#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Construction in Thailand >  >  BD dream getting there

## bankao dreamer

Well after years of planning and hoping things started to move forward, when in January we bought about 3000m2. The land is about a 5 minute walk from the edge of the village and 6 minutes from the in-laws. Close enough for emergencies but still gives us privacy.The land was pasture not rice so its good solid ground. There is a pond there but we will re dig it so it's not as long but 3 times deeper. More photos to come showing the re dig of the pond and 1st and 2nd phases of the new dirt.

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## bankao dreamer

Pond shortened and then re-dug, the dogs are impressed .

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## rickschoppers

Good start BD. Keep us posted on your progress.

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## bankao dreamer

Thanks Rick we bought the land in January and had 120 lorry loads of top quality dirt delivered shortly after. We went back in May and had another 110 loads put on the top of the land where the houses will go. The pond is now full and the dogs swimming pool. As for the house phase one I wanted a wooden house to my own design, but we where messed about by people who said they could then who said they couldn't( I know it's hard to believe ). So we found a builder who makes knock down house for these places you see by the roadside.
They are really good we got it for cost price (saving 100,000), 20,000 deposit and no more until it's delivered on the 20th of October. 
When thats up I am having the father in laws old teak house 5x5m to use as a lounge and a couple of rice barns to turn into guest rooms all 2.5m of the ground and joined by raised walk ways. I am just uploading a few more pics.

Mark

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## bankao dreamer

This is the land after the first lot of dirt was delivered in March, we are waiting for the next lot to arrive. The bloke in the hat is Por not me before anyone asks.

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## stevefarang

Cool !!  Looking forward to following this thread.

Don't worry, you'll be "poor" by the end of this adventure !! LOL   :smiley laughing: 

Steve

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## Marmite the Dog

> The land is about a 5 minute walk from the edge of the village and 6 minutes from the in-laws. Close enough for emergencies but still gives us privacy.


You'll have to excuse my chuckling.

Looking forward to the rest of the thread.

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## bankao dreamer

^ That's ok the in-laws are scared stiff of my shepherd as are all the locals, he should keep them at bay I hope.




> Don't worry, you'll be "poor" by the end of this adventure !! LOL


Hope not Steve I have a Wife who hate's being ripped off more than me.

Mark.

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## bankao dreamer

The 2nd lot of dirt which has raised the area where the houses will go. Max already keeping the locals at a safe distance.



Max under the trees near to main house location on the look out for locals.

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## stevefarang

Oooooo...a German Shepherd on duty !!


You're all right by me Mark !!

While I do like my mutt of a Thai dog, I have a real weak spot for German Shepherds.

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## bankao dreamer

^ Thanks Steve we have two dogs which we took over from the UK. Max ( Shepherd 3 yrs old and a Border Terrier who is 2 yrs old ). He is twice the size of any local dog and the locals especially old woman and kids run away screaming which is great.

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## bankao dreamer

The ponds nearly full now, Max is diving in searching for curious neighbors.

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## bankao dreamer

Sometimes the villagers are really useful, they put the drainage pipes in at the entrance for 4 bottles of Leo and 2 bottles of Rice whiskey. Joking aside they are not a bad bunch.

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## kingwilly

Looks like a promising start

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## rickschoppers

BD, if you don't mind could you PM me the company name for the knock down house? Also a cost would help. 

I am still thinking about a wood house for guests, but don't want to spend a small fortune.  Thanks

Good looking dogs. You will want to keep a close eye on them if they are scaring the locals. I had a bad experience with regard to my "watch dogs."

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## misskit

Great idea to use rice barns as guest rooms. Looking forward seeing your build progress.

Beautiful black German Shepard you have there.

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## DrAndy

I was looking at your pnd and the sides look quite steep; you may have problems with erosion as time goes on, so make sure that as the pond edges move outwards there is nothing important next to it!

you can avoid some of that by planting all sorts of edge plants

Looking forward to seeing the complex built, sounds great

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## bobforest

Looks to be an interesting thread - good luck with the project.

Great looking dogs - how was the experience bringing them over from UK and getting them to settle into Thai life?

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## Yemen

bd- good luck with your project.

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## nigelandjan

Good luck BD ,, thanks for taking the time to share , looking forward to seeing it all progress .

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## bankao dreamer

Thank you guys for your kind replies.

Thanks DrAndy for the advice Por has already sorted out some plants to help prevent this from happening.

As for getting the dogs over it wasn't cheap and a nightmare at Thai customs. It took 6 hours from when they landed to release them to us. My wife refused to pay a bribe or use one of the "Agents" to speed things up as the custom official wanted us to do. I dont know how either of us didnt drag him away from his Facebook page and beat him to a pulp. But they have settled in really well and we have to drag Max out of the pond.

Rick I will post some pictures of 2 houses under construction with a bit more info.

The idea to use rice barns came from when DrAndy rebuilt one on this forum. I thought if you put in windows and fancy railings that would make a cute guest room.

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## bankao dreamer

I don't know how to post links but if you copy and paste this onto You Tube this is the builders yard who are building our house. This is how we found them. The video is 2 minutes and 11 seconds long.

บ้านไม้แบบถอดประกอบได้.mp4

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## bankao dreamer

The 2 room version was under construction when we went to the yard. The rooms are 3m x 3.5m and the deck is 7m x 2.5m. The price was B380,000. We are having one slightly bigger the rooms will be 4m x 3.5m and the deck is 8m x 2.5m. The price B450,000, B20,000 deposit and B430,000 to pay on delivery. We have chosen a darker colour as we didn't like Red Neck red as the owner called it. The floorboards are good quality reclaimed Teak ( nice and wide ). The rest is new wood of good quality. We had a good look around and the workmanship was of a high standard. The roof is steel sheet with insulation, I accept not everyone's taste but I don't mind.

The one room with deck and Sala on the side was nearly complete and you can see the detail in the railings and finish. This was priced at B360,000. A lot cheaper than the roadside showrooms. The ones we looked at would have the one room priced at about B450,000 and the two room at about B490,000. Also the there is a lot more detail in the finish with this place.

Hope this is useful.

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## stickmansucks

So they are good to build these wooden bungalows ?

Is is fast ?

Thank you.

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## bankao dreamer

> So they are good to build these wooden bungalows ?
> 
> Is is fast ?
> 
> Thank you.


Yes I believe they are good. How long depends on what style and the size, between 1 to 3 months.

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## rickschoppers

Good information and I appreciate the PM. This is pretty much what I am looking for to add a guest house/man cave to my land. I want to put it down by our pond and "hang out" away from the family. I may have a hard time keeping my BIL out though, since he is now living in the garage/storage. He takes very good care of the land and our building site, so I can't complain too much.

I will be watching your progress closely BD. Oh, I was not able to open the link you supplied, but you can add it through the toolbar at the top of the  Submit Reply page. I have also cut and pasted links in the past.

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## bankao dreamer

Glad I could be of service Rick, it's not a link but if you copy and paste it in you tube it works that way. The guy filming is a passing Thai man the house he is looking at cost B250,000.

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## rickschoppers

OK, got it. I will have my wife watch the video and translate for me. There must be Thai and Farang price differences. I would like to take a look at the yard and see the product first hand and it might be a good road trip for December. I will also be going to Chiang Mai for a Consulate visit and may stop in Phrae to see if I can find some similar yards. There must be several between Udon and Chiang Mai, I just need to ask around.  :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

> There must be several between Udon and Chiang Mai


We drove from Korat to Chiang Mai and back 3 years ago there are plenty the closer you get to Chiang Mai.

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## bankao dreamer

> There must be Thai and Farang price differences.


The prices are what they charge the roadside dealers, My Wife who detests being ripped off was impressed with them. The one we are having would sell at one of those for B550,000. Normally what they build is sold on to dealers as soon as it's completed. They don't keep show models just build and move on, in effect you are cutting out the middle man. There is a place on route 2 Korat to BKK which has about 50 different houses. This place sells some houses to them.

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## bankao dreamer

Latest progress 2 photos sent by e-mail from the builders to see if we approve of the colour. We are happy with the colour and the size of the rooms. The stain has yet to be sanded down and varnished.

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## Necron99

Mate, while you might have old floorboards, which if teak are usually ok, the rest of those knockdowns are usually new, not very good quality wood. Young teak does not have the same qualities as old growth wood.
Make sure you put in a termite system.

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## bankao dreamer

Further photos just received from the builder showing the front and balcony floor.

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## bankao dreamer

> Mate, while you might have old floorboards, which if teak are usually ok, the rest of those knockdowns are usually new, not very good quality wood. Young teak does not have the same qualities as old growth wood.
> Make sure you put in a termite system.


Thanks Necron

The new wood is good quality, but I will definitely be installing a Termite killing system.

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## Bettyboo

Does look interesting. Is that going to be your main living area - is it a little bit dreamy/ideally/difficult?

Is it a functional living space for your electronics, water, etc, or you gonna be able to get some kind of hybrid setup. I'm asking because: 1) I wouldn't wanna live like a poor countryside Thai; 2) The wood and traditional elements certainly offer some advantages to concrete prisons... How are you planning to make it a functional home?

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## Bettyboo

Why are all the seats looking inwards? Wouldn't it be nicer to have some looking outwards; better still, be able to move them as suits your fancy...

Sorry to be a tad negative, and please forgive the naiveity of my city living ideas, but I'm worried/interested about function.



_I am having the father in laws old teak house 5x5m to use as a lounge and a couple of rice barns to turn into guest rooms all 2.5m of the ground and joined by raised walk ways._

That adds to the size, and to some extent the functionality, but I'm still worried about day to day living; how will everything fit together - it just seems like a nice and large beach/holiday hut - I'm not being cruel here, just, as stated, interested how it will be developed for day to day functionality; what evolution and integration to the basic 3 structures do you envisage?

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## Bettyboo

> Sometimes the villagers are really useful, they put the drainage pipes in at the entrance for 4 bottles of Leo and 2 bottles of Rice whiskey. Joking aside they are not a bad bunch.


OP, what's this? Where does it go to/from?  :Smile:  Just trying to learn... Interesting thread, thanks.

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## Necron99

^ My house has only two rooms and a sala.
I spend 99% of the day outdoors so you dont really need a big house.
Done that in Oz and had whole rooms that we never entered.
Key is making sure big storms arent going to wet your outdoor area which I did with blinds that we only use on the side of the prevailing rain/wind.

I agree about those built in seats though. Never found one to be comfortable as a proper chair, either width or height is always wrong.

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## Bettyboo

^I'd be concerned that the built in seats were symbolic of the prebuilt structure as a whole; preconceived and difficult to live with?




> I spend 99% of the day outdoors so you dont really need a big house.


Yep, makes sense; using outside covered space well is a core design element of my house (starting in 3 weeks). Though I fukin hate mozzies... I'm also planning a nice little sala as a separate structure; FiL reckons they're very easy and cheap to put together by local guys (might become a bbq/beer drinking area if cited well...).

Building a house is a process of integration. Having 3 separate independent structures could be problematic, thus I'm wondering how the OP plans to integrate the structures and make it all functional; certainly could be a great home if successfully done. I also realize that the OP has thought about this because he was originally looking to build a wooden home to his specification; when that plan went awry then there's potential issues, imho, but I'm sure the OP and others on the board know an awful lot more than me in this regard.

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## bankao dreamer

^^^ 
Betty this is just the first phase, this build will be our bedrooms. The in-laws have an old teak house approx 5 x 5m. We will move and rebuild this next to the house pictured. This will then become the lounge. Further to this I am having Por's old rice barn and another one which will be rebuilt as guest rooms. All these will be joined by raised walk ways, sort of a mini traditional compound home. The kitchen will be on the ground. The toilets will be raised next to our bedrooms and guest bedrooms and again joined to the main buildings by raised walkways.
There wont be any plumbing in the main rooms just lights and a few sockets (for decadent western objects ). Personally I can live quiet frugally and have always wanted my home in Thailand to be a traditional type of dwelling. The pro's and cons have been debated much on this forum so I will find out in due course what it will be like to live here full time. Wish me luck.

The pipe in the picture is at the front of our land, There is a ditch which takes the run off from the fields. We had to put the pipe there when we put the drive ramp in.

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## Bettyboo

^Good stuff, BD; I know you must've put lots of thought into it; very much hope it comes together well for you.  :Smile: 




> Personally I can live quiet frugally and have always wanted my home in Thailand to be a traditional type of dwelling.


Here is where we differ, but I like your style.

Very interesting thread which I'll follow.

My place might parallel yours in build time (land raised a few months ago, starting the build in 2-3 weeks, hope to finish by February or March ishhhhhh), but will be a bit of a concrete atrocity with plenty of livable outside space; maybe similar cost? I've given FiL 700,000 baht and told him to get it done!

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## Bettyboo

> The pipe in the picture is at the front of our land, There is a ditch which takes the run off from the fields. We had to put the pipe there when we put the drive ramp in.


Thank you.

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## bankao dreamer

> Building a house is a process of integration. Having 3 separate independent structures could be problematic


Traditional compound homes where not really designed as a whole but rather extended and added to as more space was needed or the owner became more affluent. The slight missmash of design with some of them adds a quaintness that I find appealing. This is my get out clause if it doesn't look quite right, I will say it's meant to look like that.

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## Bettyboo

^ :Smile: 

Yes, to an extent. The initial structure should be core and functional, then additional functional structures added to suit. You've kinda got 3 structures then built the functional elements (bathroom, kitchen, lecce) around them... I'm looking forward to watching it come together perfectly, but I reckon these concerns should be highlighted early on.  :Smile: 

I agree that adding additional structures in a compound style is nice. I plan to do the same: sala, car port, a Daddy inside area (that's me, btw), a Daddy outside bbq, fishing area (that's also me...).

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## bankao dreamer

^^
Hope it all goes well mate I look forward to seeing it all come together.

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## misskit

Beautiful little house you have there. 

Just noticed your change of avatar. What have you done to your nice dog? He's looking a bit embarrassed.  :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

> Beautiful little house you have there. 
> 
> Just noticed your change of avatar. What have you done to your nice dog? He's looking a bit embarrassed.


It was his winter hat to keep his ears warm, actually no it was one of the wife's weird hats she put on him for a photo although he didn't seem to mind and he kept it on for ages then tried to eat it.
 :smiley laughing:

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## bankao dreamer

It has been a busy couple of weeks so here are a few photos.

16 posts old wood from reclaimed yard.


1st we made a slope to hopefully make it easier to get the lorries up where we want the house to go.



The house arrives.


1st attempt to get it on site failed so quick call to local builders yard, 10 m3 of stone please delivery date now.



We now have a road.



Positioning the house.







Next the gang arrive who will jack the house up,dig the post holes,lay foundations,connect wooden posts,raise it some more,set concrete posts and then connect it all together.













Next job stairs using old wood from reclaimed wood yard.

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## misskit

Sweet!

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## Necron99

Looks great. How did they get them off the trucks?

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## nigelandjan

Well done BD

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## bankao dreamer

> Looks great. How did they get them off the trucks?


They used tripods and block and tackle. You can just about see them doing this on one photo.

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## Koetjeka

Nice pictures!

Which company moved the houses for you? I'd like to know because I'm planning to raise my house by about a meter in a similar fashion.

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## rickschoppers

Great pictures BD and I look forward to your showing the finishing steps.

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## Roobarb

Yup, super job BD, it's got to be one of the quickest builds ever on TD.  Looks to have been pretty stress-free so far too.

The place looks great, more photos if you can please...

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## Bettyboo

Very interesting indeed - still interested in how the water, lecce, toilets, everything will integrate.

Great pics. Excellent job, OP.

Much higher than I thought it'd be; wouldn't wanna stand under it while they were moving it or for a few weeks after...  :Smile:

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## Marmite the Dog

Looks cool. How level are the floors? Can you have a game of marbles on them?

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## bankao dreamer

Thanks guys for your comments.
Unfortunately Marmite due to a terrible spatular based injury my marble playing days are sadly over so any irregularities with the floor dont matter. We are so impressed with the house we have ordered a Sala from the builders, this will be delivered about the 15th of this month.
This will be sited next to the main house and joined by a walk way.
Our local builder is at the moment erecting a concrete balcony on the back. This will be 2m wide and the length of the house. There will a toilet on the end and one underneath. This cant be seen from the front and we back onto rice fields so it wont spoil the aesthetics of the house, but will be practical.
Underneath the pad is being laid tomorrow, there will be a kitchen in the corner the internal walls will be folding doors so the kitchen will be open internally.
I will upload some more photos in the morning.
As for the stress levels they are surprisingly low, the house was built offsite and delivered on schedule. The cost was good we paid b450,000 for the house.
 A neighbours relative came for a look, she had one built which is of a similar design but much smaller with no detail on the deck and small floorboards. She paid B430,00 for hers from a roadside dealer, she was gutted when she saw ours and could not believe we only paid an extra B20,000 for a house nearly twice the size. Even Thais can get ripped off.
The house isnt perfect but we love it and cant wait to move in, It wont appeal to everyone but its our dream and I really do not mind living like a rural Thai. Each to there own when in Rome as the old saying goes.

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## Tassini

Very interesting thread! Looking forward to seeing the Sala, we recently bought a hexagonal Sala so interested to see yours, cost, size etc. Will also see how much I was shafted on the price of ours..........

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## bankao dreamer

A few pics of the stairs,ground work and one of concrete planks (a thread isnt complete without one showing concrete planks ). One of the workers eating will follow in due course.

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## charleyboy

Lovely house.

Great thread. Thanks for sharing.

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## bankao dreamer

A few pics to keep you going.
The concrete came for the pad under the house but the idiot driver went off our temp road straight into the bank of the pond. The lads dug it out then the idiot did it again. Fun and games into the night we ended up off loading into uncles pick up truck.







The concrete deck is coming along nicely, Planks are on and block work for downstairs toilet has been started.



Popped up to see the sala under construction.



The sala being positioned.





A few pics of the Sala, it will be lifted up on Monday. For the curious it cost B140,000 and it is 3.5m x 6.7m.

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## charleyboy

^ Fookin' beautiful!

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## Roobarb

Splendid looking place BD.  I'm really enjoying seeing it develop.

A question that comes to mind - how are you going to work out drainage/guttering from the valley between the facing sections of the two main roofs?  

It's potentially a great rain water collecting funnel, but with that tree nearby I'd guess you would need access to clear out leaves etc.  With the balcony now going on the back I'm intrigued as to how the rain run-off will be channeled...

.. or is this something that will be revealed to us in the fullness of time?

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## bankao dreamer

^^
The main section of the house came with guttering, we will have to install a similar system when the Sala is lifted into position. The tree might go not sure yet. We will install guttering on the back to ensure maximum water collection in the rainy season.

Thanks guys glad you like what we are doing.

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## bankao dreamer

The Sala ready to go skywards.



Going up.

I would just like to say this was a different gang than the one who raised the house.
I was happy originally with the first lot although some of their joints were not to my satisfaction. This lot cost more per post but there equipment,workmanship,attention to detail and pride in the finished job were well worth it and I would recommend anyone raising a house to use these guys. They are based in Korat but will travel anywhere. Any body requiring there contact details please PM me.

Now a few pics of the Sala in position and one of the block work at the back which will be the downstairs toilet and store room.









A photo from the road showing the country scene.



The block work is complete for the downstairs loo and store room they are rendering the inside at the moment so hopefully we will have a working toilet by the weekend.

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## Bettyboo

I'm liking this sala a lot; the house is coming along great - is it too late to redesign mine...  :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

^^^^
Never we changed our minds as soon as we started, keep flexible and go with the flow.

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## somtamslap

Fantastic looking place.

How far to your local shop?

Looks pretty isolated. Which is good.

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## Bettyboo

The best aspect is the steep steps - no way could the ageing MiL get up those!  :Smile:

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## somtamslap

> no way could the ageing MiL get up those!


 I'd still have the turrets manned, just in case.

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## bankao dreamer

Slap the shop is a 5 minute stagger away.

Betty the steps are not that steep when you see them for real but they are Mil proof. Also she hates the smell of woodstain and varnish so I have some in aerosol form. I just give the stairs a quick spray when she is approaching.

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## charleyboy

BD. Why did you go from wooden stilts to concrete?

Looks absolutely fantastic.

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## misskit

A real jewel of a house.

More pics, please!

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## bankao dreamer

Why concrete posts for the Sala ? 2 reasons the cost and movement. Because the wood posts were joined at the bottom and at the top there was a bit of a wobble. So we used concrete on the Sala because now it is joined to the main house by the walk way it has stiffened everything up.
After a coat of paint you really cant tell their concrete.
Here are a few photos showing the walk way and the posts.











The kitchen under the house.



One side of the fence going up.



Due to it being rice harvest time we have struggled to get any one to do the fence so it was down to the last resort. Me complete with Thai work gear.



I wanted my fence to be straight and inch perfect but working in 30+ degree heat I quickly came to the conclusion feck it thats close enough.

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## charleyboy

I'm liking the spirit houses, they're also in wood!
Looks great.

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## Roobarb

> I wanted my fence to be straight and inch perfect but working in 30+ degree heat I quickly came to the conclusion feck it thats close enough.


Strewth BD, looks and sounds like you've pretty quickly gone native...   :Smile: 

Great build by the way.  Thanks for all the updates.

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## terry57

Fantastic build, always amazes me what the members build out in the sticks.

Brilliant mate.

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## Koetjeka

Where's the "This is such an awesome build and I'm so jealous" button on this forum?

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## Marmite the Dog

Looks really good. When's the AC get installed?

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## bankao dreamer

^^^^
Air con is already installed.
Unit 1



Unit 2



Any breeze we get comes in either of these directions and keeps the house lovely and cool. I had a little siesta this afternoon in our bedroom it was 34 degrees outside but I was comfortable and didn't even have a fan on. With the house up high we get a slight breeze even on the calmest of days.

After all the pretty pictures now for all you practical people. These pics should show how we are combining a traditional style home but making it practical to live in.

The back and one side showing the kitchen, downstair toilet and store room and rear balcony with upstairs toilet. Not pretty but it doesn't spoil the views of the house from the front.





Downstairs loo and store room.





The kitchen





Rear balcony and upstairs loo



And finally a pretty one

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## nigelandjan

Looks great BD glad your not too hot in there mate.

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## terry57

I've just looked at you're shitter, you do not have a hot water System connected to the Shower.

Why not ?   Must be times you want warm water.

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## Bettyboo

^4.5kw shower units do the job nicely, cheap too (buy a Panaonic/National...).

I didn't realize you were gonna and brick and concrete so much in - kinda losing it's sparkle for me now. More functional though...  :Smile:

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## terry57

^

Yes, those instantaneous hot water system's are worth sweet fuk all.

Can not think of a reason why a falang would not have one ???

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## Bettyboo

^I'm not having hot water in my Thai house - the idea of a Thai planning it then getting the plumbing right is just too far fetched... I'll just buy a shower unit for about 5,000 baht.

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## bankao dreamer

I didn't realize you were gonna and brick and concrete so much in - kinda losing it's sparkle for me now. More functional though... 


We havn't blocked that much. The house is situated in the top right corner of the land to get the photos showing the block work I had to go into next doors field. The photos are deceiving we still have lots of usable space underneath the house and the view from the front and Sala side still show a traditional style house.
Three photos which hopefully will show what I mean.







There is no hot water on the downstairs shower, the water can be chilly in the morning but is warm in the evening. The downstairs bathroom is basically a toilet for people to use rather than them going upstairs to our nice one.
The upstairs bathroom will have a quality shower when its finished. I have already bought a rain shower to go in there.

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## Bettyboo

Yeah, those pictures show it better, thanks. Looks very nice too. &, It's clearly becoming functional too, very nice, all coming together. Very good thread...  :Smile: 

Plenty of space too.

Some great spots to site the machine gun.

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## bankao dreamer

Thanks Betty glad you like it.

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## nigelandjan

Thing is BD at the end of the day mate if you and yours are happy there who gives a toss.  

I know our build will make a lot turn up they're noses but we're happy and it's horses for courses

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## bankao dreamer

Thanks Nige I couldn't have put it any better

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## bankao dreamer

Been a bit busy lately but here are a few photos.
The block work has been rendered and the electricians have started the wiring.
The downstairs bathroom is complete apart from a coat of emulsion. The kitchen is nearly finished and the upstairs toilet is getting there. I will photograph these when complete.

The concrete pad being levelled after the cock up with the CPAC lorry.





Next the Sanlang coating going on, I went for this finish rather than tiles because of its excellent anti slip properties.



The roof is being extended over the rear balcony.

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## charleyboy

Absolutely fantastic.

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## toddmeister

Just found this thread.  Amazing house, well done!!

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## Bettyboo

> Absolutely fantastic.


Yes it is. 

I just don't have the vision that the OP had/has; wish I did. Great house.  :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

^^^^
Thanks Betty it was more luck than vision, we changed from the original idea ( as explained at the start of the thread ) as soon as we started and made it up as we went along. Fortunately it is turning out ok, I don't think we could have planned it any better a nice blend of traditional and practical.

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## Bower

Real interesting, great looking place.
The best of luck to you and family.

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## bankao dreamer

The reason I have been busy the last few days.

Our little project at the front of our land. The masked fencer (me) has planted these posts for our road side restaurant/bar/shop type thingy. Apart from traditional Thai fare the wife is interested in doing traditional Sunday roasts to order. She perfected the art during our time in Blighty so if anyone is interested let me know and directions will be forthcoming. More photos will follow as I progress.

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## BKKKevin

BD have been able to keep it under the nueng laan baht mark?...

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## nigelandjan

Will you have that up and running before March BKKD?   If so well stop by for dinner.

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## bankao dreamer

The cost taking buying and building up the land it should come out 1.4 mil ....

Nige we hope to have it up and running in 4 weeks but you welcome to come for dinner anyway . PM me your number if you like .

----------


## bankao dreamer

55 length's of Bamboo for the thingy roof 20 baht each.



And now back to the house the roof is now extended over the rear balcony.



The electricians are doing a sterling job very neat and tidy. Even better when you consider they dont want paying for there labour. They insist its a gift although I cant have them doing all this work for free so a payment will be forthcoming even if they dont want it.

We now have proper lights.






The rear balcony floor is going down now and they should be starting the railing around it tomorrow.

----------


## Bettyboo

That's the dog's bolloks that is BD! This is putting my house and effort to shame...

----------


## nigelandjan

Poor old Betty,  it's getting close to the 14th, ,, soon its time to come and join us in the bear pit mate,  I'm afraid it's nearly time to walk the walk    :Smile: 

That just looks fantastic BD will PM my number over to you mate,  I'd like to be one of your first customers in your new venture. 

I tend to eat normal things all though the wife prefers stuff that smells like it belongs in a soil pipe

All the very best well done hope your both very happy there

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thank you gents.
Nige we hope to offer some none smelly food also. Although I am getting partial to SomTam and sticky rice, in fact yesterday I was actually craving the stuff. I think my immersion into Issan culture and food is well under way.

----------


## Roobarb

It looks fantastic BD.  

Like with Nigel's it's another build I'd wish I'd seen the thread on before deciding to embark on my rather haphazard project.  Ah well, hindsight is 20/20 and all that - at least we have the same type of roof...  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Ours is haphazard also Roobarb. As I have stated before we intended to do something totally different. We ordered the main house and I wanted to create a mini compound style home using old rice barns for guest rooms, kitchen and toilets. Unfortunately the guy we had lined up to do the work when we first decided this is really busy and working away. When the house was delivered and being raised up the builders said they could build us the Sala. So we ordered that. Then we needed toilets and so forth, so we got the local village builder who was the only person available ( I know shock horror ). He couldn't do the rice barn thing so we decided on the layout now with a concrete rear balcony housing the upstairs loo and the down stairs loo and store room. The blocked in kitchen was decided last. One of his workers is good with wood so he built the stairs using old wood and did a decent job of them.

Some of Uncle Gans work is a bit wonky and we had a good moan at a couple of things he did. We then had a bonding session with a bottle of Hong THong and he apologised if some of his work wasn't to the standard we wanted as he was a little bit out of his depth ( There is a shock a Thai admitting that ) and we didn't have any plans really we just made it up as we went along. He said if something is wrong or we don't like it please don't get angry just tell him and he will do his best to put it right.

Any build over here can have us Farangs scratching our heads or crying into our beer I could pick faults all over the place but we love our little home so I don't care really. This is our dream home and its something I have wanted to do for years. I have watched with envy over some of the threads on here and to finally do it myself is worth all the hassle. When its all finished I know I will be a very happy chap and proud of our home faults included.

----------


## bankao dreamer

The balcony rail installed



Even though we have only just started the restaurant/bar the locals are gathering in anticipation

----------


## Bettyboo

Those rails look really nice. In fact the whole house looks great.

I really wasn't sure how this would end up, but it's right up there with some of the most interesting houses built on here. For the price, which I reckon is really great value, it's fantastic.

It seems to have the sense of a livable house and and a romantic holiday home all in one; unusual combination, and I'm exceedingly jealous...

----------


## rickschoppers

BD, everything is looking very nice. I am envious of all the wood. I will try to call shortly.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thank you all for your kind comments. The front wall has now been started and the electrics are nearing completion. More photos in a couple of days I am a bit busy at the moment, just having a ciggy break. As I have said previously we haven't had it all plane sailing the soil pipe for the upstairs loo wasn't quite in the correct location which meant the cistern was 3 inches away from the finished tile. Uncle Gan was all perplexed and in a panic but all was not lost. You see the masked fencer used to be a plumber many years ago so I have been digging up the bathroom floor and moving the pipe. I have just finished filling in the hole ( all underneath the pan thank god ). The stairs and new rail have a coat of stain and look good but rain the past couple of days has stopped that. Its sunny at the moment so they should carry  on with that tomorrow.

----------


## rickschoppers

I tried calling you today to say hello BD, but no answer. You must be keeping busy with the build.

----------


## nigelandjan

Any ideas about what colour you will paint your rendering BD?

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^
We looked at all different colour schemes but went for a light brown mixed by our local builders yard because the others were either to dark or to light. Although to be fair I am a little colour blind so pink would be good for me.

----------


## bankao dreamer

We had some rain a couple of days ago which stopped the staining and varnishing work so the builders cracked on with the front wall separating our bar thingy from the house.



At the end of another busy day we were all unwinding and having another Hong Thong bonding session. The builders left so we along with our electrician (who is still refusing to take any payment for his work),his brother and young Nai (who is carrying on with the fence after I couldnt be arsed anymore) carried on bonding. I unfortunately drank to much bonding fluid and was a little tired. When the wife told them about a suspicious car parked nearby the other night they looked at the state I was in and declared I was in no condition to defend myself or our property. So they went back home got a tent and pitched it at the bottom of our land and spent the night on guard duty.



Sometimes the locals amaze me the things they are willing to do for you if you take the time to blend in and respect their ways.

Anyway back to the build.
The front wall is coming along nicely. This is more decorative than a barrier but the front of the land will have a more military and functional barb wire fence and gate.



The downstairs loo nearly done, the window will be finished when it is no longer part of the scaffold.



Young Nai fencing after he spent a few days clearing and digging holes whilst being eaten alive by red ants. He was originally employed by Uncle Gan but with the work coming to an end they didn't need him, so we are using him to do all the jobs the heat and red ants stop me from doing (+ I cant be arsed ).



The upstairs loo after I spent a couple of days repositioning the soil pipe.



And for the eagle eyed I know the window is on the piss, it didn't show up until the tiler put his tiles on dead level.

----------


## nigelandjan

Tbh BD  I can't notice your window prob mate,  I know you was explained to me today about it,  looks fine to me mate.

I had the most wonderful hot shower in our new place tonight and despite our crap tiling it felt like heaven to me,  after 2 months of freezing cold water in a shed.

----------


## Bettyboo

> I had the most wonderful hot shower in our new place tonight


The simple pleasures of your own hot shower...  :Smile: 

BD, everything is coming along swimmingly - you'll be having your own hot shower soon!  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^
I had that wonderful pleasure 2 nights ago gents aaaaaaah

----------


## Bettyboo

^bathroom looks alright... These fairly basic bathrooms can still be nice. Got everything you need, look purdy, functional, what's not to like?

----------


## nigelandjan

Well the tile police are late on the scene here,  so I give you a clue Betts, ,,, left hand corner,  :Smile: 

get in there mate!

----------


## Bettyboo

^ nope. It's a functional Thai bathroom; we're not in Kansas now Dorothy...  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Busy as usual but quick update. The front wall is done, Staining nearly done and here is a photo of the colour on the rendered walls. The colour matches the front steps and blends in with the traditional feel.

----------


## nigelandjan

Blimey BD great minds think alike,  we got that same lovely warm orange in our bedroom and living area.

We also have the same colour dog, , well we do until very shortly as it killed someone's chickens last night,  cost the FIL 3000 bht,  now he has just come back with a rifle to teach the dog a lesson.

I had befriended that poor dog,  it even let me stroke it,  as it's had the shit beaten out of it in the Thai loving way.

Think I have to go away for a few days

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^
Thats not one of our dogs mate it belongs to one of the lads working for us. Ours are kept at the MiLs during the day because they wont work with my German Shepherd wandering around.

Go and have a break Nigel its good to get away from the stress once in a while. We told the workers not to come today and it felt wonderful this morning being on our own just relaxing.

Merry Christmas everyone.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Update time.
Well it was a long time coming but cut a long and boring story short it was time to feck off our builder. One to many corners cut and we had both had enough. The wife did some digging with his workers who grassed him up that he wouldn't let them do things properly (If there concept of properly is anything to go by). It was no do it my way its quicker type thing. The day he ignored us and kept on painting without waiting for it to dry before putting on another coat was the final straw. So I let him carry on until surprise surprise he informs us paint mut leow need to buy more.
So we sacked him and deducted the cost of more paint from his severance pay. Then by a clever act of diplomacy the next day we rehired his workers to finish off.
They are good workers who are doing a sterling job and freed from the pain in the arse of a boss a happy bunch now.

A few picks of the rear retaining wall.









I have been doing the final coats on the stairs and the walk way between the house and Sala pics of these when finished.

We are opposite the water tower for our village and are first off the water main,which gives us decent water pressure. But in there infinite wisdom they are now drawing water from the next village. So we are now last to get the dribble of silt enriched slime they call water. Staining suspended and off to builders yard. Forgotten plumbing skills dragged from the memory banks and Hey Presto pressure.



Finally one of the joys of living in a land of creepy crawlies.


More to come but its time to grab a brush again.
Happy New Year folks

----------


## bankao dreamer

A couple of photos I had forgotten to upload. They show the upstairs balcony looking towards the Sala and from the Sala looking towards the house.
These are for all you wood junkies.





One from the Sala.



One from the rear balcony looking down the walkway between the bedrooms.



Looking down one of the stairs.



As I said the varnish still has to go on but the wood junkies will hopefully like them.

----------


## rickschoppers

BD, the house looks very nice and should be a great place to hang your hat for a few years. Look forward to seeing it in person.

Great Job!!

----------


## Koetjeka

This house really looks f**king awesome, the woodwork is brilliant!
Do you have any photo's of the wall construction, since I'm planning to make the exact same walls @ my place.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^^
The front wall was made using pre formed posts then a concrete and rebar beam laid and in filled with standard concrete blocks.

The rear one under construction now is a bit more meaty. Hand formed with steel rebar for the columns. This one is a retaining wall I will take some more detailed photos tomorrow mate. I have been a bit busy with plumbing in the tank and pump as well as staining the stairs so I haven't had much chance to take photos.

----------


## Koetjeka

> ^^^^^
> The front wall was made using pre formed posts then a concrete and rebar beam laid and in filled with standard concrete blocks.
> 
> The rear one under construction now is a bit more meaty. Hand formed with steel rebar for the columns. This one is a retaining wall I will take some more detailed photos tomorrow mate. I have been a bit busy with plumbing in the tank and pump as well as staining the stairs so I haven't had much chance to take photos.


Sorry for the confusion, I meant the wooden walls on the 2nd floor! 
Thanks in advance.

----------


## bankao dreamer

The wooden bit of the house was made off site and delivered on the back of a couple of lorries. I think the wife has a couple of photos somewhere when she popped up to see it being built, when I get chance I will post them.

----------


## bankao dreamer

On a lighter note the abandoned puppies we found in next doors rice field are going from strength to strength. Our Looksow is very fond of them.

----------


## Koetjeka

> On a lighter note the abandoned puppies we found in next doors rice field are going from strength to strength. Our Looksow is very fond of them.


That's good to see, not many people care about the dogs here in Thailand. 4 months ago I picked up 2 abandoned puppies myself. 
Lovely girl too!





> The wooden bit of the house was made off site and delivered on the back of a couple of lorries. I think the wife has a couple of photos somewhere when she popped up to see it being built, when I get chance I will post them.


Thanks for the effort!

----------


## nigelandjan

Looking beautiful BD mate,  well done again

----------


## bankao dreamer

Progress on the wall so far, the first section brick work is young Nai's first attempt at brick laying and he exceeded the Thai stipulation of not leaving any zigzags. The recently sacked Uncle Gan would not have been very happy.



The recently rendered Spirit House base.



I have just finished giving it a coat of undercoat but it was that bright in the afternoon sun there was too much glare to get a decent photo. It will be painted the same colour as the wall and house as the road kicks up a lot of dust when cars go past.

Methinks a couple of speed bumps will appear one morning, should be interesting which vehicle cops it first. I hope its one Uncle who speeds past early every morning despite the Wife asking him politely not to do so.

----------


## Loombucket

Not sure how I missed this fine thread, but glad to get in before it was all over. The House looks wonderful. A sensible mix of traditional wood and just enough concrete. A great job, well done!

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^

Many Thanks Loom only one photo for today the rear wall taken from the field behind our house. It looks a bit high from here 10 blocks but we have 5 blocks our side behind the house hence the hight.

----------


## Bettyboo

The house does look very nice, unusual, the inside wood shots look classy. Ugly wall...  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^
Not finished yet Betty render and paint to go on. Plus you would have to go into the field to see that view.

----------


## Roobarb

I think your place looks tremendous BD.  It's probably along the lines of what I would have done had I had the imagination to see the end result before I'd embarked on my build.  

A kitchen and loads of open area underneath, a raised balcony/deck, a couple of bedrooms and a bathroom on each floor.  Yours is the embodiment of the concept I'd started out with.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^
Thanks Roobs and if I may say your place looks stunning too. We should all sell for a profit and do it all again.

----------


## Roobarb

^ There's an idea...!

----------


## ootai

> ^^^^
> Not finished yet Betty render and paint to go on. Plus you would have to go into the field to see that view.


 
BD lovely place. 

Just wondering if you plan to fill the house side of the wall so that it is level with the ground surrounding the house.  If you do, make sure you install good drainage or else you may not have to go into the field when the wall falls over. If the ground is build up on the house side it seems to me that it would be 1m higher (5 blocks) than the field and should that get saturated it will apply a substantial load to your wall.  Have a look at koman's thread at the beginning he spoke about making sure he had good drainage at his wall.

----------


## Bettyboo

> Not finished yet Betty render and paint to go on.


That is very true. Don't let Roobarb's team do any varnishing for you..  :Smile: 

Your wooden house looks great, like an upmarket resort coffeeshop/lounge area; gonna be lovely to read a book and have latte there.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Drainage is on the way and the section posts are in quite deep plus got some meaty anchors going in. The last section on the left is being joined by the wall going 90 degrees and one section replacing the wire fence down the side.

----------


## bankao dreamer

The above mentioned 90 degree section on the way.



The wall is also having a top beam for added strength.

----------


## Roobarb

You didn't happen to nick that pile of bricks from a seemingly abandoned building site in Nakhon Nayok did you?  I only ask as Betty's build seems to be going a bit slower than he'd initially anticipated.

Good on you if you did by the way...  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^^^

I absolutely deny categorically any pilfering from Betty's building site honest !!!!!

----------


## nigelandjan

Don't take any notice of Betty,  s comments about your wall mate,  his build looks like it's just gone deep into the smelly stuff and he's trying to console himself a bit.

And I'm trying my best not to larf  :Smile:

----------


## crepitas

> Thank you all for your kind comments. The front wall has now been started and the electrics are nearing completion. More photos in a couple of days I am a bit busy at the moment, just having a ciggy break. As I have said previously we haven't had it all plane sailing the soil pipe for the upstairs loo wasn't quite in the correct location which meant the cistern was 3 inches away from the finished tile. Uncle Gan was all perplexed and in a panic but all was not lost. You see the masked fencer used to be a plumber many years ago so I have been digging up the bathroom floor and moving the pipe. I have just finished filling in the hole ( all underneath the pan thank god ). The stairs and new rail have a coat of stain and look good but rain the past couple of days has stopped that. Its sunny at the moment so they should carry  on with that tomorrow.


Lovely house mate..amazing how houses _evolve_ eh? 
Had the same issue with our upstairs toilet even though I carefully marked the centre point... _before_ the wall was up! Also had to jack hammer through concrete floor and cut re bar..luckily the brown water pipe was long enough that could ease it over the required couple of inches. 

Keep those photos coming..love it!

----------


## kingwilly

> ^^^^^^
> 
> I absolutely deny categorically any pilfering from Betty's building site honest !!!!!


 :smiley laughing: 

Great looking place.

----------


## bankao dreamer

The wall at the end of today.



The first finished anchor.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Rendering started on the rear wall.



Only 2 photos sorry the internet is on a go slow.
It has been nice and peaceful today no workers I told them to have a day off.
So instead of feeling like a building site ( which it is ) it actually feels like home today nice and relaxing with a pleasant breeze. No locals bothering us either because Max in on guard duty instead of being at the creche ( MiLs ). All the dogs are lying around enjoying the scenery and occasionally barking at the odd passing buffalo.
I hope everyone is having a relaxing day where ever you are.

Max taking a break from barking at passing buffalo.

----------


## Wasp

I love this house bankao . I really do . And I don't know why Roobarb says he would have liked this house because his is a bit fabulous too .

A very small question as you have so many of those cement bricks there and you're clearly not getting on with our Greek Goddess columns business ...... please would you measure a brick and tell me the dimensions ?
It would help me with some planning I need to be doing .


Terrific home ...... and lovely pics of the girl and the abandoned dogs .


Wasp

......................

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^
Thank you for your positive comments as for the blocks 40cm x 18cm x 6cm
The pups we originally found 5 of them 3 girls and 2 boys the boys we gave to a good home because our Shepherd can be a bit funny with other male dogs. They are all doing well and are a great addition to our 2 dogs and cat we brought with us from England.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Work has nearly finished on the rear wall with only Bill ( I can't pronounce or spell his real name ) doing the finish render on the posts.

So it is time to start the ornamental pond ( come gutter ) under the Sala





We went over to the other side of the pond next to us on a vegetable borrowing mission. It's the first time I had viewed the house from this angle at a distance so I took a couple of photo's.

----------


## Bettyboo

^love a sala...  :Smile:  I'm hoping to have one too, so I'll watch this construction go up with interest. Beer/bbq/book reading sala is a must, isn't it?

----------


## snoother

Great house and brillant idea to stick the sala next to the house!

Just read the whole thread and didn't see what kind of measures you took against termites. I have some in my semi concrete/wooden house (a rental thankfully) and even after monthly visits by the pest control company, the fuckers always come back!

I read somewhere about a radical yet simple solution about spraying gazoline on the construction area first. Not sure if it is worth to irremediably pollute the soil and possibly groundwater, though.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^
This is underneath our Sala Betty its an ornamental pond with a sitting area, nice place to read a book and look at fish ( not goats unfortunately ). The actual Sala went up 2 months ago mate.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Snoother

We went around destroying the Termite nests with Chaindrite before we started building. The wood posts underneath the house are old old hard wood very Termite resistant. Where they are connected to the concrete foundation posts we have left a very slight gap and I spray Termite killer in there weekly. No sign of the blighters yet and I have a look around occasionally for any nests.

----------


## koman

Very interesting place there BD. You have taken on quite a novel approach to building a home and it's seems to be working out rather well.   

Now, will someone please tell me what a "sala" is.   I keep seeing references to it on different threads, but I can only make wild guesses as to what it is.   Coronation street slang is not understood anywhere west of Bermuda..... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Koman

A Sala is basically an open roofed area used for lounging around, eating or reading. They come in a assortment of shapes and sizes. They can sit at ground level or any height you want.

Ours before it was raised up in the air.



And up in the air with the pond block work done.

----------


## koman

> A Sala is basically an open roofed area used for lounging around, eating or reading


Thank you.  I suspected it was something like that....but not familiar with the name.
We live and learn...on the University of TD.....

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^^

Glad to be of help and I hope your dog drive is going well, I am awaiting another load of Turtles.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Before I update the ornamental pond/sitting area I have realised I have not posted any wiring photos. The electrician did a great job we decided on clipping the cable as the conduit wouldn't really go with the style of the house. He managed to get it really neat.





One of the finished rear wall.



Now back to to the pond thingy.





I haven't been able to do any more at the moment on the spirit house base. First the yard where they mix our paint had run out of a chemical to mix it. Second for 3 days now there is a lot of dirt digging and the trucks have been going past from morning until night with the resulting dust clouds stopping me from applying the top coats.

----------


## bankao dreamer

We were waiting for some more dirt to level off and tidy up the land but the owner of the land where the dirt was coming from wanted us to have 100 loads when we only wanted 40. So we went with the people who we used before. It had to come from a bit further so Baht 230 a truck.

----------


## bankao dreamer

One of 4 trees the owner of the land behind us is giving us.





The dirt levelled off with the top of an anchor just visible.



It is amazing how a bit of stone changes the way places look. This is between the rear of the house and the wall.

----------


## Bettyboo

^that's very nice of him.




> it actually feels like home today nice and relaxing with a pleasant breeze.


That's a beautiful thing, what all your hard work was about.  :Smile: 

I do like the sala and pool; what fish do you plan to put in? Which fish eat up all the mozzies? 

The back wall is, erm, coming along...  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^

Betty I am so relieved that our rear wall is starting to meet with your approval. 

As regards to fish, not sure yet but I will keep you informed.

It has gone up to 7 trees now so the Wife said to the land owner we have to pay you something, Oh 7 trees !!! errm 200 Baht will do  :Smile:  :Smile: 

Oh and thanks for the post I was beginning to feel lonely  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Tiling started on the pond.

----------


## Roobarb

Looking great BD, I love the idea of the ornamental pond under the sala.  

Of course, it would be ideal for breeding little turtles in if you were planning to do a bit more driveway paving.  An environmentally friendly solution if ever there was one...  :Smile: 

... and actually, if Betty ever comes to stay then perhaps his goats could also use it as a water trough?



They do look a little thirsty...

----------


## Bettyboo

> It has gone up to 7 trees now so the Wife said to the land owner we have to pay you something, Oh 7 trees !!! errm 200 Baht will do


Trees are good, I'd fit as many in your space as suits the area. Make sure you don't put a mango tree too close to anywhere you wanna sit; those protective little mango tree ants will eat you alive!

----------


## bankao dreamer

We have planted 2 Mango trees the other side of the pond Betty and I appreciate your concern with the Red Mango ants I have a slight scar on one hand where a Red soldier ant sprayed me with acid 7 months ago. Mozzies, snakes and most creatures don't bother me but I hate those red ants. At the start of this thread Max is lying under 2 trees that were here and they would have been good for shade but were alive with red ants so out came the chain saw. They would have been too close to the house and we didn't fancy the little blighters crawling around.

Roobarb great suggestion regarding our pond it would make an excellent goat trough and if Betty wanted to visit he wouldn't have to leave his goats at home.

The Turtle road concept is under way we have one in a bucket at the moment. It came with a load of dirt yesterday and is a bit bashed up by the digger. So it is currently convalescing. When the pond is ready it will be moved to the breading area (pond).

----------


## Bettyboo

> hate those red ants.


Thailand has amazing ants, all sorts of shapes and sizes - nearly all of them are nasty little so and sos; stingers, biters, cutters, acid sprayers... The first time I visited the wife's land, many moons ago, we (me, the missus, and the FiL) went for a walk around, it was hot, so I stopped under a tree to chat, they both stood in the sun, silly fools..., they had an interested look upon their faces which is unusual because they don't usually bother to engage  when I'm talking... I think you can guess the rest, took me a while to cotton on, and they both found it most amusing...  :Smile: 




> They would have been too close to the house and we didn't fancy the little blighters crawling around.


Excellent decision.




> if Betty wanted to visit he wouldn't have to leave his goats at home.


Goats are for the Middle East. Geese are for Thailand! Guard geese.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^
Geese now theres an idea I wonder if you could attach laser beams to there heads you would have the ultimate security system  :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

^don't laugh at geese, my friend! A mating pair will protect chickens, and the territory generally against snakes or anything else. Make a lot of noise to let you know something is up, they are brave and tough - geese are the way to go!

If any local kids stray onto your land trying to steal some apples:



They don't like Thaksin supporters either:



Decent set of sharp teeth on them too:

----------


## Koetjeka

> Originally Posted by bankao dreamer
> 
> It has gone up to 7 trees now so the Wife said to the land owner we have to pay you something, Oh 7 trees !!! errm 200 Baht will do
> 
> 
> Trees are good, I'd fit as many in your space as suits the area. Make sure you don't put a mango tree too close to anywhere you wanna sit; those protective little mango tree ants will eat you alive!


Are those the big orange-reddish ones that really stick to your skin?

----------


## Bettyboo

_Oecophylla smaragdina (common names include weaver ant, green ant, green tree ant, and orange gaster) is a species of arboreal ant found in Asia and Australia. They make nests in trees made of leaves stitched together using the silk produced by their larvae.
Weaver ants may be red or green._
Oecophylla smaragdina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



This ant link is quite interesting.

http://www.thaipulse.com/blog/thai-w...s-in-thailand/

----------


## Roobarb

> This ant link is quite interesting. 
> 
> http://www.thaipulse.com/blog/thai-w...s-in-thailand/


I enjoyed that, a very amusing read.  The guy writes really well. 

Good find Betty...

----------


## bankao dreamer

Trees lovely trees.
We popped down to our builders yard can we borrow your crane please to move a few trees ? seeing as its you ok but it will cost you 500 Baht, done

----------


## bankao dreamer

Now back to the shop/restaurant/bar

Don't do it Nai you have your whole life before you.



What do you need a raise for ? that looks high enough.

----------


## Roobarb

200 or so Baht a truck for soil, another 200 Baht for 7 trees, 500 Baht  for a crane truck for a few hours - I moved to the wrong part of  Thailand  :Sad: 

Love the tree-lined drive BD.  It'll look great when they've done whatever it's called when trees grow - branched out I guess.  

I get the distinct feeling you have plans for the garden, besides the turtle paving...?

Keep the pics coming.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thanks Roobarb 
We have had a few bargains recently. The trees were a gift from a family friend who only accepted the 200 Baht begrudgingly, my big surprise was the crane lorry. We asked a couple of people with said vehicles and they were unwilling to drive over rice fields. We popped into the builders yard where we bought a lot of materials from and we know they have such a vehicle, my wife asked them if they would be willing to let us hire it to move the trees. The Chinese lady owner said because its you yes we don't normally rent it out. I thought ooh here we go pang. She said how much do you want to pay ? My wife said 500 Baht thinking the owner would laugh but she said ok you can have it now and take 2 of my workers they are not busy at the moment.

All to often we hear or read about Falangs being ripped off so when we are on the receiving end of such generosity and helpfulness  I think we should all let everyone know.

Now as to the landscaping plans

We haven't got any we are making it up as we go along. We walked around the land saying would a tree look ok here ? erm yeah why not lets dig a hole here then. Go with the flow bend a little and you never know it may look good in the end

----------


## koman

> Now as to the landscaping plans 
> *We haven't got any we are making it up as we go* along


I believe in this single statement you have highlighted the secret to successful living in Thailand.... :rofl: 

If you try to go through life here with a detailed plan and set your expectations too high you are just setting yourself up for disappointments.  

I'm on the scrounge for free trees too.   The land we are on had some beautiful trees on it a few years ago, but the previous owners cut them all down for reasons that totally escape me.   They are now vandalizing another piece of land they own and have just had a big backhoe demolishing the place, including some lovely big trees.    Give a Thai a decent sized chainsaw, or better yet, a backhoe,  and they could wipe out the Amazon rain forest in a few weeks.   Canada won't allow them to migrate there because of the potential destruction of the Boreal forests...... :Smile: 

You seem to be doing rather well at your place.....free trees by Gad......I suppose next you will be having free fish for the pond.....free geese to guard the place.... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^Give a Thai a decent sized chainsaw, or better yet, a backhoe, and they could wipe out the Amazon rain forest in a few weeks. 

Days only or a week at most.

Now we needed some water pots and plant pots to go with the style of house. Looking around locally they were a little pricey but this morning a travelling lorry selling quality items came through the village.

11,000 Baht later




8 water pots and 11 plant pots

Progress on the shop thingy





Young Nai has given up on his attempt to jump and is now trying to saw his foot off.

Time to find free fish.

----------


## Roobarb

^ It's all beginning to make sense now BD:

*Cheap soil* - 'fell off the back of a lorry' (come on, try and deny it)
*Trees* - removed from the neighbour's field with the help of a family friend (to whom you slipped 200 Baht for his efforts)
*Earthenware pots* - 'off the back of another lorry guv, honest to god, travellers this time, shifty looking bunch, no idea where they went afterwards'...

I bet I was right all along about Betty having to build a smaller house because someone's nicked half his bricks.  Look, you've even nicked his house design for your restaurant...  :Smile: 



Joking apart, it's great progress you're making BD.  I'm really looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^

Bugger you've got me bang to rights you have guvner Ill come quietly and here is me finkin I could get away with it.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Tiling nearly done on the pond next the seating bit.

Still no free fish.

----------


## Roobarb

Splitlid better check his pool's still there...

Tell you what though BD, forget the fish:



Stick a little table in there to put the beers on.  It's ideal.

----------


## bankao dreamer

My Dear Roobarb we seem to have an uncanny gift for thinking alike. When the hot season kicks in I may evict the fish to the Thai pond in front of the house. In fact the more I look at it !!!!!! fish habitat ? hot falang with a cold one habitat ?  :Smile:  :Smile: 

Splitlids pool what a terrible thought !!!

----------


## Bettyboo

> fish habitat ? hot falang with a cold one habitat ?


You'll need a few fish to keep the mozzie population down, or just add loads of chlorine.



Does look vaguely familiar...  :Smile: 

Did you mention before it was going to be a little restaurant? Is it too early to put in an order of KaoPadMoo?

----------


## bankao dreamer

Betty
The fish may not be allowed in after Roobarbs suggestion, Chlorine ? will a cup full of rice whiskey do the same ?
KaoPadMoo as much as you can eat my friend.

----------


## Bettyboo

^very kind of you, Sir, very kind indeed. I do hope, in a while, not sure how long that while will be, to have a little road trip around Thailand and visit a couple of these lovely builds along the way.

It is a nice idea to have a pool under the sala. I see potential for some fun too:

----------


## bankao dreamer

I think I may need slightly bigger pipe !!!!

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I think I may need slightly bigger pipe !!!!


I am sorry to hear that.
If it will make you feel any better it's not the size of the pipe but the way you use it.

----------


## FatOne

Great thread BD, love the idea of using the portable houses! Hope to start a new construction thread of my own very soon.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^
Thank you and welcome to the Forum.

I look forward to following it Fatone, any idea what style of home you will be building ?

----------


## Bettyboo

:rofl: 

You're moving in the right direction, BD, and your basic plan is sound...

----------


## grasshopper

Where did you buy those pots for that price, BD? My g/f from in beween Surin & Buri Ram wants to buy a few fish type pot thingies for her Mama's home so Jnr No 2 can have fish to play with.

Hopefully you are somewhere in the area. We were thinking 1 K bht for one itty bitty wide mouth fish pot. That price for those numbers sound like the duck's guts.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^

We bought them from people from Ratchaburi driving a lorry full of them ( honest Roobarb ). They came through our village a couple of days ago. The wife said they are top quality and made from the correct type of clay. The FiL has one similar thats 50 years old so they last well.

We are half way between Korat and Khon Kaen but I don't know where they could be now. I will PM the phone number they left so you could get them that way.

----------


## bankao dreamer

The Thingy

Roof frame done and thatching started. 13 Baht a piece.





The pond/man pool is complete more photos when the tiling is complete on the seating bit.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Sod the fish

----------


## bankao dreamer

Sod the fish

There has been much debate of late between myself and my Wife as to the pond/man pool.

I blame Roobarb and Betty for putting such terrible ideas into my head, fortunately all the (male) people who have seen said pond/man pool wholeheartedly agree with me.

----------


## Bettyboo

^^ lovely piece of art there.  :Smile: 

I'm thinking of building a similar wooden/thatched structure as a cheap and easy car port; see, BD - you're inspirational.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^

Wonderful news our carport will closely resemble the shop thingy

----------


## koman

> I'm thinking of building a similar wooden/thatched structure as a cheap and easy car port


A car port is supposed to protect the car.  If it blows away in the night or collapses on the car it can be very annoying...especially if you have only purchased the compulsory government insurance thing.....which is quite likely if one is too cheap to build  a proper car port..... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> A car port is supposed to protect the car.


From the sun, I don't want the nice metalic paint going funny. The car is waterproof and stuff, it'll look after itself - it doesn't actually need a car port for protection.




> you have only purchased the compulsory government insurance thing.....


1st class insurance. It saves me money every year.

----------


## bankao dreamer

My apologies Koman but I have to go with Betty on this one we have class 1 insurance the car cost nearly as much as the house, but aesthetically (thats my excuse only) a thatched carport is a beautiful thing.

----------


## Sailing into trouble

Bloody wonderful BD. Seems like your crazy plan is working better than many thought. It is incredible to see a dream come into reality. Also again thanks for going to the trouble of braving the TD photo steam engine technology. :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

> Sod the fish


BD, you just need to light some candles next to the beers and you could declare the site your own personal place of worship.

Nobody will then question the rationale behind it...  :Smile:

----------


## BKKKevin

> Sod the fish


Proper farrang spirit house...  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thank you Gents for your kind encouragement.

Sod the Fish Newsflash

My Wife has just taken the stereo out of the kitchen and placed it by the manpool. Then sat in my place of worship ( thanks Roob ) and declared how cool it feels. Wait until its full of water and the hight of summer my beloved.

----------


## bankao dreamer

After looking at Betty's extensive tile photo collection I began to feel inadequate. So here is one photo of the tiles going down now on the seating area next to Wat BD.
Hopefully this will restore my self esteem.

----------


## Roobarb

> Wat BD


 :Smile: 

A bit of poolside tiling, a few sun loungers, life's looking good BD.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^

The poolside tiling is nearly complete he is just laying the last few tiles.
Sun loungers, well as soon as he grouts I will place this on the haloed ground that is Wat BD.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thatching nearly done.
I think our workers are actually enjoying building our thingy. It is something they are good at, and they are also released from the pressure they feel at times building a Falangs house.



However about 10 minutes ago young Nai attempted another going to end it all type thing, he fell off the roof but fortunately his safety flip flops broke his fall.

I told him if he is going to do it successfully can he please wait until he is owed a full weeks wages and not one day.

----------


## FatOne

> ^^^^
> Thank you and welcome to the Forum.
> 
> I look forward to following it Fatone, any idea what style of home you will be building ?


Yes, my wife has designed a 3 room with ensuite block home, when I have enough posts up I will try and post the plans. Using many ideas gleaned from TD forums I have insisted on Q con blocks, good post foundations, earthed electricals etc. My darling is in the village (Namjan, near Seka- Bung Khan province )now and has organized the builder and they should be starting today. If I can work it out I'll start a thread when I have 10 posts as I gather that is the limit b4 you can post pictures.

----------


## rickschoppers

> Thatching nearly done.
> I think our workers are actually enjoying building our thingy. It is something they are good at, and they are also released from the pressure they feel at times building a Falangs house.
> 
> 
> 
> However about 10 minutes ago young Nai attempted another going to end it all type thing, he fell off the roof but fortunately his safety flip flops broke his fall.
> 
> I told him if he is going to do it successfully can he please wait until he is owed a full weeks wages and not one day.


BD, your carport looks exactly like my BILs and it is fully functional. Do carry on. :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

^

 :smiley laughing: 




> After looking at Betty's extensive tile photo collection I began to feel inadequate. So here is one photo of the tiles going down now on the seating area next to Wat BD.
> Hopefully this will restore my self esteem.


Very nice those are. This manpool is gonna be a bit special although I'm worried that once your missus and MiL try it out, there may be no space for you!

The shop is coming along well too; it seemed like just the other day you were looking at those prebuilt wooden houses, all seemed a bit dodgy, and look where you've ended up... Gotta be happy with that.  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Rick
Thats our shop type thing but the carport will be similar only smaller.

Thanks Betty but we have had a bit of a setback although one of our own choosing really.

As I mentioned a few pages back we didn't tile the space under the house and went for Sanlang pebbly finish. It didn't turn out as expected but we would have lived with it. However since Wat BD and seating area has come into the picture errr the sanlang looks mai dee.

So feck it out with the hammers to remove it and then we will tile it using the same ones next to the pond.



Now the good news the shop roof is finished apart from the ridge and side Issan bits.

----------


## katie23

Very nice, BD.  :Smile:  I enjoyed going through the thread.  Had a good laugh about the manpool and the pipe, and about one's ability in using the pipe.  :Very Happy: 

Are girls occasionally allowed in your manpool? I'll even bring my own beer - light, of course.   :Razz:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> ^^^^


FYI: Each ^ refers to the post above, so ^^^^ refers to 4 posts above. It was very confusing at first...

----------


## Bettyboo

^^^^^^

Please explain again, Marmite.

BD, The tiles will look nice in that area - worth doing.

You may want to reconsider the shop. I recon you could get about 15 cars in there, at 60 baht each per day, that's a nice little income...

----------


## Roobarb

^^ ... ? ^^^ ... %^*&%??? 

F*#kit...




> ^^^^^^
> 
> Please explain again, Marmite.
> 
> BD, The tiles will look nice in that area - worth doing.
> 
> You may want to reconsider the shop. I recon you could get about 15 cars in there, at 60 baht each per day, that's a nice little income...


Betty seems to be collecting cars at the moment BD, you might want to consider the 60 Baht/day as an opening offer?

----------


## bankao dreamer

I had no idea about ^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ so I apologise for my ignorance Marmite.

Betty to accommodate your collection I will discount it 50 Baht a day for you.

 Are Woman allowed ? Mmm They would have to dress modestly of course, after all it is a place of worship. Im glad my pipe made you chuckle although I was rather dismayed when my Wife informed me it was too small !!!! As for bringing your own beer !!! perish the thought, I would be a terrible host to expect such a thing. Merely advise me to your preferred beverage and I will accommodate.

I noticed Betty thinks there may not be much room for myself if the Wife and MiL are in there. Gentlemen I have a rather disturbing snippet of information for you.

My Wife was adopted when very young and she is on very good terms with her biological mother, who also resides in our village. So please spare a thought when others are describing there whoas regarding the MiL for as you see I have 2 of them. They alternate in there visits but on some occasions I am blessed with both of them. My Wife said I should feel proud that I have 2 MiLs who get along and like you !!!!!!!!!!! ecstatic my Dear ecstatic I replied. 

A slight plagiarism on the great Franky Howard Whoa,Whoa and twice Whoa.

----------


## Roobarb

> Roobard are Woman aloud ?


I reckon so.  These are after all enlightened times we now live in BD.




> Mmm They would have to dress modestly of course, after all it is a place of worship.


Absolutely right, especially given your recent revelation that you have a pair of MILs.

2 MILs.  Oh to be so blessed BD.  I can see why you feel the need to set up a shrine...

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> I had no idea about ^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ so I apologise for my ignorance Marmite.


Sheeeet! I had to go back to the previous page for that one!  :Sad:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
See I got it right

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## Bettyboo

> MiL for as you see I have 2 of them.

----------


## bankao dreamer

You know the banter flying around on a few building threads here is a great thing. Not to take anything away from previous posters but a lot of it was just photos of walls and stuff. All very interesting and methodical but humour is a wonderful thing.

I mentioned that we are taking up the pebbly finish under the main part of the house. Well we then realised the useless builder had put the finishing coat of cement way way to thick for us to tile. So now we are digging that up. When I thought we are nearly finished !!!!! But reading through the threads made me laugh and hey oh carry on. Thanks lads for your humour and piss taking I wouldn't want it any other way

----------


## patsycat

You could put some of those nibbling feet fish in your pool, and open a spa.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
I don't think the location would attract many customers, around here they would be more likely to nibble the fish.  :Smile:

----------


## gusG

> You could put some of those nibbling feet fish in your pool, and open a spa.


Great idea if all you want to do is put your feet in there, but what about if you want to sit down in the pool to cool off??

Could be nasty.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^

A worrying thought but Betty suggested using chlorine to sort out mossies. I in an eco warrior sort of way couldn't condone using such a substance. It wouldn't be good for the fish. I am considering a daily libation of Lao Khao, it is an environmentally friendly liquid and the fish would be in such a stupor that attacks on any exposed genitalia would be minimised.

----------


## patsycat

> Originally Posted by patsycat
> 
> 
> You could put some of those nibbling feet fish in your pool, and open a spa.
> 
> 
> Great idea if all you want to do is put your feet in there, but what about if you want to sit down in the pool to cool off??
> 
> Could be nasty.


They only nibble dead skin!?

----------


## nigelandjan

Hi BD nice to see progress with your shop area coming on. 

Sorry we didn't make it on the way through Korat,  after an early morning rendezvous with Somtum , I got some really shit news at the next port of call,  after that I just went home and shut the door.

 I've been told were on our way back down soon,  so will give you a shout later.

  Keep up the good work

----------


## bankao dreamer

^ No problem Nigel

Now we have just about finished digging up the floor and I have just got back from the tile place so hopefully the tiling will start tomorrow.

It has been interesting and funny reading about Betty's ( FiL's ) pick up truck, so I thought I would show you what I got the FiL.





Yes I know its pink but he thinks it very auspicious and it goes with his pink wooly hat. 2500 Baht I think I got off luckier than Betty

----------


## Bettyboo

^gotta say, I like that. Have you noticed how phallic the seat looks? Was this a significant part of the buying opposition?

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
The phallic seat did indeed play a significant part in choosing this particular bicycle. The FiL is in his 80s and when riding it, he is reminded of his long gone youth. In fact the seat is angled upwards from the front and I did suggest altering it to a more horizontal position but he was having none of it. I like it up he said.

----------


## Roobarb

> I like it up he said.




Up? up what?  What do you mean?  He does likes it up 'em?

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Don't panic don't panic he was merely referring to his preferred seating position.

----------


## katie23

> Are Woman allowed ? Mmm They would have to dress modestly of course, after all it is a place of worship. Im glad my pipe made you chuckle although I was rather dismayed when my Wife informed me it was too small !!!! As for bringing your own beer !!! perish the thought, I would be a terrible host to expect such a thing. Merely advise me to your preferred beverage and I will accommodate.


Thank you for allowing women, BD (and roobarb for agreeing in these enlightened times). With all due respect, I will wear a shirt which has sleeves (shoulders covered), and trousers covering the knees (not shorts). I will be in proper attire for a visit to Wat BD.  :Very Happy:   Re: beverage, a diet Chang or Singha will do.   :Wink:  Congratulations on having two MiL.  :Very Happy:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^

I am happy with your self imposed dress code and choice of beverage, however congratulations on having 2 MiLs ? unless that means ?!?! oh sorry I cannot see any possible advantage  :Smile:  :Smile: 

Now terrible news

My dead turtle driveway scheme is not going well.
Firstly the supply of already dead ones was dwindling fast so I tried breeding my own. Unfortunately I couldn't bring it on my self to despatch the live ones to an eternity as hardcore. The downside to this is they wont stay in there allotted positions, this one is meant to be by the gate but I found this one 20meters away from its designated position. 20meters !!! what am I to do.

----------


## patsycat

Put it in the spa.

----------


## Roobarb

> The downside to this is they wont stay in there allotted positions, this one is meant to be by the gate but I found this one 20meters away from its designated position. 20meters !!! what am I to do.


BD, I think you have an enormous problem here.  Count your turtles carefully because if any are missing then, well, it may be too late:

**********

_Young Timmy Turtle managed to escape the clutches of the evil Bankao Dreamer.  He was determined to expose the full horrors of what was being planned for all turtlekind:
_


_He sped down to Bangkok and there, after many days of searching, he found the team he was looking for:
_


_Appalled at what this could mean if the despotic Bankao Dreamer wasn't stopped, the turtles prepared themselves for action:_



_... knowing that they had no time to waste they rushed up to Isaan, preparing themselves to for battle with the arch villain:



Disguised behind a small streetside restaurant, they eventually uncovered the headquarters of the Bankao Dreamer empire:





_

**********

Just keep a close eye on your turtles BD, if you see any like the ones below then tread carefully (especially if they form a part of your drive):

----------


## koman

Sorry to hear of your driveway paving difficulties BD.  I had a feeling the turtle approach might give you a few problems.     If you're stuck, maybe I can let you have a score or two of dogs.    We seem to have an abundant supply around here....and they don't move around nearly as much as those turtles you are using... :Smile: .

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thanks Koman a lorry load should do I shall send the village tuktuk lorry it should reach you about 5pm 2016.

Roob priceless absolutely priceless I can hardly type for laughing.

----------


## FatOne

Roob, absolutely Brilliant! Love the babies. Make you feel sorry for the turtles. Love the pool idea, maybe make it a bit deeper???

----------


## bankao dreamer

Tiling underneath the house is going well and should be done in a couple days, I will photo this when complete.

The recently poured CPAC on the Thingy.



Another build only slightly smaller.

Max's Issan kennel



Roobarb will be pleased to hear the turtles have been released from there driveway duties and now reside in our big pond. They seem happier with this arrangement.

----------


## Roobarb

> Roobarb will be pleased to hear the turtles have been released from there driveway duties and now reside in our big pond. They seem happier with this arrangement.


Sensible man BD, you can't be too careful...  :Smile:

----------


## ossierob

A fantastic thread....I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it....goodonya

----------


## Bettyboo

You utter bastard, BD - all of you are at it!!!

This kennel is nicer, and slightly larger, than my main bedroom; if my missus hears about this she's gonna go ballistic... 



& it's got a fukin en suite pool, for the kennel!!!
(oh how the other half live.  :Smile: )

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
 :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing: 

More photos tomorrow people.

----------


## bankao dreamer

You wait weeks for a passing pick up doing guttering and then 3 turn up.



The guttering being assembled ( sneak view of the tiles a bonus )



Kitchen underway for the restaurant.

----------


## Bettyboo

That restaurant will be completed in no time.




> guttering


You posh git...

----------


## bankao dreamer

> You posh git...


One does try what what what  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Disaster oh disaster
Just when sod the fish was gaining ground some numpty started a thread because they want to change there unused swimming pool into a fish pond. The Wife read this with interest. But to make matters worse it got a reply advising bottom feeders, top feeders, algae eaters, fountains with bloody filters, habitats for fish and using bloody rocks !! rocks for gods sake !!! how am I supposed to contemplate life the universe and such like in Wat BD with the above mentioned abominations.

----------


## koman

> Disaster oh disaster
> Just when sod the fish was gaining ground some numpty started a thread because they want to change there unused swimming pool into a fish pond. The Wife read this with interest. But to make matters worse it got a reply advising bottom feeders, top feeders, algae eaters, fountains with bloody filters, habitats for fish and using bloody rocks !! rocks for gods sake !!! how am I supposed to contemplate life the universe and such like in Wat BD with the above mentioned abominations.


Dear me BD, this is serious indeed.  You must adapt to changing circumstances no matter what.   This swimming pool conversion that has crashed in on your life must have been done by an American....they have a tendency to overkill you know....with algae eaters and rocks in this case... :Confused: ....and with sheer firepower when it comes to minor international disputes......Tomahawk missiles when a 12ga shotgun would do.. :Confused: .   

I would try to negotiate a bit....maybe suggest a few rocks...smallish ones, just as an opening position, but hold the line on top feeders and fountains.   Once the ground is well established you could quietly lose the rocks over time.    There are always ways.... but in this case stealth seems the way to go..... :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

^ By and large I'm with Koman on this.  

Speaking for myself BD, I'd be far more relaxed using the pool in the knowledge that I'd also excluded bottom feeders from there.  

I do understand that its a lifestyle choice though, so each to their own in this regard.

----------


## Bettyboo

BD, ignore Roobarb and Kooman, they are too PC.

1) Don't let your wife read anything that may conflict with your commandments.

2) Discourage your wife from reading, she may forget completely over time, and that's a positive thing.

3) Assert yeeself! It's a manpool!!!

4) Inform her, if she wants to read at all, then she can research outdoor beer fridges and the like.

5) If need be, smack her bottom.

Repeat 5 every few days.

----------


## Roobarb

^ ... and if she wants to paint it pink then absolutely insist that she let you choose the shade - unless of course she doesn't like your choice in which case..........

----------


## koman

^
Typical armchair warrior, talking from the safety of the male dominated 
 Emirate thousands of kms away.... 

....the same warrior who recently funded an aging pickup truck purchase without even knowing about it until his wife closed the deal .... :rofl: 

Stick to that  A, E. C chord change.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

BD, ignore the PC crowd. The modern man is a strong man, compassionate but firm, with a manpool.

I happen to like pink, buying Izuzus for Thai relatives, and playing the guitar. The fact that I've trained my wife to know exactly what I like and stick to it was a tough process, but has proven very worthwhile.

I'm not going to mention Frankenkitchen or termites.

BD, your wife will be very busy with the lovely new restaurant and car park facility, so she won't have time to worry about the manpool - refocus her efforts upon oven design and restaurant tables...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> I'm not going to mention Frankenkitchen


Well,  that's a first....... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

......
( )

----------


## bankao dreamer

Gentlemen thank you for your varied opinions and advice. Betty hoping she will forget how to read English is a no hoper. I have mentioned before the Wife is fluent in English ( she has been an interpreter ) in fact she corrects my spelling all the time. However I think we have reached a compromise. Previous pics of the pond/manpool show it to be rectangular in shape. Here is a photo of the recently completed extension. Regardless of what goes in the main bit this section has been allotted official Wat BD status.

----------


## Wasp

Bankao ......

I'm majorly surprised because I thought I had read your Thread  ... and I haven't !
I know your house - it's in the Gallery - we've spoken to each other - I don't know what happened - so I started today and it's really interesting .
  I love the simple opening  " We bought 3000 m2 of land " . Blimey . It's like the start of Out of Africa.

Anyway ... I'm only a few pages into the story and you've just raised the home on the columns and I need to ask about that .

On my thread I was never there when they were putting in columns . So I've read other people .
For example koman driving 7 metre concrete posts into the ground first . Needed for the weight of Franky.

On yours you kind of skipped that part but I'm needing to order some posts ( 15 of them ) to be constructed so I want to know what you guys did there .

I can see the concrete posts in the holes but what preceded that ? Please ?

I know I'm late to this particular party but I'd appreciate knowing and I know I'm going to enjoy the story..

Thanks .           Wasp

...............

----------


## bankao dreamer

> I can see the concrete posts in the holes but what preceded that ? Please ?


Underneath the concrete base posts all we have is a rebar crisscross but then all the base posts were linked together with a rebar and concrete ground beam. Happy that you are reading the thread Wasp please feel free to ask questions.

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
> I can see the concrete posts in the holes but what preceded that ? Please ?
> 
> 
> Underneath the concrete base posts all we have is a rebar crisscross but then all the base posts were linked together with a rebar and concrete ground beam. Happy that you are reading the thread Wasp please feel free to ask questions.


I thought you'd tell me off for not reading your Thread yet !  I don't understand why I haven't read this .

Anyway .... I can't picture what a " rebar crisscross " is .

I assume it's a block of cement - a " plug " - with rebar going through it  ? And if it is then how deep is the plug ?

I know there are plenty of other builds showing this but I can never get a firm understanding . Clearly koman went for an extremely strong base . 
Driven poles and then plugs on top of those . But with Franky he needed to . Then with other guys it looks like they've dug down maybe 2 metres and filled up one metre with cement and bar .
But it looks like they didn't always go down to a rock base .

Have I got that right ?  Have you any photos ' in the hole ' ?

I'm asking all this because I have no faith at all in the builders that Missy used .
She only employed them because they are her cousins !


W

----------


## bankao dreamer

Sorry Wasp I haven't got any photos showing a hole. Our house being wood, not that big and sitting on 16 posts which spreads the weight didn't require the extensive ground work you see on some other builds. In the bottom of the holes we placed rebar then the concrete bases then poured concrete up to the top of the hole.

----------


## koman

> Our house being wood


.....Wood has one great quality that other building materials do not have and that is the ability to flex and adjust.  Wooden houses (even quite large ones, can be jacked up and moved on a platform to be re-located)     Wood houses, if constructed properly,  will withstand a pretty sever earthquake without suffering any great amount of structural damage. 

  In my old stomping ground on the West coast of Canada virtually all houses are build of wood....which is plentiful being as the place is mostly covered in forests;  and so it's much cheaper than here.    My last house there had 2 x 10 Douglas fir framing which is almost unheard of these days, but it had been built by an old logging contractor (Russian)   Nothing would knock that bugger down.

The main concern with wood of course is fire....and the cost of insuring wood frame houses can often be double that for masonary structures.  (depending on the quality of fire protection) 

 Wood does have a tendency to burn very well;  especially when it is old and well seasoned, and the very nature of a wood house is that it is an almost perfect combustion chamber... so get your smoke detectors installed...and buy a few good extinguishers  .... :mid:    Even with good fire protection and quick response times we would see constructive total losses with old wood houses on a fairly regular basis.




This happened just last week in New Westminster, BC   A wood frame apartment building.      A multi million dollar total loss with 5 fire departments within range.  If this building had been concrete and steel they might have lost 2 or 3 units instead of 37.


Here endeth the first lesson on fire loss adjustment..... :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

> ... or termites


Oi, Betty. In your own thread, and probably within 30 minutes of posting this, you said about your own place, and I quote "If I do live there then I'll likely knock the bloody walls".  I think a couple of termites in BD's or my wooden places will have nothing on a Betty scorned.

BTW Koman - I've not got me specs on but it looks to be a nice sunset in the picture above.

----------


## koman

> BTW Koman - I've not got me specs on but it looks to be a nice sunset in the picture above.


 :Smile: ....well, it certainly lit the place up for a few hours...and unlike sunsets,  caused a bit of traffic chaos, according to the local press.

----------


## Roobarb

> Here is a photo of the recently completed extension. Regardless of what goes in the main bit this section has been allotted official Wat BD status.


The extension looks like the corner nearest to the fridge BD, and building it has brought you a metre or so closer to the source of cold beer?  

It would be a masterstroke in negotiation if that is the case.

----------


## Bettyboo

This is nice, the wife has given you a little corner, we see who wears the trousers there...  :Smile:  From your little corner, you can look over at the wife's aquarium, or you could have if one of the two MiLs weren't sitting in your seat drinking your beer...  :Smile: 

Having said that, I am confident that, unlike Franekitchen, the Manpool will turn out very well.

----------


## Bettyboo

> Oi, Betty.


Sorry, that was a cheap shot, and all things considered - not wise.  :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> Sorry Wasp I haven't got any photos showing a hole. Our house being wood, not that big and sitting on 16 posts which spreads the weight didn't require the extensive ground work you see on some other builds. In the bottom of the holes we placed rebar then the concrete bases then poured concrete up to the top of the hole.


How deep were the holes ?

----------


## bankao dreamer

Yes I wear the trousers in this household although they are rather short I might add. With regards to wood construction I have fire extinguishers positioned accordingly, in the kitchen and the upstairs toilet especially if I have eaten Somtan. My refuge is not much closer to the fridge unfortunately but I have embarked on cunning scheme. A couple of the recent emancipated turtles frequently try to escape the sanctuary that they have been placed. So I am trying to capitalise on their movement qualities and are training them to fetch beer from the fridge to Wat BD.

----------


## bankao dreamer

> How deep were the holes ?


About 0.7m the ground where the house sits is quite solid.

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
> How deep were the holes ?
> 
> 
> About 0.7m the ground where the house sits is quite solid.


............ and ( this will seem strange ) what actually IS a sala ?
You've just raised your sala and I'm always reading about salas but I don't know what it is .

The dictionary says it's a Waiting Room ?????

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Please refer to page 7 of my thread Koman asked the very same question.

----------


## charleyboy

Sala...Sitting and lounging area!

Very apt if I say so.

----------


## Roobarb

> My refuge is not much closer to the fridge unfortunately but I have embarked on cunning scheme. A couple of the recent emancipated turtles frequently try to escape the sanctuary that they have been placed. So I am trying to capitalise on their movement qualities and are training them to fetch beer from the fridge to Wat BD.


Well, it might not be entirely correct to say that your idea's got legs BD, but nonetheless I reckon you might be on to something:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
 :rofl:  :rofl:

----------


## bankao dreamer

A few pics of the finished tiling underneath the house.











I have more pics but the internet connection is a bit slow tonight and I am falling asleep waiting for them to load

----------


## Bettyboo

Very nice - great living space that is.

----------


## Wasp

Well Bankao it's all looking very very nice .

I've said on another Thread that I wasn't sure with the idea of the teak Thai houses .

Then I saw them raised with the sala and I loved it .

And then you did all that extra stuff with the cement blocks .... and I loathed it - which is quite a swing .

And then you painted the additions with that Burnt Sienna colour paint .... and I love it all again .

But in those shots of the walkways upstairs with all the highly polished dark wood  it doesn't look like it's Thai at all .

It looks Japanese .  It's great BD .


Wasp
..

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thank you Betty and Wasp we went for the dark stain because thats the colour houses where painted around here long ago. Every one who sees it say we haven't seen a house that colour for years.

Now as Wasp asked previously if we had any pics of what went in my holes. I am sorry I neglected my holes but to try and make up for it here is someone else's holes.
The Sala being built for the Wat across the road from us.





Update on the restaurant thing showing the kitchen, notice we have gone for the Vietnamese prison look, a style that has been neglected of late.





Our tiler has finished now and he enjoyed working for us so much he didn't want to leave. We also needed a fountain in our pond. So we came to an agreement benefiting all  of us.
Grandad Porn is now our fountain although he point blank refused to be spray painted gold, you can't have everything I suppose.

----------


## koman

If you don't mind a bit of objective criticism BD, I think you may have erred by pouring a concrete floor for your restaurant.   If you are looking for authenticity you need to rip that out.   Dog urine can not soak into concrete,  and chickens can't scratch in it properly.

   In most of the really authentic restaurants I frequented around here, they used dogs for cleaning off the tables, and the chickens to keep the floor free of food scraps and crawling things.   

Not having these low cost solutions may drive up overhead and make the place less profitable. When I was in business I was always on the lookout for economies in order to remain competitive.  It is a mostly capitalist and very free enterprise society here after all... and competition in the restaurant business is pretty fierce... :Smile: 

Otherwise, an excellent effort. That Vietnamese holding tank look will be a  big hit I'm sure... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
I did consider the dog/chicken cleaning system. The local restaurants around here use that method. I thought it might make a nice change for poeple to eat without animals running around. I will try the human with cloth and brush method first, but if it is not cost effective then I will spread some dirt on the concrete and get some chickens. Im ok for dog cleaners as we have 7 muts who waste most of the day sleeping.

A couple of pics of our new guttering. The down pipes are made on site out of sheet metal. Unfortunately I didn't get a pic of them hand forming them as we had to pop out somewhere.

This one is on the front which will empty into our posh pots.



This one on the back will connect to our big storage pots we got the other day. ( Roobarb will be dismayed these also came of the back of a travelling lorry)

----------


## Roobarb

> Grandad Porn is now our fountain although he point blank refused to be spray painted gold


I had to re-read this sentence once or twice...  :Smile: 




> Roobarb will be dismayed these also came of the back of a travelling lorry


'Ello 'ello 'ello.

Wot all this then?



- Hidden 'round the back of the house eh?

- Signs of a hasty paint job?

I think you'd best be comin' along quietly sir...

----------


## bankao dreamer

> I had to re-read this sentence once or twice...


Yes I had to read it twice myself but you know over here depending on age, status and stuff people are cousins, aunty,uncle,grandma or grandad. Our tiler's name is Porn which I think means holy or something similar,and the Wife calls him Grandad because he is getting on a bit. Hence Grandad Porn  :Smile: 





> I think you'd best be comin' along quietly sir...


No no Guv there Kosher honest to God I aint done nuffing wrong honest.

----------


## Roobarb

> No no Guv there Kosher honest to God I aint done nuffing wrong honest.


Even the pots appear to be raising their eyebrows in surprise at that statement...  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^ Oh dear this isn't going to sound good 3.5 tonnes of eucalyptus posts off the back of a lorry.  :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

^there seems to be a couple of yokels looking to steal a few pieces (back right)...

----------


## Roobarb

^ there seems to be a couple of yokels looking to steal a few pieces back, right?

----------


## Wasp

Now I just got to say I do love your hole bankao .

Though you missed an opportunity here to lob in a Roman or even a Greek .

But on the subject of this particular hole BD .............

1.   Is there any steel running through that cement at the bottom ?

2. How deep is that cement base ?

3. How long did you allow that cement base to set ?

and 4. Is that rebar construction just standing freely on the cement base ?
............. And how much of that rebar will be in the ground ( Meaning I assume you pour in cement to ground level now and then form your columns ?)  

Maybe a new design for that ?   Tulips ?



Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
I have no idea Wasp its a foundation hole for a new Sala at the Wat over the road from us. I wasn't there when they put it all in. I don't want to ask them at the moment because there has been an almighty ruckus over there. You see its a joint village effort and the elder ( a former village chairman ) who was entrusted with the plans and told to go and buy all the rebar, decided in his infinite wisdom and without consulting anyone that the specified steel was too thick and too expensive. So he bought everything 2mm smaller than specified in the plans.
Everyone else was totally ignorant of this fact until !!!!!! The main Wat for this area has a monk who is also a qualified engineer. It is his responsibility to to go around and check that the work is being done correctly.
When he realised what the elder had done he went into full on Bishop Brennen mode. By then it was too late all the rebar was in the ground.
So you see dear friends it happens to Thais and not just us Farangs.


Now the 2 characters that Betty and Roobarb think want to steal my posts are in fact the lads who have to bash it with hammers and attack it with machetes until it looks like this.



The Vietnamese prison / Kitchen is coming along.



The worktops or cells underway.

----------


## koman

^
Splendid looking place.  The Thais really are very good at making things out of sticks.   I was amazed at some of the creations my building guys came up with....fish traps, cages for birds and animals,  chairs....give them a bundle of sticks and can build just about anything.  I predict Isaan will have a bamboo nuclear power station one day..... :Smile: 

....is there an interrogation room planned for the restaurant/prison?

----------


## bankao dreamer

> is there an interrogation room planned for the restaurant/prison?


Yes there is it will also double as a toilet when not being used for poking sharpened bamboo into transgressors.




> The Thais really are very good at making things out of sticks


I agree watching them put this place together has been very interesting. They have pretty much got freedom to do what they want. They run there ideas through with me and wife first but everything they have suggested just looks so cool.

----------


## Sailing into trouble

Once again very impressed with the build. But the vision is wonderful. Hope your efforts are to be rewarded and you and the family get to enjoy your new home. Bloody wonderful.

----------


## rickschoppers

Still looking great BD, you should be very pleased with the results.

----------


## bankao dreamer

> Once again very impressed with the build. But the vision is wonderful. Hope your efforts are to be rewarded and you and the family get to enjoy your new home. Bloody wonderful.





> Still looking great BD, you should be very pleased with the results.


Thank you gents we are very pleased with way it looks.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Work on the Vietnamese prison put on hold because we need more bamboo, so work commenced on the toilet / interrogation room.





Now a photo of the finished tiling on the rear balcony, somehow I forgot to post these with the downstairs tiling. We used the same pattern as downstairs but a slightly darker shade.



AND NOW

Be prepared to be amazed

Why I hear you say

Because our tiler Grandad Porn managed to cut bendy bits !!!!!!!




Right thats enough shock for one day Im off to help the Wife dig the holes for the entrance gate posts.

----------


## Wasp

> ............... work commenced on the toilet



That's a terrible-looking toilet bankao !!!!!

----------


## BKKKevin

> Originally Posted by bankao dreamer
> 
> 
> ............... work commenced on the toilet 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's a terrible-looking toilet bankao !!!!!


It is ingenious!... No squatting required!

----------


## Roobarb

> Grandad Porn


_Snigger_

Do you think that if Nigel had had Grandad Porn at his house then he wouldn't have been so worried by the comments people were making regarding his tiling?

----------


## bankao dreamer

> That's a terrible-looking toilet bankao !!!!!


I agree but very cheap. Also the dirt soaks up any spillages or poor aim.





> It is ingenious!... No squatting required!


Extremely cost effective and has taken into account the disabled as they don't have to squat to far.





> Do you think that if Nigel had had Grandad Porn at his house then he wouldn't have been so worried by the comments people were making regarding his tiling?


Definitely I think every build should utilise Grandad Porn   :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

Loving that tiling work, BD. Grandad Porn (GILF) is a star!

----------


## bankao dreamer

> Grandad Porn (GILF) is a star!


He is indeed my friend  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Now seeing as our village doesn't have waste collection bin men type stuff I was getting bored with taking a pick up full of rubbish to the local dumping ground.

The solution an improvised incinerator.



Some blocks I had lying around and 2 poo pit rings + lid. Total cost B300.

I was looking at Wasp's gallery thread and the pic of our house is an old one. So Wasp old chap here is a pic taken this morning.

----------


## nigelandjan

Beautifull mate ^

----------


## Bettyboo

Yes it is. A very interesting build indeed.  :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> I was looking at Wasp's gallery thread and the pic of our house is an old one. So Wasp old chap here is a pic taken this morning.


Bankao ..... it's lovely .

Really very very lovely .

I'll do my fiddling around and put in this better picture but unfortunately I think I can't replace the first one with this one .

So you'll appear further down the Thread . I wish I could just change them .


Teak ?  Pahhh !


WatWasp

----------


## Roobarb

Looks like you've been keeping busy in the past few weeks BD.  The place is looking great.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thank you everyone for your comments.
The toilet / interrogation room block work is nearly done, tomorrow I will start the plumbing and will take some pics when its finished.

----------


## koman

> Thank you everyone for your comments.
> The toilet / interrogation room block work is nearly done, tomorrow I will start the plumbing and will take some pics when its finished.


I'm going to make a prediction.   It will be mostly blue and tubular looking..... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

> It will be mostly blue and tubular looking


Damn come on who told you ????? I bet it was Somchai these confidentiality agreements aren't worth the effort.  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Progress on the Kitchen / VC Prison a couple of pics of the under construction cells / worktops. Note the cutouts for the gas burners.

 




Now the nearly completed bamboo / eucalyptus walls and shutters.







And finally progress on the toilet / interrogation room.

----------


## Bettyboo

> It will be mostly blue and tubular looking


It doesn't have to be, I recently saw some very classy yellow and orange piping...

BD, lovely formwork. &, I'm impressed by your Vietnam war era prison. :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^ Why thank you old chap  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> I recently saw some very classy yellow and orange piping...


.....but not water pipe.  Water pipe is blue, yellow is for electrical....of course you can switch them around if you wish... same with all those confusing electrical wire colours....what does it matter, they are just colours after all.... :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

> I recently saw some very classy yellow and orange piping...


A rather natty alternative to the plain old blue eh Betty?

----------


## bankao dreamer

> I recently saw some very classy yellow and orange piping..


But what colour is it underneath pray tell ?  :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

I feel it's a little rude to ask that sort of thing BD.  

One just have to hope that if it is either blonde or ginger on top that it will be the same below.

----------


## Bettyboo

> But what colour is it underneath pray tell ?





> I feel it's a little rude to ask that sort of thing BD.


Indeed. A girl likes to keep some things a mystery...  :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

> Indeed. A girl likes to keep some things a mystery...


Awright darlin', you come 'ere often?   :Naughty: 











....  :Bigeyes:  Bladdy Nora, nearly 19,000 posts.  

I guess yer trawlin' the place every night

----------


## Bettyboo

Indeed, I have no life...

Now that the last 4-6 months of housebuilds are coming to a climax, and a few more have started, I suppose there's a handing over of the baton; kinda sad, although the new builds will have Koman to head them along for sometime yet...

----------


## Roobarb

Yup, it is a bit sad (the current building threads coming to an end). 

I'm heading back to Thailand for a few months at the end of March and so may well fire up my thread again if I can: 

1 - Be assed to do any more work on the house
2 - Work out how to get some form of an internet connection up there
3 - Get around to posting the latest disasters

I know #3 seems a bit dismissive, but this forum has been a great escape from the realities of my job here in India.  I wonder when I'm back in Thailand if I'll be attacking it with similar levels of gusto...?

----------


## Dillinger

That is one superb looking home BD

----------


## bankao dreamer

> ginger


I used to be a ginga before grey and balding bits took a terrible tole on my flowing locks.  :Smile: 

Thanks Dillinger.

With regards to our threads coming to an end it is sad we have had some fun and banter between ourselves over the last few months. It has taken away a lot of stress and I for one have really enjoyed it. Maybe it is time to hand over the baton although we have plans in the future to alter and extend a few things funds permitting. Plus at some point we have to build Maa & Por's place, that will be relaxing because Im just going to let them get on with Mai Pen Lai will be uttered on many an occasion I can tell you  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Well nothing has happened on our place for ages now. Our 2 lads buggered off for a DAY to stick his posts in for his new shack and they still haven't come back. They are now completing the new shack first. Its a long story why has to build a new basic shack thing and we do feel a bit sorry for him. He doesn't have nor can he afford tools of his own so he has borrowed mine which meant I couldn't do bugger all myself except paint the restaurant and toilet. Although I got the tools back today which means I can crack on and get things moving again myself tomorrow.

Talking of shacks we took apart the Inlaws shed on stilts and built a temporary shed for them. We are throwing up a small bungalow in a few months time for them. I will be getting all the old wood from the taken apart shed and will use some of it to turn our Sala into an upstairs lounge and box guest bedroom. So I have some more pic taking lined up eventually.

----------


## Wasp

Don't become a stranger bankao !

And yes .... tis a little bit sad as a bunch of heavy characters approach the end of their builds.
Except koman of course who'll be her another 4 years with his house.

And Neverna .......... who will be late .

I too have only one chapter left to do ...... The Indolent Brother and Palazzo Filth .



Wasp

----------


## rickschoppers

BD, it was good talking to you yesterday and I wish you luck on finishing the rest of the projects. Like I said, I would like to pay you a visit once I come back after rainy season.

Cheers

----------


## bankao dreamer

> The Indolent Brother and Palazzo Filth .


I can't wait for that one.

^ 
My pleasure Rick your welcome anytime.

Well still no one on site, most of the village has gone down with a virus. Our builder lads have it the Wife has got it I thought they were all skiving until I got it yesterday. Feck it knocks you off your feet. So Wat BD is currently under quarantine.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
>  The Indolent Brother and Palazzo Filth .
> 
> 
> I can't wait for that one.
> 
> ^ 
> My pleasure Rick your welcome anytime.
> ...


It's all over the place....half of our village had it.  I was a bit sickly for a couple of days meself.   Hope you'r feeling better now.......holding up progress on a Wat is serious...... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thanks Koman I have felt a bit better so why nothing is happening on the Restaurant we started setting up the ornamental pond. Im afraid the man pool is a late lamented project but I can still stick my feet in whilst drinking a cold beer so all is not lost.

For decoration we used some old fence posts we had lying around.





We also bought a waterfall feature yesterday.



We haven't got any fish yet so Layla is standing in and is doing her best Koi impression.

----------


## Wasp

" Cough " " Cough "

 " ........... Err ......... Ahemmm ...."

 the feature pool is looking .............. 

.............. errrrrmmmmmmm ....................

howdoIsaythistodearbankao ? .


....... not nice .



.. sorry ............... wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Wasp my friend due to failing eyesight and the shrinking font I can only guess you like it very much thank you. If however you are giving a slightly different opinion the photos and lack of lighting do not do it justice.  :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> ^
> Wasp my friend due to failing eyesight and the shrinking font I can only guess you like it very much thank you. If however you are giving a slightly different opinion the photos and lack of lighting do not do it justice.


..... it looks a bit pooey .................





sorry

----------


## Wasp

lovely lovely house but your man pool has become a pooey mess


sorry





wasp

----------


## Wasp

OK .................. it's lovely .

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Excellent taste good man  :Smile: 

^^
Nope can't read it

^^^
Where did I put my glasses

----------


## Wasp

> ^
> Excellent taste good man 
> 
> ^^
> Nope can't read it
> 
> ^^^
> Where did I put my glasses



It says it looks a bit pooey .

----------


## bankao dreamer

^  Oh   :Sorry1: 

Well our lads turned up for a couple of days then disappeared for a few so the Wife said sod em. She popped out and came back with some lads from another village who built her uncles house a year back, they had just finished a house and are now available. We will turn up tomorrow honest.

Well shock they did and are currently turning the wood from the In-Laws old house into tables and benches for our restaurant. So far they are doing a cracking job and I am hoping to take some photos of a finished product later.

They will also finish of the restaurant roof and the entrance gate.

We were hoping to have Grandad Porn back yesterday to tile the restaurant kitchen worktops. He didn't show up so the Wife phoned him, he has a very old knackered motocy and when he went to start it to come to our place the kickstart sheared off and what was left went through his foot. Give me 2 days and I will be ok !!!

----------


## koman

> they had just finished a house and are now available


That's quite remarkable.  Usually, they can build a house OK.  They just never seem to be able to "finish" it..... :Smile: 

This widespread problem seems to be the result of having a good supply of hacker-grinder types around, but a severe shortage of the skilled workers that are needed to do a decent finishing job.  They can mostly do a passable job of laying a bit of tile, mix concrete, lay blocks and dig holes, but if you need a good door and window installer, or electrician..... :rofl:  

  There's plenty of work around so workers often just take off to another site where there are jobs available that they can do, without having to think too much....and you always have to be ready for the weddings, funerals, and numerous village festivities that require attendance.  On a productivity scale of 1 to 10.... most of these folks are about 0.5.... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

I haven't had it explained like that but of course you're right .

Like putting a car together I suppose.  Doesn't take a lot of skill to handle a lift putting the seats in and spinning the nuts onto the wheels .
Train anyone or a monkey to do that .

But writing the programmes for the computerisation .... a bit specialised .

Still I am surprised that you both could get so much done and then be messed around getting the final 3% completion .



Wasp

----------


## koman

^
I suppose we should be clear about the term "finished".  If you don't care about ill fitting doors, wood trim where the corners have been cut to 43 degrees instead of 45.....and paint splatters all over the place, you can get your house "finished" fairly quickly.    In our case, we decided to wait it out and get the people who can do at least an acceptable job,  instead of the kind of finish produced by the readily available 300 baht a day "tradesmen".... :mid:     Some areas have more skilled labour around than others, so it depends on where you are building as well.    You don't run into many members of the Florentine Master Builders Guild in these parts....so you just have to go with the ones who are likely to do the least damage..... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

What we have left tp do on the  Restaurant is basic stuff so its not skilled finishing work. Whats got us peed off is that they haven't bothered to phone. Pon who has done a lot of work does suffer from ill health so we expect him not to come some days. However the Wife said if you feel ill just let us know, but he hasn't turned up now for 4 days and with our village being small we know he is not dead. Its the young lad we employ to help him that we have now given up on. There are jobs he could do but he seems to think if think is the correct word if Pons not there I will stay home and sit on my arse. The lads who are here now are on a price with the tables and benches. They have been here 2 days and have made 7 tables and half the benches. Loyalty is one thing but my Wife said sod em we are not a charity we need the restaurant finished. Hopefully the new guys will get it done.

----------


## bankao dreamer

> so you just have to go with the ones who are likely to do the least damage.....


Amen to that brother.

We were really lucky with our electrician he is a young local lad who did a very tidy job especially with the exposed cable runs. He didn't want paying he insisted it was a gift, I forced him the end to accept 6000 Baht because he was here for nearly 3 weeks  weeks wiring the place up. That included running the main cable from the road to the house.

The house is done apart from ceilings in the toilets and the rear balcony but I don't trust the lads we have had to do them. Those I will plod on and do myself when the restaurant is finished. I also want to convert the Sala into a lounge and box bedroom  again I don't trust any one local to do that. From watching the table makers work and seeing Uncles house they built last year they may be capable of achieving what I want. If not I am prepared to do that myself I have the tools it may take me some time but I know I wont be moaning about corners cut or shoddy detail.

----------


## Wasp

Bankao : " the young lad we employ seems to think if Pons not there I will stay home and sit on my arse. " 


That's why the Indolent Brother is called the indolent brother .

He's an electrician . He can be making money . And he's not old . But his default choice is to do as your youngster does ... stay at home and sit on his arse - or lie on his bed with his dogs .

But WHY ? 

 Don't they want any money in their pockets ?
  There is an Indolent Cousin too . Maybe 28 years old . Won't work if he can avoid it ..... so he has no money . He just fishes all day --- or sleeps .

Who can blame a Thai girl if she goes to Phuket to look for a fallang who has a house and a job .?

Even if that job and house are in Stoke .  Or even South Wales .



Wasp

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## bankao dreamer

Well it seems young Nai wasn't sitting on his arse after all, he went off to help someone else for a few days. The Wife went mental at him this morning, if he doesn't turn up tomorrow to put the wire around the land where the restaurant is she said don't come back. I would do it myself but its a 100m roll of 1.2m mesh and weighs a lot.

Now progress on the tables and benches.

----------


## koman

Look at that....there's a dog sleeping under that table already....is that one of the table cleaners?   All the finest restaurants have a few dogs for licking the tables off and chickens to keep the floor well groomed.... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> Look at that....there's a dog sleeping under that table already....is that one of the table cleaners?   All the finest restaurants have a few dogs for licking the tables off and chickens to keep the floor well groomed....


 :rofl:  :smiley laughing:

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## bankao dreamer

> is that one of the table cleaners?


Yes thats the chief table cleaner, one of our Bang Koew crosses her name is sugar.

The ridgeback cross the Wife bought back from the Wat didn't get on with our Border Terrier or our Shepherd they tried to eat him. So I thought it best to take him back to his mother, however he didn't have one he and another male where dumped there. So we bought them both back and leave then outside in the restaurant. They are tasked with cleaning the floor because they are only nit noi. When they get bigger they are in charge of security outside. So that makes 8 now.  :Smile:

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## charleyboy

BD, I'm liking those benches.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> is that one of the table cleaners?
> 
> 
> Yes thats the chief table cleaner, one of our Bang Koew crosses her name is sugar.
> 
> The ridgeback cross the Wife bought back from the Wat didn't get on with our Border Terrier or our Shepherd they tried to eat him. So I thought it best to take him back to his mother, however he didn't have one he and another male where dumped there. So we bought them both back and leave then outside in the restaurant. They are tasked with cleaning the floor because they are only nit noi. When they get bigger they are in charge of security outside. So that makes 8 now.


I knew we could count on you to put on a class act.... :Smile:  

 Our two pups were Bangkaew/Ridgebacks....but as you know the female left us very suddenly and unexpectedly just over a week ago..

  The survivor is showing excellent potential however and is getting back to his old self after a spell of doggie grief.  

   They make damn good dogs as long as you can control their behaviour.    Very determined and quite...ahem  assertive;  as you may have noticed..... :Smile:  They tend to bully other dogs a bit, and they are natural pack leaders.

I'm confident that your restaurant will be a smash hit....and it will have the cleanest tables around.... :Smile:   If you turn them loose, they may wipe out the competition too.... :smiley laughing:

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## bankao dreamer

> If you turn them loose, they may wipe out the competition too....


As if I would contemplate such a dastardly act.  :Smile: 





> BD, I'm liking those benches.


Thanks Charley we used the wood from the In-laws old house the lads we have working now did a table and 2 benches for 800 baht.

Now tables and benches done next the entrance gate.








We did have old tree trunks in the ground for the entrance gate but they hadn't been in long when termites started on them so we got them out and replaced them with concrete. There is a lad in our village who will make them look like trees. I have seen his work and unless you get real close you swear blind they are wood.

Now excellent news Grandad Porn has returned with a limp and heavily bandaged foot.



The entrance gate should be finished tomorrow then they are going to do the overhangs on the front and back of the restaurant roof.

Talking of the restaurant roof when they were doing the tables we had a spot of rain, and the damn thing leaked. The lads said the roof angle is to shallow for thatch it will need dropping by 30cm each side. Oh crap pang I thought but lets get it all done because young Nai or Pon still haven't shown up  for work. Ok how much for altering the roof, doing the overhangs and building the entrance gate ???????

Discussions between themselves followed !!!

Errrr is 6000 baht ok ?

Ok bloody hell start now ok.

They dropped the roof in one day. Unfortunately no pics I was on a visa run to Laos.

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## Wasp

Love the mobile scaffolding for the gate !

And why not ?

If it goes wrong you've got a quick getaway . :Very Happy: 



Wasp

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## bankao dreamer

> If it goes wrong you've got a quick getaway .


Not that quick Waspy top speed if speed is the correct word for a tuk tuk lorry is 3 inches per hour.

Nearly ready for the roof sheet.



You can't beat a bit of Grandad Porn.



The cut outs for the gas burners.

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## Wasp

This is better than a lot of houses get !



Wasp

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## bankao dreamer

> This is better than a lot of houses get !


I know its blooming amazing apparently a traditional entrance gate is supposed to be over the top. I keep looking at it and think wow the Wife said if it makes you feel like that job done. I will take some more pics when the roof is finished in the morning.

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## FatOne

Looking great BD, I might have to steal some of your restaurant ideas if my wife goes ahead with her Pawpaw salad stand later

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## stevefarang

> This is better than a lot of houses get !
> 
> 
> 
> Wasp







Hmmmmm...where have we seen this house design before ????





 :smiley laughing: , Sorry I just couldn't resist...


Steve

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## bankao dreamer

> Sorry I just couldn't resist...


You are forgiven Steve.

The entrance gate with roof.



We used the same sheet that is on the main house minus the insulation.

Grandad Porn has unfortunately finished the tiling, its sad life is a little bit empty without a bit of Grandad Porn.

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## Bettyboo

If the FiL had patented that design, he'd be living in Thonglor now...  :Smile: 

That cooking set up is interesting, is it likely to be safe?

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## justincase 13

Great house you got there Bankao i've always loved this thai style houses...I wish i could talk the wife into something like this... best of luck with the restaurant..

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## koman

> That cooking set up is interesting, is it likely to be safe?


Since when did safety become a consideration in LOS?     That setup is an insurance underwriters nightmare.....but then nothing gets insured, so no problem there..... :rofl:    Roaring gas flames; big pans of cooking oil and with a backsplash of vertical bamboo is mentioned in Lloyds guidelines alongside oil refinery explosions and large scale oil tanker leaks....... :Smile: 

Grandpa Porn does some good tile work..... sure could have used him around here a few times.... :Smile:   I do think he needs to bone up a bit on fire safety though.... :mid:

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## bankao dreamer

> is it likely to be safe?






> Roaring gas flames; big pans of cooking oil


Don't concern yourselves with safety I don't think they have a translation for it. As long as the Wife can rustle up her all day full English breakfast's a bit of singeing on the walls won't hurt. 





> Grandpa Porn does some good tile work..... sure could have used him around here a few times..


He's not bad and really good at cutting bendy bits and He's a nice bloke.




> best of luck with the restaurant..


Thanks Justin.

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## bankao dreamer

Now yesterday we stumbled upon a wood yard that cuts wood to send to places where they make window and door frames. We don't sell to the public the owner said but you are a nice couple what do you want ? well our front wall is topped with Shera but Max our Shepherd keeps jumping at it and braking it, we would like some bark wood to replace it. I can do better than that how about this !! hard wood 3 inches by 1 inch about 1.2 m in length. That would be perfect but I think too expensive I need 300 of them.  I will let you have it for 10 Baht a piece is that ok. Done deal we got them back home, the guys couldn't believe how much we paid. Also the retired carpenter from our village came by this afternoon to inspect the entrance gate he did not believe me either Mai chai 100 baht each he insisted.





They only had 220 ready so we had to wait why they cut another 80. When they finished they had cut a 100 so they put the other 20 on for free.

The owner was such a good bloke he insisted we become good neighbours and friends as they are only 10 minutes away, plus his English is good also. The massive tree trunks that they just turn into wood chip would make great tables and stools, you can have any piece you want cost 1 yes 1 Baht a kilo.

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## Koetjeka

I'm amazed, this is such a good idea! I'm going to save this picture and make something similar in the kitchen of my house!

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## Bettyboo

^are you sure you'd want that 'safety issue' inside your kitchen??? For a shop or restaurant, maybe, but at home?




> The owner was such a good bloke he insisted we become good neighbours and friends as they are only 10 minutes away


I wonder what he is setting you up for??? That'll likely be a great thread by itself...  :Smile:

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## Koetjeka

> ^are you sure you'd want that 'safety issue' inside your kitchen??? For a shop or restaurant, maybe, but at home?



I don't think it's that dangerous at all. I've been using stoves like these on a daily basis here in Thailand for 4 years now and I've never seen anything potentially hazardous?

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## Bettyboo

You may well be right, just looks a bit dangerous to a layman such as meself...  :Smile: 

Koman would encase it in concrete then add sparkly bits to the exterior...

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## koman

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> 
> ^are you sure you'd want that 'safety issue' inside your kitchen??? For a shop or restaurant, maybe, but at home?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't think it's that dangerous at all. I've been using stoves like these on a daily basis here in Thailand for 4 years now and I've never seen anything potentially hazardous?



That's exactly the kind of thing I listened to from clients over 30 years.   My building can't burn down....I'm a very good driver....by boat is unsinkable....

Somehow in the midst of all this confidence they managed to burn down quite a few buildings; had a lot of car accidents and even sank a few boats.    Nothing bad ever happens....until it does.... :mid: 

Any propane cooking arrangement is "potentially hazardous".....but some are way more hazardous than others...   They are actually quite lethal in some cases.    Once you've seen the results of a propane gas explosion and fire you never think like that again....ever.   I've seen several,  and they were all totally safe according to the owners....who just could not understand how anybody would think otherwise.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## koman

> Koman would encase it in concrete then add sparkly bits to the exterior...


No Mr Smartass, he would not..... :Smile:   But I would make damned sure the setup was properly installed with proper gas lines and sniffers to detect even the smallest leak....and have the tank(s) outside the building.   The more you confine the tank the bigger the potential bang.....and you need very good ventilation around the tank...as well as regular inspections of the mechanical connections at both tank end and burner.  

Good installations and safety measures are just as important in commercial buildings (and tightly regulated in civilized places) as they are in homes.   Generally speaking you have the potential to kill or injure a lot more people in a restaurant than in most homes.....most of the time.

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## bankao dreamer

^
The gas tank will be outside and I have yet to install the gas line, I do know a bit about gas installations from my time in the UK when I was a Corgi registered plumber and have fitted countless cookers and central heating systems. How ever I do appreciate your concerns and advice.

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## bankao dreamer

> I wonder what he is setting you up for??? That'll likely be a great thread by itself...


I have no idea I may be setting him up  :Smile:  He has plans to make and sell furniture with thoughts to exporting. But for now I got a load of wood so cheap nobody believes how much we paid for it.  :Smile:

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## Koetjeka

> I don't think it's that dangerous at all. I've been using stoves like these on a daily basis here in Thailand for 4 years now and I've never seen anything potentially hazardous?



That's exactly the kind of thing I listened to from clients over 30 years.   My building can't burn down....I'm a very good driver....by boat is unsinkable....

Somehow in the midst of all this confidence they managed to burn down quite a few buildings; had a lot of car accidents and even sank a few boats.    Nothing bad ever happens....until it does.... :mid: 

Any propane cooking arrangement is "potentially hazardous".....but some are way more hazardous than others...   They are actually quite lethal in some cases.    Once you've seen the results of a propane gas explosion and fire you never think like that again....ever.   I've seen several,  and they were all totally safe according to the owners....who just could not understand how anybody would think otherwise.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): [/QUOTE]

Yeah I guess you're right about propane being potentially hazardous, there's no denying it.

On the other hand most things we do are actually potentially hazardous, think about these:
-Driving a car, especially LPG cars
-Using electric water heaters, I've heard of a few electrocutions here in Thailand
-Eating fast food increases the chance of getting a heart attack
-Etc.

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## Bettyboo

> I do know a bit about gas installations from my time in the UK when I was a Corgi


I'm sorry, BD, but I really don't see how that is gonna help you in this case...  :Smile:

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## koman

> Using electric water heaters, I've heard of a few electrocutions here in Thailand


There have been lots of electrocutions in Thailand as a result of old, unsafe water heaters....especially in hotels and resorts.   

The modern water heaters are equipped with a ground fault interrupter (GFI}  which makes them a great deal safer.   They are called RCDs in the EU....(Residual current devise) 

  I've added secondary ground fault interrupter switches for all bathroom outlets to make them as safe as possible.  Even if the water heater safety cut-out should fail, the secondary GFI will cut the current off instantly if it starts trying to flow through you instead of the neutral wire..... :Smile:    Simple devises , simple and cheap technology which many people either ignore, or just don't know about....but they are life savers... :Confused:  

   Gas sniffers are also cheap and effective.  If your gas line started leaking under the counter for example;  the sniffer will set off an alarm so you can shut off the gas, and fix it before it blows your roof off and sends to off to your next life as an investment banker, or TD moderator...... :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

> Originally Posted by bankao dreamer
> 
> I do know a bit about gas installations from my time in the UK when I was a Corgi
> 
> 
> I'm sorry, BD, but I really don't see how that is gonna help you in this case...


 :smiley laughing:

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## BKKBILL

> Originally Posted by Koetjeka
> 
> Using electric water heaters, I've heard of a few electrocutions here in Thailand
> 
> 
> There have been lots of electrocutions in Thailand as a result of old, unsafe water heaters....especially in hotels and resorts.   
> 
> The modern water heaters are equipped with a ground fault interrupter (GFI}  which makes them a great deal safer.   They are called RCDs in the EU....(Residual current devise) 
> 
> ...


Or you could go solar as I did and not have to worry about becoming a TD mod for that reason anyway  :smiley laughing:

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## Wasp

Who ARE the moderators ?

No.  Not " What are moderators ? " 

"  Who specifically moderates TD ? "


Wasp

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## FatOne

Probably very calm people who settle fights???

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## justincase 13

> Originally Posted by Koetjeka
> 
> Using electric water heaters, I've heard of a few electrocutions here in Thailand
> 
> 
> There have been lots of electrocutions in Thailand as a result of old, unsafe water heaters....especially in hotels and resorts.   
> 
> The modern water heaters are equipped with a ground fault interrupter (GFI}  which makes them a great deal safer.   They are called RCDs in the EU....(Residual current devise) 
> 
> ...



Hey Koman I was just wondering where you bought your GFI's at and do they look like the ones we are use to seeing in the states????

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## bankao dreamer

Well work has resumed after the madness that is Songkran. Our electricians have returned and prier to starting the wiring they started sanding and staining the tables and benches. A pic of these when they are all finished and in position.

The kitchen overhang is complete and it takes away all direct sunlight, plus with the lower roof the whole restaurant is nice and cool without any fans installed.





I also managed to fix the rail surrounding the restaurant while every body else had buggered off, you can see a bit of it in the above pic.

As I strolled up to post these pics they have just started the front overhang. This will be a lot smaller than the back one as it doesn't get a lot of sun.

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## FatOne

Restaurant is looking great BD

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## koman

> Hey Koman I was just wondering where you bought your GFI's at and do they look like the ones we are use to seeing in the states????


I did not buy them, they were supplied by the electrical contractor.....and no they are not the same as the ones usually seen in the US and Canada where the actual wall plug itself is a GFI devise.  These are separate switches wired into the circuit, but they work the same way.....( any change in current flow greater than 30mA from live to neutral will cut off the flow....I think some of them can be adjusted to different sensitivity levels but 30mA seems to be the standard cut off level)

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## bankao dreamer

The entrance gate posts made to look like wood, I hope the pics do it justice.















We are really pleased with the posts this guy has got a skill and is in demand all over Thailand. With careful painting you will not know they are concrete.

At last the Spirit houses on there base all we need now is a pigs head and some mumbo jumbo so we can put the little people in.

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## Wasp

I've enjoyed all this thread .

And your house is lovely .

But it all looks a bit lonely out there .  Who will your restaurant customers be ?



Wasp

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## misskit

^^ Those posts are fantastic! The ones I've seen before are just a so-so wood imitation. That man did a great job. 

Make sure to let us see some pics of them finished.

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## bankao dreamer

> Who will your restaurant customers be ?



We are not far from a lot of Gov buildings. a big police station and by us there is no where half decent and quiet. We watch daily people like this drive past to a shack 2 villages away to get lunch.





> Make sure to let us see some pics of them finished.


He came and painted them a couple of days ago I will hopefully get some pics on tomorrow. He used 2 different colours so the imitation branches and missing bark look so life like the guy is really talented. For those interested Bhat 1500 per post. Although he may charge more for anyone else as he is a friend of the family and lives in our village.

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## Wasp

......   changed my mind .






Wasp

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## bankao dreamer

> ..... changed my mind .


  :Confused: 

Sorry folks about the delay but here are the finished posts.







The gate with fancy bits, still have to put up the lights tho.




The restaurant the day before we opened.

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## Bettyboo

That has turned out very very well...  :Smile: 

You may want to fence of the carpark or the locals will stick their 4x4s right upto the entrance, cms fom it!

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## Wasp

It's hard to read that Menu ..... but I think the first offering is Leo and then the second item is Chang .

So you're establishing priorities OK    :coolio: 



Wasp

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## bankao dreamer

> That has turned out very very well...


Thank you Betty we have tried to offer somewhere a little bit better than the competition without breaking the bank.





> but I think the first offering is Leo and then the second item is Chang .
> 
> So you're establishing priorities OK


Spot on the next 2 are Hong Thong and the rest other locally liked beverages.  :Smile:

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## FatOne

Looks Fantastic BD, Hope all goes well, keep us posted on your business.

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## terp80

> Looks Fantastic BD, Hope all goes well, keep us posted on your business.


 :smilie_clap:  :smilie_clap:  :smilie_clap:  Agreed: Fantastic. Good luck. Let us see some photos with lots of people on a Saturday night. 

 :party43:  :party43:

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## Bettyboo

> Let us see some photos with lots of people on a Saturday night.


Can you imagine the noise; pissed up Thais (policemen) drinking whisky til 4am with loud music!  :Sad:  Not sure BD has fully thought this through!!!

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## bankao dreamer

Well the local Mayor type bloke was here yesterday afternoon with a group of people and he loved the place and stayed until we closed at midnight. He is here again today and is looking forward to another good night. He said don't worry about trouble you won't get any this is now my local he said. He also wants to bring more people here tonight. Got to go we have run out of wine again.

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## BKKBILL

Excellent BD just what you need to get the ball rolling a local Mayor type bloke.  :Wiggle: 

I can see extended opening hour in the near future.

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## Bettyboo

> Excellent BD just what you need to get the ball rolling a local Mayor type bloke.


Are you sure???

I wouldn't want any bloke who thinks they're above the law (and probably is) coming around my place to get pissed up - potential trouble right there...

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## stevefarang

Is he expecting free drinks and food ?

Steve

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## Wasp

Have to agree .

Potential for difficulties here .

How nasty is he able to be if you ever have to say " no " to something ?



wasp

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## koman

> How nasty is he able to be if you ever have to say " no " to something ?


Therein lies the danger.   It's all wais and smiles until you piss them off...even in the smallest of ways.  If there is booze involved the danger multiplies exponentially. 

  This is why I built walls, fences and double locked gates.   Nothing....not even a village cat is allowed to cross the property line after dark.

We have martial law in force now.   This country needs permanent martial law.....preferably with me in command of the army.  I think I'd really enjoy that.... :Smile:

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## Bettyboo

> not even a village cat


You cruel bastard...

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## bankao dreamer

Crickey a mixed bag of opinions here and I can't be arsed to quote selections.
To the well wishes thank you for your support and kind words. Free food and drinks not even hinted at we made nearly 3000 Baht profit from the boss mans table the other night. As for saying no to him !!! what are we going to refuse him ??? a spoon with his soup ? an extra portion of rice ?
He has started coming here because its peaceful somewhere he can relax without people bothering him. Yes he's dodgy every politician in this country his dodgy, but I would rather have his and people like him's patronage than a pick up full of Somchai's. In fact the second evening he was here a truck full of Somchai's from another village pulled up. The wife recognised them as arsoles but as soon as they spotted boss mans car they beat a hasty retreat. Other people come here such as a group of young men who refer to my Wife as older sister, and they come here because they don't want trouble they don't like going to places where there is a potential for trouble. One of these lads dreamt of building and opening a place like ours but could never afford it, he's not jealous just glad that they now have somewhere to go with a relaxing atmosphere where they can enjoy themselves.

This place is also the Wife's dream she is a fantastic cook and its something she enjoys doing. She starts at 9am as is down there until we shut at 12pm. Not like most of the wives of falangs around here who spend most days in the salon or gambling away there husbands pension.

We may have trouble you always have that risk with a place that sells booze but we have been selective with the advertising done locally and the clientele we are getting is exactly what we hoped for. I appreciate the concerns raised here but I have a sixth sense for trouble, a stint in the Army when I was a bit younger and too many years as a Prison Officer have given me that. 
Plus I get all my booze at wholesale prices  :Smile:

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## terp80

> too many years as a Prison Officer


Oh . . .   OK then, carry on.  :mid:     And choke dee!  :bananaman:

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## Wasp

OK .

I'm too cautious .

But then again I never go out .


Some day I must visit Thailand .

I've never been .



Wasp

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## bankao dreamer

> I'm too cautious .


Don't believe it I have seen you in your dugout canoe  :Smile:

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## Wasp

That's on the River Wey in Surrey .

Check the trees .

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## Wasp

_Today_ bankao .

Only today have I found out they do 2 sizes of that canoe .

A smaller one for children .

And they put this big , beefy , good-looking fallang into a child's canoe .

They knew damn well it would sink and they'd make money . Devious b*****s.

All the way round that canoe was only ever one inch above the water and a tiny water disturbance caused by a dandelion falling into the sea 3000 miles away near Diego Garcia was enough for this unsleek craft to be overwhelmed !!!

Talk about Titanic !!!!

A single ice cube in the water would have been enough .

But Missy truly was concerned when she realised I was a gonner .

Concerned for her expiring ATM joys.



Wasp

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## Bettyboo

> This place is also the Wife's dream she is a fantastic cook and its something she enjoys doing.


Excellent stuff.  :Smile: 




> Don't believe it I have seen you in your dugout canoe


Did I mention the time I went midnight canoeing with a drunk Aussie who promised me there were no crocs, then turned on his torch to show us surrounded by orange eyes - he found it funny... Funny thing is, I went diving with the same bloke a couple of weeks later, that didn't end well either... Yes, I cam the stupid one.

Well, all sounds very fine, BD - the place has turned out wonderfully.  :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

> A single ice cube in the water would have been enough .


 :Smile: 






> Well, all sounds very fine, BD - the place has turned out wonderfully.


Thanks Betty I appreciate everyones advice and opinions, we really hope what we have created is a success. We have the Boss man in at the moment with the local chief of police. They have both given us there private numbers in case we get any bother. 

Now talking of canoes the 1st time I came to Thailand was for my sons 16th Birthday. He wanted to see where they filmed The Beach film. I never had any interest in coming here. We had a great time and fell in love with the place. The next year we came back with my sons best friend. We were on Koh Chang and took one of those plastic canoe type things that you sit on out for a gentle paddle. As typical of this place no life vests where forthcoming. 

After a while the lads got a bit bored lets paddle to that little island Dad was the request. Ok it doesn't look far. 1 hour later we reached it and got out. We soon realised it was crawling with these big red ants ( yes Betty THOSE ants ) we soon started paddling again. Being teenagers they started moaning that they were tired. 

The next island looked a lot closer !!!!!! 45 minutes later we reached it but there was nowhere to alight. Ok lads the sea is calm we will go to the other side and see if we can land there. Oh god as we got around the other side the waves were 2 metres high we struggled like hell to reach calmer water. I don't want to remember the thoughts going through my mind, the lads thought it was great fun I begged to differ.

----------


## Bettyboo

Can I see a canoe stories thread on the horizon???

^I bet you were crapping yeeself, I would have been...

----------


## Wasp

Bettyboo mentions going diving .

Which I did with a friend in Australia .

He was behind me and decided to catch up and pull my flipper to say ' Hello ' .


Jesus !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was NOT a great idea !!!!!




Wasp

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## bankao dreamer

> Can I see a canoe stories thread on the horizon???


Not necessarily canoes but any thing we have done that seemed a good idea at the time but then turned mai dee mak mak, and yes I was crapping myself. My lad wanted to get the camera out of the waterproof bag to film it !!!!!!! for fecks sake paddle or you will never get your inheritance.

----------


## koman

> Can I see a canoe stories thread on the horizon???


Something to get it started:

First of all, it's good to  know what a real canoe looks like.



This is (was) my 17ft Grumman wilderness canoe resting on the shore of a remote waterway in the far north of Ontario....around 1978 or 79.

This canoe travelled many hundreds of wilderness miles over the years, often with just me paddling it, but also with one or two of my sons for company.  We would be in the bush for weeks without meeting anyone.  It never let us down.

  It could carry 800+ Kgs and was virtually indestructible.....which is good quality to have in the Canadian north.   It was pretty scarred and battered by the time I parted company it.     Probably the best canoe ever made for hard travel....made from the same materials they use in military combat aircraft.  Light at 65 lbs.. and very strong and durable.

Don't want to hi-jack the thread, so this is just a  small sample for those who are not familiar with real canoes.... :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

> Don't want to hi-jack the thread, so this is just a small sample for those who are not familiar with real canoes


Not a problem Koman 




> We would be in the bush for weeks without meeting anyone. It never let us down.


God Im jealous those kind of trips are something I always dreamt of doing. The closest I have come to it is watching Ray Mears on TV.

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## Wasp

This is what I thought was behind me !!!!






Wasp

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## FatOne

So, when you've got a bit of trade under your belt, let us know if it is worth the effort! Our idea is something much smaller but Kung loves your design.

----------


## rickschoppers

BD, glad to hear your restaurant is working out well. Every successful restaurant story has a good cook behind it, so your wife must be doing things right. I must take a trip down and have a meal once I return.

Good luck, and it is nice to hear someone is actually making some money in Thailand.

----------


## stevefarang

Yes, congrats BD !
I hope we can stop by for a meal as well.
Maybe Gordon Ramsey can drop by as well !   :Smile:

----------


## terp80

Hi BD. How is the restaurant coming along? Any updated photos? :Bigeyes:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Well first I must aplogise for my absence of late but I have been a bit on the busy side.

The restaurant is no more.
The main reasons where the roof which caused all sorts of problems when it rained. The idiots who put it on really fecked it up. And despite attempts to fix it the only answer would have been to take it all off and start again.

Also trying to find anyone to waitress was getting a lost cause.
We had one that was so useless she would hide when customers came in.
One that would ignore customers because Facebook was more important.
One that would serve but did it with her phone stuck to her ear.
They would not bother writing down what drinks went to which table, who had what and when.

This meant the Wife virtually had to greet customers, take there orders, cook and serve. I helped as much as I could but she was working herself into the ground.

Then we learned that the local noodle shack man was building a new place close by. This was inbetween 2 villages which supplied us with most custom.

Time for a change of plan.

We cut noodle man a deal he bought all our stuff from the resataurant and we used the money to turn the restaurant into this.















Yes folks a pig farm.
We spent a few weeks driving around talking to relatives and friends in the pig business before embarking on this adventure. The FiL used to have pigs but we wisely ignored him.

I quite enjoy looking after the pigs I do all the work myself, it keeps me busy and occupied.
I had some help from a neighbour the first day of the conversion but 95% of the work is my own.
I decided I would feck it up myself rather than pay someone to feck it up for me.

----------


## koman

Well done BD.  The transition from restaurant to pig pen is a completely natural one.

Many of our local restaurants seem to fill both roles simultaneously ..... :Smile:  

If the pigs don't work out, maybe you could set up a meth lab....... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
I have hardly noticed the change at all, the local police ate and drank here often  :Smile: 

Our store room already doubles as a meth lab  :Smile:

----------


## FatOne

Looks like a great idea BD, keep us up to date on profitability

----------


## koman

> Looks like a great idea BD, keep us up to date on profitability


Meth labs are very profitable....it's common knowledge FO.... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Sadly when the restaurant was open we never managed to install the chicken floor cleaners, but we have made amends with the pig farm.



The chicken coop under construction.



Chief of security Mog our adopted dog, he came with one of the house builders and stayed.



Mog's helpers

----------


## terp80

> I have hardly noticed the change at all, the local police ate and drank here often


Ouch!  :Cop:  Nice one BD :18: . Good luck with the new pigs! :Fingersx:

----------


## Roobarb

Great stuff BD, the restaurant idea sounded like a lot of hard work to me.  Keeping pigs is a far better wheeze.

----------


## 6kon

I see that you have farang pigs and not the small black ones.

One problem with a pigfarm is the smell and that you get a lot of flies with them.


6kon

----------


## Roobarb

Ummmm, I woke up this morning and realised what you're telling us BD.




"You need at least sixteen pigs to do finish the job in one sitting, so be wary of any man who keeps a pig farm"

And your local turtles thought they had problems...

----------


## terp80

^

 :Aargh4:   :rofl:

----------


## nigelandjan

Pig farm mate ?  bloody hell sure will keep you busy 24/ 7 

Apart from the stink ( btw I have worked hands on with pigs before breeding and fattening and killing them ) it would be too much like a ball and chain around my neck. 

With the army seemingly cracking down on farangs do you not worry as one of the things you can't do is be a farmer on the list ,, do you reckon they will not bother you ? just thinking more along the lines of getting bubbled from someone jealous down the road

----------


## bankao dreamer

Oops posted twice deleating this one

----------


## Wasp

BD: The restaurant is no more.
The main reasons were the roof which caused all sorts of problems .
Also trying to find anyone to waitress was getting a lost cause.
We had one that was so useless she would hide when customers came in.
One that would ignore customers because Facebook was more important.
One that would serve but did it with her phone stuck to her ear.
They would not bother writing down what drinks went to which table, who had what and when.


 :Laughing:  :Laughing:  Great writing BD !!!! :Laughing:  :Laughing:   Good luck mitt derr schweinss !!



Wasp :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Roobarb we currently have 11, but 8 more in 3 days so if anyone upsets you let me know.

Smell ? Not really I clean them out twice a day and they are far enough from the house to matter.
Flies no more than usual out in the sticks. Here is a pic from our front balcony showing the distance plus its rare the wind blowing in our direction.



I dont see any military intervention Nigel the "business" is after all in the Wifes name ! We farangs are not allowed to do such things.

I hope nobody grasses me up about this then




Or this





Apolgies it says I dont have permission to rotate the pic of me planting rice.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Herr Vasp
Danke

----------


## nigelandjan

> the "business" is after all in the Wifes name


Well thats a good point mate , so if my missus has a business registered in her name can I work there for free ? serious question as there was something we was interested in that would need both of us to work it , but I was always under the impression I couldn't do it . 

When I was over I used to see a guy in a rural bit outside Phon Phisai regularly working in what could only be described as a market garden , loads of fresh veg etc , no way could a family eat that lot , anyway I stopped off one day to chat and to be fair he was Scandanavian and  although his English was better than mine  :Smile:  it wasn't that good , but he managed to tell me even out there someone had reported him , he had a visit from someone , and they accepted his explanation it was his garden produce for his family . 

Anyway good luck with your new project

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
You know yourself mate over here whats a big no no somewhere is ok in the next village. As long as your not demanding a work permit and tax relief, how can they say you are employed. There is an Italian bloke who I see "working" with his missus selling bbq pork at the local markets. I have seen him on and off for about 5 years and funny enough he speaks better English than me.
Im not sure how helping the Wife excuse works for other people but the Italian bloke seems to be ok.

----------


## Roobarb

> Or this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .



Forgive my ignorance, but you seem to be wearing an apiarist's net hat, a large femidom and doing something with a net in the water.  What work is this exactly - rescuing diseased, drowning bees?

The hat does appear to be camouflaged which I' assuming is a cunning ploy on your part to fool the pesky immigration types when they come a huntin'.  Given you still have your freedom that at least seems to be working...

... No! Definitely not 'working'.  I meant, well, you know, 'helping' perhaps.   :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
My Dear Roobarb
Its not an apiarist's hat it is my thai style working oops sorry "helpers" hat. As seen many months ago, here is a reminder.



Here it "appears" I am setting fence posts. Nothing like that at all. Whilst perambulating one day I came across several posts of a concrete disposition. They all seemed worse for drink as several empty bottles of Lao Khao lay nearby. I was merely "helping"  them stand up.

As for the net I thought it was drowning as half of it was already under the water.  I merely "rescued" it and dragged it safely to the bank. Fortunately CPR was not required but I did have to remove several fish before I was confident it would make a full recovery.

----------


## Wasp

plums .

----------


## Wasp

That's a scarey picture BD !!!




.. but the tower's a bit of a give-away 



Wasp

----------


## koman

^

Looks like an ISIS commander to me....God is great...death to infidels, but then we have the pigs..... :Confused:

----------


## Wasp

Yes you're right koman !

It's a bit of a change from the genteel tea-room business !!! 







W.

----------


## Roobarb

^ I knew I'd seen that water tower in the background somewhere before:



Ya reckon he killed that too?  Looks capable of it I reckon.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Ah a bit of "Jihad" before breakfast is good for the constitution I find. 

Roobarb is nearly right the water tower is actually a cunningly disguised weapon of average destruction. But I need the top to be pointy before its ready for deployment.

----------


## bankao dreamer

> Every financial worry you want to banish and financial dream you want to achieve comes from taking tiny steps today that put you on a path toward your goals.
> Suze Orman



???? :Confused:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by saltoop
> 
> 
> Every financial worry you want to banish and financial dream you want to achieve comes from taking tiny steps today that put you on a path toward your goals.
> Suze Orman
> 
> 
> 
> ????


Not surprised that you are confused.  A good Jihadist is only concerned with the establishment of a Caliphate and converting or killing off the infidels.

  Those pigs are going to be a problem when the Imams come to visit though.....you may want to switch to goats before you get nailed with blasphemy or something... :tieme:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thanks Koman I only do the Jihad thing on Wednesday's and Friday afternoons, im not really commited that much. I like bacon sarnies too much, Im just going to shave one of the dogs. I have some latex glue somewhere Im sure I can make the pigs look like goats. Or I could assasinate the Imam and claim he is a martyr.

----------


## Wasp

........and be ruthless BD .

----------


## Roobarb

> I have some latex glue somewhere Im sure I can make the pigs look like goats.


Careful BD, Betty's been almost completely absent from the forum for the last two weeks or so.

This is just the sort of thing that'll get him back again.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Crickey in that case I meant Llama's not goats.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Herr Vasp

Ruthless it is. 



Allah Akbar

----------


## Wasp

You cut up " Babe " !!!

He's gonna need a very good vet now .


Of course what you need to pass the Thai health Regulations is to have a Somchai with flipflops cutting up dear Babe .




Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

"Thai Health Regulations"  :Confused: 


Somchai was only tasked with cutting it into four,  Mrs BD then went to work butchering the beast into various bits of pork. 

Worryingly she seemed to revel in this tak. 

She is also excited about getting up at 3am to repeat the process ready for the morning market. 
This lot we sold from the back of our pickup,  with me hanging out the window shouting Moo Khap.

----------


## Wasp

It sounds a lot more fun than being tied to a restaurant ......... hanging out the window shouting " Moo Khap ".

Did you honestly think - when you were 6 years old - that when you were 72 you would be hanging out of a pickup's window driving around shouting " Moo Khap " ?


Did it sell quickly ?

Did you make a profit ?




Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Dear Wasp

Never in my strangest dreams did I think I would be hanging out of a pickup window shouting "Moo Khap". Not quite 72 another 21 years to go. 

Been busy had a few 2.30am starts. Still selling stuff like mince and turning skin into scratchings.  When thats all sold we will be in profit. 
Won't be rich but it's a living. 
Plus we both enjoy doing this it keeps me occupied,  and I still have pig manure 30 Baht a bag to sell.

Got some more pics to put on but my Internet has been crap just lately.

----------


## koman

> Been busy had a few 2.30am starts. Still selling stuff like mince and turning skin into scratchings


You never mentioned being severely masochistic before.  Maybe you should see someone about these weird tendencies... they have lots of new and improved treatments you know....I mean they don't just chain you to a wall these days....... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> you may want to switch to goats


You bastard, Koman!!! Don't think I don't know who that was aimed at; still jealous over my car port success (the FiL has now put up a 'fence' of sorts - if I post pics of that you'll blow your load)...





> hanging out of a pickup window shouting "Moo Khap"




...  :Smile:

----------


## 6kon

BD: Are you doing the reproduction of small pigs by yourself, or have you outsourced the job?  :Smile:  


6kon

----------


## koman

> still jealous over my car port success


Yes, still in awe, but I'll get over it in time... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): .





> (the FiL has now put up a 'fence' of sorts - if I post pics of that you'll blow your load)...


You owe this board photos of that fence....I don't mind having my load blown from time to time.... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Dear Koman
I don't trust new fangled treatments I am very much a traditionalists. Being chained to a wall is far more reassuring,  especially with an orange stuck in my mouth.   :Smile: 

6kon
We won't be ready to breed for a while yet we buy the piglets from a breeder we trust.  Depending on the size they cost between B1400 to B1800. Food costs to butchering size is B3026 if you just use pellet food and the feeding regime as recommended by the manufacturer. 

Dearest Betty
I also look forward to having my load blown.

----------


## Bettyboo

> Sadly when the restaurant was open we never managed to install the chicken floor cleaners, but we have made amends with the pig farm.
> 
> 
> 
> The chicken coop under construction.
> 
> 
> 
> Chief of security Mog our adopted dog, he came with one of the house builders and stayed.
> ...


BD has really really REALLY gone local! (gone loco???  :Smile: )...

What a change in the man!

----------


## Wasp

Of course you’re right about BD going loco .

But there are rules about that and it’s pleasing to see that BD is reaching the standards .

 Rules to achieve a real local look .

1.	Make sure you build your wall first and afterwards attack it with a blunt chisel .
NEVER remove the mess !!

2.	It’s important that you scatter a few of the cheapest plastic bowls around .
        Mix up your colours and never put anything into them .





3.	Adopt the ugliest dog that wanders in .
  Just a look will tell you it has rabies , fleas …. all the desirable elements to have around the place .

4.	Have you got any old wire mesh around ?  Why not bend it a bit and lean it against your wall ?
    Gives the place that authentic pikey look.

5.   NEVER make a straight edge anywhere .  
Get that local “ couldn’t care less ” Thai ambience by just finishing your edges in any old crappy way .

Ten out of ten BD !!!!!



Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Dear Wasp and betty
I have no defence and plead guilty as charged.
I await your sentence.

----------


## patsycat

That dog's not ugly.

----------


## 6kon

But this dog is ugly.... :

----------


## terp80

> That dog's not ugly.


True.




> But this dog is ugly.... :


Oh my gawd! True.

----------


## Wasp

> Dear Wasp and betty
> I have no defence and plead guilty as charged.
> I await your sentence.




SENTENCE :

You must copy Betty's bamboo and mesh fence immediately in order to reinforce the loso look .



Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Dear Wasp
When I get an Internet connection that let's me stay logged on longer than 2 minutes I will post a pic of my fence. I think my sentence will be carried out.

----------


## Wasp

......... and a few more garish-coloured cheap empty plastic bowls.



For the assembly of dogs. :Suspect: 


Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Now it seems that the general consensus is that I have turned slightly Issanish,  in fact  Wasp sentenced me to build a fence to rival Betty's.

Well I had accomplished this month's ago. It was relatively cheap and quick,  we had to get something in place sharpish.  For at that time it was that wonderful time of year when the locals release their cows with no supervision.  Every fecking morning we had to get Max in his kennel before herds of bloody cows turned up to eat flowers falling off the trees. Some mornings we were not in time and I spent many a happy hour chasing after Max who in turn was chasing cows. 

Well that's enough of the story,  here in all its splendor is our fence. I hope it meets with your approval.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ too expensive for my tastes... That expensive looking concrete should have been free local bamboo...  :Smile: 




> You must copy Betty's bamboo and mesh fence immediately in order to reinforce the loso look .


Dear Wasp, sometimes you push your luck a bit too far!!!  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Now the Jury must decide on this. 
Unlike our local muts, Layla our Border Terrier which we bought with us from the UK keeps trying to eat Toads. She hasn't learned that they make her go all frothy at the mouth. 
So here is the BD toad catcher.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ that is a very nice spa and swimming pool, BD.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Unfortunately the Koi live there although I do dangle my feet in occasionally.

Sorry about the concrete posts didn't have time to locate and chop bamboo.

----------


## Wasp

Your fence has some sections which are very nearly straight .

That makes it much too high a standard for Hissann approval.

Perhaps when it's a lot more rusted and with dog diggings underneath it might get the Betty seal . 

3rd Class.



Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

^

Oh Dear 3rd !!
Maybe I can do better here



Users of multi coloured cheap bowls,  the metal ones are for mixing I don't want to lose mark's when Wasp works out my grades.

----------


## Wasp

Wat BD doesn't look very welcoming with all those hounds around !

But you do get a few good pikey points for the selection of cheap , plastic and EMPTY bowls assembled there .
Clearly you've been visiting the market at Nakhon NikNik again .

But BD ..... there's a couple of bowls which are not transparent !

That type can cost up towards the sipp baht level so you lose points there .
But still a commendable loso effort because of all the dogs .



Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

It's getting close to the time when we have to build the inlaws new house. It will be built on our land for a few reasons.  The inlaws are getting on a bit and the Wife has had to rush into the village a few times now. It's really cramped where they were surrounded on 4 sides by  the other properties. The Mil has a sister who wants to move back to the village,  so the Wife sold the land to her Aunt and we will use some of the money to build a modest  bungalow. Looking at all the 3D renderings on Wasp's new thread inspired me to reveal my own  plans.



Lounge/bedroom 5m x 6m, toilet 2m x 2m, porch 3m x 3m and a small outside kitchen area. 

I will be doing as much as I can myself. I have found load bearing concrete blocks so no silly posts. My block laying apprenticeship was served building the pig farm.  I started at Somchai level 1 but now feel I have reached Somchai level 5.5 so i feel confident it won't fall down, well not for a while.

----------


## Bettyboo

> the inlaws new house. It will be built on our land for a few reasons.


Nice. I see you're integrating really really well, BD - gotta say that I'm incredibly impressed by your transformation.  :Smile: 

Have you considered getting a layer of chickens above the pigs?

----------


## FatOne

Look forward to seeing how you go BD, I will be thinking about something similar for the stepson later if I want to dislodge him from my place!

----------


## bankao dreamer

Already there Betty

----------


## FatOne

Ha Ha Ha , classic!

----------


## Wasp

:smiley laughing: 

That's the clincher BD !!!!!



Wasp

----------


## Roobarb

> I have found load bearing concrete blocks so no silly posts.


Not sure how they are related BD, but we'll all try and keep it sensible from now on.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Doh silly me,  I meant no silly concrete post's.  When Por asked when can we do the post in the ground chanting bollox and was replied to with never there won't be any,  he was rather subdued and wandered over to the Wat to consult with Father Ted. Our solitary monk I named Father Ted because well he reminds me of the Father Ted character. 

Roobarb please feel free to add any silly posts to this thread.

----------


## FatOne

http://media1.bangkokpost.com/common...angkokpost.jpg

( Silly Post!)

----------


## bankao dreamer

^ :Smile: 

Managed to squeeze in 2 more pen's in the pig farm. We are having 11more piglets next week and 8 in 50 days. With the 16 we have now we will have 35. Its been a bit more block laying practice building the pens for when I start the Inlaws bungalow. 







Chicken coop  finished built by my own hands to exacting Issan standards.

----------


## Bettyboo

Saying I'm impressed just doesn't cover it.

Rather than having this in the housebuild subforum, we need a new subforum started: the village build...

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Thanks Betty. 
Now getting ready to build the Inlaws bungalow,  400 load bearing concrete blocks 24 Baht each



Steel for the roof and strip foundation under the tarp behind the blocks.

----------


## FatOne

Keep us posted with Pics, BD

----------


## Roobarb

> 400 load bearing concrete blocks...


The ones at the bottom of the right hand pile seem to be struggling to bear their load.

Same same but different perhaps?  :Smile:

----------


## 6kon

> ^
> Thanks Betty. 
> Now getting ready to build the Inlaws bungalow,  400 load bearing concrete blocks 24 Baht each
> 
> 
> 
> Steel for the roof and strip foundation under the tarp behind the blocks.


and if sth should fail you could always build more pig sheds  :Smile: 


6kon

----------


## bankao dreamer

Roobs that was the fault of Somchai crane operative he was a bit well not to careful offloading the 1st  pallet. 

It is for the Inlaws if it falls down they are insured.  :Smile: 

We have enough pig pens for now but it could make a good frog farm which is my next project.

----------


## Roobarb

> ... could make a good frog farm which is my next project.


Ooh, not sure about that BD.

They may seem harmless enough at first, but get them riled and they can become a bit of a nuisance:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Oh Merde

----------


## Bettyboo

Is BD getting some cows/buffalo now???

He'll be rivaling CP within a year!  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

No cows or buffalo Betty but believe it or not she has been making serious enquiries regarding goats the last couple of days.

----------


## fishlocker

> I'm amazed, this is such a good idea! I'm going to save this picture and make something similar in the kitchen of my house!


It looks good however it would look better if the tile was left in tact. Install by lowering the gas valve in the hole and loop it foreword. Just a thought. It would look better and clean up easy.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
It doesn't matter now Fish because where the burners were there are now bags of pig food  :Smile: .

----------


## 6kon

I have read your thread and really nice follow the hole process from start till making a pigfarm.

I like your house with the modules linked together, but where does the rain goes between the roofs?



6kon

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
There is guttering between the main 2 rooms that is fed into 3 big water pots. 
There is no guttering between the house and the Sala, the runoff goes into the Koi pond underneath and then by an overflow pipe into the big fish pond.

----------


## grasshopper

Verily, this man thinketh of everything.

----------


## Bettyboo

Goats? For pets or milk???

----------


## Roobarb

> Goats? For pets or milk???


Careful how you answer this one BD...

----------


## bankao dreamer

Oh dear
Err milk, goats cheese,  keeping the grass down err can't think of anything else !!!  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

The In Laws Build


Finally got around to starting to build the modest bungalow for the In Laws, but blooming typical  heavy rain during the night stopped play. At least when the foundation trench dries out a bit it should be easier to dig.




Well what to do ?
I have been neglecting my Jihad activities just lately, and my cunningly disguised Weapon of Average Destruction still didn't have a pointy top. This disappointingly led me to downgrade it to a Weapon of Mediocre destruction. 
However help was to hand and my associate Somchai Al Bin Sleeping turned up this morning to install the pointy top. He assures me it will be ready before Songkran and will make boom boom mak mak.

----------


## Roobarb

> Well what to do ?


You could perhaps use the opportunity to build a scale model of Angkor Wat?

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Now that would make an excellent garden feature,  but being committed to building them a modest dwelling I would need them both to peg it rather sharpish. I cannot see this happening and envisage them being around longer than it would take Angkor Wat to disappear back into the jungle.

----------


## FatOne

Keep the pics coming BD, contrary to popular opinion there is more than 1 person reading!!

----------


## bankao dreamer

^ No pics yet FO work on Angkor Wat has been put on hold for a couple of days. I have been making a few changes to the pig farm seeing as we now have 33 pigs. With that many the Wife has had to register it and was told we needed to alter a few things. It's nearly done but still no sign of anyone coming to "inspect" it. Work on AW should resume on Monday.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Time for an update.

Work on the In laws bungalow aka Ankgor Wat has been cancelled.  This is not due to the in laws sudden demise,  they are very much alive and well. Comments not necessary thanks.

The reason is I am enjoying having the pig farm and would like to buy more land for a much bigger farm. I also want a bit of extra growing room to grow crops to feed the pigs.

To finance this Wat BD is up for sale. 

Now we are happy with the way it is but we want to make the place a bit more practical for potential buyers. So we need a lounge. The solution block in the downstairs creating a lounge / dining room and extra bedroom. 
Using the materials purchased some time ago to build AW I have started to block in the downstairs. 

PHASE 2







I wonder if the eagle eyed among you recognise the gentleman assisting me in this project ?

Yes Grandad Porn has returned. As I stated earlier in this thread you can't go wrong with a bit of Grandad Porn.

----------


## Wasp

The Wat will be snapped up I’m sure .

 It already has EVERYTHING  a Thai would want .  Two dirty dogs arses . A toilet plunger . Many plastic containers . 
Cheap drying rail ( with tee shirts ) . Dodgy cementing at the base of the blocks straight onto the tiles . Empty dog bowl . 
Surplus timbers . A filthy rag hanging outside . Bottle of M-150.

Just publish this photo and the Thais will be queueing up waving ..... oh anything up to 300 000 Baht !

But they'll only be waving it .  

They won't pay it .





W :32: sp

----------


## 6kon

Good luck with sale and new project. Looking forward to follow a new thread of the building of a pig farm.

6kon

----------


## bankao dreamer

Wasp I try to maintain the standards you have set me.

6kon thanks even though I never planned having a small pig farm when I moved here,  I really enjoy it. After being bought up in an inner city environment when I when I left school I went to live with my Dad out in the countryside,  and spent a few months working on a farm. I am have nothing but fond memories of that time. Our farm can hold up to 40 pigs I want to have something with a capacity for about a 100 pigs and some land to grow crops to supplement the feeding.  All I need now is to sell this place to do it. I already have a house idea which will be a lot different from what we normally see on here.

----------


## Wasp

> Wasp I try to maintain the standards you have set me.



Well you failed enormously .

WE have about 6 ... Count them ... SIX .... scraggy dogs arses dragging themselves around the grounds .
At least 3 toilet plungers ...... Always a minimum of eight shitty rags hanging up for no reason whatsoever .

Our place is much more of a pigsty than yours so there .



Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Window frames going in.







We are using frames and shutters because they match the rest of downstairs plus I already had them lying around to use on the in laws bungalow.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Block work complete time to render.

----------


## terp80

^

BD, doesn't the *flood* bother you at all!? :Scared1:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Not at all terps I have a rubber dinghy loaded with K rations for such an eventually

----------


## Stumpy

> ^
> Not at all terps I have a rubber dinghy loaded with K rations for such an eventually


Yeah man, Its all in fun anyway. I lived through the BKK flood in Pinklao and had a blast paddling around there and in Ayutthaya.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Crikey no updates for some time so time to make amends. 

New lounge underneath nearly finished,  à bit of paint on the inside walls needed. 




Those with good memories may notice the pond in front of the house is missing.  Very little rain around here meant we had a big hole and not a pond. So we filled it in. 

PS The house is up for sale anybody interested PM me for the details.

----------


## Wasp

.
.
Sticking with the Brown theme ............ what do you think ?







ArtisanWasp

----------


## runker

too much brown, a lighter color on the ground floor looks best.

----------


## Wasp

....... ?




Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thanks Wasp we did consider a lighter colour but didn't want to repaint all the outside.
The walls that were previously outside on the kitchen and storeroom have been repainted a light blue.

----------


## bankao dreamer

I have been trying to update and reply to a couple of posts on the property for sale thread. I have been waiting 3 days but it still hasn't been updated. 

Thaineme most of the house is old reclaimed timber,  especially the floor joists and floor boards.

Yes Charley it was a labour of love but due to a few reasons we need to get back to the UK. So it has to be sold. 

The price doesn't reflect what we have spent, we are not even breaking even. But it's what we need to get home quickly.

----------


## Horatio Hornblower

How much you asking.?

----------


## terry57

Its a burster of a house Huh.

Absolute fookin ripper. Love it.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Thanks Terry it's a shame there are still other phases I had planned, but we need to get back.

HH we have dropped the price down to B2,100,000 from B2,700,000 when we first put it on some Thai websites. B2.5 is roughly what we have spent all in including the former restaurant / pig farm at the bottom of the land. That could easily be converted into a big car port. The land at the entrance can hold 10 cars at least, not that anyone would own 10 cars but it was meant as the restaurant carpark.

----------


## Wasp

BD

... If its too personal then its too personal so I'm not offended if you say its too personal .... but in December you wanted to expand the piggy business and now 4 months later you are leaving instead .

Why ?

But if its too personal tell me anyway but I'll understand if its too personal but tell me . But not if its too personal.

Don't leave just because Neverna is so rude to me !

My twin Wat is being lost.




Wasp
.
.
.

----------


## BKKKevin

> .
> .
> Sticking with the Brown theme ............ what do you think ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Think inside the box... Dusky pink and add some corinthian columns!

----------


## Wasp

That will just increase the value of the place !!

He needs to sell.

Best stick to low-quality wooden supports I think .



W :07: sp

----------


## bankao dreamer

My wooden posts may lack the awe inspiring majesty of Missy's Roman Kings but they weren't cheap. Far from cheap in fact, another purchase from the old wood yard as well as the wood for the stairs.

Please don't feel guilty Wasp but yes your tiff with Nervana is in fact the reason for returning home.

----------


## koman

Too bad you want to leave BD.  You put a lot of work into that place;   and pig farming is the highest and best use of ones time and talents anywhere

..... and now you want to go back to a country dominated by radical Muslim clergy, old parliamentarian pedophiles,  and bulimic lesbians.... :Smile: 

Before moving, I'd be inclined to take a quick trip back, just to sniff the air a bit, and get a feel for the impending financial meltdown,  economic Armageddon,  Caliphate and Sharia law.   If you find that's all this is your thing,  you can go ahead with the relocation......just don't let the clerics get a whiff of the pigs on you while you're over there...... :Smile: 

All the best to you, whatever comes about

----------


## piwanoi

> Too bad you want to leave BD.  You put a lot of work into that place;   and pig farming is the highest and best use of ones time and talents anywhere
> 
> ..... and now you want to go back to a country dominated by radical Muslim clergy, old parliamentarian pedophiles,  and bulimic lesbians....
> 
> Before moving, I'd be inclined to take a quick trip back, just to sniff the air a bit, and get a feel for the impending financial meltdown,  economic Armageddon,  Caliphate and Sharia law.   If you find that's all this is your thing,  you can go ahead with the relocation......just don't let the clerics get a whiff of the pigs on you while you're over there......
> 
> All the best to you, whatever comes about


  Sound advice Koman,  far better to stick his toe in the water first rather than dive straight in .

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thank you Koman and Piwanoi for your concerns and advice.

 It will be a shame but the reasons to return far outweigh the reasons to stay.

Fortunately where we are returning to the only clerics are of the Christian kind. I dont intend making many trips to inner city caliphates. 

It's been a blast, and an excellent adventure. But needs must.

----------


## piwanoi

> Thank you Koman and Piwanoi for your concerns and advice.
> 
>  It will be a shame but the reasons to return far outweigh the reasons to stay.
> 
> Fortunately where we are returning to the only clerics are of the Christian kind. I dont intend making many trips to inner city caliphates. 
> 
> It's been a blast, and an excellent adventure. But needs must.


  Ahh well ,you know your own mind and  the bottom line  far more than we know , but It goes without saying in all sincerity  that I as well as Koman wish you all the best ,whatever the future holds , I just feel sorry for the dogs  :Smile:

----------


## Iceman123

Excuse my ignorance but where is the house located?

----------


## bankao dreamer

We are taking our cat and 2 dogs we bought with us from the UK plus 1 more dog, the others will be looked after by the In laws, the FiL is by Thai standards a dog lover. We wished we could take them all.

The house is located in Amphur Sida, roughly half way between Korat and Kohn Kaen. It's 1km from a main road, situated between 2 villages. Quiet and peaceful no noise. I love the location I'm writing this outside with a cold bottle of Chang and just the sound of crickets and the Wife watching NCIS LA can be heard.

----------


## nigelandjan

Just put the heating on here mate  :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

Is there any progress on the  sale BD ?

Have you departed ?




Wasp

----------


## FatOne

I haven't been on much lately and missed this sad tale, your building thread was inspirational and I'll miss your writing BD. It seems many of the regular posters from before and when I built my house have disappeared, which is largely why I haven't been on much. I miss Wasp's great threads and all the other regulars, you will be missed although I hope we hear from you from Blighty.

----------


## Wasp

Thank you FO.


It's good to read serious building stuff --- after all it's a Construction Thread --- but I too miss the zany content that made it entertaining .



Wasp

----------


## nigelandjan

I'm not sure BD posts on here anymore Wasp , but the last time I heard from him I believe good progress has been made with the sale of his house and all is well with the tests he needed to have done on his dogs .

I do know his dogs are a big part of his life so he will be mega happy at getting over that hurdle.

As far as I am aware both he and his wife are now excited and closer to leaving for good .

We are hoping to visit them in Belgium next year as neither my missus or I have ever been to that Country

----------


## Wasp

Thank you for this *N&J*.

Yes it looks like *BD* has indeed stopped posting but I hoped that he would look on the Construction Threads from time to time { as I do } and that when he saw his thread being active he might write and say what the latest was .

I thought also he was heading for the UK so I might even buy him a glass of fruity white wine. But you say *Belgium* ! Which is a surprise.
I've been in Belgium many times and its true that it's a bit dull --- but if you like forests and damp walks in the woods picking mushrooms and drinking cloudy white beers in old taverns in medieval towns ( and I do ) it's an OK place .

Thank you for replying .

Regards .


Wasp

----------


## cdnski12

Gud Luck with the "Termice" (as GF calls them) & the Mots ... bbuuzzz ...

----------


## nigelandjan

Wasp ,, Belgium is basically a stepping stone to get back to the UK , well originally it was mabe he will style in Belgium.

Its very complicated now to come back to the UK after you have become an expat in a non EU Country 

I wish them both well

----------


## Wasp

Can you tell me ?  My World-renowned thread about " A Better Gallery of House Builds " was made into a ' sticky ' today though I don't know what that means .

Then I tried to put a new picture in there and it looks likely ' sticky ' means " Locked " because it didn't go in there .

Does ' sticky' mean its locked ?

If it does - can some mod unstick it please ?



Wasp

----------


## stroller

'Sticky' means it will stay at the top of the page.
If you can't post pics, ya doing something wrong.

----------


## bankao dreamer

I haven't posted on here for a while but thought it incredibly rude not to finish the thread. 

The house has been sold the transfer was completed this Thursday. All went smoothly apart from a corrupt, thieving, lying bitch in the land office who tried to charge the wife developers tax. This was resolved when the wife showed the bitch the Web page that she was indeed a thieving, lying, corrupt bitch. No farang was harmed in this exchange as I was maintaining a low profile outside. 

The new owners are a lovely couple, the wife is a surgeon and the husband a school principle. They have bought it as a retirement home and are in no rush to move in. We are still living here rent free why we organise our move to Europe. 

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to contribute to the thread but special mention must go to Wasp, Betty, Koman and last but not least Roobarb who turned the usual here is a hole, concrete, steel, pics of workers into a dam fine ripping yarn.

5 years in the planning have come to an end but new adventures await.

Bai Kon Der as they say.

----------


## Wasp

Thank you BD . :Frown:  :Frown:  :Frown: 


Are you truly going to live in Belgium ?

And what happens to your pig slaughtering knives ?



Wasp

----------


## Roobarb

It was indeed a ripping yarn BD.  Whilst it's a little sad to see the tale has come to an end it was fun whilst it lasted and, as you say, new adventures await.  

The best of luck in Europe (Belgium - really?).

----------


## Neverna

Thanks for the update, Bankao dreamer. Good luck for the future.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Wasp the MiL has requested custody of the pig slaughtering knives, I don't know why as she has no intention of butchering pigs. I'm confident it has nothing to do with the cantankerous old git FiL and his amazing longevity !!!

A special thanks also to Nigel for taking the time to reply to questions on here.

Belgium I admit is a strange choice for many, but many factors where considered in choosing where to go. From a selfish point of  view Spain for me as I can speak a bit of the lingo. But there's my stepdaughter to consider also. We gave her examples of European languages to see how she would cope with learning another language for school. Dutch came out as the easy winner. 
As I have mentioned before our good  friends and ex next door neighbours in England now live in Belgium and love it there. We are currently negotiating for a small chalet close to where they live.

Will it work out can't honestly say but as the wife said "don't care where we are we won't be here"

----------


## nigelandjan

> Will it work out can't honestly say but as the wife said "don't care where we are we won't be here"


Good luck with it all mate ,, shame your not going to Spain we might have been neighbours there  :Smile:

----------


## terry57

^

Are you buying a Gaff Nig ?

The prices are quite good at the moment aren't they.

----------


## nigelandjan

Were going over on November 1st Tel to look at some ,, got a cracking 5 star all inc deal as well in the bargain £500 a week cheaper than a month ago in the peak season , but then we aint going to lie on the beach . 

As you say with 2/3 bed villas going for between £80 - £100 K  something like half they were in the peak .

I'm lucky got some good legal + business contacts out there , someone to sort out some work for the missus , gonna check out some Thai business folk as well so the missus can get a foot hold with a bit of friendship with em .

Yeah nothing in stone yet , but until its checked out we will never know , anyway some one has to make way in the UK for some of our new non pork eating friends coming in  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## terry57

^

I watched a program on Spanish real estate the other Day.  They said the Market had plummeted by around 50% but is slowly on the turn.

If one has the money to buy,  it must be a perfect time huh.  

Good luck to you mate, sounds great.

----------


## Wasp

*
*
Well Good Luck with it all BD.

.... and for your stepdaughter , German is more useful and if she handles Dutch ok she'll handle German ( I was once a language teacher ).

But anyway I like Belgium .
I took Missy there on the way to Germany and we stopped  one night at a hotel near Rochefort . All green and cool and damp and that was just the bed .

The hotel owners loved everything dark . Black leather sofas in the entrance area .. Dark wood panelling . 
They were Dutch and very proud of this hotel ( which had no other guests ).

They asked " Wott you are zinkenn our hotel denn ? " with big smiles .
Missy answered " Iss verree nice ! All dark . Look same home Dracula . "


They were not delighted to hear that --- but Missy was right .

It needed  some  Roman Kings and some  pigs I think . 


Best Wishes for all that comes next !!!!



Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Dank u wel Wasp old chap maybe you could pop in on your travels to Krautsville in the future. 

Nige if we didn't have the nipper to consider it probably would be Spain, I taught the wife a bit of Spanish and she likes the language. But the nippers education comes first and she picked up Dutch pronunciation really quick whereby she really struggled with Castilian Spanish.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Greetings all
 I was going to start a new thread but seeing as it's all part of the saga I have decided to tag it on to the end of this thread. 

As you know we are out of here very soon, but there remains a conundrum. 
The in laws live with us and need somewhere to live when we leave. The wife has received a few offers from relatives who are more than happy to accommodate the MiL. However there were no such offers pertaining to the cantankerous old git FiL.

I was rather hoping he would have done the honourable thing but he keeps waking every bloody morning.

So we were forced to obtain a small piece of land and build a house. The FiL demanded that the correct date for building was the end of October. Sod that so we didn't tell him and got on with it. 





The motley crew the large chap is the chang.





More to come

----------


## bankao dreamer

We decided to go for a 7/11 mini mart design because the MiL thought it cute and the FiL hated it.

----------


## Wasp

Well this started out looking like an utterly crappy house ..... then suddenly it looks a bit huge and palatial. 

It will be interesting. 



Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Thanks Wasp

A few more pics

----------


## Wasp

Did you buy this land ?

The costs in a build are always of interest .



Wasp

----------


## Roobarb

Ah, the thread that keeps on giving.  Good on ya BD, squeeze in a quick extra build before you depart.

----------


## bankao dreamer

I like to share Roobarb

Yes Wasp we bought the land.

Costings. 
Land B90,000
Builders cost including tiling B50,000
Materials B116,000 ( roughly another B2,500 to spend )
Electrics labour and materials B16,000

It's a simple build  
lounge / bedroom 5m x 6m
kitchen area 3m x 3m
toilet 3m x 2m 
no sinks, basins or shower because the old gits wouldn't use them anyway. We will add these when the old gits have gone and we are ready to sell it.

The electrician seems a good chap he worked in Singapore and chased most of the wiring into the walls. When he quoted I presumed it would all be surface mounted trunking. 






The archway between lounge / bedroom and kitchen area.



They started tiling yesterday so I will get some pics of that today. I was very disappointed with the Wife's choice of tile. She purchased rough anti slip things for the kitchen and toilet. Most disconcerting  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

A bit more progress although in the time honoured fashion I'm sure things will grind to a halt at some point. 

The offending non sarlip tiles 





Ceilings are up







Progress on the front overhang balcony thing




Paneling going on the underside of the roof




Stay tuned

----------


## Bettyboo

> Stay tuned





(He was 15 when this thread started!  :Smile: )

----------


## bankao dreamer

When I started this thread I had hair and  my sanity.

Found a use for the shera plank we had left over from our house




Side view of the mini mart

----------


## Bettyboo

Are the pigs still ok? 

&, it looks like you're building anew village economy there, BD!  :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Betty you need to go back a few pages. The pigs have all gone, our house is now sold and we will be out of Thailand very soon. Off to our little chalet in the Belgium country side just in time for winter and free aircon.  :Smile:

----------


## nigelandjan

Well done BD mate , glad to see you are able to escape at last . 

I really hope you and your wife are soon settled again into sanity 

Will you be anywhere near to the coast in Belgium ?

----------


## bankao dreamer

No Nigel near a town called Turnhout in Antwerp province.  The area is known as the Antwerpen Kempen. We will be in the middle of 5 nature reserves,  so really looking forward to some decent walks.

----------


## nigelandjan

Sounds nice mate , will have a look at it . Mabe nice if you can post a pic up of your new home on here

----------


## Bettyboo

> Betty you need to go back a few pages. The pigs have all gone, our house is now sold and we will be out of Thailand very soon. Off to our little chalet in the Belgium country side just in time for winter and free aircon.


Excellent decision, imho - good luck with it all.  :bananaman:

----------


## katie23

Hi BD, best wishes on your upcoming move.

How's the pink bicycle? Is it still functional and is the FIL still using it?  Where will it be parked in this new gaff?  :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> We will be off to our little chalet in the Belgium country side just in time for winter and free aircon.



Have you got a  photo of your little chalet in the Belgium countryside ?



Wasp

----------


## panama hat

never posted here, rather just kept up with progress . . . or not as it were.

Excellent thread, thank you so much for the entertainment provided and best of luck in Belgium - my favourite country in Europe which provided welcome relief on many week-ends while I was working in Holland.

Food, people and countryside . . .  Good luck

----------


## bankao dreamer

I thank all of you for your well wishes.
We have been so busy the last few days,  even though the house isn't quite finished the In Laws have moved in to their new home.
Rural Thais never throw anything away and it has taken many trips to move their stuff.
I haven't managed to take any more pics but hope to make amends tomorrow. 

The Fil's pink phalic bike is kaput and despite several " no problem I can fix it " somchai attempts. It is still kaput but destined never to be thrown away. Its once majestic pink paintwork is now tarnished and rusting. 

Our friends in Belgium who sorted out our little chalet are not the greatest of photographers. The pics are not that good but I will take some when we get there.

----------


## Wasp

Non , non , non , non , non !!

Une petite crappy photo now is tres plus meilleur than waiting .






Le Worsp

----------


## baconandeggs

How much does it cost to rent a Belgium apartment by the month?

----------


## Wasp

Wrong Thread.








Wursp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Google maps was not my friend that day Wasp. :Smile: 

No idea what an apartment costs plus to many variables. I know a decent unfurnished semi will cost about €1000 per month where we are going.

----------


## Dillinger

> Wakonpabas


Sabpao Wank ?

----------


## Wasp

> How much does it cost to rent a Belgium apartment by the month?


One bed apartment near Tourhout . 475 Euro a month.

Studio unit in Leuven . 400 Euros.

3 bed Penthouse near Ghent .   1600 Euros.




Wersp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Well the In laws are settling in to their new home. However we had a problem, their precious things ( a life time of accumulated junk ) was put in what should have been the kitchen. 
Where do we cook asked the confused old git ! You have just filled it with junk !
 I broached the sensitive subject of getting rid of some precious things. It did not meet with approval. 

Never mind I thought it will save money on the funeral costs,  I won't have to bother with a crematorium. I will just stick him on top of his precious things and light a fire.

So in the meantime we have had to extend the house. Mr Chang obliged and using some materials from the shack we had at our house we came up with this. 







You build a modern looking convenient house but they aren't happy until you " Thainess " it.

----------


## rickschoppers

Funny BD, but they will probably spend 95% of their time under that lean to rather than inside the new house. Just the Thai way. Good luck in Belgium and keep us all posted.

----------


## nigelandjan

Recognise all the symptoms mate , my inlaws have a whole house just to keep the crap in + an outside shed 

also there are 5 racks of worn out shoes ( just incase )  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Wasp

> You build a modern looking convenient house but they aren't happy until you " Thainess " it.


I don't swear . I just don't . But fuck me that kind of construction makes me want to grab a flame-thrower.
And as rick and nigel say ..... they will spend 95% of their time in there and continue to store all sorts of shite " just in case " .
When my folks died I was finding Gas Bills  from 1958 and broken teapots that were 50 years old and festooned with Araldite !

You're right BD . An excellent funeral pyre .



Wasp

----------


## Wasp

.
.
.
bankao arrives in Torhout .



.
.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Not there yet Wasp old chap, just back from Bangkok sorting out the wife's visa and getting all manner of documents translated and legalised. 

I dont think I will be allowed to take the pig slaughtering knives on the plane, unless I was a retired Thai police general. 

Everybody is correct the old gits have indeed festooned the house with junk and are happy dividing their time between the shack at the rear and the front porch area.

----------


## Bettyboo

Second from left (Tripel Karmeliet), middle (KWAK) and Le Chouffe are the 3 greatest beers in the world, and you're nearly there...

----------


## bankao dreamer

Droooooooooolllll in an exaggerated Homer Simpson kind of way. 

Can't wait Betty can't blooming wait, ooh me liver, medic !!! Man down  :Smile:

----------


## patsycat

That's more like Mort Subite!!

----------


## bankao dreamer

Or 
Man dood
Man omlaag  :Smile:

----------


## Exit Strategy

> Second from left (Tripel Karmeliet), middle (KWAK) and Le Chouffe are the 3 greatest beers in the world, and you're nearly there...


But I like Hard Cider and have no idea of Le Chouffe :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

Any pictures of the in-laws house completed ? 

Painted - tiled - chandeliers - wine cellar et cetera ?

----------


## Wasp

I said any pictures of the in-laws house completed ?


Christ it's  not easy keeping my Gallery going !




Wasp

----------


## terp80

> I said any pictures of the in-laws house completed ? 
> 
> Christ it's  not easy keeping my Gallery going !


Quit shouting for chrissake, Waspie. I have a headache now. :Headache:  :Sigh:  

But I do sympathize.. :Wink1:

----------


## Wasp

:dito:  :Mad:  :Mad:  :Mad:  :Dunno:  :Dunno:  :Dunno: 




W :German: sp

----------


## nigelandjan

BD is not a happy man right this moment ,, so I would advise not shouting at him for a while

----------


## Wasp

OK



Understood





Wisp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Hi all just here to answer a question asked on another thread.

Rick I can only answer from our point of view because there's too many variables. 
We have been in Spain just over 3 months and we find it cheaper here to live than Thailand. 
Food here is excellent value especially if you take into account the expensive creature comforts in Thailand. 
I love Thai stuff and will eat almost anything, but buying western food in Thailand is expensive. We buy all our veg from a local market and the wife is impressed with the quality and price of it.

We are renting a 2 bed country house with a 1500m2 of garden, it's rural with lovely views and only 5 mins from town. This is costing us €300 per month. The local town is really nice with quite a few expats from all over Europe, it's off the usual tourist trail and maintains that Spanish feel that a lot of places have lost.

Driving has become a pleasure again with empty roads and compared to Thailand,  considerate driving standards. 

Almeria can get hot in the summer, the locals have told me last year it reached 48 c in town.  We are up in the hills so it's quite breazy. 

So from a personal point of view we love it here and are very happy with our life in Spain so far.

Any more questions feel free to ask away.

Ps Wasp the in laws place was never finished, as we would describe it. We will paint and do other stuff when we sell it. By then we will have to remove nails in the walls and repair Por's diy efforts.

----------


## Wasp

More importantly .... what does " Scrotum Pass Me Pistol " mean ?

I've lost many nights of sleep wondering .



Ole W :Sombrero: sp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Ah
Vivian Stanshall of Bonzo Dog doodah band (urban spaceman )
He released a monologue titled Sir Henry at Rawlinson End. It was later made into a film with Trevor Howard playing Sir Henry, the film was crap though. 
You can find the monologue on YouTube. 

Anyway one of the characters is Sir Henry's manservant named Old Scrotum the wrinkled retainer. 

One day Sir Henry observes a hang glider flying over the estate, he shouts to his manservant 

"Scrotum pass me pistol, let's see if I can bring the blighter down in the lake"

----------


## can123

> Anyway one of the characters is Sir Henry's manservant named Old Scrotum the wrinkled retainer.


Incorrect,I'm afraid. Scrotum was the invention of the Gilbert and Sullivan team  and was titled "The Sod's Opera".

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...llivan&f=false

----------


## Wasp

Hmmmm ...........Sir Henry at Rawlinson End.......

...........  manservant named Old Scrotum 

....... hang glider flying over the estate

........ bankao massacring pigs in Thailand and escaping via Belgium to Almeria  .

Yes - now I can see the link to your signature  !!!



W :Sombrero: sp


 :porlao:

----------


## bankao dreamer

He may well be but he is also a character in Sir Henry. If you can find it it's very funny and well worth it.
There are clips from the movie but try to find the actual monologue.

----------


## rickschoppers

> Hi all just here to answer a question asked on another thread.
> 
> Rick I can only answer from our point of view because there's too many variables. 
> We have been in Spain just over 3 months and we find it cheaper here to live than Thailand. 
> Food here is excellent value especially if you take into account the expensive creature comforts in Thailand. 
> I love Thai stuff and will eat almost anything, but buying western food in Thailand is expensive. We buy all our veg from a local market and the wife is impressed with the quality and price of it.
> 
> We are renting a 2 bed country house with a 1500m2 of garden, it's rural with lovely views and only 5 mins from town. This is costing us 300 per month. The local town is really nice with quite a few expats from all over Europe, it's off the usual tourist trail and maintains that Spanish feel that a lot of places have lost.
> 
> ...


BD, thanks for that and I will continue to research staying in Spain several months out of the year.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Excellent Rick
We could have tapas and cervaza with Betty

----------


## bankao dreamer

Slightly different from the original as he doesn't mention Scrotum

----------


## Wasp

bankao ...... how abouts some photos of your surroundings in Almeria ?

Many would surely love to see ..... 




W :Sombrero: sp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Will do Wasp.
I will have to take some more with my phone as the ones I have won't upload as the file size exceeds the limit.

----------


## Wasp

Mobile phone photos are crap.  Ole!



W :Sombrero: sp

----------


## bankao dreamer

A pic from the front, side, garden and the fields behind.
Wasp phone pics are crap sorry













I will take some in the town tomorrow

Hasta luego

----------


## Wasp

Looking very dry there .

And dusty.

Hope you have some chilled San Miguel in the fridge for my visit .



W :Sombrero: sp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Almeria is very dry and it's not easy getting a decent pic with my phone.
The fields next to us are not being used and look a bit dry. A few minutes away there are a lot of Almond, orange and olive trees. 

It's a much different landscape to the Issan countryside but we have grown to like it. Plus there are few pine trees so no pine caterpillars. The processional pine caterpillars can be lethal to dogs and hazardous for kids with asthma. The nipper and wife suffer with it so we are happy with the lunar landscape. 

Sam Miguel mmm I'm afraid the Belgium beers as recommended by Betty have made me a little bit more discerning. However a 6 pack will be made available upon your arrival. 

Ole

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## PAG

^ Almeria was used for.the shooting of the 'Spaghetti Westerns' ("Fistfull of Dollars" etc).

Re SCROTUM PASS ME PISTOL, Ithought that was a play on the common drinking toast of Valencia and Catalunya.   'Salut i forca al canut' originates from centuries ago when a man's coin purse was usually made from the scrotum of a bull.   Back then it meant may your purse always be full.   Modern take on it is may your cock always be hard.

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## Wasp

> .... a 6 pack will be made available upon your arrival. 
> 
> Ole



Well I'm afraid a 6-pack is not good enough !

There's a bus load of us coming.

And we want photos here of swimming pools and bikinis and photos of jugs of Sangria and Lemons and barbecues . Not tales of poisonous pine caterpillars ??? No . Leave that to David Attenborough . 




W :Sombrero: sp

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## Wasp

> Re SCROTUM PASS ME PISTOL, I thought that was a play on the drinking toast of Valencia and Catalunya....   'Salut i forca al canut' . Centuries ago a man's coin purse was usually made from the scrotum of a bull.   Back then it meant may your purse always be full.   Modern take on it is may your cock always be hard.



OK  OK .....

I wasn't THAT interested !!



Wasp

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## bankao dreamer

Apologies for crap quality of the pics.

The Monday market is very good and stretches for 1km down the road.




One for Rick, some south American type blowing his pipes




The local park is nice, it has a petting zoo and a selection of playgrounds. 
















More importantly they have a place with beer and food




Tapas roast lamb, pork and garlic potatoes. 




Sorry no pics of senoritas, the wife was being too attentive.

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## Wasp

.
Where are the jugs ?




W :Sombrero: sp

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## bankao dreamer

No jugs Wasp

Will a large pok pok suffice !!




Ole

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## Wasp

.
.
That's quite erotic y'know !



Wa :Sombrero: p

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## Bettyboo

Very nice, Spain is great.

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## rickschoppers

Nice pics BD.

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## Wasp

BD ........... there's an article today in the news . Highly condemnatory of Belgium .

 I'm interested - why did you you stay such a short time and move on again so quickly ?


 " The capital is living through a security crisis, with military visible on the streets to reassure anxious citizens.
There's an infrastructure crisis; traffic has snarled to a halt as many of Brussels' road tunnels are closed and in disrepair. 
And now the strike by prison guards has drawn attention to a justice system in crisis.
Not long ago Belgians would proudly defend their country against accusations of being a "failed state".
But now they are joining in. Several prominent Belgians this week carried a call for the "relaunch" of the country, plastered across the front page of Le Soir newspaper.
Prime Minister Charles Michel responded: "Belgium is neither a failed state nor a rogue state," he said. But he did agree that Belgium had a negative image abroad."



( thank you *biff* .  good wishes to you . )

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## bankao dreamer

Hello Wasp
Why did we stay only for a short time in Belgium ?

I can't give a specific answer to that question as we were only there for 5 weeks.
The country is nice and the people friendly, but we just didn't get that feeling that we wanted to stay.
I have always been a bit impulsive and with the Wife being very adaptable we tend to just say sod it let's try something else. 

I buggered off to the UK to get a car plus a trailer and see family. The wife stayed in Belgium and hit the Internet. When I got back to Belgium she had found us a place to rent that ticked all the boxes. So I put the chalet up for sale, booked a couple of pet friendly hotels and we set off.

We have been in Spain now for over 4 months and are loving it here. What the future brings I have no idea but we are happy and content where we are now. We liked the place straight away and the feeling gets stronger as each day passes. We never had that feeling in Belgium, sorry I can't be more specific.

Ole

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## Wasp

what chalet ?

and where is it and did it sell and how much is it ?


W :Sombrero: asp

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## katie23

@BD - in slang Filipino language, "pokpok" means prostitute. So I chuckled at yours & Wasp's comments. Cheers & thanks for the pics!

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## bankao dreamer

Thanks Katie, it can be quite funny at times when a perfectly innocent word in one language can mean something totally different in another. 

Wasp the chalet in Belgium sold within 3 weeks of putting it on sale.

Ole

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## chassamui

Many thanks for the updates from Almeria. It's an area I have spent loads of time googling. I am interested in the area a few kms inland, which seems to be where you are? My plan is to rent a big old finca and use it as a base for mountain bike rental.
Just waiting for the referendum results to settle down.

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## bankao dreamer

Mountain bikes are great Chas






But one of these is much better





Much less leg work !!

We are inland about 35 mins away from the coast.

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## TheDukeofNewcastle

Any idea what long term rental places are like in your area BD?

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## bankao dreamer

Have a look here it's where we found our rental

Properties for Sale in Almeria from Voss Homes | Voss Homes Spain

Or try this one

Search | Almería Tropical Homes

Plenty of varying property types and locations, we are rural about 10 minutes from a town called Huercal-Overa, Almeria. €300 per month for ours, lovely and peaceful but not far from local amenities.

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## rickschoppers

BD, for the past two months I have been looking at buying in the Abruzzo area of Italy. At first look, the prices were reasonable, but when you start adding in all the additional costs, I backed away. Renting seems more realistic once again.

Thanks for the site above BD.

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## Conche

There are a lot of illegals in Abruzo Rickchoppers ,, Almeria would be a better / cheaper choice

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## rickschoppers

Good point. I am also back to looking at northern Vietnam to get away during the hottest months in Thailand like April and May. Very cool weather that time of year up in the mountains near the Chinese border.

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## TheDukeofNewcastle

> Have a look here it's where we found our rental
> 
> Properties for Sale in Almeria from Voss Homes | Voss Homes Spain
> 
> Or try this one
> 
> Search | Almería Tropical Homes
> 
> Plenty of varying property types and locations, we are rural about 10 minutes from a town called Huercal-Overa, Almeria. €300 per month for ours, lovely and peaceful but not far from local amenities.


Many thanks BD. Much appreciated. Ihave been using Kyero https://www.kyero.com/ your links have a more detailed local feel  :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

Glad the info is useful chaps. Both of those websites have offices in town with English staff.

Regarding "illegals" in the neighbourhood. 
There's about 5 African chappies with market stalls on the Monday market, and a few Morrocan types about town who tend to work in the agricultural sector. Planting and picking the vegetables doesn't seem to be a Spanish thing anymore.

Quite a few retired expats from the UK and Scandinavia also live here.

All in all it's a very relaxed and nice place to live with prices a lot cheaper than the more developed areas of Espania.
Rick it hit 40 degrees here on Monday although today is a relatively cooler 32. Mountainous Vietnam maybe a better option for that time of year.

PAG I'm hoping to visit the filming location soon, apparently it hasn't changed much so it will be nice from a nostalgic point of view. I grew up loving spaghetti westerns.

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