Land purchased. Build in process. Let’s see if I remember how to post pictures.
Land purchased. Build in process. Let’s see if I remember how to post pictures.
Double post. Mods please delete this post.
Last edited by Neverna; 17-06-2018 at 12:32 PM.
There's a new way to post pictures since the last time you were here. It should be easier. Start by clicking on: Insert Image
Then upload Images from your computer.
Sorry for the delay in posting an update. It is not due to lack of activity or headache. The old lady we were buying the land from kept upping her price so we moved on, but not after we learned that the land was one full year shy of having a Chonote title. Apparently the title was conveyed from the government and could only be conveyed to heirs the first 5 yrs. When we went to close we learned of the lack of clear title so even the wife had enough (amazingly the fact that the price had increased 3 times didn’t phase her like it did me - it the US if there is no other bidder it is insane to jerk a buyer around and any buyer with business sense flees). MIL wasn’t helping and she kept telling everyone we had to have it! (Big surprise the price kept going up right?) We cooled our heals for a year and then looked at several more properties, two which had old thai style houses on them. For me this was a bonus -we could fix them up for 300000 TB or so and save ourselves the cost of a house. However, wife and MIL want to build new so the pocketbook will suffer. Fast forward a couple year MIl apparently convinces wife to talk with old lady again. Having been down this very same road many times And “discussed” the risks and problems far too often, I hold my tongue Wife works a deal, payment made, chonote title transferred (about one rai) and off to building we go.
This will truely be thai style build. Wife, in her Earnest to complete things, often puts the cart before the horse - buys the land without a contract, has the MIL sign a builder contract without reading it. Drives me freaking bonkers as there is no managment of risk, but things are certainly moving much faster without me in the mix. I would like a construction manager or someone to sign off on each stage of project but wife thinks that costs too much. Her solution, to have her mother checks things out before payment is made. The fact that her mom has no construction experience doesn’t seem to register. We had 84 truck loads of dirt shipped in to build up the land several weeks ago and I asked whether we should let it settle for a season and she informed me the builder told her that packing it down with the tractor was enough. You get the point. Things are happening on the fly. I very much hope that things turn out and they probably will, but it won’t be to following standard construction procedures.
Cermony held on Jun 15 and pillars are in (19 pillars).
Here is the floor plan and house style.
Thanks much! Using the iPad and ur suggestion works on it also, I believe.
I see a rocky road ahead Joe6pac but do keep us uodated with pics.
Two bathrooms neither with a door to a bedroom. Not my taste. I’d merge them into one large bathroom and keep the door behind the kitchen sliding door. You can always build an outside shitter for guests later.
You r right. Situation is the same -House is for MIL and family. The only change is because the way the house is being built and the ever increasing size and cost, wife is pay for a significant portion of the House. This allows wife to do what she wants without me interjecting myself into the process and interfering. It has significantly decreased the arguments between us on the subject that has occurred over the last several years. I am proud of my wife for taking the lead and moving things forward and am cautioniously optimistic things will turn out. Thais routinely do things in ways westerners don’t understand but they still get things done.
The property is on on a corner lot. As noted above, it is about 1 rai. MIL has been living there with step FIL for about 7 yrs. (in the tin covered shack next to the rice barn) she is very happy to Be able to continue to live on the land. Clean chonote title is in wife’s name. It has a beautiful view of rice fields across the street. We brought in 84 loads of dirt to build up the portion of the land the house is on at 350 TB per load. It raised the level about 2 feet. The rest of the lot is covered in overgrowth. The house will be on a raised concrete foundation about another meter
The House is a pretty simple design that tries to squeeze 3 bed, 2 bath, kitchen and Buddha room into about 135 m2. The pillars are spaced 3.5 meters apart. We r putting in a western kitchen with the intent of building a Thai kitchen out back later on. I suspect the western kitchen isn’t so much for cooking as it is to impress the neighbors - just like the US!
Monks said there were three days in june in which building could start - because there wasn’t rain, we started in the 15th which was the first available date. Holes were already Dug a few days before and the area had been framed with wood . First pillar had the blessing attached to it. After the pillars were up (or maybe before) there was a celebratory lunch at the neighbors. The following day concrete was poured into the footings although it looks like it might have been raining that day (hope not). Steel for roof is on site. It is rumored the rebar for foundation is also on site but I haven’t seen pictures of any. Roof will be cpac. Foundation, frame and roof expected to take about 1 month to complete.
Last edited by Joesixpac; 18-06-2018 at 12:20 AM.
keep them pics a coming.
U r right about that. Unfortunately we r State side right now so we have limited control over anything. One problem right out of the gate is we changed the floor plan before the footings went in any nobody told the builder. So he put the main pillars (the ones blessed) in the back of the house where the bathrooms are now supposed to go under the new floor plan Neithier the blessed pillars nor the Buddha room can go near the bathroom! Needless to say there was along frantic call between wife and MIL about this new problem. My comment about just rolling with it was not well met! So now we r struggling to adjust the floor plan. On such a small house with pillars set on 3.5 meter there are only so many places 2 bathrooms can go! A couple shots of the property prior to or just after footings. You can see wher the trucked in dirt ends!
Hi Joe SP hows it going??
Just stopped by to read your story so far, and wish you good luck for the build from start to finish!
Quite a tale so far....
I actually suggested the gift/bribe to see if we could get different pillars blessed so the floor plan wouldn’t have to be changed. Although it seemed possible based on wife’s response, MIL and wife apparently have another floor plan they like more. Working out kinks now. Would really like to have a final plan since construction has begun!
In in the meantime, although there has been some rain up north that has slowed progress they did manage to begin steel frame for roof. Rumour is they are also tying rebar but no photos of that yet.
You will note in the below photo that despite having 1 rai of land, MIL decided to place House about 3 meters from neighbors wall (which is very close to neighbor’s house) and only about 5 meters from the road!!! I guess this gives us nearly a rai of unblinished land to put in a garage and gardens. Also u will note that the fill dirt doesn’t go all the way to the wall - it just kind of peters out. This increases my concern that fill wasn’t done right. I sure hope they got the area and compaction right. I guess this is what happens when the construction manager (MIL) makes decisions without involving us first. Oh well, House placement and fill aren’t big issues are they? Haven’t seen a level used yet and am hoping pillars are reasonably level and plum but I guess eyeballing is just as good. Builder has done a few houses in the area and has a pretty good reputation so my concern may be misplaced. As a side observation, no significant amount of empty beer bottles lying around which is good, however, the picture doesn’t show any workmen who might cause said beer bottles to be consumed, which is bad because it really doesn’t look too wet to be prevented from working.
Likewise for me and the Crazy Horse. However, I do feel at ease knowing who is looking after things. My BIL the lawyer did put a timeline in the contract but I'm not sure that is really a good thing or not but there also a 1 year warranty too. I'm thinking I may be his first farang build and is hoping to use me as a jumping off point for bigger things.
Hi joesixpac, wish you all the best in your build.
Pillars look rather thin ?
my MIL's are bigger for sure !
could be an optical illusion !
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