Thread: Thai Dhupp and Princess Joy's Thai House Build

Originally Posted by Airportwo

Folks tend to put in far too many windows here & end up living in a greenhouse, obviously you need some light, but not direct sunlight, worth thinking about....

That's true, AP2, as seen if you drive around any development no matter how expensive? Trying to impose western design into a tropical country forces some compromises.

If you look earlier in my thread, when I posted the floor plans and elevations, you will see windows much more in keeping with ancient Thailand. Narrower windows, higher up in the wall so that the light still comes but a lot of the window is under the roof overhang.

Yes, there are some folding door arrangements which are glazed and obviously an 'in' for both light and heat. There will be blackout curtains in the bedroom with reflective material facing out to reduce this effect as much as possible. All of those folding doors are under big overhangs too.

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

I wondered about pH too... does anyone 'treat' their water if it is too acidic / alkalii?

I would imagine acidic water could play havoc with some fixtures and fittings, even the tank itself if not, but maybe its negligable?

Most of the drinking water standards allow quite (surprisingly) a broad range of pH, e.g. 6.5 - 9.5. That's in contrast to the strict recommendations (musts) of the swimming pool shops (around 7.4) - and to their dismay. The value of the pH will influence consumption/effectiveness of chlorine. To maintain it so exactly costs quite a big money (beside the chlorine cost), so it's a good business for the shops.

In my thread about an affordable swimming pool I had mentioned this topic. I am running my pool whole year practically without frequent pH measuring and so its maintaining - having clear water throughout the year for my daily 1 km swim.

By usual water source the pH will not vary much between 7 - 8, so this will have no remarkable impact on the water system facility.

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Most of the drinking water standards allow quite (surprisingly) a broad range of pH, e.g. 6.5 - 9.5. That's in contrast to the strict recommendations (musts) of the swimming pool shops (around 7.4) - and to their dismay. The value of the pH will influence consumption/effectiveness of chlorine. To maintain it so exactly costs quite a big money (beside the chlorine cost), so it's a good business for the shops.

In my thread about an affordable swimming pool I had mentioned this topic. I am running my pool whole year practically without frequent pH measuring and so its maintaining - having clear water throughout the year for my daily 1 km swim.

By usual water source the pH will not vary much between 7 - 8, so this will have no remarkable impact on the water system facility.

Hi Klondyke, thanks for that...

Beside the house water it's also relevant for later...when we dig and install the swimming pool. OK that's still a little way off as the house will finish first, but no harm in gathering the information now.

I will take a read of your thread when I have some spare time..

It's quite a wide range on the drinking water, isn't it?

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

It's quite a wide range on the drinking water, isn't it?

Yes, that's quite surprising for many. When you read comments of experts on swimming pool forums they do not want to hear it. Usually, the pH always going up, so they ask you to lower it by pH minus - whatever all the preparates are named. In fact, all they are based on acidic substances, mostly HCL (Hydrochloric Acid) or H2SO4 (Sulphuric Acid).

Some of them say that already pH 8 is not good for your skin. Why, when sea-water is over 8, water in thermal bad as well, isn't it good for health?

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Yes, that's quite surprising for many. When you read comments of experts on swimming pool forums they do not want to hear it. Usually, the pH always going up, so they ask you to lower it by pH minus - whatever all the preparates are named. In fact, all they are based on acidic substances, mostly HCL (Hydrochloric Acid) or H2SO4 (Sulphuric Acid).

Some of them say that already pH 8 is not good for your skin. Why, when sea-water is over 8, water in thermal bad as well, isn't it good for health?

According to the 'net...

Our body and skin require a balance between alkaline and acidity for our acid mantle – the barrier that keeps moisture in and germs and toxins out. Anything over seven is considered alkaline. Skin that falls on this end of the scale tends to be drier and more wrinkly, while skin that’s too acidic can appear red, irritated and itchy. Slightly acidic, around 5.5, is epidermal heaven.

I'm no expert which is why I took a look. Seems 5.5 pH is ideal...

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

Its good if its aired here, not everyone does exactly the same but between us, for me and any future would-be-builders, there should be enough information to make an informed choice that's 'right for you'.
Again, the power of the forum - thanks all.

I agree wholeheartedly TD. It has helped me a lot to solidify my own plans and understanding. Thank you everyone.

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

I'm no expert which is why I took a look. Seems 5.5 pH is ideal...

TD, I am also no expert either. And there are so many different theories about different waters. And I do not think that somebody checks the pH before drinking his water.

However, pH around 5 seems to me not very healthy when fish and frogs start to die in such bath.

One of (many) nutritious theories claims that our body is overly acidic since our food is mainly based on meat products, especially pork. The stomach needs to produce a lot of acid for disposal of such pork. And since the pH of our blood needs to be very exactly maintained to 7.4 - a 0.1 plus/minus can cause quite a big health problem - the produced acid that comes also to the blood system has to be immediately compensated. Therefore to make it easier to the "regulator", we should help him to deliberately add some more alkalinity. Either in food/drinks (e.g. edible baking soda, sodium bicarbonate) and/or also in our bathing water, the skin will forward it to the inside system.

According to this over acidity theory the maintaining the pH over 7.4 - (can be checked in our urine) - will help to our many physical (even psychical) problems.

Beside the health problems at lower pH of swimming pool:

The lower values can affect the ceramic coating, especially the grouting of ceramic tiles. That's why you can see at many pools in Thailand a re-tiling after some 7 - 10 years, especially at the ones with the mosaic tiles.

Even some plastics foil pools are not very resistant to lower pH.

Originally Posted by Klondyke

TD, I am also no expert either. And there are so many different theories about different waters. And I do not think that somebody checks the pH before drinking his water.

I also am no expert! but do find water fascinating! We, in theory have the same amount of water in our world as we did millions of years ago, its been used and recycled so many times, who knows what the actual "history" is of the glass of water we drink?
I think? the ideal PH would have to be a neutral 7, our bodies need acidity to digest food, yet too much acid can lead to illness, people that are suffering from cancer are always very acidic.
Some believe that we should be drinking distilled water? I do believe we should be drinking water with low TDS, not convinced we need to actually distill the water, problem is with all the "chemicals" we use its impossible to know just what is in our water supply. For home use, again a neutral water will limit corrosion to fittings etc.

Sala lower level formation

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Beside the health problems at lower pH of swimming pool:

The lower values can affect the ceramic coating, especially the grouting of ceramic tiles. That's why you can see at many pools in Thailand a re-tiling after some 7 - 10 years, especially at the ones with the mosaic tiles.

Even some plastics foil pools are not very resistant to lower pH.

Just read your pool thread - you make it seem a lot easier than the pool installation companies would have you believe - I like it!!

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

Just read your pool thread - you make it seem a lot easier than the pool installation companies would have you believe - I like it!!

Thanks TD, I like to make the things well functional, being more happy out of it than to get it delivered as a turn-key. That apart of the money spent. In this case perhaps 10% of a catalog pool.

Originally Posted by Airportwo

Unfortunately I have to decline your kind offer to assist due to acute laziness and aversion to work!

Unfortunately, when no help from TD members - as I hoped to clean my other rainwater tank in 5 min - I had to help myself by myself. Again, it has taken few minutes more, i forgot to check it.

The black stain is what's left from the dirt inside.

I hope the birds and chinchokes will not be disturbed by the unethical location - not to think what the occasional gardener in the adjacent encroached public land would feel.





And I hope the unethical location will not be discovered by a visitor coming to the front door ...

Nice baan Klondyke.

It was not so nice 14 years ago when we decided to buy it:

Wow, Klondyke... what a transformation. I hope it did not take you 14 years to get it 'just right'.....!

Mind you, as we all know... building it is usually completed inside the agreed timescale, but maintaining the place never ends, right!!?

Klondyke, how big is your plot?

^It is half rai bought from a bank

Started clear-up in June:




Finished in November for Loykatom:


And in November also started with swimming pool:



Built by double cinder blocks with some steel wires 3 mm under the blocks:




Finished within 6 weeks on Christmas Eve:




Another 2 weeks filling slowly by water from a bored well:
(what the iron with chlorine can do?)


And how the miraculous SaanSom can cure within 5 days:


How it is today after finding the right easy way between the incoming and outgoing water:

[QUOTE=Klondyke;746709]Unfortunately, when no help from TD members/QUOTE]

While waiting for the coffee to percolate this morning & with no previous commitments, I cleaned out both tanks
Note the drying dust on the deck!

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

Inside the kitchen we are having an induction hob as its a smooth, clean line in the work top, and as we know, induction cooking brings the highest energy efficiency, something like 80-85% efficient, against gas 45% (heat lot of air with gas) and the speed of gas.

I have used induction in the UK for many years, and I even have a very good 4-ring induction hob in my Dubai apartment right now.

The plus is, induction keeps your pans from blackening over time, with the soot you get from gas.

For true induction hobs that are energy efficient, you can't use aluminium or copper pots and pans, only iron, cast iron, or stainless steel.
If you're getting blach soot from your gas, then you need to adjust the air intake on the venturi. Gas should be clean burning.
I agree that there is an inherant danger with gas.

Originally Posted by Maanaam

For true induction hobs that are energy efficient, you can't use aluminium or copper pots and pans, only iron, cast iron, or stainless steel.
If you're getting blach soot from your gas, then you need to adjust the air intake on the venturi. Gas should be clean burning.
I agree that there is an inherant danger with gas.

yeah.. I am mainly concerned with safety, so with 2 younger children about, one just cant be too careful.

Pan needs to be magnetic to work, right? I did the whole leCreuset thing a long time ago - love the pans, but heavy, so no good for PJ.

I like the clean simplicity of good quality stainless steel. Look great and last a long time too.

First floor planks

Bit of a break in uploads 'cos I was away... but here's some shots of the plank placement...






bit 'grainy', mainly cos hes a builder, not a photographer, and it was late in the day!

Yeah... we are paying him for his building skills, not his ability with the camera!

So far, we cant fault the former...

Next up are some first floor column formation shots.

First floor columns


Yep... basically, just the same as the ones below.




The ladies are racing to get the shuttering around those cages in double-quick time.


Shuttered and braced... just need some concrete now!