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

Originally Posted by Norton

Nothing major as far as construction. One snag was my fault. I put the hot water heater (boiler) in the attic originally. After 2 very difficult replacements, decided to move it down to the storage room.

Aside from a few hairline cracks a previosly mentioned well constructed baan. No electrical or plumbing problems at all.

\

...and long may that continue!

I just looked back over your 2 threads for the home and garden, Norton. 2 great reads... I bet the garden is rampant now, or did you cut it all back to keep control? I see some of the things my builder is now doing in your thread too., so hopefully I will be blessed with the same trouble-free living once mine is finished.

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

I bet the garden is rampant now

Thanks to my SWMBO it's looking better than ever. Must do an update.

Originally Posted by Norton

Thanks to my SWMBO it's looking better than ever. Must do an update.

Bring it on!!!

I am keen to see....

So... final placement of No.2 Septic tank, and back-filling


Placed...


...and back-filled.

Those 1-lady-powered Makro's are getting a good work out today

Finished covering tanks 1 and 2

That's bizarre.. I uploaded the pictures (the few that I got) of the ground floor plinth pour , complete with comment. I saw it there but now... its totally vanished?

Did anyone else see it before this happened? is this a regular occurrence?

Ok... I thought maybe that last email would make it re-appear... I guess I will have to re-upload...

The No-Pictures Plinth Pour...







yep... got the truck pictures covered... let's see the pour!


OK.. one more then, showing the delivery, and concrete coming out. now for the close up detail?!


and then... w.w.w.what happened? you mean you didnt take any? nothing at all!!??!?


Slab down..apparently there was activity in laying, leveling, covering etc, but the photographer (the stand-in) did not perform as expected...


Another view of the completed slab, and you can see K.Pot has already started to shutter up for the first floor ring beam


OK... the slab don't look too bad and K.Ek (Orbortor eng.) has checked it.







This happened because K.Pot was off site and instructed another person to take the pics... and he didn't.

so... that concludes STAGE 2. (almost)

We are ahead of schedule and of course the builder has been paid.

There is actually some outstanding work but we have agreed to defer it until I am there mid-May

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

Finished covering tanks 1 and 2

All coming along well.

Quick question. On the septic tank venting, do you plan on leaving it like it is near the house?

I turned our vent pipe 90 degrees and ran vent tubing waaaaaay out away from the house and hid with our hedges. Originally the vents were planned to be near the house like most and if the wind changes a bit the odor can be unpleasant.

Best of luck with the build.

At this point I would just like to thank all who have commented on this thread to date - your constructive contributions and encouragement makes us feel like we are all on this journey together, and your input has been very well received by PJ and I - thanks to all!

Also, grateful thanks to everyone who clicked on the reputation comments. These comments are also a great encouragement and I feel like I am on the right lines with the thread. I have tried to reciprocate to everyone. cheers!

TD

OK.. let's crack on with STAGE 3...

Originally Posted by JPPR2

All coming along well.

Quick question. On the septic tank venting, do you plan on leaving it like it is near the house?

I turned our vent pipe 90 degrees and ran vent tubing waaaaaay out away from the house and hid with our hedges. Originally the vents were planned to be near the house like most and if the wind changes a bit the odor can be unpleasant.

Best of luck with the build.

Hi JPR2, for sure it will be fed away from the house but its not yet completed as the soakaways have to be installed.

We have deferred this work until I am there so that the best location can be agreed.

Then he will do the work

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

Hi JPR2, for sure it will be fed away from the house but its not yet completed as the soakaways have to be installed.

We have deferred this work until I am there so that the best location can be agreed.

Then he will do the work

Outstanding. You know its the little details at the end that have the biggest impact. wiring, insulation, power outlet location around the house, plumbing, venting, Attic access points to all of it.

I look forward to Stage 3

Originally Posted by JPPR2

You know its the little details at the end that have the biggest impact.

There in lies the devil. So I've been told.

Originally Posted by Norton

There in lies the devil. So I've been told.

Indeed Norton. I think you followed along on my build some 4 or so years ago. I had the drawings rendered and approved and I was very adamant on what I wanted and how. After the drawings were complete I had the GC sign them agreeing anything short of what is stated I am not paying until done to the specs. He agreed and was on board. I was one that was not here during the build but my FIL was onsite 24/7 and was my eyes and ears. I had update pictures from him through line on progress almost daily and we did many video walk throughs. If something looked odd my wife was on the horn.

@ Thai Dhupp, One thing, IMHO, you cannot have enough of is wall outlets (especially here). Unlike the states where you have gypsum walls and can pull in Nomex wiring and cut a quick hole to drop a new one easily later on, here is concrete and adding one becomes problematic and shall I say "Unsightly". Even with all my planning I still had to add some in a few locations. I also recommend a few junction boxes. These pay big dividends as later I added 100w LED flood lights on all 4 corners and the power was right there ready. I have outlets in virtually every pillar underneath and have used all of them at one point or another and its nice not having to use extension cords. All are inside the finished concrete and flush. Also I recommend using the outlets with plastic covers so when not in use they are covered. Amazing how nature finds home in everything here. I saw this at others homes where spiders or flying insects made mud nests in the ground hole.

Originally Posted by JPPR2

Outstanding. You know its the little details at the end that have the biggest impact. wiring, insulation, power outlet location around the house, plumbing, venting, Attic access points to all of it.

I look forward to Stage 3

Stage 3 is already underway so now I have to work even harder this month to get the cash ready!!

Originally Posted by JPPR2

Indeed Norton. I think you followed along on my build some 4 or so years ago. I had the drawings rendered and approved and I was very adamant on what I wanted and how. After the drawings were complete I had the GC sign them agreeing anything short of what is stated I am not paying until done to the specs. He agreed and was on board. I was one that was not here during the build but my FIL was onsite 24/7 and was my eyes and ears. I had update pictures from him through line on progress almost daily and we did many video walk throughs. If something looked odd my wife was on the horn.

@ Thai Dhupp, One thing, IMHO, you cannot have enough of is wall outlets (especially here). Unlike the states where you have gypsum walls and can pull in Nomex wiring and cut a quick hole to drop a new one easily later on, here is concrete and adding one becomes problematic and shall I say "Unsightly". Even with all my planning I still had to add some in a few locations. I also recommend a few junction boxes. These pay big dividends as later I added 100w LED flood lights on all 4 corners and the power was right there ready. I have outlets in virtually every pillar underneath and have used all of them at one point or another and its nice not having to use extension cords. All are inside the finished concrete and flush. Also I recommend using the outlets with plastic covers so when not in use they are covered. Amazing how nature finds home in everything here. I saw this at others homes where spiders or flying insects made mud nests in the ground hole.

I am aware, through reading threads on all the forums plus asking some questions and general net checking that the Thai way is to put ONE socket in each room them run gang sockets everywhere!!

We will not be following Thai tradition on this one.

I did a huge survey on our requirements for each room in all three stages for up and downstairs. I forget the socket count but it was a lot. and they are all doubles. For example the kitchen i think had 6 or 7 double sockets plus the spur -wired items, and the A/C. Its a similar story everywhere. I have a separate circuit in the planning for the exterior lighting. there is a fair few 2 way switching too, for stairs, security lighting, under the house etc .

I am lucky that supply from 5/15 all the way to 30/100 3-ph is available, so I am not constrained. I know thats not the same for quite a few on the board and i commiserate. I was just lucky on that one, did not expect to have so many options.

I am sure I have forgotten something as I am not an electrician. Here on the day-job we have an electrical contractor and one of the Engineers said he will take a look over everything in his own time and come up with any improvements we could make.

I am sure to be posting questions here though so no one needs to feel left out!!!

Originally Posted by Norton

There in lies the devil. So I've been told.

Hes not got an invite to that PEA pool party so hopefully we will not be troubled...!!!

Are you installing Fans?

If so ... are they 'ceiling' fans?

If so ... have you asked your wife's opinion about ceiling fans?

If not ... when considering 'wall sockets' / 'power points' think about some if you are considering wall mounted fans.

and then... w.w.w.what happened? you mean you didnt take any? nothing at all!!??!?\

If that happens to be the only problem you had you will be very lucky,
Everything seem to be moving along very smoothly and problem free, hope that continues for you on stage 3 also.
You're doing a great job keeping us informed.

If so ... have you asked your wife's opinion about ceiling fans?
Good question

When I ask my wife about fans, she opted for wall mounted.
I know I don't want fans setting all over the floors

The Thailand Wiring Page

this site gave some info on thai house wiring, I found it on another site when I was looking on how wiring is done in LOS vers. US

Does anyone know if wall fans are direct wired or plug into a socket?