#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Construction in Thailand >  >  New Build Near Udon Thani

## rickschoppers

OK guys, it is finally time to start this building thread and is a result of about 5 years or more of research. As many on this thread, I wanted a teak house and did the normal thing of finding as many threads on this site with that title to read what others have learned. This dream came from my original visit to Thailand in 1985 when I was working in Saudi Arabia and started coming through southeast asia on my way back for home leave and vacations. I saw several teak houses back then in Bangkok and other resort towns and thought it would be nice to have one of my own to retire in. The price back then was about $60,000 and I thought that was reasonable compared to what I would pay back home to have a house built. As we all know, prices have increased significantly over the years.

In 2002 I was is the process of buying a two bedroom 1 bath teak house on Koh Samui for approximately $100,000. It was 30 meters from the water and in a small resort that contained about 20 homes. I was able to rent it out and the maintenance was taken care of by a home owner association. This was in the days when I thought I wanted to retire near the water and be able to fish every day. I travelled there about every 5 months and was pretty happy for about 4 years. As Koh Samui grew and grew, I began to regret my decision due to the amount of tourists visiting the island. It was becomming another Phuket which I was not wanting or looking for.

About the same time, I met a food waitress at a local restaurant who spoke good English and it became a regular thing to have breakfast at this restaurant and ask for that particualr waitress. It was not an attraction other than having someone to talk to and learn about the Thai culture. She knew about my dream to live in Thailand and I told her about my regret for picking Koh Samui. She was from the Udon Thani area and she asked if I would like to visit? At that time I had no idea of what Udon was like and graciously declined. My next visit to Koh Samui, she told me that her younger sister was visiting and would I like to meet her. I said sure and the rest is history. We wound up taking a trip up to Udon Thani and stayed in town. She took me to her parent's home, who were both deceased, and I met the entire family. It was a great experience and we definatly had the chemistry needed to start a relationship. Shortly after, I sold the house in Koh Samui and banked the money that I had invested to that point. 

I continued to visit Thailand every 5 months and stayed at my lady's parents house. In 2007 we bought the first building lot. It was about 2 rai for 350,000 baht. I had no idea of the value of land at that time, but it seemed a good price. It was on a main village road about 1/4 km from her parent's house and we had the fill dirt delivered to start the process of building a home. I will include some pics later.
In 2009, we looked at another piece of land that had a pond with good views and was more to my liking. We wound up buying 4 rai which was also very close to my lady's parents house. We now had two building lots. One that the family keeps saying would be good for a shop of some sort and the other that is more suited to a residence and growing some small crops. I have no plan to open any kind of shop and told my lady that land is the same as money and not to sell it.

Last January we had some fill dirt brought in and I finally decided on a house plan. I have traversed away from a desire to have a teak house and for several years had looked at a knockdown teak house. The cost kept going up to a point where I thought it was too expensive. I also read other threads like the one of Dr. A about his country house and his buying an existing house to use the wood for his build. Others have done the same and this sounded like a reasonable solution to the rising cost of wood. I began my hunt for an existing home with teak wood that was in good shape. JJ has done the same on this site and now has a very nice house. Over a three year period, I had several different renditions of the house I wanted to build. I prefer wood, but understand the reasonable price of cement and that most all Thais know how to build with this material. 

After a lot of thought, I decided to build a concrete structure with some teak panels. I will post the rendition showing the original plan for the house. I have made some modifications to suit my own taste and give more living space. I have already ordered four 5 meter x 5 meter teak panels, each with two windows that are currently being constructed and will be the center piece of the house. They will be on the second floor. I know it is difficult to visualize everything without pictures, so I will try to upload the initial renditions that gave me the idea for the house. 

The fill dirt is now going through a rainy season and I will start constuction the end of October or beginning of November when I retire and will post my progress. I am on a budget, as we all are, and hope to build the house at a reasonable cost with the help of all the threads I have read on TD. Stay tuned........

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## nigelandjan

Good luck with it all Rick I am sure your going in  " eyes open " looking forward to your pictures .

          I will be doing the same myself in about 4 years time ,, in an area not too far from you allthough there is a property for sale right now that to be honest I am finding it very hard not to write a check out for right this moment ,,,,,,,,,,, were coming over in March so will see what happens then  :Smile:

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## Nabeel

Can you space the paras.....bloody hard reading otherwise  :Smile:

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## Nabeel

"She took me to her parent's home, who were both deceased"


scary stuff this...Bates Motel maybe?

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## rickschoppers

> Can you space the paras.....bloody hard reading otherwise


Done, thanks for the suggestion Nabeel.

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## rickschoppers

> Good luck with it all Rick I am sure your going in " eyes open " looking forward to your pictures .
> 
> I will be doing the same myself in about 4 years time ,, in an area not too far from you allthough there is a property for sale right now that to be honest I am finding it very hard not to write a check out for right this moment ,,,,,,,,,,, were coming over in March so will see what happens then


Land never seems to go down in price unless they are asking a rediculous amount of money. My recommendation is to purchase sooner than later if you know it is a sure thing. There are others that would disagree, but I purchased the first building lot quite awhile ago and it has appreciated substantially since then.

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## rickschoppers

Here is the first building lot. Not wide, but very long. It goes past the treeline seen in the distance and is a total of 2 rai. As I mentioned before, we paid 350,000 baht for it and sits on the main road. This shows the beginning of the clearing before the fill dirt is brought in.



A view from part of the way back.



Of course, the stumps need to be cleared since it is bad luck to bury them or leave them on the land. I had some free labor from the family which made things very nice.



Here is the finished product after 55 big truck loads of fill dirt at 500 baht per truck. There is a raised area back a ways which is where I had planed to place the house.

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## rickschoppers

Here is the new building lot that is 4 rai and has much better views and more suited for a residence. There is a barbed wire fence around the land which is one less thing to pay for. I will be adding two entrances, one that will be block with a steel gate and another down the lot for tractor and other access. The pond can be enlarged, but is very far down the list right now.



The building portion is fronted by a road and is higher in elevation. This makes it very nice to build and be able to look down the lot to the pond and land below.



This shot is looking at about where the house will be built. There is also another road the runs along the pond side of the land. This is about 1/4 km in the other direction from the family house.



The first load of fill dirt to create a pathway for the truckloads of fill dirt.



The upper level of the lot was plowed by one of the family members and it sets up about a meter from the next drop down of land. There are a total of three terraces.



Note the expensive markers for the truck drivers to know the perimeter of the fill dirt. This lot was 680,000 baht for 4 rai which is a good price for this area.

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## jizzybloke

Woohoo another building thread to look forward too, best of luck and I'll be watching and enjoying it!

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## rickschoppers

These pictures were taken last month during the rainy season. All of the fill dirt has settled since last January and should be good to go by the end of October or November when the rainly season ends. The first task will be the foundation and I will be talking to a few builders in October to see who I can sub out the work to. I intend to be the project manager, buy all the materials and be on site every day of the build. These are all decisions I have made after reading TD.

This is a picture looking at one of the corners of the building area where both roads intersect.



My lady at the back end of the building area.



This is one side of the building area facing the road. The front of the house will face this road and have a partial block wall with a steel gate similar to what I had built on the family house below.





I will replace the barbed wire with some decorative steel work similar to the gate design.



This is a picture of the other side of the building area facing the pond which is behind the trees. The second entrance will be by the pond to allow tractors or trucks, cars or motorbikes to enter the lot. My plan is to build a four bay sala about 20x10 meters behind the house.



On top of the bulding area. The house will be approximately 24x13 meters with two stories. I will post pictures of the rough plans in the near future.




This is about center of the building area and the view we will have from the dining area.

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## rickschoppers

> "She took me to her parent's home, who were both deceased"
> 
> 
> scary stuff this...Bates Motel maybe?


At first glance maybe, but not even close once all is known about the family. The father passed away at a young age and the mother passed away about 1 year before meeting my lady. No worries of mysterious deaths or, worse yet, ghosts. :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

> Woohoo another building thread to look forward too, best of luck and I'll be watching and enjoying it!


Thanks jizzy. I like the building threads as well since I have learned quite a bit from them. There is a wealth of information to be found and appreciate everyones input.

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## isanmick

Good luck with the build, hope it goes well. I will keep closely tuned as I will too be building a house in Udon in a few years time.

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## rickschoppers

Here is a picture of the rough plan that I will be following to build the house. My apologies for the lack of quality, but it should give everyone an idea of what I started with. Like I have mentioned, I have made many changes and anticipate making more as the project progresses. Many have found that it is not always possible to follow plans exactly, but as the project unfolds, there are many tweeks and improvements that are needed.



One of the major changes is to block in all but one bay on the first floor which will be left open for car parking. This will increase the living space quite a bit and allow for a large living room.



On the second floor there is a large balcony and a living area that will be where I place the 5 meter x 5 meter teak panels. The wider part of the upstairs will be block and the wall leading out to the balcony will be all glass with double swinging doors. I liked the large covered balcony which should have a good view of the entire lot and beyond.



This is the first floor plan and again all but one bay will be blocked in to increase the living area. One bay will be left and an outside Thai kitchen will be on the backside of the house.


The second floor will not have a kitchen, but will be open to one great room. Everything else will remain the same and the final product will have 3 bedrooms and 2 toilets with two large great rooms.

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## rickschoppers

> Good luck with the build, hope it goes well. I will keep closely tuned as I will too be building a house in Udon in a few years time.


Thanks isanmick, and of course you are invited any time to view the progress and have a "cold one."

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## Marmite the Dog

Looks like you're off to a good start and have done your homework.

There's a few of us in Udon if you fancy meeting up a with a bunch of miserable old bastards who'll moan about anything.

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## rickschoppers

> Looks like you're off to a good start and have done your homework.
> 
> There's a few of us in Udon if you fancy meeting up a with a bunch of miserable old bastards who'll moan about anything.


I would be more than happy to add my moans to the group. I will be arriving October 14th after retiring from over 34 years in health care and am sure your group would have a few words on health in general.

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## Marmite the Dog

> am sure your group would have a few words on health in general.


Most of them don't have any health.

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## rickschoppers

> Originally Posted by rickschoppers
> 
> am sure your group would have a few words on health in general.
> 
> 
> Most of them don't have any health.


 :smiley laughing:  then we already all have something in common.

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## nigelandjan

I know you probably dont want to say exactly where you are Rick but what area roughly are you in ? ie N/S/E/W  of Udon

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## rickschoppers

> I know you probably dont want to say exactly where you are Rick but what area roughly are you in ? ie N/S/E/W of Udon


East off the road to Nong Bua Lamphu.

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## Marmite the Dog

> Originally Posted by nigelandjan
> 
> 
> I know you probably dont want to say exactly where you are Rick but what area roughly are you in ? ie N/S/E/W of Udon
> 
> 
> East off the road to Nong Bua Lamphu.


Before or after the Khyber Pass (gong to NBLP from Udon)?

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## Smithson

Really nice plan, I like the height, open areas, room underneath and outside kitchen - design features that have worked here for centuries. 

Not only will the place be cooler and more pleasant all round, but you'll save money. Have you considered putting in some ventilation in the roof ends?

Also, you could wait before doing the downstairs living area, you might find it's really nice to leave it open and put in some potted plants as well as cut flowers like heliconias (bird of paradise) that you could grow on the property.

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## larvidchr

Good luck with the build rc.  plan looks good.

 :Smile:

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## hillbilly

I think with rickschoppers attitude towards building in Thailand, he should do very well! Good luck and keep us informed on the happenings.

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## nigelandjan

Dunno whats happening here at the moment ,, I made a completely innofesive post about your growing and it was modded away into the ether .

Anyway ( no better not )

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## rickschoppers

^
It seems to be happening quite a bit lately. Dr. A had the same problem on one of his threads. Guess it doesn't do any good to ask why, but thanks for the thought.

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## rickschoppers

I have just been looking at richardshane's building thread and feel lucky that our concrete work did not turn out the same as his. Even though he contracted with PD, the workmanship has much to be desired and now he appears to have decided to start over after seeing how poor the structure was.

I feel fortunate to have had a good crew for the structural phase and all the research on this site helped me see what is acceptable and what is not. I am also glad I agreed to do double walls all around and for the retaining wall. There should be no question of strength with our house and it should be standing for many years to come.

For those thinking about starting a house build here in Thailand, richardshane's thread should be mandatory reading.

FYI- I just accepted a position at a hospital in California and the cash flow should start very soon so that we can finish our house. I will keep everyone posted on our progress. Also, my situation should also tell everyone wanting to build to have adequate funds to avoid having to return to work. My fault really, since I underestimated our budget and built the house using more materials than originally budgeted.

Concrete work showing the double walled construction:

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## stevefarang

> For those thinking about starting a house build here in Thailand, richardshane's thread should be mandatory reading.


Most definitely. I feel really bad for Richard and how PD House has screwed him over. I wish there was a way to put more pressure on the company to do the right thing for Richard, not just cover it up.

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## rickschoppers

It was mentioned before that there is power in numbers as well as bad publicity. Hopefully PD does not hold a grudge and decide to do more harm. It would be to their best interest to set things right and start over or refund his money.

I wish him and everyone, including yourself that decides to build a house in Thailand, the best.

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## nigelandjan

I,m guessing in relation to those pillars which I believe to be around 200 mm your blocks are around 200mm Rick ? 

Thats what I,m gonna be going with later this year 200mm blocks , I know the Thais like to go with 75mm but I reckon 200 is the way to go for better sound + heat insulation and overall strength of build .

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## joepaai

> I,m guessing in relation to those pillars which I believe to be around 200 mm your blocks are around 200mm Rick ? 
> 
> Thats what I,m gonna be going with later this year 200mm blocks , I know the Thais like to go with 75mm but I reckon 200 is the way to go for better sound + heat insulation and overall strength of build .


Double 75mm with an air gap is better for  sound + heat insulation

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## rickschoppers

The foundation is double block with cement poured into the space that contains rebar for strength as shown in the pictures above. The walls are double block with an air space between the two. I was told the space was not big enough, but I think it will still be better than single block. 

Here is a pic of the double block walls and on this particular portion, I have the wood teak panels on the outside which give the wall additional thickness.

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## rickschoppers

Another picture of the double block walls with an air space between the two. It probably will not give the same R factor as Superblock, but if you go back and read the entire thread, you will understand why I did not go that route.

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## DrAndy

> but if you go back and read the entire thread, you will understand why I did not go that route.


says he in post #284

I can't remember and can't be bothered, just remind us

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## rickschoppers

Here are my comments on why I went with the double block walls. :Smile: 





> Here is the first load of 5000 small red brick that will make up the inside row of the house perimeter. _As I mentioned earlier, I had thought a long time on using Superblock or Q-con but ultimately was not confident that it would be installed correctly by my crew even though it does have a good R factor._
> 
> 
> 
> _My final decision is to use two rows of block with the outside being the normal 4 baht concrete blocks with the inside being the small red brick. There will be an air space between the two which decreases the amount of heat transfered from the outside row of block. I am sure there will be a lot of you that disagree, but if I was having experienced installers do the Q-con, I probably would have gone that route. The red brick is also a much stronger wall than the Q-con overall and the two rows of block should give me decent insulation.
> _
> For those of you wanting to use Superblock or Q-Con, there are many threads on this site covering those products. They are prone to cracking if not installed correctly. There will always be cracking in any build, but it is my understanding that the red brick has the least.
> 
> 
> ...

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## DrAndy

thanks for the reminder

I have used QCon on all my recent builds and it is very easy to use

you don't need to use the recommended glue, normal mortar is fine, so any competent blocklayer can use it

it is also much easier to cut and get the correct line

too late now though, for you!

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## rickschoppers

I was actually more worried about them placing the concrete reinforcements at the correct intervals. We have very tall ceilings and they would need some rows of regular cement block to give it the needed strength. Also, the base of the Superblock needed to be done a particular way to prevent any possible water damage to the block.

Like I said, if I had been confident enough that my crew could do the install correctly, I probably would have used Qcon or a similar product. As you mentioned, it is too late now and I will watch your threads to see if you have any issues with it.

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## Necron99

^ ehh?
You think your columns are not enought to hold up your roof?

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## rickschoppers

^
Not quite sure what you are asking here. The posts are more than strong enough to support the metal roof. Maybe you were referring to my comment about adding strength to the walls. I am not sure, but I think there is a standard height Qcon recommends for adding a cement stringer. Maybe for the roof or just overall strength of the wall.

Like I said, I am not an expert on the topic of Superblock or Qcon, but it made more sense to me not to ask my crew to do something they had not done before.

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## Necron99

^ yes, misread. You meant strength to the walls, not roof.

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## DrAndy

> I was actually more worried about them placing the concrete reinforcements at the correct intervals. We have very tall ceilings and they would need some rows of regular cement block to give it the needed strength.


I am not sure you are correct, the walls are merely infills and give no structural strength to the building. If you mean you need some reinfocement for the walls themselves due to their height, the builder can easily just add a cement/iron lintel across at, say, 2m






> Also, the base of the Superblock needed to be done a particular way to prevent any possible water damage to the block.


any wall should be protected against damp






> I will watch your threads to see if you have any issues with it.


no issues at all

we had quite a strong earthquake two years ago and there was no cracking of the walls anywhere

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## rickschoppers

^
As I mentioned, I am not an expert on Qcon and you are probably right. I just remember reading somewhere that there needed to be some concrete support if you have tall ceilings. It is probably the lintel as you said.

I also read somewhere that the bottom row of block on a wall should be concrete to prevent any moisture from degrading the Qcon. This may also not be necessary.

Glad to hear there has been no cracking. You must of had a knowledgeable crew install the block. Knowledge is what I lacked along with my building crew when it came to installing Qcon. It was out of their comfort zone and we all know what happens when you cross that line.

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## stevefarang

> ^
> As I mentioned, I am not an expert on Qcon and you are probably right. I just remember reading somewhere that there needed to be some concrete support if you have tall ceilings. It is probably the lintel as you said.
> 
> I also read somewhere that the bottom row of block on a wall should be concrete to prevent any moisture from degrading the Qcon. This may also not be necessary.
> 
> Glad to hear there has been no cracking. You must of had a knowledgeable crew install the block. Knowledge is what I lacked along with my building crew when it came to installing Qcon. It was out of their comfort zone and we all know what happens when you cross that line.


For what it's worth Rick, they used Qcon block as the first row on the walls of our house. We also have that pre-formed, reinforced concrete skeleton, that was put up first. So that provides all the structural support, instead of the Qcon blocks.

They are light weight, easy to work and shape. When I was at the house, last August. If a worker needed to trim a piece, he would just score it and quickly cut it with a hand saw. 

As far as any special working skills or materials, I can't honestly say. It all seemed pretty straightforward, including the mortar. Andy would know more than I in those areas.

But it's all looking good !

Steve

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## rickschoppers

^
Yes, there are advantages to Qcon which is the reason I considered using it to begin with. Maybe if I build another house, I will use it. The block is easy to shape and cut and has good insulation properties. Again, just worried the workers around here would screw it up no matter how easy it is to work with. They can even Fu#$ up cement block work, as we have seen.

I am happy with the structure I have to work with and know it will last many years, which is what I wanted.

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## stevefarang

> I am happy with the structure I have to work with and know it will last many years, which is what I wanted.


In the end, that's all that matters.
And who knows, maybe we'll meet up over there. Seems we both share an interest in 2-wheel transportation, although I really doubt if I will ever ride over there !! Too many crazy drivers, bad roads, etc...

Cheers !!!

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## rickschoppers

^
You shouldn't let the crazy drivers stop you from enjoying a ride on a motorcycle. You just need to be a little more careful in Thailand while on a two wheeler. :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

It has been awhile since I have posted, so I will update everyone on what is going on. I am currently back in the US working as a Director of Pharmacy to make the capital needed to finish the house. It was previously discussed that I have gone over budget and needed an injection of capital to finish. Going back to work, for a short time, seemed the best solution. 

Since I have been back home, the toilets have been completed and now my wife is looking to have the house wired and floor tiled. I told her what I wanted before I left, so it will be interesting to see what things look like when I return for a visit in November. She is in no hurry to complete the Thai kitchen, probably because there is not much to think about. I had already purchased the stove burners and told her I wanted granite counter tops. 

I will post some pics once I go back since she does not know how to send me any. Stay tuned.

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## rickschoppers

I will be heading back to Thailand at the end of this month and have finished working in the US. I worked for a little over 5 months and will be supervising the house build soon. 

The well has been dug and now the house has a clean water supply. Instead of paying 30,000 baht, it cost us 20,000 since the BIL gave the digger two other customers. My wife said one toilet was almost finished, so I will see what they have done once I arrive. The next project will be the electrical and I will be making a trip down to IKEA in Bangkok to pick up some LED lighting and fixtures. I would like to have 100% LED, but do not think that will happen.

Here is a pic of the LED chandelier I like.



LED Table Lamp:



LED Floor Lamp:



I will have some regular down lamps that IKEA has and I will probably pick up a few other items from them while at the store. They have always had pretty good furnishings and I feel at home in an IKEA store.

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## rickschoppers

Well, I am finally back in Thailand and have been busy the last week or so getting things lined up on the build. We took a quick trip to Chiang Mai since I wanted to take a look at the granite flooring near Tak. They had 40cm by 60cm granite priced at 650 baht per square meter for the "A" grade and 400 baht per square meter for the "B" grade granite. When I got back to Udon I visited a granite shop that I had previously talked to before and went ahead and ordered granite flooring for 590 baht per square meter. It will be arriving on the 16th and will take about two weeks to install.

The main reason I stuck with the Udon shop was because she already had  installers available and I would have had to find some it I purchased the granite from Tak. They are also local and if I had any problems, it is easier for me to deal with them locally than make a trip back to Tak.  If one wants to get the cheapest deal, I think Tak has about the best prices that I have seen on granite flooring, but again you would have to pay for the shipping and find installers once it arrived, which is not always an easy thing to do in Thailand.

I found an older carpenter in the village that is going to install all my windows and doors along with cleaning up the wood and finishing with stain and sealer. He has worked wood for about 30 years and seems to know what he is doing. We looked at some wood furniture he made and my wife would up buying a couple of pieces from him.

We also purchased some floor tile for one of the toilets and my BIL will be placing the concrete slab this week before installing the floor tile. I still have to purchase a sink and shower, but I have had two new toilets for over a year that I will install.

The only other main thing we need to do before we actually start moving in is set up the Thai kitchen. 

I will take some pics once the granite has arrived which will show where we are in the building process.

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## Bettyboo

Looking forward to more pictures...  :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

^
They will be along shortly. :Smile:

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## Roobarb

Good to hear your build is moving ahead again Rick, glad to have you back.

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## Marmite the Dog

Welcome back Rick.

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## Marmite the Dog

Peterpan says 'hi' too, but he can't remember how to type.  :Smile:

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## peterpan

Marmite, almost true enough, but the good news is that my "new American friend" seems to have taken an interest in my case and Is advising and Assisting me, so the right dosage of meds is helping my brain functions to return, albeit slowly. 

We are going to BKK hospital Udon tomorrow to revisit some of the previous decisions. 
I would previously have believed there was was an ulterior motive, but he is well cashed and definitely not  gay, If you now what I mean?   

Thank god for Americans.

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## Marmite the Dog

^ Actually, he is gay. He's not fat.

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## rickschoppers

Thanks to everyone for the welcome back. I have been running around since I landed and hope to catch up with a few of you (Marmite, Nigel and PP) along with a couple of others soon. I am trying to get as much done in the next month or two so that we can move in the house.

Good to be back. The States are not really the place to live right now. PeterPan, hope all works out well with your new "American." :Smile:

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## peterpan

Rick I imagine your alright if you leave your Rambo psyche at  home. 
My new friend is OK he must be, as all the Germans in our village hate him, a mark of endorsement if there was one.

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## Marmite the Dog

> My new friend is OK he must be, as all the Germans in our village hate him, a mark of endorsement if there was one.


Does he know? Yet.  :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

Welcome back Rick hopefully you can now crack on with finishing the house.

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## rickschoppers

> Rick I imagine your alright if you leave your Rambo psyche at  home. 
> My new friend is OK he must be, as all the Germans in our village hate him, a mark of endorsement if there was one.


Both my Rambo psyche and Ugly American persona were left in the States, but unfortunately, you need to use them to survive in the States from time to time. I am mellow over here, which is more to my liking.

I don't know if the German's in my village like me or not. I have two as neighbors and both will always say hello when spoken to.

There is another American about 1 km away, but I do not socialize with him. My good friend from the UK is here and we just got back from a visa run in Lao.

The BIL is laying the cement slab in the toilet today and I will take some pics along with other progress we have made on the house. The granite flooring is scheduled to be delivered on Monday and my carpenter continues to work on the windows at a slow pace. If I am lucky, we will be in the house before I leave again in February to sell some personal property in the States.

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## rickschoppers

> Welcome back Rick hopefully you can now crack on with finishing the house.


BD, I am trying my best to expedite things, but you know how that goes in Thailand. :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

I am now uploading some pics I just took and it is not a fast process with my internet connection, but here are a few.
Here is a shot from the front door looking at the alcove for the dining room and into the door of the third bedroom/office. To the left is the living room. The cement stacked on the right is waiting to be mixed for the toilet floor.



This one is looking down the living room and the doorway leads to the master bedroom. The hallway leads to the Thai kitchen in the back.

----------


## rickschoppers

Sorry for the darkness of the pics, I am taking them with my iPhone.

This shot is taken from the dining room toward the double front door.



This one shows a door frame after I have stained and sealed it. The double front doors are teak, but have a dark walnut stain, so I am trying to stay consistent. 



My other pictures need to be resized and will show the toilet in its present state and the front teak paneling after the staining and sealing was completed.

----------


## rickschoppers

Here are the windows the carpenter is working on, but as you can see, he is not here right now. I hope the installation goes quicker than the cleaning and staining. :Smile: 



Here is a picture of the toilet tile and the drain for the sink. I left the color selection of the tile to my wife, so I can not say anything about the final choice. I just told her to make them green.



Some of the toilet plumbing. Pretty typical for Thailand.



Another shot of the plumbing prior to pouring the slab. We purchased some non-slip light tan floor tiles that will be laid once the slab is in.



A picture out one of the front windows that show the teak paneling color. These windows will have double teak window frames.


Here is a shot of the front teak paneling and we will be adding about 30 truckloads of fill dirt to make sure the rain water is draining away from the house.



This is a view from the third bedroom/office and the large windows on the left will have a single teak window frame while the smaller windows are part of the rear teak paneling and will have the double frame windows.



Having the granite flooring in will change the whole look of the house and I am looking forward to Monday when it arrives. 

The next step is getting an electrician in to wire the house and running down to IKEA to pick up some fixtures.

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## Mamasun

Hi,

Have you put the teak panels on the concret wall ? if yes how did "you" fix it ?

and can you please tell me how much you buy this panels and what dimension are they ?

i am looking to put some shera on my walls...but I am not so sure about it..and will like better the wood panels if it is affordable for me...

Thanks  :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

Mamasun, the teak panels are pricey and if you are thinking about doing the same, I would look around Phrae or Chiang Mai to find a better price. I paid a premium since I did it over the internet on a site called Nongnit Treasures. 

The panels are "bolted" to the concrete posts and are secured very well. If you look at my thread you will see pictures of the bolts and the process of hanging the panels. The panels were custom made, which also will increase the cost and they are 2.5 meters by 4 meters and there are 4 panels on the front of the house and 4 on the back. 

I purchased the panels over 2 years ago and know the prices keep going up for teak. If you are located around Chiang Mai, there should be no problem sourcing them, but if you live elsewhere in Thailand, there are some restrictions on transporting teak. You will just need to look around and ask a lot of questions about getting it to your location. Hope this helps.

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## Mamasun

No...I am in the south near (100 km) Surat Thani  :Sad:  no wood shops here ! must make some km to find one.

You can maybe send me a Pm with the price..that I can have an idea about and decide to look around , or to let it down...

Thanks again

----------


## bankao dreamer

Rick have you tried Do Home for your electrical items ? There is a very large store in Korat, Plenty of choice and styles. We bought all our lights from there a couple of weeks ago.

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## Bettyboo

> I left the color selection of the tile to my wife


No, you don't wanna be doing that...  :rofl: 




> e purchased some non-slip light tan floor tiles that will be laid once the slab is in.


Have you considered blue? Could go nicely with the green tiles...  :Smile: 

The house is coming along nicely. I like the high ceilings and the roomy feel inside. As you say, once the floor is on, it'll feel nearly complete.

Thanks for the pics, and keep them coming. I'm very much enjoying all these great building threads going on concurrently.  :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

^
You may be right BB, but I was back in the States working and I wanted to have the tile done in the toilets. I figured it was nothing structural or anything that could be screwed up too much, so I gave my wife her marching orders and she did OK. Maybe not the shades of green and blue that I would have picked, but I can live with them.

You are also right that green and blue go well together even though they are the colors of the Seattle Seahawks football team. :Smile:  I was thinking about gray floor tiles in the blue tiled toilet.

Off to the electrical store with the electrician to spend some money and see what he picks out.

----------


## rickschoppers

Went into Udon and bought some supplies to start the electrical. I already know he understands about grounding wires and he also talks about running everything through the yellow electrical conduit that is used here in Thailand.

Below is the beginning of the day's supplies. Proper boxes and connections, so looking good so far. 



More supplies and some color coded wire:


Here is the BIL's truck loaded with the conduit. The electrician is standing next to the truck making sure everything is secured properly.



The final packages of goodies. The bill came to just over 13,000 baht and we have not purchased the junction box or any switches and plugs yet. There were actually four large orange bags in all and the conduit.



I will post some pictures of the electrician doing his work along with any other progress. So far, I am happy with the what we have accomplished since I have only been back in country for about 3 weeks. That included a trip to Chiang Mai for 4 days and a visa run to Vientianne.

My apologies to those I said I would call once I arrived, but things have been pretty hectic so far. We also took delivery on the 500 tiles of granite flooring that are waiting for the electrical and ceiling to be finished.

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## rickschoppers

The carpenter is finished preping and staining the window frames and he should be mounting some windows soon once he finishes staining them.

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## rickschoppers

The electrician working on the conduit with the carpenter watching. He brought his wife to help him run the wires.



Here is the master toilet and the blue clear blocks that let in some light. I will paint the wall the same color as the floor tiles.


Here is the slab for the master toilet and the plumbing for the camode and further is the drain.




At the other end is the sink drain and the water supply pipe. There will be a washing machine at this end with a long work station for folding and hanging clothes. The toilet measures 5 meters by 4 meters, so plenty of room for a shower party. :Smile:

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## terry57

Jeez, another large house.  Some of you guys don't fuk around EH. 

Good luck with it mate.

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## rickschoppers

The vegetation along the drive changes every time I look and the BIL has several banana trees that are producing large clumps of sweet bananas. There are also several spice bushes and a few lemon trees.

The banana trees will be trimmed back every year along with some other plants that only last a year or two. He has a green thumb and lots of papaya trees as well.



A shot of the drive entrance and we will see if I have enough money left on this trip to start a block wall and steel rolling gate.

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## rickschoppers

Here is the wife inspecting the rear windows. The carpenter is trimming and fitting and will attach the hinges once the alignment is perfect. He is taking his time, which I like to see.

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## rickschoppers

Here are the granite tiles, all 500 of them waiting for the ceiling to be finished before they are laid. There are three bottles of sealant which it supposed to keep out liquids. 

The color is pretty much the common gray, black and white with some brown running through them to give some color. I don't think they showed up to well is this picture, but will take more pictures as they are being installed.

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## rickschoppers

Here are some pictures of the dual windows. The carpenter is off looking at some land he may buy, so no telling when he will return to work. I just want him to be finished once the granite is installed so that I can get some glass in the windows to secure the house.







My son is peaking his head in the bottom of the picture.

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## stevefarang

Rick,
I like that granite color. Looks good.

I've been warned to be very careful with granite. When wet, I'm told they are are slick as sh&t.

Merry Christmas !

Steve

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## juehoe

> Here are the granite tiles, all 500 of them waiting for the ceiling to be finished before they are laid. There are three bottles of sealant which it supposed to keep out liquids. 
> 
> The color is pretty much the common gray, black and white with some brown running through them to give some color. I don't think they showed up to well is this picture, but will take more pictures as they are being installed.


Local granite is a very good option! It is quite cheap (compared to good-quality tiles) but very sturdy and easy to maintain.

The colour and pattern is not every one's taste. It seems, that Thai people don't like it...

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## mykthemin

Wooden windows!! what a mistake they will be crap in under a year, aluminium or pvc only in my opinion.

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## Bettyboo

Very nice, Rick - big rooms, very nice. The wood looks very nice too.

Everytime I look at these pics I keep thinking - roomy, very roomy...  :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

Very impressive finish on the walls Rick it looks stunning.

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## rickschoppers

> Wooden windows!! what a mistake they will be crap in under a year, aluminium or pvc only in my opinion.


Not really sure if you are 100% right on this one. I have been living in a house for 8 years now where we put in wood windows and they are still as good as the day we put them in.  A lot depends on what wood is used. All the windows in this house are either teak or the hard #1 wood, as the Thais call it. No warping, no termites and very durable.

I have friends that chose the aluminum windows and they are falling apart and having problems with opening and closing. Again, I think it depends on the grade of window you use and your personal preference.

Both a good wood window and a high quality grade metal window are fine in Thailand, and it then just depends on your personal preference.

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## rickschoppers

> Very nice, Rick - big rooms, very nice. The wood looks very nice too.
> 
> Everytime I look at these pics I keep thinking - roomy, very roomy...



Yes, it is very roomy. Sometimes I think I may have good too big, but when I am inside, I really enjoy the space. It obviously costs more, but each to his own. I never feel claustrophobic in this house and it will shrink a bit when the furniture goes in.

Thanks BB.

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## rickschoppers

> Very impressive finish on the walls Rick it looks stunning.



Thank you BD. Sorry I have not contacted you yet, but the days seem to fly by when one is working on a house, as you know well.

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## rickschoppers

The electrician was nearing the point where he needed to understand what lighting fixtures I was going to use, so I took a trip to this place in Bang Na. It was just like being at another IKEA anywhere in the world and I wound up buying 23,000 baht's worth of lighting. It was mostly LED, with some halogen lights mixed in. They pretty much have everything you could need to furnish a house, and then some.

I drove down with a British friend and it took us 6 hours from Udon to Bang Na, Bangkok. We were not so lucky when we came back on the 28th. On the way down, we noticed heavy traffic on the other side of the highway, and I started to think about the New Year's traffic. I would have never thought it would be as bad as it was. It took us 15 hours to drive back with 20-25 kph averages all the way to Khon Kean. Never again!!!

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## rickschoppers

Here is today's purchase in Udon. Another 23 grand that included sockets, switches, some lights, wiring and other odds and ends.



This item accounted for 3,200 baht, but well worth it, in my opinion. Some LED emergency lighting with a 5 hour life on the existing battery if you lose power and are using the LED spotlights.

Living in the village, we have many power outages, especially during the rainy season and this will be placed in the great room to give us light without hunting for candles and flashlights. Being LED, it will need less power, last longer and from my understanding, not attract bugs and it's MADE IN THAILAND.

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## bankao dreamer

^^^
Good idea Rick.
No probs regarding calling we are all extremely busy people at the moment but not to worry our time will come.

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## stevefarang

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> 
> Very nice, Rick - big rooms, very nice. The wood looks very nice too.
> 
> Everytime I look at these pics I keep thinking - roomy, very roomy... 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Rick,
I think you and I think alike !

Great build !

Steve

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## rickschoppers

^
You have a great place Steve, even though we both took different routes to get there. Sometimes I think if I had all the cash up front, I would have preferred going your route and have it all done at the same time. Again, different strokes and it has taken me over a year and a half to get to this point and I am still not where you are.

It just goes to show that there are many different ways and styles that you can build in Thailand and sometimes it depends on location, personal taste and your monetary situation before sound decisions can be made. That is one of the reasons we do not all build the same house, I suppose. Everyone's  situation is a bit different and I changed my plans many times to make sure the work would be done in a halfway reasonable manner. 

You should really enjoy your build Steve, once you have a chance to stay in Thailand awhile and I know I will enjoy mine.

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## Stumpy

RC and Steve,
I have enjoyed watching your house builds progress along. RC is right in the fact that people build what they want for their own personal wants, needs and expectations. 

Both nice places and should prove to be a comfy place to relax.

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## rickschoppers

JP, sorry I haven't been in touch lately and will take a look at my emails soon. I am feeling a bit strained with having so little time left to get the house livable. We will be buying the ceiling materials tomorrow which should take about 3 weeks to finish. Then I only have another 3 weeks or so to finish the granite and make the house inhabitable.

It should not be this way now that I am retired, but we seem to put some tight deadlines on ourselves and never get the Thai factor right when it comes to timing. We will see if I have a couple of days in the house before I head back to the States.

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## Stumpy

RC,
No worries. Always at your convenience. Hope all is going well. 

No need to rush back here. Not like anything changed. Same ol same ol. At least you will return when the Xmas madness is gone and people are home now living like recluses to pay off their credit cards..HAHA

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## rickschoppers

^
Yes, and I don't miss that a bit. Quiet Xmas and New Years here, except for my trip to IKEA that was done at the exact wrong time of the year. Live and learn. :Smile: 

I like your new avatar, by the way.

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## rickschoppers

Purchased the ceiling materials this morning and they are already on their way via delivery truck. I just learned that the price for installing the ceiling does not include painting which will add another 25 baht per sq meter plus paint and supplies. The list just keeps getting larger. I will obviously need to have that done prior to laying the granite.

The ceiling man said he could have his father lay the granite for 250 baht per sq. meter, but I said I would think about it is since it is much higher than the granite shop quoted me for installation. These guys are all linked together and once a job site is discovered, they come flocking.

I was also told that the ceiling would now only take about two weeks instead of the previous three weeks that were quoted. We priced the sheetrock at a couple of different places and found a shop stocking the #1 grade which is what I was looking for at a reasonable price. Spent another 21,000 baht on the materials, which is better than I had projected. We will see what the entire job costs when it is done.

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## stevefarang

Is that the moisture resistant type of sheetrock Rick ?

Steve

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## rickschoppers

The ceiling guy ordered two different sheetrocks. One was what they call #1 (Elephant or Chang brand) and a water resistant tile for the toilets. I have not seen the tiles yet and can take some pics when they arrive. Still waiting for the truck to pull in.

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## rickschoppers

The truck has arrived and completed the offload of the ceiling materials.



Here is the Elephant brand of #1 sheetrock that is available in Thailand.



This is the water resistant sheetrock that will be used in the toilets. My understanding is that it also resists bacterial and fungal growth. My guess would be that is need to be cleaned periodically with a bleach solution.




Here are the supports that appear to be either aluminum or stainless steel.



I am anxious to see what the house will look like once the ceiling is in. It should change the whole appearance of the house and the way it looks now.

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## rickschoppers

The northern side windows have now been finished and they are about half way done with the window install. Soon, I will have the front door placed along with the two back doors so we can finally start locking the place up. Glass will be scheduled as soon as the last window is in.

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## Bettyboo

Coming along very nicely indeed. Very high ceilings you have too - you're gonna have massive volume, so the place should keep cool.

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## rickschoppers

The ceiling is going up and the space is starting to look more like a room rather than a warehouse.



The toilets are getting the water resistant and antibacterial sheetrock. 


This picture shows the shower wiring, shower faucet and sink plumbing along with the sink light wiring and drain.


Here is shot of the ceiling in the living room leading into the dining room. The dining room will receive a round coffering to house the round multi-colored light.



Here is the outline of the round coffering.

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## rickschoppers

I purchased some teak socket bases online and they turned out pretty good. The first electrician we spoke to said they could not be used, but here is the proof they can if you know what you are doing.

This triple base controls three of the outside lights (they are all wired individually which is nice) and the other three control some of the inside lights. Every switch also has a socket access.



Here is a double base and there are some singles as well. They just add a little more to the house than the plain white bases. This shows the TV plug and power source in the living room.




Here is the master electrician finishing up a triple switch box that controls some of the other outside lights. This guy knows his stuff and I would glad to have him do all the electrical. He has also said that if we have any issues to call him since he lives just down the road.

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## rickschoppers

Here are some of the outside lights being installed. I opted for the bug free yellow bulbs for all the outside lights and will see what is available for the sala. The picture also shows the front door installed which was a major feat. There were five people working on this project and I had them take one of the doors off and redo it because it was not aligned right regardless of my wife's objections. They were trying to trim to door jam to make it fit, when all it need was to be lowered about 1/8 inch. I received no praise for this suggestion and I did not want to rub it in their face. More common sense than anything else. It now fits and looks fine. For those detail oriented individuals, yes the door jam is facing outward instead of inward which was a screw-up by the BIL, but I can live with the doors opening outward instead of inward. Anyway, isn't that how some temple doors open?

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## rickschoppers

Here are the outside lights that are on the north side of the house. They are individually controlled which means you can only turn on one at night, or have all three lit.



Here are the lights on the front of the house. The two that are over the front door are larger and a different shape than all the rest. This was not a conscious decision, but was a result of Global House only stocking 8 of the lights we wanted, so we had to choose two others for the front door. It all worked in the end.



Here is the Thai kitchen at the back of the house. I am still coming up with a solution for the open void in front that was to look out on the nice view. The problem is that if it is left open, bugs will more than likely migrate into the house. I will either block off the entrance from the kitchen to the house or fill in the void with windows. Price is a consideration and I have to think about it before making a final decision.



Here are the down lights that are in the kitchen and the hallway leading to the front of the house.


This is the hallway leading from the front of the house to the kitchen than I may ultimately block somehow.

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## rickschoppers

The first coat of ceiling paint is done in my son's room.



Here is the completed breaker box. The inside is very neat and tidy. More proof that the electrician know what he is doing. I have seen some real wiring nightmares here in Thailand since there is no code, at least in the village.



The finished ceiling coffering prior to the first coat of ceiling paint.



There are also small quarter circles at three ends of the living room ceiling.

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## Koetjeka

It's becoming a beautiful palace now, Rick. The ceiling makes everything even better.

Do you know how they made the sides of the ceiling (quarter)circles? Is it also gypsum or something else?

About this picture, I really hope nobody is ever going to fall down when they walk out of that door! Especially drunk people tend to fall easily.






> I am still coming up with a solution for the open void in front that was to look out on the nice view. The problem is that if it is left open, bugs will more than likely migrate into the house


I think bugs will come into your house (or any house) anyway, they always find their way in. If I were you I would block it off though, maybe some wood would be pretty there.

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## stevefarang

Looks great Rick. I really like the look of that round coffered ceiling. That would have been nice to have in our place. Ah well.

Keep posting pics !!

Steve

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## Norton

> Sometimes I think I may have good too big


Know what you mean. Always a surprise when the structure starts to take form. Then one thinks, "Oh my sure didn't look so big on the plan drawings".  :Smile: 

Great build. Lots of nice touches and designs.

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## rickschoppers

^
Thanks Norton. The wife and I took another long look after most of the ceiling has been painted and it seems to be shrinking in size. Maybe with a little more color on the walls it will shrink even more. I know once you put furniture in a house it never seems big enough and I do not think we will have that problem.

Cheers

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## rickschoppers

> Looks great Rick. I really like the look of that round coffered ceiling. That would have been nice to have in our place. Ah well.
> 
> Keep posting pics !!
> 
> Steve


In hind sight, I see some things I may have done differently, but as you said, ah well.

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## bankao dreamer

Rick well done the house is looking more homely which you knew it would. Good choice with the anti bug light bulbs I have used them everywhere on our place because its all open and they really do work I am sat at the moment underneath our place with all our lights on and not a bug in site

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## Roobarb

> I am still coming up with a solution for the open void in front that was to look out on the nice view.




Rick, as a thought, you could look at installing something like these Bahama shutters in the picture below.  You could attach a mozzie screen on the inside so you still have ventilation and a bit of light when they are closed but hopefully remain reasonably bug free, then during the daytime you can prop them open:



You may want them to open a bit more than the ones in this picture so they don't block the view, but you get the idea...

It probably wouldn't be too expensive to do either if you can find some stock size louvered doors/shutters somewhere.

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## Bettyboo

How quickly did the ceilings go up, Rick (they look good, still nice and high)?

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## Stumpy

Looking good RC,

Keeping the Mosquitoes out is always a going to be a challenge. I have been giving this a lot of consideration and research. Those slotted cement tiles in your pictures allow them in by the droves as they are attracted to the exiting air if hot in the house because its loaded with Co2. I saw a pretty slick idea in a house I went and looked at where the guy had taken screen door material inserted into each one. From what I saw he just wrapped the mesh around a wire that basically was spring loaded and held in place. So it still allowed air flow but minimized bug migration and did not look tacky and an after thought

You will not keep them all out by any means but you can mitigate it significantly.

----------


## rickschoppers

> How quickly did the ceilings go up, Rick (they look good, still nice and high)?


They were up in one work week. It was a six man crew and they were like an assembly line. They were off to Udon to do two more falang houses once they finished mine. The labor are right around 31,000 baht for about 235 square meters, plus the circular feature plus the rounded corners in the living room.

----------


## rickschoppers

> Looking good RC,
> 
> Keeping the Mosquitoes out is always a going to be a challenge. I have been giving this a lot of consideration and research. Those slotted cement tiles in your pictures allow them in by the droves as they are attracted to the exiting air if hot in the house because its loaded with Co2. I saw a pretty slick idea in a house I went and looked at where the guy had taken screen door material inserted into each one. From what I saw he just wrapped the mesh around a wire that basically was spring loaded and held in place. So it still allowed air flow but minimized bug migration and did not look tacky and an after thought
> 
> You will not keep them all out by any means but you can mitigate it significantly.


A good idea. I was also thinking about placing some bug screening on the outside of the slots. Since my house has no bug screens in the windows, I don't know if the slotted brick will add much additional access to the house or not. What I really need are some killer mosquitoe zappers placed around the house.

I have learned, after living in the tropics and staying in Mexico, that there is no real way to keep the mospuitoes out. The only good protection I know of is a good net around your bed.

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## Bettyboo

> You will not keep them all out by any means but you can mitigate it significantly.


MiL on 24 hour duty with one of these:



 :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> 
> How quickly did the ceilings go up, Rick (they look good, still nice and high)?
> 
> 
> They were up in one work week. It was a six man crew and they were like an assembly line. They were off to Udon to do two more falang houses once they finished mine. The labor are right around 31,000 baht for about 235 square meters, plus the circular feature plus the rounded corners in the living room.


Good info, thank you - you've got lots of ceiling space, and you did a few unusual things; so that's looks pretty good. This is an area of my build I'm worried about; not sure how well they're gonna bring together the ceiling, roof ventilation (if any), insulation, etc...

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## BKKKevin

> It's becoming a beautiful palace now, Rick. The ceiling makes everything even better.
> 
> Do you know how they made the sides of the ceiling (quarter)circles? Is it also gypsum or something else?
> 
> About this picture, I really hope nobody is ever going to fall down when they walk out of that door! Especially drunk people tend to fall easily.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I vote to keep it open... Great place to hang orchids from...

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## rickschoppers

> Rick well done the house is looking more homely which you knew it would. Good choice with the anti bug light bulbs I have used them everywhere on our place because its all open and they really do work I am sat at the moment underneath our place with all our lights on and not a bug in site


Thank you BD. The yellow bug lights are great and I also tried to use as many LED lights as possible. I am still trying to figure out what to use on the back sala since it is all open and I do not want to draw every bug from miles away once I turn on the lights. I may have to try and find some good LED spotlights. They would come in handy for the pool table and bar area.

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## bankao dreamer

^^^ 
Rick the anti bug lights do just fine. It doesn't make much difference where we sit it is all open and we don't get troubled by bugs at all.

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## rickschoppers

The inside walls are finally getting some color. 

Living room and dining room will be a very pale yellow in TOA Vanilla and TOA Pearl White ceilings.




The computer/guest room is TOA Madasgar Sunrise. I will be spending a lot of hours in this room posting on TD and watching sports. It is one of the two rooms that will have AC. The other is the master bedroom.



Here is the master bedroom in TOA Turquoise. 



The master toilet with Turquoise walls, blue tile and TOA Pearl White ceiling. The floor tile color is still undecided.



Here is the other toilet with TOA light blue walls, green tile and TOA Pearl White ceiling. The blue is the same paint used for my son's room which is across the hall from the toilet.



The painter did a pretty good job, but paint splatter was still an issue for me. Since this is one of my pet peeves, I will be refinishing a lot of the wood that was not covered by masking take.  The granite installers have rescheduled for Friday, so there will be no work done for about 4 days. After the granite is in, it will be time to move in some of my furniture that has not even been unwrapped yet.

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## rickschoppers

We ordered another 30 trucks of fill dirt for the front, back retaining wall and carport. The price was 350 baht per truck and these were the smaller trucks since the larger trucks are now more regulated by the government. It was still enough to get the job done at about $11.48 per load. I would hate to think about how much this would cost back home.



How the front looks today. This will help during rainy season since it now slopes more toward the road and away from the house.





Here is the back retaining wall. Even though the wall is double block with cement poured between the two layers of block and rebar, I thought it wise to add some back fill dirt. I will continue this all the way around the house to eliminate the possibility of the wall breaking.



I do realize that the fill dirt will compress over time and probably need some additional fill next year and even the one after that. Once it is stable and has vegetation growing on it, there should be no fear of a retaining wall breach.

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## rickschoppers

> It's becoming a beautiful palace now, Rick. The ceiling makes everything even better.
> 
> Do you know how they made the sides of the ceiling (quarter)circles? Is it also gypsum or something else?
> 
> About this picture, I really hope nobody is ever going to fall down when they walk out of that door! Especially drunk people tend to fall easily.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I apologize for not answering your questions earlier. The small quarter cirlces were ultimately made from the gypsum, but the circular mold was just some thin cardboard. They filled in the rest with the sheet rock and ceiling puddy.

As for the steps out back. Yes, you are right. They are too steep and I noticed that first thing. The answer from the BIL is that he will add to them as we get close to finishing the kitchen. In other words, he will lengthen them by adding more block and cement to make them much wider and less steep. I am sure I would be the first to take a fall if left the way they are. :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

A lot of progress now Rick its all coming together nicely. You could always put a thick layer of sand at the bottom of those steps, that should cushion any fall  :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

^
Maybe I will just rubberize the sala for all those crazy whiskey nights..

The granite installers came and applied the waterproofing and then proceeded to take 5 day off. I had the wife call the granite shop for a status report and they said they would call to see what is going on. It is now Feb. 3rd and the initial installation was to begin on January 27th. Just another example of how things move slowly in Thailand.

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## rickschoppers

The granite installation has begun. Since I have never seen how this is done, I was surprised to see how much sand they use under the granite. I was told that the side of the house where the front doors are was much lower than the other end. Does this really matter if you are not worried about water runoff? I don't mind them making everything level, but it will add to the cost in the end. 

I have already spent 6,000 baht on sand and cement and am not finished yet. The installer thinks we will need 82 bags of just cement to do the job. Just another expense I did not factor in.

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## Koetjeka

> Does this really matter if you are not worried about water runoff?


I guess it doesn't really matter, just be careful when you drop a bottle of beer because the beer will flow to the door in that case.

Another thing might be the TV, personally I can get really frustrated if I see a TV or computer monitor that's not exactly water level.

Do you have any idea why the floor is not straight? Is it because of a bad pour or might it be that one side of the house has moved a little (which I hope not of course).

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## Bettyboo

You could rent that room out for 5 a-side football, Rick - recoup some of the expenses...  :Smile:

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## Roobarb

> I was told that the side of the house where the front doors are was much lower than the other end. Does this really matter if you are not worried about water runoff? I don't mind them making everything level, but it will add to the cost in the end.


Rick - if it was me, and I realise that if you have seen my house thread you may have a chuckle at me trying to give you advice, I would try to get the floor levelled off.  

If it has a slight slope then all the furniture you put in will be on a slight slope, and you may then begin to notice the differences in angles between the furniture and the window frames (which I assume are not on a slope).  Coupled with that, things you put on the furniture will tend to roll off if they are of the right shape.

In the long term you may find it all a bit irritating, and it's going to be expensive and messy to try to fix later.

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## bankao dreamer

Or do without furniture and sit on the floor that should save a bit  :Smile:  :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

> Originally Posted by rickschoppers
> 
> I was told that the side of the house where the front doors are was much lower than the other end. Does this really matter if you are not worried about water runoff? I don't mind them making everything level, but it will add to the cost in the end.
> 
> 
> Rick - if it was me, and I realise that if you have seen my house thread you may have a chuckle at me trying to give you advice, I would try to get the floor levelled off.  
> 
> If it has a slight slope then all the furniture you put in will be on a slight slope, and you may then begin to notice the differences in angles between the furniture and the window frames (which I assume are not on a slope).  Coupled with that, things you put on the furniture will tend to roll off if they are of the right shape.
> 
> In the long term you may find it all a bit irritating, and it's going to be expensive and messy to try to fix later.


In the end, the installer is making everything level without any input from myself. I know I have lived in houses that weren't level and you do not really notice it that much, especially if carpet is covering the floors. I don't think most US builders will make efforts to level a floor once the concrete slab is poured or the wood subfloor is in place. Just something new for me to see.

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## rickschoppers

> Or do without furniture and sit on the floor that should save a bit


Definitely the more cost effective way to go. I have already purchased quite a bit of teak furniture and water hyacinth to make sure I do not have to sit on the floor. My old bones are a little too stiff to sit on a floor mat for very long.  :smiley laughing:

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## rickschoppers

The granite install is nearing completion. Most of what needs to be done are the borders which were left for the last by the installer. This means a lot of cutting at the end of the job and slower progress, but it also means he is almost done with this job. The installer really knows what he is doing and again, I was lucky by picking a better than average worker.

The grouting for the granite still needs to be done along with the final cleaning.



My better half checking out the last room to be completed.







After this job is completed, the painter will come back in and do the touch-up painting. I am looking forward to putting some furniture and furnishings in the house now that we have reached that stage of the game.

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## Marmite the Dog

Looking good Rick.

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## Bettyboo

Yeah, the floor does look good.  :Smile:

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## stevefarang

Rick,
Your floor looks great. In fact, it looks like you picked a similar color scheme that we did !! LOL

It's definitely different looking than a tile floor, but still nice and cool to your feet. I was told granite would be slick when wet, but I haven't really noticed that.

Looking good !!

Steve

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## rickschoppers

Thanks Marmite, Betty and Steve. The granite is now in and the next immediate project will be baseboards. I thought about using the leftover granite, and still need to think on it a bit before choosing a material or design.

Here is the finished product with my son enjoying the new addition.

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## Wasp

This looks a lovely spacious build rick !

And your son is having a ball !!!

It's a shame to put in any furniture really . 
Just put a goal at each end and give him some roller skates .


Wasp

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## rickschoppers

We found some Kuhne (sp?) tree posts that are going to be used for our front porch. Most of you already know this is a much sought after tree which signifies good luck and health to the  owners. They are becoming more rare in Thailand and the Thais regard them as the number one tree with teak being the next for good luck and superstitions. I find the beliefs here interesting and am glad to incorporate a little folk lore into my house.

Here the posts are being stripped of their bark and prepared for use by my BIL and one of my Thai nephews.





The four posts are going in and getting a concrete base. All of the help to do this is being done by friends and family at no charge. One of the benefits of being married to a Thai that has a big family.

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## rickschoppers

^^
Wasp, if I didn't have a bad back and need to sit in a real chair, I might have done just that.

The furniture will be dwarted by the size of the house and there will still be plenty of room to wonder without bumping into any of it. The house has "shrunk" quite a bit now that the ceiling, granite and painted walls have given it a different perspective.

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## Wasp

I like the sound of the furniture being dwarfed by the size of the house .

Two days ago I had to view an apartment for some work and in order to move in the bedroom I had to turn sideways and edge along the side of the bed .

There must have been 12 inches between the bed and the wall .... and I'm treading on shoes at the same time .

Bloody hate that !!!!!

Love the sound of you having so much space . Maybe he can still have skates and just weave around the furniture ? 
You can sit and trip him up to teach him about life's hard knocks .

It looks good .


Wasp

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## stevefarang

Rick, 
We used granite for the baseboards on our ground floor. Good and durable when your son hits it with his trucks, cars, etc...

Steve

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## rickschoppers

> I like the sound of the furniture being dwarfed by the size of the house .
> 
> Two days ago I had to view an apartment for some work and in order to move in the bedroom I had to turn sideways and edge along the side of the bed .
> 
> There must have been 12 inches between the bed and the wall .... and I'm treading on shoes at the same time .
> 
> Bloody hate that !!!!!
> 
> Love the sound of you having so much space . Maybe he can still have skates and just weave around the furniture ? 
> ...


Being a life-long claustrophobic, I need some space or else I find it difficult to breath. Working under a car without jacking it up is impossible for me to do and I get the same feeling is small spaces like you described.

I would never make it in Japan. :Smile:

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## rickschoppers

> Rick, 
> We used granite for the baseboards on our ground floor. Good and durable when your son hits it with his trucks, cars, etc...
> 
> Steve


I have not ruled this option out since there are plenty of scraps left over. I could probably do the entire house and my only cost would be the liquid nails. I priced white baseboard yesterday and it is about 168 baht per 2.9 meters. The entire house could be done for around 10,000 baht. I would rather spend that money on something else, but I would still need to buy or rent a cutter for the granite.

For those of you living in the Udon area, I would HIGHLY recommend taking a trip to *DO HOUSE* on the Nong Khai road. I found their prices to be less than Global House and they stock everything you could ever want. Their prices may be lower right now since they only opened in December and are trying to build a customer base. Once they got you "hooked", those prices may go up. I plan to purchase and fridge, washer, shower and a few other odds and ends this week since they are at the right price point.

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## rickschoppers

Well, we had the Thai ceremony on March 6th that allowed us to sleep in the new house. So far, the change from my wife's parents house to the new house has been like night and day. We have no chickens around us and only a few dogs that could keep us up at night. Generally, very quiet and relaxing. The larger space is much appreciated by myself and the BIL and my wife spend most of the day under the carport which is now doubling for a kitchen as well.

Here are some shots of the outside and will show that we still have some landscaping to do. This will have to wait until I come back from the States.







Here is the north side of the house and the pond next to road marks the end of our property line. I plan to stock it with some fish in the near future.


Here is the front garden and the approach to the carport.

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## rickschoppers

The BIL has done a great job on the front garden and it we now have a continuous supply of bananas and papaya. There are also lemon trees, cherry bushes, peppers along with many cooking spices to save us having to buy them. There are several papaya trees along with other assorted trees planted out back and my wife has plans to have many more eatable fruits and spices out back.

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## rickschoppers

Here are some interior pictures with some of the furniture placed. I have a long way to go with all of the accessories I purchased and will need a few more large cabinets to put them in.

Here is the hallway that extends the width of the house. The door on the left is the guest toilet and the two on the right lead into my son's room and the master bathroom. The space at the end will be the Thai kitchen. The lights in the hallway are LED hoping to cut down on the bug traffic.



Here is the guest toilet with Shawn showing the sink cabinet.



Here is one end of the living room.


Here is the other end. The dining room splits off into a alcove to the left.



The double door front entrance is to the left.



Shawn doing one of his favorite things.......watching cartoons.



Master bedroom four post teak bed.



Dining area looking into the computer room/guest room.

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## Makmak456

Very well done !!

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## stevefarang

Looks great Rick !!

But what are cherry bushes ???

Being in the Seattle area, I'd love to have some cherries in Nakhom Pathom (My wife really loves them too), but I thought it was the wrong climate for cherries.

What are these plants you mentioned ?   :Confused: 

Steve

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## Marmite the Dog

Looks really good Rick, enjoy.

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## rickschoppers

> Looks great Rick !!
> 
> But what are cherry bushes ???
> 
> Being in the Seattle area, I'd love to have some cherries in Nakhom Pathom (My wife really loves them too), but I thought it was the wrong climate for cherries.
> 
> What are these plants you mentioned ?  
> 
> Steve



Steve, on our last trip to Chiang Mai, we visited a large nursery that had all kinds of plants and trees. Things may have been lost in translation and they may have been referring to cherry tomatoes. I have seen cherries (of the other species) in Tesco and thought we may have purchased a couple of cherry bushes. I do see some small tomatoes sitting on the counter that may have come from the cherry tomato bushes. Sorry for the confusion.

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## rickschoppers

Thanks Marmite and Makmak. Marmite, you will need to come by and see the house in person. I will be leaving to go back to the States on April 2nd, but will be back after rainy season.

Cheers

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## bankao dreamer

I like the furniture mate very nice.

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## Wasp

> I like the furniture mate very nice.




But it gets in the way of Shawn's Roller Rink !!!

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## rickschoppers

:smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing: 
Yes Wasp, I have truly impeded on Shawn's roller rink. He does, however, have 4 rai to wonder on along with a long driveway that is great for riding bikes..

Thanks, BD, the furniture was all purchased well before the house was ever even built and has worked out well. I am very glad I do not have to buy furniture now and would probably not have any if it were left to the last thing.

I will be heading back to the States in a little over a week and will post some final parting shots. I continue to arrange the interior and do some furnishings I had stashed away. I am still enjoying the house very much.

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## rickschoppers

Sorry everyone, I forgot to post some parting shots. I did take them, but in my flurry to leave for the States, they were not uploaded. 

Right now I am in Nevada, advertising some of my vehicles and "stuff" to sell so that I have more funds to semi-complete the built. Of course, a house is never really finished and I know there will be things done until I am ashes. 

I should be back around October, after rainy season, so I will update everyone then. Still have the back patio to complete along with the Thai kitchen and master toilet. Like I said, it will never really end.

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## rickschoppers

I have managed to sell off my 1985 GMC step side truck and the 1967 Toyota FJ45 is selling on eBay. The bid has surpassed the reserve price, so it will sell as long as the seller pays the money at the end of the auction. I never count on anything until the money is in the bank.

Because I have enough capital to finish what I want already, I have changed my mind of coming back in October. It will now be, more than likely, August when I return only leaving a couple of months of rainy season.

I will buy some appliances like a new fridge, washing machine and ACs. My first building project will be to cement the back sala. I am not sure if it will be too wet to accomplish that, but at least the block wall can be built up a little to retain the CPAC. I can also have the workers start on the Thai kitchen by building a counter where I will place a granite counter and double sink. 

I will start sending some pictures as soon as I get back to give an idea of the areas I want to complete. Also want to finish of some landscaping.

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## peterpan

^ too right Rick, I remember 10 yrs ago I advertised a Rustin healy on ebay, despite the car being pristine and as advertised, the purchaser backed out. ( he told me his GF was too fat to fit. while I reported it to ebay, didn't help me much as I had plane ticket booked the next day. 

cvnt deserves a fat  bitch.

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## rickschoppers

PP, I've got the deposit of $1000 in the bank so if he does not pay the rest, I will keep it. He has until Monday to pay the balance owed.

I have had non-payers on eBay as well and you just have to suck it up and try to recover the fees. Ebay did credit those when I have had a non-payer. Still a risk any way you look at it.

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## rickschoppers

Balance on the FJ45 has been paid, but that was two weeks ago. I am now waiting for the shipping company to pick it up and deliver it to Louisiana. It is now a little over two weeks before I return and I have already wired some money to the wife to purchase a washing machine. 

I asked her to get started on the block wall, but she would rather wait until I arrive. Not sure what can go wrong with the wall, but I do appreciate that she wants to wait until I am there to start. I have finally got her trained, or is that the other way around?

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## FatOne

Smart girl, don't upset the husband!

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## rickschoppers

One of the secrets of life for Thai ladies married to a farang. However, it has to be a two way street.

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## rickschoppers

I am now trying to prioritize what still needs to be done on the house. Of course, the process is never really done, but I need to decide the sequence. First, I think we need to add some concrete to the sala, sides of the house and finish out the front drive. This would cut down on the dirt and mud as well as give me a good place to have a nice cold drink in the evening.

We still have an open space where the kitchen will be and originally I had thought about an ornate steel grate, but now I have decided to frame it in and use some long teak window frames that would be able to open and close. Below is the space I am talking about and then it is on to finish the kitchen.



Looking down the hall to the back of the house where the kitchen will be. Note the open space.




Once the cement is in, I would like to do some landscaping before tackling the master bath. There is a lot of work needed to give some good curb appeal and luckily we already have several plants that are potted and ready to place around the house. My intent is to build a few planters around the front of the house to add some greenery and break up the solid facade. There will also be a concrete walkway around the house and since I have a 2 meter overhang there is plenty of protection for those rainy days.

The front just looks blah right now.



Beside finishing the kitchen and master bath, the house needs more cabinets and inside plants to fill up some of the space we have. This will be an ongoing project and will continue to change even after we have finished any construction. 

Right now the house looks a little stark so my goal is to make it appear more lived in and pleasing to the eye. Koman and others have done a great job of this and I have learned quite a bit looking at their threads, so thanks.

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## rickschoppers

Rainy season is still in full swing here and would expect it to end in a month, or so. Once things dry out a bit, I will start working on the concrete for the sala and front porch along with a walkway around the rest of the house. Since our roof overhang is 2 meters, there is plenty of width for the side walkways.

One of the nice things that I came back to was a fairly decent front lawn thanks to all the rain and the BIL taking care of the garden and trimming where needed. The lawn will save me some money since I was going to concrete more of the front and then buy some sod to fill things in. The current lawn is by no means golf course grade, but it is natural Thai ground covering and should be easy to maintain.

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## rickschoppers

I will try to post more recent pics to show our progress.

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## rickschoppers

OK, fast forward about 19 months and here is how the front porch now looks. We have added concrete around the entire house along with the large patio at the back of the house. We continue to do projects and the only large one left is completing the master bathroom and placing AC in the master bedroom. A house is never really completed, even when you think it is.

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## rtc

Nice work, place looks like home.

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## rickschoppers

One of the completed recent projects was a food prep area at the back of the house. This was originally going to be an inside kitchen, but we decided to do the major cooking outside and we added a Thai kitchen onto our carport along with a large dog kennel which I will show later.

The food prep area has a microwave, toaster, hot water kettle, rice cooker and hot plate. Our fridge will also be housed here at end of the counter.

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## rickschoppers

> Nice work, place looks like home.


Thanks rtc, it is feeling more like home to me as well.

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## rickschoppers

Here is the other project we just completed. This tower holds 2000 liters of well water that can be gravity fed to the house in case of an electrical outage or pump failure. The tank is also plumbed to the government water which would continue in case our pump goes tits up. With the current drought, I am continually thinking of other water storage solutions to assure we have a continuous supply of water.

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## rickschoppers

Here are some pictures of the completed concrete walkway that goes around the house. The first picture is of my BIL planting some flowers. Where he is standing is now the location of our water tower on the south side of the house.

https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...8023459872.jpg

This picture is of the walkway on the north side of the house.



Here is the back patio and the dogs are now housed in a large kennel attached to our carport.



This picture was taken from the carport looking at the south side of the house and patio.

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## rickschoppers

Along with the water tower, we have just recently completed adding on a large kennel and Thai kitchen to the carport. The first picture shows the kennel on the right side of the addition.



On the left is the Thai kitchen being built, which is now complete.

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## terry57

^
You have a very large Gaff there Mate. Looks great. 

What's your monthly Electricity bill running at. ?

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## sometimewoodworker

> Here is the other project we just completed. This tower holds 2000 liters of well water that can be gravity fed to the house in case of an electrical outage or pump failure. The tank is also plumbed to the government water which would continue in case our pump goes tits up. With the current drought, I am continually thinking of other water storage solutions to assure we have a continuous supply of water.


Have you tested, or had to test,  :Smile:  the electricity cut case, if so what were the results?

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## rickschoppers

Last bill was 1100 baht. Right now, there is only one room with AC and a second will be added once we complete the master bath. My highest electric bill during the hot months when I run the AC most the day is a little over 3000 baht which goes back down to 800 or so baht during the cool months.

How do these prices compare to Australia Terry?

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## rickschoppers

> Originally Posted by rickschoppers
> 
> 
> Here is the other project we just completed. This tower holds 2000 liters of well water that can be gravity fed to the house in case of an electrical outage or pump failure. The tank is also plumbed to the government water which would continue in case our pump goes tits up. With the current drought, I am continually thinking of other water storage solutions to assure we have a continuous supply of water.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, once the tank was filled, we did a gravity feed test. All was good.

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## MrG

Nice build, Rick. Looks and sounds like you'll be very happy there. 
My planned build in Nong Khai is on a back burner now for a couple of reasons both foreign and domestic, but the land is still there.

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## rickschoppers

Our pond is almost dry, so my wife and BIL did some Thai fishing.



Two fish in hand.



Snakehead catch of the day. Great for making Tom Yom Pla.

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## rickschoppers

> Nice build, Rick. Looks and sounds like you'll be very happy there. 
> My planned build in Nong Khai is on a back burner now for a couple of reasons both foreign and domestic, but the land is still there.


Thanks Mr G. and I hope you have a chance to enjoy your land in Nong Khai. We would be neighbors if you could. :Smile:

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## Stumpy

RC,
Looking good buddy.  Like you I got construction projects going too.  Our detached 2 car carpark and my shop and FILs work area.  Plus an outside kitchen area.  I got all my stuff here from US in the Cargo container nearly 2 months back. Still unpacking.  Felt good to BBQ on a gas grill and Sip some outstanding Tequila.

You need to come on by when out this way

Cheers

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## rickschoppers

JP, I look forward to the BBQ and some Tequila. :-)

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## Bettyboo

We need more pictures of your car port!

Mine blew away, so we're gonna build a new one - looking for inspiration...  :Smile:

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## lom

> We need more pictures of your car port!  Mine blew away, so we're gonna build a new one


Must have been very strong wind to remove that solid construction.

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## Bettyboo

I will not hijack Rick's thread with such talk...  :Smile: 

That water tower is impressive!

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## rickschoppers

BB, I will go out tomorrow and take some more detailed pictures of the carport. The water tower has withstood the major winds we have had so far and hopefully everything stays together out hear. I think making sure your roof structure is a bit overbuilt will help.

For 95% of the time, most structures with withstand some pretty strong winds, it is the other 5% of the time that one needs think about when building in Thailand.

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## rickschoppers

I hope to post an update shortly.

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## Vettronics

Hi, Really would like to see a update when you get a chance. Really nice build.

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## rickschoppers

> Hi, Really would like to see a update when you get a chance. Really nice build.


Sorry for the delay. I will try and get an update posted soon.

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## rickschoppers

Deleted

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## rickschoppers

It has been awhile since I last posted on this thread and would like to add some recent pictures of the house. How do we upload pictures to TD now.? I do not see the gallery icon anymore. Things have changed since I have been away. :-)

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## Neverna

> It has been awhile since I last posted on this thread and would like to add some recent pictures of the house. How do we upload pictures to TD now.? I do not see the gallery icon anymore. Things have changed since I have been away. :-)


Click on Insert Image.

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## HuangLao

> Click on Insert Image.



In Rick's instance, might be easier for him to post/embed directly from his system with the assistance of the insert image tab.
Anyway - best of luck.
Looking forward to updated pics.

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## rickschoppers

Ok, so TD has made it much easier to upload images. Kudos to whoever did that. This picture is of our front porch and even though it has evolved from this picture it gives you the general idea. Next, I will post a picture of what it looks like now.

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## rickschoppers

Trying to work with the new image format. They first image showed ok, but subsequent ones only shows the link. What am I doing wrong?

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## rickschoppers

Ok, I think I figured it out.

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## rickschoppers

My entry/ living room.

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## HuangLao

One can never have enough practical vehicals in the front room....

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