#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Construction in Thailand >  >  > Building in Thailand Famous Threads >  >  The House that Jan Built

## Nelly

This will be another thread on the building a house in Issan and Ill update the thread as the events and problems occur.

It has always been the dream of my girlfriend, Jan, to own a Baan Thai like her grandfather had when she was a young girl.  So when a plot came on the market in the same Soi as her mothers house she grabbed it.  The plot is about 640m2 and at the time had three small houses on it, so it should be plenty big enough for a house and garden.




Jan is an industrious girl who has a shop selling agricultural supplies in Phiboon Rak outside Udon Thani.  She looked at various wooden houses that are built to order, but they were expensive and as her boyfriend is a farang, she decided to have a Farang style Baan Thai.  That is a Thai style house but with a concrete frame and ground floor and wooden first floor and Thai roof.

The design found on a Thai Government site seemed to fit the bill, except there were slight changes in room arrangement and height/style of the roof.

An artist impression and the elevation drawings.



 

The builder (known as the Engineer) is a friend of the family who worked in Pattaya building houses for Farangs, so hopefully understands the quality expected. After weeks of negotiations and discussions on amounts to include for the wood, floor tiles, windows, roof tiles, etc. a price was agreed and a contract signed.  Now this really surprised me, as the contract included specifications, a schedule and delay penalties if he is late!

I will not give the price agreed for construction here as Jan wants it kept confidential between her and the Engineer, but I must say it is very reasonable and I will be surprised if he can complete for the agreed amount.

As soon as the contract was signed, truck loads of fill arrived and work started on the all important fence.





The house construction had to wait until February 18th which was the date deemed to be the most auspicious by Dad, so this was the day the first column was erected and the monks came to do the necessary.





We are now two weeks into construction and columns are up and the first floor beams should be concreted in the coming days.

Whilst the initial construction works is going on, we are searching for decent quality timber windows and doors. 

I'll continue in a few days.

Cheers

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## good2bhappy

nice artist impression
160 talang wa sounds great

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## jandajoy

Good stuff. I look forward to the updates. Good luck.

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## smeden

nice pics will follow the tread    :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:

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## aging one

looks like something to keep tuned into.  For you now the fun really begins. Best of luck.

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## Chairman Mao

Good stuff. Love these threads.

good luck with it all.

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## Norton

> at the time had three small houses on it


If there is any be sure to keep the wood from the small houses.  Could come in very handy in the new house.

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## boloa

Never seen monks at the start of a house build :Confused: ,normally they come at the house moving in  party to scare the ghosts off or was they just passing. :Smile:

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## Norton

> Never seen monks at the start of a house build


Common in Isaan.  Once the footing holes are dug, monk show up.  The owner and family throw coins and gold leaf into the footing holes to ensure prosperity.  Guess they figure a money tree might sprout.

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## boloa

Well I've lived in Surin ( 5 years )and Koh Samui ( 3 years ) and have never seen monks at the start of a build and I've been to laods (I  love a free beer :mid:  ) ,normally just an old man from the village. But wedding normally just have an old man too locally, but I have been to a few weddings that have had monks in other provinces .Must be different in different provinces. :Confused:

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## dirtydog

> Well I've lived in Surin ( 5 years )and Koh Samui ( 3 years ) and have never seen monks at the start of a build and I've been to laods


You can learn more about *Braham First Post Ceremonies (Braham 1st post ceremony)* on this forum.

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## Deris

> Guess they figure a money tree might sprout.


Just my luck a Stang tree... :Smile: 


Great start, can't wait to see how the home develops.

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## boloa

> Originally Posted by boloa
> 
> Well I've lived in Surin ( 5 years )and Koh Samui ( 3 years ) and have never seen monks at the start of a build and I've been to laods
> 
> 
> You can learn more about *Braham First Post Ceremonies (Braham 1st post ceremony)* on this forum.


Can't see any monk's ,just an old man ( priest ) :Smile:

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## Carnwadrick

^Oh! Feck off, why not just enjoy the post and don't get hung up on monks or no monks

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## maraudingscot

> ^Oh! Feck off, why not just enjoy the post and don't get hung up on monks or no monks


 


 :smiley laughing: 

Ah to monk or not to monk that is the question!!


Cool and new thread on a build. and a combination of concrete and wood. cool!
 ::chitown:: 

could this be the solution to appease the Thai trying to please and become more farang and the Farang wanting a traditional house!

Ok I'm ready to sit back and watch with great interest.

 ::chitown::

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## maraudingscot

> 160 talang wa sounds great


so whats that in acreage!!  ok yes I am being lazy and cannot be bothered to get calculator and conversion chart out.

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## Isee

maraudingscot
400 talang wa = 1 rai = 1600sqm. 

160 talang wa = 0.4 rai = 640sqm 

640sqm = 0.1581 acre (had to use an online calculator for this step  :mid:  )  



Nelly
Looks very good, will be interesting to watch it progress to completion. I don't know about anyone else, but I like to hear the stories behind the pictures. Are you there watching it or getting updates sent to you?? I know you said it was the GF's house, so it sounds like from what you've said so far that she'll be keeping a watchful eye on everything. 

Cheers

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## Aguda

I like the architectural drawings, it looks real promising. I will keep an eye out for updates to this thread as eventually I plan a build in the North. One quick question; I notice most of the time the first thing to be built is the wall. Is that to protect the site and materials or to keep kids out? It seems to me a wall could get in the of the construction process.

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## boloa

> ^Oh! Feck off, why not just enjoy the post and don't get hung up on monks or no monks


I love these building treads too,can't wait to see it finished, and what a great location too,nice view's :mid:

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## Cenovis

I hope your Builders where faster then you .....   :deadhorsebig:  Nice start but I would like to see some progress too. Maybe I am just impatient.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time and post this thread

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## jandajoy

> Maybe I am just impatient.


Hmmmm    :mid:

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## danno5

good start, looking forward to the thread!

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## jaiyenyen

Okay, I've just made a nice cup of tea, and some toast. Looking forward to this one, bring it on.
Good luck, I hope all goes well.

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## Nelly

Thanks for the constructive comments, its good to see that others are interested in seeing how a house develops in NE Thailand.

Construction of the house been going for two weeks now and they are making amazing progress.  I think this is partly due to Jan taking a bottle of whisky to the workers each day and occasionally treating them to the best Som Tum in the village.

The contract states the work will be complete in 7 months, and at the current rate Im sure they will easily achieve that.  But maybe the Engineer is pushing ahead with the concrete works as the second instalment is due when the erection of the roof frame starts.  With the second instalment, he will have received 60% and in theory this should allow him to buy the roof tiles and timber.

To date they have laid the ground floor slab, built the columns to the first floor and completed the first floor beams.  At the same time they are building in the plumbing pipes. Over the next few days they will concrete the first floor slab.  I have been impressed at the way the house is being built - using steel forms, high tensile steel, proper support props and ready mixed concrete.  All they need is hard hats and safety boots (and maybe some proper ladders) and the site would look like it does in the west!

Here are a few photos taken over the past two weeks.

 

 

 

  

We are trying to finalise selection of the wood for the first floor and it appears there are three possible types: Ta-Bag,  Pa-Du and Ma-Ka.  All this is double Dutch to me but I am sure it is meaningful to some of you who live in Issan.  Anyway, at the moment it is keeping Jan and the Engineer occupied in discussing the various sources and prices of the different types available. I know he is off to Sukotai to see what is available there.

The second floor slab should be in place in a day or two and then just the columns and beams before the roof framing starts. Hahaha then Jan will see what a enormous house she house is building.

Stay tuned as the house grows.

Cheers,

Nelly

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## smeden

nice pics a green is sent look forward to the next pics     :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:

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## DrAndy

looks like fun, good luck

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## Nelly

When todays photos arrived I was again surprised at the construction techniques.  This time it was a crane hoisting precast planks to the first floor to save all the formwork and propping from below.

The photos


 


 The truck was only there for half a day as after lunch they were  hauling the planks by hand.


 

But they almost completed the whole floor in a day.




Tomorrow they should be preparing for the first floor columns.


Cheers


Nelly

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## smeden

looks like there is wery god progres      ::chitown::  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:

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## giggs

> The builder (known as the Engineer)  After weeks of negotiations and discussions on amounts to include for the wood, floor tiles, windows, roof tiles, etc. a price was agreed and a contract signed. Now this really surprised me, as the contract included specifications, a schedule and delay penalties if he is late!


          only  a baby  yet :Smile:   but the above quote... IMO ..sure holds a  solid foundation..that jans  build..will  be a  sucessful one..with  the  usual  humps  and bumps   along the way :Smile:     i have   read  recently   on the board  on another build.. that  contracts..specifications  and negotiations   have been  signed  in  the  matter  of hrs   ...and naturally  problems have led to their doorstep..a  good  game plan  is   vital   ..and it  sure  appears   that  you  have one in place :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  best of luck

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## BKKBILL

You seem to have gotten off to a flying start. They will be pouring that floor before starting on the first floor columns.

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## Norton

> Ta-Bag, Pa-Du and Ma-Ka


Mi Daeng (red wood) is another option.  A bit on the darkside. Pricey but very good.  

Ma-ka is a good choice if you want a lighter wood.  Will likely come from Lao.

Pa-Du (rose wood).  A bit lighter than the red wood but has a nice burl grain.

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## DrAndy

> Mia Daeng


is that like Mia Noi, slightly dark but lovely to look at

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## Norton

> Mia Noi, slightly dark but lovely to look at


 :Smile:   Just noticed my typo.  Yes quite similar but Mia Noi is far more expensive.  Also, may be hazardous to your health.

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## maraudingscot

good pics, and progressing very well.

Dare I say it looks like a "proper" building site! :mid: 

The threads I looked at before seemed only to have a couple of planks  beside the buildings for workers to stand on, this one looks as though it has proper scaffolding etc etc etc. As you said just short of hard hats and work boot!

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## shunpike

Great stuff Nelly, that design caught my eye when I was looking at the government plans. I'm keen to see how this comes out. Best of luck mate!

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## BUGBEAR

thanks  Nelly for taking the time to put all this up for us to see

BB

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## roadking96cube

great thread looks like a great house should be nice and cool weather wise love the photo's.It's amazing what a bit of whiskey and food will do lol

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## Thaiguy

*Don't forget to check the plumbing for installed  "U " bends - seems Thai plumbers tend to throw them away as they don't understand the principle?*

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## Nelly

Its been three weeks since the builders started and today they commenced roof construction.

Here are a few pics from the last few days.














More to follow.

The builder has also bought the timber for the stairs and windows...Jan finally settled on Pa-Du.  Hopefully we can get some photos of the joiner making the windows.

Cheers



Cheers

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## Marmite the Dog

Cheers

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## Nelly

Well it had to happen.things are not as perfect as I first thought!  Progress has been surging ahead and then two days ago I receive the photos of the first roof members being erected.  I looked once and all seemed in order then on a second look I realised the roof at the back of the house was at the same height as that at the front.  How can this be when the width at the back is 4m and width at front 3m?








After two days of explaining that the slope on all sides of a roof must be the same the Engineer has accepted the situation and says the situation will be rectified.  Todays photos still show the offending ridge, so I hope they will correct it before they start putting the steel members on the 3m wide part of the roof.


 

The other issue I have with the roof is that we originally asked for a curved Thai style roof, but this was not considered suitable as it would make the house to high.  We then settled for the two stage roof where there is a steep triangular part of the roof and a shallower overhang part.  But looking at the photos, the roof appears to be somewhere between the two styles.  Jan has debated this with her father and the Engineers and they are all convinced that what is there will be very beautiful..I will reserve judgement.

Masonry work has also started on the ground floor and whilst the workmanship appears to be very good, I am not convinced that a 3 inch block is sufficient for an external wall, especially as it doesnt appear to have any reinforcement.  I also notice the plumbing pipes coming up in the middle of a wall, is this normal?





I have since been told that they will put two layers of masonry blocks on the toilet wall where the pipes are! I suppose this will at least stop the rain coming in!

The hard workig labourers have also started slacking on the job.....this little worker has even used the masonry blocks as a lounger!



Oops sorry she is't a worker, she is the clients neice!

I can't wait to see how the roof develops...I just hope it turns out OK.

Another update in a few days when the roof frame is finished.#

Cheers

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## Deris

Great updates and pic's. Looks like things are really moving along quickly too.

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## spikebs4

dont run the pipes in the middle of the wall if it leaks your fked . i had the same trouble ,run them along outer / inner wall and through the wall .. dont look so good but will save you alot of aggro in the furture , plus dont use blue pipe to run hot water through ... good luck ...

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## Deris

If you run the pipe up the outside wall, then through the wall, you could render over the outside pipe. Then just dig that part out if needed for repairs without damaging the entire wall. 

This was supposed to be a question, would the render be thick enough to cover the pipe if on the outside wall?  Is that a good way to do it?

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## Isee

> [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]
> 
> Well it had to happen.things are not as perfect as I first thought!  
> 
> The other issue I have with the roof is that we originally asked for a curved Thai style roof, but this was not considered suitable as it would make the house to high.  We then settled for the two stage roof where there is a steep triangular part of the roof and a shallower overhang part.  But looking at the photos, the roof appears to be somewhere between the two styles.  Jan has debated this with her father and the Engineers and they are all convinced that what is there will be very beautiful..I will reserve judgement.


Make no doubt about it, they are building it to either the only way they know how to build or its just plain easier (and/or cheaper) for them than the original design. Reserving your judgement = you are going to be stuck with it. Don't think for a second after constructing the roof they will pull it down and rebuild it because you don't like it. Things about roof height being too high is just crap with whatever other crap they told you. The very good question to ask is why wasn't this issue raised during negotiations? No foresight from the Engineer?? 

Plumbing pipes are done the usual way I've seen it done. Don't know about putting them on the exterior...maybe practical in an industrial sense if there is a problem, but damn ugly for the type of house (double storey).

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## Nelly

The window frames were delivered this morning and will be built into the ground floor walls this week.




Jan was saying that they intend to paint them with urethane!  Now to me this is the best way to ruin a nice hardwood (Pa-Du).  Can anyone tell me the best way to treat hardwood windows and door frames in Thailand.

We will have a bigger issue in a few weeks time when the wooden panels are delivered for the first floor as they will also have to be treated.  I understood that teak is treated by rubbing oil into it, is that correct or do they use a thin lacquer?

Thanks for your advice

Nelly

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## Norton

> Can anyone tell me the best way to treat hardwood windows and door frames in Thailand.


Not sure it's the "best way" but tung oil gives a nice finish and stands up well to weather.  Pricey and takes experience to apply properly.  Availability in your area may be a problem. Nawty used some so ask him where he got his..

https://teakdoor.com/construction-in-...-tung-oil.html (Tung Oil)

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## Carnwadrick

> Not sure it's the "best way" but tung oil gives a nice finish and stands up well to weather. Pricey and takes experience to apply properly


Tung Oil easy to apply with brush or cloth

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## Norton

> Tung Oil easy to apply with brush or cloth


Easy to apply but needs to be done using multiple thin coats.

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## ootai

Nelly
I'm afraid I have to disagree with your argument with the engneer about the roof slope/ pitch and agree with him. From what I can see in the photo what they are building will be fine.
If he has had plans drawn up on some sort of CAD package then ask him for a 3D rendered version of the roof and it should show. that you can have sections of a roof with different slopes / pitches.  Looking at the photo they have offset the point of the roof on the back 4m wide section so the pitch of the front part of this roof will be the same as the 3m wide section.  However the back portion with the Thai "curl" will have a lower pitch angle.  The resulting joins will not form a straight line when looked at from directly above (who's gonna get a helicopter to have a look?) as they would if the pitch was the same for both sections.
Just remember we're all right until we prove to ourselves that we're not. Please  updating your story as I enjoy watching and reading about the progress, these threads must be my "soapie".

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## Nelly

Progress has slowed during the past couple of days as some of the workers are preparing for the rice planting.

The roof looks a lot better now, especially from the front. But ootai, I am still not convinced that the back corner where in one direction the span in 4m and in the other its 3m will work if the ridges are the same height. I will just have to wait and see!



A question about the steel trusses they build in Thailand.  Are they strong enough to support flooring - I was thinking of getting a hatch put in so it can be used as an attic.

The masonry is on rising and window frames are being put in.  But small problem with kitchen work-top being too high so it clashes with with window frame.  It will be demolished and put in at the correct height today!





Engineer is off to buy the roof tiles today, but as I write Jan has not decided on the style or size of tile. She has narrowed it down to these two types:

  

More updates as the house progresses.

Cheers

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## Nelly

Thought I'd better show the floor plans of the house.

It's all in Thai, but on the GROUND FLOOR there is a toilet, kitchen & bathroom.  In the lower right there is a carport with an open area in the middle.

The arrangement has been changed so the kitchen (4m x 4m) in on the left and dining room (5m x 4m) on the right.



On the FIRST FLOOR there is bathroom, 2 bedrooms and a separate living room (above car-port).

The only change here is that an extra door is being put into the bathroom from the main bedroom.



Cheers

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## kiwinev

Nelly, this is good, different enough from the other build threads i have been following. Keep up the progress reports and pics.

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## splitlid

nelly, you will have to add extra steel into the roof area to make it able to be used as a storage area.
the steel should have either 400mm or 600mm centres, depending on what material is used for flooring and what you will be storing.
however, because of the extra weight in steel etc and load you will be placing up there then you footings may not be sufficient to take the extra load.

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## Top Cat

Fantastic stuff Nelly. 

It seems like a quite well planned and engineered project.

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## DrAndy

> Jan was saying that they intend to paint them with urethane! Now to me this is the best way to ruin a nice hardwood (Pa-Du). Can anyone tell me the best way to treat hardwood windows and door frames in Thailand.


the problem with Polyurethane on the exterior is that it has to be coloured, the clear is interior only. 

Teak oil, two coats a day apart is good. I have used it on my doors and windows and it is fine; it may need redoing after a couple of years depending on the exposure, but is easy to apply




> We will have a bigger issue in a few weeks time when the wooden panels are delivered for the first floor as they will also have to be treated. I understood that teak is treated by rubbing oil into it, is that correct or do they use a thin lacquer?


same same

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## Nelly

> It seems like a quite well planned and engineered project.


I wish!!!

It started out like that but there are now so many changes from the original plans that mistakes are happening.  Moving the upstairs living room by 1m, different style roof, more electrical points, bigger upstairs bathroom, swapping location of kitchen & dining room, stairs are wood not concrete, reducing height of building, changing window & door sizes and the list goes on.  All of which are done without changing the drawings.

So far the builder has been quite good - concrete works done very quickly and to a reasonable standard but as we approach the finishing and technical trades, my fingers are crossed.

Cheers

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## Nelly

Today's update:

The GF masonry is now complete and mostly plastered they have also completed the masonry walls to the first floor bathroom. As the other rooms are made of wood there is no more masonry works so the wet trades and building in of electrical boxes & conduits will be complete by the end of the week.











Roof is plodding on slowly as there is only one welder and a helper  working on it and he says it will take two more weeks to complete.  But he has started on the living room roof so we can finally see the overal building.




The roof tiles were delivered today and as always the case, they are different from the two alternatives I was shown!  But I am assured they are very beautiful...I await todays photos.

I am off to UK later today, so will not be updating progress for a week.  But as there is only the roof progressing there will not be much to show.

Cheers

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## smeden

it look ok nice progres     :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:

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## setaputra

Are you happy with that brickwork? The bricks are not being properly staggered. You can see the cracks in the photo showing the electric sockets

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## Isee

Nelly, those boxes are crap (just like mine are), if they aren't square now, they won't be square later...get them to redo it...seriously.

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## Isee

> The roof tiles were delivered today and as always the case, they are different from the two alternatives I was shown!  *But I am assured they are very beautiful*...I await todays photos.


I'm not going to bust your balls on this....up to you if you want to accept what you get or what was agreed.

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## setaputra

> Nelly, those boxes are crap (just like mine are), if they aren't square now, they won't be square later...get them to redo it...seriously.


The covers can be easily adjusted. The problem is the cracks.

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## Isee

> The covers can be easily adjusted. The problem is the cracks.


Is that the case with all covers??

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## baldrick

> The problem is the cracks.


I think what you are seeing as cracks is where thay have chipped out to put conduit and refilled

I do not think the backplates they have installed for the electrical boxes is any good - should have given the girlfriend a level to have been continiously checking the work as they do it until they get the message.

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## Nelly

Yes, I see what you are all saying....

The cracks are because they have broken out the masonry blocks on the other side to put the conduit.  These blocks are not very thick and crack easily.  Jan says they are putting on two thick coats of render so maybe they won't appear later.

To be honest, I didn't notice the sloping box.  But after querying it, the builder is confident the cover will be straight...again, we will see later.

Trouble is there is not a lot I can do from the other side of the world and I have to wait until end April before I can get there.

As for the roof tiles, they were delivered....all 12,000 of them and they look quite OK





Good suggestion Baldrick, I have told Jan to buy a spirit level so she can go around checking all the doors, windows, electrical boxes, etc.

Cheers

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## baldrick

> to buy a spirit level


there is a nice little stanley one - only about 250-300mm long

I have purchased one at carrefour before 300-400baht.

and she should check both vertical and horizontal as then she will know the install is square

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## Fabian

> I am not convinced that a 3 inch block is sufficient for an external wall, especially as it doesnt appear to have any reinforcement.


Unfortunately it is normal to build it like that. I agree with you that a thicker wall wpuld be much better, not the least for insulation.

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## Nelly

I had to travel to the UK for 3 days for a bit of family business so thought I would't get chance to update the thread.  But then I find myself getting up at 5.30 to speak to Jan about progress and look at the previous days photos.  And this is a selection from my inbox.

Yesterday, Jan paid a visit to the chosen timber supplier to select the wood to be used for the windows.



She also had the ground floor internal ceramic tiles delivered.



And the roof appears to have started moving again with the purlins going on.



This morning I discovered a major misunderstanding...... I asked for the upstairs bathroom to be built of masonry rather than plasterboard, thinking that the timber paneling would be fixed to the outside.  But this was interpreted as no panelling to the bathroom walls which would be rendered and painted.  So now if we have paneling, it will cost extra.

The budget was fixed and we really didn't want to exceed it.  But to have nice hardwood paneling to the upstairs rooms, except the bathroom could ruin the whole appearance of the house.  So what do I do? Convince myself and Jan that it will look OK with rendering or agree to the extra cost..... Later today we will find out how much we're talking about, but 20m2 of hardwood is not going to be just a few hundred baht!

Thats all for today.

Cheers

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## shunpike

Nelly...great stuff, I don't comment too much on the build as my questions or comments are almost always already made by your astute audience, just wanted to say that I'm here watching and appreciate your sharing this project with us all.  :Smile:

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## DrAndy

they are cement blocks and staggered enough; they are only infill

yes, it would be nice if they were perfect but, hey, it's only a wall

when rendered you will not see the craxks (for a year or so)

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## DrAndy

> I have told Jan to buy a spirit level so she can go around checking all the doors, windows, electrical boxes,


she will be out there in the spirit house first thing

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## SiamRick

Let me throw in my compliments for this construction thread. Thanks for all the efforts, Nelly (and Jan), of putting up the info and photos. No easy task. I have nothing to offer on building anything but I'm learning lots. Maybe someday I can return the favour.

I think there's a wonderful looking house hiding in that framework.   ::chitown::

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## Nelly

Over the past few days, there hasnt been a great deal of physical progress, but it starting to look like a house. 

  The first floor framing is in progress waiting to receive the external wood panelling and today I received a photo of tiles stacked on the roof waiting for the tiler to arrive.

  Below are a few of the many photos I have received over the past few days.


















There are a few items that will be missing from the house, such as insulation under the roof.  But this was was left out purely for financial considerations.

The next set will be with the roof on.  I try to post a broad selection of the photos, but if anyone wants a specific item photographed I'll pass the message.

Cheers,

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## harrymand

Looks wery nice... Thanks for posting this. I also like 2- storey houses, and particularly this design, but my wife is afraid that she has to carry me up the stairs when I get older, so we go for a similar design, but 1-storey.
Look forward to see the wood panels mounted.

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## hepcat

Nelly, don't want to sound rude, but could you give us an over/under on your budget from, say, 1,000,000 THB? That way the price would still be confidential  :Smile:   Looks great mate, love the design.

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## Nelly

> Nelly, don't want to sound rude, but could you give us an over/under on your budget from, say, 1,000,000 THB? That way the price would still be confidential   Looks great mate, love the design.


Hepcat,

Some of the extras:
 Additional sockets above two per room - B100 each  Upgrade Light Fittings - Just pay the cost of light fitting Foil Insulation to Roof - B15,000 (Did not use) Nails for foil insulation - B7,500  (Did not use) Wood Panelling to Toilet upstairs B12,000 Better wood panelling design - B16,200 Kitchen Worktop & Cupboards - TBA Anything above B60,000 for bathroom fittings  
There are no savings and if there were, I am sure the builder wouldn't say.

So far the extras are being kept to a minimum and I hope it stays that way.  

Cheers

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## Nelly

The roof is finally going on and it is starting to look more like a real  house.






 There was a little hic-up last night!.....after the floor screed was laid  to take the ground floor tiles, some local dogs decided to take a look  at progress.  The builder was not amused at the mess they made.  
I thought I'd add a photo taken a couple of weeks ago of the the chief  foreman wearing the latest design in Thai safety helmets.  Hope I don't  get into too much trouble!

 

I have decided to ask for another extra.  The upstairs walls were  scheduled to be hardwood panelling and gysum wallboard internally, but  seeing the size of the timber studs, I have suggested they use masonry  and plaster for the internal skin.  Total extra will be about B15,000,  but should make the house 'feel' stronger, reduce noise and maybe better  insulation.

Cheers,

----------


## DrAndy

but really put some roof insulation in, you will know it is worth it

----------


## Norton

> but really put some roof insulation in, you will know it is worth it


Ditto.  

Sorry if I missed it but are planning drop ceilings?

----------


## MrBoJangles

Really starting to look good.

Just a quick question if I may. I've looked through the thread and piccies but can't see a mention. Do you put the soil pipes and shower / sink drains etc under the flooring and through the rebar at ground floor before the concrete is poured. Or do you finish all the footings and put them in later?

----------


## Nelly

> but really put some roof insulation in, you will know it is worth it





> Ditto. Sorry if I missed it but are planning drop ceilings?


The original idea was to have foil backed insulation under the tiles but that was quite expensive.  Now the plan is to but insulation on top of the suspended ceiling.
Norton - not sure what you mean by dropped ceiling, but they will be flat gypsum board without recesses.





> Just a quick question if I may. I've looked through  the thread and piccies but can't see a mention. Do you put the soil  pipes and shower / sink drains etc under the flooring and through the  rebar at ground floor before the concrete is poured. Or do you finish  all the footings and put them in later?


The pipes are built in and go through the ground floor slab.  See pic below which was taken before concreting the slab in the ground floor bathroom.



Cheers

----------


## MrBoJangles

Many thanks Nelly. Did you seperate the outlets so the grey water goes into a seperate tank for use on the garden?

----------


## Nelly

> Many thanks Nelly. Did you seperate the outlets so the grey water goes into a seperate tank for use on the garden?


No both go into the same system.  The Soi on mains sewer so there is not the problems with a ceptic tank.

----------


## Nelly

*I have just made a monumental mistake - I went to delete one photo from the album containing all the pics in this thread, but then realised I deleted the whole album!! 

Have asked for technical support to reinstate so hopefully they can help.  If not I will try to upload again, but I have no record of which photos were uploaded.

My apologies to all who have been following the thread.

Nelly
*

----------


## Propagator

If you right click on the red cross of your pictures in this thread and then on properties it will give you the photo number that you posted.

----------


## Norton

> Now the plan is to but insulation on top of the suspended ceiling. Norton - not sure what you mean by dropped ceiling, but they will be flat gypsum board without recesses.


Dropped suspended, same, same.  Yes putting the insulation on top of the gypsum will be a big help.  You'll find 3" and 5" available in Thailand.  Depending on brand and thickness, prices range from about 150 baht per sq meter to 250 baht per square meter.

----------


## Isee

^ How does one put the insulation bats on a suspended ceiling thats already been built?  Curious as we'll add bats as one of the ways to try to reduce the heat - not sure if its costs would benefit the house overly.  Do you just use a big stick to push them into place??

Wife is giving me grief complaining how hot it is at the moment.

----------


## DrAndy

normally you would use the big fat rolls of insulation and just roll them out, but you do need to have an access hole to get in there

Butterfly learnt how to make one that last year

----------


## Mr Lick

A friend of mine had insulation on the ceiling of his bungalow and his rooms were pretty damn warm. Nothing he did seemed to change matters much even after dusk.

I suspect that the insulation was preventing the warm air created by the sun on walls and glass windows from being released into the loft space.

I'm no expert but maybe the insulation would be better sighted under the roof tiles. Having vents installed at either gable end would additionally ensure proper air flow. 

The additonal cost involved may prevent a fair bit of discomfort later in the day.

Just a suggestion.

Nice thread by the way Nelly.

----------


## splitlid

yup, insulation on ceiling if you use air con.
that wil keep the cool air in. if not, it will keep the hot air in.

----------


## DrAndy

insulation everywhere is the best!! and vents all over the place

most modern houses in the tropics do not seem to be built for the climate, they are just imported versions of Western houses

when you build, think of the climate..where the sun is (avoid windows on that side, make sure the walls are insulated etc)

think of hot days, try to get some natural airflow through the house even if there is no wind (convection)

have good outdoor areas to sit and enjoy the nice days and warm evenings, you really don't need a room like a hotbox with overstuffed sofas (unless you want to watch footie)

if you want to enjoy fresh air at night, think about mosquito nets for the beds, or expensive screens for all your doors and windows

----------


## Isee

> but you do need to have an access hole to get in there
> 
> Butterfly learnt how to make one that last year


Yep, made sure I had one of those, thanks   :Smile:

----------


## Norton

> Butterfly learnt how to make one that last year


Immediately after he fell though the ceiling I'll bet. :Smile:

----------


## sunsetter

> normally you would use the big fat rolls of insulation and just roll them out, but you do need to have an access hole to get in there
> 
> Butterfly learnt how to make one that last year


 
care to elaborate on that?  :Smile:

----------


## Nelly

Webmaster fixed my pic mistake so no problem anymore!

But with all the comments on insulation, I need a bit more clarification.

The upstairs rooms will not be air-conditioned, they will have ceiling fans. So according to splitlid insulation laid on the gypsum ceiling would keep the heat in. It's therefore logical to omit it in order that the hot air can rise through the ceiling and into the large ventilated roof space.

As it's too late to place insulation under the tiles, will the heat that is transmitted through the tiles find its way down into the bedrooms or will the ventilation disperse most of it?

The workers are taking a weeks break for Songran and will return on the 16th April.

They are not the only ones who will be celebrating Songran as believe it or not, I have a invite to a Songran Party this weekend in Libya! I had no idea there were enough Thais here to have a party. But anyway, it should be fun.




Cheers,

----------


## Norton

> The upstairs rooms will not be air-conditioned, they will have ceiling fans.


No insulation.




> will the heat that is transmitted through the tiles find its way down into the bedrooms or will the ventilation disperse most of it?


A bit but the thickness of the concrete and the tiles will insulate some.  

If I understand correctly, the bedrooms will have suspended ceilings so laying the insulation on top the ceiling will provide further insulation.

No intent to be silly but if you think of an AC space being insulated on top, sides and bottom like a refrigerator then you'll get the best AC efficiency.

Are the bedroom walls all block and concrete?

----------


## DrAndy

> Originally Posted by DrAndy
> 
> 
> normally you would use the big fat rolls of insulation and just roll them out, but you do need to have an access hole to get in there
> 
> Butterfly learnt how to make one that last year
> 
> 
>  
> care to elaborate on that?


he did, no joke

https://teakdoor.com/construction-in-...vice-trap.html (Cutting your ceiling for making a service trap)

----------


## Norton

> he did, no joke


Missed it.  Just looked.  He mastered it in only 63 posts.

----------


## DrAndy

I wonder whether it is still holding up, or has become a permanent feature

----------


## Nelly

> If I understand correctly, the bedrooms will have suspended ceilings so laying the insulation on top the ceiling will provide further insulation.  No intent to be silly but if you think of an AC space being insulated on top, sides and bottom like a refrigerator then you'll get the best AC efficiency.  Are the bedroom walls all block and concrete?


Norton, I wasn't clear enough in my post.
The upstairs rooms will have no air-conditioning and as such I understand it will be better not to have insulation laid on top of the ceiling.  As heat rises, the heat from the room is not trapped below the ceiling by insulation.  I do not want AC efficiency, I want to allow the hot air to rise naturally.

My main concern was that if the air in the roof space is hotter than the room, then the room heat will remain trapped in the room in the same manner as if there was insulation.

By the way, the walls are wood paneling outside and plastered masonry inside.

Cheers

----------


## DrAndy

> The upstairs rooms will have no air-conditioning and as such I understand it will be better not to have insulation laid on top of the ceiling. As heat rises, the heat from the room is not trapped below the ceiling by insulation.





> the air in the roof space is hotter than the room, then the room heat will remain trapped in the room in the same manner as if there was insulation.


the air in the roof space is almost certainly hotter, therefore insulation laid on the ceiling will be useful

if you just have a fan, then having an open window/door will let the trapped hot air out

----------


## benlovesnuk

This looks really good I also have the same plans downloaded for interest, I was wondering why you couldnt have the single pitch to the roofs and needed to go for a kink, is this a water drainage functionality??

----------


## Nelly

> This looks really good I also have the same plans downloaded for interest, I was wondering why you couldnt have the single pitch to the roofs and needed to go for a kink, is this a water drainage functionality??


Good question benlovesnuk…..why the kink?  Quite a simple answer really.
Jan wanted a Thai style roof with a curved slope and not the bulky roof as shown in the plans.  But to make an identical curve in all the roof trusses would be very expensive and they would probably get it wrong anyway.   So the compromise is the kink and hopefully when the curved end piece of wood is fixed to the gable ends, it will look like a traditional Thai curved roof.




Cheers

----------


## benlovesnuk

Ok, good answer! When you say bulky roof, what do you mean by that exactly, (more pics i hope soon)?

----------


## Nelly

> Ok, good answer! When you say bulky roof, what do you mean by that exactly, (more pics i hope soon)?



The bulky roof is the one in the plans.  OK I could have called it a big triangle on the roof.  Anyway instead of the roof shown below Jan wanted a traditional Thai roof.




More pics will be posted when the workers return after Songran.......providing they are not all in the fields planting rice!

Cheers

----------


## jaywalker

_"I think what you are seeing as cracks is where thay have chipped out to put conduit and refilled"_

Sorry I haven't figured out the quote feature here. The above quote was from page 2 or so.

I first saw this "build a wall and come back later to chip out space for conduit and plumbing" type of work when I was in in Abu Dhabi years ago. I asked them about it and they looked at me like I had carrots growing out of my ears.

Think about it.......you just made a CEMENT frickin' WALL, and now you are attacking it because?

Why not lay all the plumbing and electrical conduit uprights first?

Then build the fecking cement wall over/on top of them?

OK........IF there is a problem with the plumbing 20 years from now, then that is the time to attack the cement, no?

It's like pouring all the cement for a pool and then digging it up to install the plumbing.

I guess the "P" in Thailand stands for "Planning".

Not flaming anybody, but I just don't get this idea overall.

Cheers,
Jay
 :Sorry1:

----------


## benlovesnuk

> Originally Posted by benlovesnuk
> 
> 
> Ok, good answer! When you say bulky roof, what do you mean by that exactly, (more pics i hope soon)?
> 
> 
> 
> The bulky roof is the one in the plans.  OK I could have called it a big triangle on the roof.  Anyway instead of the roof shown below Jan wanted a traditional Thai roof.
> 
> ...


ok that's another good explanation! I think that the traditional curve in the roof is mainly due to the flexibility of the material they used and aesthetics they followed, easy being wood, as yours is concrete all i can say is fair play. Not easy, but it seems like it might just work!  many thanks for your reply. :Smile:

----------


## setaputra

> Originally Posted by Nelly
> 
> The upstairs rooms will have no air-conditioning and as such I understand it will be better not to have insulation laid on top of the ceiling. As heat rises, the heat from the room is not trapped below the ceiling by insulation.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If the area between the roof and ceiling is well ventilated and insulation put under the roof tiles not the ceiling, would that not create an area for the hot air from the rooms to escape to; and hence out to the open air.

I'm no expert but would that work?

----------


## DrAndy

yes, people even put in small ventilation fans to vent that area

it works

----------


## Nelly

Well the workers are finally back after Songran, but progress is slow!  The next installment is due when roof is complete and 1st floor walls up, but the builder is pushing for an advance and we think he can't pay for the wood.

Will probably give him some to speed things up and hopefully things will start to move again.

They are now working on the internal skin of the 1st floor walls which will be plastered.



Cheers

----------


## maraudingscot

> It's like pouring all the cement for a pool and then digging it up to install the plumbing.


 
cool I like that idea, dig hole for pool fill with concrete and then chip out pool from concrete block!!

Would bring a new meaning to Thai building!! :mid:

----------


## benlovesnuk

> Well the workers are finally back after Songran, but progress is slow!  The next installment is due when roof is complete and 1st floor walls up, but the builder is pushing for an advance and we think he can't pay for the wood.
> 
> Will probably give him some to speed things up and hopefully things will start to move again.
> 
> They are now working on the internal skin of the 1st floor walls which will be plastered.
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers


Will you put anything in between the batons and the brick wall on 1st floor or just leave air, as its cheaper?

Also im not sure its been mentioned but how big is the sqm of the house?

mANY THANKS :Smile:

----------


## Nelly

> Will you put anything in between the batons and the brick wall on 1st floor or just leave air, as its cheaper?  Also im not sure its been mentioned but how big is the sqm of the house?  mANY THANKS


Half of your question is easy - no there will be nothing betewwn the wood paneling and the masonry wall. Insulation would be nice but not in the budget - even masonry was extra!

The size of the house is difficult as there is so much open space, but the footprint of the house is 121m2, so as its 2 stories high it could be 242m2.
But there is only 102 m2 of internal rooms excluding the open stairs. Of that, 42m2 is on the ground floor (kitchen dining and toilet) and 60 m2 on the first floor (2 beds, bathroom + the separate living room).

Cheers

----------


## dannlo

Fascinating and how lucky you are, look forward to following this.

----------


## benlovesnuk

> Originally Posted by benlovesnuk
> 
> Will you put anything in between the batons and the brick wall on 1st floor or just leave air, as its cheaper?  Also im not sure its been mentioned but how big is the sqm of the house?  mANY THANKS
> 
> 
> Half of your question is easy - no there will be nothing betewwn the wood paneling and the masonry wall. Insulation would be nice but not in the budget - even masonry was extra!
> 
> The size of the house is difficult as there is so much open space, but the footprint of the house is 121m2, so as its 2 stories high it could be 242m2.
> But there is only 102 m2 of internal rooms excluding the open stairs. Of that, 42m2 is on the ground floor (kitchen dining and toilet) and 60 m2 on the first floor (2 beds, bathroom + the separate living room).
> ...


I know your not discussing your budget but are you paying per sqm, and does that mean your paying for 121m2 or for livable space (basically how did you get a total, without telling it to us)?
cheers :Smile:

----------


## benlovesnuk

Sorry another question - will the wood paneling be flush with the concrete and does this mean that the structural pillars were set back slightly?

----------


## Nelly

> I know your not discussing your budget but are you paying per sqm, and does that mean your paying for 121m2 or for livable space (basically how did you get a total, without telling it to us)?


The price was a lump sum and agreed in a very short time. I had three alternative designs, all lifted from the same web site.  With all the plans I sat down with Jan, Mom & Dad + a builder friend of Dads.   After much deliberation everyone liked the current design, but with a few modifications.  Builder went away and returned two days later with a lump sum price of 130% of the final agreed price.   As this was way over Jan's budget, which was 80% of the agreed price he was sent packing. She then got three other prices of 210%, 160% and 140%.

At this stage, I concluded there was no way she could afford it and would have to have a small house and not the Thai style she wanted.  This was received like a bad hangover so there was a big family meeting and half way through the builder friend was summoned to Dads house. After the meeting, it was announced that the house would be built for 100%, which was still 25% above her original budget. But this didn't appear to matter as Jan had a farang bf who could be called upon it times of emergency.  A contract was prepared with the stage payment and works began.

Now Jan's biggest worry is that he will run out of money before its finished - she has already advanced money before the milestone was achieved.  But I think it will be OK, even if it means using money from another project as it would be too much of a loss of face infront of Dad who helped him start up his business. 





> Sorry another question - will the wood paneling be flush with the concrete and does this mean that the structural pillars were set back slightly?


The front of the panelling will not be flush, but will slightly overlap the concrete to stop water seeping in.  The edge of the structural columns are flush with the concrete walls. I think you can see this from the pics below.




Hey, benlovenuk, you are taking a keen interest in this build.  Are you anywhere near Udon Thani?  If so why not take a trip over there and have a look.   This invitation goes to anyone else who is in the area as Jan loves to show off her new home!

Cheers

----------


## ootai

Nelly
Has the roof been finished and how did it work out? Haven't heard you mention any issues since way back then.

I also liked the design you are building but the missus didn't as she wanted a more western style after spending the last 9 years over here.

As for the cost the wife got several quotes which were 30% to 40% above her expectations and her reaction was, "I can't breathe" but she (as you did) persevered and finally got a builder, that while above what she expected to pay, was substantially less than the others. All I hope is that it doesn't cost her in the end through re-work or lack of a quality job.

----------


## Nelly

> Has the roof been finished and how did it work out? Haven't heard you mention any issues since way back then.


ootai - the roofers, well one on them, came back to work a couple of days ago and he says it will be finished this week.  But below is a photo taken today so you can see it is starting to look OK.

 
Cheers

----------


## benlovesnuk

Nelly unfortunately in UK, but when in Thailand Im located in Chiangmai. Thank you for the invitation very kind of you! :Smile: 

Im taking an interest because we are looking to build a family house very soon and also have the thai traditional house plans you have, and as your doing it, (and it looks so good) i just thought asking would make it easier for us when we come to build.

So far you have been extremely helpful and i thank you for that!

----------


## Chong Boy

great thread, really nice work so far
good luck with it all

----------


## nevets

Thank you for doing this build thread it is very good, and i can not wait to see the house when fiished. :Smile:

----------


## Nelly

A little progress has been made in the past week and it's good to see that the wood has finally started to be installed.

The eaves are now just about complete and the gable end above the stairs is fixed.

A few of the past weeks photos







Thanks for the kind words about the house, I know Jan appreciates that her home is getting a lot of interest. 

Cheers

----------


## justincase 13

Great looking house so far, I hope all goes well at the end of the build.. I was glad to see you went with the Mai du (Padauk) as it is one of my favorites over here...

----------


## Liquid

> A little progress has been made in the past week and it's good to see that the wood has finally started to be installed.
> 
> The eaves are now just about complete and the gable end above the stairs is fixed.


The wood looks really good - will you have to treat it with any preservative?

----------


## ossierob

> Originally Posted by boloa
> 
> Never seen monks at the start of a house build
> 
> 
> Common in Isaan. Once the footing holes are dug, monk show up. The owner and family throw coins and gold leaf into the footing holes to ensure prosperity. Guess they figure a money tree might sprout.


Monks were required to come and bless the construction of our house in Sampran near Nakon Pathom also. They came also as the footings were dug and tied the appropriate colors around the reo etc.....Nice thred by the way :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:

----------


## ossierob

> yup, insulation on ceiling if you use air con.
> that wil keep the cool air in. if not, it will keep the hot air in.


 
Yep good advice...That method works in keeping our 2 level air conditioned home reasonably cool

----------


## Nelly

I havent posted any update during the past few weeks as I have been in Thailand for a personal inspection of the house and guess what? the problems have started!  But apart from a few things that will have to be sorted, the house is very nice and when finished will be a lovely place to live.






The builder is no longer on the site and has taken his workers to a new project in Chang Rai!  But more about that later.  First I will run through a few of the construction problems and add some pics.

All the doors to the open areas open outwards apart from the bathrooms.  On the original plan it shows them a double doors opening outward, but as they are now single doors it doesnt seem practical to me.  I have never seen a bedroom door opening outwards.  I have looked at many Thai houses and all the external doors open outwards, but when a bedroom has an external door it just doesnt seem right to me.  I think I will get him to reverse the 2 bedroom doors, but leave the kitchen as it is. 

The light switches are in very strange places and rarely next to the door. Also, each room should have 2 socket outlets and instead of putting them in each corner at low level, they are put in the same position as the light switches.  See photo of light switch and sockets for dining room.





The specification insisted on an earthed electrical system, but the cables installed so far only show 2 wires and not 3!




The water pipes to the upstairs shower should be behind a false wall (see part of plan) but they went in an external wall and then bent round a beam so they end up in the middle of the shower.  If they stay where they are, they will have to be boxed in and we will lose 20 cm of the shower.


The shower drain pipe is also broken and cracked rignt down into the concrete floor so unless fixed properly there will be leaks for ever.







The timber slats under the eaves are all different colours and the spaces between them are all different ranging from 5mm to 20 mm and he has used really cheap wood.  

The bathroom window is to high in the wall and is half covered by the eaves board.  It will probably be higher than the suspended ceiling!  Through the window you can see the un-even slats mentioned above.




The detail around the windows is terrible, instead of having a nice square edge returning to the frame, he has feathered the plaster in and stuck a small piece of wood to the reveal.  Whilst the photo doesn't show the plaster being shapped into the frame, it looks really lookks cheap and nasty.





Now the main problem is that the builder was advanced 60,000 Baht to buy the timber for the upstairs walls and then he promptly disappeared to start a project in Chang Rai.  The normal reaction would be that he has done a runner with the money and will never return.  However, when I was there, he came back from Chang Rai just to meet me and assured me the wood was on order and would be delivered mid June, at which time he would have finished the concrete of the Chang Rai house and return to Ban Dang to finish Jans house. Also, as he is a long time friend of Jans father and lives in the next Soi, I cant believe he would risk losing face to the whole village when they know he has ran off with her money.

Investigations have shown that he hasnt ordered the wood yet so at the moment things are a little tense.  Being a positive mind, I think he will r4eturn in a couple of weeks, but if he doesnt the tight budget will be right out of the window if we have to find another builder.

Anyway, apart from the few problem areas, which can be fixed I had a great time relaxing in Ban Dang for a couple of weeks and am looking forward to the house being finished.


Cheers,

----------


## Attilla the Hen

Great thread.
Firstly, how were the roof tiles secured? If it was just twisted wire, you're storing up trouble for the future as they will eventually rust away.

Surprised you left gaps between the wood under the eaves. I know that people say you need this for ventillation, but, my house has no gaps and I've never had a problem. I think it's an invitation to critters looking for a home.

Sorry about the quality of the photo.

----------


## Isee

> Anyway, apart from the few problem areas, which can be fixed I had a great time relaxing in Ban Dang for a couple of weeks and am looking forward to the house being finished.


The issue is not whether something can be fixed, but whether it will be fixed. 

It seems fair to say that your plans are being used more as a guide by the builder rather than as a blueprint. 

Your eaves are a good example of a lack of care by the person doing the work and a lack of interest by the boss to ensure its done properly (attention to detail). Further, with the spacing, its my opinion that fly screen mesh should have been used rather than what looks like 1/4 inch wire. And I agree with you that the wood used looks cheap. 

I think you've got an indication of what may be coming and you must be thinking how you are going to handle it. If you read my building thread (which has been deleted), you may recall that when things progressed to requiring attention to detail, things went down the drain pretty quickly. I recall cjustice saying he's got a good handle on dealing with thais so maybe he could provide some suggestions in that regard. 

Good luck with it - its always enjoyable reading a honest building thread.

----------


## Nelly

It has been a few weeks since I provided and update on Jans house and the reason for the stoppage is simple.nothing has happened and the project has stopped for two months!

The builder went away at the end of April after taking an advance of B100,000 to pay for the wood panelling and promptly started a new project in Chang Rai.  He has persistently promised that he will return and finish the job in a few days, but has never arrived.  After him telling so many lies and breaking so many promises, and despite him being a family friend, we are now in a situation where no one in the family will ever trust him again.  

So to bring things to a head, Jan has been to see a Lawyer who will be writing to him in two weeks time (if he doesnt show up before then) claiming breach of contract and threaten to start court proceedings to recover the money advanced to him and to claim compensation for the extra costs in completing the house.  Hehehe and I only thought they did that in the States!   The Lawyer is confident Jan will get her money back quite quickly as both the builder and his wife signed the contract so their house and farms will be at risk. 

In order to make the claim, she has to value of work he has performed already and get a price for completing the house.  Getting a new price isnt a problem and she should have the price this week, but assessing the value complete is.  My view is that based on the original Contract, she should have paid 70% when the roof was on and all wood panelled walls complete, but as the panelling hasnt started yet and will cost about B100,000, I think 60% is a reasonable assessment.  Anyone want to give their opinion as to how much is complete, if so here are a couple of photos taken today when the rain eased off for a couple of minutes.





I am trying to be optimistic and still believe he will return when he gets paid from the Chang Rai project but the close relationship that existed at the start of the project will be gone forever.  Even if he finally does return, he is likely to think that Jan will try to get revenge by not paying the final instalment and as if this is the case, it will be very hard getting him to perform well.

I cannot deny that my main concern is the overall cost of the house as I am helping with the funding.  A low budget was set at the beginning for a smaller version of the house, but when the Builder (an old family friend) agreed to drop the price for the large version by 25% to fit within the budget, the deal was made.  But if he walks away and another builder comes in, then the budget will be well and truly shot to bits.

Strange how things change..the builder himself encouraged me to start this thread as he thought it would be good advertising and he would get plenty of other farang clients.bet he doesnt think the same now!

Cheers

----------


## pet coon

Then wooden slats besides being irregular spacing do not appear to have netting to keep varmints/flying insects, etc out. The electrical outlets/switches  need to re installed at points of your choice. Both need to be corrected, windows/doors installed floor/bath tile, install ceiling, bath fixtures. lighting system, exterior cement work, etc. Find contractor to correct/finish project, get firm quote from him, then deduct his bid from original bid for completed house and you can figure % complete from the numbers. With the complete lack of material on site, your builder is very neat or des not plan on coming back. Good luck.

----------


## ootai

Nelly
I can only speak about what I know is in the contract my missus agreed with her builder which was worked by both of then and her lawyer.
The arrangment is for 5 staggered payments and there are agreed points which stipulate when these payments are due.
In her case the third payment is due once the house has a roof on, floor laid and walls up so I would make the asumption that that is the 60% complete point. Looking at your picture that is about where you are at right now.
I think that for the first 60% most of the money is for materials and a little bit for labour I might estimate that to be a 75% material / 25% labour split perhaps. However I would see that the last 40% of the total cost (the work you have left to do) would be mainly made up of labour cost and a little on material cost.

So I am of the opinion that your builder has made the decision that he can use his labour somewhere else where he will be making more money out of them because he has realised that he dropped his quote too low to get the job in the first place.

You may be better off just getting labour in to do bits of the work and you buying the materials, say get someone to fit the windows and then someone else to do the rendering etc.

My thoughts anyway and I hope you get it successfully sorted out.

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## Chong Boy

Such a shame this has happened and I hope this guy turns up with a good excuse and a keen mind to finish the job he started. 
Doesn't seem to be the case but I am hopeful it will turn out ok and not cost you a fortune to get new teams in to complete. Good luck

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## graym

I've only just come upon your thread and read it from the beginning (often a good place to start) with a great deal of anticipation as this is the same design that the Missus and myself have decided upon (house 29 I believe in the Thai govt. house plans). 
We will also have one or two alterations to make from the original but it'll be a good starting place as it has the potential to be built upon and extended later.

So sorry that your project has come to a temporary halt, it will be good to see further posts from you once you're up and running again; I think it will look great in the end.

We're looking at starting towards the end of the year and will be posting our own epic accordingly...

All the best Nelly and Jan

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## painthong

*we are looking forward to see more post of your house Nelly*

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## UdonThani Pete

Hi Nelly, it has been a while since your last post, I sincerely hope things are going better for you both! any update?  :UK:

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## Nelly

> we are looking forward to see more post of your house Nelly





> Hi Nelly, it has been a while since your last post, I sincerely hope things are going better for you both! any update?


Yes it's been an age since I last gave an update and there is a good reason for me not giving one........nothing has happenend!!!

 The builder has continued to promise he will return and when I was last month the contract completion date came and went.  As he now owes Jan B2,000 per day in penalties, we had a meeting with the village headman and the builder’s wife and she signed an agreement stating that if he doesn’t return within 3 weeks, then we will employ another builder and he will pay the difference.

  Latest rumour is that he will return this coming weekend.  If he does actually show up, then the posts will resume and we will see how he gets on.


Cheers

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## hillbilly

Sorry to hear about your run of bad luck. I have seen many 'falangs' in the same boat. 

Your sorta of between a rock and a hard spot right now. Any builder that you can get will want more money than the original cost. They got you by the short hairs.

My advice? Find a home in the area that you like and find out who built it. Tell him the truth and see what you can work out.

I have been lucky in the sense that my wife knows about Thai construction and I know about building in the states.

Good luck guy!

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## DrAndy

you will lose out whatever happens; the guy will never pay you the difference, even though his wife signed a bit of paper

maybe he is not interested in continuing as it was too cheap?

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## Nelly

> you will lose out whatever happens; the guy will never pay you the difference, even though his wife signed a bit of paper
> 
> maybe he is not interested in continuing as it was too cheap?


Very true and now I am 100% sure the original price was too cheap. But if it can be completed for 20% more than the original price, I will be very pleased.

BUT NOW ON WITH THE UP-DATE

 It was seven months since the Builder walked away from Jans house and despite many promises and failing to comply with his written undertakings, an agreement has been reached.

  After two further broken promises, the police called him to Police Station and after a few hours of negotiation he agreed pay Jan B 200,000 and she could get someone else to finish the house.  The bad news is that he has to pay B50,000 every two weeks starting 15 November, but the good news is that both the Police and the head man witnessed the agreement and warned him of the consequences.   The Police have assured Jan that if he fails to make one payment, it should be quite a quick job to get a court order against him and then she can take his house or farm.

  I was reasonably happy with the result as with the money not yet paid to the builder, it would give Jan B400,000 to finish a house that only has a few repairs and the finishes to complete.

  As she does not want to trust another builder, she has employed the local carpenter and a gang of workers who will complete everything for B70,000 while she pays for the materials.  Her dad is helping, but its an enormous job for a young girl who also has to try to run her shop at the same time.or as my old dada would say, its all good character building stuff.

  The past couple of weeks have been spent organising the window construction, ordering the external wood, wood stain, preservative, nails, sand, cement, etc.  But finally there is some progress as they started on the last bit of structural work, which is the staircase.




So over the coming weeks I hope to be able to provide a report on how an Issan girl manages to complete her house.

Cheers

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## Loy Toy

All I can offer is good luck to you and Jan and one day hope that she has her dream house.  :Smile:

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## Marmite the Dog

Good result there Nelly.

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## Yemen

Hope everything works out for your lady as she has had a tough time.

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## graym

Looking forward to your updates and a happy ending...

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## Nelly

Its been four months since I last posted, so I thought Id give an update.  

  It has been an eventful time and Jan's house is finally nearing completion but, its not good news anywhere.

  Jan finally got the builder to Court and the Court ordered him to pay B150,000 out of the B200,000 she claimed.  Not bad, except he has 2 years to pay and must pay a minimum of B2,000 per month, which is useless and would not allow her to finish the house.

  To pay for the house Jan is raising money elsewhere and getting credit from a local builders merchant.

  We are no longer together, but this is not the forum for that! however we do remain in contact and I  get regular updates on progress and give advice where I can.

  There is only one major problem and that is a leak from a pipe buried somewhere in concrete below the bathroom, which has already been tiled.  I have told them to break out the area where water comes from, but the workers appear reluctant as it will be a difficult job and they dont know exactly where the leak is!

  A few pics of the house as it is today. 




















Cheers

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## sunsetter

keep em coming mate, you'll/she'll get there in the end  :Smile:

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## graym

Sorry to hear that you're no longer together to enjoy the house but it's great to see it finally coming together. 
I had been following your thread with interest because I like the same basic design and will hopefully be able to get a start myself in the near future. 
The timber finish topside looks great, the Missus has some timber squirreled away in Isaan which would do the trick...
I am thinking to go for the roof in the original plans (Thai Govt 29?) and perhaps put the stairs outside somehow to allow another room upstairs?

Anyway, all the best and I hope your ex enjoys the place...

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## Nelly

Well, the house that Jan built is just about complete....one year late but at least it's done, apart from the garden and driveway, but that will have to wait until funds are available.

There has been a few quality issues, but not too serious considering it was supervised by a girl with no construction experience.

Here are a few pics of the end product


 
  


Thanks for your all the comments and cheers for now

Nelly

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## chedi

nice house!
how much she spend for this?

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## Nelly

> nice house!
> how much she spend for this?


Initially Jan was going to keep the cost confidential as the builder  had given a very low price, but as it's now complete and cost more than  anticipated, she doesn't mind being open.

The initial price from the builder was 1 million baht, but he walked off  after he was paid B700,000.  Then after that she spent another B700,000  to finish it, so the total cost was B1,400,000.

Not a bad price as she now has a very nice little house that she and her kids will enjoy for a long time to come.

Cheers

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## paul50150

Hi  My wife and I are planning to build this model in family village between Korat and Khon Kaen.
We have bought 1 rai and lifted it up 1 metre and now we are looking for a local building team and plan to buy materials ourselves
Would you or Jan have any lists or quantities of the materials and prices as we would like to get an idea for our budget
Thanks in anticipation
Paul and Da

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## Neverna

^ Paul, the thread is 5 years old and Nelly hasn't logged in for over 4 years.

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## Neverna

^ Edit. The thread is 6 years old.

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## thaimeme

> ^ Edit. The thread is 6 years old.


 
Might be advisable for Pauly to start his own new thread with respective references thereof - especially if one has a new project in their midst.

Newbies can get on here and become enthusiastic and interested about this and that thread without realizing that it's dormant or the OP hasn't logged-on for years....honest mistake - or not.

Anyway, best to those with their new building projects.

 :Smile:

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## mingmong

wellcome Paul, many of us on here have built and finnished Homes in Thailand, jsut keep searching and asking, no harm done!   :Smile:

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## mingmong

the costs have nearly x 2 in Labour since we built in Northern Thailand 7 year ago, the local factorys are paying 300bht a day so Labour has risen also, I still find Materials cheap compared to Australian prices considering most building materials I buy in Oz are from China!

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## paul50150

First time I have posted in a forum and not fully sure how it all works.  Had been searching for internet references to the house 29 under the old government free plans site
Will have to do more research and see if anyone has information relating to a build of this house style and maybe I will start a post of my own with photos following the project

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## beerlaodrinker

If you want to build from scratch then I take my hat of to you, for me I bought an old house and renovated it to the standard I wanted, the gaffs nice now but it took a while, can honestly say I'm quite comfy in this house. No complaints from her indoors either

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## Stumpy

Paul,
I also recommend you browse further in this construction forum, some good advice and ideas. Lots of trials and tribulations. 

Good Luck

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