etc from your shop.

Anyway the supervisor and team were skimming off contracts.

I tell you this so that you are aware that if the workmen show up without the proper gear (7.5 instead of 20mm trowles etc ) half a hammer and a crappy looking drill....don't let your build proceed.

Who ever you get won't do the job exactly like the QCon videos. The next mob that came to do other extensions were great.

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[canopy]

As noted, q-con sells two types of blocks. The standard lightweight block called G2 and a denser, heavier load bearing block called G4. But this is just the first of countless details you need to consider when going load bearing. The next is the block thickness. A load bearing 150mm block may not be suitable for your structure; the thickness is not just chosen on a whim like a non-bearing block but rather must be calculated based on the loads.  For instance, a thatch roof might be able to use a smaller block than a concrete tile roof. You must have a slab/beam suitable for load bearing, install appropriate ring beams, and so on and so forth. One thing easy to miss is to assure the panel sizes do not exceed the render capabilities which is written on the render bags, otherwise expansion cracks will form.

 

[ianbardon]

thanks for your comment guys, I dont see any details on G4  bocks, have to do a bit more digging, leaf burner you say a cavity is about heat containment, so why do we fill it with foam ? in the old day it was about air circulation

 

[carlyai]

thanks for your comment guys, I dont see any details on G4  bocks, have to do a bit more digging, leaf burner you say a cavity is about heat containment, so why do we fill it with foam ? in the old day it was about air circulation
 

Hi Ian,

Your blocks have been delivered and you ain't gonna have a cavity, so don't worry.

You will find many different opinions on insulating in this forum, and probably they are all correct.

I built cavity walls with those little red bricks. I remember the same as you, that the cavity was sposed to be for the air. I put my hand on the outside brick wall, in full sunlight and it is hot. The inside wall is not, so whether it's correct or not, my cavity (I mean my wall's cavity) is working.

They don't seem to build load bearing walls out of bricks or blocks over here (may be corrected on this). If you haven't already, go to the QCon web site or YouTube and have a look at the construction videos on large builds.

They also have downloadable pamphlets on walls and what to do.

I am sure QCon will be happy to answer questions on load bearing.

Don't worry, be happy. [emoji38]

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[ianbardon]

Hi Carl, I am happy not to follow Thai brickies, lol, they have zero skill, I have seen some on youtube lol, no vertical DPC s to be seen, no visqueen membrane.

I am going to start with a raft, that should get some head scratching around here.

 

cheers

[bankruatsteve]

Not sure where this is going... In Thailand virtually all construction is done by Thai workers.  I suppose there are exceptions, but most of it comes out just fine.  What is the point in disrespecting their abilities as though YOU could do everything better?

 

 

 

[ianbardon]

you got in one

[JDGRUEN]

You can bet who ever does the Q-Con Block laying will NOT do it correctly... They will use cement mortar in thick layers -- NOT what is supposed to be... AAC -- Autoclaved Aerated Concrete -- Q-Con is supposed to be put together with Thin-Set Tile glue ... in a fairly thin layer... But no amount of talking to the contractor will get them to do it... With cement mortar in thick layers as the binder what you will get is a wall that if a big person leans against it -- it may well fall down...  And AAC - Q-Con is made to be precisely cut with a Saw not chopped with a hatchet in a rough edge... It can also be drilled - grooved with a router -- all nearly the same as wood ... You can easily conceal wiring and plumbing pipes using grooved routing and keyhole electric saws... BUT maybe by holding a gun on the contractors you can get the correct application of AAC - Q-Con 

[carlyai]

Unfortunately you are correct.

I finished off laying the shed blocks myself. Did it as per QCon.

The next mob that came were nearly the same as the QCon.web site vids, except now they're back to using brickies trowels. The bed is still thin, and using the correct glue, but I can see where this is going......bigger blocks will save time, why not use a normal trowel?....why not use normal cement? You end up with the old ways, but not what the manufacturer specifies.

The only saving grace is that if you are game, and nice, you can get your point across and Thai builders will do it the way you want it, BUT, you've gotta stay on job. [emoji21]

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[David B in Thailand]

I've had a good experience recently with building a home using G4 20 cm by 20 cm by 60 cm autoclaved wall blocks made by Diamond Building products. I also had steel reinforced autoclaved lintels placed over all windows and door openings. The brochures and videos in Thai were of great help in instructing newer house builders in Buriram. I took a photo showing the difference between a red brick some people use for building a pizza oven and the white autoclaved aerated wall blocks I used for my own home. The traditional four hole red bricks work fine as a garden feature wall, but I was able to have local Isaan labor construct a home with energy saving properties using AAC wall blocks. I believe that Q Con offers similar customer service for home builders in Thailand.