Thread: Some musings on domestic construction in Thailand:

Some musings on domestic construction in Thailand:

So:
Thailand is a tropical climate.Agree?
Which equals?
Lots of high azimuth sun shine?
Lots of frickin rain?
Therefore why build a western urban temperate climate style house?
Cocooning in air conditioned comfort maybe? Up to you I guess?
A typical tropical house design has large roof overhangs and high high ceilings so you can open windows in rain or shine?
Can sit and watch the torrential rains in a protected area?
Can sit in a shaded area in relative comfort?
Can cook on the barbie in a covered shaded area or your outside kitchen which "SHE" insisted upon.. Out of wind, rain or shine?
Methinks perhaps copying/imitating the basic designs of outback Australia, South Africa, Malaysia or.Could be beneficial?
Seems to me high pole homes with large surround covered verandas are really the way to go.
Lots of high under house area...For potential future development maybe?
Don’t understand termite paranoia in concrete construction?
At the end of the day it is just a house which is gonna be your home! Place to sleep, eat, drink and enjoy life? Not a temple, face or a photo op?
Got a nice outlook? That is where you will probably spend a lot of time and maybe entertain.SO BUILD TO IT?
Nuff ramblin’…beer should be cold by now….


Ya know concrete construction in Thailand is actually so cheap as chips and very forgiving if ya change your mind?..Outlive most of us methinks?

Happy building to all!!

It's a nice story with certainly some truth in it, but are you saying we should build our houses out of concrete in this climate? That doesn't seem to make sense in terms of thermal comfort!

Originally Posted by crepitas

Therefore why build a western urban temperate climate style house?

Because they're really intelligent.

I, being a dumb-fuck farang, lean more towards the outback style of building and materials used (i.e. as little exposed concrete as possible).

Originally Posted by Koetjeka

It's a nice story with certainly some truth in it, but are you saying we should build our houses out of concrete in this climate? That doesn't seem to make sense in terms of thermal comfort!

Well, they got this stuff call Q-Con and if it's properly constructed with an air gap between the outer/inner wall, you got yourself a pretty well thermally insulated dwelling. All other factors such as shade not factored here.

yup used it in our house..probably helps a bit?

Me... I like open windows and fans..okay a few weeks year it is rather hot but methinks air circulation and a few coldies....?
Maybe roof whirly birds would help but have a double roof layer with vents ..been up there midday ..hot yes but don't think it affects lower rooms etc but a few degrees.
Thinking when I hit 70+yo maybe get an air con for our bedroom and kitchen /eating TV area..HOPEFULLY also KEEP THE MOSSIES AT BAY........
FK THIS KeyBOARD!
Best place is under pole house area..nice and cool and dry.....think I should enclose to keep the fricking dogs and feral step kids out!
Unfortunately stupid enough to give step kids satellite TV in their under pole house bedroom...sigh

Our main problem was the corrugated iron roof left by the previous owner - I guess it's cheap and cheerful, but made it almost impossible to stay upstairs during the day.

Aside all this, the popular house design of the last generation is not beneficial to the eye....these brick/concrete abodes are quite ugly, regardless of style or size, not really fitting in with environment - perhaps in the big city, that's fine.

Though, it has been said that the cement homes tend to repel the heat naturally, with or without a/c.

Traditional Thai hardwood have a reputation for absorbing and holding heat - this too is dependent on how the particular house is designed for maximum natural coolness allowance.....with or without air.

I believe it comes down to personal ascetics, comfort, and eye candy.

I have experienced personal house building [from scratch] in Sukhothai, Surin, Kalasin, and soon to be Phetchabun. Only one of these homes is of this modern complete masonry eye-sores...the others are of traditional styles and materials.

All this is dependent on what one can adapt to and what your conditioning factor might be.

Moved house Sunday after deciding not to renew on a 1yr lease; new property when we moved in - stand-alone 2 storey 2 bdr house.

Didn't like, and thought's for any possible home-build
No roof overhang at all on the sides - roof flush with walls to maximise floor area on small section. No shade. Leaks. Rather than flashing, concrete/plaster mix is not a substitute.
Front/rear of house less than 1m overhang - over balconies that ran full width, at approx 1.5m - and with no guttering fitted, they became paddling pools in heavy rain with just two 25mm pipes set in concrete to drain them. No sitting outside watching the rain.
Budget joinery. Warped lightweight wooden doors - at least they were (except for the bloody bathroom at forehead height) full height.
All wiring exposed - substandard I thought for a new house, and no allowance made for internet/satellite cabling; inadequate power points so need for multiplug boxes.

New place - renovated 15yrs old 2bdr on 40m x 15m, single level brick/concrete. Eaves approx 1m 3 sides, at front roofline extension gives a shade area 8m x 6m, plenty of room for car/outside table etc.

In a few months we'll see how it is rain-wise/weatherproof.

Our new western style concrete bunker is incredibly cool, clean and quiet and comfortable, so I guess each to they're own, not that I'll be spending much time there

To each their own. I enjoy seeing the variety in the house builds, whether wood, concrete, bamboo or even shipping containers.

Steve

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Our new western style concrete bunker is incredibly cool, clean and quiet and comfortable, so I guess each to they're own, not that I'll be spending much time there

Originally Posted by neemo

Our main problem was the corrugated iron roof left by the previous owner - I guess it's cheap and cheerful, but made it almost impossible to stay upstairs during the day.

Think zincalume type roofing is actually good and attractive ..our wood and sheet rock house in Cairns Oz ( similar climate to S Thailand) was similarly roofed with standard fibreglass insulation in between joists.. never noticed a heat problem though like here, spent most time outside ..always lots of windows open. Had air in the bedrooms but very rarely used.
Biggest problem was cleaning the frickin gutters..cut me wrists to hell on the roof edges.

Roofs with big overhangs like a traditional queenslander are best, still. If you keep the sun off the walls and insulate well under the roof it is fine.

Originally Posted by crepitas

Thailand is a tropical climate.Agree? Which equals? Lots of high azimuth sun shine? Lots of frickin rain?

Originally Posted by crepitas

Therefore why build a western urban temperate climate style house?

Goes without saying really