Finding and Building a Residence for Mr and Mrs MTSINTERNATIONAL

[Driventowin]

But just consider having option #3 [at] 2 to 3 times the original price after the fact if it's required..

[SEA Traveler]

Originally Posted by Driventowin

But just consider having option #3 [at] 2 to 3 times the original price after the fact if it's required..

Driven: not really. the fact that there is a crawl space and the grounds can accept a termite treatment without the PVC piping would mean that a treatment cost, if --- IF needed would be considerably less than the cost of installation of the PVC system. In fact, one would be able to get 5 treatments at the cost of the PVC system. The way I see it is the PVC system is good for when access to a house crawl space is not practical. I have a crawl space from which a termite treatment can be applied so the piping has only the benifit of being slightly more convienient.

I look at it as 6 of one and a 1/2 dozen of the other.

[Driventowin]

Sorry I misread it as considering installing the PVC system after the fact in the crawl space if it was neccessary.. Not skipping it altogether...

[SEA Traveler]

18 February 2008,
Progress on the house continues. These pictures from 18 Feb 2008 reflect completion of putting the preformed/set concrete floor slabs into place.

[Farangforever]

Good to see the CPAC truck in your photos makes a world of difference if your foundation aswell as slab is done in one pour. No seams from the hand mix stuff.

BTW...whats the sq/m or feet on your house?

[SEA Traveler]

Originally Posted by Farangforever

Good to see the CPAC truck in your photos makes a world of difference if your foundation aswell as slab is done in one pour. No seams from the hand mix stuff.

BTW...whats the sq/m or feet on your house?

Roughly 400 sq meters on a single floor including the covered carport. So it is big enough but not to ostentatious.

[terry57]

Why have you not considered placing a lift in this gaff. ?

Looks like you plan to be here for the term of your natural life and you will certainly find trying to climb those stairs when you get older or even sick a total pain in the arse.

2 story houses are nice but those stairs become painful real quick.

Nice thread by the way.

cheers.

[SEA Traveler]

Originally Posted by terry57

Why have you not considered placing a lift in this gaff. ?

Looks like you plan to be here for the term of your natural life and you will certainly find trying to climb those stairs when you get older or even sick a total pain in the arse.

2 story houses are nice but those stairs become painful real quick.

Nice thread by the way.

cheers.

Khun T57, for the reasons you mentioned, the house is only a 1 story house (not a 2 story house) and if there is ever a need for me to be in a wheel chair or similar, a ramp going up 1 or 2 steps will be no problem. As for now, no problem, I can run with the best of you young stud muffins...

[SEA Traveler]

1 March 2008:

Both the swimming pool and house contractors continue to make progress. The pool contractor has just now started to excavate and the house contractor has started the placement and securing of super block for the walls. Note that the block placement around the whole exterior of the house perimeter will be double with approximately 3.8 cm of space between the blocks. This space will act as an insulation factor for both temperature and sound. The contractor has paid close attention to where the openings need to be left for where the windows will be placed. So far so good.



beginning of the pool excavation. pool will be 5x9 meters with a spa. there will be a series of 4 or 5 steps, 3 meters wide from the patio on the house side that will lead into the pool. this is outside the 5x9 dimension mentioned above.




a view of the pool excavation in proximety to the house location.



South side of house looking into where the Thai kitchen will be.


master bedroom.


patio leading into the pool area.



North side office and pool area.


front of house looking at the office area.


office and patio area




West side of office and patio area with pool.

[sunsetter]

coming along a treat mate, very nice sized pool, what was you thinking for the patio? sandstone?

[SEA Traveler]

Sun,

Yes, the pool will be a fair size 5x9 meters with a spa outside of that 5x9 space. I will have overflow on 2 of the long sides and on the shallow end of the short side. I'll also have two skimmers at the deep end short side and have salt water chlorination system so should be relativly easy to take care of.

The patio area within 1 1/2 meter of pool will be sandwash set at about 8 cm above a larger ceremic tile patio. I'll be using an "Antique Roman" type ceremic tile for the front terrace and larger 2 level pool patio area.

Wheels up on 15 March for trip back to Thai and check up on the project.

BTW, my 1 year, multiple entry non-imm (A-O) visa came back in my passport yesterday. Hooooa! Retirement visa from Immigration in Thai next step.

[sunsetter]

ello buddy
yeah cool, nice one for the visa, get busy buddy!!
theres some nice sandstone in thailand with regards to your patio, Sandstone - Indian Sandstone,Sandstone Exporters,Indian Sandstone Manufacturers,Indian Sand Stone
try here for some ideas, we use it a lot for patios here in the uk, gets a nice finish if done properly
catch you soon
ps the sandstone is more or less the same as you can get in thailand, just need skilled stonemason
cant wait to see the pool plans?

SANDSTONE:I AM STONE : MARBLE,GRANITE,TRAVERTINE,SANDSTONE,IMPORT-EXPORT,THAILAND

[SEA Traveler]

5 March 2008:

Super block walls continue to be build. Swimming pool footers initiated and pool form outline made in concrete. I'm thinking that the retaining wall forms will be built around the form outline of the pool and then build the rebar on the floor and wall prior to any concrete being poured.

[SEA Traveler]

Well, I'm back from my 6 weeks sojourn in LOS where I had the opportunity to get down and dirty with review of the progress of the house construction, make minor adjustments and map out the course for successful completion of the project. I will mention that I had a few friends over to take a look at the progress of the house during my stay and seemed to have had favorable comments not only about the design, floorplan, and aloted space within the rooms but also about the superior level of workmansship.

Over the next few days, I will attempt to post a few pictures of the progress that has been made over the past few weeks, add a little narrative as it relates to the pictures and discuss any related issues. One thing I can say for sure is that this has been one hell of a learning experience and fortunately, I've had the gods and Buddha on my side as things have progressed well so far, the contractor is ahead of schedule and on budget, and the quality of workmansship seems to be superior to what I have seen in other Thai housing and construction industry.

[SEA Traveler]

In this series of pictures on the progress of the construction of the MTSINTERNATIONAL Home, you will see that the exterior walls are double width Q (Super) Block and the steel roof trusses have had rust inhibiter applied.


Above picture is from the inside of the Master Bedroom looking out into the pool patio area.



Above picture shows the front entrance where double teak wood doors will be installed. There will also be a stained glass window put in above the door.



Above picture is a wider angle viw of the front of the house. What is not visable at this point in the construction are the archways across the whole front of the house.



Above picture shows the unrendered Q (Super) Block and the pool patio area.



Pool patio area.






Above picture shows the front of the house with the nearly completed roof trusses installation.



and this above picture shows the beginning of the wall rendering and application of the roof dress.

[jizzybloke]

Coming together nicely, wondered where you had been.

[SEA Traveler]

Originally Posted by jizzybloke

Coming together nicely, wondered where you had been.

Yea, no excuses I know. But I will have to say that during the 6 weeks in Thai while I was still living out of a hotel and/or a relatives house, limited my access to a computer to download pictures and post updates. Additionally, all the time spent at the work sight and working the details of the project left me with a decision of posting to this fourm or having some great Thai food with some cold refreshment. Need I say what my choice was. In any event, I'm back at in the daily grind but no complaints as I have something to look forward to and retirement to Thai NLT 3 Jan 09 is just around the corner.

I'll be posting a lot more here in the days to follow and the posting will be progressive as to follow the development and progress of the house that I was involved in during those recent past 6 weeks.

Thanks for the interest in this report. Glad you are enjoying as it is an experience for me as well.

[sunsetter]

ello mate nice to see you hard at it again, looking forward to your updates, hows the patio/pool coming? woops, i see its coming along nice

[SEA Traveler]

... and the swimming pool is coming along as well. It was well into March after the rebar was place in position and while I was on site when the forms were built and put into place. There was plenty of reinforcement and support to the forms and the concrete pour was scheduled. For anyone who has never witnessed the process of the pouring of a concrete pool, it is really something to see. I the case of the my pool construction, the concrete was brought in by truck by CPAC, poured into a large 150 gal or so industrial concrete bucket which was lifted by crane over the roof of the house and into position where the labor released the concrete into the designated position. The walls were poured first and since the forms for the walls were built with a 15 - 20 cm space at the bottom of the walls there was some desired and planned seepage of the concrete into the pool floor area. When the concrete pour of walls were completed, the pour continued into the pool floor. Here are some pictures of the completed rebar of the pool, the forms prior to the concrete pour, and the concrete pour process.


Above picture: pool rebar and forms prior to concrete pour.



Above picture: pool rebar and forms with supports prior to concrete pour.


Above picture: pool rebar and forms with supoorts prior to concrete pour.


Above picture: pool rebar and forms with supports prior to concrete pour.


Above picture: pool rebar and forms with supports prior to concrete pour.


Above picture: pool rebar and forms prior to concrete pour.


Above picture: CPAC truck pouring concrete into industrial bucket.


Above picture: creane lifting industrial bucket full of concrete over the roof of the house to the pool construction site location.


Above picture: pool construction workers guiding the bucket full of cement into the desired location for pour into the forms.


Above picture: pool constructions making the concrete pour into forms.

[SEA Traveler]

Back at you SUNSETTER. Yes progress on the house and pool are progressing just fine. That is not to say that I don't have to keep my eyes on things but that is to be expected. House contractor is fantastic and is keeping close tabs on the workers. The pool contractor is technically proficient but we have a hard time having him stick to a schedule and letting us know when he might not be bringing his crew to the work site. I think we got that fixed thoug now that holidays are over. I'm up to about early April with my posts and am trying to post an update at least once a day but sometimes there just isn't enough time. Especially since I've just left Thai and am currently back home. The 6 weeks away from work does not make it any easier to catch up. Anyway, I'm in the middle of posting some more pictures so hang on...