DrAndys Concrete Box in the City

[Airportwo]

Dr Andy, enjoying the thread, as previously stated I will be attempting something similar. I have one problem with your house! - its so superior to my ideas - I am ashamed! Can you tell me which architect you used? can you sell me your house plans? will you be my personal physician? and are you interested in becoming blood brothers?

[ebeth]

Very nice house.

[DrAndy]

Originally Posted by Airportwo

Dr Andy, enjoying the thread, as previously stated I will be attempting something similar. I have one problem with your house! - its so superior to my ideas - I am ashamed! Can you tell me which architect you used? can you sell me your house plans? will you be my personal physician? and are you interested in becoming blood brothers?

Sorry if that is true, it was not my intention

so, yes, you can use my architect, if you live in or near CM

PM me for his details, he is a nice guy and not expensive. You have to have your own design ideas though, and let him translate them. He does not speak English but can understand the wife

You can copy my plans if you wish, but then I may live under your bed

AB-ve

[DrAndy]

The builder has put his foot in it

The metal guys were happily welding the roof, the usual sparks flying everywhere

the neighbour, who has a part wooden house just next to the site complained about it and asked them to be more careful. Oh yes, said the foreman

a few minutes later the exact same thing happened, so the neighbour phoned the council. They called our builder and he and my wife have to go for a meeting with them this afternoon

smacked wrist time

meanwhile, I will have to go round to the neighbours with a big bunch of flowers

[WhiteLotusLane]

Yeah, be nice to the neighbours. Worthy investment.

Also, make it known that you will fix any and all damage or dirtyness resulting from the construction.

They already have to put up with noise, dust and blocked sois, so be extra nice.

Of course some are just assholes, but I would make a massive effort to keep the relationship good.. neighbours are important!!

[Nawty]

If they request money for any kind of compensation....go hell for leather at em.

The neighbours at a house we finished last year were kunts, they all got together and ganged up on us.

Totally unreasonable.....I sent them a bill in the end for what they cost me....supposedly....and left their road busted and shitty in return.

Now you might say....what a plick....but you do not know the story.....but just think that I offered to actually improve their street, beautify it with plants etc and improve the road....yet they whined....so my reaction was 'fuckem'.....and I did.

But of course, being nice first is always bestest.

[Timpatco]

Originally Posted by DrAndy

We bought a small piece of land in Chiang Mai old city centre about three years ago.

[img]

PHP Code:

 It is only about a quarter of a rai. 


[/img]

there was an old wooden house in situ, with poor foundations.




We designed a house, essentially a U shape, which would take up most of the land space. The centre of the U was intended to be a courtyard.

We got planning permission for 3 stories, and a 3 metre front wall. This latter was intended to reinforce the enclosed courtyard feel.

After a couple of years, and renewing the planning permissions, we started building the wall




My SD card failed, unfortunately, so there are no more pics of the building of the wall until this next stage




we will increase the side fences later

This is the Soi that the land is in, quite small connecting two of the main roads in the old city inside the moat. Very quiet but very close to lots of bars and restaurants etc etc




more wall building pics




I don't like the knobs on top, they will go. The lower inset decoration is good though. Both of these features were put in by my wife when I was away!

There is a large back-set gateway and a small pedestrian gate; both these will have wooden gates made eventually.

The left hand side wall




and the inside view of the right side





well, that is the wall. We did not do any more building for a while. We let the wooden house to parents of a friend and did other things (like building our house in the ricefields)

When we returned to CM last year, in September, we thought it was about time we built the place.

so we demolished the wooden house and started in earnest

Actually 100 talang wah in the Old City is a comparatively substantial size. Many apartment buildings have less.

[DrAndy]

Those pics look familiar, Timpatco

yes, 100 TW is a decent size for the old city, ours is actually 84

[Loombucket]

Another excellent thread DrAndy, I like the idea of a pool on the top floor. I have many stupid questions, but I will wait to see what you do. Great stuff.

[DrAndy]

blimey Loomy, don't save all your questions until the last minute, they may help me

thanks for your input anyway

I have a few more pics coming up

[Norton]

Originally Posted by DrAndy

They called our builder and he and my wife have to go for a meeting with them this afternoon

And the "verdict" was?

[DrAndy]

so, the roof over the concrete bit is almost complete, a view from the soi



and a view from the back neighbours yard (damaged by flying sparks!)




and walls going up; the wooden house will be on the shuttering dump, the foundations already complete. The main door is visible on the left, at back




The "Moondoor" support frame is now being used and they have put in the two kitchen double windows behind

I was impressed at how they built the Moondoor support, no prompting from myself. Initially the architect said it would be "very difficult", but the builder took it in his stride

[DrAndy]

Originally Posted by Norton

And the "verdict" was?

oh yes, sorry

The council guy (who, incidentally was the one who initially approved our plans) said we should be more careful. He also said it would be politic to install guttering as our roof was quite close to the boundary. We were going to do that anyway.
The extra complaint by the neighbour that the house was too close to the boundary was not examined in any detail.

Anyway, we went round and said sorry to all the neighbours, with flowers and a bit of grovelling

all's well that ends well

[skidley]

^Ahh! But has it ended...........or only just begun.

DrAndy 1 - Neighbors 0

[DrAndy]

no, it is not a competition. I can fully understand the neighbours worries; in addition, living next to a buiding site is not nice - lots of dust and noise

we will also have to live next to them in the future so wish for good relations

[DrAndy]

Went over today to see what has been going on

here you can see the back door frame and the long window

we thought it sensible to put in a few bars downstairs



We have the beginning of stairs, that will be a luxury after the Thai ladders

looking through the Moongate from the kitchen




Just looking up the stairs




and another view, the housekeepers room on the left




her window on the world, well, the wall next door





and a look at the front door frame. They forgot the ventilator so poured the frame just to the door height. never mind, at least they did not pour the lintel





actually, thinking about it, building a concrete house is a bit boring compared to a wooden one; most of the process is essentially the same for each one - lots of concrete beams and columns. Once finished the differences are a bit more obvious!

[DrAndy]

so, popped round there to check what was going on..they had built some walls across the 2nd floor balconies to window sill height. There should be some full length doors there to get out to the balconies; the drawings showed doors but they were noted as windows.....oh well, cutting QCON is easy.

The roof is nearly finished, with the edges being put in place (fascia not soffits?)




These old wheels are being used as windows for the under-house courtyard area



now that the walls are partly built and things being put in place, I can see the sizes and get more of a feeling for the rooms etc

This area will be a nice size

Is that KFC they have eaten?




my camera decided to run out of battery. It is a nice camera but has no indicator of how full the battery is, stupid Canon

[jizzybloke]

glad to see this update thanks DrA!

[WhiteLotusLane]

Looks like excellent progress...

Will there be a tour of the place & house warming when it's completed? I'll bring beer.

[DrAndy]

thanks chaps

no tour, but certainly a housewarming!

now, the wheel windows are in place and ready to be finished. There is wire all round which is difficult to see




I was talking about the walled in balcony. here is the wall ready for a window to be put on top



looking over the wall, you can see a neat balcony. The windows/shutters to go here are full length, of course




The second to third floor staircase, getting ready. You can see the edge wires in the pic 2 above. The bucket has a spiritual purpose



anyway, the last door arrives; this is for the second floor front balcony (not yet walled in)




It is composed of four shutters, which fold right back



They did say they were starting the roof tiling today, but so far no sign of the tiles