Thread: Japanese House

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by SunTzu

why not use bamboo instead of iron ?

It rots and is only stronger by weight, not in application.

would rot only if not properly wrapped within concrete, just like iron would rust in the same situation.

Originally Posted by Old Monkey

I'm even thinking of using bamboo for the natural swimming pool.

I am designing one for a friend in Laos, using bamboo instead of iron too. We gotta talk

OM, Great thread. What a gang of workers you have, all seem smarter than some posts show when doing construction herein.

Lady Rika sure would brighten up any work site.

Shiloh Jim

Originally Posted by SunTzu

would rot only if not properly wrapped within concrete, just like iron would rust in the same situation.

But much more quickly.

Don't get me wrong; I think bamboo is a fantastic material and I use it a lot, but it isn't as good as steel when used as rebar.

Am reading the thread with great interest, thanks!

hi, thanks for sharing your experience. we´re planing to build one of our own sometime next year.

That was great with pictures and pretty help. Didnt know you could buy precast
100 klm north of chiang mai. Excellent presentation and keep it coming.

Enjoyable and informative thread. Thanks.

Big money?

Hi
I am building a house in Phuket and it is nearly finish now.

I BOUGHT A SECONDHAND jazussi and are BUILDING A SMALL FISH POND IN THE GARDEN.
But laiter we desided to make that one bigger 3000 l .

it is nearly finished now but i have to deside how we can clean the water.

do you know anything about filter systems and pumps for boath the jazussi and for the fish pond in the garden.

I was thinking that I would make a Sand filter system for the fish pond ( where I also would like to cold down with the fish

the juzussi i bought a secondhand filter , but I do not know anything about PH and all the cemicals you have to add ???

Bo

Originally Posted by Old Monkey

Well, here is a new tread for my new house. I am a newbie with these treads and I was fascinated by the adventures of farangs in Thailand. I have designed and built houses in Canada and in France over the years of my long life, but never in a tropical setting. I found this beautiful farm in Northern Thailand in 2003, and right away, I knew where I was going to build my home. But first, there were other priorities. My Lisu wife’s father and mother were lodged in a nearby village, my wife had a bedroom, farang style bathroom and living room added in my absence. I stayed there two winters, with the cooking fires and roosters waking me up very early.

Then, I shared a large bamboo hut on the farm with everybody, parents, relatives and workers, for a while, then moved to a tent in the lamiai grove, « I did’nt marry your mother! »! Then, my brother-in-law and his wife needed a place of their own, then the pigs too… So this was built…

I then had a guest house built in 2007 for the visitors, volonteer workers from all over the world, this was also quite a trip, but never as bad as what I read here, maybe because I’m used to do everything myself and I was involved in every stage, and maybe also because there were no thais on the site, only Lisus and Thaiiais. This had six bedrooms and four bathrooms. I shopped for materials, used my pick-up a lot, and was plain lucky. There were days with twenty workers present, all the cement was hand mixed, and we had started with the pighouse, so the turnover was rapid on the site and I could spot the real workers, and, more important, the thinkers and leaders.

My future site was leveled by tractor then, it is on a hill dominating the valley, with 3 sides part of a National Park, so no real neighbors. There are farmers renting some rais in the valley that they cultivate and, in fact, they take care of my view!

Last year, two headmasters got the base of the house up, and I interrupted the work when I left in April. Finally, after the garlic was picked and sold for a very good price this year, Poon, richer than ever, came to direct the work, he was now free and he would be leading this alone, his fellow thinker had another job. We agreed on the plans, this had not changed much, he hired his team from his family and friends and we got going. Here are some photos. In front of the house, my wife had a fish pond dug seven years ago. It was never used for a question of acidity, so I thought that this could be the perfect spot for a swimming pool. Since I’m aware that a swimming pool is a constant hassle, lots of work, and I dislike work, and chlorine, I started studying « natural swimming ponds » and decided to jump in.

I am also very curious about koi carps and would like to integrate a big fishtank to get big kois. Finally, and this needs more research, the house will be japanese style with shojis and an upturned roof, Golden Temple style. So, we’ve got the view, the water, a cement mixer, lots of available workers, and ideas. I hope this will turn all right!

So, I’ll be showing the building as it goes, not to show off, I’m old enough to have nothing to prove, but because I believe that there are people out there who should not be afraid to dare, to be crazy if they feel like it, and do it. The hell with the rest. I’m always ready to question my decisions before they are in concrete, but after, I live with them. This is going to be my house, I will share it with my wife, and with her alone. There is one bedroom!

please Larsbo, search the site before asking questions in the wrong places , there plenty info available.


Construction in Thailand - TeakDoor.com - The Thailand Forum

Great informative and inspiring thread.

Originally Posted by Old Monkey

Notice the view! Roud posts from cement drain pipes, 10" and 12".
When to be integrated into walls, square.

really great view... congrats.. you should be able to see your relatives coming for miles away..

Originally Posted by phomsanuk

Big money?

Well no. But it's too hot to count now... Will do it later, if you don't mind.
The workers did not show up, maybe too hot for them too.

Originally Posted by Old Monkey

The workers did not show up,

collecting more money to come to BKK and put on a red shirt.

So, No worker coming for the house again yesterday, and today, I brought home my friend Peter, and we built this wall! Hot, the hottest day this year. With 3 Lisus, we got this up.

Someone on the tread will tell me that this is not part of the house building. Well, I'm obsessed with this idea of a swimming pool, the heat stresses me, so it would be so wonderful to soak on my back, all day...
This wall will separate the swimming zone from the filtering zone. Both are almost the same size. This is going to be a natural pond, something, to my knowledge, that has never been done in this climate. Because of the heat, there is danger of algae. No chlorine, no salts.
The wall is in fact a half wall, water will submerge it.

I have to admit that I do not understand what the Old Monkey is up to half of the time. But deep down I sort of like it...

As seen from upstairs. The right part will be covered with 10-12", 25-30cm of substrate, small rocks mostly, in which the roots of water plants and reeds will feed on the pollution in the water pomped from the swimming zone. I'm sorry to say that I still haven't found a liner to put under the substrate. I think I will be forced to go to concrete!

Originally Posted by hillbilly

I have to admit that I do not understand what the Old Monkey is up to half of the time. But deep down I sort of like it...

Thank you Hillbilly, for the second sentence. The first one is the story of my life. But that's another story.

And finally for today, as hot as yesterday, the deep part, with the bottom drain installed. All the filling was done by hand, and wheelbarrel, reasonning that 2 Lisus at 150 b a day took a long time to cost as much as a machine at 800 b an hour. We have a beach to do, by hand. Will keep you posted.

How old are you old monkey?

Originally Posted by Old Monkey

I'm sorry to say that I still haven't found a liner to put under the substrate

contact Firestone : they will be expensive, but they have retaillers in Thailand.

Originally Posted by Old Monkey

I tried to find cardboard forms like we use in farang land, but could not find in Thailand.

Round cardboard form does exist in thailand, I use them every time for round post, but maybe not easy to find in some location. Every homemart should be able to order some.

Nice to read a building thread where the workers have not made some monumental fok up.

Anyway nice work matey.