#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Construction in Thailand >  >  Land development with wall and house...photo thread..first effort.

## koman

This is the land in its raw state...3.5 rai on a good concrete road, with municipal water and power right at the gate.....nice and level with nice views of the wooded hills to the North and SE.....a nice place to live....once the spirits have been consulted and proper observances made.....
We acquired this land in Jan 2012 after several years of trying to get the owners to part with it....

It was filled to an average depth of 1.5 meters and now sits well above the road level as well as being several meters above the highest ever recorded flood level.....always a good idea I think.









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First we built a wall.  This is the first section of 100 meters.  It will be over 300 meters when finished....  It was started during the "wet" season, so the crew was often knee deep in mud.   The actually seem to enjoy it.... :Smile: 

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Lots of sand, gravel and stuff....lots of wall to be built....

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We excavated this pond at the back of the property.....45 x 25 meters ...and 8 meters deep.   Irrigation for all kinds of horticultural ventures.....



We filled up the great pond using a trusty Kubota and pump loaned to us by one of the wall building crew.....it thumped away for almost 24 hours on a few liters of diesel and pumped thousands of cubic meters of water......long live Kubota.....




This splendid structure is for storing cement and stuff....also acts as a kind of command and control centre....and a place for sleeping when the crew gets drunk and can't face the wife.... gotta look after the staff..... :Smile: 




There's the command and control centre completed with a temporary potting shed in the foreground......we also build a toilet (the smaller building behind the CC center) for the wall crew and house builders when they arrive...  proper septic tank and everything...  can't have all these people crapping all over my nice land and polluting the pond..... :mid: 




 Not long after the outbuildings are constructed...here we have all kinds of stuff growing.  The wife can make things grow out of bedrock....

This is my first attempt at a photo thread....hope it works OK.....lots more photos to add.....but this will have to do for starters..... :Smile:

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## beazalbob69

Good 1st attempt I would say! Keep the photos coming man. Looks like fun.

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## Ratchaburi

It's looks good Koman, keep the pic's comming. :Smile:

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## Roobarb

> Good 1st attempt I would say! Keep the photos coming man. Looks like fun.


I'd say it's a spectacular first attempt...!  

Good luck with the build Koman.

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## Koetjeka

One of the better topic starts ever, most of them start without any photos!

Before I wish you good luck, I'd like to know where your build is (province will do).

Good luck with the build and keep up the posts!

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## Bettyboo

> One of the better topic starts ever, most of them start without any photos!


I beg to disagree; 8-10 pages of warm up material should be provided before any photos are added, even then, photos should be drip fed...  :Smile: 

Excellent OP.

That wall would cost more than my house!  :Smile:

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## koman

Thanks for the encouragement guys....   
To answer Koetjeka's question:  the location is 75kms west of Khonkaen....overlooking the flood plain of the Che river and about 250 meters from the main highway. It feels quite secluded but it's actually 15 minutes from Tesco and Makro...and fibre optic will be available once the house in finished.  I'm really not into this wilderness living stuff anymore.... :Smile: 

BB....the wall is just about finished now.  as of today (Dec 12th) it is 310 meters long and has cost 350,000Thb.   I hired a crew of local farmers/construction engineers who agreed to build it for 500 baht per meter....2 meters high.   We bought all the materials and they occasionally dropped by to do some work.....it's taken three months... :rofl:     There is still about 80 meters across the back of the land, but we will have a chain-link fence there, because we want to see the views and let the wind whistle through.    The front wall will be built once the house is completed.  That's another 40 meters with 5 meter gate, lights and things....jeez..

The house is actually well under way and so far has been amazingly free of problems.    I hired a project manager, who is a  graduate engineer and he is doing an excellent job.  There are on-site supervisors who keep the workers working and the Lao Kao supply under control.

   The roof tile guys are working today and the  whole place is swarming with people.   The work crews often bring along half their village....plus dogs, chickens, caged rabbits....the place is a fucking zoo....but I'm enjoying it immensely..... :Smile: 

I have so many photos...it's hard to know where to start....but I'll post some more as soon as I can get them sorted out into some kind of order...... in the meantime here are a few random shots of things that have been going on....




This is the pond looking east....with the great wall of Isaan under construction...




Here we have the mighty Kubota making an earth berm along the north rim of the pond..... I love Kubota's....gotta get one if there's any money left.... :Smile: 




Clearing and levelling the back section of half a rai...which will be used for growing veggies...which will bring in a huge revenue stream...so sayeth the wife.... :rofl: 



This is the berm built along the north rim......looks a bit barren....




This is the same thing a few weeks later....amazing how stuff grows here...and you can eat it too.... :Smile: 



The west rim of the pond....stuff growing there too.... everything you see has been grown from seed...and it has not taken long to reach this stage.....there are some seeds you have to be careful with....drop them on the soil and jump back out of the way quick..... :Smile: 



...and of coursed Loy Kratong must be observed.....this is my wife doing her thing by the pond.

Lots more to come......

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## koman

This photo thread thing is hard work when you have to work with a village internet connection....slow as hell at times and generally unreliable......anyhow, forge ahead..



This is the entrance and future driveway....we are just about to have the municipal water supply connected ....right to the left of that tree on the left side of the pic..



The municipal work team arrives.



After a lot of probing and digging; the water main is found....I was starting to doubt that it existed, but so far so good.



They just ram a pointed steel tube under the road, flushing out the dirt with the water pressure ....which is quite high.   Lots of wet underwear on these jobs.
You can see the meter set up just by the left hand tree.....across the road.



There's that north wall again.   The front of the house will be just about where that pile of gravel is laying...



The pylons have arrived.  They are 7 meters long.  There are 18 of them.



Here's 14 of them all laid out nice and orderly...which is the Thai way... :Smile: 



...so now that we have all these lovely pylons, we need a pile-driver....and sure enough this one showed up the next day.



While the pile drivers were busy driving piles another gang arrived.  This is the building crew erecting their living quarters.   Isaan building crews live is style when they travel.. :Smile: 

BettyBoo said I had to drip feed pics....so I will stop here for now....don't want to break with photo thread protocol...do we?

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## Roobarb

^ Don't for god's sake drip feed them at the rate that Betty is doing on his building thread.  At the rate he's going many of the viewers here would have died before he's finished....

For what it's worth, we all think it's worth you persevering with the village intenet.  Good on ya Koman...

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## Marmite the Dog

> BB....the wall is just about finished now. as of today (Dec 12th) it is 310 meters long and has cost 350,000Thb. I hired a crew of local farmers/construction engineers who agreed to build it for 500 baht per meter....2 meters high.


Is it gold plated?

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## Koetjeka

Looking good!

How much do they charge for the pile driving? Do they price it per meter or per pile?

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## koman

> Looking good!
> 
> How much do they charge for the pile driving? Do they price it per meter or per pile?


I don't know exactly.  I'm working on a fixed price contract with my project/general manager.  He does all the sub-contracting and purchasing and I just pay him on a pre arranged schedule as each phase is completed.  

I believe it's about 1000 Thb per pile to have them driven...but that probably varies with location and the number of piles etc.   It's quite a big job and it has to be done right...including the cutting off at the top...which is done about 60 cms below ground level.     We hit a layer of shale about 6 meters down so some of them did not get the full 7 meter treatment....makes for one hell of a solid foundation though... :Smile: 

Not sure what to make of Marmites comment.   The wall has worked out at 1129 Thb per meter for a 2 meter high wall. with very good solid foundations,  so the fucking think will not lean 15 degrees in a few years....like many of the other walls around here.. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): .   I've researched wall builds and bullied numerous contractors over the past year and that's by far the best I came up with.  A couple of friends have had walls built and they cost a lot more.....also there's a good wall build thread here on TD somewhere....  Even 3 years ago it was costing over 1000/meter for a wall like that.... even gravel is going for 500-550 per m3 now depending on the day, and if you can find any.. :Confused: 

I am trying to find pile driving pics.....I have a shit load of them, but for some reason I can't locate them....   then maybe some nice ceremonial stuff and eventually we'll get around to the concrete work, welding, topless female construction workers etc... :Smile:

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## Koetjeka

> Originally Posted by Koetjeka
> 
> 
> Looking good!
> 
> How much do they charge for the pile driving? Do they price it per meter or per pile?
> 
> 
> I don't know exactly.  I'm working on a fixed price contract with my project/general manager.  He does all the sub-contracting and purchasing and I just pay him on a pre arranged schedule as each phase is completed.  
> ...


Ah, I understand. It's quite a job indeed. 




> which is done about 60 cms below ground level.


Huh, below ground level? Typically Thai I guess.  Do they actually cut the heads by hand or do they have a proper tool?

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## koman

OK...for those who cannot resist pile driving pictures...I've found some. 

 

First they have to manhandle the machine into position.  This is pretty labour intensive stuff moving this big thing around on a couple of 20ft rails.....it's pretty impressive how they can change position in any direction...two guy in flip flops....and quite often without even the flip flops.




Then they hook up to the pylon using a steel cable...and use the big diesel engine to haul it up into position.



Slow and steady....it's nearly there.




Once it's in place and secured...they pound the shit out of it with that big hammer thing....2.5 metric tons of it.  It's pretty loud and the ground can shake....but the pylon goes down a few inches at a time.....




...all the while, being watched carefully by the manager...using a devise that's been around since they built the Pyramids.....but it works perfectly and gets you pylon nice and vertical... :Smile: 



Because all this activity is disturbing to the spirits who stick around this land....an offering has to be made.   Anyone who thinks this is not important better not ever build a house in Thailand.....


Of course, before any of this takes place....the foundation layout has to be done.  Here we see the project manager supervising this important event.






I managed to capture the foundation markings in the late afternoon sun....all done with stakes and 20lb test fishing line.  



But the sun went down...and the moon came up, so I took a shot of it too..... :Smile: 

As soon as I get them organized, I will post pics of the site with the pylons in the ground...cutting, digging etc.....then you will see why they cut them 60 cms below ground level.....

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## koman

OK. so a bit more on the fascinating subject of piles and the process of establishing a good solid foundation.....



When the piles have all be driven,  you end up with something like a really second rate Stonehenge...  Some have gone quite a bit deeper than others...with one only going down 5 meters before hitting solid rock.   The pile driver guys known that when you continue to drop 2.5 metric tons on the top of the pylon and it will not budge one inch more.....it's time to stop.



Now it's time to dig down about 60 cms or so....and cut the tops off.....there is method in this apparent madness, as we shall see.



The base has been exposed down to the required depth...and now it's cutting time.  Unfortunately, I missed this part, because I had to go visit with the delightful folks at the immigration office, just to let them know where I live and that no arrest warrant is necessary.



This is the bottom of the cut pylon.  Nice clean cut and perfectly horizontal too....
Cutting is done by a specialized small contractor who has the proper equipment.



The exposed head of the pylon is now chipped away leaving 6 inches or so of rebar sticking up.  This rebar will be connected to a steel cage and the whole thing will be filled with cement.....about a full cubic meter of the stuff for each pylon.



The hole is lined with concrete block or brick after a layer of cement has been poured over the pylon head...just leaving the rebar sticking up....



An on-site manufactured steel cage is now inserted into the hole and attached to the rebar in the pylon...the whole thing is tied together and ready for the cement pour.



Here are all the steel cages ready for all the other pylons......they make everything right here on the site.  



I love the smell of rebar cutting in the morning.....it smells like......victory......



A rebar column which is again fabricated on-site is now inserted into the steel cage, and the whole thing is filled with a cubic meter of concrete.....solid as a rock.



This is a slightly different type of arrangement for columns that don't need a pylon under them....like outside porch areas where loads are minimal.  Still gets a cubic meter of concrete though....



The engineer/project manager, measures and checks everything....actually double and triple checks.  Nothing is taken for granted.



Another steel cutting pic....cause I know TD'ers like sparks.... :Smile: 



The cut pylons are moved out of the way....it required 6 men to move the biggest piece..this is one of the smaller ones.



A small forest of steel now graces the site.. embedded is about 18 m3 of solid concrete....we are making progress.

I have gotten a little ahead of myself here.   Before any of this steel erection can take place....it is necessary to have a kind of Shaman guy inspect the site and advise as to which one needs to go up first.  It is also necessary to have a proper ceremony to ask for the indulgence of the spirits again...because all this is very disruptive.   I will post some photos of this ceremony and the raising of the first column as soon as I can get my act together......

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## nigelandjan

Brilliant start KM well done mate a cracking build thread in the making for sure.

Your pictures look great to.

I'm sure there are a few members who would be more than happy to have they're piles driven for a 100bht so don't take any notice of Betty, ,, all were gonna get for the next month is page after page of him blaming his wife  :Smile:

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## koman

^
Thanks Nigel..  it's always nice to get a bit of feedback, just so I know I'm not boring everyone to death.... :Smile:  

I enjoy all the construction threads and follow them all the time.  You can learn a lot from others who are going through the sometimes tangled web of building in Thailand.

I think Bettyboo is very courageous just sending a wad of cash for his FIL to build a house.....and allowing his wife to supervise, choose colours etc.   I have the advantage of being on site every day with a well educated and skilled construction manager to oversee the process and deal with all the staffing and supply issues..   Betty on the other hand is out there running some Emirate in the ME as I understand it......  we all do things a bit differently, don't we?... :Smile:

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## Bettyboo

> it is 310 meters long


That's a decent sized wall, like Rhobarb, don't forget to house the machine gun posts at the most suitable points. I like the idea of not having all wall, you want a view, and not to feel enclosed...




> The house is actually well under way and so far has been amazingly free of problems.


I was gonna start a smug laugh, but then I saw the next comment.




> I'm working on a fixed price contract with my project/general manager. He does all the sub-contracting and purchasing and I just pay him on a pre arranged schedule as each phase is completed.


This is a very good idea. If you can find somebody good who you can trust to manage the contractors and grief, at a price that you find acceptable, then you're gonna save lots of stress. Excellent route forward.

The pics are great, and the quality of work looks really nice, as far as we've seen thusfar. The efforts to get things right at initial foundation time has to bode well.  :Smile: 

It's very interesting to see the slightly different approaches in slightly different areas. I reckon this build will go very well, the work looks quality (for Thais).

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## BaitongBoy

> it's always nice to get a bit of feedback


You can be sure there are a lot of people watching this thread, koman...And you are doing a very good job of making it first-class...

Well done...

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## koman

Again, thanks to all of you who have responded,,,sent greens etc.  It's always nice to get a few greens to offset the serial redding from posters like Ant and BSnub..... :rofl: 

Bettyboo.....I've decided against machine gun posts on the wall.  Decent firearms are hard to come by in Issan anyway.    Instead we have decided to go with the ultimate Isaan defence system which we have called Tong and Ting......



This is "Ting"...a fearsome and very aggressive female Bangkaew.



.....and this is "Tong", an equally ferocious and aggressive male Bangkaew.

Thai's fear these dogs like no other...even a Pitbull pales in comparasion..... :Smile: 

Oh then there is the hunter/tracker who takes care of lizards, snakes and anything of that nature that has a mind to invade the premises......



I am quite sure nothing can get past this lot.....

Things are on hold today because we had a big thunderstorm last night....and it pissed down for hours.  The building crew are having all kinds of problems cooking the sticky rice this morning with all the firewood all wet and the whole place looking like a lake.  Actually there is a kind of nice reflector pool right in front of the house......maybe a good landscaping idea....with a few swans, peacocks.....and a collection of vintage Rolls and Hispano's scattered about.....

My bloody internet connection is slower than an melting glacier as well.....so I'm going to leave my posting on Shaman's and ceremonial things till later.....maybe I can get an upload speed of more than 1K..... :mid:

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## Koetjeka

> .maybe I can get an upload speed of more than 1K.....


My up- and download speed has gone down this week, it's so incredibly slow now... yesterday I tried to reset my modem and router, bad idea because then TOT blocks your account, I had to hang on the phone with them for over 30 minutes to fix it...

Now it's still super slow.

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## stevefarang

Great thread & pics Koman. Keep it up & good luck with the build. Lots of pics is good, as it may help others in their future builds.

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## Sailing into trouble

Great adventure and like many these sort of threads are great for the unwashed and unnerved like myself. Have to ask! You paid $12000 for a wall. Why was that? Sorry if you already explained, sort of got into the photos.

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## Koetjeka

Very nice ceremony, I've seen it once when they started to built the temple across the road from my house, it's very similar to this.

Judging from the close-up the quality of rebar seems to be good, they've actually used rebar with those little "ribs" so the grip with the concrete is ensured (note that this obviously doesn't say anything about strength of the steel). I rarely see rebar like this in Thailand.

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## koman

> Great adventure and like many these sort of threads are great for the unwashed and unnerved like myself. Have to ask! You paid $12000 for a wall. Why was that? Sorry if you already explained, sort of got into the photos.


A guy with a 35ft sailboat asking why I would spend $12K on a wall..... :rofl:  

Seriously, in this part of the world you have to build walls and/or fences around everything.  Land which is not walled or fenced is viewed by the locals as common land...and they will wander freely over it complete with herds of cows....use it as a short-cut to everywhere.....well you get the picture.   In rural Isaan the villagers have absolutely zero respect for things like privacy.  

 Yes the wall was a wee bit expensive but 3.5 Rai is quite a big chunk of land to build around... and besides, some of the rice farmers were on down time and needed work... :Smile: . 

Another thing about walls......this land has been filled and raised well above the surrounding  area....which means that in the wet season you get a lot of run-off and erosion around the perimeter.  A good sturdy wall will prevent the erosion (acts as a retaining wall)  and if you do it right and leave drainage ditches along the base of the wall you don't end up giving all your fill to the next door neighbours....and the run off can be directed into the pond at the rear of the property.... :Smile:

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## koman

> Very nice ceremony, I've seen it once when they started to built the temple across the road from my house, it's very similar to this.
> 
> Judging from the close-up the quality of rebar seems to be good, they've actually used rebar with those little "ribs" so the grip with the concrete is ensured (note that this obviously doesn't say anything about strength of the steel). I rarely see rebar like this in Thailand.


Glad you brought that up.  Yes there is some pretty crap rebar around and it is not always sold cheaper than the good stuff either.  

 The first load of the stuff was delivered to our site....but before they even started unloading the truck my project manager was up inspecting it.   He told them to take it back and send us the stuff he ordered, which really pissed off the driver and mate.  

 The rebar we are getting is really top quality and it is always inspected before unloading.....just like everything else.    That's why hiring a top-notch construction pro...is well worth the money.  He's actually saved me a small fortune.    I would never attempt to do a project like this myself.  I though I had researched everything and really knew my stuff.....but the more we get into it the more I realize just how little I really knew.... :mid:

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## charleyboy

Enjoying a great thread. Good luck for the rest of the build.

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## Bettyboo

> Oh then there is the hunter/tracker who takes care of lizards, snakes and anything of that nature that has a mind to invade the premises......


I see your wife put a bell on the poor pussy; how is he/she supposed to creep up on birds now???  :Smile: 

I couldn't see any of the pics on # 24...  :Sad:

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## Bettyboo

> Seriously, in this part of the world you have to build walls and/or fences around everything. Land which is not walled or fenced is viewed by the locals as common land...and they will wander freely over it complete with herds of cows....use it as a short-cut to everywhere.....


Not to mention that the neighbours will steal your land, build stuff on your land, etc, it will cause grief...




> 3.5 Rai


Nice size to live in. 




> Another thing about walls......this land has been filled and raised well above the surrounding area....which means that in the wet season you get a lot of run-off and erosion around the perimeter. A good sturdy wall will prevent the erosion (acts as a retaining wall) and if you do it right and leave drainage ditches along the base of the wall you don't end up giving all your fill to the next door neighbours....and the run off can be directed into the pond at the rear of the property....


Excellent explanation; well thought through.




> That's why hiring a top-notch construction pro...is well worth the money.


Yes, I mentioned it before, seems like a good route forward.

Now, where are those bloody pics??? I will reload the page and see if they work this time...

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## koman

[QUOTE=Bettyboo;2640293]


> I couldn't see any of the pics on # 24...


WTF...there were there yesterday and now they have vanished....Photobucket says I moved them???   Jeez that's about an hours work gone....how can this happen???

I know we have lots of Photobucket experts on TD......anyone tell me what this is about and  how to fix it?

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## Johnny Farang

Seems a bit ominous that out of all the photos you've uploaded, the only ones to fall victim to the invisible hand 
of gremlins are those having to do with the blessing ceremonies.

(Cue spooky music from generic Thai ghost movie...)

You didn't by chance kite the check to the local wat now, did you?


 :mid:

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## koman

> Seems a bit ominous that out of all the photos you've uploaded, the only ones to fall victim to the invisible hand 
> of gremlins are those having to do with the blessing ceremonies.
> 
> (Cue spooky music from generic Thai ghost movie...)
> 
> You didn't by chance kite the check to the local wat now, did you?



 :rofl:   No.....I would never dare mess with the Wat's check.....

Problem solved...I think....

  I've never used Photobucket before so I'm in  a bit of a learning curve.  I had created a little sub-album to store the pics in the proper sequence just for posting.     Later on, I deleted the sub-album, not thinking it would also make the pics disappear from TD.....   just be thankful they never gave me control of the nuclear arsenal... :Smile: 

I will try to reconstruct post 24.... cause Bettyboo missed the ceremonial photos.....
can't have anyone missing out on that....

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## koman

SO, ladies and gentlemen, here is my best shot at a reconstruction of  post 24 which lost all it's photos,  due to me causing a cockup in Photobucket........



The site inspection....it has to be decided which pillar to erect first and second....this is a vital procedure and is the only way to ensure disaster from striking the place in the future.



The Shaman prepares all the special leaves, flowers and other materials necessary to appease the spirits and get the best deal he can from them.



Some of the blessed leaves are thrown down into the holes from which the pillars of the earth will rise....and hopefully hold up my roof.



This hole is now well on the way to being holy.....those leaves are powerful medicine..



A closer look and we see a bit of cash down there.....it's does not have to be a lot of cash....this is just symbolic you know. (maybe a lot of cash would work better but I've not been advised on this matter)



You can see that this is quite a complex procedure.  Lots of different bits and pieces to be assembled.  Those box like things made from banana leaf will be buried in the ground at the end of the ceremony.  Another important step if you want to do this right.



The invocations begin in earnest.  We need to appease the spirits and ask their indulgence for all the noise and disruption while this twat of a farang builds a house on their land which has remained undisturbed for centuries.



Nice frontal shot.... just cause I like these pictures.



The holy water is now poured into each hole....this completes the cleansing and blessing of the holes.    If you need any holes blessed this is the man.....



Now the blessed foliage is placed in a special basket and tied to the rebar structure that will be erected on top of the pylon to form the first house column.  There are two of these .....but the first one is the really important one.



[Lots of willing hands get the first pillar upright in no time...same with the second.





We had a few visitors drop by for the show.  Here they are just leaving.  This stuff is a big deal around here.....and with tales of a rich farang involved....well that's not something to be missed.

Sorry for the mix up with post 24.   A few of these pics are different to the ones in 24 and I've added a couple of new ones.   I promise not to delete the album this time.... ::spin::

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## Johnny Farang

Ah...  I'm very happy to see that all is well in both your build and your thread.

May the Gods and the assembled Spirits continue to smile on your endeavors...


 :Veryhappy:

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## Albert Shagnastier

Great thread Koman - Cheers.

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## Boon Mee

> Originally Posted by Sailing into trouble
> 
> 
> Great adventure and like many these sort of threads are great for the unwashed and unnerved like myself. Have to ask! You paid $12000 for a wall. Why was that? Sorry if you already explained, sort of got into the photos.
> 
> 
> A guy with a 35ft sailboat asking why I would spend $12K on a wall..... 
> 
> Seriously, in this part of the world you have to build walls and/or fences around everything.  Land which is not walled or fenced is viewed by the locals as common land...and they will wander freely over it complete with herds of cows....use it as a short-cut to everywhere.....well you get the picture.   In rural Isaan the villagers have absolutely zero respect for things like privacy.  
> ...


Got that right, koman.  A wall is very useful for keeping out the itinerant yaa baa's, soi dogs and general riff raff too.  Don't pay no-never mind to these naysayers - I'm glad I built a 2 met tall wall around my 5 rai which in the end cost more than yours.  Plenty of breezes blowing thru but no annoying neighbors 'popping' in unannounced.  :Very Happy: 

btw, excellent thread and your annotations are clever.

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## koman

^
Thanks Booners glad you enjoyed it so far.

Tomorrow we have to go visit a gigantic shop full of kitchen and bathroom stuff....to choose tile and fittings.   That should be fun....trying to keep the wife away form the "Hello Kitty" and Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse themes.    I saw a big bathroom display there a while back.....a six foot Donald Duck in a sailor suit leading a troop of little yellow ducks all in sailor hats.   I mean how can you tear yourself away from décor like that... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

I also see toilet bowls ranging from about 2500Thb to 15000 Thb or more......so this too will be an issue.   Does it feel a lot better to shit into a 15K bowl rather than say a 5K bowl?   No matter how hard I look at these things, all I see is a bowl to shit in and a tank of water to flush it down... are there fashion statements to be made here or what?    I'll take the project manager along for support....I'm pretty sure he's a low cost toilet bowl kind of guy... :Confused:

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## stevefarang

> ^
> 
> I also see toilet bowls ranging from about 2500Thb to 15000 Thb or more......so this too will be an issue.   Does it feel a lot better to shit into a 15K bowl rather than say a 5K bowl?   No matter how hard I look at these things, all I see is a bowl to shit in and a tank of water to flush it down... are there fashion statements to be made here or what?    I'll take the project manager along for support....I'm pretty sure he's a low cost toilet bowl kind of guy...



We splurged on upgraded toilet for our master bathroom and the other 3 have the standard toilet (as I recall) in our house project. My wife has tried out both the one in the master bath and the other standard version. She says it hurts to sit on the standard and wants to replace them with the fancier one we used in the master bath. I want to sit them out myself before making that change. I think we paid ~10K baht for the master bathroom toilet.

You could always get the Asian squat version...  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## FatOne

Great Thread Koman, lots og good hints for my house build in Isaan starting early next year, keep it up

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## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> ^
> 
> I also see toilet bowls ranging from about 2500Thb to 15000 Thb or more......so this too will be an issue.   Does it feel a lot better to shit into a 15K bowl rather than say a 5K bowl?   No matter how hard I look at these things, all I see is a bowl to shit in and a tank of water to flush it down... are there fashion statements to be made here or what?    I'll take the project manager along for support....I'm pretty sure he's a low cost toilet bowl kind of guy...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've had perfectly satisfactory defecations sitting on a horizontal log in the North Ontario bush while on hunting trips....even when the frost is forming on the ground. 

  Maybe I'll  just go for logs mounted over the Asian squat bowl..... :Smile:   Cheap, rustic and a great conversation starter when guests arrive... :Smile:   Might mount a 30-30 Winchester on the wall to add to the effect..... :Smile:

----------


## Boon Mee

> ^
> Thanks Booners glad you enjoyed it so far.
> 
> Tomorrow we have to go visit a gigantic shop full of kitchen and bathroom stuff....to choose tile and fittings.   That should be fun....trying to keep the wife away form the "Hello Kitty" and Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse themes.    I saw a big bathroom display there a while back.....a six foot Donald Duck in a sailor suit leading a troop of little yellow ducks all in sailor hats.   I mean how can you tear yourself away from décor like that... 
> 
> I also see toilet bowls ranging from about 2500Thb to 15000 Thb or more......so this too will be an issue.   Does it feel a lot better to shit into a 15K bowl rather than say a 5K bowl?   No matter how hard I look at these things, all I see is a bowl to shit in and a tank of water to flush it down... are there fashion statements to be made here or what?    I'll take the project manager along for support....I'm pretty sure he's a low cost toilet bowl kind of guy...


If there are any Thai Watsadu Centers in your area, check 'em out.  I've recently discovered they have more 'stuff' than your Home Pro or Home Marts and their prices are better in some areas like electrical fixtures.  Then again, not all Home Pro stores stock the same amount of 'stuff' either.  Kinda like the difference between a regular Lotus and a Lotus Extra.

Have fun!  :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> I also see toilet bowls ranging from about 2500Thb to 15000 Thb or more......so this too will be an issue. Does it feel a lot better to shit into a 15K bowl rather than say a 5K bowl?


I did some research in this area, and decided that if you go for an ok brand at a decent pricepoint then you'll do fine. The expensive ones are a complete waste of money. I checked this out with my mother because she is one of those people who has an excellent eye for house renovation/building, as well as plenty of experience in house renovation/building, she also has a lot more money than me, and almost always spends load on quality products (my sofa was about 3,000 baht, her sofa was about 10,000 pounds; mine is shite and gets thrown away every 2 years, it's uncomfortable and orrible; hers is 15 years old and still looks like new, is really comfortable and looks great...), so I expected her to go with the top end bogs. But, to my surprise, in the 2 bathrooms she has built onto her home in the last few years, she said she bought quality lowish cost stuff. So, my mummy says, and she knows, don't waste your money on fancy bogs... Now, if you lot could see (I might look for some pics) the tiling job my dad did on those 2 bathrooms then you'd be well impressed - one is affectionaly known as the Cistern Chappel... My dad is one of those blokes that does everything, takes his time, but always does a fantastic job; central heating systems, electricity, roof, bathrooms, painting, carpetting... He was a policeman before retiring...

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> I also see toilet bowls ranging from about 2500Thb to 15000 Thb or more......so this too will be an issue. Does it feel a lot better to shit into a 15K bowl rather than say a 5K bowl?
> 
> 
> I did some research in this area, and decided that if you go for an ok brand at a decent pricepoint then you'll do fine. The expensive ones are a complete waste of money. I checked this out with my mother because she is one of those people who has an excellent eye for house renovation/building, as well as plenty of experience in house renovation/building, she also has a lot more money than me, and almost always spends load on quality products (my sofa was about 3,000 baht, her sofa was about 10,000 pounds; mine is shite and gets thrown away every 2 years, it's uncomfortable and orrible; hers is 15 years old and still looks like new, is really comfortable and looks great...), so I expected her to go with the top end bogs. But, to my surprise, in the 2 bathrooms she has built onto her home in the last few years, she said she bought quality lowish cost stuff. So, my mummy says, and she knows, don't waste your money on fancy bogs...


I think your Mum and I would get along very well.  I also tend to buy the best quality things I can find/afford.  I'm not building a low budget place here but I don't believe in wasting money on things that add no real value ....like big pretentious bowls to shit in.    I've actually sat down on a lot of these things in the shops.....much to the amusement of the staff....and I'm damned if I can find any great difference between the most expensive and the least expensive....as far as practicality is concerned.    Ideally, I'd like to find a shitter that looks like it cost about 29K  but sells for 3K.... :Smile: 

We will return to this subject in due course..... comfortable shits are important ...I don't want to sell myself short on this... :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

> Maybe I'll  just go for logs mounted over the Asian squat bowl.....  Cheap, rustic and a great conversation starter when guests arrive...  Might mount a 30-30 Winchester on the wall to add to the effect.....


Termites my friend...those damn hungry Thai termites !!

Go native local and use bamboo pieces split in half !!  :Smile:

----------


## koman

Well, I managed to get through the toilet buying trip without any serious damage.   I've never really paid much attention to toilet bowls before so the variety and price range was quite overwhelming.    As I suspected, the wife was leaning heavily towards the 20K plus end of the range and I was hovering around the 2-5K range....but I decided to get creative and play a little game. 

   I had my wife close her eyes while I let her to a series of toilet bowls and had her sit down on each of them..... Needless to say this created quite a stir and I think at least half the staff of about 100 were witnesses to this event....with many of them wetting their underwear in the process. 

They had bowls that cost 30K... :Confused: ....with the very bottom of the range coming in at 1999Thb.   Once the wife had actually stated (with witnesses) that bowl number 73 felt just as comfortable as bowl 289....and 41 was just as comfortable as 89 .... I had it nailed... :Smile: 

  We ended up with a 7000 and a 4500 unit.   I  asked the sales staff to tell me what the difference was between these 20K-30K bowls and the mid range 3-10K ones.  There was much frantic consultation and scanning of toiled bowl literature but nobody could come up with anything  that sounded in the least convincing.   I opened up the tanks.....examined the internal fittings only to discover that they were all basically the same.    There were a few lame comments about "quite flush" and things like that......as if I'm going to fork out an extra ten grand just so the bloody toilet is quieter....

The only conclusion I can arrive at is that it's more about fashion than anything else.  It's a bit like the reasons some women's dresses cost many thousands of dollars while others that look and function just as well can be had for a fraction of the cost of the 'designer' ones that have some gay frog's name on the label.  

We also bought all kinds of other bathroom stuff...water heaters,  shower heads, cabinets and things like that.   ....and I found a really cool reverse osmosis water filter for the kitchen for 7500Thb  (the last time I tried to buy the same unit it was 12,000Thb)   and some really nice outside lights, and on and on........and ended up with a free coffee maker....

Not a bad day out....once again the project manager came through with some great advise and input....but it cost me a 450 baht lunch because he brought  his wife along too.... :Smile: 

I'll get back to the photo's shortly......these buying trips can take the steam out a guy for while..... :Smile:

----------


## nigelandjan

Nice one Koman,  your coming along mate,  BTW by the time your finished you'll be on first name terms in most the local DIY shops

----------


## koman

> Nice one Koman,  your coming along mate,  BTW by the time your finished you'll be on first name terms in most the local DIY shops


Yes, I'm well on my way to celebrity status in some of the building supply shops.... :Smile: 

Now that I'm reasonably well recovered from the financial damages of yesterdays excursion into the premises of building supply centers......we can get back to a few photos.   



After a frantic day of activity following the blessings ceremony on Nov 7th, the early dawn of Nov 8th....shows an eerie scene.  Looks like something from the imagination of HG Wells...or John Wyndham.   Are those Triffids out there, or is it "War of the Worlds" ??



Once full daylight arrives, things look a bit less sinister.....



The "Triffids"  look a lot less harmless now.....



Now it's time to dig trenches connecting the steel pillars.  In these trenches we will build the concrete footing walls.  The plan calls for some seriously heavy rebar and very substantial amounts of poured concrete which we will see later.



We are equal opportunity employers.  All the genders are represented here....including the ones "in between".    Damn good worker no matter what.... :Smile: 



Over in the fabrication department things are going flat out.....and this worker is definitely female.



Over in a different division of the fabrication department two male workers are preparing the forms into which the ready-mix concrete will be poured.  I've visited many building sites where they were using old scrap wood and all kinds of crap to make forms.....this crew is making everything from new material.



I was quite mystified by this arrangement...  I wonder if anyone can guess what this is.   The secret will be revealed at a later date...never fear.



While the fabrication department creates all kinds of marvels...the trench digging progresses slowly...this is hard work.



I think the foreman forgot to tell this poor bugger when to stop...and he's going down without his shoes too......



As always, the checking and measuring goes on without fail.  Farangs use Lasers and and all kinds of hi-tek shit to measure things.....Thai's use plastic tubes half full of water .....works just fine.



Looks a bit like the aftermath of 9/11....but it's just the crew burning off some debris.....Thai's burn everything.   I think the local village probably contributes more to global air pollution that Bejing...



Of course it's not all work out here.  A large contingent from the great city of Khon Kaen came to participate in the dedication of the new temple buildings....so a whole range of competitive sports was arranged.    The big event was a football (soccer) game between the village and the hot-shot big city visitors....   



A KhonKaen striker is streaking towards the village net.....so send in a few spectators to neutralize him.......this is not the Spanish League or that tedious EPL crap....  this is real football... no rules, no referee.... :Smile: 



The village defence is clearing the ball from the danger zone......it also helps that they have four or five people in goal, one of whom seems to be checking her text messages....... :smiley laughing: 



....and for the workers, the command and control center has video games for the off-duty staff.... and somebody has brought a guitar.  This is such a good work site we have Wall St. investment bankers wanting to resign just so they can come here and dig trenches ... :Smile:

----------


## danno5

rebar spacers :-)

----------


## Bettyboo

Very nice; everything looks like good quality and top end workers. You seem to have an excellent crew - in fact, I've never seen anything like it, quite amazing...  :Smile: 

Well done with the toilet and bathroom gear - you have lost nothing with those sensible purchases.

Question: why are the women allowed to play football.

----------


## koman

> Question: why are the women allowed to play football.


I think because they run the place....and they seem to be better at most things than the men.....including the local version of football.... :Smile: ....

..of course this does not apply to any western country where they need affirmative action programs and unlimited pampering to allow them to compete with the old boys networks and glass ceilings that us guys came up with just to keep them out of their rightful places as bank CEO's and supreme court judges....... :rofl:

----------


## koman

> rebar spacers :-)


Very good danno5...you win the big cash prize....just PM me details of your bank account with access codes...and it will be sent along shortly.... :Smile:

----------


## Boon Mee

I had one of those 'in-betweens'  on my crew too.  He/she had painted its toenails purple.  Average worker i.e. kinda lazy.

----------


## koman

> I had one of those 'in-betweens'  on my crew too.  He/she had painted its toenails purple.  Average worker i.e. kinda lazy.


I'm shocked to hear that there may be lazy workers in LOS..... :Smile: 

My house builders are a really good bunch.....except for one or two that don't really carry their weight, the rest are all hard working, reliable, and even responsive to instructions.    Again, I give the credit to my project manager.  He hired them and seems to have a kind of influence over them that I could never achieve.

   They are from the darkest wilds of Loei  and pretty rough around the edges, but most of them have foreign experience in places like Libya, Dubai, Singapore etc....so they are pretty skilled and used to working on an organized site....although looking at their living quarters,  that's hard to believe..... :smiley laughing: 

My wall building team consisted of the usual "referred" village idiots who claimed some distant family connection to my wife.   The team leader (thankfully) was excellent but the rest were unreliable as hell....just show up and leave whenever they felt like it....and they spent more time rolling cigarettes, drinking coffee and telling farang jokes than actually working on the walls. 

   Again, I had arranged a fixed price contract with the team leader, so I really did not care much how long they took to finish.....I was not paying anyone until the job was done.     Their saving grace was that they were a very likeable group, and lots of fun...but I would not have wanted them working on anything that was time sensitive or in need of a high standard of quality control... :mid: 

We treat them all well and they seem to really enjoy working here.  It's a very pleasant site to work on....nice views,  nice breezes most of the time,  and close to all kinds of amenities.....not that these guys need any.... :Smile:     We supply them with lots of clean cool drinking water, coffee, rice and other odds and ends.  The wife often cooks up some special treats for them....  these people are mostly treated like shit on the big construction sites so this must be a really nice change for them.

----------


## importford

great story, nice pictures

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## Bettyboo

Bit shy on pictures recently, if I was gonna be pernickity...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Bit shy on pictures recently, if I was gonna be pernickity...


Well, you'r the guy who said I was to "drip feed" the photos...... :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

Koman
Excellent start very impressed with the apparent quality of materials and more importantly the quality of the workers you have on site. They seem to be doing everything properly. I showed them our builder who just mumbled " Photoshop" and walked away.

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## koman

> Koman
> Excellent start very impressed with the apparent quality of materials and more importantly the quality of the workers you have on site. They seem to be doing everything properly. I showed them our builder who just mumbled " Photoshop" and walked away.


Thank you....I'm more than a little surprised myself at the quality of work and the rate of progress.....after having several less than satisfactory episodes with Thai builder/renovators.    A lot of research went into this project and a lengthy search for a designer/builder.   It seems to have been time well spent.

----------


## koman

Today I'm taking a short break from posting photos of the actual construction.  Instead I've arranged a few pics of the surroundings and a couple of village life.



6:20am Dec 20 2013, the sun rises over the Isaan horizon....nice day ahead.  This shot is taken looking out across our pond and across the recently harvested rice paddys.



A little later on the landscape taken on a kind of golden look.....



Another angle.....I just like the sun rise......



Over in the staff quarters, breakfast is underway....and it's bloody freezing.....stick rice and a boiled or roasted rat will go down especially well this morning.... :Smile: 



I believe this fellow is the head chef....he always seems to be by the fire watching the pots.



Here's the foreman and site supervisor.  He has his own private fire and pot.....only right and proper for senior management.



Meanwhile my wife is busy making up some stick rice cakes.....the rice patty is soaked in beaten egg with a dash of pepper and sale...then grilled gently over charcoal.  It actually tastes bloody good on a freezing morning....and has probably saved the lives of some of the workers.  You can go all day on a couple of these things.



Here's a closer look.... the heat from those fires sure feels good this morning...brrrrrr




If we wander down to the bottom of our land and look to the right....this is what we see.



If we look to the left....this is what we see......



This is the road that goes to the village...about 1km away.... looks pretty busy this morning.



....and there's the moon still well up in the sky..after a brilliant moonlit night....and temperatures that are decidedly cool for this part of the world...

More construction pics are on the way.....as soon as I can get them assembled.

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## Koetjeka

> I was quite mystified by this arrangement... I wonder if anyone can guess what this is. The secret will be revealed at a later date...never fear.


My guess: a half precast floorplank like the kind in the photo below. (if anyone knows where to buy these in Thailand, please tell me!!)

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## Bettyboo

> I showed them our builder who just mumbled " Photoshop" and walked away.


 :smiley laughing: 

Nice pics, looks like a nice place.

Little bit upset not to see a Wave, I suppose the better quality builders go with the Finos... Scribe Slaps won't be impressed.

The allround quality is shockingly good. Every time I look at these pics, I kinda hope the missus doesn't send pics of my place through. It's an awful time to start a build thread; 4 other great builds either coming to fine conclusions or coming along very well - I'm the bloody joker in this pack...  :Sad:

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## nigelandjan

> Bit shy on pictures recently, if I was gonna be pernickity...



er, ,,, pot and kettle come to mind Betty.


Anyway Kman well done again mate I've nicked a few of your lovely photos to paint a bit later when I stop painting walls.

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## Carnwadrick

I love the Thai Barbque your wife is using, We got rid of our big fancy gas grill and now just use one like it that we bought in Los Angeles. neat thing is it is enclosed within a a sheet of Red Bull tin .
Oh BTW this is a great thread, looking forward to seeing the house built please post a copy of floor plan

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## koman

> I was quite mystified by this arrangement... I wonder if anyone can guess what this is. The secret will be revealed at a later date...never fear.
> 			
> 		
> 
> My guess: a half precast floorplank like the kind in the photo below. (if anyone knows where to buy these in Thailand, please tell me!!)


 NO NO NO.....Koejeka....you must try to keep up....this riddle was solved in about 5 minutes by another poster and the grand prize is waiting to go out as soon as he provided details of his bank account .....

They are spacers to place under the rebar or steel mesh to raise it up  before they pour the concrete on the floor.

I will be posting photos of those precast floor planks later.  We had a big truck load of them delivered here a few weeks back.   They are engineered to take about 500 kg per m2......so quite suitable for holding up fat farangs..... :Smile:  

They were made locally and sourced by my trusty project manager, whom I have started to call Jeeves..... :Smile:

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## koman

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> 
> Bit shy on pictures recently, if I was gonna be pernickity... 
> 
> 
> 
> er, ,,, pot and kettle come to mind Betty.
> 
> ...



Funny thing.....I was thinking one or two of them would make a nice painting.....by all means use them......will there be any royalties when they are auctioned at Sotheby's?     :Smile:     I wish I could paint.....other than walls that is.....what a great hobby.

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## koman

> Originally Posted by bankao dreamer
> 
>  I showed them our builder who just mumbled " Photoshop" and walked away.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice pics, looks like a nice place.
> 
> ...


Yes I think Fino's and Clicks are the preferred mode of transport for the higher quality builders.  Actually most of these characters have pickup trucks....maybe I'm paying them too much..... :mid: 

Every construction thread is going to have it's own flavour BB.....different types of building, different parts of the country, different tastes.   They are all interesting in their own way so there are no jokers in this pack.... :Smile: 

Have not heard from the Slapper.....there are no beer photos in this thread yet.....maybe we can try to tempt him with a couple?... :smiley laughing:

----------


## koman

This weekend my builders volunteered to take a break from house construction and erect a chain-link fence for us.    I mentioned earlier in the thread that our wall had reached 310 meters....which is quite enough wall ...except for maybe the Chinese.  We had decided to have a fence across the back of the property so as to let the breeze blow through and also so we could see out across the big flat valley behind us.



First they dig the holes for the posts....partially fill them with concrete and insert a thick flat steel plate attached to rebar imbedded in the concrete.... I've never seen it done this way before, so I'm having a new experience of the art of fencing.




As soon as the first batch of concrete has set...they fill the box made from blocks up with more concrete until it has reached the bottom of the steel plate. 




Here we see the completed post foundations with the concrete blocks removed.....we have 40  of these things .....every 2 meters for a distance of 80 meters.   Alongside is the steel beams they will use to erect the fence frames.



The steel post is now welded to the plate in the concrete........

The horizontal bars are then welded to the upright posts to form a really strong frame.



A couple of the guys mix and pour while in the background the steel framing is well under way.  The fence will be build in two sections because there is about a 1.5 meter drop in elevation where the pond begins.




A closer look at the first section showing the posts with some of the horizontal bars in place.



Welding on the top bar....a bit of reaching is involved..



So much reaching, that sometimes it takes three pairs of hands.....



You will notice that the steel bar has taken on a nice shade of green.... we decided on green .....well because it fits in nicely with all that other green stuff around the place.    They are now starting to attach the fencing wire....things are moving along.



A close up view of the fencing wire in place..... it's as tight as a drum.....or a tennis racquet.. and the framing is as solid as a rock......but I'm sure all the posters on Thaivisa would tell me that it would be much better where they come from.....cause the stupid Thai's can't do anything right.... :mid: 



Frontal view......I think it looks shit hot.....I mean for a fence.... :Smile: 



We found this fellow lurking at the base of the wall near the new fence.....we explained to him that this was private property now and that he should move out before our Mongoose/Cat....arrives.....   Never a dull moment around here....

----------


## Boon Mee

Nice fence koman.  

I might have done similar although staring out at neighbor's rice fields gets boring after a while.  When they flood their fields I was telling the missus that it looks like we have beach front property!  :Very Happy: 

Good thread!

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## koman

Thanks Booners.    They are building the second section today. They are installing a small gate so that we can still get out the back onto the hiking trails..., and up to the hills....not that I do much hiking anymore.....but it's a nice option to have I suppose... :Smile:

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## ootai

koman
I would firstly just like to say thanks for posting here. I have enjoyed every bit of it so far. I don't post very often, as here in Indonesia where I am working, the internet is bloody awful most of the time so I just lurk in the background watching. However today when I seen your chain wire fence, I felt I needed to say that it is bloody fantastic. Like you we just built a wall across the front of our block and a little bit down each side. The back of the "yard" is then fenced as an open barbed wire fence. The whole property is about 15 rai but around the house we have about 2 rai I call the yard. I made the posts by using concrete drain pipe with steel reinforcing inside and then filled it with concrete. If you are interested there are a couple of pictures posted in a thread I did called "Evolution of the shed" in post #23.

My main concern with your fence would be preventing the steel posts from rusting at ground level otherwise I like the fence a lot and may use the same idea myself sometime.

I was also impressed with your comment about drainage around or near a wall being of the utmost importance, I have seen so many leaning and some fallen walls due to a lack of good drainage.

In regards to the cost of building your wall I personally don't think it was too bad at all. I just went back and checked the costs my missus recorded for our front wall which was 70m long (the side walls were done by another builder) and it cost us 185,000 but just over 100,000 of that was for the gates and remote control.
The labour component was 650 per metre and that was 2010 before they upped the minimum daily wage. I think you said in one post that you still have to complete your front wall so if you want to have a look at what my missus did it's all in the thread I did on her building the house, called "Ootai's wife builds a house". So far we have had no issues with the remote control on the gate and it is great not to have to get out and open the gate.

I really like what you have done so far and look forward to more pictures, good luck.

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## Bettyboo

Koman, your builders are Gods of their trade; fukin superb they are. I'm shocked that such folk exist... I feel I need to swear again to show my surprise; bloody great builders you have there. Of course, they are massively over-enginnering everything when compared to my lads...  :Smile: 




> er, ,,, pot and kettle come to mind Betty.


Not any more, Nige, not any more... I don't have the quality or quantity of Koman's pics, but the weekly drip has started. Koman's fence looks considerably more sturdy than my house foundations...  :Smile: 




> They are spacers to place under the rebar or steel mesh to raise it up before they pour the concrete on the floor.


Massively over-engineered; mine just shovelled some dirt in, job done...  :Smile: 




> Yes I think Fino's and Clicks are the preferred mode of transport for the higher quality builders.


Yep, mine have old, very old Waves...




> Every construction thread is going to have it's own flavour BB.....different types of building, different parts of the country, different tastes. They are all interesting in their own way so there are no jokers in this pack....


This is true, but yours is a great build and a great thread; I'm tempted to say inspirational, but I just don't know how you got such a good building manager and such a skilled set of workers; bloody amazing. They should really be sent on a world tour, like the Harlem Globetrotters - they could make fences at shows, generally knock up small constructions on request from the flabagasted crowd!




> the big flat valley


Ali na?

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## Bettyboo

Oh, I forgot: what kind of snake is that? Is it dangerous? & what curry sauce did the workers add to it? Or are your posh workers too good for snake curry???

----------


## koman

> My main concern with your fence would be preventing the steel posts from rusting at ground level otherwise I like the fence a lot and may use the same idea myself sometime.


Thanks for all your kind comments ootai......I had the same concern about rusting at the bases...but everything was treaded with 3 thick coats of anti-corrosion primer and then topped off with Jotul gloss.   I think (hope) it will be ok...time will tell. 

I'll poke around to find your postings.....
Cheers

----------


## koman

> Oh, I forgot: what kind of snake is that? Is it dangerous? & what curry sauce did the workers add to it? Or are your posh workers too good for snake curry???


Chequered Keelback....harmless but looks impressive....lots of people mistake them for Cobra's.    We actually released it out back so it can enjoy a long and happy Keelback kind of life.... :Smile: 

Thanks for all your support BTW.....I'll pass it on to the guys.....especially the world tour bit... :smiley laughing:

----------


## koman

So, here we are, Sunday evening, Dec 22nd.....   the guys have been busy on the second section of the fence.....  I'm getting quite excited about fencing lately, so I should post some more pictures just to get it out of my system for a while......



The second section well under way by mid morning today.....I don't know why but I've developed a kind of fetish for welding photos.... :Smile: 



....under the watchful eye of the foreman, who checks and inspects everything...because he knows that the project manager will be along later to check everything he's supposed to have checked.....   



This is where the land rises.....you can see the big concrete foundation block where the soil has been dug away....this is a tricky part of the operation with lots of measuring and consultations going on....



This is the completed first section.  The wife is very happy with her new fence....but the horticultural experiments go on regardless of any shock and awe tactics from the builders....



Looking across the pond you can see how unobtrusive this arrangement is.....  It keeps out the wandering cattle, dogs, cane cutters and village idiots without blocking the wind, view, or water flow. when the paddy fields are flooded in October when they open the sluice gates of the dam upriver ....and the ponds all get filled....



Here's a shot of the pond surrounded by the wife's revenue generating horticultural ventures.....which she guarantees will bring in vast amounts of revenue.... :Smile: 

 

...and here she is in her designer farming outfit.....just to shut me up...because I've been taking the piss a bit....she rooted out an armful of this stuff this afternoon and sold it for 300 baht.... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Bettyboo

Gotta say, mate - she is beautiful; you are one lucky guy...  :Smile: 

Looking at those last couple of pics, you could easily put a machine gun turret and a powerful spotlight this side of the pond. Then you could gun the invaders down with a martini in your hand... I'm liking your setup!

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## Marmite the Dog

> she rooted out an armful of this stuff this afternoon and sold it for 300 baht


They seem to drag it out of the drainage ditched next to the ring road in Udon. I don't eat it if I can help it.

Oh, bloody nice fence and agreed that it's a much better idea than yet another block wall.

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## nigelandjan

Ah morning glory!  

When you get to my age those words take von a complete new meaning  :Smile:

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## nigelandjan

Good stuff anyway mate,  loving your pics, , you have a lovely plot there

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## Bettyboo

> When you get to my age those words take von a complete new meaning


Did you have a German nanny, Nige? Care to tell us about it?

So, when's something gonna go wrong with this build? Where are the roof tiles, where are the close-ups of the bathroom tile job - I want something to whinge about...

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## nigelandjan

Don't have a Yer man nanny Betts 

But I do have a Korean fanny 

It's called a Galaxy

----------


## terry57

Very interesting build mate, good luck with it.

----------


## koman

Have we all had enough of fencing yet?...    Anyhow, I'm off on another buying trip today....oh fok...  counter top stoves, ovens, hoods.....more frigging lights....sigh.   

Still, after my successes on the toilet bowl buying trip, I'm full of confidence that we can keep this one under a million or so... :Confused: 

Next posting will be about the highly complex business of building big foundation walls...with loads of rebar and readymix.......it could actually be quite erotic for some TD members, so view it with caution.... :Smile:

----------


## BaitongBoy

> .......it could actually be quite erotic for some TD members,


Some woodies comin' on soon!...

----------


## Boon Mee

> Have we all had enough of fencing yet?...    Anyhow, I'm off on another buying trip today....oh fok...  counter top stoves, ovens, hoods.....more frigging lights....sigh.   
> 
> Still, after my successes on the toilet bowl buying trip, I'm full of confidence that we can keep this one under a million or so...
> 
> Next posting will be about the highly complex business of building big foundation walls...with loads of rebar and readymix.......it could actually be quite erotic for some TD members, so view it with caution....


Talking about counter tops, are you going with granite?  Makes a lot of sense to actually as that's one of the benny's of construction here in LOS where granite is quite affordable and lasts versus wood.

----------


## bsnub

Great thread Koman! In keeping with your earlier post I have dispatched a red. I am sure that Ant will be along shortly to do the same.  :Smile: 

Kidding! Green inbound. Keep it up!

----------


## gusG

> Have we all had enough of fencing yet?...    Anyhow, I'm off on another buying trip today....oh fok...  counter top stoves, ovens, hoods.....more frigging lights....sigh.   
> 
> Still, after my successes on the toilet bowl buying trip, I'm full of confidence that we can keep this one under a million or so...
> 
> Next posting will be about the highly complex business of building big foundation walls...with loads of rebar and readymix.......it could actually be quite erotic for some TD members, so view it with caution....


No!   The fence is not finished yet, so carry on.

Great thread, thank you.

----------


## koman

:mid: 


> Talking about counter tops, are you going with granite? Makes a lot of sense to actually as that's one of the benny's of construction here in LOS where granite is quite affordable and lasts versus wood.


Yes, kitchen counters will be granite.  We had it in out previous house....it's the only way to go really.  Looks great and virtually indestructible.....no doubt there will be some negotiations over the color though.... :mid:

----------


## koman

> Great thread Koman! In keeping with your earlier post I have dispatched a red. I am sure that Ant will be along shortly to do the same. 
> 
> Kidding! Green inbound. Keep it up!


Thanks BSnub....I don't get many greens from the Marxist, Leninist's here on TD .....just goes to show,  construction is common ground ..... :rofl:

----------


## koman

The reported buying trip went remarkably well.  We managed to get a countertop stove (gas and electric combo) and oven.....plus one of those microwave/grill combo things....plus the most fucking expensive range hood ever manufactured.  It look slit the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.... I tried, but I can't win them all.....payback for beating her down on the toilet bowls I suppose.... :Smile: 

Anyhow as promised, we will now launch into the wonderful world of foundations.....

We have driven the piles deep into the ground...5 to 7 meters....
We have excavated a square hole over 1 meter square to a depth of 60cm and cut off the tops of the pylons....
We have inserted steel cages of 40mm rebar into the hole and tied them to the exposed rebar of the pylon.....
We have erected steel box columns which have been tied into the steel cages....
We have filled the hole with concrete...about a cubic meter of it.....




Now we have formed ridges of soil between the columns.  These ridges are where the walls will be erected.




The ridges of soil are topped with a layer of coarse sand....on top of which a thin layer of cement is poured and allowed to set.... it does not look very tidy but it has a purpose...   This photo showns a rebar cage being prepared for placement on top of the ridge..   You can see the sand and cement underneath..



There's some of the rebar cages which have been placed on the ridges.....



No doubt you have been wondering why they would pour a thin and messy layer of cement over the sandy top......well, here the reason is revealed....and it's absurdly simple.  They use the cement to draw accurate lines using a chalk line....in order to place the steel cages accurately.  You can see the lines on the cement underneath..... you can't draw a nice clear permanent line in damp sand... I can't believe the trade secrets that are being given away here.... :Smile: 



This close up shown the steel cages being tied in with the steel upright columns... when it's all done we have a whole system of these very strong cages tied in with all the uprights..   These will be formed and filled with ready-mix cement in due course.



This is the prefabricated guts of a foundation wall.  This will be a load bearing wall so it's gets treated to 12 stands of 40mm rebar.   The non load bearing walls are  somewhat lighter construction, but still very strong.....we don't want the whole frigging thing coming down in the middle of dinner...do we?



Once all the steel cages are placed we start to enclose them in plywood forms which will allow the pouring of copious amounts of cement to form an extremely strong beam on top of which we can build the walls of the house.









This is what it looks like as more and more forms are placed around the horizontal steel cages.

Once this is all finished we will be able to pour the concrete into the forms.....and then we will start to make up the forms for the upright columns and fill them up with concrete too.....   a whole series of stiff erections is ahead..... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Koetjeka

> Once this is all finished we will be able to pour the concrete into the forms.....and then we will start to make up the forms for the upright columns and fill them up with concrete too.....   a whole series of stiff erections is ahead.....


Going pretty quick now, which is a good thing I guess. 

What kind of oil do they use so the forming comes off easily later?

----------


## Bettyboo

This crew are artists -beautiful work once again. Chalk and cheese to most crews I've seen on these threads.

My crew have done nothing like this stuff...  :Smile:  But, I suspect that the foundations are different due to the ground and the height/size of the structure. Very interesting pics these ones.

----------


## Wasp

You've had many compliments about your thread - and I can only agree with them all . I too am greatly enjoying the story .    I want to add something .... you take a fine photo !   Beautifully clear and well framed with no shots that are uninteresting .  Great stuff in other words .

On a separate issue would you explain the "greens"  ?   I don't know what that means when you thank people for a green .   But a fine thread . One of the better building threads .


                          Wasp
__________________________________________________  ____________________

----------


## Loombucket

A good photo thread indeed.  A nice mix of building work and natives and some good ideas on display. Each building thread has been slightly different from the last, as there is no hard and fast rule. This one has a good sprinkling of humour mixed in, so keep it coming please.

----------


## koman

> Once this is all finished we will be able to pour the concrete into the forms.....and then we will start to make up the forms for the upright columns and fill them up with concrete too.....   a whole series of stiff erections is ahead.....
> 
> 
> Going pretty quick now, which is a good thing I guess. 
> 
> What kind of oil do they use so the forming comes off easily later?


Interesting question:  I have not seen any oil or wax being used.  The forms in this case are made from nice new plywood, which does not adhere very well to concrete.   They just give them a smack with a big mallet and off the come.   May be different if you use grungy old boards....which seems to be the norm for these parts.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> This crew are artists -beautiful work once again. Chalk and cheese to most crews I've seen on these threads.
> 
> My crew have done nothing like this stuff...  But, I suspect that the foundations are different due to the ground and the height/size of the structure. Very interesting pics these ones.


The boys really appreciated your world tour suggestion BB..... :smiley laughing: 

On the matter of building height/size.  This will be a single storey building of 250 m2....  We are using Q-Con aerated block for all the walls except the bathrooms which should always be build of brick.  The roofing will be C-Pac concrete tile laid on steel beams. 
    Each column has been engineered to support 27.6 metric tons.....but the maximum load will be somewhere under 20 metric tons.  A pretty wide safety margin.  

We used pylons just to play it safe.  Nobody else around here has ever used them for a house...only 3 storey and over  ..and mostly commercial buildings.   We debated back and forth over the need for this extra expense, but in the end decided to go with them, mainly because the land had been filled just under a year ago and I did not want to take the chance of building on the fill.....so we went down to bedrock.  What the hell....it's just money after all... and it will be comforting, knowing that the kitchen will not end up a meter lower than the dining room in a couple of years... :mid:

----------


## koman

> You've had many compliments about your thread - and I can only agree with them all . I too am greatly enjoying the story .    I want to add something .... you take a fine photo !   Beautifully clear and well framed with no shots that are uninteresting .  Great stuff in other words .
> 
> On a separate issue would you explain the "greens"  ?   I don't know what that means when you thank people for a green .   But a fine thread . One of the better building threads .
> 
> 
>                           Wasp
> __________________________________________________  ____________________


Thank you Mr Wasp.... my photos have improved greatly since the wife allowed me to upgrade from my thousand baht camera...  :Smile: 

"Greens" are those little tokens of approval (reds for disapproval) that we TD'ers send each other when we really like or dislike what somebody has posted.   We call it "repo" ....or reputation if you like.

----------


## koman

> A good photo thread indeed.  A nice mix of building work and natives and some good ideas on display. Each building thread has been slightly different from the last, as there is no hard and fast rule. This one has a good sprinkling of humour mixed in, so keep it coming please.


Anyone without a sense of humour had better not attempt construction in Thailand.... :smiley laughing:     Thanks for your kind words...

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by ootai
> 
> My main concern with your fence would be preventing the steel posts from rusting at ground level otherwise I like the fence a lot and may use the same idea myself sometime.
> 
> 
> Thanks for all your kind comments ootai......I had the same concern about rusting at the bases...but everything was treaded with 3 thick coats of anti-corrosion primer and then topped off with Jotul gloss.   I think (hope) it will be ok...time will tell. 
> 
> I'll poke around to find your postings.....
> Cheers



Just to follow up on this.....I looked up ootai's threads on house building and the evolutionary shed....bloody excellent threads.... and I may just steal a couple of ideas from them.... :Smile:     Lovely house and a spectacular shed....


This is one of the great things about TD's constructions threads.....you can learn a lot while enjoying the entertainment.   I hope that somebody gets help and a bit of inspiration from my efforts too..... :Smile:     Thanks ootai....

----------


## lom

> Originally Posted by Koetjeka
> 
> 
> Going pretty quick now, which is a good thing I guess. 
> 
> What kind of oil do they use so the forming comes off easily later?
> 
> 
> Interesting question:  I have not seen any oil or wax being used.  The forms in this case are made from nice new plywood, which does not adhere very well to concrete.   They just give them a smack with a big mallet and off the come.   May be different if you use grungy old boards....which seems to be the norm for these parts....


You can use any kind of oil for this, old car engine oil that you saved for this purpose, or you can use diesel.
Concrete doesn't stick much onto new plywood for the first or two first times but after that it gets only worse and worse. With some oil on they will be like new even after being used ten times.
The surface of your concrete will also be more smooth and look much nicer.

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
> 
> You've had many compliments about your thread - and I can only agree with them all . I too am greatly enjoying the story .    I want to add something .... you take a fine photo !   Beautifully clear and well framed with no shots that are uninteresting .  Great stuff in other words .
> 
> On a separate issue would you explain the "greens"  ?   I don't know what that means when you thank people for a green .   But a fine thread . One of the better building threads .
> 
> 
>                           Wasp
> ...


If you have three minutes to tell me how to send a green I'll happily send my first to your thread .   I don't want really to ask what camera you are using as I relapse into unconsciousness when people talk about F stops and Apertures ..... but it's pretty clear that this is NOT a 1000 Baht piece of Cack !       I'll say again --- a very good thread and you're clearly appreciating that crew you have working for you .


 Wasp

__________________________________________________  __________

----------


## gusG

^  Look to the left of your post, just under where your signature is, and you will see a set of scales.

Give it a click.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Have you emptied every Thai building site of workers who know what they are doing ? Everywhere else must be going to pot.

----------


## koman

Now that Christmas has come and gone for another year....not that anyone around here noticed except me.....we can once again get on with the photos. 

In the last set I showed the rebar cages being placed and the plywood forms being fitted.



When finished we ended up with this maze of plywood covered rebar cages....ready for the concrete pour.....which unfortunately I missed because I had to leave the site for a few hours and these inconsiderate bastards went and filled the forms without me....I should probably fire the lot of them...   anybody need a building crew??... :Smile: 



Once the cement has hardened, the knock off the plywood forms and you get these delightful reinforced concrete beams which I am told are very good for building walls on. ....and they have taken the liberty of installing some plumbing underneath...

.

There's another view of the concrete beams...and they have started forming up the vertical steel pillars so they can have a dose of cement too....



...another shot of the process from another angle.....




When the forms have been filled and the cement set....off comes the wooden boxes and you get these nice reinforced pillars.   They are wrapped in plastic sheeting to stop the cement from drying out too quickly...  can't be too careful with your pillars....they hold up the roof... :Smile: 




...more of the same....different angle.



Over in the fabrication department they are hard at work making up the steel mesh for the floor cement pouring which I actually managed to photograph.....powerful and exiting stuff...don't miss it.



...and in the midst of all this activity, the termite control man shows up with his black hose.   This is to be a designated termite free zone..... I don't like termites.




Here's a close up showing the termite control tubing in place.....and a bit of drain pipe too... gotta  have drains...



This is what the whole thing looked like with all the wooden forms removed.   The pillars of the earth have risen.  We will soon be ready for the flooring slabs...concrete pouring and other exiting things..... :Smile:

----------


## charleyboy

Nice thread Koman. Could you please explain to me how these termite tubes work.

----------


## koman

> Nice thread Koman. Could you please explain to me how these termite tubes work.


They inject a chemical termite killer into the system under pressure.   The tubes distribute the chemical throughout the area and all the little termites go belly up.  

The company that installed this system uses a product from Australia which is pretty much odourless and guaranteed not to kill the human occupants of the house......which I thought was an excellent selling point.... :Smile:

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## nigelandjan

Great pics again KM mate, , looks all nice and solid down below mate

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## Bettyboo

This is gonna be a big place; 2 floors, 350 sqM Koman?

Excellent workwomanship again.

----------


## Wasp

> ^  Look to the left of your post, just under where your signature is, and you will see a set of scales.
> 
> Give it a click.


_
I still don't get this - but it's not of Life and Death importance .  I clicked on the scales . Made a nice comment .  And that's it !  I don't see anything has happened .   Are those  green blocks under the name all part of it ?   But as I say - not vastly important and I'm still seeing top notch photos .


                                         Wasp_

----------


## koman

> This is gonna be a big place; 2 floors, 350 sqM Koman?
> 
> Excellent workwomanship again.


No BB.....1 (one) floor, and 250 m2..... it's not that big....but for two people, a couple of dogs and one supercilious cat....I think it will be quite adequate.... :Smile: 

The house we are building is very much like the one we lived in for three years in KK.    We spent a great deal of time looking for a house we really liked,,,,,must have looked at hundreds of the bloody things...but none ever inspired us to buy.   Then we were shown a nice little one storey place at the end of a quiet soi....quiet;  no traffic and a very nice interior layout.    We bought it and fixed it up with a few goodies to make it feel like home.   

We really like it.  It was a really nice house,  and a nice place to live,  but over the three years we lived there, some of the neighbours changed from really nice to barely tolerable and they starting building all kinds of big farang type houses around the place and shut out our views.....so we sold it and moved out of town.   It was very easy to sell and we had numerous offers before accepting one from a couple of very nice Thai teachers...who could actually come up with the money.. :Smile: 

Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel or make a better mouse trap, we decided to just build a very similar house, only quite a bit bigger and built to a higher standard. (the KK house was 100 m2...the new one is 250 m2)    It only has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms....but all the rooms are nice and spacious and the place has been designed to have lots of light and cross ventilation....as well as a big south facing roof area, which will accommodate a bunch of solar panels later on.

  My project manager did all the design work and made a few very sensible modifications.   We had to change the roof quite a bit because of the much larger living area and the addition of a couple of good sized porches....  

I've owned and lived in a good many houses over the years. (in several different countries)  You get to know what works for you and what does not.   I'm well past the experimental stage now....and am quite happy to build something which is well proven and totally suitable for my circumstances and budget, instead of just trying to have the biggest and most pretentious building in the region.   I looked at so many big farang houses that had absolutely no appeal whatsoever....just big cavernous, soulless monstrosities that required a lot of cleaning and maintenance without providing any ambiance or comforts.    Everyone of course has their own tastes and I suppose for some people these places are just the ticket....but not for us.  

Next, I'll be posting pics of the big floor building event complete with lots of wet gooey cement photo's...... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by gusG
> 
> 
> ^  Look to the left of your post, just under where your signature is, and you will see a set of scales.
> 
> Give it a click.
> 
> 
> _
> ...



Thank you Wasp, much appreciated....your green came through just fine.   You are now a graduate of the TD school of greening... :Smile:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> I've owned and lived in a good many houses over the years. (in several different countries) You get to know what works for you and what does not. I'm well past the experimental stage now....and am quite happy to build something which is well proven and totally suitable for my circumstances and budget, instead of just trying to have the biggest and most pretentious building in the region. I looked at so many big farang houses that had absolutely no appeal whatsoever....just big cavernous, soulless monstrosities that required a lot of cleaning and maintenance without providing any ambiance or comforts. Everyone of course has their own tastes and I suppose for some people these places are just the ticket....but not for us.


Well said.




> before accepting one from a couple of very nice Thai teachers...who could actually come up with the money..


Thai banks will loan those bottom feeders anything.

----------


## koman

I'm having troubles uploading to Photobucket today....nearly all the photos failed..  so I will just go with what I've  got and try to post the promised wet cement photos  later. 

The wooden forms are all removed and the footing walls are not ready to receive a load of big preformed slabs....these will from the foundation for the floors

.

So here come the slabs.  They have been manufactured at a local plant to the measurments and specs provided by "Jeeves" my designer, engineer, project manager.   He tells me that they are designed to handle up to 450 Kgs per m2....




There they go...the first load is in the air.......



Under the watchful eye of the delivery supervisor the slabs are lowered carefully down between the pillars.   Judging by the assembled crowd, this is a popular event.   We can only hope those chains don't break, otherwise we may have a flat Thai or two.... :mid: 



The slabs are manhandled into position as they come down.  They have to be made to measure because obviously all houses are not the same size....as the more astute TD readers will know.... :Smile: 



Down they go...and thankfully they fit.    These slabs will have a thick layer of readymix cement poured over them later on.  The combination will make a floor capable of handling a bulldozer or in necessary a couple of Challenger tanks....which will be part of our defence system...as recommended by Bettyboo..... :Smile: 



With all the slabs in place, we can now start laying the steel mesh over which the layer of readymix concrete will be poured. 



Here is the steel mesh in position over a different kind of base.  This is hard packed sand over gravel...which is used in porch areas or areas where the loading in minimal and therefore has less robust foundations underneath.

You can see the little concrete spacers they make up to keep the mesh clear of the base.  The mesh is supposed to end up inside the concrete layer...not stuck to the bottom..

Unfortunately that's it for this session.  I had tried to upload some really good photos but they failed several times and my connection is working at glacial speed....

----------


## koman

My speed has soared tenfold, so here goes with a few more photos of the flooring mesh and stuff.....



Here you can see the two different types of flooring base over which we will pour the readymix....



...another view of the same thing...two floor levels with totally different bases....one of concrete slab, and the other of compacted sand over crushed rock.



...and there's the crushing guy himself.  This machine is very heavy and vibrates a high speed causing the sand to compact down very hard and ready for a good dose of cement.    I have no idea what operating this thing would do to your nervous system over time.. but it does a great nob of packing down sand or dirt... :Smile: 



Meanwhile, the rice harvest goes on without any regard whatsoever for my building efforts....



...a village elder enjoys his early morning smoke by his roadside fire....




...and my wife carries on with her plant watering no matter what....this type of.house building is for farangs... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

Must disagree with one little thing , Koman .   I think 250m2  is  VAST !!!    I like it a lot and I would like it for myself too .  But it's simply huge !   A friend in Pattaya has a house I thought was a lovely size ..... spacious and giving you a chance to breathe without walking into someone .  Terrific - and it's 144 m2 .  So I do think 250 is enormous .           But enviable too .


Wasp

__________________________________________________  _________

----------


## Bettyboo

Amazing pics again, quite a team - researching and getting hold of your building manager has really paid off.

Great attention to detail in these foundations which bodes very well for the rest of the build. I'm presuming the cost per sqM is on the high side... I think mine's gonna be about 9,000 baht per sqM (maybe less if you're just talking about the basic structure without fittings, etc), Marmite is doing even better than that, but I'm presuming your build is quite a bit more expensive, and well worth it.

----------


## Wasp

_
 koman ..... I really am enjoying looking at your build but did I miss something somewhere ?  I'll try to attach a photo of what I mean .

   No success with the photo !    I'll have to play around .  Anyway it's a photo of the concrete bases of your walls .  Everything that you are doing looks immensely strong BUT the bases of your internal walls look as though they are sitting on some loosely piled up sand with a half inch spread of cement on top which is only there in order to scour in lines .

   I must have misunderstood something there ?_

Wasp

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> No success with the photo ! I'll have to play around . Anyway it's a photo of the concrete bases of your walls . Everything that you are doing looks immensely strong BUT the bases of your internal walls look as though they are sitting on some loosely piled up sand with a half inch spread of cement on top which is only there in order to scour in lines .


Looks more like 15 - 20cm of concrete, which is more than enough for its intended purpose.

----------


## Wasp

[QUOTE=Marmite the Dog;2650857]


> No success with the photo ! I'll have to play around . Anyway it's a photo of the concrete bases of your walls . Everything that you are doing looks immensely strong BUT the bases of your internal walls look as though they are sitting on some loosely piled up sand with a half inch spread of cement on top which is only there in order to scour in lines .


Looks more like 15 - 20cm of concrete, which is more than enough for its intended purpose.[/QUOTE]

Clearly that's the small item I missed !   Wasp

----------


## koman

> _
>  koman ..... I really am enjoying looking at your build but did I miss something somewhere ?  I'll try to attach a photo of what I mean .
> 
>    No success with the photo !    I'll have to play around .  Anyway it's a photo of the concrete bases of your walls .  Everything that you are doing looks immensely strong BUT the bases of your internal walls look as though they are sitting on some loosely piled up sand with a half inch spread of cement on top which is only there in order to scour in lines .
> 
>    I must have misunderstood something there ?_
> 
> Wasp


All the bases are sitting on a ridge of dirt and sand....and in fact are mostly not sitting on anything now... because they are huge reinforced beams which are then connected to the vertical pillars.  They don't need any support from below any more than the structural girders on the 80th floor of an office tower need support from below.... they are supported by the vertical columns.    Also the walls will be built with lightweight Q-con aerated block, so there is very little load on those bases.

Any wall that bears a significant loading has been heavily reinforced as shown in some of the pics I posted.  

The vertical pillars carry virtually all of the loads...and they are mounted on 1 m3 blocks which are built on top of pylons driven 5-7 meters down to bedrock. 

Not sure if I'm explaining it very well..... :mid:

----------


## koman

> Amazing pics again, quite a team - researching and getting hold of your building manager has really paid off.
> 
> Great attention to detail in these foundations which bodes very well for the rest of the build. I'm presuming the cost per sqM is on the high side... I think mine's gonna be about 9,000 baht per sqM (maybe less if you're just talking about the basic structure without fittings, etc), Marmite is doing even better than that, but I'm presuming your build is quite a bit more expensive, and well worth it.


I don't want to get into costs just yet....because we are still a long way from completion and there is plenty of things I have in mind, which could cause cost overruns, but I think you will be quite shocked when I reveal just how little this house is costing to build.   It's under half of what some so called builders quoted me, including a farang outfit who told me to go find a budget builder closer to home when I questioned their 25k per m2 estimate..... :smiley laughing:  

As I stated previously,  I spend a great deal of time preparing for this build...and especially in finding my designer/builder....who in turn has provided a very good building team, and seems to have good sources for everything.     I would never attempt this on my own and quite honestly would not advise anyone else to do so either.   Every expat build that I have had any association with, has been a litany of minor disasters, cost overruns and a generally unsatisfactory outcome.

We are not compromising on anything quality wise...and at the moment we are still below budget..... probably because I held the line on toilet bowls... :Smile:

----------


## terry57

Another big gaff going up, amazes me what some of you guys build here in Thailand.

Great stuff.

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
> 
> _
>  koman ..... I really am enjoying looking at your build but did I miss something somewhere ?  I'll try to attach a photo of what I mean .
> 
>    No success with the photo !    I'll have to play around .  Anyway it's a photo of the concrete bases of your walls .  Everything that you are doing looks immensely strong BUT the bases of your internal walls look as though they are sitting on some loosely piled up sand with a half inch spread of cement on top which is only there in order to scour in lines .
> 
>    I must have misunderstood something there ?_
> ...


      _________________________

_
  Actually you've explained it very well .   As soon as you compared it with a crossbeam on the 80th Floor I understood .   Of course that needs no support in the centre .... the load being borne by the verticals .     Thank you .


                                       Wasp_

----------


## koman

Now that

----------


## koman

Now that the slabs are all in place; the sand has been fully compacted and the steel mesh laid...we need to water all the surfaces in readiness for the big load of cement that has been reported to have been dispatched.



Watering down the back porch floor.....



...and the side porch.   This girl has no power of speech, but she can communicate in the most amazing way.  She literally draws pictures in the air with her hands and  arms.. and most of the time she is quite easy to understand......she's a real trooper and a great worker.



...and right on cue...the Mother of all cement trucks is backing up the driveway....



....it backs up to the prepared area......under the stern directions of the foremans wife....a formidable woman not to be ignored...even by cement truck drivers....



A steady stream of readymix is poured over the prepared flooring.....



Frantic activity all around...many hands are needed to spread the cement and keep up with the flow.....but we have many hands and the job gets done....



Once the cement has been spread, it needs to be smoothed out nicely.  The foreman is really good at this... and works at amazing speed.....maybe that's why he made it into the management ranks... :Smile: 



The cement is scored or roughed before it has hardened too much.....this is to provide a good grip for when they place the tiles over it later on.



another view.....you can get an idea of the size and thickness of the beams and cement flooring here.    Someone (Marmite I think) commented on 15-20 cms.....actually the beams are 15cm thick and 60 cms deep..!!   The cement pour is about 5 cms deep over slabs which are 3 cms thick.  

You can also see how the beams here are not actually resting on anything, but are fully supported by the vertical columns.



Once the floor pouring is finished and scored, it needs to be kept wet for a day or two.  Here the foreman is keeping an eye on the curing process.  

You can also see how the vertical columns are all tied in with the beams and cement flooring.  The whole thing is now one big load of reinforced concrete....




High above the maddening crowd and all that cement business, one of my ace welders is starting to prepare the top of the columns for the roof support beams.  

 The rebar sticking out at the top will be shortened and welded to large steel plates, which will then be used as the base to which the  roof beams will be welded......lot's of good photos of that coming up in another session.....

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> Someone (Marmite I think) commented on 15-20 cms.....actually the beams are 15cm thick and 60 cms deep..!!


I was actually commenting on the thickness of the pour over the sand/mesh for your patio areas, not over the pre-cast floor slabs.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> Someone (Marmite I think) commented on 15-20 cms.....actually the beams are 15cm thick and 60 cms deep..!!
> 
> 
> I was actually commenting on the thickness of the pour over the sand/mesh for your patio areas, not over the pre-cast floor slabs.


OK got it.   Actually I got my thickness wrong in my last post too.   The poured readymix is 10 cm deep over the precast slaps. (and not 5cm as I stated) ...and somewhat thicker over the compacted sand/mesh... 12=15cm.  The cement pour was done in two parts....by two different cement trucks which arrived about two hours apart....so there's a lot of cement laying there ... :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

Is this the top-layer of rebar on the precast floor planks? What's the diameter, because they look very thin on photo.

----------


## koman

> Is this the top-layer of rebar on the precast floor planks? What's the diameter, because they look very thin on photo.


That's not rebar....it's just wire mesh.....all the floor area is covered with it to help the poured concrete bind....it's pretty heavy wire, but nothing like rebar..

----------


## Koetjeka

5 characters (can't delete post..)

----------


## Bettyboo

Everybody loves a concrete pour... A photothread of a concrete pour is right up there with the major forum highlights...

I've been looking for something to point out, a flaw or something that may need attention, but I'm rather at a loss. 

So, in the pic below, the bits of metal sticking out aren't perfectly parallel or perfectly the same length. Could this damage the build?

----------


## koman

> Everybody loves a concrete pour... A photothread of a concrete pour is right up there with the major forum highlights...
> 
> I've been looking for something to point out, a flaw or something that may need attention, but I'm rather at a loss. 
> 
> So, in the pic below, the bits of metal sticking out aren't perfectly parallel or perfectly the same length. Could this damage the build?



Yes BB, it's an absolute disaster having those bit of rebar just sticking out like that.... all non-parallel and not even of equal length.....

I do however think that once they are bent into shape and encapsulated inside a set of concrete steps they won't be so much of an eyesore.... or have any serious effect on the final result.   I can only hope... :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

> So, in the pic below, the bits of metal sticking out aren't perfectly parallel or perfectly the same length. Could this damage the build?


I guess they are part of the roof and they are in sight too!  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

What's the reason you only see this metal sticking out on the right side of the photo?

----------


## Albert Shagnastier

> ...and my wife carries on with her plant watering no matter what....this type of.house building is for farangs...


Fantastic watering cans

----------


## koman

> What's the reason you only see this metal sticking out on the right side of the photo?


That rebar is sticking out there because it will be used to anchor a set of concrete steps to the foundation beam.   That's the edge of a front porch...  I think it's always prudent to have your steps properly attached to something.... :Smile: ..

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and my wife carries on with her plant watering no matter what....this type of.house building is for farangs...
> 
> 
> Fantastic watering cans


Yes indeed.   Thailand is well in the lead when it comes to watering can technology... and so much more traditional and romantic than some pressurized irrigation system...  which I'm already being encouraged to invest in.....because of the vast revenue potential that all this horticultural adventurism is supposed to generate .... :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

> Originally Posted by Koetjeka
> 
> What's the reason you only see this metal sticking out on the right side of the photo?
> 
> 
> That rebar is sticking out there because it will be used to anchor a set of concrete steps to the foundation beam.   That's the edge of a front porch...  I think it's always prudent to have your steps properly attached to something......


Yes that would indeed be useful, hehe. 

About the watering can, I've got a similar one and really like it. It's a little heavy though.

----------


## koman

> About the watering can, I've got a similar one and really like it. It's a little heavy though.


Well my wife weighs in at almost exactly 50 kilos and she carries two of them on a yolk thing carved out of a piece of scrap wood. It provides perfect balance so she can go for hours without getting tired....  She's a bit of a watering can fanatic actually... always watering something.... :Smile:    I use the excuse of having to take lots of photos for TD to get out of this kind of thing..... :Smile:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> It's a little heavy though.


Empty them first.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

That last photo in my last photo posting shows my number 1 ace welder trimming off the excess rebar from the top of a column.   All the columns will be trimmed and have heavy steel plates welded to the rebar stumps.   This is to provide a base to which the roof beams can be welded.



Here's my number 2 ace welder working on the plate.   I was wondering about the gap beneath the plate causing an obvious weak spot.....but of course they inject cement under the plate to fix up that little problem...



Two welders, two plates....they finished all the columns in one day...and a bit....




Up goes the first of many 4 x 4 steel beams.....this is pretty heavy work.



A little bit of cleaning up the end before it gets lifted unto the plate.....might as well try to keep it nice.



...and there it is...up on the plates.  It will now be welded to the plates once the alignment is satisfactory.



Down at ground level, lots of welding going on....preparing the support beams which are of double thickness.  (ie. they weld two beams together)



Two welders working as a team.... you can see the thickness of the double beams quite well in both of these welding pics.



A bit of progress here.  All the perimeter beams will be installed first.  Then they will start on the cross beams.    A few bits of building material has arrived.....Q-Con block and roof tiles all over the place.



Quite a dramatic shot of this fellow mounting a cross beam... you will notice the very high safety standards that prevail on Thai building sites.... :Confused: 



More drama....manhandling these things is heavy and quite dangerous work.....I can just imagine a site safety inspector or trade union rep showing up for this show.... :rofl: 



I just love welding pics......this one even has a few sparks drifting down...... :Smile: 



This character is the son of one of the workers.  He spent a week or so running wild all over the site.   I mean what better playground for a three year old than a site laden with welders, grinders, cutting machines and all kinds of live electrical cables laying around.....what could possibly happen to a 3 year old???

----------


## Boon Mee

Excellent stuff, koman!  :Smile: 

You might have mentioned earlier what your budget is for this build but I missed it.  Excluding the wall & fence, I'd reckon you'll be ~4-5 mil?

That's w/out carpet & drapes.  :Very Happy:

----------


## koman

Budget????   what is this budget you speak of Booners.....    :Smile: 

This question has come up before.... but I really don't want to get into costs just yet....we have a long way to go and we are making little adjustments and additions almost daily.    I really don't have a budget as such......it will end up just costing whatever it costs.  It will not be anywhere near your estimate for the house though.....although a good few contractors and other experts told me it would be in that range, I refused to believe them.....and did a lot of my own cost research.   It too me a long time to find someone who could manage this project this based on MY estimates......but there it is.   

Once we are done, I will provide all the cost details....which I think will be quite a surprise to many folks.... :Smile:

----------


## Boon Mee

> Budget????   what is this budget you speak of Booners.....   
> 
> This question has come up before.... but I really don't want to get into costs just yet....we have a long way to go and we are making little adjustments and additions almost daily.    I really don't have a budget as such......it will end up just costing whatever it costs.  It will not be anywhere near your estimate for the house though.....although a good few contractors and other experts told me it would be in that range, I refused to believe them.....and did a lot of my own cost research.   It too me a long time to find someone who could manage this project this based on MY estimates......but there it is.   
> 
> Once we are done, I will provide all the cost details....which I think will be quite a surprise to many folks....


That's good because I was going on some recent building costs in my area.  New construction is running 3-4 mil for a 4 bed/2 story attached house. Very small yard.  This Changwat has become popular lately as it never floods.

Your house looks like there's attention to detail.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> Budget????   what is this budget you speak of Booners.....   
> 
> This question has come up before.... but I really don't want to get into costs just yet....we have a long way to go and we are making little adjustments and additions almost daily.    I really don't have a budget as such......it will end up just costing whatever it costs.  It will not be anywhere near your estimate for the house though.....although a good few contractors and other experts told me it would be in that range, I refused to believe them.....and did a lot of my own cost research.   It too me a long time to find someone who could manage this project this based on MY estimates......but there it is.   
> 
> Once we are done, I will provide all the cost details....which I think will be quite a surprise to many folks....
> 
> ...


Don't know your neighbourhood but around the last house we lived in they were building pretty low quality 3/4 bed two storey houses on ridiculous little bits of land and selling them in the five to six million range.  The number of bedrooms and bathrooms seems to be the principle measure....never mind that most of the rooms are  hardly big enough to turn around in.   

Many of the new developments around KhonKaen are hideous....the houses are so packed in you can hardly see daylight.   They also throw them together as cheaply as possible and cover up all the sins with a layer  of rendering and a lick of paint.    I don't know how long this can last.....I have not regretted for one moment the move away from it all despite the chaos, mayhem and sheer craziness of my temporary accommodation in this village.....

My daily presence on the building site along with the frequent visits and inspections by my project manager keep things under control.  My crew does a very good jib for the most part, but they do have their "Thai" moments.....like furiously building a wall and forgetting that there is supposed to be a window in it.....that happened three times.... :smiley laughing:    As long as you catch these little cock-ups right away they are more funny than annoying...and very easy to correct.

----------


## Wasp

Hello koman .             

I too wonder a little bit about what this construction will cost . Ignoring the cost of the land and the high-value toilets .  
I wonder only because every time I look through your thread I think this one thread has such clear construction steps and great pictures it's all a template for others ( me ) to follow .    But it's such a good quality of construction I can only wonder at the cost.  And specifically the cost of your manager .
 A really good template for building - because of the pictures .


                                                        Wasp

----------


## Bettyboo

> I think it's always prudent to have your steps properly attached to something......


Why? My builders didn't bother over-engineering that. Steps is steps, innit...  :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

Your places oozes quality, Koman - frankly, never seen aything like it in Thailand before...




> Many of the new developments around KhonKaen are hideous....the houses are so packed in you can hardly see daylight. They also throw them together as cheaply as possible and cover up all the sins with a layer of rendering and a lick of paint. I don't know how long this can last.....I have not regretted for one moment the move away from it all despite the chaos, mayhem and sheer craziness of my temporary accommodation in this village.....


The current place we rent in Bangmod, for the princely sum of 5,500 per month, is a 2 up 2 down house in an estate that's about 10 years old. The new ones sell for just over 2 million. They are awful. After 10 years, the foundations have all come up (I could park my car under my house, just drive straight under the foundations...), plumbing leaking everywhere, awful flooding in the sois, etc, etc. But the Thais all seem happy enough...  :Sad: 

Not everybody likes to ensure the build standards that we adhere to, mate...  :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> I think it's always prudent to have your steps properly attached to something......
> 
> 
> Why? My builders didn't bother over-engineering that. Steps is steps, innit...


Actually you don't want the steps so sink into the ground at a different rate/speed than the rest of your house, else cracks will appear in the concrete. To clarify, you might not see your house sink but over the course of 50 years it certainly does.

I'm not sure the rebar is enough to carry the steps though, or the other way around of course.

----------


## Wasp

Sorry ....... accident .

----------


## koman

About 45 minutes ago, I presented my builders with 2 cases of Leo, half a dozen bottles of Hong Thong. and 4 roast chickens.......Happy New Year..... :Smile:    I don't expect we'll see much progress for a day or two....

----------


## Roobarb

> Not everybody likes to ensure the build standards that we adhere to, mate...


What standards are you adhering to Betty...?  :rofl:

----------


## Wasp

_And a happy New Year to you koman .
_
                     Wasp

----------


## dustybookend

> Originally Posted by Koetjeka
> 
> Is this the top-layer of rebar on the precast floor planks? What's the diameter, because they look very thin on photo.
> 
> 
> That's not rebar....it's just wire mesh.....all the floor area is covered with it to help the poured concrete bind....it's pretty heavy wire, but nothing like rebar..


It does look thin, nothing like as thick as the mesh used in slabs in Oz, in fact it looks like fencing mesh. Maybe just my eyes though since the standard of the construction so far is remarkable.

----------


## koman

^

This mesh seems to be causing some concern.  It's not as thin as it looks from the angle in that photo.    It is actually quite robust.    

So here is the stuff from another angle and close up.  You can also see the concrete spacers used to life it up above the base.



This is actually lite rebar fabricated into a mesh on site by my highly skilled and creative engineering department... :Smile:

----------


## koman

The team had a bit of a bash on site yesterday evening .....all the Leo and Hong Thong has gone....and this morning bright and early they all headed back to their home villages for the local festivities.    Just two (the foreman and his wife) have stayed behind to keep an eye on things and feed the various livestock they brought with them...  They seemed very grateful for the booze and chicken.... two new years this year.....good deal... :Smile: 

Anyhow, with the various threads running and a good bit of discussion about building materials and suchlike.  I though maybe it would  be worthwhile posting a few pics of the things we are using to erect this monument to the Thai construction industry.

Not everyone is familiar with Q-Con block, but it's the preferred material these days.  Developed in Germany, it's been around for quite a while now and is well proven.   It has excellent insulation qualities and is very easy to cut and work with.  The builders love the stuff.



This is Q-Con aerated block.....all our outside walls and most of the interior walls are built with it.   It's very light weight too.....




This is what a cross section of Q-Con looks like close up.  It has an internal structure not unlike coral....which is pretty tough stuff.   All those little cavities give it it's insulation qualities.



...and your basic red brick...durable and cheap.  Bathroom walls are/should be build with this... or anywhere that has a lot of moisture.




One item you can never get any general agreement on is roof covering.    This is our choice....C-Pac cement tile.   We have lived in two houses over the past six years which had this exact kind of roofing.  It is extremely  durable; reasonably priced and despite concerns about it's potential as a heat sink.....it keeps the house cool as long as you have a nice big attic space with really good cross-flow ventilation.....and in our case 3 layers of "Stay-Cool" insulation material.

This area gets some very high winds from time to time and this kind of roofing will stand up better than just about anything.



Steel beams for the roof.   They were painted with anti-corrosion primer.....five coats of the stuff!!!   It took several days to prepare them.....but we have to do all we can to stop them  from rusting and having the place coming down around our ears..... :Smile: 



The insides were spray painted using a pretty decent looking compressor and paint gun.....



There's our head paint guy.....his feet were quite well primed by the time he'd finished too......must be really good for the skin that stuff... :mid: 



The flat side was painted with brushes and rollers......



Pre-fabricated floor slabs. These provide the base over which the ready-mix cement is poured.  You end up with a very strong floor which can accommodate several of even the fattest farangs per square meter..... :Smile: 

No building thread would be complete without a few pics of the sewage disposal system.... :Smile: 



...so here is our splendid septic tank.  1600 liters....double chamber affair and guaranteed to take care of all the shit you can dump into it..... :Smile: 

...and as soon as the hyper-active bacteria in the tank break down all the shit and stuff.....you have a system of sewer pipes to carry the treated material off into the wilds....



This is heavy cement pipe....8 inch diameter...with the inspection boxes which are placed every 8 meters along the pipe.....so it can be opened up and flushed out if any blockage should occur.....although that is highly unlikely.  

I'll do a separate post on the installation and expose the wonders of septic systems too all those who never imagined such extraordinary devises existed.... :Smile: ................but I still have a whole section on roof beams, welding and things of that nature to post.....so next time we can get back to that...

*Happy New Year* to all TD'ers....even the ones who are not building anything.... :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

> ...and your basic red brick...durable and cheap.  Bathroom walls are/should be build with this... or anywhere that has a lot of moisture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One item you can never get any general agreement on is roof covering.    This is our choice....C-Pac cement tile.   We have lived in two houses over the past six years which had this exact kind of roofing.  It is extremely  durable; reasonably priced and despite concerns about it's potential as a heat sink.....it keeps the house cool as long as you have a nice big attic space with really good cross-flow ventilation.....and in our case 3 layers of "Stay-Cool" insulation material.


Our house design uses Q-Con blocks for all the walls, even the bathrooms.

Your roof tiles look a lot like the ones we picked, same color as well. We could have gone with upgraded ceramic tiles, but decided to save some money on those. Sounds like we made a good decision. We have a large attic space, with 6" of fiberglass insulation (I plan to add more next year - pay some Thai guy to go up there and roll it out.). There's soffit vents but I don't see any real way for hot air to vent out. PD House says the gaps under the roof tiles allow for hot air to ventilate. We'll see. I'm still thinking a whirlybird on each end will certainly help that space "breathe".

I really like our roof truss system. All galvanized steel and screwed together. It seemed pretty solid when I tried to move it.

We've got two septic tanks (1600 & 2000 liters) each with overflow to 2 dry wells arranged in series. I haven't used a septic tank since I was a kid growing up in my parent's old house.

Happy New Year and thanks for all the pics.
Steve

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> ...and your basic red brick...durable and cheap.  Bathroom walls are/should be build with this... or anywhere that has a lot of moisture.
> 
> 
> ...


I discussed roof tiles with my project manager (who just happens to be a professional engineer with about ten years experience in construction)    I looked at the new flat interlocking tile...the ceramic tile...and various other options.    The interlocking and ceramic tile is quite a bit more expensive,  so I asked him if it was worth the cost...."will I have a better roof".??....his response after a few minutes reflection was " No you won't have a better roof...just a more expensive one"  

I followed your thread on the building of the "Chateau Rickfarang" and it's a very impressive place.  You seem to be housing a good part of the Thai population there, so I'm not surprised that you have such septic tank capacity.   There's just the two of us, so 1600 liters should do the job....being as the wife can only drink about half a can of beer in 24 hours....which leaves about 1599.5 liters of capacity for me.... :smiley laughing:     We will have dry wells for the outflow as well....

That PD pre-engineered truss system is very good indeed.  We looked at something similar but again for the difference in cost it was decided that the regular cheap old steel beam welded together would do the trick.....as long as the welds are done right and you lay on lots and lots of anti-corrosion paint.  I'm just building a regular hours....not a Chateau..... :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

> I discussed roof tiles with my project manager (who just happens to be a professional engineer with about ten years experience in construction)    I looked at the new flat interlocking tile...the ceramic tile...and various other options.    The interlocking and ceramic tile is quite a bit more expensive,  so I asked him if it was worth the cost...."will I have a better roof".??....his response after a few minutes reflection was " No you won't have a better roof...just a more expensive one"  
> 
> I followed your thread on the building of the "Chateau Rickfarang" and it's a very impressive place.  You seem to be housing a good part of the Thai population there, so I'm not surprised that you have such septic tank capacity.   There's just the two of us, so 1600 liters should do the job....being as the wife can only drink about half a can of beer in 24 hours....which leaves about 1599.5 liters of capacity for me....    We will have dry wells for the outflow as well....
> 
> That PD pre-engineered truss system is very good indeed.  We looked at something similar but again for the difference in cost it was decided that the regular cheap old steel beam welded together would do the trick.....as long as the welds are done right and you lay on lots and lots of anti-corrosion paint.  I'm just building a regular hours....not a Chateau.....



Chateau Rickfarang ?   Who's Rick ?? LOL

I know people have commented on the size, but it was of my choosing. The wife wanted something smaller (and still grumbles occasionally about it). If I do decide to retire there, I want something of a good size that I can shuffle around in.

That house design standard is the 2 septic tanks, one on each end. While I fully expect her family members to hang around, I don't anticipate having to house them all. She has a pretty cool cousin that I get along very well with. He doesn't speak much English, but we communicate well anyway and he's always looking out for me. But he lives nearby in a house they built just last year. I'm expecting to house her brother and half-sister, but that's ok. I'd rather have them around anyway when I'm away. We'll also get my youngest daughter up from Hat Yai sometime next year. And we've got a little boy coming in late March or early April.

Happy New Year !

Steve (not Rick !!!)

----------


## koman

> Steve (not Rick !!!)


Opps....sorry, not sure where the "Rick" came from..... so "Chateau Stevefarang" it is than. :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

> Originally Posted by stevefarang
> 
> Steve (not Rick !!!)
> 
> 
> Opps....sorry, not sure where the "Rick" came from..... so "Chateau Stevefarang" it is than.


Yeah, I did see something the other day that the new in-thing for big houses in the USA is a moat. 
Maybe we need a moat for the Chateau ???   :smiley laughing: 

You should see what an hold high school friend of mine is building (actually converting) in Morocco. People bitch here about the Thais, they've got nothing on the Moroccans. Nothing gets done unless he is there. He's hired foremen to supervise, nothing gets done, but his money was spent. Fortunately, he lives in Paris, so it's easy for him to drop down there. He's been at that project longer than we've been building our house.
He's slowly getting there, but I keep teasing him that his house design screams for cannons mounted up on the roof. It really looks like a Chateau, with high solid walls. When it's done, it should be pretty impressive and I look forward to going there one day to visit him.

----------


## Koetjeka

> This is what a cross section of Q-Con looks like close up. It has an internal structure not unlike coral....which is pretty tough stuff. All those little cavities give it it's insulation qualities.


Yep, thats areated concrete. It's insulation qualities are 10 times as bad as normal insulation though. You can of course build walls with them but they are normally used in complicated situations where you want to avoid thermal bridges (example: the ends of a flat roof).
Were they expensive by the way?




> There's our head paint guy.....his feet were quite well primed by the time he'd finished too......must be really good for the skin that stuff...


I'm actually surprised they paint the inside too, I've seen a lot of buildings where they don't care!




> Pre-fabricated floor slabs. These provide the base over which the ready-mix cement is poured. You end up with a very strong floor which can accommodate several of even the fattest farangs per square meter.....


Nice stuff, where did you order them and how much can they carry?

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> PD House says the gaps under the roof tiles allow for hot air to ventilate.


Apparently heat doesn't rise, water runs uphill and electricity doesn't run to earth in Thailand...

----------


## koman

> There's soffit vents but I don't see any real way for hot air to vent out. PD House says the gaps under the roof tiles allow for hot air to ventilate. We'll see. I'm still thinking a whirlybird on each end will certainly help that space "breathe".


I think PD House is talking a lot of bollocks... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   You need decent sized gable vents to allow proper cross ventilation.   I'm not sure what "spaces" PD is talking about.....the air can't pass through the roof tile and that's where it's headed when it heats up. 

  Soffit vents will allow some cooling air to be sucked in as the attic heats up,  but unless the heated air can be moved through the attic space efficiently the heat build-up will be enormous in very hot weather.   Obviously a thick layer of insulation material above the ceilings will help a lot but the cooler you can keep the attic space the better.   Extractor fans are a big help too... and if you don't have any gable vents, they are probably essential in order to keep the air conditioning bills lower than the US National debt..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> This is what a cross section of Q-Con looks like close up. It has an internal structure not unlike coral....which is pretty tough stuff. All those little cavities give it it's insulation qualities.
> 			
> 		
> 
> Yep, thats areated concrete. It's insulation qualities are 10 times as bad as normal insulation though. You can of course build walls with them but they are normally used in complicated situations where you want to avoid thermal bridges (example: the ends of a flat roof).
> Were they expensive by the way?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sorry, I don't know the exact prices because the project manager does all the buying and I have taken myself out of that part of the project.    I think the Q-Con runs from about 7 or 8 baht per block up...depending on the thickness.    They are quite a bit more than the standard cement blocks, but they are also a  lot bigger, so you don't need as many.  

The floor slabs are rated at 450 Kg per m2....and probably run about 200Thb each

.....the costs of all these things seems to change almost daily so anything you are told is quite likely to be obsolete by the time you read about it.... :Smile:   Even sand and gravel prices go up and down by 50 baht or so per m3 between breakfast and dinner.

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> Even sand and gravel prices go up and down by 50 baht or so per m3 between breakfast and dinner.


Actually, prices seem to go up and down based upon whether it's a quoted price or what they ask you to pay.  :Sad:

----------


## koman

Now that we have all that New Year nonsense out of the way, we can get back to the serious business of roof building, sewer laying and other fascinating activities.

A couple of posts back, you saw photos of the early stages of roof building complete with glowing welds and acrobatic stunts high above the concrete floors... now we can continue....

The perimeter and cross beams have been installed.  Now we have to erect the ridge beams and all the sloping stuff.

Before the ridge beams were installed the place looked like this.  A shot from the driveway....complete with a model posing on the scaffold...





Here's some vertical beams going up... and the beginnings of the ridge beams.



There's a better view of the proceedings...



Welding ridge beams in place.



The roof ridge is taking shape now....



After a few days of cutting, welding and hammering we are getting quite a maze up there.



Not to be outdone by a bunch of welders, the block laying guys are showing off their stuff down below.




It's starting to bear some resemblance to a house at last.



....but it's hard for the block layers to compete with the kind of spectacle that the roofers can put on.... these guys hop around on the beams like monkeys....no fear, no safety harness...no brain??   



In the late afternoon sun, the place taken on a kind of "Golden Temple" look.....



Ace welder number 1 checking his work....below the brick wall of a bathroom glows nicely.



....a last quick look around before quitting time..    we are nearly ready for the roof tile I think... that's another team of specialists who come all the way from KhonKaen.  We think it best to bring in people who actually know how to do this kind of thing....roofs are important, especially during the Monsoon..... :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

Wow that looks like a great roof in the making! It's a exactly like my neighbors' new house, which is a really nice house by the way.

Are those battens shaped like a hat? They seem to be similar to the ones I used, very cheap but long span is possible.





> .roofs are important, especially during the Monsoon.....


Yes they certainly are important, 'luckily' it's not going to rain for another 6 months  :Razz: 

//edit: I forgot another question, why didn't they connect the ends of the rafters with a small beam, like a so called "ring beam" around your roof?

----------


## koman

This is what they do  to the rafter ends...



Those end pieces are then used to mount the facia boards.....



Like this.... :Smile: 

Notice the guy holding up a level to check the vertical in that window space.....how Thai is that??? :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

> Like this....
> 
> Notice the guy holding up a level to check the vertical in that window space.....how Thai is that???


Oh okay, I see. Looks pretty neat!  Funnily it's exactly like my neighbors' house, really.

I've never seen a Thai using a spirit level!

----------


## Bettyboo

That is a work of art, and has no place on a Thai construction thread. Mods, please move this thread to the art subforum where it rightfully belongs.

----------


## koman

> That is a work of art, and has no place on a Thai construction thread. Mods, please move this thread to the art subforum where it rightfully belongs.


Mods please disregard this request....BB is getting carried away.....it's just welding and a bit of block laying after all.... :rofl: .....or were you referring to my creative photography BB ??.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

We just arrived back home from the local HomeMart.   We were presented with a special gift reserved for only the very best customers:



A blanket fit for a King....  try not to burn up with envy...

I'll post some more roof and sewer installation photos later......I know everyone loves sewer pics..... but  you will just have to be patient... :Smile:

----------


## koman

The continuing saga of a roof build.....

After all the welding, cutting, and acrobatics. we are ready for the roof tile.   This is one of those jobs that can be done by the local villagers but you may end up with your tile overlapping at the top instead of the bottom, so it was decided to import a roofing contractor from KhonKaen  where they build the finest of roofs.



The first job is to get this lot up to the roof....and that's just one pile....there are 3600 of these things and no lifting gear....



...actually, the first job is to have breakfast.  These work crews always arrive without breakfast for some reason... so a few fistfuls of sticky rice sitting out there in the dirt is the way to get the day off to a good start.



With a belly full of sticky rice it's time to get the show on the road.   This chain gang approach works remarkably well....and they can move a hell of a lot of tile without all that machinery and crap that us farangs use.



In a few hours they are knee deep in tiles up there..  time for more sticky rice and coffee...this is heavy work.



The team splits up and works on different sections of the roof at the same time....progress is much faster than I every dared to hope....  The guy on the scaffold is building one of the 60 x 60 columns for the front porch.



When all the flat parts are tiled, on go the ridge tiles.  This is a bit tricky.  They are cemented into place and big metal troughs are placed under the joints at the bottom of the "valleys".  Hopefully this will make it rain proof......which I think is a very good characteristic of a roof.... :Smile: 



Another shot of the ridge tile going on.....if you look carefully at the bottom of that "valley" you can see the end of the metal trough sticking out.



Here a 4 man team is working on one of the longer ridges. It's quite a tricky job....this is why you bring in  "roofers" who have done this a thousand times and hopefully figured out how not to fuck it up....



Lots of cutting involved along the seams... messy sort of work.



This is a member of the roofing team that completed the entire job in a day and a half.   Last week she married one of the block laying guys.......things happen fast on my site..... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Koetjeka

It's a marvellous looking roof, sometimes Thai workers actually deliver a good job (not often though  :Razz: ).

I'm always scared the roof-tiles will fall off when they stack them up just before hanging the tiles, did all tiles survive the trip to the rooftop? Did anyone get one of those heavy bastards on his safety cap-less head or safety shoe-less foot?

----------


## koman

> It's a marvellous looking roof, sometimes Thai workers actually deliver a good job (not often though ).
> 
> I'm always scared the roof-tiles will fall off when they stack them up just before hanging the tiles, did all tiles survive the trip to the rooftop? Did anyone get one of those heavy bastards on his safety cap-less head or safety shoe-less foot?


Thanks Koetjeka....I'm well pleased with it. Hope I can still say that after the Monsoon rains...  The roofing team was very professional and worked very quickly and efficiently.  

No casualties so far although I never cease to be amazed at how these folks survive.   There have been quite a number of WTF moments for me...   like seeing a guy casually strolling along a 4" wide beam 20ft up,  in flip-flops and rolling a cigarette....they really are in a class all by themselves.... :mid:

----------


## koman

I shot a few pictures of the roof from the inside, for anyone who can't resist roof photos.    It looks a bit complicated, but it's really not....at least to people who design and build roofs...



This is looking from just inside where the front door will be, toward the back of the house, where the kitchen will be.....






In this shot you can see the big metal trough which is placed under a roof joint at the bottom of a "valley".   I suppose that T bar thing is there to support it?



Close up of the support beams.  Again you can see one of the metal troughs up there.



Looking towards the front.  That big open triangle will be the gable over the front porch.  It will have a big louvered vent to allow the hot air to be expelled.  When the roof spaces are properly vented the air can  come rushing out of the vents like a jet engine when the weather is really hot.

Nobody was impressed with my blanket...?   Fuck me, you guys are hard to please.... :Smile:

----------


## patsycat

I like your blanket.

----------


## Bettyboo

That is an amazing roof. I have been looking at pictures of Paris, so called Art Architecture:





I reckon your place is better. I'm shocked how good a job they can do; the inside and outside of that roof, frame, tiles, etc, is a thing of great beauty. In fact, I've given up Japanese AV sites and have just started to focus more on this thread. The quality of workman and workwomenship is astounding for your average Somchao and Porntip...

----------


## Koetjeka

[drool mode]
The louvre, one of the most wonderful buildings ever. 

I like your blanket too but as always I don't really trust the Thai welders, it's all so fragile (not the steel, the weldings).

----------


## Bettyboo

^ For the money, I reckon Koman got a much better deal...  :Smile:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

It seems someone forgot to install the reflective heat barrier under your storage heaters (tiles).

----------


## koman

Funny that Paris and that pyramid thing should show up here......my project manager told me (ages ago) than one of his professors at university was a French engineer....from Paris...  it actually nearly put me off hiring him at the time, but then I recalled that the Frogs do manage to put up some pretty nice buildings, and when it comes to steel erection they are really quite good.... :rofl: 

I'm greatly relieved to hear that my blanket has met with some approval....thank you Patsycat... :Smile:    These guys have no idea how hard I had to work to win an award like that.

Marmite; you must try to get over your hatred of cement tiles... :Smile: 

They don't put a reflective barrier under the tile.....the insulation (with reflector barrier) is placed on the ceiling (on the top side....don't wish to confuse anyone)

The cement tile will absorb heat,  but the underside is kept cool by the air currents flowing through the attic. Any heat which radiates down is radiated back up by the top of the insulation barrier.   Strong convectional currents are generated and the heated air is blown out through the vents.   Some people install thermally activated extractor fans to speed up the process, but I've not found this necessary in previous houses with this arrangement.  If it should become necessary, then I will do it....but we get very good cooling breezes here most of the time so that helps a great deal with the attic air flow.

I picked up one of those tiles that had been out in the sun all day.  The glazed size was pretty hot but the underside had stayed quite cool, and that was without the benefit of any air current....so this idea that glazed cement or ceramic tiles are unsuitable for this climate is just not the case.   When it's finished, come visit, bring your thermometer and check it out.... :Smile:

----------


## helge

> Our house design uses Q-Con blocks for all the walls, even the bathrooms.


Not a problem if you treat them correctly afterwards

Koman :
I notice your "walley".  How wide is the metal ?

And I see that they let the stones go together.

Could be a problem over the years with leaves and stuff blocking the water flow

I'm curious: Have you had a solid downpour yet ?

----------


## koman

> Koman :
> I notice your "walley".  How wide is the metal ? 
> And I see that they let the stones go together. 
> Could be a problem over the years with leaves and stuff blocking the water flow 
> I'm curious: Have you had a solid downpour yet ?


I think the metal trough is about 40-50 cm wide but I've not been that close to be sure.

Not sure what you mean about the "stones" being together?   If you mean where the tiles meet at the seam.....yes they are butted together and cemented along the seam....then the metal trough is underneath as a precaution against any possible leakage.   Not much chance of leaves blocking anything around here.... :Smile: 

...and as a matter of fact we did have a huge downpour...just a few days after the tile was finished.  It rained heavily all night and much of the following day.   The place was like a lake....but the roof held up and all the workers had abandoned their shacks to take shelter inside the house.... :Smile:    About as good a test as we could have hoped for.

----------


## helge

> About as good a test as we could have hoped for.


I agree

Just never seen it done like that

----------


## koman

> I'm shocked how good a job they can do; the inside and outside of that roof, frame, tiles, etc, is a thing of great beauty. In fact, I've given up Japanese AV sites and have just started to focus more on this thread. The quality of workman and workwomenship is astounding for your average Somchao and Porntip...


I'm sure my guys will be delighted to hear that their work is outperforming your Japanese AV sites... :rofl: 

Bear in mind that these guys are not your regular "village" crew.  They are experienced builders and a few would actually meet the definition of "tradesman" or "artisan"   Most have worked on sites in developed countries under the supervision of western site management.    My two welders worked in Libya on a project for the Colonel, overseen by a Canadian engineer from Toronto.  Apparently he was an outstanding guy, who treated his crews really well,  so they think  all Canadian's are demi-gods.....which probably helps my case a bit....so I sharpen up my Pacific NW accent when they are around.... :Smile: 

The real secret is the project manager. Nobody can oversee and direct a bunch of Thai workers like another Thai who is highly educated, refined and socially connected.  It's just the way things seem to work here.

----------


## stevefarang

> Originally Posted by stevefarang
> 
> Our house design uses Q-Con blocks for all the walls, even the bathrooms.
> 
> 
> Not a problem if you treat them correctly afterwards


Would you mind clarifying the "treat them correctly afterwards" ?

Thanks !

Steve

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> Marmite; you must try to get over your hatred of cement tiles...  They don't put a reflective barrier under the tile.....the insulation (with reflector barrier) is placed on the ceiling (on the top side....don't wish to confuse anyone)  The cement tile will absorb heat, but the underside is kept cool by the air currents flowing through the attic. Any heat which radiates down is radiated back up by the top of the insulation barrier. Strong convectional currents are generated and the heated air is blown out through the vents. Some people install thermally activated extractor fans to speed up the process, but I've not found this necessary in previous houses with this arrangement. If it should become necessary, then I will do it....but we get very good cooling breezes here most of the time so that helps a great deal with the attic air flow.  I picked up one of those tiles that had been out in the sun all day. The glazed size was pretty hot but the underside had stayed quite cool, and that was without the benefit of any air current....so this idea that glazed cement or ceramic tiles are unsuitable for this climate is just not the case. When it's finished, come visit, bring your thermometer and check it out....


I'd love to get the Midget to bake some bread in your loft when finished.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> I'd love to get the Midget to bake some bread in your loft when finished.


Damn, why did I not think of that.....I just spent a load of cash on a goddam convection oven.....wonder if Global would take it back?.... :Confused:

----------


## koman

I think I've probably done enough roof photography for a while.   Actually this thing is progressing so fast, I seem to be running out of things to take pictures of....

Today they were rendering the outside walls.  Rendering is a pretty tedious business and not very photogenic.  I had to try really hard to produce anything that might be worth looking at.   

I've also included a few miscellaneous shots of this and that....

*RENDERING THE OUTSIDE WALLS

*

The first thing to know about outside wall rendering, is that it is mostly done by cowboys.   This is Sombat from Casper, Wyoming.  A fine renderer when not on the Rodeo circuit.



This poor fellow looks scared shitless by the sudden appearance of his shadow.....



Once he made friends with his shadow, they worked very well together.....two workers for the price of one...no wonder this place is so cheap to build...



Rendering always looks like shit at first....good thing they smooth it out a bit....


*INSIDE RENDERING* and other things inside....



The inside walls are mostly finished and still drying out. 



There's the conduit for the electrical connections to the main panel. 



More conduit....for various kitchen outlets.  All wiring is run through conduit....fully grounded with GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter with 30 mA setting)  protection for bathrooms and kitchen.  May as will try to avoid electrocuting oneself I always say...

Notice the gap between the top of the wall and the roof beam.....I learned something here.    My designer/builder told me that you should never allow the beam to rest on top of the wall.  The steel beams expand and contract with temperature changes and the flexing can cause cracks to appear in the wall.  The big support pillars are there to handle the roof load....not the walls.....I think we've touched on this before, but here it is again... :Smile: 



This is a close up of the double wall supporting a large panoramic window in the dining room.  It's a three part thing, and pretty heavy so the manager though it best to double up the wall support.... good man Jeeves.



There's the dining room window.... We arranged to put all the big windows on the North side because they will be under a big roof extension and never get the sun on them, but still let in lots of light.   All the windows on the South side will be smaller to mitigate the effects of having the sun shine on them most of the day.    Fiendishly clever..wot...   The North side also has views of the hills whereas the South windows just have views of the neighbours house.... :Smile: 

*SOME OUTSIDE STUFF..*



The 2000 liter water tank arrived today. Looks OK for a water tank I suppose....



A close up of the roof trough that Helge was wondering about.... The roofers defiled our nice facia board when they cut it to install this thing.   I was about to launch a law suit.....but then realized that this will be hidden behind an eaves-trough (Gutter) or whatever you call those things in  your part of the world, so I told my lawyer to put it on hold... :Smile: 



Best of all, I found some Marmite approved roofing material on site.... :smiley laughing:

----------


## helge

> Would you mind clarifying the "treat them correctly afterwards" ?  Thanks !  Steve


Well, building regulations says that use of Q Con for "wet rooms" is ok, as long as the walls is sealed.  With glossy paint for example

Wet zones should be sealed with "rubber sealant". Goes for concrete walls and floors too (esp upper floors)

I doubt that Thailand uses these regulations  :Smile:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> Well, building regulations says that use of Q Con for "wet rooms" is ok, as long as the walls is sealed. With glossy paint for example


Or tiles, as per 100% of bathrooms.

----------


## helge

> Originally Posted by helge
> 
> Well, building regulations says that use of Q Con for "wet rooms" is ok, as long as the walls is sealed. With glossy paint for example
> 
> 
> Or tiles, as per 100% of bathrooms.


Hmm

Some bathrooms haven't got tiles from floor to ceiling, but has the upper meter or so painted

Knowing my 'technical english' is very limited, let me just say that Q Con absorbs water easily and that you can have fungus problems if not careful

Even with tiles in your shower area, you should apply (?) the 'rubber skin', cause tiled floors and walls are not waterproof

In theory

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by helge
> ...


So, you're saying the upper part of a bathroom that isn't tiled (but rendered) gets more exposure to water/moisture than an outside wall?

I don't think so.

----------


## helge

Get your point

Maybe that's why q-con isn't used for outside walls anymore

At least not in the rainy cold climate I originate from


Apart from that, yes, I do think outside walls dries up faster and better than poorly vented bathrooms


Still...bathroom walls that are untiled should be painted with "waterproof" paint unlike outside walls/facades, which must be able to 'breathe', or your paint will peel off

It's painting for beginners

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> It's painting for beginners


Best not let a Thai do it then.

----------


## stevefarang

> Get your point
> 
> Maybe that's why q-con isn't used for outside walls anymore
> 
> At least not in the rainy cold climate I originate from
> 
> 
> Apart from that, yes, I do think outside walls dries up faster and better than poorly vented bathrooms
> 
> ...


All my walls are Q-con, interior and exterior. And I do believe PD House  has been doing this for quite a few years, with no problems. The houses  they built, that we toured before doing ours, looked fine and no signs  of fungus in bathroom or exterior walls. 

But all our bathroom walls are tiled anyway. 

Steve

----------


## Wasp

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

*koman* ................ with my little knowledge of tiling a roof in England they put a nail through the tile into a wooden batten and then overlap .

On your rather spectacular roof do you know how the tiles are attached ?

I'm guessing they put a bolt through or some kind of metal clip .

And that means some pretty accurate lining up of the battens .

Do you know how they attached them ?

.... and no I don't like the hard-won blanket.


............. *Wasp*
........................

----------


## Wasp

............
Forgot to say it's still an outstanding build .


*Wasp*

----------


## Wasp

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

----------


## koman

> ................
> 
> *koman* ................ with my little knowledge of tiling a roof in England they put a nail through the tile into a wooden batten and then overlap .
> 
> On your rather spectacular roof do you know how the tiles are attached ?
> 
> I'm guessing they put a bolt through or some kind of metal clip .
> 
> And that means some pretty accurate lining up of the battens .
> ...


The tiles are attached by drilling into those horizontal alloy beams (battens if you like) which do seem to have been lined up pretty accurately....and then a big self tapping screw or bolt. 

Sorry you didn't like my blanket.....you obviously have poor taste in bedding materials.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

Well, I did say a few posts back that this question of Q-Con and bathroom wall building was controversial.  Virtually all of the big contractors are using Q-Con for both outside and interior walls now.....but most are still insisting on brick for bathrooms.    I talked to my own guy about this before we started and again he recommended brick,  so that's what we used.

It probably does not make that much difference after it's all buried under an inch of cement and covered in tile.....but there must be some reason why so many experienced builders do it this way.  Maybe it's just a question of erring on the side of safety??

PS  I did read somewhere on a  forum (not sure which one now) where a guy was talking about having moisture wicking through his wall from a bathroom into another room and staining the walls... but knowing how some of these builders throw things together,  it could be just gaps between the blocks that were not filled with cement properly or something like that.  Who knows??

----------


## Koetjeka

> It probably does not make that much difference after it's all buried under an inch of cement and covered in tile


If you tile until the ceiling sure it doesn't make a difference, however if you don't, you want to have hydrophobic blocks. Who tiles till the ceiling anyway, that's like throwing away money.

----------


## stevefarang

> It probably does not make that much difference after it's all buried under an inch of cement and covered in tile
> 			
> 		
> 
> If you tile until the ceiling sure it doesn't make a difference, however if you don't, you want to have hydrophobic blocks. Who tiles till the ceiling anyway, that's like throwing away money.



I don't know, I think tile all the way to the ceiling looks pretty good in our house. And yes, we have all Q-con blocks in every wall. Sheet rock in bathroom ceilings are the moisture resistant type (green color if I recall).












 :Smile: 

Steve

----------


## Wasp

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

*koman*.............

The tiles are attached by drilling into those horizontal alloy beams (battens if you like) which do seem to have been lined up pretty accurately....and then a big self tapping screw or bolt. 


_WOW !!   That's a lot of drilling !   

I had assumed those battens came predrilled cos that's an awful lot of drilling to do .

Wasn't it 3000 tiles ?   

That's a lot of work - and they were certainly quick .
_

*Wasp
*

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

----------


## koman

> The tiles are attached by drilling into those horizontal alloy beams (battens if you like) which do seem to have been lined up pretty accurately....and then a big self tapping screw or bolt. 
> 
> 
> _WOW !!   That's a lot of drilling !   
> 
> I had assumed those battens came predrilled cos that's an awful lot of drilling to do .
> 
> Wasn't it 3000 tiles ?   
> 
> ...


Yes it is a lot of drilling but then there was a lot of people...    They worked in pairs...with one guy drilling right through the hole in the tile and the other guy would just zap the screw in with his big power driver.  Very fast actually.   Asia is kind of an alternative reality at times... look at that wall the Chinese built with hoes and baskets.....and a few million dedicated coolies....just to keep out a few troublesome Mongols.... :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

> I don't know, I think tile all the way to the ceiling looks pretty good in our house. And yes, we have all Q-con blocks in every wall. Sheet rock in bathroom ceilings are the moisture resistant type (green color if I recall).


Of course it's up to the owners of the house, if you like to tile to the ceiling by all means to so, it's just a matter of taste. Personally I don't like it so I'll need hydrophobic blocks. 

In your bathroom the tiling looks superb by the way.

----------


## koman

> In your bathroom the tiling looks superb by the way.


Stevefarang's house is palatial so it's no surprise that his bathrooms are dazzling.    I looked at his tread some time back and decided to give him some competition....but I just could not come with the 1 million baht per bathroom....I will tile all the way up to the ceiling....but my cheap Chinese toilet bowls are going to let down the side.....too bad..... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> The real secret is the project manager. Nobody can oversee and direct a bunch of Thai workers like another Thai who is highly educated, refined and socially connected. It's just the way things seem to work here.


Agree with that; has worked very well for you from the start. I had a similar plan, got a hiso architect and was gonna get him to oversee the build, but then I went in the extra cheap direction instead... Folks who are spending proper money would do well to follow your lead here, imho.



See, that's what we're talking about; you've got conduit inside the walls... That's posh; you'll be tiling floor to ceiling in your guest suite en suite next...  :Smile: 

In a few weeks, you'll get the joy of seeing my FiL's brother (who has worked for the lecci company for years...) hang the wiring from nails on the wall!

----------


## Wasp

... look at that wall the Chinese built with hoes and baskets.....and a few million dedicated coolies....just to keep out a few troublesome Mongols.... :Smile: 


That's a bit strong calling them hoes .

----------


## stevefarang

> I don't know, I think tile all the way to the ceiling looks pretty good in our house. And yes, we have all Q-con blocks in every wall. Sheet rock in bathroom ceilings are the moisture resistant type (green color if I recall).
> 			
> 		
> 
> Of course it's up to the owners of the house, if you like to tile to the ceiling by all means to so, it's just a matter of taste. Personally I don't like it so I'll need hydrophobic blocks. 
> 
> In your bathroom the tiling looks superb by the way.



Thanks very much. 
Your previous comment implied that there is no need to tile all the way up that's all. Yes, it is a preference. But the way you said it bothered me a little, to be honest. 
My place here in the USA has sheetrock walls in the bathroom with a fiberglass tub/shower insert.




> Originally Posted by Koetjeka
> 
> In your bathroom the tiling looks superb by the way.
> 
> 
> Stevefarang's house is palatial so it's no surprise that his bathrooms  are dazzling.    I looked at his tread some time back and decided to  give him some competition....but I just could not come with the 1  million baht per bathroom....I will tile all the way up to the  ceiling....but my cheap Chinese toilet bowls are going to let down the  side.....too bad.....


Thanks Koman, but I don't think it's palatial. yes, it's big and roomy, as I wanted, but it's hardly Versailles. And I'm happy you think we spent 1 million baht per bathroom ! Yes, I splurged a little more on the master bathroom, but it's mine dammit !

The wife is already complaining about the seats on the toilers in the other bathrooms. She likes the more expensive one in the master bathroom. We may have to upgrade them, sometime later.   :Very Happy: 

Steve

----------


## koman

> In a few weeks, you'll get the joy of seeing my FiL's brother (who has worked for the lecci company for years...) hang the wiring from nails on the wall!


There are pro's and con's in every situation BB....having the wires stapled to the outside of the wall does make fault finding a bit easier...and less expensive to re-wire if and when necessary... :Smile:   I rented a house in Hua Hin one time that had this type of setup... I found it interfered with the look of the art display and the cat would sometimes chew on the wires...so I can't really recommend it as a way forward for those with pets.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> The wife is already complaining about the seats on the toilers in the other bathrooms. She likes the more expensive one in the master bathroom. We may have to upgrade them, sometime later.


I hear you.....but if you read back to my toilet buying trip post.....I may have found a solution to this type of problem, although there can be a downside.  I did manage to get her out of the 20K toilet bowl section into my 5K section and won my arguments......but it's probably cost me 200K since,  on other buying sprees.....

On second thoughts...maybe best to just let her have the upscale toilet seats.... and save on the Persian rugs, crystal chandeliers and whatever else a women can come up with as basic necessities. ....... :ssssh:

----------


## koman

*SEWER SYSTEM BUILDING.....*fascinating for one and all....

A while back I introduced this interesting and useful devise....



...our fashionable but highly functional 1600 liter septic tank.... the wife wanted pink but they only come in black....



This is some of the stuff that will become attached to the tank...



First we need a big hole in which to place our tank....and this fellow is just the man to dig such a hole.



This shot is strictly for the female TD members.....hole digging gives a man some muscle..... enough on that.



Once we have our hole sorted out, we can place the tank in it and start connecting it to the disposal system.



The outflow pipe from the septic tank is now connected to this secondary tank....which will in turn be connected via a 60 meter series of pipes to a third tank... I mean civilized people don't just shit out in the bushes do they??



...and there goes our piping...winding it's way though the Papaya, lemon grass and whatever....  Those box things are inspection hatches and can be opened up for flushing etc.



Once the pipes and inspection boxes are all cemented together we can fill in the trench.



The septic tank is buried and this is all you get to see....this is the opening hatch for inspection and pump out...which needs to be done once in a while, although if the system is working properly that should not be a frequent occurrence.



The secondary tank and third tank also get covered up and buried....same same...



Down in the village, serious discussions take place and even the village council discuss some of the strange things the new farang seems to be doing....



...out there in the paddy fields, a couple of the building crew are catching and collecting the breakfast rats......grocery shopping is an ongoing chore no matter what the farang needs doing.



The Monks are out getting their groceries too.....



....while the early sun and our new fence reflects in the still pond....  looks like another find Isaan day ahead... :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

> Thanks very much. 
> Your previous comment implied that there is no need to tile all the way up that's all. Yes, it is a preference. But the way you said it bothered me a little, to be honest. 
> My place here in the USA has sheetrock walls in the bathroom with a fiberglass tub/shower insert.


Sorry, I didn't mean any harm.



Wow that's some nice drainage, did they glue the components together or did they use cement for that? Do you know what the pitch is? It should be around 0,5% (5mm/m1) I've heard.

Shouldn't this lady be on her knees? This is very disrespectful, right?

----------


## koman

They use cement.  The pipe and box connections are all concrete.

The "pitch" is more than adequate.....the land itself has about a meter drop in elevation from the front of the house to the pond, so the natural drainage is pretty good.

The old lady would not be expected to get on her knees....she probably can't anyway.....probably if she as 25 with tattoos and bling....it might be considered disrespectful..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

A few photo's from today's crop.   The electricians arrived around lunch time....as well as a truck load of roof insulation....and a guy to start making the preparations for ceiling installation.



This is the main line coming in from the pole.   It's a 200Amp service and the cable from the house to the pole will be underground.



Not sure the lead electrician want's to be photographed..... :Smile: 
Actually he's a really friendly guy....just caught him at a bad moment there....



Two of them running the BX cables back to junction boxes for distribution around the house.



Closeup of the BX cables.....in case anyone is not sure what they are.



The lead guy's wife, who ably assists by cutting cables and wires to any lengths and specifications requested from above....



She then passes the needed wire up to the guys on the platform..



...where it will be inserted into the metal tubing and then down the PVC conduit....
The light circuits will be wired for dimmer switches so we have quite a nice colour collection going in there.



....like this....



...and as if by magic....the wires appear at the bottom, where they are intercepted by Mrs Electrician...   The wonders of Thailand.... :Smile: 



Just look at all that stuff.  I do hope these guys understand what all the colours mean....getting them mixed up can cause quite a lot of drama.... :mid: 



Back in what will one day be a kitchen,  we find a ton of what is supposed to be the latest and greatest in fiberglass insulation.   We'll put in two layers of this stuff and see how that goes.  It's easy enough to add more if needed....just money, right... :mid:

----------


## Bettyboo

More excellent pics. There's a lot to love about that pooery system. & the wiring is different class - where's the staple gun?

----------


## koman

> More excellent pics. There's a lot to love about that pooery system. & the wiring is different class - where's the staple gun?



Thanks Betty, you are always a great morale booster.  Saves me from flouncing when people don't show adequate appreciation for my blanket.

  Staple gun?....oh yes that would be for installing the insulation up in the attic.  A staple gun won't work well on BX and PVC conduit....you need to brief your FIL on this as soon as possible.. :Smile:

----------


## koman

Today I will continue with the electrical installation.  It's still in the early stages but some good progress is being made.   This is where the tradesmen really show up.  This stuff requires training, skill and knowledge....although just about everyone in Thailand is a budding electrician.....the number of fires and electrocutions does not speak highly of the competence level.....



Conduit secured to a roof beam......running along the North wall of the living room.



A living room junction box with BX fed down conduit to some wall outlets below....and a big nest of wires just hanging there.....I'm sure they must be going somewhere soon.



There's a nice close up of a wired splitter box.



Amazingly the correct wires always show up at the switch or outlet.... these guys are good.... :Smile: 



Bit of conduit work along the roof beam in the main bedroom.   They even look quite parallel.  To bad all this artistry will be hidden above the ceiling.



As the day wore on the conduit was spreading here and there....looks like about another two or three days of this....we shall see.



Another electrician spreading wires in another direction.   They are all steady methodical workers.....almost devoid of Thainess... :Smile: 



Here we have a nice colourful display of all the wires used.  So for those who want to try this for themselves
Red and Black  are always live.
White is neutral
Green is ground or (earth)
Yellow is designated for circuits with high draw....Air conditioning....water heaters.
Blue is for circuits with light dimming switches (rheostats)

For some people this can get quite confusing of course because different countries use totally different colour coding.....but this one is really very good IMO.



While these guys are showing off and acting all smug....the really skilled work is going on over by the staff quarters.  Washing instructions on clothing labels are way more complex than electrical work.....at least for me.... :Smile: 



...and before anyone can connect a single wire.  a big sticky rice breakfast and a bit of village gossip is required.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^
Yes about time a pic of the workers eating. Unfortunately I haven't got one on my thread because I am normally stuffing my face with sticky rice and SomTam with them. :Smile:

----------


## koman

> ^^^^
> Yes about time a pic of the workers eating. Unfortunately I haven't got one on my thread because I am normally stuffing my face with sticky rice and SomTam with them.


I've been known to sit down and eat with them too...but being the project's official photographer is a very demanding job with tight deadlines and crushing responsibility,  so it's not really a regular thing.... :Smile: 

Am I wasting time posting all this electrical and sewer stuff?  Not getting much feedback lately...  maybe everyone has been overloaded with construction details...???    I'll get to tiles, ceilings, bathroom things and whatever else comes up in due course.  Not much to photograph at the moment...other than more conduit and wires.... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^
No mate you are not wasting time posting the electrical stuff, I along with everyone else am lost for words how professional and perfect it looks. The sewer system on your place is probably better than any build on this forum or any build in Thailand.

----------


## koman

> ^^^^
> No mate you are not wasting time posting the electrical stuff, I along with everyone else am lost for words how professional and perfect it looks. The sewer system on your place is probably better than any build on this forum or any build in Thailand.



Well, thank you for that.BD.  I thought maybe a bit of information overload was taking place.   People seem to like photo threads, so that's what I'm trying to do....put out lots of photos.

  Glad you like my sewer...I sort of designed it myself...and yes the electrical work is first rate even by western standards...so I though it would be worth showing just what a few real Thai electricians can do on a bottle of M150 and a fistful of sticky rice.... :Smile:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

The first bit of dodgyness I've seen so far - twisted together wiring wrapped in tape. Otherwise, your crew far surpasses any of the rest of ours.

----------


## koman

> The first bit of dodgyness I've seen so far - twisted together wiring wrapped in tape. Otherwise, your crew far surpasses any of the rest of ours.


Universal practice in Thailand.  I mentioned it to the project manager and he says as long as you use 3M tape it's perfectly good....but if I want it replaced with plastic/copper twist on connectors, they will do it.    The problem is that the boxes are too small to get all the connectors in so you probably create more of a hazard by jamming everything in so tight. ....another controversial subject in Thai construction projects... :Confused: 

PS  The tape problem seems to be the result of a proliferation of cheap and inadequate product on the market.  3M electrical insulating tape has been around since the 1940ies and it's still by far the best.   It does not dry out and come unstuck like much of the other stuff out there.   I'm OK with it because I've used it myself both in buildings and boats for many years,  and never had any problems at all.

----------


## lom

> and yes the electrical work is first rate even by western standards.


Not really but it is a good job by Thai standards.




> The problem is that the boxes are too small to get all the connectors in so you probably create more of a hazard by jamming everything in so tight.


There is nothing preventing you from having another box directly after the first one :Smile: , or why not one of the grey pvc boxes available in many sizes and with halfway cut through holes for conduit connectors.

Metal boxes was standard when I was young (an eon ago) and so was lead mantled cables but it is long since some genius cracked the idea that one should not introduce additional metal in electrical installations when you don't have to.
Industrial installations may require it but usage of single isolated wires is then not allowed.

----------


## Wasp

Koman ......

..." Am I wasting time posting all this electrical and sewer stuff?  Not getting much feedback lately... "


No *koman* you are not wasting your time with this stuff .  I admit I look at it and don't think about commenting .....  but I know also that I am storing it away for future knowledge .

It's damn good stuff .

................  Wasp 
.............

----------


## Roobarb

> Am I wasting time posting all this electrical and sewer stuff?





> your crew far surpasses any of the rest of ours


I think a lot of us are left somewhat speechless by what a good job they have done.  Well done Koman, it's setting a new standard as to what is achievable here if you set your mind to it.

I'm just happy that I have no photos to share of the quality wiring and plumbing in my place.  I wouldn't want to be duplicating on my thread what you have already posted here...  :Smile: 

Not sure if I've mentioned it yet but I'm greatly enjoying seeing how your place is coming together so well.  Keep the photos coming...

----------


## koman

Thanks guys.  I won't dwell on the twisted wire/tape arrangement or ask the guys to rewire the place over it.   I spent 35 years in the commercial/industrial insurance business as a broker, claims adjuster and manager. In those years I must have seen many hundreds of fire claims and investigations.     A good many were the result of electrical faults of one kind or another, but I cannot think of one that was caused by this particular situation.   In many western countries we tend to overwhelm problems rather than just overcoming them.  The Thai way is somewhat less over-reactive..... :Smile: 



The guy who drives this truck is my lead electrician and he supports 3M tape......and that's official....and he does not really give a shit how they do things in Cardiff, Chelsea or even New York city..... :Smile:    Oddly enough I'm getting the same way.... :Smile: 



...a more pressing concern is that somebody has turned the main bedroom into a Pikey camp.... these folks do have a way of just taking over at times... :Smile: 



I think the camper owns this motorbike and sidecar.  He's the IT manager here....so he uses CD's as reflectors.... they seem to work quite well too.... :smiley laughing: 



The whole place is alive with raggety dogs, chickens....we even have our own cock fighting team out back.    It's a microcosm of rural  Thailand crammed into a few rai.....



There they are  "Koman's Killers"....the cock fighting team.  Thai's are obsessed with this shit.....



Soaking down the walls for rendering early this morning.  They are on the home stretch now....about 20 meters of wall and half a dozen pillars to go....



The first cement mix of the day.  There will be many more before quitting time.  I had  no idea how much cement they use. It's far more than I ever imagined.



The head of security has worn himself out playing in the rice husk stack..... maybe I'll have to get gun turrets and mines after all..

The electrical is moving along but not in a very photogenic kind of way.   I'll post a few pics of the finished job....tape and all..   In the meantime it looks like Thailand's champion bathroom tile layer has arrived.   I'm looking forward to some serious tile laying....but he's wearing an Arsenal shirt..???  WTF....now what?

----------


## nigelandjan

It's probably fake mate,  his tile layers certificate,  similar to his Arsenal shirt

----------


## charleyboy

Can't understand why Thai's don't use angle bead, it's far quicker!

----------


## koman

> Can't understand why Thai's don't use angle bead, it's far quicker!


What is "angle bead"?  I for one have not hear of it...at least not by that name.

----------


## koman

> It's probably fake mate,  his tile layers certificate,  similar to his Arsenal shirt


 :rofl: 

   No doubt...Thai's have been known to get fake qualifications....we'll have to see what kind of job he does in the en-suite.  We'll let him start on the smaller job first and go from there.

----------


## koman

> I'm just happy that I have no photos to share of the quality wiring and plumbing in my place.  I wouldn't want to be duplicating on my thread what you have already posted here...


I think maybe you're being a bit too modest.  Your place looks great...although I've not seen any electrical work.... :Smile:     Every thread has a different type of project and different approach.     

Mine is about a permanent full time residence for me and my wife, so I decided to do the best possible job on it.  It's really not a complicated house, and it's not really that big but I wanted it to be comfortable, functional and a place I could sit down in, look around and feel like it's home.     I glad people are enjoying the thread and the photos......as someone said a while back...it's a bit like a building project manual     

We can all learn something from each others experiences,  mistakes and successes.   

Thanks to everyone who has sent compliments, greens, or just visited.  I'll keep this going as long as there is something to keep going with.... :Smile:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> Originally Posted by charleyboy
> 
> 
> Can't understand why Thai's don't use angle bead, it's far quicker!
> 
> 
> What is "angle bead"?  I for one have not hear of it...at least not by that name.


This stuff.

----------


## koman

Thanks Marmite.  It does seem to have an angle of 90 degrees or so.   I assume it's used in corners for something in places like Cardiff, but how would it make tile laying in my bathrooms "much Quicker" ?    If it was that great the Thai's would be onto it in a flash.....you know how progressive they are... :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

> Thanks Marmite.  It does seem to have an angle of 90 degrees or so.   I assume it's used in corners for something in places like Cardiff, but how would it make tile laying in my bathrooms "much Quicker" ?    If it was that great the Thai's would be onto it in a flash.....you know how progressive they are...


It's always used when you apply stucco so you get nice corners that don't crumble off.

//edit: I said always but I meant usually since in Thailand they rarely use it -_-

----------


## bankao dreamer

My workers think angle bead is the work of the devil and are praying at the sight of it right now.

----------


## Roobarb

My workers wouldn't be able to use it anywhere on our place unless it came with in angles of either 80 or 100 degrees.  Right angles would be completely useless.

Although thinking about it, a length of angle bead could now be handy for them to mix varnish with, irrespective of the angle its set at.

----------


## koman

It was too good to last I suppose.  If you wait long enough, some imbecile will show up. 

   The ceiling installation guy.  who as it turns out.  has taken up residence along with his very severe wife in the main bedroom, decided that it was OK to hang wet towels, bags of Papaya, miscellaneous clothing and other odds and ends on big nails which he had hammered into our nice newly rendered wall..... :Confused: 

WTF kind of mentality does it take to go into someone's new house and do something that fucking stupid.   

Rather than run this pair of morons off the site at gunpoint, we called the project manager.   I don't know exactly what he said to them, but within half an hour or so, all the nails had been extracted and the holes nicely filled.    The wife has gone around looking seriously pissed off at me all afternoon.. she no doubt feels very offended that someone would object to having six inch nails banged into  their bedroom wall....when  that's what they use at home in their own bedroom... :Smile: 

An Isaan moment....for sure.

----------


## Bettyboo

I feel a warm flow of pleasure surge through my body, is this wrong?  :Smile: 



It must be very annoying to be onsite at such times. Not easy to keep controlled. Nigel would have gone spastic over this; rightly so...

----------


## koman

I did go spastic but just for an instant.  I must have absorbed enough cultural sensitivity not to confront these people in public....and besides I pay the manager to deal with shit like this.   I've been lucky so far and I don't want to interfere with the karma.... :Smile: 

Anyhow my tile guy has been at work today.  Thankfully he ditched his Arsenal shirt and dressed in something more appropriate for an artist.....



Here he is, working on a bit of mosaic....might as well get the hard stuff out of the way quickly.



Looks quite pleased with himself....and that Van Gogh hat is soooo right for the work underway here.......and the pink sweater too..... :Smile: 



Routine wall tiles are pretty boring after that Alhambra wall mural thing.....



Bit of finished corner work.  That's his wife down there doing some grouting.....she's a very good grouter apparently.... :Smile:     This is the shower area in the en-suite off the main bedroom.    Pretty small area and not easy to photograph.....

*And now for something completely different......
*


Up there on that there scaffold is the fuckwit who hammered nails into out new wall.... he is installing all the hanging stuff for the suspended ceiling.



There's a bunch of his stuff.....aluminium hangers hung over roof beams.....very light but also very strong.



Then he installs these alloy beams.   The hanging parts are spaced just right for the rolls of fiberglass insulation to fit snuggly between them....and of course they will hopefully hold up the ceiling too.



Close up of the alloy beams.  I picked one up and it's incredibly light.  Hard to believe these things can support a big area of ceiling, but then there's a lot of them and they are amazingly strong.   They build Air Buses and Boeing passenger jets out of similar stuff so it must be ok.... :mid: 

.

There they are from another angle..   The guy is a really good steady worker.....but the fucking nails in the wall bit really threw me..... you sometimes have to tolerate a lot to get things done in this part of the world....oh well....at least Bettyboo can take the piss for a bit..... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

That's really very nice indeed. Where do you import these people from; they are most certainly not grown in Thailand.



Wait til he is nearly done then kick that scaffolding from under him!

Just out of interest, before the unfortunate and fatal workplace accident, check if he speaks French, and the roof frame chappesses; I bet they bloodywell do!

----------


## bsnub

> I spent 35 years in the commercial/industrial insurance business as a broker, claims adjuster and manager.


That explains a few things....the next hated after bankers and lawyers are insurance crooks. Opps I should not post that in this thread but it was to good to pass up. Glad the house is coming along nicely.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> I spent 35 years in the commercial/industrial insurance business as a broker, claims adjuster and manager.
> 
> 
> That explains a few things....the next hated after bankers and lawyers are insurance crooks. Opps I should not post that in this thread but it was to good to pass up. Glad the house is coming along nicely.


Thanks Snubbles......hope you're freezing you nuts off there......and as one of your greatest President's once said "I am NOT a crook"..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Where do you import these people from; they are most certainly not grown in Thailand.


This guy is about as Thai as you can get....lives in a shed, rides a Wave, drinks Hong Thong....and rolls his own cigs from sawdust.    He learned how to lay tile in Bkk and worked for a few Hi-So builders before coming back to Gods country up here... not sure about the ceiling guy.....I think he may be Welsh...... :rofl:

----------


## Bettyboo

^ Welsh? Kick the scaffolding away right now!  :Smile: 

^^I thought he said: "I didn't inhale".

----------


## bankao dreamer

It was too good to last I suppose. If you wait long enough, some imbecile will show up. 


HaHa beat ya hands down our imbecile the recently sacked builder boss turned up on day one. Oh shite thats not really good is it  :Confused:

----------


## nigelandjan

Great tiling shots Kman,  nice one really like your bathroom. 

It's a shame the wheels had to come off with the nails in the wall,  feel for you mate,  unfortunately when you get into the final stages of decoration in my experience it gets worse.

 It's good you had a go and also vented it on here,  this acts as a kind of release valve at times,  chance to share the pain.

 All I can say is those of us who have been there and done it can relate,  Betty, s still got this pleasure point to come   :Smile:

----------


## koman

Thanks Nigel.  This sort or thing is not entirely new for me.  I've done a bit of renovation and finishing work on a previously owned house here.   I think this one just caught me off guard a bit, because the whole project so far has been going like clockwork.   

The original work crew are mostly finished now and many of them have left.  We are now dealing with new sub-contractors for the specialized stuff like electrical, tile work etc.   The electrical folk are great....the tile guy is great...quiet, diligent and good at his job....despite the Arsenal shirt... :Smile:  

The ceiling guy seems good as far as his work is concerned but he's definitely a bit rough around the edges in every other way.  Compared to his wife however his is the very model of civility and orderly behaviour.... she's the kind of woman who in more developed parts of the world,  ends up in a freezer....in a basement.. :Smile:  

Unfortunately we don't have a basement....or a freezer just yet....

----------


## crepitas

h


> I shot a few pictures of the roof from the inside, for anyone who can't resist roof photos.    It looks a bit complicated, but it's really not....at least to people who design and build roofs...
> 
> 
> 
> This is looking from just inside where the front door will be, toward the back of the house, where the kitchen will be.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great thread mate...impressive building standards.

Is there a reason why the inside floors are _bomb proof_...using the plank method would have been good if underneath hollow for services? The sand and mesh for the outside area is plenty strong enough for roads and driveways after all.

Re the roof tiles ...can't see usual gal wire tie downs..did they forget or is my eye sight bad..you said it gets windy?

The doubled up c sect steel for the roof ? Is there a reason why they are not the usual heavy steel oblong section?

Just curious..no criticism intended..makes our house look like it was built by the first and second little pigs...

----------


## koman

[QUOTE="crepitas"]Is there a reason why the inside floors are bomb proof...using the plank method would have been good if underneath hollow for services? The sand and mesh for the outside area is plenty strong enough for roads and driveways after all. 

Well we are expecting civil war and the new world order is coming, so we though it best to have a bomb proof building.... :Smile: 


The planks are laid as a foundation for the cement pour.  The area underneath the planks is hollow and has things like plumbing pipes and termite control tubes down there.  



Re the roof tiles ...can't see usual gal wire tie downs..did they forget or is my eye sight bad..you said it gets windy? 

They use big self tapping screws driven into those heavy alloy battens....... not wire.


The doubled up c sect steel for the roof ? Is there a reason why they are not the usual heavy steel oblong section? 

You got me there.....I don't know what the "usual" oblong section is?....this is just the way they built it....and I'm no roof expert....or anything else to do with construction for that matter. 

  I just go along with what the designer/engineer/project manager advises.   He's designed and managed builds for the big sugar mills so I suppose he knows what will hold a roof up.....hopefully.... :rofl: 


Thanks for the interest....trying to answer questions just helps me to  understand just how little I really know about this stuff.... :Smile:

----------


## crepitas

> h
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> I shot a few pictures of the roof from the inside, for anyone who can't resist roof photos.    It looks a bit complicated, but it's really not....at least to people who design and build roofs...
> ...


Just another observation: While I personally think conduit in domestic applications is totally redundant....I note that there are no pull-thru nylon strings in the conduits..gonna be somewhat labour intensive getting the cables in?

----------


## koman

> Just another observation: While I personally think conduit in domestic applications is totally redundant....I note that there are no pull-thru nylon strings in the conduits..gonna be somewhat labour intensive getting the cables in?


They have already got all the cables in....no trouble at all.  This is Thailand....everything is much easier here because the workers are so competent and energetic....you must be thinking of those over trained, unionized, fussy twats back home.... :Smile:

----------


## crepitas

> Originally Posted by crepitas
> 
> 
> h
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


You may want to request your Canadian engineering bloke to request use of a draw string blower..spool of nylon attached to a blower that send the line through the conduit?

----------


## crepitas

> Originally Posted by crepitas
> 
> Just another observation: While I personally think conduit in domestic applications is totally redundant....I note that there are no pull-thru nylon strings in the conduits..gonna be somewhat labour intensive getting the cables in?
> 
> 
> They have already got all the cables in....no trouble at all.  This is Thailand....everything is much easier here because the workers are so competent and energetic....you must be thinking of those over trained, unionized, fussy twats back home....


5555 godonya....fair enough ....did ya think to have them  drag in some coax for all those TVs and/or internet?

----------


## Marmite the Dog

How many times are you going to quote those bloody roof pictures?

----------


## koman

> ....did ya think to have them  drag in some coax for all those TVs and/or internet?


Of course...can't leave out the TV and Internet can we....all services are underground too...we're not living in the bush here you know... :Smile: 

...oh you you've upset Marmite so FFS don't repeat those roof pics again....... :ourrules:

----------


## bankao dreamer

FFS don't repeat those roof pics again

Ooh Nearly very nearly

----------


## Bettyboo

> Betty, s still got this pleasure point to come


lalalalalalalala la la la la, la, la, la, la...

Lovely roof, but enough is enough already!

----------


## Wasp

*Koman*......".....If you wait long enough, some imbecile will show up. 
   The ceiling guy hammered big nails into our nice newly rendered wall....."
WTF kind of mentality does it take to go into someone's new house and do something that fucking stupid ?


*Koman*  ....... I wrote in defense of the many Thai guys who do excellent work .
And you backed them up too .

Now remember I do not swear ........  But Yes - this thing about banging nails into walls , beams , columns and then hanging plastic bags on them with all sorts of shit inside drives ME absolutely fucking crazy too .

I still admire their work ( 96% of the time )  but it's like they cannot SEE the mess they make !

When we started on our renovation I saw the guys popping the tops off bottles of drink and then stamping the bottle tops into the soil .
I'm a calm guy .... but I really exploded . Because when you start looking around you see there are two thousand of the things stamped into the ground .

Now maybe it's a cheap way of metalling the road but I don't think that's the idea .
Even Missy thought I was a bit crazy making such an issue of it - but it's more about the slack attitude . 

I even had bins around for the crap !

So I'll turn around and agree with you 120% .

The nails in the newly rendered wall are an issue that's worth killing for !!!!!

............. Wasp

................Buy a freezer .
................

----------


## koman

^
Indeed.  However good the work they do, there are times when you just want to shoot some of them....  They just march to a different drummer...but if you want to get the job done, you just take a deep breath and tell yourself that one day they will all be gone..... :Smile: 

Quiet day today.  Not much to offer in the photographic department, but in order to keep the thread moving along, I'll offer a few bits and pieces from todays photo expedition.



The kitchen ceiling frames were finished my noon today.....



...as was much of the rest of the house......



...and our intrepid ceiling installer has started laying the insulation already.



He has redeemed himself somewhat, by making much more suitable arrangements for hanging up his belongings.....and there is not a nail to be found in the walls now... :Smile: 



Being a true Isaanite, he travels in style......and he is a creative genius.  His motorbike is also a fish drying plant.....



He puts his freshly caught fish in the front basket and just drives around in the sun and wind for a few days....and Voila.....dried fish.... :Smile: 

Today we began the planning and building of the concrete driveway.....



Lots of measuring involved.  We need to slope the thing away from the house and of course make sure it terminates at the gate....



Elevation is what this is all about....a bit of grading is needed so we will be getting a big tractor with a blade in here in a day or two.



The finest measuring devise of all time...water never fails to find it's own level....foolproof technology.



The gate does not line up with the parking area at the house, so a nice curved driveway is called for.   We will try to put as much artistic drive into this enterprise as we can.  Nothing worse that a bland and ugly driveway.... :Smile: 

Because there was not much new and exiting to photograph today, I though I'd try a bit of creative photography.... here are a couple of shots,  with what I though were suitable captions.....


*MEN AT WORK*


*ASSHOLES*

OK...I won't push my efforts at artistic expression..... two is enough..... :Smile:

----------


## stickmansucks

Thank you for this thread.

----------


## koman

^

You are quite welcome...glad you're enjoying it.... :Smile:   Here's a bit more for you....

Today was another slow day..  No electricians, no tile guy, no ceiling guy....all  taking a day off to steel themselves for the next great burst of energy no doubt.

In view of this slack period, I think it's a good time to introduce our new team member....R2D2 of Starwars fame.      With such diligent workers, it just does not seem right to measure their results with the kind of primitive devices that are the custom here.  

 

Here he is.  Only about one foot tall and very young, but he can do great things.



You just stick him out on the middle of the floor and turn him on....He shoots laser beams out all over the place and shows you if somebody did not use their square or level properly.   No more plastic tubes with water on this site.... :Smile: 



Here R2D2 is checking the vertical on this column.....can't get much more vertical than that... :mid: 



There he is heading into a corner....seems pretty vertical too.....




The tile guy has been working on the second bathroom, but is off today....may as well check up to see how he's doing.   Vertical and horizontals are just about perfect.   I'm glad.  I like the tile guy...he's one of the most civil and polite people you could hope to meet....Maybe I'll have a medal or a cup or something made up for him if he keeps this up.... :Smile: 



You can just twist R2D2's head and he moves his laser beam over to any place you want to check.....the tile guy has done a really good job it seems....whew....



We keep checking line by line.....can't find a bloody thing out of line anywhere....the time guy must have some kind of built in gyroscope or something.... :mid: 



I'm not sure exactly what is being measured here....but it's a nice combination of the old and primitive combined with the StarWars approach.....I suppose we'll never really be able to get rid of the good old tape measure.... :Smile: 

And now, I have the pleasure to announce yet another award.

  Yesterday evening we were presented with a marvellous gas water heater.   The A/C company came over and installed it and everything....I was bitching about cold showers in the wife's village house and how civilized people don't wash in freezing cold water .....



A truly great piece of kit.....and tastefully decorated too.... The wife now wants me to send back the two electric heaters we bought for the bathrooms and get a couple of these gems.   I have to admit the thing works really well....and is immune to electrical failures.   More decisions.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ did you say gas water heater? Why can't you make do with electric like everybody else?

----------


## koman

> ^ did you say gas water heater? Why can't you make do with electric like everybody else?


I do.  This was a gift with free installation and a tank of gas.     Thing is, it works better than any electric heater I've ever tried.  The water gets hot instantly, even when the inflow in really cold.. and the flow is really good.  

 You can't electrocute yourself on it because it works on a couple of D cell batteries....although I suppose you could blow up the place if the gas hose was faulty, but let's not get bogged down with minor details.... :Smile:    ....and as I said, if the power is off you can still have a hot shower when your ass if freezing off, like back in December around here.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ how much are they? Sound quite interesting - can you run them off your main gas cylinder or do they need their own special gas canister?

----------


## Wasp

Where can I get an R2D2 ?

Does it level itself if the floor is slightly off ?

.......W

----------


## koman

> ^ how much are they? Sound quite interesting - can you run them off your main gas cylinder or do they need their own special gas canister?


Not sure because it was free....but the wife tells me 4000 Thb up  (it's that "up" bit that always gets me) ....and yes you can run them on any propane tank.   I also believe you can get them without Mickey Mouse on the front.  You can have Pluto, Donald Duck, Tweety Bird etc......in various colours... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Where can I get an R2D2 ?
> 
> Does it level itself if the floor is slightly off ?
> 
> .......W


Don't know, it belongs to my project manager, but I can find out if you like.  I only met R2D2 for the first time this afternoon.    I don't think the floor being off level would fool him in the least...he's a very clever little bugger.... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

I think he's a SUPERB little bugger !!!!!

Wasp

----------


## koman

> I think he's a SUPERB little bugger !!!!!
> 
> Wasp


I'll try to remember to ask about prices and source next time I meet with Jeeves.... :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

> Where can I get an R2D2 ?
> 
> Does it level itself if the floor is slightly off ?
> 
> .......W


It kind looks like a cheap thing so I guess not. You have to do it manually for each "leg".

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
> 
> Where can I get an R2D2 ?
> 
> Does it level itself if the floor is slightly off ?
> 
> .......W
> 
> ...


That's my belief too but I did not see Jeeves adjust the legs.  It would be a very simple matter to do so....something like the legs of a camera tripod...and there would be a level indicator on R2D2.       I do think however he and many of his robot friends would be very offended at being called a "cheap thing".    They are quite sensitive you know.... :Smile:

----------


## ootai

koman

R2D2 is leveled by adjusting the legs so that the bubble on the top is exactly in the middle of the circle, check your post 265 and you will see it looks a little bit off centre to me.  As for the tape measure I would guess someone is measuring the distance to the wall at R2D2 and then measuring the distance at the far end of the wall to check if the wall is square.

Now for your gas heater, please be very very careful as there have been many people die because they did not ventilate the bathroom while using these types of devices.  Electricity does not burn oxygen but gas does.  Please take the time to google this subject and you may be surprised. From memory they were banned in Australia and removed from all public housing.

I too would be interested in learning where I could get my hands on my own R2D2.  I have my own level that I set up on a tripod, so that I dom't need a water hose, and R2D2 would complement that to help me set up squares and verticals.

----------


## koman

> koman
> 
> R2D2 is leveled by adjusting the legs so that the bubble on the top is exactly in the middle of the circle, check your post 265 and you will see it looks a little bit off centre to me.  As for the tape measure I would guess someone is measuring the distance to the wall at R2D2 and then measuring the distance at the far end of the wall to check if the wall is square.
> 
> Yes, that all makes perfect sense.  Thank you.
>  
> Now for your gas heater, please be very very careful as there have been many people die because they did not ventilate the bathroom while using these types of devices.  Electricity does not burn oxygen but gas does.  Please take the time to google this subject and you may be surprised. From memory they were banned in Australia and removed from all public housing.
> 
> Trust me, the bathroom were that thing is installed is very well vented....in fact it would almost qualify as outside....
> ...


I will try to find this information for all TD'er who might wish to have a little Bot running around measuring their verticals... even one that needs his legs adjusted occasionally. . :Smile:

----------


## Lance

Lance,

Bloody interesting Koman. I'm about to start buiding a house down Klong Yai area which is about 25km north of the Cambodian border town of Hat Lek. It's about 100sqm and so far have had quotes from 900,000bht to 2.8m. What is your house area and cost. Will watch your progress with interest.

----------


## KiCanCummins

Nice to see someone get a good quality project manager and crew. He also knows his sub trades as attested by the electrical installation, roofing and ceiling jobs.

I have noticed on these building threads that most OPs will show their plans at the beginning, as some of us that can read a plan and are curious to know your layout and what works for you in all your 250sq meters, could you share a picture or 2 of the plans of your dwelling?

I am sorry that I had not seen your thread earlier as your requirement for a bog, well just does not seem to go the whole 9 yards!! I must admit that putting the missis on the loo was one way to keep her quiet but I think you needed to brush up on your Bog Oligy. This requires a study of the dynamics of water flow,  er,  Hydrology I think they call it. One must observe the way the water flows down from the tank into the bowl and ejects all the matter over the trap and down to the septic system. I have recently replaced a bog in my house in Ontario, Canada with one from Home depot, American Standard | Cadet 3 Dual Flush Toilet | Home Depot Canada
Its an eco-model and uses very little water to push the muck over the trap. Its the best I have found especially as they now charge for the amount of water one uses.

Mrs KCC s  basic Home Garden Ville 3 bedroom bungalow had the ever non-existent kitchen, which  was something I took care of for her. I designed a Farang style kitchen and we scoured a local Farang board here for suitable contractors to take on the job and settled on what we thought was a good guy with references. We had our share of *problems* with the floor tiles, roofer, Starmark cabinets, ceiling installer, just about every one presented a problem here in the heart of Issan.
I could go on for ever but do not want to hijack your thread.
I am bloody envious of what you have been able to achieve. I think your gold star is Mr Jeeves.

KCC

----------


## koman

> Lance,
> 
> Bloody interesting Koman. I'm about to start buiding a house down Klong Yai area which is about 25km north of the Cambodian border town of Hat Lek. It's about 100sqm and so far have had quotes from 900,000bht to 2.8m. What is your house area and cost. Will watch your progress with interest.


Well, what a surprise....quotes from fair and reasonable to the ridiculous.... :Smile: 

2.8 million for a 100 m2 house??   That would be 28000 Thb per m2... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

The guy who told you 900,000 Thb is a lot closer to the mark.   Now having said that, it depends a great deal on the design itself,  and the materials you use, and what kind of embellishments you need to make it feel like home.    There is a great many things you can spend money on that will not give you a better house; just a more expensive one.   

I had quotes from a variety of builders, ranging from around 2.8 to 4.0 million.....and now that we are far enough along to really know where it's going, I can say with confidence that the completed house will come in at about 2.3 million.    That's 9200 Thb per m2.....exactly what my project manager/designer had told me at the start,  and also what I had estimated myself....albeit with limited knowledge and experience.

  He was the first builder who proved himself by showing me some of his work/projects and he was the first one who told me that my estimates were quite accurate and that it could be done without cutting corners or substituting anything for cheap stuff.   Clearly there are a lot of BS artists out there in the construction business. 


What I found was that a great many of these builders really don't know how to spec out and estimate costs accurately.....and many of them just gouge the shit out of people...and especially those people who have not prepared themselves with a good amount of knowledge already. 

   The first thing you need after you have chosen your design,  is to have a complete quantity survey of all the materials needed to construct the house.   This is really the only way to come up with an accurate estimate.   Once you have that, the next thing is an assessment of the labour costs.  .....and it's worth mentioning that the village idiot builders will want to charge the same rates as the well seasoned and experienced ones.  For some reason they think they are worth the same pay rates.    Even building a simple perimeter wall brought in quotes from 500 Thb per meter to 2000 Thb per meter  (these are labour costs only)  so it's pretty much the same with everything you try to do here.

We also have to be clear about what is included and what is not.    These quotes did not include kitchen cabinets, air-conditioning,  water tank/pump, and a few other things.....but as it turns out I'm now getting the kitchen cabinets thrown in with the deal because we are well below the estimated costs with about 75% of the build completed.....and they are not cheap shit....over 100K's worth.   

There were a few changes made along the way, but so far not additional costs have been incurred.    

My A/C is just starting to be installed today.....again it required a great deal of research and running around to find an honest and competent supplier/installer.   It's going to be a 125K bill, but we are getting top of the line stuff supplied by a real A/C tech with lots of experience.   

Once we are all kitted out with A/C...a modern and beautiful kitchen with built in convection oven, microwave grill, RO water filter, granite counters, and Cotto tiles walls.....plus the water tank and pump etc.....we will probably have spent around 2.5 million......which averaged out would be exactly 10,000 per m2.

I was assured by builders, forum experts, and miscellaneous farangs who claim to know about these things, that it was impossible to build the house I wanted for this amount of money.   Being told that something is impossible has always been a great motivator for me......my Mother always told me that things were impossible so she could get me to do the things she wanted me to do.... :Smile: 

.....and somebody wants 28,000 per m2 from you......do you happen to own a firearm?  .... :rofl:

----------


## koman

> Nice to see someone get a good quality project manager and crew. He also knows his sub trades as attested by the electrical installation, roofing and ceiling jobs.
> 
> I have noticed on these building threads that most OPs will show their plans at the beginning, as some of us that can read a plan and are curious to know your layout and what works for you in all your 250sq meters, could you share a picture or 2 of the plans of your dwelling?
> 
> I am sorry that I had not seen your thread earlier as your requirement for a bog, well just does not seem to go the whole 9 yards!! I must admit that putting the missis on the loo was one way to keep her quiet but I think you needed to brush up on your Bog Oligy. This requires a study of the dynamics of water flow,  er,  Hydrology I think they call it. One must observe the way the water flows down from the tank into the bowl and ejects all the matter over the trap and down to the septic system. I have recently replaced a bog in my house in Ontario, Canada with one from Home depot, American Standard | Cadet 3 Dual Flush Toilet | Home Depot Canada
> Its an eco-model and uses very little water to push the muck over the trap. Its the best I have found especially as they now charge for the amount of water one uses.
> 
> Mrs KCC s  basic Home Garden Ville 3 bedroom bungalow had the ever non-existent kitchen, which  was something I took care of for her. I designed a Farang style kitchen and we scoured a local Farang board here for suitable contractors to take on the job and settled on what we thought was a good guy with references. We had our share of *problems* with the floor tiles, roofer, Starmark cabinets, ceiling installer, just about every one presented a problem here in the heart of Issan.
> I could go on for ever but do not want to hijack your thread.
> ...


I will indeed post a plan once I figure out how to do it.....it's a big document which will not fit into my cheap scanner......all in good time,

Thank you for your scientific assessment of toilets.... :Smile:    Too bad you were not here to advise me before we  invested so heavily in China's finest.  If they don't work we still have a sqatter unit out back in the original outhouse we build for the wall construction crew way back in August.  It's an Econo unit too....you just dump a few liters of water into it from a pink plastic pan..... :Smile: 

Kitchens and bathrooms are definitely the big challenges here.   The rural Thai's really are not well prepared for the demands of us spoiled farangs.....and in most cases just can't seen the need for either.. :Smile: 

Thanks for your input....

----------


## importford

interesting thread,
I learned a lot from this
thanks koman

----------


## g phelo

Koman I have spent the best part of the afternoon reading and seeing all your posts.
You have the makings of a wonderful home. 
I am a retired electrician and have seen your pics of your electrical wiring. Is there some way that I can contact you to discuss some observations with you. I do not think it would be appropriate to discuss my observations on the forum.

----------


## koman

> Koman I have spent the best part of the afternoon reading and seeing all your posts.
> You have the makings of a wonderful home. 
> I am a retired electrician and have seen your pics of your electrical wiring. Is there some way that I can contact you to discuss some observations with you. I do not think it would be appropriate to discuss my observations on the forum.


It's quite all right to make your observations on this thread.....that's what it's for.  The more input the  better, but if you're  going to tell me this is now how they do it in Cardiff.....I already know that.... :Smile:

----------


## g phelo

I am sorry For legal reasons I cannot go public in Thailand. I love this country and wish to continue living here. I am under threat for exposing a contractor who was on the path to killing somone sooner rather than later. I am willing to give you my phone No if you wish.

----------


## koman

> I am sorry For legal reasons I cannot go public in Thailand. I love this country and wish to continue living here. I am under threat for exposing a contractor who was on the path to killing somone sooner rather than later. I am willing to give you my phone No if you wish.


?????....but I'm  giving you permission to make whatever observations you like on this thread.   I have no problems whatsoever with the electrical work, but if you think there is something wrong then please say so.  I would take it up with my project manager if I though it was of concern.

----------


## koman

For those who were interested in R2D2....  This unit is made by an outfit called  Woodwell Tools.  It's made in China...surprise... :Smile:     It's called a WT435...and if you Google that you can find it.

It cost 4200 Thb....and the guy got it from a shop in Chumphae... called Yam Seng....or something like that.   Sorry, that's the best I've been able to come up with so far.

----------


## gusG

> I will indeed post a plan once I figure out how to do it.....it's a big document which will not fit into my cheap scanner......all in good time,


Maybe you can take a photo of it and then upload it, if you really want to.

----------


## Koetjeka

Made a mistake, wrong reply....

----------


## koman

We go from one extreme to the other at times.  Yesterday nobody was working, today everybody showed up and the place was just buzzing....so much so that it was hard to decide what to photograph.   The result is a bit of a mixed bag but here goes....



My intrepid ceiling installer....recently admonished for driving nails into the new walls....but making up for his sins by being a really great steady worker and doing a good job all round.



Here's his lovely wife preparing a roll of insulation.  She has warmed up a bit and actually tried to smile for me today when I offered to photograph her and put her on the front cover of a fashion magazine.... she did not quite manage a smile but some lines did appear around the corners of her mouth... :rofl: 



There goes the first roll of the day......there are many more to come.



The missus does pitch in to help when the going gets tough.....she's really not all bad at all..... :Smile: 



The two of them managed to cover a good sized area in a couple of hours...



Meanwhile the Air Conditioning installers arrived.  Here they are starting to prepare the mounts for a big ceiling outlet.   They installed all the tubes and stuff.   The 36000 Btu unit will take a while to deliver.  Nobody around here has anything like that in stock.



There they are working up in the beams.  That black bars the  young fellow has his hand on is one of the mounting brackets for the AC outlet....it weighs about 48 kilos so not the kind of thing you just tack on to the ceiling boards.



Outside they installed the connections to the compressor unit....  all we need now is the bloody compressor to connect to all this nice stuff.



Installing the drain pipe for the water produced by the AC when is sucks the excess humidity out of the air so I don't have to sit around dripping with sweat in the hot season.



Today we introduced the tile guy to R2D2.....he was so pleased with himself because R2D2 gave him an A+ for his work....



Outside, a big 70HP Kubota is preparing the ground for the driveway and generally clearing up the bumps and hollows caused by all the delivery trucks and that sort of thing.



Out back this fellow is demonstrating the wonders of Q-Con block by cutting very neat strips off with a handsaw.   



The water tank has found a home...and the pipes have been laid all the way from the municipal supply...things are moving along.



The driveway builders are at work setting up the framing.   We almost had a disaster when they decided to lay the driveway out without me or the project manager being there.   They made the fucking thing _straight...._ I arrived and went apeshit.... only those unfortunate souls condemned to life at the very bottom of the social order have _straight_ driveways.   A driveway needs to have a kind of serpentine look about it.  I did what Bertie Wooster would have done....I called Jeeves, who arrived in short order and set matter right.   We will now have a proper curved driveway.  Another Isaan moment..... :Smile: 



View of the budding driveway taken from inside the living room.  You can appreciate how terrible a straight driveway would have been when seen from this vantage point... :Smile: ....oh and yes, that's a tent.....we are also a camp ground after 6pm.... :Smile: 



It's looking a bit more like a house now.   The front gable  is in and you can see the big triangular air vents....it should look a bit better with a lick of paint.... but we will get around to that later.

----------


## Bettyboo

This is a classy build, I'm liking it a lot. Per sq metre gonna be a bit pricey though...  :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

I like the outside, and Ur right a curved driveway looks better, but watch the Thai drivers, they will drive in a straight line across ur grass. BIG curbing needed about 6 to 8 inches high to stop that, lol.

About your water supply, are you putting a pump in the circuit?
Also don't just connect up the supply straight to the tank tee thru to have a by pass and a check valve especially if you put in a pump. If the power goes out you still have water pressure from the city, if the water pressure goes from the city a pump will take over (until the tank runs dry). All automatically, if done right.

In the village here in the morning the pressure is almost nothing, people taking showers, but lots of old ladies watering the garden mostly!!!!

KCC

----------


## Koetjeka

I like this style very very much, the "fat" columns in combination with the modern looking roof does the job!

What are those 2 dark triangles in the wall above the, what seems to be, veranda?

Is it easy to cut those Q-con blocks with a handsaw? Doesn't it crumble when you try to cut the blocks?

----------


## stevefarang

^^^^

If you look back, koman did say "The front gable  is in and you can see the big triangular air vents."

Q-con is real easy to cut and shape by hand. I watched them at my build just saw into it with no problem. I don't know for sure, but it might crumble if you try to cut a really thin strip.

Koman, your house looks great !

Steve

----------


## koman

> This is a classy build, I'm liking it a lot. Per sq metre gonna be a bit pricey though...


You are not exercising your usual diligence BB....try reading post number 280....and tell me if you still think it's "pricey".... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> About your water supply, are you putting a pump in the circuit?
> Also don't just connect up the supply straight to the tank tee thru to have a by pass and a check valve especially if you put in a pump. If the power goes out you still have water pressure from the city, if the water pressure goes from the city a pump will take over (until the tank runs dry). All automatically, if done right.


Yes there will be a pump in the circuit.  A 200W Hitachi.....neutral colour...unlike Bettyboo who insists on yellow  (he may be a  Sutrep supporter) .... and a modest 200W, unlike our American posters who have pumps powerful enough to blow their nuts off with the rectal flushing hose....and yes the piping will be able to pass the tank and still provide city pressure if the pump is out.     Actually I'm going to get a generator to deal with power outages...which are not uncommon around here.

  We have fairly good pressure from the system most of the time, but like you say in the mornings it can become a trickle.   This seems to be common because we had the same thing in  KK city and Hua Hin when we lived there a few years ago.

----------


## Wasp

Now I don't want Marmite answering me here ..... I just want nice calm koman as I hesitate even to ask the question .

I keep seeing people putting that silvered insulation into the ceiling and I keep on wondering why ?

In my simplistic terms ..... heat rises and you want cool .  Surely the insulation stops the heat rising into the roof space and makes it more expensive for your a/c to bring the living area down to an acceptable temp ?  

Again in my own simple terms - in the UK the insulation is there to keep heat from escaping . 
Surely it's the same there - where you would quite like the heat to escape ?

.........Wasp

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

----------


## koman

A smaller than usual crop of photos today.  Lots of jobs underway but not much that would cause excitement.  



The driveway preparation is moving along.  This guy is using a compacting machine to prepare the loose surface soil.



His assistant follows him around dumping water on the ground.....this keeps the dust clouds from blocking out the sunlight....and helps to compact the soil of course.



It's beginning to take on the appearance of a driveway... but we still have a way to go.



You can see the future curves a bit better from this angle.....a driveway without curves is just not worth the effort.....may as well just drive over the mud and grass....as most people here do anyway.  We plan to be real trend setters around here..... :Smile: 




Looking from the other end....



In a previous post I had mentioned the possibility of the ceiling guy being Welsh.....but I have to revise that.  He is clearly Al Shabab and probably has several hostages stashed away somewhere waiting for the ransom money.



The tile guy has moved to the kitchen and is now starting to prepare for the construction of counters.   Here he is inserting the anchor bars for what will be a cabinet to accommodate a built in oven and grill.  



This colourful art display is a portion of the electrical wires which will terminate at the main panel.   Looks like something Picasso would have sold for a few million.



This is the South side of the house taken from the SE at around 11am or so.... We designed the roof to come down quite low on that portion of the wall which will be in the sun all day.   You can see the shade on the wall which covers  about half the window area.  It limits the area of wall exposed to the sun....and it seems to be  working very well.

That section of roof is well placed for the installation of solar panels and that is what I plan to do once I recover from the financial shocks of all this other stuff.  Solar panels will keep the sun off the roof and of course generate some power to at least light a few 25 watt bulbs or something really green and planet saving.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Now I don't want Marmite answering me here ..... I just want nice calm koman as I hesitate even to ask the question .
> 
> I keep seeing people putting that silvered insulation into the ceiling and I keep on wondering why ?
> 
> In my simplistic terms ..... heat rises and you want cool .  Surely the insulation stops the heat rising into the roof space and makes it more expensive for your a/c to bring the living area down to an acceptable temp ?  
> 
> Again in my own simple terms - in the UK the insulation is there to keep heat from escaping . 
> Surely it's the same there - where you would quite like the heat to escape ?
> 
> ...


Now Wasp.... are you sitting comfortably....then we'll begin.....

In the UK....it's mostly fucking freezing outside so naturally one would want to keep whatever bit of heat a few lumps of coal can provide...inside.  Heat from outside is not a serious problem in that part of the world.....OK maybe for a few days at the height of summer..... say July 1st to July 5th in a good year....

In Thailand it's blazing hot outside for a good part of the year.....this excessive heat will penetrate your roof, because it comes from that big ball of fire in the sky....and this .makes for an excellent venue for the baking of bread if you do not place a barrier to reflect the heat back up to where it can be vented out of your attic space.

This is way we place all that reflective stuff filled with fiberglass insulation material between our ceiling and the roof.   :Smile: 

Marmite may have his own way of explaining this although I suspect it may contain a lot of metal roof promotion....and scathing comments about me cement tiles...... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Wasp

You see why I didn't want to ask !

You can be as sarcastic as Marm !

I'm surprised at you kome .

I was even complimentary about your R2D2 .... and that's a sentence you won't see many times in your life .


*W*

----------


## Marmite the Dog

BTW, the build is looking really crisp. Nice job.

----------


## koman

> You see why I didn't want to ask !
> 
> You can be as sarcastic as Marm !
> 
> I'm surprised at you kome .
> 
> 
> *W*


Sorry Wasp.....just a bit of fun....don't go getting all offended on me.   I was just answering the question and adding a bit of flavour to the subject.... :Smile:   I can't come close to Marmite for a bit of sarcasm.....he's a Waffen SS General you know... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Now I don't want Marmite answering me here ..... I just want nice calm koman as I hesitate even to ask the question .
> 
> I keep seeing people putting that silvered insulation into the ceiling and I keep on wondering why ?
> 
> In my simplistic terms ..... heat rises and you want cool .  Surely the insulation stops the heat rising into the roof space and makes it more expensive for your a/c to bring the living area down to an acceptable temp ?  
> 
> Again in my own simple terms - in the UK the insulation is there to keep heat from escaping . 
> Surely it's the same there - where you would quite like the heat to escape ?
> 
> ...


Mr Wasp,

In England you have PP insulation in your houses.
In Canada we do not have enough insulation by building codes, they are now moving to SUPER INSULATED HOUSES. In Canada we insulate the walls, the basement, the ceiling, windows everything.

You are right that heat rises but what you have to take into consideration it the radiant factor plus the temperature differential that you are trying to achieve. This coupled with the room sizes and the BTUs that the Ac unit is pushing out. Now if you want to cut the power consumption of the cooling unit then insulate the hell out of the house. A little more up front but lower energy bills in the long run. Energy, er electricity is not going to get any cheaper.

Mr Koman I see that your south side walls are exposed to the sun, I would have had the roof overhang the wall to shade the walls. I did find this nifty tool for getting the angle of the sun,
Calculation of sun&rsquo;s position in the sky for each location on the earth at any time of day  Just move the map to your location and then click execute and the data will show the angles etc for your location.

As with this build bloody marvellous.

KCC

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
> 
> You see why I didn't want to ask !
> 
> You can be as sarcastic as Marm !
> 
> I'm surprised at you kome .
> 
> ...


Bugger!

Koman you beat me to answer Mr Wasp

Mr Wasp Sorry, just trying to explain newton's laws etc.

KCC

----------


## Bettyboo

^interesting stuff. A bit of knowledge and planning does help a lot; wish I had either.  :Smile: 




> I was assured by builders, forum experts, and miscellaneous farangs who claim to know about these things, that it was impossible to build the house I wanted for this amount of money.


10k per sqM is very good for the quality of build you have. Thinking about it (not one of my strong points...), you benefit from: 1) scale; 2) bungalow build. i.e., if you had built a 150 sqM property on 2 floors then the total cost would have been pretty similar (i.e. a much higher price per sqM), imho. You made a lot of good choices along the way, and you researched very very well. I researched by posting pics after the event and asking folks what they thought - this is not the best option...  :Smile:  An excellent job all round, Koman; I would say inspirational, but I don't want your head to grow too large to get through your front door...

----------


## Wasp

You can be as sarcastic as Marm !
I'm surprised at you kome .


*W*

Sorry Wasp.....just a bit of fun....don't go getting all offended on me.   I was just answering the question and adding a bit of flavour to the subject.... :Smile:   I can't come close to Marmite for a bit of sarcasm.....he's a Waffen SS General you know... :Smile: 


I was even complimentary about your R2D2.........  and that's a sentence you won't see many times in your life !!

........................   W

----------


## crepitas

re the double sided foil insulation...

always a point of contention....the underside of the foil will radiate back the heat that rises _inside_ the living area?
Hot air in roof areas does not radiate heat down only the roofing material does that..convection to degree which says get rid of it up and out through adequate venting.


Saw gyprock with foil/foam insulating layer on upper side...makes a little more sense wish had found it before. Maybe there are insulated roof tiles available now...think I saw insulating roof paint in Oz?

We have nuffink in the way of ceiling roof insulation just a well vented roof,no air ceiling fans ( bad idea..pumps hot air and gheko poop down)  and uprights...more than adequate 90% of the time..near enough is good enough as they say...

Most of the _uncomfortable heat_ issue in tropic climates is the humidity factor like wind chill elsewhere..that's the hard one?

read somewhere about heat exhausting vents in the ceilings..would seem to be a good idea..big vents in ceilings to a vented roof. 

bugger it going outside for "...an ice cold beer in the shade"..apologies to Billy Joel..
.....yes, yes I do know what time it is!

----------


## koman

> re the double sided foil insulation...
> 
> always a point of contention....the underside of the foil will radiate back the heat that rises _inside_ the living area?
> Hot air in roof areas does not radiate heat down only the roofing material does that..convection to degree which says get rid of it up and out through adequate venting.
> 
> 
> Saw gyprock with foil/foam insulating layer on upper side...makes a little more sense wish had found it before. Maybe there are insulated roof tiles available now...think I saw insulating roof paint in Oz?
> 
> We have nuffink in the way of ceiling roof insulation just a well vented roof,no air ceiling fans ( bad idea..pumps hot air and gheko poop down)  and uprights...more than adequate 90% of the time..near enough is good enough as they say...
> ...


You're right....almost everything about construction is contentious including methods of insulating.   The top reflector layer is the one that does the most...at least in theory.  Heat radiating down from the roof (whatever it's made off) is reflected back and expelled via the roof vents.  We have extra large vents for that very purpose.    If you don't reflect that heat back then it will be heating up your ceiling, which in turn will heat up the air in your house....which in turn will cause your AC to work  harder and cost you more money trying to keep the place comfortable.   

High levels of humidity are of course the main culprit when it comes to being uncomfortable...but the AC takes care of that....and as everyone knows cool air contains a lot less moisture that warm air.    It goes without saying that the less excess heat getting into your house from above, the better.

This method is well established and proven, so regardless of all the conflicting theories and opinions, I always judge things on their performance alone.   The actual performance/results are the only thing that really matter with any of this stuff... :Smile:

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## Koetjeka

> Most of the uncomfortable heat issue in tropic climates is the humidity factor like wind chill elsewhere..that's the hard one?
> 
> read somewhere about heat exhausting vents in the ceilings..would seem to be a good idea..big vents in ceilings to a vented roof. 
> 
> bugger it going outside for "...an ice cold beer in the shade"..apologies to Billy Joel..
> .....yes, yes I do know what time it is!


Yes the humidity is our biggest opponent. I've been reading about evaporation towers, it seems like this is the right way to solve the problem but it's not a pretty sight to have a tower though.

About the cold beer, at the moment my hands are so cold, it's almost as if they're frozen. And I'm used to temperatures below zero in Europe. Who could have imagined that, in Thailand. Coming to think of it, the dust might actually insulate your ceiling a little bit too, haha.

//edit: Oh and of course the top layer helps more than the bottom layer of reflective foil but once there's a little dust on it, the effect is gone, which here in dusty Thailand will only take a few weeks. So unless you can clean it regularly it won't really help.

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## BKKBILL

> .....yes, yes I do know what time it is!


I see no problem here as it is always Five o'clock somewhere.

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## msl3232

well done the photos are great keep them coming

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## crepitas

was just looking at the rats nest of pretty coloured wiring..no labels?

Is your high priced farang help aware of std domestic wiring colour codes? Bk(live) Wt (neutral) Grn or bare copper (ground)?

All seem to be the same gauge??... hope this is a lighting sub panel?

Maybe this is to what the _paranoid sparkie_ refers?

Put a couple of high watt kitchen appliances plus ...think you said you had a combo gas/electric hob?... Thinks may just get a bit warm?

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## koman

> was just looking at the rats nest of pretty coloured wiring..no labels?
> 
> Is your high priced farang help aware of std domestic wiring colour codes? Bk(live) Wt (neutral) Grn or bare copper (ground)?
> 
> All seem to be the same gauge??... hope this is a lighting sub panel?
> 
> Maybe this is to what the _paranoid sparkie_ refers?
> 
> Put a couple of high watt kitchen appliances plus ...think you said you had a combo gas/electric hob?... Thinks may just get a bit warm?


1. If you read back through the thread I've already listed all the colour codes.

2. They are not all the same gauge.  I stated that too. 

3. I have no idea what high priced farang help you are referring too....because the 
    only farang around here is me...and I'm definitely not high priced....but I'm quite
    well versed in what the different colours represent....as well as gauge and 
    capacity requirements.

----------


## koman

Todays photos are a continuation of yesterday with a bit of additional stuff.  



This morning the boys were dumping barrow loads of sand on the compacted soil in the driveway.



This is from the house end.  In the interests of economy, we have decided to pave the driveway with dead dogs.  This is a trial run.



Once spread and compacted it looked quite nice and smooth...till they started driving pickup trucks up and down it... oh well, it will all soon disappear under a load of cement anyway.



Inside the intrepid ceiling team were working hard.  The missus has warmed up quite a bit and even smiled today...at me.... :smiley laughing:  

This example of perfect team work is heart warming to watch......



....but then, Somchai has to let go to drive the screws in and the missus lets out a steam of abuse that could be heard up in the village...."hurry up you asshole, this thing is heavy"..... :smiley laughing: 



A sample of the ceiling work.  These drop ceilings are more of a fashion that anything.  They have no value that I know off other than that, ..but in this case it did not cost any more to do it, so may as well be in fashion...what?



Back in the kitchen area, our splendid tile guy and his wife are busy building counters.  I think these two are my favourites.  Friendly, polite and excellent steady workers.  Really nice couple.  Actually all of these people are nice in various ways...even the terrible ceiling couple....I've actually started to like them too....the guy is a real comedian... but he should never be allowed access to nails.... :Smile: 



A bit of the days work.  Looks pretty rough but I'll bet when these two get through, it will look beautiful....and strong enough to drive a bulldozer across.



This formidable looking structure is a roughed in cabinet to hold an oven and microwave/grill.  



I just realized that I have not yet posted a picture of the place from the back or the North side.....so here is the first.



The North side with pillars that make it look a bit like some plantation house in S. Carolina about 1850 according to one guy who stopped to take a look.... :Smile: ....I think they mostly had round pillars though... :mid: 



....one final photo of that controversial insulation.  If it does not work at least it makes for a few interesting photos..... :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

I noticed you are using dead dogs for your driveway may I suggest an alternative we are using dead turtles as they require less compaction

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## koman

> I noticed you are using dead dogs for your driveway may I suggest an alternative we are using dead turtles as they require less compaction


Thanks BD...I'm sure you're right.  It's just that we seem to have a huge surplus of dogs around here, but I've not seen any turtles in a while.   Sometimes you just have to go with the materials at hand.... :Smile:

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## Wasp

The North side with pillars that make it look a bit like some plantation house in S. Carolina about 1850 according to one guy who stopped to take a look.... :Smile: ....I think they mostly had round pillars though...


From :   Bankao/Wasp Supplies ...


So how many Roman Kings will that be sir ?

********************************************

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## bankao dreamer

^^^^  How many Roman Kings ?

Ooooh at least Eeeeeesip One would think.

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## Bettyboo

Koman, do you think it's possible to get the driveway to this stage then just lay shingle rather than concrete it, like below? How do you reckon it'd work out in Thailand? Have you seen any (I don't think I have); would the cost be similar?

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## Bettyboo

I'm very pleased to see this picture. It makes me feel a LOT better about the workmanship on my site...  :Smile:

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## koman

> Koman, do you think it's possible to get the driveway to this stage then just lay shingle rather than concrete it, like below? How do you reckon it'd work out in Thailand? Have you seen any (I don't think I have); would the cost be similar?


Don't remember seeing a driveway like that here.  I'm not sure what it is even...looks like some kind of veneer; probably over a concrete base anyway.??  

Maybe somebody on TD knows....or maybe not; then we can all speculate on how much money we could save by using it.... :Smile:

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## Bettyboo

^don't you have Irishmen where you come from, Koman???

It's shingle/gravel..

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## Bettyboo

Just want to take the opportunity to highlight, once again, this workmanship...  :Smile:

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## koman

> ^don't you have Irishmen where you come from, Koman???
> 
> It's shingle/gravel..


But that looks different to the picture you posted originally....and you've put the fucking thing under a microscope now..   I'm not familiar with such an arrangement in any case.   It's either dirt or concrete around here.... :Smile:

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## koman

> Just want to take the opportunity to highlight, once again, this workmanship...


OK, it's not very pretty now, but just wait till my tile guy has done his thing on it.....the grand ballroom at Versailles probably looked pretty shitty too before they finished it off..... :Smile: .

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## Bettyboo

> the grand ballroom at Versailles


You're consistent with your French theme...

That is one bloody ugly construction, I'm looking forward to seeing if that ugly ducking can develop...  :Smile:

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## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> the grand ballroom at Versailles
> 
> 
> You're consistent with your French theme...
> 
> That is one bloody ugly construction, I'm looking forward to seeing if that ugly ducking can develop...


A decent build thread should have full disclosure.....the good, the bad and the ugly. 

   So far I've been cautioned about my electrical wiring; my insulation is not going to insulate and now you say my oven cabinet is ugly.   Maybe  I'll just tear it all down and buy a pre-wired shipping container..... :Smile:

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## gusG

> I'm very pleased to see this picture. It makes me feel a LOT better about the workmanship on my site...


Don't get too cocky Betty, this is only formwork for a box holding his oven, microwave etc.
It's not going to try and support his floor and roof, as in your case.    :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Rural Surin

All this aside, TD remains the top dog regarding general related construction sub-forum [Thailand themed forum] by far.

Good, bad, or indifferent - quite a valuable asset.

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## Bettyboo

> It's not going to try and support his floor and roof, as in your case.


That is very very mean!  :Sad: 

&, I hasten to add, my interior walls look a bit dodgy (pre-rendering), but my basic structure, while not art as per Koman's, is fine.

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## koman

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm very pleased to see this picture. It makes me feel a LOT better about the workmanship on my site... 
> 
> 
> Don't get too cocky Betty, this is only formwork for a box holding his oven, microwave etc.
> It's not going to try and support his floor and roof, as in your case.


Thank you GusG for putting that BB back in his place. 

  "Formwork"... now there is the word I was looking for.

  Now BB....look at those concrete "floors" underneath where the oven will sit,  and then between the oven cavity and the microwave cavity.   Solid concrete with rebar enforcement.....they would hold up a good sized tractor never mind a little ol microwave.   Way over=engineered....and once rendered and tiled, may well be an award winning piece of construction.... :Smile:     Remember the ugly duckling.....it turned into a swan.... :Smile:     Maybe somebody will write a song about my oven cabinet too.... :rofl:

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## Bettyboo

^there won't be any songs written about that concrete monstrosity you're calling a cabinet...  :Smile: 

Your floor however, was indeed a masterpiece, although my very favourite is your roof which is different gravy.

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## koman

> ^there won't be any songs written about that concrete monstrosity you're calling a cabinet... 
> 
> Your floor however, was indeed a masterpiece, although my very favourite is your roof which is different gravy.


Have your moment in the sun BB Tomorrow I'll inform my tile guy about your scathing assessment of his work.   I hope you enjoy humble pie..... :Smile: 

...in the meantime my floor and roof thank you for your compliments.... :Smile:

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## Marmite the Dog

> my basic structure, while not art as per Koman's, is fine.


Just park the lawn mower outside if strong winds are predicted.

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## koman

*THE BIG DRIVEWAY CONCRETE POUR
*
After the devastation of having my oven cabinet insulted by Bettyboo, it's hard to continue, but maybe by switching to a concrete driveway pour, I can regain come composure.....



Here comes the big C-Pac truck full of ready-mix....guided in by the foreman.



...once in position the pour begins.   The concrete comes pretty thick and fast....lots of hard labour ahead spreading the stuff.



All hands on deck....or in this case in the cement......



This fellow spent at least an hour wading around in the cement without boots....must have skin like a crocodile.



The first cement truck filled a section right in front of the house.   The second truck began to cover the driveway proper.   The driveway will be poured in sections, each separated from each other by dividing boards.   This makes the spreading and general control of the pour easier to manage.



This is pouring section two....the second truck is moving ahead of the spreaders pouring more concrete.  They have to stop and pause to let the spreaders keep up.



Now there is a good steady pour..... moving right along....



...meanwhile behind all the frantic speading, the tile guy has joined in the fray.  He's getting the surface nice and smooth.  Looks easy enough, but it's really quite difficult to do well.



Working on section two....a tidal wave of cement moving to join up with a forward pour.



After a good amount of smoothing, it starts to look like this.   Section two is spread and getting a bit of a touch up.



The project manager checks constantly with a level to make sure there is enough camber, so that the water will run away from the house instead of towards it....or form big puddles in the middle of the driveway.   Little things like this make a difference to the final results.



By mid afternoon, section three is finished and now the first sections are ready for a bit of polishing.  This goes on for hours and must be very tedious work.

The last section before the road will not be competed until we build the front wall and install the gate.   That starts in a day or two....so maybe we'll have a kind of sub-thread on the Herculean task of front wall construction with spikey steel bars and gate installation.

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## Koetjeka

That's going to be a very nice lawn. Would you do me a favour and take a photo after a couple of months to see if everything is still ok? I ask this because I've got no clue how to make a good road myself (one that doesn't crack or sink). 

How is the concrete supported, by soil or sand? It looks to be sand from here. 

Did they add any dilatation by the way?

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## koman

> That's going to be a very nice lawn. Would you do me a favour and take a photo after a couple of months to see if everything is still ok? I ask this because I've got no clue how to make a good road myself (one that doesn't crack or sink). 
> 
> How is the concrete supported, by soil or sand? It looks to be sand from here. 
> 
> Did they add any dilatation by the way?


I suppose it depends on the ground under the road.  In  my case it's pretty heavy clay and gravel which has been graded by a big tractor, compacted and then prepared with a thick layer of sand, which is also compacted down hard.   Then they place the steel mesh on top and pour about 15 cms of concrete on top.   The separation by section helps to prevent cracking I'm told.   Hopefully it won't crack or sink, but time will tell...ya never really know with these things until it happens.

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by dilatation.....in connection with a driveway.??

----------


## palexxxx

> Originally Posted by Koetjeka
> 
> 
> That's going to be a very nice lawn. Would you do me a favour and take a photo after a couple of months to see if everything is still ok? I ask this because I've got no clue how to make a good road myself (one that doesn't crack or sink). 
> 
> How is the concrete supported, by soil or sand? It looks to be sand from here. 
> 
> Did they add any dilatation by the way?
> 
> ...



He wants to know how many wombs you scraped in the process of making your driveway.  Everyone wants to know actually.

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## Bettyboo

That is a beautiful pour - I take everything back, they have a spirit level and everything; they are the business...  :Smile: 

This is one way that Koman's thread is so good - the action pics, seeing real workers really doing work. It's great. 

Are they going to lay a level of shingle over that concrete?

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## bankao dreamer

Are they going to lay a level of shingle over that concrete?
__________________

I thought he was going for dead dogs, he has a supply problem with dead turtles

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## Bettyboo

:Smile:  ...

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## Koetjeka

> He wants to know how many wombs you scraped in the process of making your driveway. Everyone wants to know actually.


Oops, lol. My bad.

I didn't really know the English word for it and this is what google translate gave me, haha (almost the same word in Dutch, that's why I thought it would be correct).
What I wanted to ask was did they make any expansion joints (took me 2 minutes to find the damn word on google)?

//edit: searched some more and dilatation is actually correct as I initially thought, it just has multiple meanings, also something with a womb  :Confused:

----------


## koman

^

OK now that we have that dilatation bit sorted out, I can answer.... :Smile: 

Yes, as I mentioned previously, it is poured in sections.  A gap of about one centimeter is left between the sections.  This allows for some flexing and helps to prevent stress cracking.  I assume it allows for some expansion as well. 

Hope that answers your question.... :Smile:

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## koman

> Are they going to lay a level of shingle over that concrete?   
> 				__________________


No Betty....no shingle.  As I said, around here it's dirt or concrete.   In any case that shingle must be a pain in the ass to keep clean.  I mean you can't just turn a pressure washer on it and get it all nice and fresh looking.....like a nice smooth concrete surface.   

The other benefit of this driveway is that if we are headed into another ice age as indicated by the brutal winter this year......I'll be able to do a spot of speed skating on it.....maybe set up a net and invite a few of the local hockey players over... :Smile:

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## KiCanCummins

> .I'll be able to do a spot of speed skating on it.....maybe set up a net and invite a few of the local hockey players over...


Koman, I hope Ur not  Leaf's fan by any chance?

I used to be a Canadien's fan but I think the Senators have the edge on them this year.

KCC

----------


## koman

When I was a Leaf's fan, Darrell Sittler was still playing for them..... :Smile:  

 I moved to BC and followed the Canucks after that.   Liked the Habs back in the 70ies too....when LeFleur, Robinson and guys like that played real hockey.... the Habs/Red Army game in 1977 was the best hockey game I've ever watched......the good old days...... :Smile:

----------


## BaitongBoy

> I used to be a Canadien's fan


Didn't even mention the Canucks...heh...

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by KiCanCummins
> 
> I used to be a Canadien's fan
> 
> 
> Didn't even mention the Canucks...heh...


Disgraceful.....we should put him on ignore.... :rofl:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> When I was a Leaf's fan, Darrell Sittler was still playing for them..... 
> 
>  I moved to BC and followed the Canucks after that.   Liked the Habs back in the 70ies too....when LeFleur, Robinson and guys like that played real hockey.... the Habs/Red Army game in 1977 was the best hockey game I've ever watched......the good old days......


I was in Vancouver in the 70's, went to see the Canucks play the Habs. everyone was cheering for the Habs, felt sorry for the canucks that game.LOL
Yes that was when there was real hockey played on Saturday night. I see Grapes is still on the band wagon and does not want to quit his coaches corner, he must be well into his 80's now.

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## BaitongBoy

Gotta love Grapes...The best dressed coach in the free world...I guess his Thai name would be Anoon...heh...

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## KiCanCummins

> Gotta love Grapes...The best dressed coach in the free world...I guess his Thai name would be Anoon...heh...


Thanks BB.

Does this mean I am out of the Ignore Penalty Box!!!

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## BaitongBoy

Heh...You were never in it...The Canucks only came close once, and I was hoping for Messier and the Rangers in game 7...

----------


## Koetjeka

> ^
> 
> OK now that we have that dilatation bit sorted out, I can answer....
> 
> Yes, as I mentioned previously, it is poured in sections. A gap of about one centimeter is left between the sections. This allows for some flexing and helps to prevent stress cracking. I assume it allows for some expansion as well. 
> 
> Hope that answers your question....


Good, very good. I think you've got yourself a excellent quality lawn there!





> Gotta love Grapes...The best dressed coach in the free world...I guess his Thai name would be Anoon...heh...


Almost, it should be angoon I've been told. I wonder if I can grow grapes in Isaan since it's kind of a desert in summer.

----------


## lom

> Yes, as I mentioned previously, it is poured in sections. A gap of about one centimeter is left between the sections. This allows for some flexing and helps to prevent stress cracking. I assume it allows for some expansion as well.


You need to fill the gap with some kind of flexible material like rubber or silicon to prevent water from getting down, you don't water to compact the earth below your driveway sections.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> Yes, as I mentioned previously, it is poured in sections. A gap of about one centimeter is left between the sections. This allows for some flexing and helps to prevent stress cracking. I assume it allows for some expansion as well.
> 
> 
> You need to fill the gap with some kind of flexible material like rubber or silicon to prevent water from getting down, you don't water to compact the earth below your driveway sections.


Yes you do, and the gaps have been sealed already.....good point to mention for readers not well versed in the fine art of driveway construction... :Smile:

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## Koetjeka

> Yes you do, and the gaps have been sealed already.....good point to mention for readers not well versed in the fine art of driveway construction...


After your build we are all well versed in driveway construction, and a whole lot more, which is a good thing of course.

----------


## koman

Not too much happening this weekend.  Most of the building crew has gone back to the wilds of Loei to update their village elders on the great fortunes to be had working for eccentric farangs building houses.

A few miscellaneous photos just to keep things ticking along.....this is a photo thread after all.... :Smile: 

Someone was making a query about wire colours and guage a while back, so I took the liberty of shooting a few close ups to illustrate the fact that the intrepid Thai's do use colour codes and different gauge wires for different applications.



Here for example is the wires for a regular wall lighting switch.  Red=Live,  White=Neutral,  Green=Ground/Earth, and blue for the dimmer function.



Here you can see the difference between the gauge of a red live wire and a black live wire.  Quite a big difference....but if you just look at a bunch of wires hanging there in a photo.....they all look pretty much the same.



...and even closer look at a black live wire.....



The kitchen ceiling with it's insulation installed.  Just one bedroom left to do and the insulation will be finished.



A section of ceiling well under way to completion.   The lighting will be installed up in those square holes.....which are very fashionable these days, but serve no usefull purpose that I can think of.... :mid: . 



The second bathroom to be tiled.  Not finished because we did not have enough tile....about another 4-5 boxes are on the way.



Looking the other way.  The colours are not very accurate in these photos because I had to use flash.  They are quite a bit richer that they appear here.



Just for Bettyboo...another photo of the majestic oven/microwave cabinet. ...don't you think it looks quite regal from this angle?.... :Smile: 



No post would be complete without a bit of Thainess....   I went into the back bedroom where the new kitchen cabinets are stored, only to find that it has been converted into a meat curing room.... :smiley laughing:

----------


## gusG

Just for Bettyboo...another photo of the majestic oven/microwave  cabinet. ...don't you think it looks quite regal from this angle?.... :Smile: 

A quick coat of paint, and that will equal anything in Betty's build.

----------


## koman

So Betty has been taking the piss over on Roobarb's Patch....making  further disparaging comments about my oven/microwave cabinet.   

Of course Betty does not understand "formwork" so he can be forgiven for thinking this is substandard in some way.

After a day to harden the "formwork" up a bit, the tile guy did a bit of rendering....in preparation for the tile work.....



This is what the "monstrosity" looked like after  a bit more finishing..... it has been "scored" to provide good tile adhesion.  It was not finished when this photo was taken...still working on the sides and inside the cavities.....yes he even polishes inside the cavities.....do you have your cavities polished inside....??  The ugly duckling is losing it's down...and quickly becoming a swan... or at least a duck or something.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> A quick coat of paint, and that will equal anything in Betty's build.


You have been rather cruel about my build, gusG... You obviously don't have a very perceptive eye for beauty in its simplistic form.  :Smile: 




> Of course Betty does not understand "formwork" so he can be forgiven for thinking this is substandard in some way.


I don't understand much about building a house, fullstop. I have been learning a lot from this excellent thread, however.




> the tile guy did a bit of rendering....in preparation for the tile work.....


Hideous.




> The ugly duckling is losing it's down...and quickly becoming a swan...


No it's not. I don't think Roobarb would be having anything like that on his build...  :Smile:  You're really gonna tile that???  :Sad: 



More superb workmanship here, looks great. I don't think I'm gonna get anything like that; I'm pretty worried about my ceilings, I suspect they're gonna be horrible. Your entire roof, frame, ceiling work is top notch.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> You're really gonna tile that???


We may have it gilded with 18ct gold...or if funds get low maybe hand beaten copper.  

When it's finished with SS appliances installed,  it will probably make the front pages of Homes and Gardens or some such up-scale magazine.    It's loaded with ninety degree angles....very modern and very Scandinavian you know.... :Smile:    Perhaps you have not been keeping up with kitchen trends over the last 40 years or so.... :Smile:

----------


## lom

> When it's finished with SS appliances installed


You are obviously a man of taste so I assume it will brushed SS. 
Those appliances, shouldn't they be connected to a wall jack inside the sarcophagus? By extension cord is so tacky..  :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

> It's loaded with ninety degree angles...


Ah, I think your kitchen is beginning to show its differences to mine... 




> Those appliances, shouldn't they be connected to a wall jack inside the sarcophagus? By extension cord is so tacky..


Hang on a minute, all is not lost...  Well spotted Lom  :Smile:

----------


## BKKBILL

Shame about that wasted storage space below the oven.

----------


## Bettyboo

^it's just so out of place in every way on such an excellent build. Destroy it, Koman; everyone makes at least one little error, and this is yours...

----------


## koman

Yes they will brushed SS appliances...only Chinese or Indians would use unbrushed... :Smile: 

The wasted space below the oven is a small sacrifice in the interests of true art.  We could have made it into some kind of small cupboard but that would take away from the implied decadence of the thing...and to some might give the impression that we lacked adequate storage space like in those "galley" kitchens the put in condo's.  My last sailboat had a bigger galley than most of the condos I've seen here.


They placed the bloody electrical outlet too far to the right....so now we have to figure out if we can just run some conduit along the wall and put an outlet inside.  

We will not be using an extension cord.....I'm not Thai... :Smile: 

They did the same kind of thing with the gas pipe on the other side.  We would have ended up with a gas line running along the inside wall for about a meter and then through the side of the kitchen counter...   That can easily be corrected by running the gas line along the outside wall under the beading where you can't even see it...and then taking it through the wall behind the counter top hob.   

These are the kinds of things that drive you nuts and this is with me being on site every day for hours.    I can't imagine the stuff some of you guys who are absentee managers must be hiding, or have not found out yet..... :smiley laughing: 

Betty, please stop using the original photo now.....it's been updated with a newer and grander version.... :Smile:     Now I understand why artists never want to show their work until it's finished.... :Smile:

----------


## lom

> These are the kinds of things that drive you nuts and this is with me being on site every day for hours. I can't imagine the stuff some of you guys who are absentee managers must be hiding, or have not found out yet.....


These TD building threads kicks me 12-15 years back in time, its like a deja vue joyride for me. :Smile:

----------


## koman

> These TD building threads kicks me 12-15 years back in time, its like a deja vue joyride for me


No doubt. I can only shudder to think what this would have been like 12-15 years ago before the current supply of highly skilled labour was available.... :Smile: 

Moving on from the kitchen development.....I've put up with enough abuse on that particular part of the build for now..... :Smile: 

Outside, the forman is making concrete moulds (or beading---if that's the right term?)   They cement strips of Q-Con to the wall.....and yes they do use a level and make a chalk line.... :Smile: ....then he makes this nice cement thingy using the Q-Con as a base.



Simple tools and a bit of practice...he's doing a nice job so far but he's nowhere near finished so I'm looking forward to seeing the final results.



Moving in a bit closer.....tricky work but he's good at it..



Here, he's smoothing out the top...he uses that metal bar like a real pro...

Those black pipes sticking up are the inlets for the termite control system....this is where they inject the chemical.   Termites have nightmares about black pipes...



There's a guy cementing the strips of Q-Con 



Our intrepid ceiling guy is busy mounting the moisture resistant gypsum board in the ceiling of the big north side patio.  The moisture/mould resistant stuff is always a pale green colour to distinguish it from the indoor version.

Again, you can see the strips of Q-Con above the windows in the background.



The air vents in the front, which will hopefully exhale most of the hot air from the attic space when things heat up around here.   They, along with the rest of the gable have just been primed in readiness for a coat of some decent non-fading paint when the time comes.



This is what they look like on the inside.  They are being covered with fine nylon mesh to keep out as much small wildlife as possible.  The cat and three dogs are supposed to take care of the bigger stuff.   That bit that's not quite covered in the bottom left corner has been taken care of, but only because I made Somchai go get his latter and stapler; climb back up and finish the bloody thing properly.



They are just starting to dig the holes for the foundations of the front wall.



This is what the house looks like as of Jan 20th.....still quite a lot to do but it's taking shape quite well and even looks quite a lot like what the plan predicted..... :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

> This is what they look like on the inside.  They are being covered with fine nylon mesh to keep out as much small wildlife as possible.  The cat and three dogs are supposed to take care of the bigger stuff.   That bit that's not quite covered in the bottom left corner has been taken care of, but only because I made Somchai go get his latter and stapler; climb back up and finish the bloody thing properly.


koman, are you going to block those areas between the wall and right under the roof? I see a lot of daylight shining through, which means your small wildlife can get through there as well.

Looks really nice though overall !

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is what they look like on the inside.  They are being covered with fine nylon mesh to keep out as much small wildlife as possible.  The cat and three dogs are supposed to take care of the bigger stuff.   That bit that's not quite covered in the bottom left corner has been taken care of, but only because I made Somchai go get his latter and stapler; climb back up and finish the bloody thing properly.
> 
> 
> ...


Yes they actually install mesh all  around the eaves before they board the whole thing up.   I watched them do it on one of the project managers previous builds before we hired him.  He's pretty good about this kind of thing... 

In any case I believe it's pretty standard practice.... except perhaps amongst the true Isaan village builders who don't give much though to lizards, snakes and things of that ilk wandering about the house... and would not expect their clients to be bothered by such things either.  For them it's grocery shopping without having to go grocery shopping.... so  you don't want to discourage them from coming in.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

Very nice that - fine effort indeed. Wanna swap?

Your gang do have a nice eye for detail.

----------


## koman

Me bloody thread's  gone dead, so I suppose I'd better post something. 

Things are moving at glacial speed after the frenzy of the first six weeks or so.   We are down to the detailed stuff,  and the pace slows in accordance with the degree of detail.   It's also where all the cockups show up and I seem to be spending a lot more time trying to sort out cockups these days.   

Now the the building is substantially completed we can proceed with the front wall and gate.  



The engineering department is busy fabricating the rebar for the wall.....



The rebar column and base are inserted into the holes...which have been partially filled with concrete.   This is similar to the process used for the house columns....but quite a bit smaller.



There it goes....disappearing beneath another bucketful of cement..



Once all the rebar columns have been placed...they are all connected by excavating a trench which will be formed up and filled with concrete to make the foundation for the wall.



The bucket brigade is busy filling in the forms....which have fabricated rebar cages inside.  This will form a solid concrete base about 40-50 cms thick.



Once the forms are filled we can just bugger off for a couple of days and let it set really hard.  Then the wall building can begin.   After 310 meters of wall building we are becoming something like wall consultants.   This final section  will be just 35 meters with a 5 meter gate.  


Ceiling installation is a slow and laborious process.   The ceiling guy has been flogging away for weeks now and he still has a lot left to do. 



I publish this picture only to show that he is not just a ceiling guy, but something of a fashion icon in these parts.... :Smile: 




Here he is on the  outside for a change.  In addition to ceilings he heads up the installation of the bug screening and soffit boards.  A tedious process but nobody better to do it that this guy.



Here's a close up of the handy work.   As you can see the boards have air vents which help air circulation in the attic and of course air vents also make a nice easy passage for all kinds of beasties and bugs.....hence the blue netting.


The tiling is an ongoing process with delays caused by running out of bathroom tiles and having to wait for delivery of more from the manufactures.     The kitchen is well under way,  but it's a slow process too.   Quite detailed tile work involved including my iconic oven/microwave cabinet....which was inspired by the monolith in Stanley Kubric's classic 2001 Space Odyssey.   I know Betty is chomping at the bit to mock it some more... so I'll have to hold any further pics until it's nearer completion..... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Bettyboo

> so I'll have to hold any further pics until it's nearer completion.....


Really, there's no need. Partial pics are fine, indeed, they may be better...  :Smile: 



Truly a talented bunch.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Again the workmanship and attention to detail is excellent, my hat off to you.

----------


## koman

> Again the workmanship and attention to detail is excellent, my hat off to you.


Thanks BD.  Unfortunately the attention to detail is not as good as the photos may lead you to believe.   I just went through a whole afternoon yesterday getting the power supply for the oven/microwave setup sorted out.   We had told them where to place the power outlets....even drew a rectangle on the friggin wall .....but the outlets still ended up 3 feet to the right of the drawing....   Then they wanted to just run conduit along the wall and bore holes in the side of my beautiful cabinet....(cue for Betty to issue more insults... :Smile:  )   

Needless to say I vetoed every hair-brained ass backwards solution they came up with and insisted that the line be run down* inside* the wall just like it was supposed to be in the first place.   By 5pm or so we finally managed to get it through their heads that half-assed solutions won't do around here.  Get it right or go fuck somebody else's kitchen up with your wires stapled to the wall...... :Smile: 

Then today I find them about to do a big cement pour on bare dirt.....no sand, not compacted...nothing.    This is for an extension of the driveway because I underestimated the amount of turning space needed to move our biggish pickup truck around without going over the edges into the flowerbeds.  ....My mistake...can't blame anyone for that one. 

    We had to call the project manager and get him to drop everything and get over here.....because as usual when a farang tells these people not to do something they just piss around and make farang jokes and carry on doing whatever they like.     

In short order the manager roared into the driveway with a compacter in his truck.....made them remove all the steel mesh and shit they had laid on the ground and then stood over them while they did it the way it was supposed to be done.

It can get exasperating at times.....you have to hound some of them all the time to get anything done right....or sometimes done at all.   

I should point out that most of my original builders have left to work on other sites and the lot that's here now are just not in the same class.....with a few notable exceptions.   My tile guy is the best and most diligent worker I've seen in a long time.  I wish we could find another half dozen like him.  We could make the Taj Mahal look like a shed with people like that...... :Smile: 


Again, I have to say that I would never undertake a project like this on my own.   I  shudder to think of the mess if these characters were just left to their own devises....and the problem is that you may not know just what kind of mess you have if you are not actually there to see it before it gets covered up.... :Confused:

----------


## KiCanCummins

Good to see that you are sticking to your guns koman, once you give in they ride over you. 
I had that over my kitchen build, I had a drain in the floor and told the foreman I wanted it sloped to the drain, a lot of nodding & Ja Ja, came back the next day when the tiles were laid and tested with a cup of water!!! the water flowed away from the drain not to it. I put up a stink but the missis said oh not polite to get angry, the foreman just shrugged his shoulders. I should have made them take all the tile up. As we now have a useless @@#$$%^^& drain!

----------


## Bettyboo

> the oven/microwave setup


 :mid: 




> bore holes in the side of my beautiful cabinet.


 :mid: 




> I shudder to think of the mess if these characters were just left to their own devises...


Just click here to see:

https://teakdoor.com/construction-in-...the-build.html

You've done a great job, and you're nearly at the finishing post; hold tight to your sanity.  :Smile:

----------


## lom

> Good to see that you are sticking to your guns koman, once you give in they ride over you. I had that over my kitchen build, I had a drain in the floor and told the foreman I wanted it sloped to the drain, a lot of nodding & Ja Ja, came back the next day when the tiles were laid and tested with a cup of water!!! the water flowed away from the drain not to it.


Amazing isn't it? Which 7 year old boy hasn't done channels in the soil during a rainy day and then learnt that water flows downwards.
 My builders managed to do the same mistake in the main bathroom..




> I should have made them take all the tile up.


I did.
It cost them 10sqm of not so cheap tiles and two days of unpaid work.

----------


## lom

> I should point out that most of my original builders have left to work on other sites and the lot that's here now are just not in the same class....


Ah, you've now got those who spend half of the day fixing yesterdays problem and then using remaining part of the day to create problems for tomorrow. :Smile:

----------


## lom

> Again, I have to say that I would never undertake a project like this on my own. I shudder to think of the mess if these characters were just left to their own devises.


Our thoughts go to those sitting in the desert playing electric guitar and treating themselves with After Eight instead of supervising their build  :Smile: 




> and the problem is that you may not know just what kind of mess you have if you are not actually there to see it before it gets covered up.


Paint it over Somchai, paint it over before farang sees it..

----------


## koman

Thanks guys.....I knew you would understand...... :Smile: 




> Our thoughts go to those sitting in the desert playing electric guitar and treating themselves with After Eight instead of supervising their build


Indeed, but we have to give him credit for having such a good attitude towards it all.....maybe desert air is good for you....eliminates worry, stress..  that sort of thing..

 :smiley laughing: 

These moments of frustration are probably unavoidable, but overall I've been remarkably free of them.   The big mission critical stuff went off without a hitch....but as I suspected the fine finishing phase would bring all the little Isaan moments.    These are not what you would call refined people.   They really have no sense of aesthetics; no appreciation for form, beauty or anything like that.

Just an hour ago I found two kitchen cabinet doors laying on top of a pile of cardboard, covered in thick grit, dust and hardening cement lumps.... :Confused: 

   They had taken them out of their boxes to check the fit and then just left them laying around to get destroyed.  They cost 4000 Thb each.....so about 10-12 days wages to one of these Michael Angelo types..... what can you do?  You can't watch everybody all of the time....and when it comes to damaging or destroying stuff, Thai's move faster than any living thing on earth.... :rofl:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Yes when it comes to the finishing details the somewhat lax attitude can be very worrying. We got to the stage before we sacked our builder that we were scared to go off site. We both have the same faith in our tilers. Considering some of the surfaces he has had to tile Im amazed at the finished product.

It will be a relief to some that your excellent build is now experiencing Issaness  :Smile:

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## Wasp

Koman ..............

Something I always wondered about .

Those 7 metre pylons which you pounded into the ground long ago at the start of your build. 
 Had you previously dug down / drilled down to find a solid base was so far down ?  
Or was 7 metres simply a solid safe depth that you chose to go to ?

You said you hit shale at 6 metres but it sounds like you were pounding away at those 7 metre pylons and that's when you found the shale .

So it sounded to me like 7 metre pylons were a reassuringly strong base on which to put the concrete pads . 

But you're a very careful builder so I always wondered why you decided to pound in those pylons .   
I haven't ( yet ) found anyone else doing that .

               Regards.


...................... Waspy

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

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## koman

> Koman ..............
> 
> Something I always wondered about .
> 
> Those 7 metre pylons which you pounded into the ground . 
>  Had you previously dug down / drilled down to find a solid base was so far down ?  Or was 7 metres simply a solid depth that you chose to go to ?
> 
> You said you hit shale at 6 metres but it sounds like you were pounding away at those 7 metre pylons and that's when you found the shale .
> 
> ...


Fair enough question.   We did take soundings several months before the build.   These indicated a variety of things, one of which is that we are sitting on top of a fairly large aquifer and an ancient river bed about 100+  meters down.    In a way this is good news, because we have a virtually unlimited water supply if we choose to drill a bore hole.... :Smile: 

   This area was inhabited by all kinds of dinosaurs a while back... and there are traces of human settlement going back for tens of thousands of years when you dig down a bit....like our pond which is 8 meters deep in the centre.

There are areas of big isolated rocks and areas of shale as well as heavy clay and gravel....so a bit of a mixed bag you might say.  

We debated using pylons on and off for a while and in the end I made a decision to use them simply because we had filled the land with up to 1.5 meters of new soil to raise it well above the road and any potential flood level.    The fill had less than one year to settle fully, so I decided to err on the side of safety and use the pylons to go well down to where we knew there was solid ground.   The pylons come in 7 meter lengths...so that was not really a decision made by me.....sometimes you use the full length and sometimes you don't and end up cutting off several meters of the thing....which is exactly what happened in our case.  

   Most people don't bother with them around here unless they are going up three floors or more, but for the expense involved I figured it was better to avoid cracked walls and that sort of thing.  My project manager is a graduate civil engineer and he agreed that it was a good idea, so that's what we did.   I suppose it's one of those things that are a pure judgement call.. not absolutely necessary, but nice to have.... :Smile:

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## Wasp

" We did take soundings several months before the build.......    one of which told us that we are sitting on top of an ancient river bed about 100+  meters down. 


Blimey Koman !!!!!   A reading that can tell you THAT ????

100 metres down !!!!! 
_
There are areas of big isolated rocks and areas of shale as well as heavy clay and gravel....so a bit of a mixed bag you might say.  

The fill had less than one year to settle fully ._

This contrasts with my indolent brother-in-law who has decided to do a bit of work .... brought in some soil and sand .... and decided to let it settle for a whole 2½ Hours before laying down his floor !!!!!
_
 ".....sometimes you use the full length and sometimes you don't and end up cutting off several meters of the thing..."_

Curiosity here Koman --- what ended up being the most you cut off one of the pylons ?

And additionally - I'm using you as my standard of excellence here - you are working on your front wall now . You say the bases between the columns are about 50 cm thick .  Are they sitting straight onto the clay/soil ground in the trenches and do they have rebar ?

And thanks Koman .


Wasp

----------


## koman

> " We did take soundings several months before the build.......    one of which told us that we are sitting on top of an ancient river bed about 100+  meters down. 
> 
> 
> Blimey Koman !!!!!   A reading that can tell you THAT ????
> 
> 100 metres down !!!!! 
> _
> There are areas of big isolated rocks and areas of shale as well as heavy clay and gravel....so a bit of a mixed bag you might say.  
> 
> ...


Yes indeed.  They can tell what is below the surface for a long way down...not sure of the degree of accuracy but you get an idea of what's there.    The ancient river bit did not come from our soundings, we already knew about that, and the aquifer too.  Those kinds of things come from real geographical surveys....of which this area has been well served over the years.   

That bit of soil and sand may be OK in some places depending on what it's been poured over.

  You can sometimes still build on the hard stuff underneath if it's solid enough and your fill is not too deep.  Also depends on the structure you want to build and how much load it will place on the foundations.

  Many people believe you can get away with a single storey building but I've witnessed a few of those with cracked floors and jammed doors as the front sinks faster than the back....that sort of thing....not that many of the locals would notice or care about such minor things.

The biggest pylon cut off was just over 2 meters as I recall....so the pylon would only go down a bit less than 5 meters.   That one found a big rock I believe.

The wall base between  the columns sits on a bed of sand and gravel which was placed in the bottom of the trench, and yes they have rebar cages inside.  Without rebar the cement is likely to fracture and fail, with undesirable results.

  Most of the load would be carried by the columns however....much the same as the house.   The critical part of wall building is to make sure you have enough lateral support, because soil, water, and buffalo's may lean against it and knock it down,  if you don't..... :Smile:    There is not really that much downward pressure.....but sometimes lots of sideways pressure on those walls... :Smile: .

----------


## FatOne

Looking very good Konan, I have used your foundation pictures to show my wife so she could advise my builder of what I require. All the other homes in her village including Farang homes are basically just a slab, but as we have used a lot of filling I believe some decent foundations were necessary. So much I have learnt from TD is helping me know what to ask for- who would've thought you would have to ask for the power to be earthed?? We are starting to build today and as soon as I get my reply count up I shall start a new thread

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## koman

> Looking very good Konan, I have used your foundation pictures to show my wife so she could advise my builder of what I require. All the other homes in her village including Farang homes are basically just a slab, but as we have used a lot of filling I believe some decent foundations were necessary. So much I have learnt from TD is helping me know what to ask for- who would've thought you would have to ask for the power to be earthed?? We are starting to build today and as soon as I get my reply count up I shall start a new thread


Thanks FatOne....I'm glad my photos were useful.  I found a lot of good ideas and helpful hints on the TD construction threads over the years too.   Every thread has something useful to be learned it seems.    The least we can do is pass on whatever we experience and learn in order to help the next brave soul who wants to take on the Isaan construction industry..... :Smile:

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## FatOne

I have picked up so many hints from the construction forum, and all will be used in my house build. Your foundation photos were just perfect to explain to my darling what I wanted. But things like earthed power, Q Con blocks, etc are all in the quote. If I can work it out I'll have a new thread started shortly

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## gusG

> Looking very good Konan, I have used your foundation pictures to show my wife so she could advise my builder of what I require. All the other homes in her village including Farang homes are basically just a slab, but as we have used a lot of filling I believe some decent foundations were necessary. So much I have learnt from TD is helping me know what to ask for- who would've thought you would have to ask for the power to be earthed?? We are starting to build today and as soon as I get my reply count up I shall start a new thread


Go to the games room, and it will take you about 10 minutes to get your post count up to a higher level.

Then it will take you 3 years to figure out how to post pics here.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## koman

January 28th...we are seeing all kinds of stuff going on.   The front wall is a work in progress.   The kitchen same same......and now they have started to build the front patio railings.   Everything is done on site....non of that store bought nonsense with these guys.     So here are a few photo's of this and that.....



The electrical sub- contractor is laying the conduit and line for the front gate lights,  intercom and automatic gate opener....three separate wires for this project.



There's the conduit sticking up out of the form which will shortly be filled with concrete.  Always better to put it inside first because drilling through 2.6 meters of concrete would be a real bitch.... and having it on the outside would be tasteless in the extreme.   I'm trying to maintain a bit of decorum  and at least some appearance of civilization in the interests of the farang community as a whole..... :Smile: 




In the kitchen, something of a minor victory over Isaanness.......they are *finally* rerouting the wires for the oven and microwave as per MY instructions....and not those of Somchai who though it would look very Isaan-like to have the wall outlet 3 feet away and just run the wires from the ovens along the wall and plug them in..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

This photo also provides a sneak preview of the notorious oven cabinet which is not yet ready for full public display after the thrashing it took from the TD kitchen critics... :Smile: 

Super tile guy has been temporarily assigned to railing duties on the front patio.
We have run out of tiles so he can't quite finish the bathrooms or the kitchen.   We are assured more tile is on the way......we can only live in hope... :mid: 



I really like taking photo's with fire and sparks.....maybe I'm a closet pyromaniac..??
This fellow is cutting the steel bars to build the railing outside....while our tile guy does the welding and makes sure the thing is straight and true.....one of the few I trust to do that.



Here's tile guy welding outside while his trusty assistance tries to figure out what to cut next.



A few nice sparks there.   These pics are quite difficult to capture....at lease for me.....the timing is really critical and quite tricky with a digital camera shutter because of the slight time lag. 



After everything is welded we need to clean things up a bit with a couple of grinders.....more sparky pics..... :Smile: 



Over in the engineering department (in collaboration with the art and design people) they have manufactured these grills which will be placed in various locations over arches and openings......purely decorative  and maybe useful for hanging baskets of flowers on.....or occasionally for hanging some local construction people who break and damage everything they touch.... :Smile: 



Meanwhile the wife and her friend are busy concocting this brew of coconut, rice, banana and other unknown things, and wrapping it in banana leaf to flog at exorbitant prices around the neighborhood.    She's determined to bear as much of the financial burden as she can..... :smiley laughing: 



I shot this view out of the living room window this morning to remind myself why we moved here.   Our last living room window had a view of a Thai civil servant scratching his nuts on the porch of his rapidly deteriorating house while his wife  cleared her sinuses out in the bathroom.... really can ruin a good breakfast at times.... :smiley laughing:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^^^^

Crickey thats a lovely view mate.

----------


## Wasp

Thanks Koman .

For taking the time .


Wasp

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

----------


## koman

> Thanks Koman .
> 
> For taking the time .
> 
> 
> Wasp
> 
> .............


No problem; always happy to answer questions if I can.

----------


## Bettyboo

Is that? Could it be? Now orange? Are we looking at Frankenkitchen???







> intercom and automatic gate


You posh git!

You're cost per sqM is going right up with all these luxuries...  :mid:

----------


## koman

> Is that? Could it be? Now orange? Are we looking at Frankenkitchen???


Yes, that's a small piece of Frankenkitchen.....but the colour is not very accurate.....it's more of a burgundy....with accents... I'll try to get the colour more accurate next time..... :Smile: 





> You're cost per sqM is going right up with all these luxuries


No, the cost per m2 is still the same....I had included all this in my 10K per m2
....remember the house itself was only 9,200 Thb per m2......no big extravagance around here... none of your triangular windows or expensive thatch..... :Smile:

----------


## BKKBILL

What will be done with the two electrical boxes? Must admit those triangle sail windows do look good and we all know that thatch doesn't grow on trees. :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

> Is that? Could it be? Now orange? Are we looking at Frankenkitchen???





> it's more of a burgundy....with accents...


You see what he's doing Betty, he's subtly trying to turn the Frankenkitchen into a sort of Francokitchen.

Koman, where exactly in Canada are you from?  :Smile: 

 :France: ????

----------


## koman

> What will be done with the two electrical boxes? Must admit those triangle sail windows do look good and we all know that thatch doesn't grow on trees.



If you mean the two boxes to the right of Frankenkitchen....nothing really.  One is  just being "extended" to two other boxes inside the cavities that will house the two ovens.  The other one will be the fridge plug in..

I'm thinking about some kind of triangular window now......once I can figure out where to fit it in.....can't have Roobarb cornering the market on triangular stuff.....but I have to be careful.  If I steal his window design, he may well end up trying to replicate my Frankenkitchen, and that would never do...... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> Is that? Could it be? Now orange? Are we looking at Frankenkitchen???
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm actually from the dreaded UK originally, but migrated to Canada decades ago.   Toronto first, then up north a bit....back to Toronto....and then moved to the West coast in 1991.  Victoria, then North Vancouver.....so take your pick.   Never been anywhere near the Frog part really... I just like bold colours and a bit of contrast and variety in my décor..... :Smile:

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## Roobarb

Phew, you got me worried there for a while...

I actually rather like the colour of your kitchen monolith and am quite excited to see the finished item (in a good way, unlike Betty who I envision sitting silently, waiting for his chance to strike)

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## koman

> ^^^^
> 
> Crickey thats a lovely view mate.



Thanks BD.... this is why we waited a long time for this piece of land.   It's really about that old saying in the Real Estate business.   IE. " The three most important things in real estate are location....location....location"    Generally speaking the landscape in these parts is pretty bland and featureless.    After living in British Columbia for 20 years you become a bit blaze about scenery, but I do like a few hills and woods around me even if they are not the Rockies or the Selkirk's.... :Smile: 

What's gratifying is that six months or so after we acquired the land, Big C and Global House announced new stores in the  area.  Big C will be about 2 kms away and Global about 1K..  Tesco and Makro are already up and running.....so land prices have doubled in the last year or so.  I've never been especially lucky when it comes to buying land so this time it was a nice change to have it appreciate after the purchase.  It usually goes the other way for me.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Needless to say the previous owners are slightly pissed off.... but they have all kinds of land for sale...now at dramatically higher asking prices than we gave them.

We were offered a great deal more for ours before we started to build.....but after all the hoops we jumped through getting it, it's really was not for sale.  Really good building sites are getting harder to find and regardless what happens in the shorter term, such places will always be marketable and likely to become much more valuable in the longer term.   My wife says she is here to stay.....this is home for her...and now it really feels like home for me too.... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> I'm actually from the dreaded UK originally, but migrated to Canada decades ago.   Toronto first, then up north a bit....back to Toronto....and then moved to the West coast in 1991.  Victoria, then North Vancouver.....so take your pick.   Never been anywhere near the Frog part really... I just like bold colours and a bit of contrast and variety in my décor.....


Koman, I am the complete opposite to your travels.
I came from the land of the Hobbit!!! and migrated to Vancouver in '72. Lived around Burnaby & Coquitlam mostly & worked in North van some of the time. Then in '86 went with my now ex to Montreal (yes she was a Quebecer) and lived there until I retired in '09. I bought a house in Eastern Ontario last year so that I can enjoy some skiing in the laurentians and will be there next week, yes all -26c and over a meter of snow. I must be crazy. :Confused: 

KCC

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> I'm actually from the dreaded UK originally, but migrated to Canada decades ago.   Toronto first, then up north a bit....back to Toronto....and then moved to the West coast in 1991.  Victoria, then North Vancouver.....so take your pick.   Never been anywhere near the Frog part really... I just like bold colours and a bit of contrast and variety in my décor.....
> 
> 
> Koman, I am the complete opposite to your travels.
> I came from the land of the Hobbit!!! and migrated to Vancouver in '72. Lived around Burnaby & Coquitlam mostly & worked in North van some of the time. Then in '86 went with my now ex to Montreal (yes she was a Quebecer) and lived there until I retired in '09. I bought a house in Eastern Ontario last year so that I can enjoy some skiing in the laurentians and will be there next week, yes all -26c and over a meter of snow. I must be crazy.
> 
> KCC


Funny thing, but much as I like the warm weather here, I do miss that bloody snow at times.  I lived in Barrie, Ontario for years back in the 70ies.....heavy snowfall area with great snowmobiling, ice fishing and a bit of downhill skiing not too far away in Collingwood.   Some of the best years of my life.....nothing quite like sitting in an ice-fishing hut on a  Saturday night with a few guys, and a case of beer with the Leaf's game on a little BW portable TV...... we used to even catch quite a few fish....and no fish on earth tastes like lake trout caught through the ice.... :Smile: 

Then of course BC....mountains everywhere, great backcountry skiing...fishing...sailing.....WTF am I doing here.... :smiley laughing:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> WTF am I doing here


I hear you Buddy, mmm lake trout its hard to beat that, unless its a good Sockeye!!!

----------


## koman

Jan 29th.    Slow day today.   The wall is progressing, along with some other things of importance like the main electrical connection and patio railings.



The forms have been filled with concrete and are just waiting to be removed.



Before moving on....this is what they build the forms around. Makes for a very strong and rigid column.  These are the wall supports and take most of the loads and stresses that walls are subjected to.....we hope...



When the forms are removed, you get a solid concrete column which is all tied into the foundation wall on which the wall will be built.



The entrance gate will be hung on those two.....you can see the conduit for the lighting and other electrical luxuries sticking out the top.   A remote gate opener and intercom may seem decadent to desert dwellers, but the gate is quite a distance from the house and running all the way out only to find some betel stained crone flogging over-ripe bananas in the pouring rain should be avoided if possible.....hence the intercom.... :Smile: 



Back at the house, the electrical contractors are laying the lines for connection from the pole out by the road, to the main panel.    One pipe is for the big main connection; the other carries the wiring for all the perimeter electrical stuff, like lighting, intercoms;  fire control system for the missile launchers....and so on.



...and of course all this has to connect at the pole end.  All systems are underground....and I'm reliably informed we are the first to do this around here.   Most others just hang the cables from tree branches or suitable poles with a couple of nails to keep the cable from slipping off the top..



This is the Thai version........very interesting setup when the heavy rain comes.... :Confused:    Just to be clear, our electrical contractor did not install this. In fact you can't help noticing that he keeps at least 10 meters from any wiring done by the building crew for their own use.... :Smile: 



In the middle of my photographic expedition an election truck with blaring loudspeakers came by..... this must be the local PTP man.....looks like a real _ man_ _of the people...._,,I certainly would not hesitate to buy a used car from him.... :Confused: .....but of course the whole election thing is a bit up in the air as they say..... :mid:

----------


## Bettyboo

^that Hello Kitty thing is beautiful.

How did that hard working man of the people get all those medals? He must be amazing. After seeing him, I'm thinking about joining suthep's mob...

I really can't get turned on by walls, sorry. Where's Frankie?

----------


## BKKBILL

> The entrance gate will be hung on those two.....you can see the conduit for the lighting and other electrical luxuries sticking out the top.   A remote gate opener and intercom may seem decadent to desert dwellers, but the gate is quite a distance from the house and running all the way out only to find some betel stained crone flogging over-ripe bananas in the pouring rain should be avoided if possible.....hence the intercom....


And you call yourself Canadian? :Smile:  :Smile: 

You guys are going to have to stop reminiscing I'm starting to miss Vancouver island where I spent a good portion of my life.

----------


## ARK

This was a fascinating thread.   :UK:

----------


## koman

> I really can't get turned on by walls, sorry. Where's Frankie?


Sorry, you will just have to be patient.  Frankie is still being dressed, and besides walls are of some interest to others who have not had this kind of life changing experience yet... :Smile: 

As soon as we can get the rest of the tiles and finish things up a bit, you can have another look at Frankie....although he's still pretty wounded after your earlier remarks... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> The entrance gate will be hung on those two.....you can see the conduit for the lighting and other electrical luxuries sticking out the top.   A remote gate opener and intercom may seem decadent to desert dwellers, but the gate is quite a distance from the house and running all the way out only to find some betel stained crone flogging over-ripe bananas in the pouring rain should be avoided if possible.....hence the intercom....
> 
> 
> And you call yourself Canadian?
> 
> You guys are going to have to stop reminiscing I'm starting to miss Vancouver island where I spent a good portion of my life.


Lovely place to live....unfortunately they vote heavily for the NDP for some unfathomable reason..... :Smile:    I was at the top of the Saanich peninsula just off Land's End road....which is a lot more right wing that the rest of the place...... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> A remote gate opener and intercom may seem decadent to desert dwellers, but the gate is quite a distance from the house and running all the way out only to find some betel stained crone flogging over-ripe bananas in the pouring rain should be avoided if possible.....hence the intercom....


There's one fatal flaw in this - you'll still have to go out in the rain to show them the white man's magic that is the doorbell and intercom.

----------


## Sailing into trouble

> I was at the top of the Saanich peninsula just off Land's End road


Now I see why you you can afford a $10m wall!  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> I was at the top of the Saanich peninsula just off Land's End road
> 
> 
> Now I see why you you can afford a $10m wall!


It's pretty ritzy these days, but when I lived there back in the early 90ies it was where the people who could not afford Victoria lived....although Oprah Winfrey and John Travolta both had seasonal places nearby... both  slightly bigger than mine... :mid:  

 It was a lovely place though....views out over the Gulf Islands and a ten minute walk down to my boat which was berthed in Tsecum harbour...and later Van Isle marina....which is quite awesome.... :Smile:     The appreciation in real estate prices there over the last 20 years or so has been quite ridiculous and I don't know who can afford them anymore.    I've lived in a lot of places over the years but that was probably the prettiest and most laid back of any....and now the most expensive.. :Confused:

----------


## bankao dreamer

> this is home for her...and now it really feels like home for me too


What more do you need ?

We need a pic of Frank badly

----------


## Sailing into trouble

I used to leave the boat  in Tsehum Harbour when I went to summer school in U-Vic in the 90's. Used to enjoy the relaxing drive down into Town. Bloody hell! it is like a drag race in gridlock now. At that time houses where cheaper in the Sydney area than Rupert!

Knew I should have bought a water front on Salt Spring lol. I have perfect hind sight. Like you said very beautiful place, but now incredibly expensive and increasingly loosing its "laid back charm"

----------


## Tassini

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> A remote gate opener and intercom may seem decadent to desert dwellers, but the gate is quite a distance from the house and running all the way out only to find some betel stained crone flogging over-ripe bananas in the pouring rain should be avoided if possible.....hence the intercom....
> 
> 
> There's one fatal flaw in this - you'll still have to go out in the rain to show them the white man's magic that is the doorbell and intercom.


This is absolutely correct! We have had a video intercom on our front gate for the last couple of years, installed for the same reasons as above.
To my knowledge it has never been used by any Thai who visits. Only my Farang buddies know what it is. Even showed the postie how it worked, he looked on in amazement........then continued to use his horn whenever he had something too big for the post box!

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


The local villagers here are clearly a far superior breed because they know what intercoms are....there are several other houses in the area with them and I see them used all the time.... in any case there is no frigging way I'm running all the way out to that gate every time a motorbike with sidecar full of trading goods shows up.... :Smile: 

One of my neighbours two houses over,  is a retired senior Naval officer (Thai Navy)....right up there;  like Admiral,  or something....and HE has an intercom.....do you think it appropriate for an ex Air Force (UK)  man to let him get away with that...and provide no inter-service rivalry or competition??   If he disconnects his, I may reconsider mine... :smiley laughing: 

.

----------


## BaitongBoy

> an election truck with blaring loudspeakers came by


Looks like the door area has been sprayed by bullets...

----------


## koman

Moving on from election trucks and the controversial intercom......I've been under intense pressure from some posters to show Frankie once again.    He has undergone something of a metamorphosis since I last exposed him to the kitchen critics of TD.  



This is what he looked like from the front, after getting a good layer of thick ceramic burgundy tile from Cotto...

I kept looking at him, and not feeling totally satisfied..... then it occurred to me that the seams between the tiles needed some attention to make them look less like.....tile joints....



On our daily foraging trips to the local supply shops, I spotted some colorful mosaic tiles which I though might give poor Frankie a bit of zip.....and hide those unsightly seams.
Here our stellar tile guy is still working on him after cutting the proper grooves and inserting the mosaic tiles.



Here's a real close up of the mosaic.  Silver, and various shades of amber, which suits Frankie very nicely.   It's hard to get the colours right in photo's for some reason...but these are fairly accurate.



This close up shows the colours...and how they contrast with the wall tile and mosaic  which will run round the rest of the area.   When you stand back and look at it;   it really looks sharp.....   I hope Frankie get's better reviews than he's had so far..... :smiley laughing: 



Over on the other side of the kitchen, tile guy is doing a bit more mosaic work....we've kinda taken a liking to mosaic and tile guy is quite good at installing it.



This is some of his handiwork.....but still a long way to go before all this is completed.   



...same thing from the other side.  The colours show up a bit better from this angle....I think?    This is the backdrop for the counter top stove and that silvery mosaic will be the backdrop for the wife's space-age and outrageously expensive hood with it's extractor fans....powerful enough to suck up and blow an unsuspecting kitchen visitor right out through the wall..... :Confused: 

This is slow and methodical work, and we've had some delays in getting tiles.   It is coming along slowly though.  It will be nice to finally get past the raw cement look.

----------


## Roobarb

> an ex Air Force (UK) man





> This close up shows the colours


Sort of Crab coloured eh Koman...?  :Smile: 

I've got to say, I do like the colour.  I'm not too sure on the go-faster stripe though.

----------


## lom

> I've been under intense pressure from some posters to  show Frankie once again. He has undergone something of a metamorphosis  since I last exposed him to the kitchen critics of TD.


You are fishing for an opinion, aren't you?  Well..




> I kept looking at him, and not feeling totally satisfied.....


Rightfully so but I'm sure the tiler thinks he has done a fabulous job. :Smile: 

Asymmetrical seams is the problem and covering them up with mosaic makes Frankie look tacky. 
You should had bought a few very big size tiles covering Frankies whole width so that there would only be horisontal seams on the side of the openings.
 The colour is also too sharp for my taste, doesn't match the wall colour or the wall tiles. 
He will not be unnoticed if I may say so  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Bettyboo

Here it is, finally. And, I have to say, I was right. Horrible. Poor Frankenkitchen, the ugly bastard of the house...  :Smile:  With the stripe, kinda looks like a drunk Fiat Arbath crashed through the kitchen wall and is waiting for the insurance inspectors to turn up.



However, it looks like she's gonna have a mate...  :Sad:  (We just have to hope they don't breed...)



Tiles and pretty tiley things in kitchens? No, no, no, no. No. Let me say it again:




It's very strange because Koman has done an excellent job in every regard, his choices have been excellent, time after time. I look up to him as a Thai house build guru, a legend. But, but, but... Oh, I don't know. I must be wrong, Koman is far far better at this than I. 

Here are some recipes to cook in the Frankenkitchen.





A cup for the morning tea:



I wanna end on a positive note. Once it's complete the total effect may well be lovely. I suspect that is the case because Koman has consistently been proved right...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

^

 :smiley laughing: 

Well, BB you certainly worked hard on that critique.......

Of course the lack of taste and understanding of beautiful kitchens comes naturally to the British, who mostly surround themselves with drab colourless stuff in general.... :Smile:     There is no accounting for tastes in things like colour choice, or design.     Sidney Oprah House was panned by the critics when it was built.....and went on to become one of the world's iconic buildings....

Les Miserables, was absolutely murdered by the critics when it first opened in London......25 years and over a hundred million live audience viewers later.....it became the most successful stage musical production of all time.

Oh well,  I gave it my  best shot.  Most of the kitchens I see in farang houses here have the ambiance and feel of an Amsterdam street lavatory...... I just decided to try something different, and after all, it really won't matter who likes it or hates it as long the  people who live here like it..... :Smile: 

PS  Where can I get one of those tea mugs....?... :rofl: .

----------


## Bettyboo

> Most of the kitchens I see in farang houses here have the ambiance and feel of an Amsterdam street lavatory...... I just decided to try something different


Thoroughly agree with that.

&, while I don't like to admit it - I do like the colour.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Franky lives that is all thats important 




> Well, BB you certainly worked hard on that critique.......



I didn't

----------


## Roobarb

> With the stripe, kinda looks like a drunk Fiat Arbath crashed through the kitchen wall and is waiting for the insurance inspectors to turn up.


I initially thought that Somchai (seen lying to the left of Frankie) had come rushing back from a Lao Khao fuelled lunch and simply didn't manage to stop his motorbike in time.  

But I was too polite to mention it.

----------


## koman

^
Politeness on TD has never been much of an issue....although there are limits.  Suggesting that Thailand's master tiler would drink on the job is getting pretty close...  I hope the mods are paying attention.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

These aren't tiles at all. When you look at the top left outside corner it is clear that the colour has just been spray painted onto a concrete base...



I'm off to read for a while, a classic by Mary Shelley.

Nonetheless, I'm confident (ish), that upon completion of this kitchen, Koman will be proven correct.

----------


## koman

> These aren't tiles at all. When you look at the top left outside corner it is clear that the colour has just been spray painted onto a concrete base...


Too much time in the sandbox BB.....that's just the coloured grout which was applied with a damp sponge.....  Look at Somchai's reflection in the side.....that's ceramic tile....about 550-600 bahtski's a m2 for this stuff... now go get some and spruce that place of your's up a bit will ya...... :Smile:    Spray painted????.... :rofl:

----------


## Bettyboo



----------


## Wasp

.....
koman :
" These are not what you would call refined people.   They really have no sense of aesthetics; no appreciation for form, beauty or anything like that. "






       How can you say that ??????  ^


Wasp

----------


## Wasp

koman : Funny thing, but much as I like the warm weather here, I do miss that bloody snow at times. 


.....  it's the same for me  .

When I do go to Thailand I stand outside Heathrow enjoying breathing the freezing air for the last few minutes .
When I exit the terminal at bangkok it feels like a huge hammer of heat and fatigue .


And I'm very very very extremely sorry , koman ..... but I'm edging towards Bettyboo's critique of Franky .

But just to distract you from the depression this will be giving you .... how about a photo of the boat you had in Vancouver ?


Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

I like Franky he has character and is kind of funky

----------


## Bettyboo

> I like Franky he has character and is kind of funky


Frankie is a she.

----------


## bankao dreamer

^
Or a he in touch with his feminine side  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> I like Franky he has character and is kind of funky


Thank you BD.....Frankie will be glad to know there is at least one TD member with good taste..... :Smile: 

I see Betty is still trying to undermine HIM.....by making spurious comments about him being female and other such nonsense.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

How can a kitchen 'thing' be male? I don't know why BD and Koman would want to suggest that it's a Gay Frankenstinian Kitchen.

I was presuming that Frankie, ugly duckling, bastard creation that she may be, was at least female and thus functional in the kitchen. I was trying to be kind to Frankie...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> I was trying to be kind to Frankie...


Bullshit.....you were not... :rofl: 

...and anyway who decided that kitchen things had to be female?  Most of the great chef's and bakers are male....and so are many refrigerators, freezers,  and extractor fans... :mid:   How may females do you know with the name Frank or Frankie.....?  

I've personally never met one;  and magazines don't count..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Bettyboo

Very trendy FEMALE name back in the UK...



Extractor fans are gay (hang around toilets looking for a short time turn on...).

Everything about Frankie screams female (when it's not screaming "please kill me, put me out of my misery!" :Smile: ).

----------


## Roobarb

> Extractor fans are gay (hang around toilets looking for a short time turn on...).


 :rofl:

----------


## koman

> Very trendy FEMALE name back in the UK...


Well. I have to admit that I'm not surprised.  The poor old UK is so totally fucked up now that girls are called Frank or Frankie..... 

Notwithstanding the tasteless and totally fucked up UK however, my Frankie is very male and very hetro...and he would like you to understand that, without a shadow of a doubt.... :Smile: 

You might be right about extractor fans....but again you are no doubt mostly familiar with British extractor fans.  The rest of the world enjoys male extractor fans.    Anyhow,  I prefer properly aligned windows,  so it's not much of an issue around here.    Have you alerted SteveFarang...he has a whole house full of them.  I hope he avoided installing anything from the UK.... :Confused:    What a place...only the French are weirder these days..... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Notwithstanding the tasteless and totally fucked up UK however


I was lucky on Wednesday to travel on the tube at the start of the Tube strike from Barons Court to LHR district line to Acton Town 1/2 hour wait for the picadilly line to LHR all in all not bad considering the poor souls that had to go into the city where there was no tube service. Just fucked up and should not be allowed. If that was in Thailand they would just fire the lot and start with a fresh bunch of monkeys!!!!

----------


## FatOne

All this talk about your kitchen mate, I am constantly amazed at what these Thai builders can do, anything you can imagine they will take on board and do for you. Like it or hate it you have created an individual kitchen that deserves praise for just designing it. Congratulations, looking forward to seeing the finished job.

----------


## Mr Lick

In the middle of my photographic expedition an election truck with blaring loudspeakers came by..... this must be the local PTP man.....looks like a real _man_ _of the people...._,,I certainly would not hesitate to buy a used car from him.... :Confused: .....but of course the whole election thing is a bit up in the air as they say..... :mid: [/quote]



I recognise that guy in the poster Koman. Played a round or two with him at a local golf course. (We're neighbours). He often turned up there in his Jeep or BMW Z4. Can't think how he came to afford such extravagance  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

The build is coming along nicely.

----------


## koman

> In the middle of my photographic expedition an election truck with blaring loudspeakers came by..... this must be the local PTP man.....looks like a real _man_ _of the people...._,,I certainly would not hesitate to buy a used car from him.........but of course the whole election thing is a bit up in the air as they say.....


 

I recognise that guy in the poster Koman. Played a round or two with him at a local golf course. (We're neighbours). He often turned up there in his Jeep or BMW Z4. Can't think how he came to afford such extravagance  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

The build is coming along nicely.[/QUOTE]

Ah...so you move in the right circles then... :Smile:    Nothing like having friends in parliament... although in this case there does not seem to be a parliament.....With Sutrep and all demanding_ Royal Councils_ he may not get to take his seat.     

Try to keep him on side regardless.....a man with a Jeep and BMW is usually well connected and good to know...even if he's a golfer... :rofl:

----------


## koman

> All this talk about your kitchen mate, I am constantly amazed at what these Thai builders can do, anything you can imagine they will take on board and do for you. Like it or hate it you have created an individual kitchen that deserves praise for just designing it. Congratulations, looking forward to seeing the finished job.



Some  (quite a few)  of the Thai workers are really good both in terms of reliability and quality of work.  Some others are a danger to themselves and all mankind..

  I've had a really good crew for most of the time.  Presently I seem to have a few of the dangerous kind.  I spend a good deal of time trying to prevent them from destroying the place.... :Confused:  

   Everybody in this whole area seems to be building or renovating something, so the demand for workers is high, and the good ones tend to be shuffled from site to site frequently.  This has slowed things down and also can leave you with the lunatics running the asylum at times.

Our ceiling guy is a good worker but he has a singular talent for breaking and damaging things.  Good ceiling installers are a premium commodity however, so we have to tolerate a lot of minor incidences in order to get the job finished.    Now his Grandpa upped and died, so he and his wife are off to the darkest corner of Isaan to cremate the old boy.      He should be finished in a few more days once he gets back....then we can start to paint, tile, install doors and that sort of thing.   

The tile guy is not able to finish the bathrooms or kitchen because Jeeves (the almost super=human project manager) underestimated the amount of tile needed and we ran out.    It's about the only thing Jeeves has screwed up on...and he feels badly about it...or maybe he's just a good actor.... :Smile: 

The front wall is going well and should look quite nice when it's finished..  as long as we keep the ceiling guy well away from it..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

PS   Thank you for your compliments on the kitchen design.   It's not really unique or original as a few our TD critics seem to think.   This kind of mosaic accent and highly contrasting colour is quite common in some of the more civilized parts of the world where people view the kitchen as possibly the most important room in the house;  so they try to make it look nice and interesting instead of sterile and clinic like.  Personal preference and taste......like so many other things in life..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

The general lack of activity is getting me down.  Have not been able to even shoot a decent photo in the last couple of weeks.   I have a house about 80% completed but at the present rate of progress it's going to take 20 years to finish.   Christ, even Betty  is racing ahead of me with tiles being laid  (even if they don't line up)  and FatOne with his holes already blessed by monks. 

I'm feeling desperate, so I'll have to post a few photos just to keep this thread alive in the face of the fierce competition out there in TD construction land.  I've been pre-empted by a fucking chicken coop for Chrissakes.....




There is some very minor progress...like this soffit board installation which seems to be taking forever...with the ceiling guy having to rush off to a funeral an all......



....a bit of finished area....but there's still a lot to do.



The front wall is moving along, but with only one or two people working on it, progress is slow.

NB....this is more  "form work"  so don't go slagging off my fucking wall....it will look nice when it's finished...OK?




The house looking from the west.... with the partially built wall in the foreground....

The front patio faces west.....so shaded for most of the day...until about 3:30 PM
The big side patio (left side in photo) is shaded all day and never gets the sun...but a nice breeze flows through nearly all the time.

The right hand side is the south wall which faces the sun most of the day.   The roof has been taken down a full meter lower in order to reduce the amount of sun exposure on the walls and also to provide a large platform for solar panels later on.



This shows the front and north side, just before noon.   As you can see, both patios are still in deep shade and because of their width they keep the sun off the windows nearly all day.



This is yet another patio on the south east corner.  This is where we will have our morning coffee while the sun rises and warms things up.   This will start getting a bit hot by 10am or so.....at which time we move to patios 1 or 2.



This is our neighbours new fence....which they copied from our back fence.....
We tried to make ours blend in with the scenery.   Thai's apparently do not share this idea as you can see.    Nice folks and really good neighbors, but we definitely don't share the same taste in fence colours..... :Smile:    I'm really looking forward to their kitchen décor.....



The overall lack of action around here has caused the security chief to become somewhat un-motivated....but it may be just his rabies booster causing this lethargy.....this won't do...he's supposed to be the bloody guard dog.

----------


## Roobarb

> I've been pre-empted by a fucking chicken coop for Chrissakes.....


Oh, I don't now Koman, I reckon your place looks pretty good really  :Smile: 




> The front wall is moving along, but with only one or two people working on it, progress is slow.


Yes, you seem to have moss growing on it, although oddly enough it is growing on what appears to be the south side of the wall.  Are you sure you are building this place in Thailand?




> NB....this is more "form work" so don't go slagging off my fucking wall....it will look nice when it's finished...OK?


I'm itchin' to have a crack...  :Tapedshut: 

All in all the place seems to be coming on well Koman.  The walls and roof all go up pretty quickly which is good for photo threads, then things do slow down and it becomes a bit frustrating.  Got to say that yours is still looking like a quality build.

----------


## katie23

Hi koman, I'm saying hello to your thread. I finally got to see what Frankie is all about.  I like color and the mosaic tiles are nice.  But I admit it was dreadful in the early stages.     :Razz:   But now, I like Frankie, I think SHE is beautiful.  :Very Happy:   And btw, I like your patios too, and the dog. Cheers!

----------


## dustybookend

> Hi koman, I'm saying hello to your thread. I finally got to see what Frankie is all about.  I like color and the mosaic tiles are nice.  But I admit it was dreadful in the early stages.      But now, I like Frankie, I think SHE is beautiful.   And btw, I like your patios too, and the dog. Cheers!


All together now.

WHO THE FUCK IS FRANKIE :Smile:

----------


## snakeeyes

> Originally Posted by katie23
> 
> 
> Hi koman, I'm saying hello to your thread. I finally got to see what Frankie is all about.  I like color and the mosaic tiles are nice.  But I admit it was dreadful in the early stages.      But now, I like Frankie, I think SHE is beautiful.   And btw, I like your patios too, and the dog. Cheers!
> 
> 
> All together now.
> 
> WHO THE FUCK IS FRANKIE

----------


## Bettyboo

Slow progress, but the quality does look good.



Errm, no comment...  :Smile: 




> to provide a large platform for solar panels later on.


That will be very interesting, looking forward to that!




> s you can see, both patios are still in deep shade and because of their width they keep the sun off the windows nearly all day.





> This is yet another patio on the south east corner. This is where we will have our morning coffee while the sun rises and warms things up.


These patio areas are nice - somewhere to sit outside and relax, have a coffee or a beer or read a book. Perfect.  :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> Hi koman, I'm saying hello to your thread. *I finally got to see what Frankie is all about. I like color* and the mosaic tiles are nice. *But I admit it was dreadful in the early stages.*   But now, I like Frankie, I think *SHE* is beautiful.


 :rofl: 

I like your style, Katie.

----------


## FatOne

You really have planned this home brilliantly Koman, even down to where the sun shines, geez, I dunno what the orientation of my place is, we'll have to see!! Looking very good.

----------


## koman

> Hi koman, I'm saying hello to your thread. I finally got to see what Frankie is all about.  I like color and the mosaic tiles are nice.  But I admit it was dreadful in the early stages.      But now, I like Frankie, I think SHE is beautiful.   And btw, I like your patios too, and the dog. Cheers!


Clearly the most thoughtful and intelligent post so far on this thread... :Smile: 

Katie; you are obviously a woman of intelligence and refined tastes....but please don't go getting your genders mixed up.

  It was Bettyboo who started this nonsense about Frankie being female, but then you have to take into consideration the fact that Bettyboo can't even get his floor tiles lined up....so hardly a good or reliable source of information.  Being stuck in a middle eastern desert oasis with camels for company can distort ones judgement in many ways.

...oh, and of course the early stages (once again  "form work") was not pretty....it never is.  In the end, Frankie will be a star....and there will be a lot of humble pie eaten around Teakdoor.....just you wait and see.... :Smile: 

Thank you for your input.... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Its looking really good and I mean everything including Frankie. It is frustrating when things slow down. I want to take pics now of completed things rather than half finished.

----------


## BKKBILL

Koman have to say you have taken the Frankie bashing quite well.

Thing is if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Even our lady posters Betty and Katie seem to think Frankie is a she.

----------


## koman

> Koman have to say you have taken the Frankie bashing quite well.
> 
> Thing is if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Even our lady posters Betty and Katie seem to think Frankie is a she.


Thanks Bill.....maybe we can compromise and call Frankie a  Shemale...... :rofl: 
....on second though....NO... he's had enough already... :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

> Clearly the most thoughtful and intelligent post so far on this thread...


It's your thread Koman, most of the posts have been made by yourself...  :Smile: 

(Obviously many other posts here have been made by Betty so I see where you may be coming from).




> and there will be a lot of humble pie eaten around Teakdoor.


Will it be cooked in Frankie?  

I only ask as judging by the 'form work' we may find the humble pie is actually a little half-baked?

----------


## koman

> Its looking really good and I mean everything including Frankie. It is frustrating when things slow down. I want to take pics now of completed things rather than half finished.


Thanks BD... nice of you to include the long suffering Frankie in your enlightened observations... :Smile: 

It's definitely safer to only photograph completed things; but it sort of defeats the purpose of a thread like this, which is really about the construction of things rather than just producing pretty photos of finished buildings....which don't contribute much to the knowledge base for those who follow, even though they are often nice to look at.  

 There are lots of lovely finished building photo's in the travel section if that's all people want to look at.....and at some point we will all be able to post a photo or two of a finished project....hopefully... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Bettyboo

> the purpose of a thread like this, which is really about the construction of things rather than just producing pretty photos of finished buildings....which don't contribute much to the knowledge base for those who follow, even though they are often nice to look at.


Good point, Koman. It's great to actually see things take shape, little imperfections included. 

&, your house is superb. 

Last but not least, if Frankie truly does turn out to be a masterpiece, if she wows us in the end, then you will be able to revel in a totally glorious build. If... In the more likely event that Frankenkitchen, the bastard creation, is an utter dud, then the beauty of the build is all the more because little quirks, a 'beauty spot' here, a clipped ear there, really do highlight the overall beauty, in my opinion.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> the purpose of a thread like this, which is really about the construction of things rather than just producing pretty photos of finished buildings....which don't contribute much to the knowledge base for those who follow, even though they are often nice to look at.
> 
> 
> Good point, Koman. It's great to actually see things take shape, little imperfections included. 
> 
> &, your house is superb. 
> 
> Last but not least, if Frankie truly does turn out to be a masterpiece, if she wows us in the end, then you will be able to revel in a totally glorious build. If... In the more likely event that Frankenkitchen, the bastard creation, is an utter dud, then the beauty of the build is all the more because little quirks, a 'beauty spot' here, a clipped ear there, really do highlight the overall beauty, in my opinion.


Thank you Betty.  You are being uncommonly generous with your comments today.......are you by chance softening me up for another sneak attack?...... :smiley laughing:  

The place is being painted with concrete sealer/primer today.....it's all stark white, inside and out.  They tell me that two coats of this stuff will be applied and allowed to dry out for at least a week before any topcoat is applied.   

We still don't have the bathroom and kitchen tiles that were supposed to be here every week for four weeks now.   The project manager is looking increasingly sheepish for not ordering enough when they had the bloody things in stock.  

Seems everybody is waiting on everybody else and nobody is getting on with anything.....except the ceiling guy who has now moved to higher elevations and is installing the soffit boards in the peak of the front patio gable.....and what looks like a junior version of the _Hells Angels_ with rollers slapping white paint on everything..... :mid: 

Ceiling guy's wife is going around looking even more pissed off than usual and seems to be completely ignoring him.   I hope she doesn't kill him before he's finished with the soffits... we don't need any more labour shortages around here just now.... :mid: .

----------


## koman

Just to follow up on post 463 above.....I did not have any photos when I posted that; so being as this is a photo thread, that needs to be remedied.  So, here is some pictorial evidence of what I was talking about.



There he is....the ceiling guy up there in the very apex of the front patio gable, installing the blue anti-wildlife netting and soffit boards.  As I mentioned his wife is not assisting today....and for some reason I don't think it's the altitude that's holding her back.... :Smile: 



Compared to yesterdays photos....it looks very white now, but that will of course change when the top coats are applied.   We did not choose pink....sorry Betty... :Smile: 



Todays front wall photo.....(because I don't have a hell of a lot else to photograph at the moment).....shows quite a bit of improvement over yesterdays formwork photo.   We just had the materials to finish of the railings and everything today....so we'll just have to see how all that goes over the next couple of days.



I like the way the horizontal bars are being installed.   They are bolted and cemented right into the reinforced columns.  Other walls I've looked at have the bars just screwed or bolted to brackets mounted on the columns.   Jeeves has been exercising quality control again..... good man Jeeves.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> are you by chance softening me up for another sneak attack?


Nope, I'm just feeling vulnerable on my thread, and don't want to upset folks...  :Smile: 



As you know, I don't like walls, but I quite like this wall. Walls are barriers, look at the Israeli wall, and are for Americans who are scared of people entering their 'zone'. In Thailand, you kinda have to accept that folks will wonder onto your land, into your kitchen (now I see the point of Frankenkitchen! Genious, Koman!  :rofl: ), etc - that's what the dogs, FiL with machete and shotgun under the bed (& Frankenkitchen) are for... This wall looks like it has a perimetre marking function, but may also allow in the light, views of the outside world, etc. We will see; at the moment, I'm just enjoying the formwork...  :Smile:

----------


## patsycat

Funky Frankie is female. definately.  She's looking good.  Can't wait to see her filled with the appropriate appliances.

----------


## koman

> Funky Frankie is female. definately.  She's looking good.  Can't wait to see her filled with the appropriate appliances.


Thanks for your input Patsy.....always good to get the female take on these things.  

 I seem to be getting out voted on this gender thing, but I still don't get why so many people think Frankie is female.   I've never had a problem distinguishing between male and female before.....not ever...honest... :Smile:   I like females and I recognise one right away if she stands in front of me or anywhere near me... :Smile: 

   To me, and others who have me him in person,  Frankie has always seemed male;  and his stoic resistance to all the mocking and insults has been nothing short of outstanding.  Not many people have their nakedness exposed on an internet forum and handle the fallout the way Frankie does....although I don't always share the really harsh comments with him....the kind of stuff Bettboo and Roobarb dish out.

   To me he's like a Sgt Major in one of the Guards regiments.   Stiff, upright, colourful and confident.  I doubt if a female of his species would behave in this way.....at least not any female that I've ever met.... :Smile:   Females generally are more sensitive,  and more easily offended by harsh comments about how they look and dress.  There will always be exceptions of course...obviously not all females are the same any more than males are.

  Sgt Majors are pretty stiff backed and are not even rattled by a few exploding shells or the whine of live ammo close by.....and that is the kind of thing I see in Frankie..... :Smile:  

*Sargent Major Frankie*......now we're onto something....... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Bettyboo



----------


## koman

> 


Betty, don't be ridiculous.  That's USAF....not the Grenadier Guards, or any other guards.,,,and a woman, which Frankie can never be, even with a full cut operation and therapy...... :Confused:

----------


## BKKBILL

Betty I can understand the mix up. you must have forgot koman is from Canada so here are some Canadian Grenadier Guards in Montréal. Not sure which one is Frankie so take your pick. Just a hint it's not the old guy.  :Smile:

----------


## lom

> 


I can see the analogy, Major Cupboard decorated with some colourful kitsch.

----------


## koman

^

What a fucking travesty.   The real Grenadier guards are an elite regiment with centuries of battle honors......not a bunch of office clerks.

  I notice there are a few guys hovering around in the background wearing something like proper ceremonial guards uniforms.(Red)....and just look at the gender mix FFS...that photo must have been taken for the CBC to promote some feminist outfit; using my tax dollars no doubt.....twats.  No wonder I moved to Thailand....... :rofl: 

I have to admit that lot would probably scare the shit out of the Taliban though..... :Confused:

----------


## Bettyboo

> Betty I can understand the mix up. you must have forgot koman is from Canada so here are some Canadian Grenadier Guards in Montréal. Not sure which one is Frankie so take your pick. Just a hint it's not the old guy.


I would guess at Frankenkitchen being one of the 'lovelies' to the left...

----------


## koman

> I would guess at Frankenkitchen being one of the 'lovelies' to the left...


You are just desperate to divert attention away from your tile job...aren't you???.... :rofl:

----------


## patsycat

Far left, specs and good strong legs.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ :rofl:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> but I still don't get why so many people think Frankie is female


 Two big orifices. Case closed.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> but I still don't get why so many people think Frankie is female
> 
> 
>  Two big orifices. Case closed.


NO...women have three big orifices....men only have two....case re-opened.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

Yesterday (Feb 13th) I had one of those memorable Isaan moments.   I had to buy a litre of paint for the horizontal bars of the front wall railings; so off I went to the local mega supply store. 

  The young fellow in the paint department was good.  He quickly mixed up a litre can of the finest quality paint on the planet and gave it to me with the paperwork, which had to be presented at the service desk for payment.  

I was met by a very cute broadly smiling young thing sitting in front of a very expensive looking computer terminal surrounded by a dozen or so others more or less of the same description.    She studied by documents very carefully....for about five minutes....and finally began banging away on her keyboard.   Finally she tells me the paint will be 575 baht......WTF.. :Confused:     Naturally I question this demand....so reinforcements are called in.  Three girls are now peering at the computer terminal and after much furious keying and frowning, the new price comes down to 383 baht.....WTF... :Confused: 

No No No....this paint is 1100 baht for a 4 liter can.....therefore, it should be more like 275 (or maybe a little bit more)  baht for one liter;  and not 387 or 575 or anything of the kind.....

This called for more reinforcements....so the shift supervisor was called in.   She was an older and quite dignified woman who again after peering at the terminal for a few minutes....finally gave in and called for the guy in the paint department.

The paint guy, much to my joy said the paint was 295 baht for 1 litre......a farang victory of gigantic proportions..... :Smile: 

Anyhow, after all this, the girls placed my can of paint in a nice plastic bag all taped up and tidy looking....gave me my bill stamped "paid" and off I went....only to be intercepted by the store security team at the exit.

   Thet wanted to examine the contents of my bag and paperwork.  No problem....nice to know security is of such excellent quality in home supply stores.    They quickly ripped my nice bag open....examined the paint and studied the bill.   Then  they had to call the paint department to make sure the price on the paint was right...and presumably to make sure I had not forged the stamp on the invoice.   

I spend almost exactly 2 hours buying a 1 litre can of paint.   It only required about 30 minutes to paint the railings.   I'm pretty sure if time and labour costs were to me measured against the margin of profit on a 1 litre can of paint.....my visit probably cost the store about 1000 baht.... :rofl:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


Are you related to DJ Pat?

----------


## FatOne

Walking past the electrical section where I work and I found another Kitchen Franke to add to the bullshit!

----------


## Roobarb

> Walking past the electrical section where I work and I found another Kitchen Franke to add to the bullshit!


Aaaaagh, it's breeding.

Sensible of your guys to dig a grave for it at your place FatOne, you may finally be able to slay the beast.

----------


## Roobarb

> Thet wanted to examine the contents of my bag and paperwork. No problem....nice to know security is of such excellent quality in home supply stores. They quickly ripped my nice bag open....examined the paint and studied the bill. Then they had to call the paint department to make sure the price on the paint was right...and presumably to make sure I had not forged the stamp on the invoice.


They do that all the time here in India and it drives me potty when you get some dippy, quasi-literate security guard who uses receipts as a free opportunity to try and further their education.  

When I was last at Global House in Thailand they had someone at the door doing the same thing.  Made me think I was back in India.  

It quite ruined my holiday it did...

----------


## koman

> Walking past the electrical section where I work and I found another Kitchen Franke to add to the bullshit!


Yes that's a well respected brand....of Swiss origin I believe.  My Frankie will be equipped with Hafele appliances as there are no Franke suppliers around here.

I'm surprised that none of our TD critics picked up on that....but then high quality and modern advanced design are not widely recognized amongst this select group.... :Smile: 

oops....just noticed the box where it says Swiss..blah blah blah.....

----------


## BKKBILL

Can't wait for the sign to go up.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Can't wait for the sign to go up.


Damn fine looking sign...I wonder where I can get one.....that would really light up the kitchen... :Smile:

----------


## grasshopper

Where's Johnnie in all this kerfuffle?

----------


## Bettyboo

> Originally Posted by FatOne
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Walking past the electrical section where I work and I found another Kitchen Franke to add to the bullshit!
> 
> 
> Yes that's a well respected brand....of Swiss origin I believe.  My Frankie will be equipped with Hafele appliances as there are no Franke suppliers around here.
> ...


Let's be very very clear here, lest Koman diverts us into an alternative reality! Frankie is not, NOT, a high end Swiss appliance. Frankie is Frankenkitchen, possibly of Austrian breeding, a bastard creation of a mad scientist, away from home too long, under alien influences who cajoled and confused him to the point where his future was destroyed by an abomination that never should have seen life!

I hope that has clarified the situation.

Any more pics of the wall?  :Smile:  I'm actually keen to see how it ends up.

----------


## koman

> Any more pics of the wall?  I'm actually keen to see how it ends up.


I'll ignore your latest attack and just respond to the request for wall photos....
It's still very much of a work in progress, but it's coming along.   They seem to be working in slow motion because when it's completed they are finished here and have to move to another build a few kms away.   I know they don't want to go because the other place is in a crap location with no facilities (like our command and control center, toilets and fishing holes)  



The outside looking from where the main gate will eventually hang.



The inside.  Notice the water faucet on the blue pipe about half way along.   Some genius installed it so that it barely clears the ground once it's filled in.....They should have placed it behind one of the columns and made it about 50cms higher.  More fixing.  This is what happens when they don't see your shadow looming over them.



Looking at it from the middle of the road.

I thought something a little bit different to the standard steel bar tarted up with ornate swirls and gold fleur-de-lis looking things on top, was in order.   We're using composite wood look boards.  Light, strong, virtually maintenance free, and easy to install.   The only real down side is that I can't get more welding pics or sparky cutting pics.  

This kind of railing is getting popular with the more affluent Thai's and in fact the retired President of one the most successful construction companies in Thailand had a fence just like this around his house where the driveway and front door cost more than my entire project.....He lived just down the road from our last house.  The only difference was that he had stainless steel bars holding his up....I just went for the cheapo steel with lots of primer and a good topcoat.

----------


## Bettyboo

> I thought something a little bit different to the standard steel bar tarted up with ornate swirls and gold fleur-de-lis looking things on top, was in order. We're using composite wood look boards. Light, strong, virtually maintenance free, and easy to install. The only real down side is that I can't get more welding pics or sparky cutting pics.


Nice that is. Much better than a 2 metre blank wall. Good effort...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> I thought something a little bit different to the standard steel bar tarted up with ornate swirls and gold fleur-de-lis looking things on top, was in order. We're using composite wood look boards. Light, strong, virtually maintenance free, and easy to install. The only real down side is that I can't get more welding pics or sparky cutting pics.
> 
> 
> Nice that is. Much better than a 2 metre blank wall. Good effort...


Thank you.  I though it looked quite nice.  My side walls are solid with big foundations because they are acting as retaining walls.  They are actually quite low on our side because we sit quite a bit higher than the adjacent land on all sides.  In fact the windows of the house are just about the top of the wall level, so there is no real restriction of the views or breezes, and no feeling of being "walled in"

 The back was fenced with chain link (lots of pics way back in this thread)   in order to let the prevailing wind flow through and also to allow the water to flow freely into our pond when the dams open in November each year and flood all the rice land.  

Believe it or not, there is some planning at work here....... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> there is some planning at work here


Ali na?

You are right, the design is good, the choice of colours is nice, it's functional, sturdy, should be long lasting. I like that, as walls go.

Are you gonna leave the wall like that or put a topcoat of colour on the concrete area? If more colour, then which?

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> there is some planning at work here
> 
> 
> Ali na?
> 
> You are right, the design is good, the choice of colours is nice, it's functional, sturdy, should be long lasting. I like that, as walls go.
> 
> Are you gonna leave the wall like that or put a topcoat of colour on the concrete area? If more colour, then which?


The wall will be partially painted (the exact colour is yet to be decided) with those big panels covered in a kind of fake stone veneer.  Fake wood, fake stone....I may have to pay for all this with fake 1000 baht notes..... :Confused:

----------


## patsycat

He may have some Frankie paint left over...

----------


## koman

> He may have some Frankie paint left over...


Now there's an idea.....would you like to join my design team?...... :Smile: 



This is a test area to see what the outside colours look like in the flesh.  The lower colour is much darker than what it appeared to be on the computer simulation, and to be honest, I don't like it.   Any thoughts from the TD design experts....and Patsycat in particular?



These are the colours chosen for the walls of the main living area.  Different greens used on different walls.....but I think the dark green is too dark.   Again it all looked nice on the computer simulation but in real live..... :Confused:    What ya think?

Strangely enough, this for me is the most goddam frustrating part of the whole project...

----------


## Bettyboo

I'n not very good with colours, so I'm saying nowt.

----------


## patsycat

Green.

----------


## Bettyboo

Pea soup green - horrible!

----------


## Bettyboo

You want a bit of Cornflower Blue in there, Koman; all the rage in the upper class moobans nowadays...  :Smile:

----------


## malcy

> You want a bit of Cornflower Blue in there, Koman; all the rage in the upper class moobans nowadays...


Apparently I need to spread the love , always next time Betty  :Smile:

----------


## BKKBILL

Koman I’m also no good with colours so will stay away from that but have a question about your fence which I quite like, not Frankie but then what is.

Does the composite wood boards on your fence come in that finish or have they been stained.

----------


## koman

> Koman I’m also no good with colours so will stay away from that but have a question about your fence which I quite like, not Frankie but then what is.
> 
> Does the composite wood boards on your fence come in that finish or have they been stained.


The ones you see in the photos have been stained a darker shade than the way they came;  which was a kind of light brown.  They use a special paint/stain for what really is a kind of concrete, so when ordering the paint you need to specify what it's for.  It seals the concrete and prevents water staining and other ugly stuff.

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> This is a test area to see what the outside colours look like in the flesh. The lower colour is much darker than what it appeared to be on the computer simulation, and to be honest, I don't like it.


I do.

A good solid colour on the bottom implies solidity and it makes a change from the wishy-washy colours 99.9% of houses use.

----------


## koman

> Green.


I don't suppose you would like to expand on that a bit would you?.....One word posts always seem a bit cryptic to my limited powers of interpretation..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Pea soup green - horrible!


You said you were not good with colours. I accept that...you don't have to prove it.... :Smile: 





> You want a bit of Cornflower Blue in there, Koman; all the rage in the upper class moobans nowadays...


We had that in our last house and I've grown a bit tired of it and need to move ahead.   Now the upper class moobans are picking up on where I left off.....years ahead of the masses on these things..   I predict the Frankie craze will really take off in 2-3 years..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> This is a test area to see what the outside colours look like in the flesh. The lower colour is much darker than what it appeared to be on the computer simulation, and to be honest, I don't like it.
> 
> 
> I do.
> 
> A good solid colour on the bottom implies solidity and it makes a change from the wishy-washy colours 99.9% of houses use.


I agree, it's just that this solid colour is a bit too dark IMO....it's actually darker than it appears in the photo.  We'll try to lighten it up a shade or two and see how that looks.    The problem I've found in the past is that the really dark colours tend to suffer from the sun and fade quicker than the lighter shades....so you have to repaint more often, otherwise they look like shit after a while.

----------


## patsycat

Green blends in with the grass.

----------


## FatOne

The fence looks fantastic, as with all of your project mate, I like the light green.

----------


## koman

> Green blends in with the grass.


Yes it does...but those greens in the photo are supposed to be for some inside walls; so the blending with grass approach hardly applies.  Our back fence is green and blends in very nicely with the surrounding foliage however..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> The fence looks fantastic, as with all of your project mate, I like the light green.


Thank you FatOne...Fantastic is high praise indeed... :Smile: 

I quite like the light green too, and the latest plan is to use it as the darker colour and try a really light green with it.  Colours are a bitch; I'm being driven to distraction by them......maybe we should just leave everything as raw concrete... :Confused:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

Ditch the green for interior walls. Only an Asian would think that looks good.

----------


## koman

> Ditch the green for interior walls. Only an Asian would think that looks good.


Funny, because I picked greens, and my wife is the one who doesn't like it much.   Anyway greens are very much in vogue with the high-end interior décor people...and not just in Asia.   The problem for me is that they are not really the right greens....at least not the darker one.

Anyway it's not decided, we may well ditch them altogether, or try to find some more subtle shades that will do the job.   Green is a very "restful" colour, and I'm going to need some rest after this lot.

----------


## katie23

I like the light green or maybe a cornflower blue.  :Smile:  If not those, then a peach (but I would understand if you don't want that). Off-white/ ecru would be good too. Up to you.  :Wink:

----------


## lom

> Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
> 
> 
> Ditch the green for interior walls. Only an Asian would think that looks good.
> 
> 
> Funny, because I picked greens, and my wife is the one who doesn't like it much.   Anyway greens are very much in vogue with the high-end interior décor people...and not just in Asia.


Don't listen to the wife or Marmite, green is ok but not that wimpy bleached-out green. Use dark distinct colours and different colour among the rooms, will help you with orientation when alzheimers kicks in later in life.

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
> ...


Sorry, I meant to say 'Only an Asian would think that lime looks good'.

A nice Victorian green would look lovely in ones library or drawing room (did people really have a room just for drawing?).

----------


## Bettyboo

> Funny, because I picked greens, and my wife is the one who doesn't like it much.


Your wife is right. What does she think of Frankenkitchen; does she like her?




> I like the cornflower blue.


(slight edit)

Katie really does show some potential; some excellent comments on this thread.

----------


## koman

> Your wife is right. What does she think of Frankenkitchen; does she like her?


Of course she likes Frankie....anyone with even a trace of good taste and sensibility would like Frankie... :Smile: 

As far as the green paint colours go, she's not head over heels about them, but neither am I.....so we have to work on that.  I still like the idea of two tone green but it's a matter of getting the right greens.   If the paint shop guys can't deliver....we will have to try something else.  

As I said before, we've been down the "Cornflower blue" road already....we need something new and a bit original if possible.    Neither of us follow the herd. 

Looking at the various responses, it becomes pretty obvious that no matter what colours you choose, there will be those who don't like them, and those that do.   

In the end you are still going to go with what you like best for yourself,  because there will never be consensus on something like the best colour for your living room walls...or anything else to do with building a house for that matter.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

As you know, I'm not good with colours, but I feel that green is a dangerous colour because it can look really nice, but can also look awful. I feel your pain. Play safe (cornflower blue...).

----------


## koman

> green is a dangerous colour because it can look really nice, but can also look awful


I would suggest that any colour can look awful if it clashes badly with everything else around it.   If on the other hand it can be made to compliment the other colours it can look nice no matter what colour it happens to be.   

  Green is a very "restful" colour.   Blue is considered cool...which is nice in a hot climate....but all things considered I think that when all this is finished I'll be more in need of a rest than being cool....the A/C can take care of than anyway.... :Smile: 

I have no favourite colours....and I have no real likes or dislikes about colours.  I don't view colours as  good or bad....they are just colours FFS.  What is fashionable and "in" during one period is considered ugly and out of touch in another period. 

   The thing is  to apply a selection of colours and shades that please your eye....and discard the views of everybody else....because they don't have to live in your house,  so if they happen to like lavender and pink walls....let them decorate their own houses with fag colours like that, ....while you paint everything bright red and orange, with blue stripes, if that's what you really like.... :Smile:   Décor tastes vary greatly with time period, location, age group,  and even climate.  

Back in 1978 I thought my harvest gold appliances, forest green shag carpet and wood panelled walls were the cat's whiskers.....so did just about everybody else back then.   Most people today won't even admit to having such stuff in their houses.....any more than they would admit to wearing wide ties, bell bottom pants, and Cuban heels,  to go out to the local watering hole...... :Smile:

----------


## malcy

Yes this

----------


## malcy

> As you know, I'm not good with colours, but I feel that green is a dangerous colour because it can look really nice, but can also look awful. I feel your pain. Play safe (cornflower blue...).


Good taste

----------


## Wasp

You're right about the minefield of painting ...... but the lady upstairs from me seems to have a decent eye so I asked her advice about some painting .

She said ' Green ' .

So I did .




I would NEVER have gone for this but I have always liked it .

And as lom says .... it's strong and not wimpyish .







Looks better when I tidy .

.
Wasp
..

----------


## koman

^

It looks good in that setting Wasp....with the white cupboards and all.   Lots of contrast,  and they complement each other.   However, this looks like a fairly confined space.  If you were to apply that same dark green to a large area of say 5 meters by 9 (which is what I'm having to do)  it would become sombre and quite depressing, even with good lighting.    I've seen dark reds used in kitchens too, and they can also look good, ...as long as there is not too much area and there is nice white or other light coloured things to provide contrast and break up the sea of red. 

It's the same with too much very light colour...you need some darker accents to break it up....bathrooms being a good example.   A whole room covered in glistening white tiles can be made much more attractive if there are some nice accent tiles in sharply contrasting colours mixed in to break up the expanses of white.  

Shit....this is turning into an old ladies home décor advisory thread..... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

Inexplicably koman - your interior design experiments are causing trouble for me now.

I showed Frankenkirtchen to Missy .

And she loves it .

But she loves it to the extent of buying several million of your mosaic pieces to cover the most prominent Roman which is bang outside the front door !!!!



And you're right about my kitchen there . It's only 3.5m x 4m .


Wasp

----------


## hawkeye

Koran,
First, my congratulations  on a very well written, excellent photos and great thread. It is one of the best I have read and enjoyed.

Re colors..... I spent over 35 years in the textile industry, first in dress fabrics then 15 years in the. Furnishing fabric trade. I would have assisted in possibly thousands of curtain/ paint color selections in that time.

Rule 1 Always go for the color you/ the wife, like. Don't do what some one who doesn't t 
 in your house tell you what to do. You have to look at it daily!

Rule 2 Remember you do have to look at it daily so be sure.

Rule 3  Try test strips of the colors that you may like. Paint them on the main wall of the room and also in the darkest corner. Colors can deaden of in dark corners. Check them both in day and night light. 

Rule 4 Look at the colors that nature put together. Ever seen a bird with a crappy  mix of color?

Look at a website called Houzz. Go on their emailing list and every week check out their articles, they almost weekly do a " color" story. A place for ideas.

Again congratulations and keep it up.

Frankie forever!

HAWKEYE.

----------


## Wasp

.
This is down to you koman !!!!

What think you of this then ? .............




.
.
I'm starting to like it .

Wasp
.

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> You're right about the minefield of painting ...... but the lady upstairs from me seems to have a decent eye so I asked her advice about some painting .
> 
> She said ' Green ' .
> 
> So I did .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Horrendous.

Seriously, ditch then lime.

----------


## koman

> .
> This is down to you koman !!!!
> 
> What think you of this then ? .............
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> ...


Well, it certainly is colourful...and unconventional,  but if those who live there like it, that's what counts.   Lots of experimental, unconventional things become mainstream once people get over their initial reaction to things they are not familiar with, or that don't fit into some vision of what they would do for themselves.  
   I'm all too familiar with that recently.... :Smile: 

Did  Missy really do that to the Greco-Roman column or are you just playing around with your computer again? ... :Smile:

----------


## koman

[QUOTE=hawkeye;2703567]Koran,
First, my congratulations  on a very well written, excellent photos and great thread. It is one of the best I have read and enjoyed.

Thank you for the gracious comments.  I'm glad you enjoyed the thread.

Re colors..... I spent over 35 years in the textile industry, first in dress fabrics then 15 years in the. Furnishing fabric trade. I would have assisted in possibly thousands of curtain/ paint color selections in that time.

At last; someone who actually knows what they are talking about.... :Smile:  I wish you had joined in about 50 posts back....and save me from the ill informed desert nomads and ex SS officers who insist on dishing out advise on matters they admit to knowing nothing about..... :rofl: 



Rule 1 Always go for the color you/ the wife, like. Don't do what some one who doesn't t 
 in your house tell you what to do. You have to look at it daily!

Rule 2 Remember you do have to look at it daily so be sure.

Indeed;  decisions are always so easy for those who don't have to live with the results or be accountable in any way.  It's always like that.


Rule 3  Try test strips of the colors that you may like. Paint them on the main wall of the room and also in the darkest corner. Colors can deaden of in dark corners. Check them both in day and night light. 

Yes, that is what we have been doing.  Test areas of each colour in different rooms and on the outside walls. 


Rule 4 Look at the colors that nature put together. Ever seen a bird with a crappy  mix of color?

Good point....and there are some very colourful roosters crowing out back....multi coloured and all looking good.  Now if I could get the paint guys to replicate nature.....


Look at a website called Houzz. Go on their emailing list and every week check out their articles, they almost weekly do a " color" story. A place for ideas.

I've been looking at different design sites, but I've not seen that one.....I'll check it our...thanks.


Again congratulations and keep it up.

Frankie forever!

The way he's built, he probably will live forever.   Archeologists will be pondering over him in 4000 years time...speculating on his purpose...and exalting in his beauty..... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

> You want a bit of Cornflower Blue in there, Koman; all the rage in the upper class moobans nowadays...


I have a tin of that to paint the house kitchen walls with, when I get around to it.

I must say I like the wall very nice and can't wait to see Frankie with appliances installed he will look a handsome devil.

----------


## Wasp

Did  Missy really do that to the Greco-Roman column or are you just playing around with your computer again?

Me playing around to see how it would look .

----------


## koman

Did  Missy really do that to the Greco-Roman column or are you just playing around with your computer again? ... :Smile: [/QUOTE]

Me playing around to see how it would look .[/QUOTE]


I thought so.  Mosaic on Greco-Roman columns is not something I would try....but you never know what a Thai woman might get up to when left to their own devises..... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> Did  Missy really do that to the Greco-Roman column or are you just playing around with your computer again? ...


Me playing around to see how it would look .[/QUOTE]


I thought so.  Mosaic on Greco-Roman columns is not something I would try....but you never know what a Thai woman might get up to when left to their own devises..... :Smile: [/QUOTE]

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

Koman .... You are my reference for all things of structural excellence except kitchen alcoves . 
 And although I've read loads of stuff I still want to clear my head  .......... about " pads " .

A " pad " sounds to me like maybe a square metre in shape but not much depth .
Maybe 20 cm of depth .

That's what the word " pad " brings to my mind . And people still keep talking about " pads " .

Then at other times people talk about digging down maybe 1½ metres depth , 1 metre square and pouring in to make a metre cube of solid concrete .
Leave it a long time . Then building on that .

I wouldn't call that a " pad "  . I'd call it a bloody big cube .  A " pad " to me means width , length but shallow depth .

The cube looks like a much stronger base .

I'm hoping to get Missy to put in 15 bases and then leave them for 10 months to solidify . Cubes .

No use asking for a geological survey or anything like that . They'll take the money but won't do it . They'll bill me 5000 Baht and give some cousin 250 Baht for a fake survey .

So - I'm looking to put 15 1 metre cubes into the ground . And later build up from there . 

Does that make sense ?

Wasp

----------


## koman

> Did  Missy really do that to the Greco-Roman column or are you just playing around with your computer again?
> 
> Me playing around to see how it would look .
> 
> ..................................................  ..................................................  ...........................
> 
> Koman .... You are my reference for all things of structural excellence except kitchen alcoves .  And although I've read loads of stuff I still want to clear my head  .......... about " pads " .
> 
> A " pad " sounds to me like maybe a square metre in shape but not much depth .
> ...


I think you may be getting caught up in semantics.   A pad can mean all kinds of things...as can "slab".    Slabs are used extensively in N. America and really what they are; are just big "pads" that the whole house sits on.   


The kind of foundation pad you use depends on the ground you are building on, and the type of structure you are building.   If you have hard densely packed clay for example,  and you want to build a one storey building, you can excavate holes about 1 meter deep; partially fill them with concrete and then install your rebar cages and columns. 

 You then fill the hole up with more concrete until you have a very solid cube with the framework for your vertical columns in place.   (If you look back in this tread you will seen lots of photos of this process)  

Pylons are used in situations where the solid ground is deep down; and/or where you have used a lot of fill.  Fill can take a long time to settle properly,  and if you use deep fill it can remain unstable for years, even though it may seem solid as a rock on the surface. 

 If you had to go down 3- 4-5 meters or more to find solid ground, it would not be practical to just dig holes and dump a bit of concrete in.

 The pylon is simply a way of getting your foundation sitting on solid ground.... with bedrock being the ultimate base.    I used pylons because there was a good deal of uncertainty about the ability of the upper layers being able to take on a 250 m2 house without causing subsidence and all kinds of problems down the road....mainly because of the depth of the fill and the original upper layers of fairly light soils that were there before the fill was added.   

   Most people around here don't use pylons...and in fact they don't even bother to use much in the way of good pads either.   That's why half the houses have stress cracks all over the place,  and doors that jam after a couple years of settling.   

The depth of the hole dug for the pad again would depend on the soil; which is quite different from one place to another.  Some may only need 1 meter or less, other places may need 1.5 meters and so on.  

You need to talk to someone trustworthy in your area who knows the local terrain and the kinds of solutions needed to give you a solid foundation.   There is no _one size fits all_ when it comes to this kind of thing.

I would not worry too much about these things.  There are a great many building in Thailand, and for the most part they continue to stand up,  and few,  if any disappear into the ground... :Smile:    I just played it safe because I'm on the edge of an old flood plain and the density of the ground varies a great deal, even within a small area.

I hope this helps....

----------


## Wasp

koman :
I think you may be getting caught up in semantics.   A pad can mean all kinds of things...as can "slab".    Slabs are used extensively in N. America and really what they are; are just big "pads" that the whole house sits on.  

Yes . Maybe semantics . But the words " pad " and " slab " bring to mind something substantially different from " block " or " cube " .
Those last two sound far heavier than " pad " . And to me a slab is a big pad .

I'm gonna have them dig out 1 metre concrete cubes .
After all - folks talk about letting land settle and this particular bit of land has been settling now for a few thousand years .

One more then I'm done I think .  

I read about Q Con blocks . About their Thermal qualities . But never anything about their weight .

For any given wall built from those grey cement blocks or the Q Con blocks is there a significant weight difference ?

Merci pour votre patience avec me .


Guepe

----------


## koman

> koman :
> I think you may be getting caught up in semantics.   A pad can mean all kinds of things...as can "slab".    Slabs are used extensively in N. America and really what they are; are just big "pads" that the whole house sits on.  
> 
> Yes . Maybe semantics . But the words " pad " and " slab " bring to mind something substantially different from " block " or " cube " .
> Those last two sound far heavier than " pad " . And to me a slab is a big pad .
> 
> I'm gonna have them dig out 1 metre concrete cubes .
> After all - folks talk about letting land settle and this particular bit of land has been settling now for a few thousand years .
> 
> ...


Q-Con blocks are substantially lighter than regular concrete blocks....and the thermal qualities are much better. 

  The are also easier to cut and work with.  There are certainly applications where regular concrete is better, but not too many.

With respect to your "pad" versus "cube".....it's simple enough.  First you pour the "pad".  Then you let it set, and install the rebar on top of it....then you fill the hole with cement to give lots of lateral support to the base of your vertical column.....so  you can call it a pad topped up to become a cube if you like.... :Smile:

----------


## BKKBILL

Here are three building footing pads as you can see they are not cubes. As for Qcon blocks they are light enough to float.

----------


## Wasp

Again - my thanks .

A solid base and lots of Q-Cons seems to be the way to go .
For the weight factor as well as the Thermal benefits .

Danke .


Wespen

----------


## Wasp

> Here are three building footing pads as you can see they are not cubes. As for Qcon blocks they are light enough to float.


Small problem for me here ..... is I can't make out the measurements .

But can you tell me 

1.  What is DB on these ?

2. ... and to save me any more squinting ... how thick is the pad at the bottom ?

The rest I can follow OK so thank you  a lot  BKKB .


Guepe

----------


## BKKBILL

> But can you tell me 
> 
> 1.  What is DB on these ?
> 
> 2. ... and to save me any more squinting ... how thick is the pad at the bottom ?
> 
> The rest I can follow OK so thank you  a lot  BKKB .
> [/COLOR]
> 
> Guepe


1. DB = diameter of bar in this case using F3 - 6 DB x 6 DB of 12 MM rebar for a total of 12 pieces of rebar.

2. Pad would be 1M x 1M x 25 CM

3. small pour under pad is to keep water and dirt out of the main pad pour = up to you. :Smile: 

Hope that helps.

----------


## Wasp

Thank you BKKB .

It's a nice clear answer . :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 



Wasp

----------


## koman

Having a photo thread without photos really sucks. With the sudden and dramatic shortage of workers working, there is not much for a budding photo journalist to do around here.

We are reliably informed that some more primer painting is going to begin tomorrow,  and that the tiles for the bathrooms and kitchen have finally rolled off the production lines; so just maybe new opportunities are around the corner.

In the meantime, I thought it would be worthwhile boring everybody with a few before and after pond photos....and some of my wife all dressed up in her regular outward bound gear doing some heavy manual labour, while I made faithful photo recordings of everything.... :Smile:  








The above 3 photos show the land one year ago. They were taken at the time the pond was being excavated....so all that dirt on the right side of the last photo is pond dirt, full of Dinosaur bones, gold nuggets and stuff.







The pond:  The first pic is of the south side looking west.  The second pic is of the east side looking north....and of course the last pic is of the almost fully excavated pond looking towards the south end.   It's 8 meters deep in the middle.



One year later and looking towards the same south end.  Things have changed a bit.



The north rim looking east.



Looking east along the south rim and wall.

*Adjusting the watering piers
*
The pond is used for watering all that vegetation growing around it....which is all edible stuff.   There are "watering piers" in each  corner from which watering cans can be dipped and filled.   This is the preferred method of doing things for now, but when the horticultural ventures expand later on, a pump and irrigation system will be called for.   

The water level drops steadily through the dry season, so the piers have to be adjusted to make the whole business of plant watering easier on the back and shoulders......







Here she is, going right at it....this is the first pier to get attention.  It had to be lowered by about 30 cms..



The second pier needs a bit of pile driving.....that's a nine pound sledge hammer the 50Kg girl is swinging without too much effort.... :Confused: 



She was doing really well until she dropped her hammer in the water......and had ten minutes or so of fairly energetic aquatic activities retrieving it..... while the projects official photographer made the appropriate records of the event...... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

^ Nice set of pics we have done a similar thing with our pond but on a slightly smaller scale.

----------


## Bettyboo

> She was doing really well until she dropped her hammer in the water......and had ten minutes or so of fairly energetic aquatic activities retrieving it..... while the projects official photographer made the appropriate records of the event......


Is your wife Thai? If so, how would she let you get away with that??? Mine would blame me for dropping the hammer and send me in to get it...

Aren't these pics repeats? Oh dear...  :Sad: 

Having said that, if you post some now pics, it'll offer a very nice comparison. My bathrooms are all but finished.

----------


## koman

> Aren't these pics repeats? Oh dear...


No they are not repeats although there have been a few similar ones way back.  I just found the land and old pond pics in my old Canon, which I've just had to re-commission because my Nikon's 10-30mm optics have just quit working. More fucking expense.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

  Never loaded those pics into the computer before today.   The wife in pond pics where taken this morning Feb 18th.... testing the old Canon.  Seems to still  work OK.

oh...and yes she is Thai.....insists on doing everything because she can't bear the thought of me getting my nice soft hands dirty.... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

She was doing really well until she dropped her hammer in the water......and had ten minutes or so of fairly energetic aquatic activities retrieving it..... while the projects official photographer made the appropriate records of the event...... :Smile: 

 :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl: 

Just fabulous !!

----------


## Tassini

Actually db stand for deformed bar.......

----------


## kelantan

more  plzzzzzzzzz

----------


## koman

> more  plzzzzzzzzz


Don't worry I'll be back to bore everyone soon enough.   We are have having a kind of lull you might say, but there are some signs of renewed activity today.   The painters have returned and seem to be making progress.  Once the painting is done, the electrical installations can continue and the tile guys should be back in a day or two.  There are only so many weddings they can fit in before Songkran surely.... :Confused: 

   All this and my new Baretta P4 9mm held to the project managers head should get some results shortly..... :Smile: 

If you're feeling desperate I can maybe post a few more Frankie pics...... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

^I have a blind tiler and a colour blind painter you could borrow, Koman...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> ^I have a blind tiler and a colour blind painter you could borrow, Koman...


There are some applications where these attributes could be considered advantageous .....as can be seen in your thread.... :Smile: 

   We can become very bogged down trying to match colours, or line up tiles, whereas the colour blind can just get on with it and sometimes produce quite spectacular results...and perfectly lined up tiles can take away from the homely look, which some people prefer.....especially those from the working classes... :Smile: 

You probably won't find any old Etonians with misaligned tiles, but amongst the trade unionists and old Labour party hacks.....they are quite common apparently.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

Bloodyhell, that told me, good and proper...  :Smile: 

Sorry guv'nor, any chance of a farthing to see me through til me luck turns?

----------


## Roobarb

> You probably won't find any old Etonians with misaligned tiles, but amongst the trade unionists and old Labour party hacks.....they are quite common apparently....


I don't think many old Etonians would have the first clue about tiling.  Trade unionists and old Labour party hacks, being closer to 'the trades', may well have a better grasp on these matters.

Betty has shown his innate good breeding in the quality of his tiling... 




> Sorry guv'nor, any chance of a farthing to see me through til me luck turns?


... but then he goes and lets the side down a tad by begging  :Smile: 

He's probably a Harrovian.

----------


## BKKBILL

^

Now that one I had to look up, can only blame it on being Canadian  :Smile: 

The Harrovian | Harrow is one of Britain's leading independent schools, one of a very few schools still specialising in providing a high quality boarding school

----------


## Roobarb

:Smile:  Sorry for that BKKB, there's a bit of a rivalry between the two schools.

----------


## Bettyboo

> He's probably a Harrovian.


There's no need for those kind of insults!

I'm a Latymerian.



Here are some pics:

----------


## Roobarb

^ Heartfelt apologies Betty.  It was a cheap shot.

I was clearly miles off (about eight...  :Smile:  )

----------


## koman

I see now where you get you great sense of colour and style from.   Your front porch formwork clearly shows the influence of those arches in the design. 

  The school you attend does have an influence on you,  even if you don't realize it when you are there..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

We seem to be posting so much in each others threads, it's easy to forget which one you're in at times.  

Anyway, after weeks of lethargy ...and a failed camera lense for which the replacement just arrived from Japan today.....I can finally post a few not very exiting pictures, just so Bettyboo can't monopolise the whole construction section of TD..... :Smile: 

The painters have been busy for two days now and Mr and Mrs Tile guy have finally exhausted the supply of weddings they have to attend.  



The living room area is being tiled today.  The walls have been painted with two shades of green.  (they look greener in the photos than they really are, but with my limited skills I often can't get the colour rendering right....plus it changes with the lighting conditions anyway)



Here's tile guy working away....this shot is looking northwards through the dining room window towards the hills.   That square hole in the ceiling is where the A/C outlet will hang.  It's a  cassett unit with 360 degree distribution.   It will no doubt be eventually installed just about the  time the weather starts getting really cold again.... :Confused: 



A shot from inside the front door looking towards the back.   You can see the contrasting greens clearly in this pic.  The hue changes constantly throughout the day as the light changes. 

   You can just see Frankie lurking back there in the shadows through the kitchen door.   He's a bit down due to the lack of attention, but his turn will come again soon.... :Smile: 



Here's an example....in the late afternoon sun the colours look different and the place really glows inside.   It's really very pleasant in real life.   The wife is just over the moon about how it's turning out so far.



A traditional fan light in one bedroom...with dimmer switch.    I like them because they keep the air moving in those in between times when you don't really need the A/C...but it gets a bit hot and stuffy without a fan running.



...and from the old fashioned traditional to the Starship Enterprise......a back porch ceiling light.  No shortage of variety in our lighting arrangements.



A kitchen light.....bright splash of red to contrast with everything else.   We now have to find another one of these somewhere.   The shops never seem to have more than one of anything we want.



...and yet another contrasting style and colour.  This one is in the computer room where one day I will continue to post bollocks on internet forums and get mocked and insulted by the trolls of TD.....but who cares when you have a Swedish light fixture above your head.... :Smile: 

Next time I'll post some outdoor painting.  It's just underway today so we'll have to wait and see how that looks.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

Yep, nice colour walls and nice lights. Good effort.

My arches, by the way, are coming along splendidly. Not so, my colour scheme. Your colours and lights do add a nice touch of class. Thais should not be allowed to choose colours and/or light fixtures without supervision...

----------


## crepitas

..great house and wall mate..lotsa of electric bells and whistles..won't mention your eclectic kitchen tiles:

don't ya think it would be a nice gesture to install an irrigation pump from that lake for your good lady  ::spin:: 

Are you installing an auto start generator? How do you get into your house through that electric gate if the power is off?  :mid:

----------


## crepitas

> ..great house and wall mate..lotsa of electric bells and whistles..won't mention your eclectic kitchen tiles:
> 
> don't ya think it would be a nice gesture to install an irrigation pump from that lake for your good lady 
> 
> Are you installing an auto start generator? How do you get into your house through that electric gate if the power is off?


Hey maybe you could buy the good lady a pump,a matched set of ss hammers and maybe a set of Craftsman sockets as an anniversary present?

----------


## koman

> ..great house and wall mate..lotsa of electric bells and whistles..won't mention your eclectic kitchen tiles:
> 
> don't ya think it would be a nice gesture to install an irrigation pump from that lake for your good lady 
> 
> Are you installing an auto start generator? How do you get into your house through that electric gate if the power is off?


An irrigation pump will be installed in due course, but there are more pressing things to do at the moment.  In the meantime hauling water around in cans keeps her fit and slim.... :Smile:   I'm the only one who's allow to get fat around here... :Smile: 

We will have a generator for the house eventually, but the gate could be opened without the moto, r so it's not really an issue.   In any case I'm having second thoughts about the  intercom and electric gate opener.  They want over 20K just to install the power lines....which is total BS.  There's conduit in the ground for the gate lights already FFS.     If I decide to do it in the end,  I'll install the bloody things myself.   It's not a high priority item either.

Right now I'm focused on getting a few workers to show up every day to keep all the essential stuff moving along.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by crepitas
> 
> 
> ..great house and wall mate..lotsa of electric bells and whistles..won't mention your eclectic kitchen tiles:
> 
> don't ya think it would be a nice gesture to install an irrigation pump from that lake for your good lady 
> 
> Are you installing an auto start generator? How do you get into your house through that electric gate if the power is off? 
> 
> ...


Joking aside, I might just do that.  She is amazingly good at fixing and installing things, and she will take a crack any just about anything that comes up.  In our last house, she installed a few light fixtures and wired up the door bell from the gate...plus some other bits and pieces.  A real multi-tasker and never quits till the jobs done.   She somehow always manages to keep her finger nails nice too....which is a complete mystery to me... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Originally Posted by crepitas
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by crepitas
> ...


koman, you have a good un there a keeper for sure.
My missis does not know one end of a wire from the other, tried to explain what an earth wire was for and I got that blank look, no one home!!!!
I dont let her near my computer either, I had to buy her a computer for her self, so now she can mess that up and not mine, but I still love her dearly, cant do without them  the little dears.

KCC

----------


## koman

Today, I'll do a bit more on the interior matching of the greens.  This is a kind of _décor on the fly_ operation and changes take place quickly as new inspirations are realized.    This morning the wife and I looked at the living room and simultaneously said. "That wall needs repainting in the darker colour"......and so it was done.



This is the new and improved wall. Done in 15 minutes by some very good and helpful painters.... :Smile: 



Different angle which shows the effect on the general area.  That's Mrs Tile guy getting in the way and ruining my award winning photographs.



Mr tile guy is just about there.....he's tiled himself into a corner there....



Here we have the same darker green contrasting with a different colour in the main bedroom.   The other walls are a kind of light  turquoise.  (ok, it looks a bit more blue in the photo that it really is... :Confused: )



This is the wife's contribution to the lighting.. She chose this unit for the back bedroom...  I thought it was hideous when she brought it home and I tried to persuade people to steal it...but there it is....and I've grown to like it a bit more now that it's all wired up.  One has to be adaptable in this country.... :Smile: 


A while back when some of our TD home décor critics were issuing judgements on Frankie, a real  genuine professional popped up with a post which I thought was so timely and so helpful.    He told me to look at how nature deals with colours....and how you never see birds with ugly mismatched colours etc.   How true....

So this is where my interior wall colours come from:



The contrasting greens and subtle shades of an Isaan pond with the local flora flourishing around it....  By a remarkable coincidence the darker shade of green on the walls is called "pond green" by  the manufacturer.....the lighter shade is "misty cove"    The fact that my wall colours are quite different to the actual pond and foliage is immaterial;  it's the thought that counts.... and anyway it works just the same.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

I like what you've done with your 'outstanding' Thai beams - did you get that idea from my builders?  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> I like what you've done with your 'outstanding' Thai beams - did you get that idea from my builders?


Yes BB, most of what I do is inspired by your builders....I have everyone who works on this site view your tread daily to keep them on their toes.... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

Its looking good mate and Im glad you have workers on site once more. I am now afflicted with no one on site due to lots of reasons. One being my number one guy is building a new shack and he has to get the ground ready for the auspicious date of tomorrow to stick his posts in the ground. He assures us he will be back the day after tomorrow !!! we shall see.

----------


## koman

^
Thanks BD.  We had the promised "surge" of activity, but it did not last long.  For two days now absolutely nobody has shown up for work.  We have a whole range of partly finished jobs just sitting there without any progress at all; some of them for weeks now.  It's fucking exasperating.

What happens (and this is just an educated guess on my part) is that other jobs come up and these guys grab them without telling the next party that they are loaded up with work already.     Then they make some excuse for their absence from our site for a few days....while they get cracking on the next job.

The idea seems to be that if you get a job and get stuck into it for long enough that it's too far along for anybody to kick your ass out and hire somebody else, you can drag each job out for months.    They end up working on several sites and just flitting from one to the other, doing just enough to keep things going at each one.  That would be pretty difficult with the early stage works, but the finishing stuff in fiddly and time consuming anyway so they can get away with a lot more.

The result of this nonsense is that people end up waiting for much longer than they need to.  Our house was 85% +/- completed, well over a month ago.   They managed to complete to that stage in about 10 weeks,  and now they will drag the last 15% or so on and on for Christ knows how long.

   Simple, straightforward things like tiling a 25 m2 room will be left 95% completed....and will sit like that for a week or more.  Everybody is waiting on everybody else and nothing moves forward.    You can't just get another tiler to come in and finish off bits and pieces like that....at least not one that's any good.    These guys know that,  so they play this fucking game of stringing you along with lies and outright bullshit.....yes I know some people will find it hard to believe that such things are even possible in the land of smiles..... :Smile: 

The original completion date was scheduled for mid-May so in that sense I probably should not complain. (but I'm complaining anyhow because it's a farang's right....just read ThaiVisa every day for a while... :Smile: )

   What is really frustrating for me,  is that the whole thing could be finished,  and we could be moving in by the middle of this month (March) if they would just stop fucking around and get on with it.  I've had a big load of kitchen cabinets sitting gathering dust for nearly two months now.  The bloody birds have actually built an nest on top of one of them.... :Confused: 




Here it is...a fucking birds nest on me kitchen cabinet.   Pretty sloppy build, but it's a Thai bird after all..... :Smile:      Some other birds are trying to build nests up in the holes the electricians cut in the ceiling to install the pot lights.    For all I know there may be Somchai's squatting up in the attic space....who knows?.... :Smile: 


  I've sort of resigned myself to putting up with all the BS, because the overall project has been a great success and there's not really much I can do about it anyway.  I mean there's not much point in doing jail time over it by shooting all the finishing crew when the end is in sight.....sort of..... :mid:

----------


## koman

Looks like the construction threads have become burned out.  Too many threads with the same stuff....are we on overload?

Anyhow. I'll press on now that a few people have shown up for work again.

The painters have the first outside coats on.....



Viewed from the back ....late afternoon.



Viewed from the front.  Still quite a lot to cover, but it's coming along.



We have enough paint laying around on our patios to fill a small warehouse.....



The infamous ceiling installer guy has come back to build a room partition.  So far he has not hammered any nails into the freshly painted walls or done any other major damages.....but he's just getting started.



The tile guy and his wife have set up house in the old command and control building.   They must be serious about finishing the job this time because they have brought loads of equipment and even erected a bamboo TV mast.   Still lots of tiling and other stuff to finish, so I hope they stay the course this time.    

Hopefully the painters will come back soon to finish up and repair all the damages to the original work done by the ceiling guy and tile guy...... :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

Hey !!!   Those exterior colors look awful familiar !!!   :smiley laughing: 


At least, my wife didn't pick green for any interior colors. Instead, I got light pink for my office and master bedroom !!

Looks good Koman !!

Steve

----------


## koman

> At least, my wife didn't pick green for any interior colors. Instead, I got light pink for my office and master bedroom !!


Nor did mine.  I have maintained tight control over all color selections.  That is why this has remained a pink free zone.    She did choose a couple of the light fixtures and some of the floor tiles..... I was a bit traumatized at firs, but strangely enough they turned out OK... :Smile: ..

----------


## Koetjeka

> Originally Posted by stevefarang
> 
> At least, my wife didn't pick green for any interior colors. Instead, I got light pink for my office and master bedroom !!
> 
> 
> Nor did mine.  I have maintained tight control over all color selections.  That is why this has remained a pink free zone.    She did choose a couple of the light fixtures and some of the floor tiles..... I was a bit traumatized at firs, but strangely enough they turned out OK.....


You're a lucky man, I've got a pink room in and exterior. One of our neighbors seemed to like it and painted his house pink too  :smiley laughing:

----------


## crepitas

actually our bedroom is surf green love it ..coool colour?

Anyways was taking a break here from drinking beer and fixing a door lock alignment..maybe the house sunk?

Was finkin that maybe Koman should or could get his windows installed..since cannot see frames assume aluminum? Nice white powder coated ones available now and suppliers install..keep the kritters out?
Also Kitchen cupboards...read the lit in boxes..sounds like a joint effort between dumb farang and smart wife you could a have 'em up in no time. 
Just hope you did not tile kitchen walls already as sorta nice to have tiles butt up under wall cabinets.
It ain't rocket science don't be intimidated!..a pencil, a level,screwdriver and a hammer drill..hope wall is not hollow cement brick though ..or you may need to use butterfly anchors instead of supplied screws and plugs..
Have fun..back to me beer for me..lol

----------


## hillbilly

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> Aren't these pics repeats? Oh dear...
> 
> 
> No they are not repeats although there have been a few similar ones way back. I just found the land and old pond pics in my old Canon, which I've just had to re-commission because my Nikon's 10-30mm optics have just quit working. More fucking expense.... 
> 
> Never loaded those pics into the computer before today. The wife in pond pics where taken this morning Feb 18th.... testing the old Canon. Seems to still work OK.
> 
> oh...and yes she is Thai.....insists on doing everything because she can't bear the thought of me getting my nice soft hands dirty....


My experience has shown that with a few more years under the belt, the wife's attitude is just the opposite. I often hear "Do you want it the Thai way or your way?".

Anyway it looks like it is coming together!

----------


## Wasp

.
.
KOMAN :

                 "The idea seems to be that if you get a job and get stuck into it for long enough that it's too far along for anybody to kick your ass out and hire somebody else, you can drag each job out for months.    They end up working on several sites and just flitting from one to the other, doing just enough to keep things going at each one.  That would be pretty difficult with the early stage works, but the finishing stuff in fiddly and time consuming anyway so they can get away with a lot more.

The result of this nonsense is that people end up waiting for much longer than they need to.  Our house was 85% +/- completed, well over a month ago.   They managed to complete to that stage in about 10 weeks,  and now they will drag the last 15% or so on and on for Christ knows how long. "



You see this is where I am guilty K .  

You've had a whole batch of lovely clear photos going here and I haven't said a word . That's because I don't want to be saying " Lovely job .... et cetera " .
As for the point of yours that I am quoting here about doing 85% and then slamming on the brakes   ..... well yes this does seem to happen more than I would have thought .

I thought it was a very " English " thing for the sods to start the job and disappear maintaining two other jobs at the same time .  Not Thai .  But our supervisor kept doing it too.
He was on a higher rate than his labourers ( fair enough ) and he got well and truly angry when I said I wasn't paying him for the days that he was elsewhere .

Of course if he can get paid a higher rate and on 3 different sites he would be doing extremely well !!

You also said :Looks like the construction threads have become burned out. Too many threads with the same stuff....are we on overload? 

 And no ...... I think it's not overload . Maybe we suffer the same as the Thais in the sense that we too slow down as we get to the end ?

You and Betty and Roobarb are ending . Bloody PoshSteveYourHighness has even had his party - with a cute singer .
I find I'm rushing to find the last dozen photos so I can wind up about the same time .

It is quiet , you're right . But I'll be reading all you softies right up to the last dot .




Wasp

----------


## ootai

Koman
I had a bit of a chuckle about what you said because that's exactly what happened to the missus.  In the end one day I stood at the entrance to our place and told the builder to f--- off, I wouldn't even let him or his staff come onto the site to collect anything like flip flops they might have left there. Took the missus 2 weeks to organise others from around the village to do the finicky last bits but in the end we finished soooner than if we had stayed with the builder as he was more interested in his next job.

So far I like you place and think it is an excellent build, I am definitly waiting to see the finished oven in position. I could take some pictures insdie our place that are much more "contrasting".  One thing I will say is that we put in a very nice 2 burner gas top and an electric oven inside and so far 3 years later I don't think either have been used.

Keep on trucking you will get there but it will never be finished as there will always be something else to do.

----------


## koman

A little bit more progress over the past 24 hrs.    Our ceiling guy and Mrs....have departed once again after building a very nice room partition.   The damages to walls and other structures  are likely to come in under 50K...which is pretty good going for these two, considering they were here for two and a half days.... :rofl: 

The tile guy, along with various family members has set up shop on site, and they are busy getting on with the business of tile laying, finally....

A couple of new characters have appeared. They are charged with the task of laying down the ground rail for the front gate,  and preparing the final section of driveway for a concrete pour.  They will also stay to help finish off the wall and gate posts, which have been sitting idle for weeks now...due to the mysterious disappearance of the original build crew.   I've heard rumours of dissent and strife between them and the tile crew, with the tile guys basically running them off site... :Confused: 

   They did spend a lot of time just sitting around....whatever....I leave the internal politics and family feuds to the project manager to sort out.... :mid:   Another reason to have such a resource...keeps all this shit at arms length and is well worth the costs involved....just for the sake of ones sanity, blood pressure etc.

Most of the interior and exterior painting is done, but I'm told yet another coat will be applied once everything is finished.  I'm happy about that, because half a dozen Thai's working around a house can do enough damage to freshly painted walls to justify painting the place all over again.... :Smile: 



This is a close-up of the ground rail for the gate.  The trench below will be filled with concrete and with the rebar in place, the rail will be sitting on a good strong foundation embedded in the driveway pour.



It sits up quite high....but the driveway concrete is pretty thick and it's surface will be about halfway up the top rail....which is " V " shaped and made from very thick steel.



Showing the top and full length.... its 12 meters long altogether.   There are 4 sets of double wheels to run the gate on.  Nice heavy looking things that swivel and do all kinds of innovative stuff not usually associated with gate wheels..... :Smile: 




The front patio tiles are nearly finished as are the two sets of steps...one at each end.  Like everywhere else, we ran out of tiles and had to wait for more to arrive...so there are unfinished tile jobs all over the place.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 



...bit of a messy photo of yet another patio which is 90% tiled and waiting for more tile to get it finished.  



The house front has been painted at last.  We had trouble figuring what to do with the big triangular air vents.  Everything we tried looks like shit; ....but the wife came up with a simple white finish for the slats and then used the pillar colour round the edges to give separation and contrast.  Looked pretty good to me;  simple and effective.     Also, the place has remained a pink free zone.... :Smile: 

The whole business of colours seems so bloody simple and straightforward; until you actually start applying the colours.  A lot of changes have been made "on the fly" with the colours....but the nice thing is that we both really like the final result. 

  Of course with  woman, that can change within the hour.....I'm keeping my fingers crossed that pink or cornflower blue does not crop up.... :rofl:

----------


## stevefarang

House front looks very nice, Koman. Kudos to your little woman !!

Steve

----------


## Wasp

> 


WOW Koman !!!!

Those columns look strong enough to take 8 more floors on top .

From the road I think I'd look at this and think " That's one very impressive house "



Wasp

----------


## patsycat

Any update on Frankie?

----------


## koman

> Hou
> se front looks very nice, Koman. Kudos to your little woman !!


Yes she does usually manage to come through when everybody else is stuck..... :Smile: 

.



> Those columns look strong enough to take 8 more floors on top . 
> From the road I think I'd look at this and think " That's one very impressive house "


They are pretty strong, but not quite that strong.  They are mostly hollow....with one 20 x 20cm concrete column inside... :Smile: 

....and no Patsycat....no update on Frankie for a while.   He's quite content to watch all the things going on around him and is greatly relieved to be out of the spotlight and the abuse..... :Smile:

----------


## patsycat

SHE!!  Frankie is a SHE!!

----------


## Roobarb

> SHE!!  Frankie is a SHE!!


Quite right Patsy.  There's no way that Frankie can be male.  It seems all wrong, to the extent of verging towards deviant.

I'm reminded of when BMW had to recall some of their cars in Germany to reprogramme the GPS voice as German men could not stomach the idea of their navigation systems being female.

BMW Recalled its GPS System as German Men Refused to Take Directions from Female Voice | Technology

I suspect that Koman, or perhaps Herr Komann, is of deeply Teutonic stock.  It would explain the efficient, almost regimentally disciplined building site he had and his intense frustration when things began to drift from the master plan.  :Smile: 


BTW Pats, best not to mention the war...

----------


## Bettyboo

> SHE!! Frankie is a SHE!!





> Quite right Patsy. There's no way that Frankie can be male.


You two wonderful posters (I use the term loosely in Roobarb's case...) are quite correct. Frankie, is, was and always will be a she.

----------


## koman

> You two wonderful posters


Bollocks....nothing but low level trolls...... :Smile:  

Now go and do something useful....help find MA370 or something and leave Frankie alone.... :Smile:

----------


## bobo746

Nice place mate. Half way thru a build atm get some fotos up soon

----------


## Wasp

So koman ...... you're a respected , educated , wisdom-filled , elderly fount of sensible answers if a little foul-mouthed at times .

The same question .

If you have one a/c unit running to get your ambient temperature down to 20ͦ and it's running every day for the torrid 6 hours or so - do you have the knowledge / experience to be able sensibly to estimate how much that would add to a month's leccstrisitty bill ?

One asks as the impressive Bettsyboo estimates 2000 Bahts look you .

Are you of a concurrence ?

( GOD !! .... I can't keep this up much longer . 

 Headaching it is .) 


Wasp

----------


## koman

> So koman ...... you're a respected , educated , wisdom-filled , elderly fount of sensible answers if a little foul-mouthed at times .
> 
> The same question .
> 
> If you have one a/c unit running to get your ambient temperature down to 20ͦ and it's running every day for the torrid 6 hours or so - do you have the knowledge / experience to be able sensibly to estimate how much that would add to a month's leccstrisitty bill ?
> 
> One asks as the impressive Bettsyboo estimates 2000 Bahts look you .
> 
> Are you of a concurrence ?
> ...



It depends on many things so all I can do is try to cover off the bases:

Obviously the amount of space  (actually volume) is the first factor.   Second is matching the AC unit to the space (volume) that it has to service.   Third is the type of AC unit.   I see people trying to calculate AC requirements by using the area to be covered but it's not just the area....you have to calculate the volume of air in the space so it's the cubic measurements that give you the most accurate estimate of AC needs.   

A bedroom of say 5 x 5 meters with a 3 meter high ceiling needs a 15000Btu  unit to optimise the output.   You could get away with 12000Btu or even less but the unit has to work pretty hard and it ends up running longer and using more electricity.    The inverter type AC units are quite a bit more efficient and use less electricity but the initial cost is quite a bit more .  

  The building itself is a big factor.   Is it well shaded from direct sunlight?....is the roof well insulated?   Are the walls build from brick,  standard concrete block or aerated block (Q-con)  ?  All these things have a significant effect on the inside temperature and the demands placed on the AC systems.  

I used two standard AC units in my last house which was quite small  (about 90 m2)
One unit cooled the main living area and one cooled the main bedroom.    They were not used that much because the house was well shaded and did not have Marmite approved roofing... :Smile:   Right now, from mid March till the end of May is the peak period for AC....the rest of the time you can get away with fans and an occasional blast from the AC just to cool the place down.   I never saw a power bill greater than 1700 Baht in the 3 years we lived there.  

The new house will have one large invertor unit (double unit) of 36000 Btu....feeding ceiling vents with 360 degree circulation.   The bedrooms will have 15000 Btu units ...also inverter type.   I don't think we will keep the power bills under 1700 Baht a month during the hot season with that lot... :Smile: .....but the inverter units are touted to use 30%  less power and the house is very well insulated both in the attic and walls....so we will just have to wait and see.  It stays remarkably cool inside even when the outside temperature is hitting 40C...as we have seen over the past few days.  The building materials and roof insulation do seem to make a big difference....as well as very good cross ventilation.

On top of all that you have the different tolerance levels that we all have.   I can handle all kinds of heat,  but humidity is hard on me.  I hate high humidity.   Some people adjust well to the climate here, others not so well, and they live with the buzz of AC units day and night. 

   I only use mine when the humidity is high and my nuts start dripping sweat.   You mention getting the temp down to 20C.....that's far too cold here.   I usually set my AC at about 27C and that feels pretty cool if it's 37C + outside.   The main thing is getting the humidity level down and maintaining a room temp that is comfortable without too much differential with the outside temps.   If you overdo it, you just end up with a dry throat, runny nose,  and if you have a cat it will hate you.

So there you have it.....probably no further ahead on the cost thing, but it's the best I can do.   The costs vary so much depending on all of the above......it's largely "up to you"....which is the Thai way of explaining nearly everything...... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

I forgot .  :mid: 

I forgot that I had long ago asked you something and you went to extraordinary lengths in your answer then too .

And I'm not ungrateful .

In fact I'm grateful .

Shivenning through your words here I feel that I can indeed roughly expect to pay 2000 Baht .
As opposed to putting in units and being surprised by a running bill for 18 000 Bahts .

I just didn't know .

Further - you reminded me that the problem is more likely to be the humidity and that is good to remember . I lived in Ozz for a while and you're right of course ... the humidity was what could kill me whereas high but dry heat was cause for chilled beer and barramundi with chips.

I'm gonna need dehumidifiers and some a/c . Though I'm getting syco psikho mentally ready for Thailand I do dread  the continual heat and swimming pools don't make up for it . Love the cool . The temperate .
 Last time I came back from Thai to the UK in February it didn't feel _cold_ here at all . It felt like the country was one huge 7/11 .
My mate is quitting Liverpool and moving to the top of Scotland because it doesn't get cold _enough_ in Liverpool !

Thank you koman .

As helpful and thorough as with your building work .



Wasp


(Note to self : That was nicely done ! Polite and didn't mention Francesca even once !)

.

----------


## koman

> My mate is quitting Liverpool and moving to the top of Scotland because it doesn't get cold enough in Liverpool !


He really should consider Winnipeg.  It gets a lot colder than anywhere in Scotland and there is the added advantage of being able to understand what people are saying...even the Indians and Metis speak real English...... :Smile:

----------


## bankao dreamer

> He assures us he will be back the day after tomorrow !!! we shall see.


He is still not back nothing is happening apart from the little jobs I can do without tools. He has borrowed my tools. !!!!!!!

STOP PRESS

I have just got them back and they still work.

----------


## Koetjeka

> He really should consider Winnipeg. It gets a lot colder than anywhere in Scotland and there is the added advantage of being able to understand what people are saying...even the Indians and Metis speak real English......


He should move to Yakutsk in Russia, it's freaking cold over there in winter. Been there a few years ago when it was -60degrees Celsius which wasn't even close to the towns record.


For my little 5x4 room with A/C I pay about 2000THB per month on average, we've got a very small Samsung and it's the worst thing I've ever bought in my life, never buy a Samsung A/C people!





> Last time I came back from Thai to the UK in February it didn't feel cold here at all .


Last time I went the the Netherlands it was 40 degrees C in Thailand and below zero in my home town. Needless to say I got a cold the day after I arrived and got the flu a few days later.

----------


## koman

> we've got a very small Samsung and it's the worst thing I've ever bought in my life, never buy a Samsung A/C people!


Interesting.....what is the problem with your Samsung AC?    This is the first time I've heard anything about them one way or the other.

Mitsubishi and Daiken are both pretty bullet proof and both have excellent supply and maintenance facilities here.    We are buying Daiken because we've had them before and they were completely trouble free...also they were able to supply the exact kind of system setup that I wanted...as well as the best (by far) supplier and installation people; although that is obviously a local situation and does not necessarily apply everywhere.

----------


## Sailing into trouble

> He really should consider Winnipeg. It gets a lot colder than anywhere in Scotland and there is the added advantage of being able to understand what people are saying...even the Indians and Metis speak real English......


lol No greens for you boy, but Winnipeg must be one of the toughest places to live on the planet! Colder than most can handle in winter hotter than hell in summer with mosquitos that would send the toughest moose insane!

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> He really should consider Winnipeg. It gets a lot colder than anywhere in Scotland and there is the added advantage of being able to understand what people are saying...even the Indians and Metis speak real English......
> 
> 
> lol No greens for you boy, but Winnipeg must be one of the toughest places to live on the planet! Colder than most can handle in winter hotter than hell in summer with mosquitos that would send the toughest moose insane!


Damn....I though a recommendation for Winnipeg would be worth at least a dozen greens.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> Half way thru a build atm get some fotos up soon


When you're ready, Bobo, when you're ready...  :Smile: 




> So koman ...... you're a respected , educated , wisdom-filled , elderly fount of sensible answers


I could accept a few of those to describe Koman, any two, say, but not all of them, Waspy - it'll lead to a big-headedness that Mrs Koman won't thank you for!




> One asks as the impressive Bettsyboo estimates 2000 Bahts look you . Are you of a concurrence ?


Just to save you reading through Koman's version of _War & Peace_... The answer was: Yes, more or less.




> Mitsubishi and Daiken are both pretty bullet proof and both have excellent supply and maintenance facilities here.


Yeah, them two and Saijo-Denki are the best. I'd go for Daikin meself. I trusted the missus, so we have shite, noisy LGs.

Me rich flash hi-so Thai friends have Saijo-Denkis (although they don't have public convenience urinals...).  :Smile:

----------


## koman

*I can hardly believe this, but I posted this entire update on Bettyboo's thread instead of my own.   Just goes to show how confusing this cross-threading chatter can get.    Anyhow I copied it over to my own thread.....cause that's where it belongs.
* 

*Strangely enough, nobody seems to have even noticed.....

*


> Seems most of our build threads have gone silent again....and Betty is now reverting to posting pics of guitar amps; talking about fruit trees,  and impaling his scrotum on the knob of the bathroom door.......talk about desperation...
> 
> Anyhow, we have enjoyed some small amount of progress around here over the last week or so.  I suppose the supply of weddings, funerals and temple blessings have dried up for a while, so a few workers have managed to drag themselves over here to do a bit of finishing up.
> 
> 
> 
> The bathrooms are finally getting some fittings, although nothing is actually connected to any water or sewer pipes,  and the place definitely needs a wipe over with a damp cloth.   This is the main bathroom.
> 
> 
> ...

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by Wasp  So koman ...... you're a respected , educated , wisdom-filled , elderly fount of sensible answers  
> 
>   I could accept a few of those to describe Koman, any two, say, but not all of them, Waspy - it'll lead to a big-headedness that Mrs Koman won't thank you for!


So....which ones would you not accept?.........I though Wasp described me perfectly.... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Bettyboo

Is that a urinal in your bathroom, Koman??? Classy... Did you consider adding screens?  :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> .I though Wasp described me perfectly....





> So koman ...... you're a respected , educated , wisdom-filled , elderly fount of sensible answers if a little foul-mouthed at times .


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## Bettyboo

> Strangely enough, nobody seems to have even noticed.....


I was hoping folks would think it was part of my build, my projected self-esteem rose considerably...



The missus just saw this picture, she said it was very nice, a 3 million baht house... I decided to just agree with her, seemed like the most sensible answer.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Is that a urinal in your bathroom, Koman??? Classy... Did you consider adding screens


To be truthful, no....but it's not a bad idea.  Hi-so Thai' would love that.....an excellent  selling point for the future..... :Smile: 



> Originally Posted by Wasp  So koman ...... you're a respected , educated , wisdom-filled , elderly fount of sensible answers if a little foul-mouthed at times .


Wasp tends to be a bit sensitive about profanity, which I'm frequently guilty off......hopefully Wasp will never wander over to the SC or Doghouse sections of TD..... :rofl:

----------


## Wasp

I'm already wandering and thinking that Bettyboo has installed a 1.4 Million Baht bathroom in a 600 000 Baht house then realising it's a koman build but I'm looking on Betty's Thread !!

Roaming in the gloaming like this is certainly confusing .

Whose Thread is this ?

----------


## katie23

@koman - Why did you post your pics in Betty's thread? Even I was confused...  :Confused:   And another question (this is not antagonistic, but merely due to curiosity), if you're eco-friendly, why didn't you get a urinal that's flush-free? We have that kind in my office. We usually have separate loos, but once in a while there are special loos with both the urinal & the throne.  As for the urinal, I'm neutral about it. To each his/her own. Great bathroom, btw.  :Smile: 

p.s. Can we have updated Francesca pics? The construction threads need more girl powah and Frankie provides it.  :Very Happy:

----------


## koman

> I'm already wandering and thinking that Bettyboo has installed a 1.4 Million Baht bathroom in a 600 000 Baht house then realising it's a koman build but I'm looking on Betty's Thread !!
> 
> Roaming in the gloaming like this is certainly confusing .
> 
> Whose Thread is this ?


All my fault; I accidently posted an update with photos in Bettys thread.  I thought that I had switched threads, but I was mistaken...  Betty of course exploited this error to his advantage....as usual.... :Smile: 

You say the door under the washstand is "horrible"......how can a plain white door in a bathroom be "horrible".   What would you have used?....carved oak with mother of pearl inlay...hand beaten copper with Vesuvius erupting in relief....?

The bloody bathroom fittings were installed about an hour before the photos were taken..  the labels have not even been removed yet.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   Same with the urinal....it's been laying around for two months waiting to be installed....It's covered in dust and dirt from grinding, drilling and sanding.....  This thread is about actual _"construction_"....not about posting glossy photos of finished buildings with everything cleaned up, polished and ready for inspection..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> if you're eco-friendly, why didn't you get a urinal that's flush-free?


There is no such thing in Thailand....as far as I know.   Are you sure you're not referring to the automatic flushing units???    This manual  flushing  unit uses minimal water;  and far less than is used from a toilet bowl tank.   Urinals tend to become smelly if they are not used and maintained properly.   This kind of manual flush unit works extremely well.   I have had similar urinals in my last two houses in Thailand.....so I don't know why anyone thinks it's unusual...  they are very common here..... :Confused:  




> Why did you post your pics in Betty's thread? Even I was confused


Not paying attention.....as explained in my previous post above..... :ssssh: 



> Can we have updated Francesca pics? The construction threads need more girl powah and Frankie provides it.


Patience is a virtue.... :Smile:   I will post photos of Frankie!!!! as soon as* he* is finished.  There's still lots of work to do in the kitchen area....and Frankie will likely be one of the last jobs; so maybe in a couple of weeks.....depending on weddings, funerals and various other rituals common to the stoppage of production in Thailand.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> Not paying attention.....as explained in my previous post above.


Not to either my or Katie's satisfaction...




> why didn't you get a urinal that's flush-free? We have that kind in my office. We usually have separate loos, but once in a while there are special loos with both the urinal & the throne.


Katie, I don't mean to be rude, but are you a woman? If you are a woman, then do you use the female toilets? If you are a woman, and do use the work female toilets then why do you know so much about your work urinals? Just askin...  :Smile: 

Koman, have you seen my new amp?

----------


## Wasp

I also said it was a very nice bathroom . :yerman: 

A 99.98% lovely bathroom with a nasty little plastic door under the washstand .

In a superb house !

Don't be picky or I'll be calling the Somchai Times .



Wasp

----------


## Bettyboo

> I also said it was a very nice bathroom .
> 
> A 99.98% lovely bathroom with a nasty little plastic door under the washstand .
> 
> In a superb house !


Thank you, although I feel your praise is too high; much appreciated nonetheless.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman  Not paying attention.....as explained in my previous post above.    Not to either my or Katie's satisfaction


This was my response.....what is lacking...what would it take to satisfy you and Katie?.




> All my fault; I accidently posted an update with photos in Bettys thread.  I thought that I had switched threads, but I was mistaken






> Koman, have you seen my new amp?


Yes.....I have a Fender practice amp which looks very much the same.   Nice little piece of kit...cost 3600 Thb about 3 years ago.  I mostly play without the electrics though.....being a purist and all that...... :rofl:

----------


## Bettyboo

> I have a Fender practice amp which looks very much the same. Nice little piece of kit...cost 3600 Thb about 3 years ago. I mostly play without the electrics though.....being a purist and all that......


Your house is very nice, ok the urinals are not great, but Frankie has potential, so there's really no need to resort to this mind evasion tactic...  :Smile: 

Pictures?




> hat would it take to satisfy you and Katie?.


I can't speak for Katie, although I feel s(he) would agree: an acceptance that Frankie is indeed female. Easy.

----------


## Wasp

I'm retiring for an hour until this beer settles down and I can see whose bathroom / wit / repartee / lies I am dealing with .

Why on Earth does someone want an amp in a bathroom anyway ?

Coffee and the Sunday Times I think .


Wasp

----------


## koman

> Pictures?


...  

...of what? the Fender amp?...or the guitar?   This is a construction thread, but if you really insist, I can try to dig something up.....





> an acceptance that Frankie is indeed female


Don't be absurd.....how do you expect me to accept something that is patently ridiculous?..... :Smile:

----------


## katie23

@koman - The urinal can be smelly, yes. Re: the flush-free urinals, my office was the first time that I saw that kind. But then, it's fairly new and they like modern and eco-friendly stuff. Re: Frankie, I guess I'll have to be patient, then. After all, it can be a virtue.   :Smile: 

@betty - yeah, I'm a woman. Do I have to show my boobs to prove them? lol I showed my legs somewhere, in the Brunei thread.  :Razz:   Re: my knowledge of urinals, I happen to know them now, because I stare at one almost everyday.  In my large office (which is a bit posh, and has a/c goodness, thankfully), the regular loos are gender-separated. However, there are some special loos that have both the throne AND the urinal (as per my post above).  The way that particular bathroom is constructed, the urinal is facing the throne, not side-by-side like Koman's set-up.  So everytime I have to do my business, I end up seeing (and smelling) the urinal.  Not an ideal situation.  :mid:   They said that the urinal is flush-free because it has a special surface which is shiny and repels water.  The liquid just goes down, so they say. (I asked).  A pet peeve is when the guys don't "shoot" their pee and in the afternoon, I see splatters of pee on the floor.   :Sad:   And still on urinals, in some malls here, the ladies' toilets have small urinals - for male kiddies who go to the bathroom with mommy.

----------


## Bettyboo

> Do I have to show my boobs to prove them?


If I said yes, would you think ill of me?




> some malls here, the ladies' toilets have small urinals - for male kiddies who go to the bathroom with mommy.


Or midgets who are too embarrassed to use the male toilet?

I'm still not totally convinced. But, if indeed you are a lady, and I always assumed that you were, then, sitting there, on the throne, opposite the urinal, in the 'special' loo, are you not tempted to give it a go? The splashes on the floor are probably from your female co-workers who were tempted...  :Smile: 




> Don't be absurd.....how do you expect me to accept something that is patently ridiculous?.....


Should we start a TD poll to answer this question once and for all?  :Smile: 

(the world has a right to know!)

----------


## koman

> The urinal can be smelly, yes. Re: the flush-free urinals, my office was the first time that I saw that kind. But then, it's fairly new and they like modern and eco-friendly stuff. Re: Frankie, I guess I'll have to be patient, then. After all, it can be a virtue.


If the flush button is pressed after use and a few deodorizing pellets are dropped into the thing every couple of weeks it will not smell at all.   The pellets gradually dissolve and need to be replenished for it to work properly.    They are convenient, hygienic, and eco-friendly. 

   You will notice that the flack is coming from some of my ex-countrymen who grew up in a land  where change and modernization were resisted like the plague and half the population  still had no central heading or decent plumbing until the late 70ies or mid 80ies.   The common shower was regarded with suspicion...  a French contraption to be avoided where possible.....if a galvanized metal bathtub in front of the coal fire was good enough for Grandad.... we don't need any bloody foreign innovations messing up our lives........   Now fast forward to 2014...and the simple urinal.....and you get the same thing..... :Smile: 

I left in 1974.....but it appears that some of those old attitudes to change and adaption are still well entrenched...... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

[QUOTE=koman;2735389]


> Pictures?


...  

...of what? the Fender amp?...or the guitar?   This is a construction thread, but if you really insist, I can try to dig something up.....


Well if you're doing that what about the boat ?

I always wanted to see that .


Wasp

----------


## koman

> Should we start a TD poll to answer this question once and for all?


The results of a poll can not determine gender any more than the winning of an election can guaratee you good government.

----------


## Bettyboo

> ...of what? the Fender amp?...or the guitar? This is a construction thread, but if you really insist, I can try to dig something up.....


Feel free to post it on my guitar and amp thread. I mean, why not, you've hijacked most of me other threads...

Koman's boat:

----------


## koman

> Well if you're doing that what about the boat ?
> 
> I always wanted to see that .




Anchored off the BC coast back in 1999.





Sodus Bay...New York state....1986 or 87....





Winter haul-out a Port of Newcastle Ontario....about 1991



Sunset over the stern.... St Lawrence seaway  1989

That's about the best I can do at short notice...... these are scans of old hard copy photos, so the quality is not great.   If you click on that little band at the top of the photo, you will get a better image..... :Smile:

----------


## katie23

@Koman - 1974? I wasn't born yet.  :Razz:  But yeah, I have no issue with the urinal. Seeing it almost everyday, I've come to accept it.  I just wish that the office guys would shoot their pee!  :mid:   Re: the flush-free urinal, here are samples. I think the one at the office is similar.  
http://www.amazon.com/American-Stand.../dp/B002DR2BYQ
http://www.jetsongreen.com/images/ol...970c-800wi.jpg

@Betty - no, I wouldn't think ill of you. I'd think you're a normal TD guy (whatever that is). lol Tomorrow, I'll try to take pics of the "special" loo at the office.  Maybe I'll take a selfie too, just to prove my femaleness. Ha!  :Razz:  There are some offices which have unisex loos. Ever seen "Ally McBeal"? But then, coming from the desert, unisex loos would be unheard of in that region...  :mid:

----------


## Bettyboo

Nice boat, but bet you had one of these in the captain's chest:

----------


## koman

Ooops....found another boat pic.....one of my favorites taken at anchor in the Queen Charlotte Islands off the BC coast...on the way to  Alaska....

...

The sails have been stripped off.....I'm cleaning up after being in a 24 hour storm out in the Pacific.....made it into the Charlott's and rested up for a few days before continuing North to Anchorage.   Almost a full month at sea from Victoria....alone all the way... saw lots of whales....a few tankers and one US coast guard cutter south of Kodiac island....that was it.....it's a lonely part of the world up there..   I had a great many photos in my camera....which got dumped in sea water during the storm.....lost the bloody lot.  The one photo I salvaged is posted above.     Also cracked a couple of ribs and nearly broke me leg..... Not one of my luckier adventures,  but I made it into Anchorage,  on pain killers and Famous Grouse ..... :Confused:

----------


## koman

> Nice boat, but bet you had one of these in the captain's chest:


Nasty stuff BB.....what's up?....did your goat run away..... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Bettyboo

The cats are gone, have 6 new dogs...

----------


## Wasp

Interior shots ?

And how long is that boat ?


Please .



W

----------


## koman

> Interior shots ?
> 
> And how long is that boat ?
> 
> 
> Please .
> 
> 
> 
> W


That one was 32 ft.  It's one of several boats I've sailed over the years....ranging from 23 to 37 ft.   That one was my all time favourite.  Hand built to circumnavigate the world. 

I have interior shots, and pics of the other boats,  but they are hard copy stashed away in photo albums somewhere.   All our stuff is packed in boxes while the house is being built so I don't know where to start looking....then scanning etc etc.   I was luck to have those few on this computer.  I did not even remember scanning them in....it was years ago.   If any more show up, I'll stick them in somewhere.

----------


## koman

> The cats are gone, have 6 new dogs...


Wow....sorry to hear about the cats.  I never really liked cats until we got the current one...to which I've become quite attached. 

  You have outscored me again...we only have 3 dogs....Christ this forum is competitive.... now I have to go out and get 4 more dogs..... :Smile:

----------


## BKKBILL

Very nice craft koman, spent a few years cruising the Charlottes me self.

Fair enough as to the Frankie reveal I know how it is to try and rush a woman, although the anticipation is stressful.

Not sure which is worse that or katie23 and the up and coming proof of gender album
anatomy 23.

Oh well as said patience is a virtue.

Looking forward too both.  :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Very nice craft koman, spent a few years cruising the Charlottes me self.


Seems like there are a few of us "Canucks" on board with you Koman.
Is the sloop that you had on the Wet Coast the same one that you had down east?

My first job in Vancouver was in Coal Harbour just along from the Bay Shore Inn, (where Howard Hughes lived just before he died) I apprenticed as a Boat Builder in NZ before I went to Canada, so I got to service quite a few craft in Coal Harbour.

I do miss the Wet Coast but that was then.

Keep up the good build reports, 
When is Frankie's coming out party???

KCC

----------


## koman

> Is the sloop that you had on the Wet Coast the same one that you had down east?


Yes...same boat.  Ted Brewer design.   I had planned to sail her down to the Caribbean and through the Panama canal...then up to Victoria;  but things got in the way and I ended up moving her on a truck nose to nose with a Contessa 32... They were very good company for each other.  

  They just don't seem to build boats like that any more... ever since the French discovered the art of churning out Tupperware boats by the thousands and all looking exactly the same.   now the harbours look like parking lots full of silver grey Toyota's...... :Smile:    Oh well.....I've had enough nautical adventures to get it out of my system.... although I still browse the listings once in a while and my heart rate still soars when I see a Hans Christian 38 or Cabo Rico for sale.... :Smile: .  If I could just get 20 or so years back.....

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Originally Posted by KiCanCummins
> 
> Is the sloop that you had on the Wet Coast the same one that you had down east?
> 
> 
> Yes...same boat.  Ted Brewer design.   I had planned to sail her down to the Caribbean and through the Panama canal...then up to Victoria;  but things got in the way and I ended up moving her on a truck nose to nose with a Contessa 32... They were very good company for each other.  
> 
>   They just don't seem to build boats like that any more... ever since the French discovered the art of churning out Tupperware boats by the thousands and all looking exactly the same.   now the harbours look like parking lots full of silver grey Toyota's......   Oh well.....I've had enough nautical adventures to get it out of my system.... although I still browse the listings once in a while and my heart rate still soars when I see a Hans Christian 38 or Cabo Rico for sale.....  If I could just get 20 or so years back.....


I nearly bought a Morgan OI 415 when I was living in Montreal but the ex just did not have the sea legs, went out on a friends 26ft fizzy boat and spent the day hanging over the stern upchucking!!!

----------


## patsycat

We want to see Frankie!!!  We want to see Frankie!!!

----------


## Bettyboo

> We want to see Frankie!!! We want to see HER!!!


Corrected that for you, Patsy.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

Wow, koman! Your thread is seeing so much action these days, after a period of inactivity!  :Smile:  Btw, sorry for the repeated question (abt your posting toilet pics in Betty's thread).  My net is sllooooowww, and by the time I posted my question, you had answered Wasp's query already.

Ok.... so now... ready for the big reveal?  :Very Happy:  If not for Frankie, then for katie? Even Bkkbill is curious about my anatomy, oh my! 

Koman, I will post these pics but so as not to "pollute" your thread too much, I will remove them after a short time.  

I went to the office early to get a few sneaky pics of our office toilets.  As mentioned before, we have "gender-separated" loos; these are for the proletariats.  When you get a bit higher in the food chain, you get an office with the "special" unisex loos.   :Very Happy: 

Here are some pics of the female bathroom. (edit - removed pics)

----------


## katie23

@betty - errr... thanks? I'm wary of accepting a good word from you. Weren't you the one who doubted my female-ness?!  :mid:  Just because I know stuff about urinals doesn't mean I'm a man, right?  Mrs. Koman wields a hammer and fixes stuff around the house, and she's female too!  :Very Happy:  

And finally, for the boob pics... ha! If you have seen my KK+Brunei thread, I posted of the ferry that we rode to Labuan, Malaysia.  I had cropped it before posting. This is the whole pic. 

This was in Brunei. I was wearing a pink shirt then (if you search the thread, I showed some leg. ha!)

And this is me wearing that pink shirt for the photo shoot.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

That's all the boob & proof that you're all getting. If you don't believe, you can KMA.   :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 
Edit - deleted pics - show over.

----------


## koman

Nice - looks very much like Koman's master bedroom ensuite, classy for a hi-so home, so we are told, vital for resale value (if you're gonna resell it as an industrial unit...  :Smile: ).

Great work, Katie.  :Smile: [/QUOTE]

Yes....all very interesting Katie.....I have to admit I've never come across a waterless, flushless urinal before....and I'm pretty sure they are not available anywhere around here.    I'm experimenting in the kitchen a bit....but not the bathrooms.  Everything I'm installing is well proven and used by me personally in previous homes.    The best test of anything is _hands on_ experience.....if you'll pardon the expression..... :rofl: 

Now.....Betty....are you familiar with the term "Neo-Luddism" ????  You really must give up on this position that things are not acceptable just because they are not commonly used  in Knightsbridge......or even Luton..... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

Thank you, Katie. That was so exciting, a hot flush came over me, and I'll be needing to lie down for a short while.  :Smile: 

You clearly are a woman, just like Frankie.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> a hot flush came over me, and I'll be needing to lie down for a short while.


.....me too....a woman built like that and also understands urinals would be quite a catch.....whew..... :Smile:

----------


## patsycat

Tee Hee!!

----------


## koman

> Tee Hee!!


Do you happen to have much urinal experience Patsy?  It's seems a bit unusual for a woman, but maybe it's more common that us guys have been let to believe.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

*Photo of Hi-tek urinal deleted as per Katie23's request.*

This thing has no visable water intake.....hopefully it has an outflow pipe....or do they just let the piss sit there and evaporate?.....

I don' think I'd want one of these.....there is just something very reassuring about the rush of fresh water into ones urinal; cooling and refreshing... instead of just pissing into the thing and hoping it goes away somewhere, somehow, before the flies get too thick......... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> We want to see Frankie!!!  We want to see Frankie!!!


patsycat,

You have to wait for Frankies Coming Out party, only Herr Koman can allow this :tieme:

----------


## koman

> I plan to delete those pics later from photobucket


If you do that, they will disappear from TD too.   Early on in this thread I deleted a small album of photos that I'd created just for posting on TD....then I deleted it....oops.   Had to do the post all over again.    Anyway I don't know why any employer would be worried about a few photos of their toilet facilities on TD......it's not like some kind of intellectual property or leading edge design that's being compromised...... :Smile:

----------


## katie23

@koman - re: the office pics not being up for long, I just want to be on the safe side.  My office is concerned about "corporate image" and similar stuff.  The bosses are a bit old-fashioned too.  It would not be a good idea to be associated with a site which has "escorts" as ads. That's why I also don't post revealing pics in my travel threads - for privacy & security reasons.  I'm prolly paranoid, but better safe than sorry.  As said earlier, I like my job.  :Smile: 

I can also understand betty's (and others') queries on why I know so much about urinals. After all, there are ladyboys and in a former forum, it wasn't uncommon for trannies (or guys) to masquerade as girls.  That's why I posted the toilet pics, and my pics.  And maybe in some archaic places like the desert, there are no hi-tek urinals and unisex toilets.  :Very Happy: 

Btw, thanks for deleting the pic.  The Katie show is over. Back to Herr Koman & Miss Frankie.  :Very Happy:

----------


## patsycat

> Originally Posted by patsycat
> 
> 
> Tee Hee!!
> 
> 
> Do you happen to have much urinal experience Patsy?  It's seems a bit unusual for a woman, but maybe it's more common that us guys have been let to believe....


I have been known to crouch over one, facing the door, when the cubicle was occupied.  And the three pints of Kilkenny i had drunk were about to embarass me, not often though.

The urinal i used had it's own cubicle.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by patsycat
> ...


Well well, we live and learn..... :Smile:     Don't suppose you have any photos do you.... that would be worth a lot of greens.... :rofl:

----------


## Wasp

> We want to see Frankie!!!  We want to see Frankie!!!



No we don't . No we don't .



I too corrected that for you patsy .


Wasp

----------


## patsycat

> Originally Posted by patsycat
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


This was before the advent of Selfies, thank the Gods....!!!

----------


## katie23

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
>  a hot flush came over me, and I'll be needing to lie down for a short while.
> 
> 
> .....me too....a woman built like that and also understands urinals would be quite a catch.....whew.....


@betty - Hot flush? Are you menopausing? As far as I know, when women are  in menopause, they get hot flashes/flushes(?).  Or maybe, I should be PC  and say you're andropausing?  :Very Happy: 

@koman - because of the 19__ comment, I would assume that you're past andropause already. lol As for the compliment, err.. thanks! This "catch" is quite caught already.  :Smile:   Btw, re: your Yuri (urinal), I'm not too impressed. It's not the latest in cutting-edge technology, since it isn't flush-less.  :Razz:  And still on urinals, in the interest of research, I asked a male colleague if all the other male toilets (not the special unisex ones) are flush-less, and he said yes. My office is indeed eco-friendly, so it seems.  Re: whether the liquid goes down, yes, there seems to be a drain, since when I poured water from a dipper (there's 1 in the loo), the H2O went down quite fast. All in the interest of science. lol  

Btw, Yuri & Frankie go well together, no? So it really means that Frankie is a girl!  :Very Happy:

----------


## koman

> Btw, Yuri & Frankie go well together, no? So it really means that Frankie is a girl!


No comment..... :Smile: 

The calm period is over.  We now have more Somchai's than the Thai army milling around doing various jobs, and creating general mayhem.  Firearms are needed to control this lot.... :Smile: 



Tile guy is getting instructions on how to mould cement of the bottom sections of the pillars.  The did a couple of practice runs out back on my insistence.  They turned out nice, so they can go ahead with the more visible pillars now.



Cement dyeing and moulding is fascinating so it tends to pull in a good audience.



They turn out well thankfully.  Once everything sets up hard they apply a coat of clear acrylic sealer, which gives a nice smooth shine and enriches the colour.



The driveway is ready for it's final treatment.  Each concrete pour forms a separate slab which was separated by using a high density foam insert.  Now that the concrete is well cured and has done most of its expanding or contracting, they grind out the  grooves between the slabs and pour in a good dose of thick bitumen. (tar)  This seals the cracks between the slabs, but remains flexible enough to allow more expansion/contraction if it should occur.





When cleaned out the  grooves look like this........ready for filling.



Simple process.  Pour in the tar from a tin pot.  The tar will shrink a bit and once the top of the grooves gets filled in with cement dust and stuff, it will be almost invisible.  I point this out to save some genius from telling me that I'm going to have black streaks all over my driveway.... :Smile: 

Go to interrupt this photo essay......windows have arrived and that needs careful supervision.....more later......

----------


## Wasp

With a bottle to show the way.



Wasp

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
> I also said it was a very nice bathroom .
> 
> A 99.98% lovely bathroom with a nasty little plastic door under the washstand .
> 
> In a superb house !
> 
> 
> Thank you, although I feel your praise is too high; much appreciated nonetheless.


Not You !!!

For Goodness Sake !!!!!!!!!! :Irked:  :Irked:  :Irked: 


Wasp

----------


## koman

While the driveway gets tarred; the columns get moulded and various electrical installations are under way; yet another group of specialists arrive.      These people are part of the "cleanup" team

.

They quickly demolish the living quarters that have been home to a wide variety of construction crews over the past 4-5 months.



Very soon the place starts to look a bit like the Mexico City land fill site....which is actually somewhat of an improvement over the living quarters.



There they go with the first load of salvage. Off to construct more luxury living units on somebody else's site....bye bye Somchai.... don't forget to come back for the rest... :mid: 




Inside, assembly of the RO water filter in underway.  This thing came in about 50 pieces and is quite challenging to put together.  A whole team of consultants ranging in ages from 7 to 70 are working on it.....



Something a bit easier.....this track lighting unit was my idea.   Good for highlighting the Picasso's and Matisse's.... :Smile: 



A modernish, but slightly more traditional light fixture of brushed copper..... we have a wide variety of lighting units from very modern to very old fashioned.    I like both, and we are willing to experiment a bit.  If something does not look right after a while, it's not hard to change. 



The window installers, working on the first unit.  Very quiet and efficient couple.  They seem to know exactly what they are doing and they work quickly.....at least one can live in hope.... :Smile: 

One of the most exasperating things is that so many of the builders bring their kids to work with them....which is OK except that they don't supervise them at all and the little buggers run wild and get into everything.



This is what some of our freshly painted interior walls look like now.  Nobody gives a shit and nobody takes responsibility for anything that gets damaged or broken.  We've had a few incidences....and the project manager has taken care of things.  It's still bloody annoying having kids running all over the place when people are working....not to mention the hazards usual to a construction site and the potential for serious consequences.  Many Thai's live like they drive.....with abandon and recklessness.

The painters are sympathetic and have agreed to paint all over again, but not till the last village idiot complete with their entourages have left for good..... :mid: 

   I will be glad to see the back of them too, but in the meantime there are jobs to be finished,  so the BS and frustration just have to be tolerated I suppose.   Some of the light fixtures could not be assembled because of broken or missing parts.   One had been obviously used before, because it was completely burned out inside.... :Confused:   Global will be hearing from us shortly....

Most things have gone well however, so overall it's not too bad...and the end does appear to be in sight....maybe....hopefully....please.......

----------


## Wasp

Inside, assembly of the RO water filter in underway.  This thing came in about 50 pieces and is quite challenging to put together. 


Is this just for drinking water ?


Wasp

----------


## koman

> Inside, assembly of the RO water filter in underway.  This thing came in about 50 pieces and is quite challenging to put together. 
> 
> 
> Is this just for drinking water ?
> 
> 
> Wasp


Yes.  The water in many places tastes pretty awful....and although most larger municipal supplies are treated and reputed to be safe enough to drink as they exit the treatment plant,  but they often pass through a delivery system that leaves a lot to be desired.   Reverse osmosis filters remove everything from particulate mater, to viruses and produce pure water at the outflow end.   This one is a five part unit.....cost about 8000Thb ...they have come down a lot in price over the last few years. 

  We had a similar one in our previous house.  Well worth the money to have your tea not taste like raw sewage.... :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

^^^

Koman,
How long do you expect the membrane to last and how much to replace it ?

Steve

----------


## Wasp

oooooop North --- my home --- the water is soft . It's delicious . It's lovely .

But down here in the South it's hard water and it's fairly awful .

So we get the hard sell to buy water softeners and filters - but what they neglect to tell you is the cost of the maintenance . 
All the salts and membranes et cetera . So I have my doubts about the value compared with just ordering in big bottles of spring water .

Do you think it's a cost that's worthwhile to run this kind of system ?



Wasp

----------


## koman

> How long do you expect the membrane to last and how much to replace it ?


The membrane lasts a long time because the water has already been passed through a whole series of other filters before it even gets to the membrane.   The primary filters are replaced once a year, but they are pretty cheap and easy to change.     The quality of the water being filtered makes a big difference.  Sediment filters get gummed up pretty quickly if you are processing muddy old pond water, but can last a long time if it's just the municipal supply.

My last unit cost about 1000 Thb a year to service but that was a 4 filter system and the new one is 5 so I don't know yet.   It would depend also on the amount of water your need to filter.    I had an RO water processor on my boat that turned raw sea water into fresh.  It was engine driven and could deliver about 100 liters a day if required.   I never replaced the membrane.... but it was cleaned annually.  Expensive gadget back then....they are much cheaper now.





> Do you think it's a cost that's worthwhile to run this kind of system ?


It depends on how much you value convenience I suppose.   You have a constant supply of excellent drinking water without reliance on outside delivery sources.   We had a number of occasions in our previous home where neighbours would come begging water because the water truck had not shown up and they were too lazy to hike out to the local 711...... :Smile: 

I doubt if you save money on your drinking water, but I like the convenience and the excellent purity of the water.  As is all things Thai.....up to you...... :Smile:

----------


## Loombucket

I'm liking the bottom of those pillars koman. Well done! Seems to be coming along nicely.

----------


## koman

> I'm liking the bottom of those pillars koman. Well done! Seems to be coming along nicely.



Thank you Loom......I really like them now, but I have to admit that I was skeptical when the project manager told me what he was planning.   It sounded kind of "Mickey Mouse".    Anyhow he did a demo on one of the pillars at the back and it turned out really nice.  Once the finish is applied the result looks just like polished rock....at least from a distance.... :Smile:   Quite an inexpensive process too.....but like many things it needs to be done right otherwise you end up with a mess.

----------


## koman

Friday March 29th was a landmark day.  The miracles of electric supply and plumbing were revealed.    Despite the chaos caused by the rampaging Somchi minors, a good deal was accomplished.    We still don't have any glass in the windows or a pump to boost the water pressure, but the place does begin to feel habitable.



Back in the kitchen, the range hood has been installed.  We left the white plastic coating on for Wasp being as he has shown such a fondness for this particular material..... :Smile:     The recessed lighting under the cabinets works beautifully....as does the lighting from the hood.



The wife's funky red lights look much better than I thought they would......that little spotlight above the sink was my contribution to the mix.... :Smile: 



Will ya just look at that....there's water coming out of the shower head..... not bad pressure without a pump, but it will improve greatly once the installation and tank are hooked up....at least that's what's supposed to happen.... :mid: 



The shower stall in the guest bathroom.  The water heater is a little Steibel Eltron.  It's idiot proof and cranks out 4.5 Kw.   The one in the en-suite is 5.5 Kw....cause I like me water really warm.    There seems to be a lot of armoured hose hanging around in there.....need to tidy that up a bit, if I can?...  and of course the place is covered in dust and crap from all the workings..



Out front, the gate is almost finished.  It's very heavy and has an undercarriage like a B52 bomber.    The lights have been installed....welcome to Castle Dracula.....



Different angle, looking along the wall and fence.   The concrete parts still have to be painted and all the "wood" will be given a final coat of stain when the painting crew comes back to finish the house.



Yet another shot of the front now that the bottom section of the columns have been finished.   There's still paining and finishing to do, but it's nearly there.



View from the rear.  Not a great pic of the house, but I thought the sky looked nice..... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> that little spotlight above the sink was my contribution to the mix


That was the one light that I forgot in the wife's er, my kitchen build in the wife's house, I regret it every time I use the sink.

Looking very prim & proper koman, just a little geen around the house lawn trees etc and you will be in top shape.

Well done mate.

----------


## BKKKevin

Why does the hot water only go through the hand held sprayer?

----------


## Wasp

> I'm liking the bottom of those pillars koman. Well done! Seems to be coming along nicely.



NO !!!! 

You are an awkward bugger* koman* !!!!!

I waited ages for you to finish .  Despaired . 
Put your home in the Gallery just a few days ago and NOW you get all hyperactive on me and go and finish the damn columns !!

Take all that crap off please .


Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

> We now have more Somchai's than the Thai army


Im that desperate for any work being done I can only dream about having a gang of Somchai's. I don't have a gun yet although occasionally I borrow a friends M1 Carbine for fun but I do have a big stick.

----------


## katie23

@koman - your house looks very nice, as are the kitchen pics, but... 
where is Frankie? We want to see HER!  :Razz: 

@bankaodreamer - so you have a big stick as well as a big pipe?  :Razz:  Cheers!

----------


## Wasp

> @bankaodreamer - so you have a big stick as well as a big pipe?  Cheers!



Shame on you Katie !!

You can be very smutty with your urinals , your big sticks and your big pipes .

Very smutty for a Philippina lady !



Wasp

----------


## Wasp

My last unit cost about 1000 Thb a year to service ..............


Well that is cheap enough k .

How much does the equipment cost to buy and put in ?

Cozz it's sounding good .



Wasp

----------


## stevefarang

^^^

Yep, I PM'd Koman last night asking for details about his water treatment system and that little RO device. I'm going to be looking for something like this for our house.
I haven't heard back from him yet.

Steve

----------


## Wasp

> ^^^
> 
> Yep, I PM'd Koman last night asking for details about his water treatment system and that little RO device. 
> I'm going to be looking for something like this for our house.
> I haven't heard back from him yet.
> 
> Steve


The running cost is very cheap .

So I hope it's a reasonable set-up price and that it's sturdy .

Like me .



Wasp

----------


## BKKBILL

Here is the Filtex info from

Drinking water filters | Page 4

And costs

----------


## Wasp

> Here is the Filtex info from
> 
> Drinking water filters | Page 4
> 
> And costs


BangkokWilliam , 
It still dazzles me that there's always SOMEONE who can supply a comprehensive answer .

Thanks for this  .


Wasp

----------


## patsycat

Being a bit coy about Frankie.  

Lookit here - nice kitchen  (which i love)
Lookit here - nice lamps
Lookit here - nice shower

Oh, and the lovely gate, and driveway and columns.

We want Frankie...  She must have been hidden somewhere in that to die for kitchen.

Just a wee peek, please?

----------


## Wasp

What the Hell is " Lookit " ?



Wasp

----------


## Roobarb

> What the Hell is " Lookit " ?
> 
> 
> 
> Wasp


I think this is a loo kit:



Of course, with his urinals Koman won't be a slave to this sort of thing.

----------


## stevefarang

> Here is the Filtex info from
> 
> Drinking water filters | Page 4
> 
> And costs



Thanks Bill !

It looks like I might use their FT219 RO system for the kitchen. I still want to put something in line to the water tank though. I see some whole house filters on page 5, the Aqua-Pure AP 101T / AP 110 looks interesting.

Steve

----------


## Wasp

> What the *Hell* is " *Lookit*  ? "
> 
> Wasp


I think this is a loo kit:



Of course, with his urinals Koman won't be a slave to this sort of thing.



" EXCELLENT !!!! :rofl: 




Wasp

----------


## koman

I've been neglecting my thread for a few days, due to a sudden and sad event in our lives.   

Our six month old female Bangkeo/Ridgeback pup has died.   She went off her food in the middle of last week and started puking and heaving, so we took her to a local animal clinic. 

 The Vet told us her blood count was way off and that she had been infected by a tick bite which can make a dog very sick.   Medication was prescribed and given but the following day she was worse.  Back to the clinic.   She could not keep down food or water, so she was put on an IV to prevent dehydration and the meds which she could not keep down were given by injection...or so we were told.

We were advised the next day that she was looking better, so we paid her a visit.  She did seem to be recovering, but we were advised to leave her for a day or two more.  We agreed, because it seemed the right thing to do and we believed she was in  good hands.

We wanted to pick her up on Saturday, but we were told the clinic was closed that day and we would have to wait till Sunday.

Sunday morning we went to pick our pup up;  and so we did.  She was handed to us in a cardboard box along with a bill for 2700 baht.  

 By pure coincidence we had just visited our air conditioning supplier who has a shop close to the clinic.   He told us that an awful lot of dogs die in that place....because they don't take care of them...they just pretend  to.....WTF.

I was very sad and very angry.  I still am.  Our dog died alone, locked in a cage in the back room of a decrepit clinic, when she should have been home with her friends and family.   That is the saddest thing, because it was totally avoidable. 

  These mercenary bastards are only interested in boarding animals to rake in cash.    If she was destined to die she should not have been left in the "care" of a gum chewing bimbo in skin tight pants who probably never even gave her a sip of water.

   So the thought of our beautiful pup all alone in the dark, probably feeling that she had been abandoned, weighs heavily on me.    Never again.

I believe that Ting died because of incompetence and negligence. I blame myself for trusting her to the care of these quacks.  

We buried Ting in a nice shady and well protected spot at the back of our new property.  The word spread fast, and I was quite amazed at the number of people who came to say goodbye.  Even the project manager and his wife showed up. 

  Ting was a very popular pup.   She was extremely intelligent; her eyed sparkled and she had a rich deep shine in her coat.  She was full of playfulness and energy; glowing with good health.  She played with, and made friends with all living things. 

  Her brother Tong is depressed.  He sniffs around constantly, looking bewildered.   How can a six month old pup understand such things?   His sister Ting was the clever one, Tong is the character dog and he is a real comedian.  They made a marvellous pair.   

   Tong still greets up at the bottom of the stairs in the morning.  Still happy to see us, with his tail waving to and fro.   But now, there is just one tail waving where there used to be two going in perfect unison.  

  Tong does have a companion still.  My wife's old dog is still with us, but he does not have the energy and vitality to keep up with a young Bangkeo pup; nor does he have a tail to wave at the bottom of the stairs.   

These little tragedies are part of life I suppose.  We will all take it in our stride...people and dogs alike.  Life will go on as before, but I trust you will understand why I've been laying low for a bit. 

I see questions about the water filter systems have found a champion and seem to have been very well covered.  Thanks BKKBill.    

Frankie has not been touched since I last posted pics of him about 400 posts back so there really is nothing to show for now. 

I'm done discussing urinals, so for those who don't like them....I don't give a shit.  For those who have managed to leave the Victorian and Edwardian eras of plumbing and bathroom fixtures behind,  and moved on.....good for you.

I'll get back to posting pictures shortly and try to cover off any questions that may arise......have I missed anything????

----------


## Bettyboo

Sorry to hear about Ting, Koman. Don't blame yourself, you cannot be an expert on every subject, so sometimes you have to trust other 'experts'. I can fully understand your feelings, but you did what you thought was best, and usually would have been the best choice.

She sounded like a lovely puppy, sad she's gone.

----------


## Wasp

I was actually waiting for someone to post one more time about Frankie so I could yell " Enough " .

It was a successful mine for a while but it has been mined . Drop it now .

You are clearly upset and lashing yourself about leaving your pup at that clinic.

You shouldn't .

When you said  " These mercenary bastards are only interested in boarding animals to rake in cash.............."   well it would not take me long to find the same story many times over happening here in England .

How can one ever know ?  You were trying to help the pup .

It makes a sad read K ...... You have my sympathy .



Wasp

----------


## patsycat

Oh dear.  I'm so sorry.  My flippant comments can be ignored.  It's awful to lose a very loved pet, especially so young.

I actually had a tear in my eye reading that.  Having been through it myself many moons ago.

Vets can be bastards, here in Switzerland you basically have to pay cash up front before they even look at the animal.  And jeez are they expensive.

----------


## stevefarang

Sorry Koman to hear about your pup, Ting.
I was wondering why you suddenly went quiet.

Hopefully, you can get a new, young playmate for Tong soon.

Steve

----------


## Roobarb

As the others have said Koman, I'm genuinely sorry to hear about Ting passing away.  

RIP little one.

----------


## patsycat

When my last cat who polished the parquet with her low hanging belly, died.  i listened to this song -

----------


## patsycat

No no that should be zapped.  Please.

----------


## patsycat

There's the song.

----------


## PAG

I have two Golden Retrievers, brother and sister (same litter), who are now 6 years old (had them from 8 weeks).   In their early years, they were constantly plagued by ticks, and both had regular bouts of tick fever.   Fortunately, each time we saw the symptoms early (loss of appetite, lethargy - which in these two is definitely a sign of something wrong) and got them to our vets and a course of anti biotics for around 10 days or so.

We tried all kinds of tick prevention measures (Frontline, Revolution, tick collars etc), but nothing worked until we heard about injections they can have on a monthly basis (we get them to the vet for an injection as soon as we spot a tick on them, usually every 6 to 8 weeks) and I cannot recommend this method strongly enough.   

It won't bring your pup back I know, but this treatment could/should help your other pup and maybe future others.

----------


## koman

Thanks to everyone for your sympathy and kind words.   We are still passing through the stages of grief....loss, anger, acceptance etc.   Life goes on....and so do building threads..... :Smile: 





> Fortunately, each time we saw the symptoms early (loss of appetite, lethargy - which in these two is definitely a sign of something wrong) and got them to our vets and a course of anti biotics for around 10 days or so.


That is exactly what we did.  The pup was taken to the vet in less than 24 hours after showing the first signs of illness.   

I've read up a bit on dog ticks and understand the implications for dogs.  Thailand has a particular abundance of nasty ticks it seems.   Nowhere did I find cases where a tick bite killed a healthy dog in a few days.  

 The various diseases contacted from ticks can make the dog very sick,  and if not treated properly can indeed kill them.....but the treatments available can usually save the animal when they are administered in time. 

   Whatever killed Ting was very fast and somehow does not seem to fit the pattern of tick bite disease.    We take our animals for regular checkups and give them all the protective shots available.   I will check into this anti=tick treatment ASAP....we don't want to go though this again.     Thanks for taking the time to provide the information..

PS...according to the vet sites I read, the treatment for these tick bite diseases is a 30 day course of antibiotics plus some other stuff.   The recovery rate is very good if the treatment is started soon after the symptoms appear.

----------


## bankao dreamer

Sorry mate about the little one. Our Shepherd Max is ill he suddenly lost a lot of weight so our vet ( who I can't fault ) took some blood and sent it to Bangkok. The results where E-Canis or brown tick disease. He eats like a horse but gets tired very quickly, the vet said it will take a least 4 weeks of treatment before he puts any weight back on. E-Canis destroys the white blood cells his platelet count was a third of the minimum. We just have to wait now, he is on his 3rd week of tablets. We also lost our little pit bull cross named Snow a week ago to a snake bite. He was pure white with blue eyes. So for a time we were down to 6 dogs, but the wife came back with a Thai Ridgeback pup yesterday I have called him Reg so we are now back up to 7

----------


## Wasp

koman .........

I've had a day or so now for this sad event to fester in my mind - and I'm joining your grief but I'm going to stop and stay at the angry stage .

You know my attitude to swearing , koman .

I don't like it - at all .

But this absolutely fucking pisses me off .

I know when I am driving out of Korat and I see the Thais selling Hitachi drills at the side of the road that they are NOT Hitachi drills . They're Chinese knock-off  cheap copies with Plastic motors and they'll melt at the first touch of strain .

I know that .

But one day Missy had a headache and I gave her 2 Paracetamol ... from Sainsbury's ... and she was amazed that they worked .
What I didn't know is that in the Land of Smiles they will even copy Paracetamol and sell you shit with a smile . They don't care . Land of Smiles bollocks .

These people are 75% Chinese and they will lie and lie and have no compunction about it . If a lie gets you what you want then that's OK .

And I hate it .

Land of Hypocrisy is closer to the truth . 

I didn't know they would sell you sugar and call it aspirin - not caring about your health . It's heartless . It's just self-centred.

And I didn't know they would call themselves an animal clinic and show no care at all .

I'm aggressively angry about this , K ...... 

And sorry for your loss. 



Wasp

----------


## patsycat

In our grief, we don't think about the animal which is still alive.  Thinking back, Jimmy lost his sister with whom he had lived for 12 years.

He became clingy and if i went out would follow me.  Even onto a main road, i would have to pick him up and carry him home and lock him in.  And run out before he got to the cat ladder.

It didn't even pass in my mind that he was sad too.  And maybe worried that i would disappear too.

So, give her brother lots of love and cuddles.

----------


## koman

> Land of Hypocrisy is closer to the truth .


Wasp; my story seems to have had a profound effect on you, but those of us who have lived in Thailand for a while  (6 years full time for me) know and accept the shortcomings of the place.   There are many really nice and totally trustworthy Thais as well as the liars, cheats, and mercenary SOB's who will do anything to make a few baht.    We learn to cope and enjoy the place despite all the downside stuff.

No matter how good you get at sorting out the good guys from the bad guys, you can still get caught out once in a while.  I think this applies everywhere; but it seems a bit more front and center here.





> In our grief, we don't think about the animal which is still alive


Yes indeed.  We are very conscious of that and have made every effort to be extra kind and attentive to the other dogs and cat. 

  The cat of course is quite indignant that anyone would pay any kind of attention to her....she truly believes that she runs the place and does not need people showing concern about her.....there's a big tokay hanging about and she is determined to catch and finish it off.....  no time for sentimental nonsense where there's hunting to be done..... :Smile: 

  Cat's are a law unto themselves; solitary and independent...unlike dogs who are more social animals, with a need for company and a bit of attention..... :Smile:

----------


## Koetjeka

> He became clingy and if i went out would follow me. Even onto a main road, i would have to pick him up and carry him home and lock him in. And run out before he got to the cat ladder.


Same thing goes for my dog Moo Krob. Whenever I go somewhere, he follows me. I have to lock him in and tell my mother in law to let him out again after 5 minutes. Once he actually ran with my father in law on his bicycle to town, 10km from home.

Bad thing about my dog is that he steals your shoes at night if you forget to take them inside. He hides them in the neighbors garden for some reason.

Moo Krob (now 6 months old) used to have a twin sister, she died 2 months ago, probably poisoned by a burglar as happens quite often in this village.

----------


## koman

So now it's time to get back to the serious business of finishing up a house.    You ever had one of those weeks when everything possible that can go wrong....does.

First we have our dog die suddenly...on Sunday 

 Then on Monday I get told by my accountant that I owe the Government of Canada $15,000 in taxes.......(about 440,000 Thb).... :Confused: ....but knowing how governments operate, I'm sure it will all be put to good use..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

   On Wednesday  the newly installed range hood in the kitchen fails...the electronic control module seems to be kaput.... :Confused: 

..On Thursday the wife has her Honda PCX filled up with diesel fuel when she left a pump attendant....unattended....and it quit 200 meters down the road...  a truly Isaan moment.... :Confused: 

...same day the fridge quite working.... :Confused: 

..then a piece of her house roof gets blown off in a sudden windstorm  ... :Confused: 

So here we are on Friday, wondering what's next??......

Anyhow, not everything was bad.  We managed to get the Air Conditioning installed  (well except for a missing remote unit that the manufacture failed to send with the big unit....this is on it's way we are assured)

    The water filter was also installed....but not quite....it has not been connected to a water supply and the various bits of tubing and mysterious fittings still have to be sorted out....but at least it's hanging on the wall, looking like a water filter.... :Smile: 



Bending the copper tubing and stuff to install the largest ( 36000 Btu) unit......



Once it's up on it's mounting brackets...all the connections and testing begin....



Lovely kit these guys have.  The unit is being charged and pressure tested.   The inverter type using the 410 refrigerant  works at higher pressure than the "standard" type AC units, but they are supposed to be about 30% more efficient.



One of the smaller units.  This is a 15000 Btu bedroom AC unit.....also being charged and pressure tested.



This thing is a Cassette output unit for ceiling mounting.   It can distribute the cooled air over 360 degrees.   This device will cover the main living area quite nicely according to our AC tekkie....who is very good and very experienced.  I hope he's  right.



There it goes...three lifters and a supervisor to get the thing up into the ceiling cavity.  It's bolted to a prepared steel frame up there because at 38 kgs you can't just hang it from the ceiling..... :mid: 



Once all the bits and pieces are fitted together it sits quite nicely in the ceiling.  You can see where a bit of ceiling damage was done during the installation. 

  We would not want to get through an installation without some damage, would we?...  that would disrupt the order of things and would be very un-Thai.   To his credit the AC guy accepted full responsibility and will pay for the repairs.   I believe this is a first for me in the LOS.... :Smile: 



A more general view showing how it looks.   Quite flush and modern looking.....not at all suitable for homes without bathroom urinals or kitchen Frankies....... :smiley laughing: 



....and last but not least; the new fangled water filter system.  Very neat and compact.  Once we figure out all the connections and plug it in.....we are quite confident that it will indeed filter water... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Then on Monday I get told by my accountant that I owe the Government of Canada $15,000 in taxes.......(about 440,000 Thb)........but knowing how governments operate, I'm sure it will all be put to good use.....


Koman, none of my business, but as another Non Resident Canadian are you using the "Election Under Section 217" for a non resident when filing your tax return, its taken my tax rate from 25% to about 15% and I get a good lump back from the Federal Gov.

KCC

----------


## Sailing into trouble

Ah, sorry about the wee doggie. We are leaving Canuck land in the next couple of days, and it is hard to leave our serigate hounds behind. Never knew ticks were that much of a problem. Food for serious thought

As to the house, told you you should have bought a boat! Nothing goes wrong with them :smiley laughing:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> Then on Monday I get told by my accountant that I owe the Government of Canada $15,000 in taxes.......(about 440,000 Thb)........but knowing how governments operate, I'm sure it will all be put to good use.....
> 
> 
> Koman, none of my business, but as another Non Resident Canadian are you using the "Election Under Section 217" for a non resident when filing your tax return, its taken my tax rate from 25% to about 15% and I get a good lump back from the Federal Gov.
> 
> KCC


No, I'm still considered a "resident"...but they did start dinging me with 30% withholding tax on all the government stuff for a while...then reversed it after several months.   I would be delighted with 15%... :Confused:    I use a very reputable firm of Chartered Accountants....including a taxation specialist so I'm doing all I can, but I still get nailed..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

  This is the first year in a while I've owed money....plus they did a reassessment from the previous year and zapped me on that too... but they messed up and calculated the tax wrong.....they want tax that I've already paid....and it takes them months to reverse anything like that.

   Tax departments are programmed to despise anyone who shows that they have been able to rise above government dependency with things like "investment income" or "capital gains" etc.... :Confused:

----------


## koman

> As to the house, told you you should have bought a boat! Nothing goes wrong with them


Yes indeed; in the 25 years or so sailing boats, I never had a single problem..... :rofl:

----------


## BKKBILL

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> Then on Monday I get told by my accountant that I owe the Government of Canada $15,000 in taxes.......(about 440,000 Thb)........but knowing how governments operate, I'm sure it will all be put to good use.....
> 
> 
> Koman, none of my business, but as another Non Resident Canadian are you using the "Election Under Section 217" for a non resident when filing your tax return, its taken my tax rate from 25% to about 15% and I get a good lump back from the Federal Gov.
> 
> KCC


If you file under section 217 election and also send the Form NR5 and it is approved you will not have that 25% deducted at source so you get full monthly payments of all pensions up to the point tax has to be paid.

Good to hear your back on the job and handling the difficulties.

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Originally Posted by KiCanCummins
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


Thanks BKKBILL,

I will pass this one by my tax guru and see if I can do the same.

Koman, Hope it all works out for you in the end, I've heard that with the present Gov they have been ordered to tighten up and this is probably what has happened in Your case, Good luck to you my friend.

KCC

----------


## koman

Maybe we need a tax relief thread...... :Smile:    Guys, I'm aware of the NR status thing and have chatted about it with my tax accountant..   It really depends on the kinds of income being taxed and where that income is earned. 

   It's certainly worth investigating for anyone who has become "non-resident"   My tax bill was not caused by residential status.  It was simply the result of a one time capital gain and some other investment income which put me into a higher tax bracket.  It was expected, but the timing could have been better....and of course the amount could have been much lower..... :Smile:  

    The amount from the previous year that I mentioned was from a re-assessment which must have been done by a newbie because the tax they think is owed, was already paid which they failed to recognize,  in their zeal to grind more cash out of poor ol me.....I'm assured that it will be cleared up, but it takes a while for the wheel to turn at CRA.....

Governments everywhere are cash hungry,  so try not to earn too much above welfare status,  otherwise you might appear as "rich" on the radar,  and get shot down......

----------


## Moolek

Very nice thread. Your home is beautiful. I think your general design is great and I love the kitchen and bathrooms. Your outdoor decks/verandas/patios or whatever you want to call them are also great I especially like the star pattern floor tiles.

If I could offer one suggestion it would be to paint the triangular vents a contrasting colour. Either the colour of the roof or the colour of the base of the columns would look great. As it is now it looks like it was primed and is waiting for its finishing coat.

You got incredible bang for your buck on this build. For the amount of materials used and the quality of the finishings I think you did very well. Both you and your general contractor should be commended.

I like how you used the double c section steel to make your main roof supports, I have seen people use box section steel which is nearly impossible to paint on the inside, doing it your way is much better.

I think you probably went over the top on the structure of your house being that it is only 1 floor and doesn't appear to have any overly large spans but I guess better safe than sorry when the budget allows.

I am guessing the 250m2 you stated for the overall size includes the outdoor patios but it is difficult to be sure as I didn't see the floor plan (forgive me if I missed it) . I think this is about the ideal size for a couple or a small family.

 I also like the boat, what is it? Kinda looks like a Pearson, but maybe is an Alberg.

----------


## koman

> Very nice thread. Your home is beautiful. I think your general design is great and I love the kitchen and bathrooms. Your outdoor decks/verandas/patios or whatever you want to call them are also great I especially like the star pattern floor tiles.
> 
> Thank you very much.  The design is simple and was taken from our last house, which we liked very much.  We just added space and reconfigured the roof etc.   Not everybody likes the kitchen and bathrooms, but clearly you are a person with exquisite tastes...
> 
> 
> If I could offer one suggestion it would be to paint the triangular vents a contrasting colour. Either the colour of the roof or the colour of the base of the columns would look great. As it is now it looks like it was primed and is waiting for its finishing coat.
> 
> Matching the roof colour was my thoughts as well, but when we tried it....well it just did not look very good at all.   We tried all kinds of things and the current look is the best we could get.   It actually looks a lot better in the flesh than in the photos.
> 
> ...


Not bad guesswork....she looks very much like an Alberg 37....which I have also owned at one time....but she is one of the Ted Brewer "Douglas"  31/32 line, custom built.   Excellent boat with the characteristics, and looks of the Albergs....and of course Pearson built one that looked very much the same because it too was designed by Carl Alberg..... :Smile: 



Thanks for your input. Nice that somebody finally likes my kitchen and bathrooms..... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Wasp

God you're a moany old Canadian !

Your kitchen is lovely . OK ? But the hidden structure of Franensteinkitchalcoveutilityunit is so awful it's laughable and it duly got laughs .
Pretty much the same as Wasp taking some 12 year old concrete posts from one site , chipping them and fracturing them and planting them in a new site and hiding them in wrap-around Roman Kings .

So a score of 99.98 for the kitchen .

Your bathroom is also lovely though there is some conflict over the urinal and the door under the sink is embarrassingly crap .

So maybe 94 for the bathroom .

Build design , structure , solidity ..... 142%.


You're not doing that badly 

Missile silos ....... excellent .



Wasp

----------


## koman

> God you're a moany old Canadian !


ahem....that would likely come from being born and bread in the UK..... where moaning is a great national tradition and birthright...  Fortunately I was smart enough to get out of the place before it got too bad.... :Smile: .





> there is some conflict over the urinal and the door under the sink is embarrassingly crap .


There is no "conflict"....just a few strident opinions from people who are completely clueless about post WW11 décor, innovation and willingness to try something new or different....... :Smile: 




> the hidden structure of Franensteinkitchalcoveutilityunit is so awful it's laughable


The "hidden structure" is a simple roughed in rectangular box made from concrete blocks....WTF would you expect it to look like?, and why would it be any more laughable than the bigger concrete box that forms the basis of a whole house..?   Some incredible bollocks posted on these threads..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## bankao dreamer

> Nice that somebody finally likes my kitchen and bathrooms


I have always liked your kitchen and I like your bathrooms.

Form work is form work is form work is form work is form work, hopefully that should clear things up  :Smile:

----------


## patsycat

I love your kitchen, i would die for a kitchen like that.  It just seems so streamlined that i worry that Frankie may feel a bit like Cinderella before the ball, but when she makes her debut i am sure we will gasp at her beauty.

Maybe Steve could lend you his carriage.

----------


## Wasp

> Some incredible bollocks posted on these threads.....



Pictures please !!


Wasp

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> Nice that somebody finally likes my kitchen and bathrooms
> 
> 
> I have always liked your kitchen and I like your bathrooms.
> 
> Form work is form work is form work is form work is form work, hopefully that should clear things up


But what's form work ?


Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

> But what's form work ?


Frankie pre render and tile.

----------


## koman

> I have always liked your kitchen and I like your bathrooms.


Thank you BD...another man of exquisite taste.... :Smile: 




> Form work is form work is form work is form work is form work, hopefully that should clear things up


Exactly.  This has been stated over and over but we keep hearing  about the "ugly" box that was Frankie before he even had a bit of cement plastered over his raw block work..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 





> i worry that Frankie may feel a bit like Cinderella before the ball, but when she makes her debut i am sure we will gasp at her beauty.


....but for some strange reason you just can't get the gender right..... :Smile: 

Anyhow poor Frankie needs a bit of surgery.   The usually meticulous project manager somehow managed to get the measurements of the appliances wrong, so Frankie's cavities are a bit too big.  He is being operated on to correct this little problem, and should be ready for action sometime soon.... come to think of it, I've been saying that for several months.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

Once again all the workers have vanished, leaving about a dozen jobs partly done, but none finished.

  We expect the window glass to arrive in a few days.   The water is still not  fully connected even though they started on that two or three weeks ago.....don't want to hurry these things do we?..

   There's a ton of baseboard trim and coving to be installed.....after Songkran we are told, ....but they were not specific about which Songkran. :mid: ..

----------


## stevefarang

> Maybe Steve could lend you his carriage.


You will have to talk to Wasp for making those arrangements...  LOL

Steve

----------


## bankao dreamer

> after Songkran we are told


Oh bollox I had forgot about that.

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by patsycat
> 
> 
> Maybe Steve could lend you his carriage.
> 
> 
> You will have to talk to Wasp for making those arrangements...  LOL
> 
> Steve




It's VIP only I'm afraid.

Just for trips between Stevefarang and Loombucket .



Wasp

----------


## Sailing into trouble

> Originally Posted by Moolek
> 
> 
> Very nice thread. Your home is beautiful. I think your general design is great and I love the kitchen and bathrooms. Your outdoor decks/verandas/patios or whatever you want to call them are also great I especially like the star pattern floor tiles.
> 
> Thank you very much.  The design is simple and was taken from our last house, which we liked very much.  We just added space and reconfigured the roof etc.   Not everybody likes the kitchen and bathrooms, but clearly you are a person with exquisite tastes...
> 
> 
> If I could offer one suggestion it would be to paint the triangular vents a contrasting colour. Either the colour of the roof or the colour of the base of the columns would look great. As it is now it looks like it was primed and is waiting for its finishing coat.
> ...


You have a boat! As well as a house!! No wonder the tax man is after you.  :Smile: 

Now I have to back track to find the pics. 

Ps

My boat is bigger than your boat :Smile: 

Pps

But much lower in the water :rofl:

----------


## Bettyboo

This great build is having a bit of an uncontrolled ending. 'After Songkran' does not sound good because they will all be starting new jobs then...




> Anyhow poor Frankie needs a bit of surgery.


I know she does, I have been saying that from the start - it's not about formwork, but rather design, colour and decor...

----------


## koman

> it's not about formwork, but rather design


So, BB... master designer and home décor guru.....how exactly would_ you_  have designed a simple rectangular box?....and what colour would it be?..... :mid:  





> This great build is having a bit of an uncontrolled ending


I would not say uncontrolled exactly, but it does feel a bit like pulling teeth, trying to get the final stage wrapped up.   We could probably have had this house finished a month or more ago, but we decided to wait for the few available guys who do decent work, instead of taking whatever shows up on a battered ten year old Wave...even if it has a sidecar.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> You have a boat!


Not any more.  I sold the last one six years ago...

----------


## Wasp

> We could probably have had this house finished a month or more ago, but we decided to wait for the few available guys who do decent work, instead of taking whatever shows up on a battered ten year old Wave....even if it has a sidecar....




Funnily enough the Indolent Brother has a battered ten year old Wave .

The sidecar is but a distant dream .



Wasp

----------


## patsycat

Koman, you have to realise that we (me and the rest) have known for months now that Frankie is a she.  If you persist on the fact that she is a he, she's going to have identity problems for the rest of her life.  And we wouldn't like that now, would we?

She'll be flaffing around and cooking at 250 instead of the slow roast at 180 you wanted.  Until you succomb to her demands.

Very tetchy are ovens.  

Does her brother, "the broiler", have a name?

----------


## Bettyboo

I didn't realize that Frankie's brother was gay, Patsy.

Kitchen units, MFI, that's what you want - klarse.

----------


## koman

> I didn't realize that Frankie's brother was gay, Patsy.
> 
> Kitchen units, MFI, that's what you want - klarse.


If that's your idea of a great kitchen, it's hardly surprising you dislike mine.   That looks like a forensic laboratory to me.  Nothing wrong with that, and I would not mock or ridicule anyone  for having a laboratory in their house, but it's not attractive to me at all.  We all have our own tastes and ideas and there is no accounting for someone else's choices with things like this.

   Can you imagine trying to keep all that Tupperware looking stuff clean looking...a kitchen like that would look really dingy in a few years if anybody actually used it.     That stuff is mostly just particle board covered with a polymer veneer.      Jezus BB... can you cook?....have you ever actually had a kitchen??

   I'm still waiting to hear your design ideas for a rectangular box that would be so different to my rectangular box design.... :Smile: 

I can't help but notice that the critics  don't offer much in the way of sensible answers when challenged for ideas....  :mid:

----------


## koman

> She'll be flaffing around and cooking at 250 instead of the slow roast at 180 you wanted.  Until you succomb to her demands. 
> Very tetchy are ovens.


If he does that...even once, his thermostat will be ripped out and replaced immediately.   There's a Hafele  outlet about 2km away and he knows it..... :Smile: 

I bought a pretty basic oven this time around.  The last one had all these programs and fancy digital displays, with signals and timers for this and that.....and of course several of them started failing after a couple of years.   I don't need 19 cooking programs to roast a leg of lamb or bake a few loaves of bread once in a while.

  About the only thing that can fail in the new one is the  thermostat, which is  cheap and easy to replace....or the heating elements... or the lights...or the knobs....or..... :mid:

----------


## Wasp

.........

----------


## Sailing into trouble

> I didn't realize that Frankie's brother was gay, Patsy.
> 
> Kitchen units, MFI, that's what you want - klarse.


Gay looking or not. When it comes to Kitchen, she can have it in bright pink! Not that i will hopefully ever see it :smiley laughing:

----------


## bankao dreamer

> Kitchen units, MFI, that's what you want - klarse.


Unfortunately not heavy granite pestle and mortar proof or big cleaver proof when chopping a chicken into little pieces.  :Smile: 

Concrete FORM WORK and tiles is the only way to go here.

----------


## koman

In the absence of any further expert advise from BB, I will post a few more photos.   Bit of this and that as usual.  Finishing is like that.  No big dramatic welding shots or roof acrobats.  Just time consuming frustrating, never ending details.     So here goes.......



The baseboard trim has been installed, but the coving will not be done until after Songkran.   It's a kind of Cherry-wood finish and shows up well against the various shades of green.



Another view.   Bit sparse on furnishings.....we will move a few things in when all the Somchais are gone for the holiday.   The buggers are having about 10 days off.  Five days to get completely stoned,  and five days to recover.... :Smile: 



When we turned on the big AC unit, this is what blew out of the ceiling vents....   The birds around here don't waste any time developing new nesting sites.   If only the Somchais were as industrious as their local birds.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 



Outside; the wife is out yonder, furiously planting a batch of flowering shrubs she picked up....there's 300 of them...she doesn't mess around.....got to get the landscaping underway.... :Smile: 



With her usual remarkable speed and diligence she gets all 300 plants in the ground, watered and ordered to grow and flower...quick.....

Unfortunately, that's it for today.  Photofucket is jerking me around and my internet connection has slowed down about 90%....probably going off for Songkran too.....TIT... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

Lovely clear pictures koman .

And a nice shiney floor . :smilie_clap: 

Undoubtedly that floor will kill you between now and Christmas but it all looks rather a bit terrific .



Wasp

----------


## bankao dreamer

Very nice like all the plants.

----------


## BKKBILL

It does look good koman and that picture from your front porch will only get better as time goes on.

----------


## koman

> It does look good koman and that picture from your front porch will only get better as time goes on.


Thanks.....I certainly hope so. 

  We are negotiating for sod..  a lot of sod....about 60,000 bahts worth.... :Confused:    Need to cover all that bare ground up before the monsoon gets here, otherwise it's going to be a mud bath out there...   but apparently my  floors are going to kill me before Christmas, so maybe I'll just leave it..... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> ................. apparently my  floors are going to kill me before Christmas, so maybe I'll just leave it.....



Maybe before Easter.

----------


## FatOne

Looks absolutely brilliant Koman, I'm jealous. Amazing how industrious our Thai wives are compared to the local workers!!

----------


## patsycat

Get some of those socks with little rubber bits on the bottom.  Like you would for a toddler, they do have them in adult sizes.  My mum buys them for me from Sainsburys.

They come in numerous sizes and colours.  My Xmas ones were red.  Summer ones are usually a rather jovial yellow or sky blue depending if they are half price or not.

Last for years.  I have parquet floors and have had some rather "slippery" experiences so can recommend those socks.

----------


## katie23

Very nice new pics, Koman. I like the different shades of green. I also like your kitchen, and am looking forward to Frankie and HER unveiling.  :Smile: 

In other news... sorry for your loss re: the puppy, Koman.

I too had a recent loss in the family, thus my absence from TD. My father passed away due to cardiac arrest last April 6. He was 71, and he would've been married 46 years to my mom. Their anniversary would've been on May 4th (I'm a late baby). I remember seeing Yeesip's photo in Wasp's thread, and said to myself that Yeesip reminded me of my dad, especially around the eyes. I wasn't around him during his last moments, as I've moved out and live near my workplace. But I was able to see him a few days before he passed, and that gives me comfort. RIP to my Papa and to Yeesip....

Anyway, carry on. I'm looking forward to more house pics.  :Smile:

----------


## terp80

Koman, your house is looking great, and your yard will be beautiful in no time (once the rains get here). Have you had any trouble with slippery floors? Wasp now has me worried about what floors I will put in my house. Does anyone install non-slip tiles in Thai houses (I don't mean in the bathrooms)? Are they worth it? Can they be cleaned as easily? - not that I'll be cleaning mine.  :Banana:  
# If there's a thread on tile floors, I apologize.  :Sad6:

----------


## Bettyboo

> In the absence of any further expert advise from BB, I will post a few more photos.   Bit of this and that as usual.  Finishing is like that.  No big dramatic welding shots or roof acrobats.  Just time consuming frustrating, never ending details.     So here goes.......
> 
> 
> 
> The baseboard trim has been installed, but the coving will not be done until after Songkran.   It's a kind of Cherry-wood finish and shows up well against the various shades of green.
> 
> 
> 
> Another view.   Bit sparse on furnishings.....we will move a few things in when all the Somchais are gone for the holiday.   The buggers are having about 10 days off.  Five days to get completely stoned,  and five days to recover....
> ...


These latest pics are very nice. I really like the place.

----------


## Wasp

It's a DEATH trap !!!



But very beautiful .


You'll see lovely walls and a great ceiling as you hurtle backwards to your splattery end .


Wasp

----------


## koman

> have parquet floors and have had some rather "slippery" experiences so can recommend those socks


The highly polished granite floors are only in non-work areas....or more "formal" areas if you like.   They are only slippery when wet.  Never had a slip, and we've had them for years in previous houses.  Another non-issue courtesy of Wasp..... :Smile: 




> Very nice new pics, Koman. I like the different shades of green. I also like your kitchen, and am looking forward to Frankie and HER unveiling.  
> In other news... sorry for your loss re: the puppy, Koman.


Thank you Katie.  
I'm very sorry to hear about your Father.  It's always tough loosing family... my condolences.




> Have you had any trouble with slippery floors? Wasp now has me worried about what floors I will put in my house. Does anyone install non-slip tiles in Thai houses (I don't mean in the bathrooms)? Are they worth it? Can they be cleaned as easily? - not that I'll be cleaning mine.


As stated above.....we used polished granite in the formal areas only.   Working areas such as the kitchen and porches are all non-slip tile...and of course the bathrooms.  Any place where the floor is likely to get wet a lot needs non-slip tile.

    Polished granite is very easy to keep clean and always looks nice.....non-slip is a bit harder, but there are many good non-slip tiles on the market that clean quite easily.  As usual, the better ones just cost a bit more.

.    Our polished tiles will be partly covered by area rugs anyway.   In any case, they are not nearly as "slippery" as some people seem to think....except when wet.   In the list of hazards we face in LOS, polished granite would be a very long way down the list..... :Smile: 

I'm sure we have posters on TD who would advocate dirt floors with straw but I'm sticking with me granite... :Smile: 




> These latest pics are very nice. I really like the place.


Thanks BB.  Hope you're enjoying your new found freedom from sand, camels and goats......I'm still awaiting advise on how to design a rectangular concrete box properly?.... :Smile: 




> You'll see lovely walls and a great ceiling as you hurtle backwards to your splattery end .


If you're right, my last thoughts will be of you Wasp.....and your timely warnings...... :Smile:

----------


## terp80

Thanks Koman! Your place looks terrific.  :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> The highly polished granite floors are only in non-work areas....or more "formal" areas if you like.   They are only slippery when wet.  Never had a slip, and we've had them for years in previous houses.  Another non-issue courtesy of Wasp.....



I think I was just a  bit bored .

Does look very shiney and slippery though .




Wasp

----------


## Roobarb

> We are negotiating for sod..  a lot of sod....about 60,000 bahts worth....   Need to cover all that bare ground up before the monsoon gets here, otherwise it's going to be a mud bath out there...   but apparently my  floors are going to kill me before Christmas, so maybe I'll just leave it.....


Koman, quick question for you.  From your negotiations 60,000 Baht gets you both, in rough terms, how much and what sort of sod?  

I need to do something similar at mine and if I have an idea of the going rate then it may feel less like I've been raped.

Thanks...

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> We are negotiating for sod..  a lot of sod....about 60,000 bahts worth....   Need to cover all that bare ground up before the monsoon gets here, otherwise it's going to be a mud bath out there...   but apparently my  floors are going to kill me before Christmas, so maybe I'll just leave it.....
> 
> 
> Koman, quick question for you.  From your negotiations 60,000 Baht gets you both, in rough terms, how much and what sort of sod?  
> 
> ...


The 60K is an estimate based on 1150 m2.  It includes grading, topsoil, sand, rolling, installation of sprinkler system, (labour only) and a small pond (labour only)

The sod has a kind of grass that likes the sun but I don't know the name.  The area gets a lot of sun so there are some grass varieties that would not do well.   I believe it's a Japanese variety, but I'm no botanist.   

We have three quotes ranging from 53K to 60K.   I think we will go with this one because the company has a nice setup with really good equipment and experienced staff.   We were able to view a demonstration patch of the sod they supply, so you can see what it actually looks like when it's installed and growing.   They  also guarantee to replace any sod that dies for up to a year.    The lower quotes came from small family outfits with pretty limited resources and questionable experience......we all know how that usually goes in Thailand..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

This may be one of those things that varies quite a bit depending on where you are and the kind of local competition in the sod business.... :Smile: 

Anyhow, hope this had been helpful....

----------


## rickschoppers

Koman, your granite floors look great!! What product are you buying to keep them so nice?

Great house, by the way.

----------


## koman

> Koman, your granite floors look great!! What product are you buying to keep them so nice?
> 
> Great house, by the way.


Good granite tile is virtually maintenance free.  The cheap stuff has a softer surface and tends to scratch over time.  These fine scratches get filled with dirt and are harder to keep looking nice,  but the good hard granite is very tough stuff and does not scratch easily.  (We tested all our tiles for hardness  with a diamond tipped tool before buying them... :Smile: )    All you need is to run the vacuum cleaner or broom over it and mop the surface with water and maybe a drop of disinfectant or bleach.  It does not need floor polish or anything like that.

----------


## stevefarang

^^^
That's all we are doing with ours. It gets swept with a broom and then lightly mopped.

I was warned it would be slick as snot when wet, but I haven't noticed it being that slippery.

Steve

----------


## Roobarb

> I was warned it would be slick as snot when wet, but I haven't noticed it being that slippery.


Wasp will be saddened to hear that...

----------


## Wasp

Distressed indeed !

No opportunity to be saying " There !!! WottdidItellya ? " when Mr K from Oman slides elegantly straight through the wall to a shiney  polished end .



Wasp

----------


## KK Jock

Your house looks great. Given me some good ideas,and some insights into the workings of the Thai builder. 
I am planning on building starting in November and am going gray(er!) just thinking about it !!! ( the wall has been a drama already !!) I need a site manager like your guy,would he be interested in another job ? I will be building on the outskirts of Khon Kaen,just outside the ring road. I work away a lot and will need someone who knows what they are doing to make sure it's built to my standards,not Thai standards !!
You've done a great job there,i always knew there were good tradesmen here in Thailand but it's not easy finding the buggers !!!
Let me know if your guy would be interested in another project. Cheers.

----------


## koman

> I was warned it would be slick as snot when wet, but I haven't noticed it being that slippery.


Being as the subject has come up for discussion, I actually did a bit of testing, jut to find out for sure.    I tried to slide on my polished granite; first with socks and then with bare feet.   I could not slip even when I was trying.   It does not seem any more slippery than the non-slip tiles.   

When it's wet however,  it is very slippery, so not at all suitable for outdoor use...or anywhere wet..

----------


## koman

> Your house looks great. Given me some good ideas,and some insights into the workings of the Thai builder. 
> I am planning on building starting in November and am going gray(er!) just thinking about it !!! ( the wall has been a drama already !!) I need a site manager like your guy,would he be interested in another job ? I will be building on the outskirts of Khon Kaen,just outside the ring road. I work away a lot and will need someone who knows what they are doing to make sure it's built to my standards,not Thai standards !!
> You've done a great job there,i always knew there were good tradesmen here in Thailand but it's not easy finding the buggers !!!
> Let me know if your guy would be interested in another project. Cheers.


Thanks for your comments KK Jock.   

Unfortunately my project manager is not taking on any more work for the foreseeable future.  He is overloaded with about half a dozen projects on the go....and he generally does not take on work outside of his own local area.  

This is a difficult time for finding good building crews because there is so much work around in the KK area.    Even the good building managers are having difficulty finishing jobs up because of the demands on those people who can do decent work.

  We have been waiting for several weeks for a guy to come and install the coving but he can't do it for about another month because he has so much work.  We could have it done tomorrow as long as we don't mind randomly cut angles, damaged ceilings and a broad trail of destruction left behind by the local village "tradesmen".   These people usually manage to damage anything and everything they come in contact with... :Confused:   They are ok for perimeter walls, sheds and moving unbreakable things around; but that's about it... :Smile: 

    As you can see from this thread, the house was built in about two months.....but now it's taken more than three months to finish the interior....and it's still not completely finished.   The windows and screens that were supposed to take 3 weeks have taken 10 weeks...    The "tradesmen" are more hackers and grinders than real tradesmen.....but you can find better hackers/grinders than average if you are patient.  My house is probably a bit above average in terms of work quality but there are still lots of imperfections and things that  could have been done better.    

We are currently "fixing" all kinds of little cock-ups here and there and I'm holding back a good amount of money until it's all done, because in Thailand there is a cardinal rule that once the money is paid, all you will get from that point forward is promises.  

  Even the electrical contractor (who has been really good all along)  managed to lay the wrong cable for the main supply, so they had to dig the whole thing up (about 50 meters or underground cable)  and replace it.  Two full days work for a four man team wasted, but at least the head guy accepted full responsibility, which is unusual.   You have to monitor,  check and test everything.....and quite honestly; knowing what I know now, I would never attempt this kind of thing unless I could be on site most of the time....as has been the case with this build.    Even with a good project manager, there are a thousand and one decisions that have to be made on the spot,  and if you leave it up to the Thai crew, you will have some pretty funky things to sort out afterwards..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Whoever you contract with to act as build manager, for goodness sake check out a few of their projects first, and make sure you have a contract that spells out in detail what is included and what is not. Exact specifications for just about everything..  You also need to insist on a payment holdback for a period of time after completion, otherwise you will end up fixing a lot of things yourself.     There is an element of good fortune needed with these ventures.....so good luck with it all.    There are lots of good build out there, so it can be done.... :Smile:

----------


## KK Jock

Thanks for the advice Koman.
    I have almost settled on a contractor,he did a good job on a friends house but alas the finishing took a long time !! I will have to live with that I suppose as it seems the same for everyone. Unfortunantly I am away a lot so that is my biggest concern because I can only imagine what will be hidden when I am not there !! Guess my wife will be taking a lot of pictures so I don't miss anything !!
    I have saved quite a lot of your pics they will come in handy when explaining how I want things done,"a picture is worth a thousand words" ! Maybe !! Sure I will get lots of nodding and agreement and then get pissed off when they do it their own way anyway !! TIT

Good luck with fixing the cock-ups.
Cheers
KK Jock.

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by stevefarang
> 
> I was warned it would be slick as snot when wet, but I haven't noticed it being that slippery. 
> 
> 
>  I actually did a bit of testing, just to find out for sure.    I tried to slide on my polished granite; first with socks and then with bare feet.   I could not slip even when I was trying.   It does not seem any more slippery than the non-slip tiles.   
> When it's wet however,  it is very slippery ..


How is it with a rug ?

My understanding ( though I believe you when you say you don't find a problem ) is that accidents happen more when people step onto a rug and the rug does the sliding .



Wasp

----------


## stevefarang

^^^
If the rug does not already have a rubber like mesh underneath, you can buy one at a store and trim it to fit under the rug. I did that years ago, with a rug here in the USA. I got the mesh from my local Ikea store for a $2-3 maybe ? I still have it stored away around here somewhere.

Steve

----------


## koman

> ^^^
> If the rug does not already have a rubber like mesh underneath, you can buy one at a store and trim it to fit under the rug. 
> Steve


Exactly.  Small rugs are the most dangerous but easy to make safe with rubberized non-slip underlay.   I've used non-slip shelf liner on small rugs and it works very well.   Again granite tile is not that slippery anyway,  so a bit of common sense is all that's required to survive..... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

Phew !!!!!

----------


## koman

Now that we have the threats from polished granite flooring put to rest, I notice a serious reduction in the photo activity.   

 A photo thread without photo's is pretty lame, so it's time to stick a few new pics on here so the photo junkies don't suffer withdrawal symptoms..... :Smile: 



A few plants have been located across the front porch.  I'm not sure how long they will get to stay there, because the wife keeps moving them  around.  Each time she moves them, it's for "the last time, for sure.   We have about 20 _last times_ now



One end of the entrance porch.  May as well tart the place up I suppose.....it's going to be home after all......



Experienced TD'ers will recognize those mounds all over the place as truckloads of dirt.   We need to grade the whole thing for proper drainage and to make it nice and level for sodding later on.   Anyone who uses the term "dirt cheap" has never bought dirt in Thailand..... :Confused: 



Dirt everywhere.   There's the water tank sitting in the midst of mountains of the stuff.  The pump has finally been connected to a nightmarish network of blue plumbing.......which works perfectly......amazingly enough... :Smile: 



A 200 Watt Hitachi.  Politically neutral...not like hose Yellow (PAD supporting) Mitusbishi things..... :Smile:  

  The pressure is excellent.  In fact it's so excellent that I almost blew me bollocks off with the flushing hose first time I used it.   I'm off to find a pressure relief valve before I forget....the bloody thing could strip paint off the wall....

There was a bit of discussion on water pumps a while back...how many watts etc etc....  200 Watts is plenty....my red bollocks are testament to this truth.... :Smile: 



The project manager had them install this dandy little weather-proof box which contains the pump control switch.  They also installed an extra wall outlet  inside it.   The thing even locks.!  It's like a little safe.     I think he's trying to make up for the many little cock ups his workers have made recently.....things that really pissed me off because they go way beyond stupid....carless, moronic......well you get the idea.... :Smile: 



......and look who finally got his appliances installed.........



From the other side the colour seems different.....in fact each time you change the angle of view, the colour changes....and none of them accurate in photographs...



From dead ahead.....there seems to be somebody's legs roasting in the oven..... :Confused: 

We have seen some furious activity over the last couple of days.  Much of it has been making corrections, patching up damages;  undoing sporadic outbursts of monumental fuckwittery...common to Thai building projects. 

  I'm not sure if I've caught all of it yet....but I'm still looking. Happily I'm finding less and less to melt down over......but it's not over yet....there's still room for cockups and I have no doubt we will see a few more before this deal gets signed off..... :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

^^^

Wow !!  It's looking very good Koman. 

Steve

----------


## patsycat

And there she is, in all her glory!! Frankie has really blossomed from her humble beginnings.  She is looking beautiful.

----------


## Bettyboo

Oh dear, over-specc'd and the wrong colour...  :Sad: 



All I'm gonna say is: look at the state of those feet!  :Smile:

----------


## ChookRaffle Jones

Those colour consultant's are worth  every penny ..... 
  Beautiful...

----------


## KiCanCummins

Good job Koman.

You finally had Frankie's coming out show.

It does look good as stand alone piece.

But I find there is no aesthetic flow to the other counter beside frankie.

I have never been one for the concrete cabinets an counters. 
I had Starmark build a kitchen to my design with a cabinet for a wall oven and microwave. This gave me a storage drawer below the oven and a large cupboard above the microwave. I always believe you cannot have enough cupboard space, I hate it when things are left around in boxes or plastic bags.

Just my $0.02 worth, but overall a bang up job well done.

Would like to see the "Garden" one year from now once all the plants have found there respective living place!!!

KCC

----------


## koman

> Oh dear, over-specc'd and the wrong colour...


Piss off PADite....with your'e sickly yellow pump.... :rofl: 

.



> All I'm gonna say is: look at the state of those feet!


They do look a bit strange don't they.  Never do a foot sefie reflected in an oven door... :Smile: 





> Frankie has really blossomed from her humble beginnings.  She is looking beautiful.


Thank you Patsycat.....that's more like it..... :Smile: 






> Those colour consultant's are worth  every penny ..... 
>   Beautiful...


Thank you.....not sure about the colour consultant.....I made Frankie up all by myself...and the tile was a spontaneous decision because I liked the rich colour when we saw it in the shop.  Bit of an experiment but I like the final result even though some others may not.... :Smile: 





> But I find there is no aesthetic flow to the other counter beside frankie.


That's a straight wall with a counter and double sink..... I really don't know what aesthetics could be achieved with it..... :Smile:    All the _aesthetics_, are on the other side of the kitchen.... My goal was simple layout with lots of open floor space and to let the aesthetics take care of themselves.... :Smile: 





> I have never been one for the concrete cabinets an counters. 
> I had Starmark build a kitchen to my design with a cabinet for a wall oven and microwave. This gave me a storage drawer below the oven and a large cupboard above the microwave. I always believe you cannot have enough cupboard space, I hate it when things are left around in boxes or plastic bags.


I thought about doing something like that, but the cost and availability locally did not strike me as very good value for money.    We built the counters with Q-con and Frankie with normal concrete block.  Pretty inexpensive,  and virtually indestructible.  Fireproof, bug proof etc.   The counter tops are granite and the rest is tiled with Cotto ceramic.    All personal choices and very similar to what we've had before in previous homes.   

As far as cupboard space is concerned....we have so much of it, I'm going to have to buy tons more stuff just to fill up the spaces...... :rofl: 

Thanks everyone for your comments. 

 We are still doing lots of fine detail work and moving bits and pieces of furniture and stuff into the house.    The weather has been very hot and humid...stinking weather....so the big Daiken inverter AC unit is getting a good work out.   We had to replace the cut-out switch because it was 30amp....and this big turkey can suck up to 40amps when the compressor is starting up.   

  The omnidirectional ceiling outlet really distributes the air very well and the place is kept very comfortable...otherwise I'd be slashing me wrists by now.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> .and the tile was a spontaneous decision


Clearly, could not have been intelligently designed...  :Smile: 




> Bit of an experiment


Clearly.




> Pretty inexpensive


Excellent.




> Daiken


Great choice.



It's a bit bloody weird to say the least... It's not the eyesore it could have been, but I wouldn't say it 'fits in well'. A leftfield choice that isn't that bad at the end of the day...  :Smile: 

Let me know if you need some help designing your garage.

----------


## koman

> Clearly, could not have been intelligently designed...


Well, I've asked several times for your help regarding the design of a rectangular box, but so far no response??   Rectangular appliances just seem to fit better into rectangular boxes...

The funny thing about that tile is that it's very difficult to reproduce the colour in a photo.   It's not nearly as red as it appears.   It's actually a rich burgundy with dark charcoal flecks in it.   ....anyway, it's not really supposed to "fit in" in the usual way....it's supposed to be a "feature" and stand alone.......much like your new carport...... :Smile: 

I suppose this latest broadside is about as close to a compliment as Frankie will ever get from you...so we'll take it....... :Smile:

----------


## FatOne

Looks really fantastic Koman, well done! I love Frankie, a bit different to your run of the mill kitchen cabinets.

----------


## koman

> Looks really fantastic Koman, well done! I love Frankie, a bit different to your run of the mill kitchen cabinets.


Thank you FO.  You are clearly a man of refined tastes.... :Smile: 

We must always remember that Frankie's main critic has been BB.  Now BB has extensive experience in the fields of camel grooming, goat fancying; iphone and beer analysis, with a specialty in Asian beers.   Impressive as this list may be, it is hardly a good grounding for becoming a home décor critic, kitchen designer etc.....although his recent development of a low cost carport shows promise; and some day he may even have a kitchen of his own from which we can all draw inspiration for future projects.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

How much room is there to the right of this pic? Maybe you could put a brightly coloured washing machine, then a smaller box (maybe a clothes/linen box?), and keep moving down until you get to a hanky box - I'm thinking the Russian Dolls of kitchens!



The thing is Koman, did the design need to be that big for the microwave and oven? No, thus the design itself takes centre stage, especially with the spangly glittery tiles.

It doesn't fit in, but then again with the white window frames and wooden door frames, nothing in that kitchen would - that's hardly Frankie's fault, she didn't design the kitchen...  :Smile: 

Is your microwave cabinet actually bigger than your door frame??? The more I look, the more I feel you're a genius of modern art; challenging the casual viewer to reconceptualize conventional ideas of kitchen spaces, shapes, colours and dimensions; kitchen as art space; a living gallery; utter genius!  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> How much room is there to the right of this pic? Maybe you could put a brightly coloured washing machine, then a smaller box (maybe a clothes/linen box?), and keep moving down until you get to a hanky box - I'm thinking the Russian Dolls of kitchens!


Lots of room to the right.  In due course a larger fridge will be sitting next to  Frankie.  We may place a glass fronted free standing cabinet beside that,  but no specific plan yet because there is an abundance of storage space.  




> The thing is Koman, did the design need to be that big for the microwave and oven? No, thus the design itself takes centre stage, especially with the spangly glittery tiles.


Yes, it had to be that big in order to get the oven installed at optimum height; proper spacing between it and the microwave, and then to leave air space around the appliances for heat dissipation.  The size was determined by the dimentions and installation requirements of the appliances...simple?   We could have added a cupboard below the oven, but decided against it for various reasons.....including having tons of cupboard space already.

The mosaic (spangly stuff) is only there because I thought the seams where the tiles met looked a bit Spartan, so I had the tile guy cut out the seams and insert the mosaic to make it part of the design.  It really looks nice in real life...but does not show as well in the pics. 

  Someone had suggested using larger tiles so as not to have any seams, but the biggest tiles available were 80cm and Frankie is 82 cms...so the seams would have been in an  even worse place.     





> It doesn't fit in, but then again with the white window frames and wooden door frames, nothing in that kitchen would - that's hardly Frankie's fault, she didn't design the kitchen


Why/how do the white window frames effect anything.  White goes with any colour.  The door frames are the same material as all the baseboards and the colour is pretty close to Frankie's tile colour.  




> Is your microwave cabinet actually bigger than your door frame???


About the same I think....never really though about it....it's the size it is for the reasons stated above.




> The more I look, the more I feel you're a genius of modern art


Yes, that would explain the whole thing...... :rofl:

----------


## Bettyboo

White affects the senses. The multitude of colours, as stated above, is a wonderfully artistic element within your eclectic kitchen; a challenge to the senses, to conventions, to norms...

The explanation of heat, and fitting in and stuff is all irrelevant - we're in Thailand and those things are all meaningless. The meaning here is in the art. I'm liking it more and more...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> . I'm liking it more and more...


Wait till you see the wife's range hood all lit up with blue consul lights and stuff reflecting in the backsplash mosaic.......talk about stimulating the senses...... :Confused:    I'll try to do some night shots for maximum effect..... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> White affects the senses. The multitude of colours, as stated above, is a wonderfully artistic element within your eclectic kitchen; a challenge to the senses, to conventions, to norms...
> 
> The explanation of heat, and fitting in and stuff is all irrelevant - we're in Thailand and those things are all meaningless. The meaning here is in the art. I'm liking it more and more...



You're very much on form BB ! :Sombrero: 


Wasp

----------


## lom

> Frankie is 82 cms


Yes, why follow standard measures when you can create your own standard.  :Smile: 

Frankie looks much better now when the appliances are in but there is still one thing I wonder about and the more I look the more I wonder.
The lower appliance is "hers" and the upper is "his", right? So that you can cook a surprise for the missus without her seeing what you have slung together..

----------


## koman

> Yes, why follow standard measures when you can create your own standard


Standard measures never even came up.  This was a _one off_ creation so he just kind of ended up at 82 cms wide.  The only standard was for the cavities to hold the appliances, which was imposed by Hafele.  Standards which must be obeyed.  The rest was just winging it.... :Smile: 





> The lower appliance is "hers" and the upper is "his", right? So that you can cook a surprise for the missus without her seeing what you have slung together..


She will hardly ever touch the convection oven....that's my territory.  She can do whatever she likes with the microwave.  Anyhow, there is absolutely nothing I could ever cook that would surprise her anymore.... :rofl:

----------


## ootai

[/quote]

Yes, it had to be that big in order to get the oven installed at optimum height; proper spacing between it and the microwave, and then to leave air space around the appliances for heat dissipation. The size was determined by the dimentions and installation requirements of the appliances...simple? We could have added a cupboard below the oven, but decided against it for various reasons.....including having tons of cupboard space already.

[/quote]

Koman I am not going to make any comment about "Frankie" as it is your house and you like it so that is all that matters.

I will however make a comment about what I see as a dangerous design flaw. The microwave (I assume its the one at the top) seems to be very high. Unless your wife is exceptionally tall for a Thai I suspect she will be taking stuff out of it at a minimum of head high or above her head. That is not a very safe way to be handling hot liquids etc. I suppose it does eliminate the risk of kids using it or if they did try, then much more dangerous.

----------


## koman

> The microwave (I assume its the one at the top) seems to be very high. Unless your wife is exceptionally tall for a Thai I suspect she will be taking stuff out of it at a minimum of head high or above her head. That is not a very safe way to be handling hot liquids etc. I suppose it does eliminate the risk of kids using it or if they did try, then much more dangerous.


Fair observation, but it's not really that high.  My wife is taller than the average Thai and we did check out the height before the thing was finished.  Believe it or not, I did think of exactly that situation and made sure it was not going to be a problem.   Again; past experience.  I've had a similar arrangement before so was well aware of the potential dangers.     There are some limitations with this kind of setup, in that you have to have the microwave fairly high so that the oven is not too low..... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> Koman I am not going to make any comment about "Frankie" as it is your house and you like it so that is all that matters.


I think you've made your point, Ootai...  :Smile:

----------


## Roobarb

> The 60K is an estimate based on 1150 m2.  It includes grading, topsoil, sand, rolling, installation of sprinkler system, (labour only) and a small pond (labour only)
> 
> The sod has a kind of grass that likes the sun but I don't know the name.  The area gets a lot of sun so there are some grass varieties that would not do well.   I believe it's a Japanese variety, but I'm no botanist.   
> 
> We have three quotes ranging from 53K to 60K.   I think we will go with this one because the company has a nice setup with really good equipment and experienced staff.   We were able to view a demonstration patch of the sod they supply, so you can see what it actually looks like when it's installed and growing.   They  also guarantee to replace any sod that dies for up to a year.    The lower quotes came from small family outfits with pretty limited resources and questionable experience......we all know how that usually goes in Thailand.....
> 
> This may be one of those things that varies quite a bit depending on where you are and the kind of local competition in the sod business....
> 
> Anyhow, hope this had been helpful....


Koman, thanks, it's been very helpful.  I've just been quoted Baht 35/sqm for Japanese grass, but - we have to prepare the soil, they rock up and tip it off their truck then we are expected to unroll it and position it and no guarantee...

Sod that for a game of soldiers.  I reckon you've got a good deal at 60k.  Unfortunately where we are (Chaiyaphum) seems to be the ass end of nowhere and all the garden centres here just order it from dealers in Khon Kaen or Korat.  Don't suppose your mob would be willing to travel (actually on saying that I haven't got a clue where you are so it may not be a practical suggestion)?

Cheers

----------


## koman

> Unfortunately where we are (Chaiyaphum) seems to be the ass end of nowhere and all the garden centres here just order it from dealers in Khon Kaen or Korat.  Don't suppose your mob would be willing to travel (actually on saying that I haven't got a clue where you are so it may not be a practical suggestion)?


The "mob" just happens to be on the main road between Chumphae and Chaiyaphum.  Not sure how far they are willing to travel but we can find out for you.  They might charge a bit more because of the distance and the fact that they have some sizable equipment to move, plus the sod itself etc.    There's a bit of a "waiting list" at the moment with all the building going on, so I hope you are not in too much of a hurry..... :Smile:  

PS The soil preparation; grading, sanding and rolling is about 90% of the job, so at 35 baht per m2 with you doing all the work does not seem like the deal of the month.. :Confused:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by ootai
> 
> Koman I am not going to make any comment about "Frankie" as it is your house and you like it so that is all that matters.
> 
> 
> I think you've made your point, Ootai...


Are we going to clutch at the thinnest of straws now; to prolong the anti-Frankie campaign?.... :rofl:

----------


## Bettyboo

Just admit she's female, and we can all move on happily...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Just admit she's female, and we can all move on happily...


How about we settle for androgynous?....... :Smile: 

Frankie only has two orifices---fact.   Males have two orifices; females have three....fact.   How can Frankie be female with only two?

Under the circumstances androgynous seems to be the only possible compromise here..... kind of a David Bowie kitchen cabinet..... :rofl:

----------


## stevefarang

Maybe we should rename it "Ziggy" ??   :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

Frankie is female. Some us will not rest until Koman stops abusing Frankie's sexuality!!!

----------


## katie23

Everything's looking good, koman. Frankie is great. SHE is beautiful, and it was worth the wait for her grand debut.  :Smile: 

@betty - had a little chuckle at the Russian doll comment. I've always wanted those Matryoshka dolls ever since I was a kid and saw them on Sesame Street.  :Smile: 

I've been away for work for a few days, and am catching up on the threads. Cheers!

----------


## koman

> Everything's looking good, koman. Frankie is great. SHE is beautiful, and it was worth the wait for her grand de


Thank you Katie.  Now, please review post number 785 and explain to me how Frankie could possibly be a female.... :Smile: 

  BB has already failed and just keeps taunting me about "design" and "colours" along with other underhanded methods to distort the reality of Frankie's gender.

  Maybe you can inject some reason into the argument; although if you do try to apply reason,  you are bound to arrive at the inevitable conclusion that he can not be female simply because his anatomy does not support such a thing.... :Smile: 

I've proposed a reasonable compromise but BB has declined to consider it......as usual..... :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

Koman,
Are you saying Frankie has another, hidden feature waiting to pop out at inconvenient moments ??

 :smiley laughing: 

Steve

----------


## koman

Finally, the coving installer team arrived.   These guys came all the way from Udon which is an indicator of how easy it is to find people for this kind of work around here.



Just getting started.  This is quite a big job and it's bloody hot and stinking humid. Rather them than me.   Two installers and one manager who also makes all the cuts because you have to get the angles just right otherwise you are screwed....



No, he is not installing here; he is ripping it back off because the manager buggered up the cut and so this piece will have to be done all over again.   This happened quite a few times......but they did not waste any materials in the process.



Two man job.  They got this one right and now they are just cleaning up the adhesive and stuff.



The straight wall parts are quick and easy, but the pillars are time consuming and tricky.  these is where most of the cock-ups happen.   Here's a close up of the finished product round a pillar.   



Finished ceiling panels.  Adds a bit of style to the old shed....



Another panel with light fixture finished off.   We are well into day two  already...



A wider angle view with a few bits of furniture added.  It feels more like a place to live in now...and we have started moving stuff in.....but there are still a few jobs left to do.  We are not going to sit around waiting for these pricks any more.    No money till the works gets finished....up to you.



One painter showed up to do the door frames.  There's still quite a bit of paint finishing to be done, but just small detail stuff....mostly fixing damages done by other contractors who can not under any circumstances finish a job without damaging something; even if it's just banging up the paint or something... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 



The never ending front wall and gate project.  It's been about 95% finished for weeks.....we just can't ever seem to get those last few planks painted....and the gate pillars are still untouched.... :Confused: 



Still, the fence looks ok as the sun goes down behind the trees.....you don't notice the unfinished parts as much in the twilight..... :Smile: 



The wife has taken inspiration from Betty's thread.  Here she has installed a perimeter pathway along one side of the house.  The ground has been well treated with rice husk to keep the rain from splashing the dirt up onto the walls.  Works too....  We will have a proper path done when the landscape guys get here....whenever that might be.



Speaking of rain....we had a huge downpour that lasted for hours and really tested the rice husk solution.   I photographed the whole area so we know where the low spots are....for when he place is graded later on.   The drainage is pretty good but there are a few places where it needs to be improved.




Our surviving pup seems to be enjoying himself even if nobody else is......cant' keep a good dog out of water and a mud pile..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Photofucket is being very difficult today.....slow and cranky.......so that' it for now folks.

----------


## FatOne

That's looking really good Koman, I've been trying to find some pics of a finished ceiling, but every thread I've seen has no coving and I want something like what you've put in! And they've actually used a proper metal thingy to stand on too!

----------


## ootai

> Originally Posted by ootai
> 
> Koman I am not going to make any comment about "Frankie" as it is your house and you like it so that is all that matters.
> 
> 
> I think you've made your point, Ootai...


Betty I was being honest and sincere when I made that comment afterall would I dare to make bad comments when my missus did this in our kitchen.



Now after more than 3 years I don't even notice it anymore.

And here's her effort on the oven and cook top which is opposite the picture above.



Just as a matter of interest we have been living in the house over 3 years and neither the oven or the cooktop has been used yet. At the time I tried to convine her that we shouldn't ,ake an indoor kitchen but she wanted a "western" style house. Last time I was home on break from work she finally admitted that the house was too big mainly because it takes a lot of effort to try and keep it clean.

----------


## ootai

koman
I now know what coving is, when you spoke about it before I didn't have a clue. I think it makes a huge difference as it puts a defining line between the colours.

As for the height of the microwave, I think you mentioned that you were involved with insurance so I expected you would have conducted a full risk assesment and taken into account any unacceptable risks by putting in mitigating controls. Just be aware of where you are when you assess the controls you have in place.

As for the water after a downpour the best thing/s we did were:
- put a concrete path completely around the whole house
- installed gutters that flowed into
- drains whcih also collected allthe run off from the concrete driveway
After a downpour there are no puddles, no mud around the house.

I noticed in the photo of the flooded area that the water seems to be getting into your "drain" alongsdie the wall, does that water flow into your pond at the back of your land?

----------


## stevefarang

That coving looks really nice koman. Might look into that in our little place. I might drop you a PM sometime for the contact info of those guys, assuming they would come down around the Nakhom Pathom area.

We also have a big concrete "skirt" around our house. I was thinking of doing gutters as well, but was convinced, by an old British ex-pay friend (who's lived in the tropics for 20+ years) that gutters would be a hassle to keep clean and clear of leaves.

The rice husk thing sounds interesting.

The house looks very nice !!

Steve

----------


## koman

> we have been living in the house over 3 years and neither the oven or the cooktop has been used yet


There's a major difference.  All our appliances are being used, but we have a problem with the wife's million baht  untra-modern,  hi-tek range hood.   It's equipped with bloody touch screen switches....which work sporadically.  Sometimes it won't turn off and other times it won't turn on.  It's going back to Global for a replacement.  Maybe she will let me pick out a sensible replacement that actually works.... :Confused: 

I see your wife likes colours.....and not afraid to experiment a bit.....unlike some other Victorian era types who have chosen to participate in this thread... :Smile: 




> As for the water after a downpour the best thing/s we did were:
> - put a concrete path completely around the whole house
> - installed gutters that flowed into
> - drains whcih also collected allthe run off from the concrete driveway
> After a downpour there are no puddles, no mud around the house.


Yes, that's exactly what we are going to do.  We are just getting quotes for gutters  (eaves troughs)  and drains to take the roof runoff to the pond.   The downspouts are already installed inside some of the pillars.  

The water you see along the wall is just one smallish low laying spot which will be filled and levelled now that we know where it is.   The water mostly drains off to the pond but there are a few areas that need to be filled and graded,  as mentioned in a previous post.  

There will be a concrete path installed in all areas not already under the roof and tiled. 


[QUOTE="stevefarang"]We also have a big concrete "skirt" around our house. I was thinking of doing gutters as well, but was convinced, by an old British ex-pay friend (who's lived in the tropics for 20+ years) *that gutters would be a hassle to keep clean and clear of leaves.[/*QUOTE]

Well everyone is entitled to an opinion but I think gutters are well worth having and they should not  a hassle to keep clean unless your house is in the middle of a deciduous forest with branches overhanging the roof.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):    Water runoff from a big roof can do a lot of damage and cause erosion....it's best to direct all that water somewhere away from the building.

  You can place wire or PVC mesh over the top to keep leaves out if it becomes a problem but as a rule,  it is not.   I've had them on every house over the last 40 years and I've never had any problems at all;  except for the ice build up which can be a problem in parts of Canada.  I don't think you will have too much ice buildup in Nakhom Pathom....or any other Nahom for that matter..... :Smile: 

As for the coving installers.  We waited over a month for them and I'm not sure it was worth the wait.   The did a good job, but not a great job.  

  If  I had spend a few bahtskis on a decent miter saw and felt inclined to get all hot and sweaty,  I probably could have done it better myself....with a gopher to fetch and carry things.   I'm just too bloody lazy to do this kind of stuff these days... :Smile: 

  They also tried to grind more money out of me when they had finished the job.   Things became a bit hostile when I told them to get stuffed. 

  They had quoted 50 baht/meter; confirmed it on two separate occasions,  and then demanded 60 baht/meter when the job was done.....because they had to come all the way from Udon.   Well tough shit I thought.....you knew where we were when you quoted 50....and you had a whole month to correct it if you thought the bid was too low. .....and you could have just mentioned it when you arrived instead of hitting me with it after the work is done.

I'm sick and tired of this kind of BS....and I just don's play the game any more.   I was actually going to give them a bit of a tip before they laid this BS on me......but in the end they got their 50 baht/meter and not a satang more.   Maybe a farang or two will benefit from this glorious stand back in Udon... :Smile: 

In term of honesty, most of the contractors, vendors,  and suppliers we have had dealing with, have been pretty straight and this is really the first time on this project anybody has tried this kind of nonsense.    I think the local merchants have been well alerted to the fact that this particular farang stands his ground....pays the money fair and square, and on time,  but does not give in to BS, lies and scams.... but these guys were not "local" so I guess they had not received the alert messages yet..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Wasp

Yayy !!! 

Hit him koman !



Wasp

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## terp80

> I'm sick and tired of this kind of BS....and I just don's play the game any more.   I was actually going to give them a bit of a tip before they laid this BS on me......but in the end they got their 50 baht/meter and not a satang more.   Maybe a farang or two will benefit from this glorious stand back in Udon...






> Yayy !!!  
> Hit him koman !    Wasp


 :smiley laughing:  Good for you Koman, and your coving looks terrific, especially with the other dark (teak) wood furniture and the green walls.  :Smile:  Nicely done.  :bananaman:

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## Wasp

It's not a small matter is it ?

I mean that extra 10 Baht is nearly 20p in proper money .

Even in Thailand you can buy nearly half a nasal inhaler with that !



Wasp

----------


## koman

> It's not a small matter is it ?
> 
> I mean that extra 10 Baht is nearly 20p in proper money .
> 
> Even in Thailand you can buy nearly half a nasal inhaler with that !
> 
> 
> 
> Wasp


When you install 170 meters @ 10 baht/m it adds up to 1700 baht....which will get you  two cases of Leo in Makro....with a bit of change left for the nasal inhaler...... :Smile:

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## Bettyboo

That's quite nice that is; in fact, everything, excluding the obvious, and even that's not TOO bad..., is quite nice. However, I refuse to believe that you have enough friends/aqaintances to satisfy all those seats...  :Smile:  I have hardly any seats...



Nothing wrong with that, very functional.



You could do with a bit more surface there, for preparation, etc, but seems as you never use it, maybe not...  :Smile: 

You have to take care, Ootai, because Koman is rather sensitive - don't post pics which will overshadow his 'artistic efforts'...  :Smile: 



I like what she's done here, very functional. Impressed. Of course, Koman will, in a short period of time, add some kind of Roman pathway in interesting colours/textiles...

I'd like to add, I like the colour of those house floor tiles, they look vaguely familiar too...

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## Roobarb

> ... some kind of Roman pathway in interesting colours/textiles...




You want to be careful, Wasp will be along shortly...  :Smile:

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## Wasp

Surely it's a natural theme to have here ?

 Roman Koman  !






Wasp
*
*

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## koman

> I refuse to believe that you have enough friends/aqaintances to satisfy all those seats...  I have hardly any seats...


Nice chairs are for show only.  That portable liquor cabinet is full of good booze.....so friends need to be  kept at bay.....more so than enemies in most cases..... :Smile: 





> Koman will, in a short period of time, add some kind of Roman pathway in interesting colours/textiles...


Indeed.  The Romans knew how to fix a place up nicely, and their original paths were outstanding.   Ever seen the Via Appia in  spring?   Decent statues are hard to come by in these parts though....

Hey  Wasp.....good job....the columns really add to the place.....but if you don't mind, can you get the ruins and bounty hunters off the property.....cheers..... :Smile:

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## Wasp

.
.
.

.
.
.

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## FatOne

Nice one Wasp!

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## koman

Finally managed to get moved into the new house....sort of.   There are still bits and pieces to be finished, but I'm tired of waiting on the pleasure of the serfs.   I'm supposed to be the Baron, and the fucking serfs think they run the estate...  We'll see about that when it comes to settlement of accounts time..... :Smile:    I'll have their eldest daughters and half their crops before we're through..... :Smile: 



Managed to hang a few pictures on the walls.  Gives a place more of a homey feel I think....and you do need more that a goat calendar and pinups of bit titted WOP models to do a place justice. although there are farangs who would question this, I'm sure..... :Smile: 

 

We had a kind of mini blessing....just to make the place safe to sleep in.   I'm told the main event will take place at a later date.   A childhood friend of my wife just happens to be the abbot of a wat, so he took time out to come over and kick all the bad vibes and shit out of the place.    We also had a few of the local luminaries in attendance, including the village headmen from two villages; plus an assortment of elders and other freeloaders.   This was an invitation only deal with no booze allowed....that keeps the numbers well down..... :Smile:   There was none of the decadent nonsense that goes on at Chateau SteveFarang......maybe later.




Don't know what this was all about.  They chanted and threw flowers and stuff about.  Went all through the house doing this kind of thing.    It's all magic I'm told...and I'm assured that it works.....much better than insurance or any kind of farang solution.



There's the Monk...sorry Abbot, blessing the back of the kitchen area.  Look at the glow that radiates from him.  This is powerful stuff..    There's banana trees and all kind of vegetation place in the corners of each room.



The faithful gathered in the living room.  I think the monk was doing some kind of stand up comedy routine because they all laughed a lot.   I suspect he may have been talking about me.....or maybe he read Betty's thread...... :Smile: 



This is where the flock get blessed water dumped all over them outside..... I was hoping the electronics would survive....and the did.   This monk knows his stuff.... :Smile: 



I really like this photo.   This was the most serious part of the whole ceremony.  Very dignified and everyone was quite and very attentive....except for the official site photographer of course..... :Smile: 



Finally the house gets it's seal of approval.  Fully certified and fit to live in.



Afterwards, the wife added her own bits of magic stuff.   The basket thingy above the door is the same one hoisted up the first pillar to be erected way back in November 2013.   The red fish bit is some kind of Chinese good luck charm or something of the sort.



Red fish hanging all over the place.  This one is over the main bedroom door. 



Another piece of kit from the land blessing ceremony back in November and a special wind chime.   Nothing can get past this line of defence.



....and something a bit less spiritual hanging out in the parking area.....they are the "welcome" guys, and as far as I know they have no magical powers at all....but for ten baht each you can't get a lot of magic any more..... :Smile:

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## BKKBILL

Good stuff koman seems you have it covered. well except for a few comments about the non-believers. That may come back to bite.  :Smile:

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## FatOne

Congrats Koman, Hope you enjoy living there, looks like lots of English type furnishings so you should feel right at home, and be glad the Monk blessed the house before you had to sleep there, now you won't be woken up by pesky ghosts! Love the bench the monk is sitting on, a little bit of Thailand has creeped in.

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## Wasp

I've been keeping a beady oculus on this 'ere Thread of yours.

Your home does of course look magnificent .

I'll show it to the Indolent One for a few pointers but I don't think he'll be needing a visit from the Mystics to drive away any spirits .



Wasp

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## koman

Well the new house is very comfortable; even better than expected.  We have been hanging more pictures and looking for flaws in everything.  So far only a few minor ones have been detected and fortunately easy to correct.  Still time to find more though.  I'm sure there must be plenty that have not shown up yet..... :Smile: 

The wife is still consoling our pup Tong over the loss of his little sister, so she went out and had a special dog house built for him...... It's a very oriental type of doghouse.  Not the kind of thing a Texas or Sussex dog would live in.....but here it is....



Nestled amongst the young trees in the early morning sun.......



A more frontal view.  As dog houses  go, I think it's quite nice.  Cool, spacious and very comfortable.  He seems to like it a lot.   The large overhangs ensure that the interior is well shaded and the openness is great for a  dog....lots of airflow and it allows him to keep an eye out for potential threats.....which he does 24/7..... :Smile: 

One looming problem is that the cat seems to like it too.....



...and of course, a dog of Tong's station should have a proper driveway with a suitable entrance.   Here is the entrance to Tong's residence, flanked with big potted plants.   No doubt the paving company will be arriving soon to install a flagstone driveway and lighting.... :Confused:

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## KiCanCummins

Well done Koman.

But I think that Mrs Koman might have had some other ideas when she had the DOG HOUSE made that big, for when Mr Koman gets on her bad side!!!!!!!!! :tieme:

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## Wasp

Is that a DOOR on the dog's house ? Does it have hinges ?

Just how clever is this Tong ? :Confused: 



Wasp

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## importford

is your dog a male or a female?
I doubt the dog will stay in there.

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## koman

> Is that a DOOR on the dog's house ? Does it have hinges ?
> 
> Just how clever is this Tong ?
> 
> 
> 
> Wasp




Are you suggesting that I can't figure out a simple door mechanism?   Obviously Wasps don't know much about us dogs.   I learned about doors even before I started my calculus classes.....sheesh.....

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## patsycat

In keeping with the main house.

If Tong can't work out how to open the door, the cat certainly shall!!

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## koman

> In keeping with the main house.
> 
> If Tong can't work out how to open the door, the cat certainly shall!!




My friend Tong is quite exceptional for a mere dog, but yes, of course I can open doors;   even a bank vault if necessary.   From one cat to another, thank  you..

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## koman

*Oh what a difference a year can make.  I was browsing through my photo albums and was suddenly hit with the reality of what has really happened to this piece of dirt over the past twelve months or so:
*




This is our truck parked on the road beside what is now our driveway.....May 2013




Exactly the same spot one year later May 2014




This big ugly hole is our pond right after it was excavated in early 2013.   The excavations were used as land fill. 



Over the past year it has evolved from an ugly hole to an slightly less ugly hole full of muddy brown water.    Now it's a nice translucent green with Banana, Bamboo, Peppers, Coconut...and a host of other things growing around it.  

    It's actually quite pleasant to  swim in it now.  A kind of jungle pool that Tarzan would have appreciated after a busy day swinging on vines and yodeling.  



There, that's more  like a spot Tarzan would go for.  The diving platform needs a bit of work and there are no crocodiles to fight so there's not much point in doing spectacular dives with a big knife in your mouth.   We have a rubber tractor tube to float around on instead and the dog can play the crocodile parts.

Just goes to show what you can do with a few rai of dirt it you put your mind to it..... :Smile:

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## terp80

Wow! :Fing02:  Super job Koman. Amazing what you've accomplished. Looks terrific.    :tumbs:

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## BKKBILL

Does look good Koman congratulation on a job well done.

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## Bettyboo

Oh, stop complimenting him, it'll go to his head...  :Smile:

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## stevefarang

The swimming hole looks nice Koman. But, if it was me, I'd be worried about what other critters are slithering around in that water.

Your house looks great, needless to say. Sending you some *greens* !!!

Steve

PS: Dammit I can't send you any greens right now. Grrrrrrr...

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## Wasp

To be absolutely seriously practical and miserable here ........ do you know anything about how safe the water is for swimming in ?
 Meaning bacteria and things that swim up your cocky and do things ?

I'm not worried about you .

Missy dug out the same thing and put a thousand million fish in and I used to leap in there in a very gay manner .

Tractor inner tube for floating around and so on .

But it's standing water which has been standing a good while now and people take such careful measures with swimming pools that I'm beginning to wonder if big splops like yours develop unsafe conditions .

Like bacteriae and things that swim up your perished little cocky and they lay eggs up there and they hatch and burst out of your nose .
I can't say I fancy that .


Do you know ?



 ( Diana Ross is in the background singing " Do You Know ? " )




Wasp

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## koman

^
Is there anything....anything at all that you guys don't see as some kind of threat?    Things "slithering around" in the water?  ....now we have egg laying bacteria breeding in our urethras.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):     If  I felt that worried about the world around me I would never leave the house..... :rofl: 

I can see a shallow, stagnant pool which is heavily shaded being a problem,  but a large water surface out in the open,  is purified daily by the sun.  The best bacteria killer  (virus too) is bombardment with UV light.   Many water filter purification systems use it to purify drinking water.

    The pond is fine for swimming in....and if there happens to be the odd snake sharing it, no big deal; it's big enough, and anyway snakes get out your your way in a big hurry.  They are not laying in wait or trying to stalk anyone..  They are well fed on frogs, rodents and stuff; they are not in the least interested in tackling an old farang.   All you need to do is make a splash and they are outta there.   People around here routinely wade, fish, and swim in their ponds without any problems at all. 

 I've never heard of anyone being harmed....except after they climb out and get on their motorbikes or climb into the back of a pickup truck....now that's where the real threats are.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## bankao dreamer

I have been absent of late due to getting the bar / restaurant / prison finished and there is far to much to comment on so I will keep it simple. That is a wonderful home well done I especially like the kennel very similar to Max's although his has slightly stronger mesh  :Smile:

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## Wasp

> ^
> Is there anything....anything at all that you guys don't see as some kind of threat?    Things "slithering around" in the water?  ....now we have egg laying bacteria breeding in our urethras....    If  I felt that worried about the world around me I would never leave the house.....
> :




I never leave the house .



Wasp

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## koman

> I especially like the kennel very similar to Max's although his has slightly stronger mesh


Tong thanks you. He does seem to like his doghouse but I agree the mesh is a bit on the light duty side.  I may replace it with something more robust,  but we'll see how it stands up for a while before doing anything.

The restaurant is looking very good.  I hope it's a great success.  Maybe a _Budweiser_ neon sign over the  entrance would add a touch of exotica for Thai customers...... :Smile:

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## bankao dreamer

> Maybe a Budweiser neon sign


You have put another idea into the wife's head I am now trying to locate one. We have Tequila though.




> I hope it's a great success.


Thanks Koman we hope so too.




> Tong thanks you


Bless him. Our max is on the mend he is still skin and bone but the follow up blood test show the disease is in retreat, but our Border Terrier Layla now has something similar. She is also responding well. I have started injecting all our dogs with Tick and Flea stuff now. It was 450 Baht a bottle and will last ages. The vet showed me how to inject it and after a little trepidation I have found it easy to do.

----------


## Wasp

> It was 450 Baht and will last ages. The vet showed me how to inject it and after a little trepidation I have found it easy to do.





I think it was meant for the dog .





Wasp

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## bankao dreamer

> I think it was meant for the dog .


Oh bugger but I have stopped scratching  :Smile:

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## biff

Hi Koman,
Nice place, looks good all over. Well done.
Only one thing missing..
With that big pond you have, some sort of pond  house would set that area of very well.

Maybe Wasp has some ideas.

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## koman

> Hi Koman,
> Nice place, looks good all over. Well done.
> Only one thing missing..
> With that big pond you have, some sort of pond  house would set that area of very well.
> 
> Maybe Wasp has some ideas.


Thanks.  We kicked the idea around in the early days of pond development, but it has moved a long way down the list of _to-do_ things.    Maybe stick some kind of jungle house thing built with bamboo and banana leaf, but the next real structure to go up around here will be a decent sized shed-garage-workshop type of thing.  

Bettyboo has moved well ahead of me on this, but I'm going to hold out for something that wont end up two provinces away when the wind kicks up.....as it did a couple of evenings ago, demolishing one small house in the area and damaging many roofs; downing a good many trees and signs; and knocking the electrical power out for 20 hours or so..... :Confused: 

   I'll leave it up to the Wasp to entertain us with his virtual waterside structures; tales of the village elders,  and adventurous dug-out canoe trips...... :Smile:

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## Bettyboo

> Bettyboo has moved well ahead of me on this


We weren't sure at first, but decided to go for a faux luxury boat effect as the pond shed/second car port.

----------


## FatOne

Yep, this looks exactly like the pics you posted of your carport BB, and I'm glad to see you've purchased a nice car to put in it

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## koman

Now that construction has ended,  a bit of destruction is in order. 

   A few evenings ago, we had a very powerful storm pass right through our area.   It arrived very suddenly and within seconds the wind and rain were hammering down so much I could not see the front porch railings from the living room window.... :Confused:     I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it before.  It lasted about 15-20 minutes or so. 

The power was knocked out for 18 hours and we did sustain some minor damage to the roof right at the front.  A couple of tiles were ripped off.   After a full inspection it was discovered that somebody had not been paying attention and these tiles had not been screwed down properly when the roof was tiled.    We were lucky it was only two tiles.   They were replaced within an hour of daylight.  There was no water damage because they were right at the front edge of a porch which has moisture proof ceiling boards.  Everything dried out in a few hours.   



The damage to our roof.  Many others were not so lucky.



This house is one of our neighbours.  Big hole right in the middle of the roof and a lot of water went down into the interior.   There were quite a few more like this.



This poor bugger lost almost the whole roof.   Marmite approved roofing too......

A good many villagers are pitching in to help them get their house back....it's a real mess.  Lucky nobody was killed or seriously injured .  

In the general area, almost every advertising billboard was gone.  A good sized structure behind the Honda dealership was flattened and lots of trees downed.   

Our roof has been double checked to make sure every single tile is screwed down tight....we don't need any more of this.  Tiles are supposed to be screwed down Somchai....... :mid:

----------


## FloridaBorn

> This big ugly hole is our pond right after it was excavated in early 2013.   The excavations were used as land fill. 
> 
> Over the past year it has evolved from an ugly hole to an slightly less ugly hole full of muddy brown water.    Now it's a nice translucent green with Banana, Bamboo, Peppers, Coconut...and a host of other things growing around it.  
> 
>     It's actually quite pleasant to  swim in it now.  A kind of jungle pool that Tarzan would have appreciated after a busy day swinging on vines and yodeling.  
> 
> 
> 
> There, that's more  like a spot Tarzan would go for.  The diving platform needs a bit of work and there are no crocodiles to fight so there's not much point in doing spectacular dives with a big knife in your mouth.   We have a rubber tractor tube to float around on instead and the dog can play the crocodile parts.
> ...


Hope you've stocked it with plenty of mosquito eaters..

On another point, why doesn't anyone ever build a nice enclosed garage with an electric garage door opener over there? If nothing else they make great shops..

Like the art work too, but either the large pic in the center is too low or you have too many high things in front blocking it IMO.

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## koman

We have come full circle it seems.  We are now back to hiring the local village tradesmen and engineers for the purpose of building a perimeter pathway around part of the house.   This is not exactly precision work so the locals are fine doing it.....we hope..... :Confused: 



They have started preparing for the north patio extension.  about 25 m2 will be added and connected to the path across the rear of the house.



This is the back pathway....or will be when it's finished.



The wife had the inspirational idea of using the pylon cut-offs as part of the path on the south side.  Makes a really strong edge and gets rid of the things in a useful kind of way..... :Smile: 



In their enthusiasm they managed to break the outflow pipe for the en-suite bathroom.....but with outstanding somchai efficiency they had it all fixed up again in 20 minutes or so. 



Here they are making a height and levelling adjustment.  Yes they actually measured the height and used a level.   This is about as advanced as village construction gets.... :Smile: 



....and just to prove that I'm not making stuff up....here's somchai measuring the height.   No pic of the level though.....and I have to admit that I had to lend them mine.....what did you expect?...... :Smile:

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## KiCanCummins

> I had to lend them mine.....what did you expect?...


Koman make sure its on a long rope and does not grow legs. tell them its a boomerang and boomerangs have been know to kill the untrained user!!! LOL

KCC

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> I had to lend them mine.....what did you expect?...
> 
> 
> Koman make sure its on a long rope and does not grow legs. tell them its a boomerang and boomerangs have been know to kill the untrained user!!! LOL
> 
> KCC


No worries, it's back in safe custody.  My level is so old it say's "Made in USA" on it....so it's really a kind of artifact I think.... :Smile:

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## Wasp

That's a fine-looking Roman King you've got going there .

We approve .







That's a great idea using up your 7 metre pylon cutoffs for a strong edging .
Is there any support under them ?

If not .... do you not think they might sink a bit and spoil a fairly perfect build ?





Wasp

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## Bettyboo

I'm wondering how much above the first step that the concrete pour is gonna come...  :Smile: 

& what was all that talk about other people's roofs that will be flying away come the first storm??? Glad to see that only part of your roof came off, and there was no lasting damage. How did Frankie stand up to the assault - her spandex sparkle tiles still intact?  :Smile:

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## koman

> I'm wondering how much above the first step that the concrete pour is gonna come...


  That bottom "step" was a cock-up and should not have been there in the first place.  We told them to leave it because this extension project was in the works all along.....but not part of the original build.   The whole thing will be tiled all around.




> & what was all that talk about other people's roofs that will be flying away come the first storm???


Lot of other peoples roofs did blow away and all the ones I saw were metal roofing of one kind or another.  Ours was the only tiled roof to get damaged, (that I know of)  but only because some somchai forgot to  screw down the bloody tiles that lifted.  It was a very powerful storm.   





> How did Frankie stand up to the assault


Like the Sgt Major that *he* is.....never so much as a flinch in the face of adversary.... :Smile: .

----------


## koman

> That's a great idea using up your 7 metre pylon cutoffs for a strong edging .
> Is there any support under them ? 
> If not .... do you not think they might sink a bit and spoil a fairly perfect build ?


Those things have been laying around since Nov 2013 piled on top of each other and they did not sink one inch.   The weight is well distributed and the ground is packed down pretty hard under them.   They will be smothered in concrete and tiled over so I'm  not too worried about them going anywhere..... :Smile:

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## FloridaBorn

> Originally Posted by KiCanCummins
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


More like a relic and all the more reason to keep a good eye on it.. They don't make them like that anymore..  :Smile:

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## FloridaBorn

> That bottom "step" was a cock-up and should not have been there in the first place. We told them to leave it because this extension project was in the works all along.....but not part of the original build. The whole thing will be tiled all around.


It sure was and now there's a cold joint once the deck is poured or if it is poured over it, it's both gonna crack and wreck the riser height making the steps a trip hazard. I'd have them break it out altogether before pouring were I you..

----------


## BKKKevin

_That white water pump will give you nothing but grief...

The preferred color is yellow - but then the locals might nick it..._

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> That bottom "step" was a cock-up and should not have been there in the first place. We told them to leave it because this extension project was in the works all along.....but not part of the original build. The whole thing will be tiled all around.
> 
> 
> It sure was and now there's a cold joint once the deck is poured or if it is poured over it, it's both gonna crack and wreck the riser height making the steps a trip hazard. I'd have them break it out altogether before pouring were I you..


What is a "cold joint" and why would it crack with 7 cms of reinforced concrete over it?   The bottom "step" will just be part of a mass of concrete and rebar with no load on it at all.....   nothing cracks around here; we don't allow cracks..... just the odd tile flying off the roof....but absolutely a crackless zone..... :Smile: 

A "trip hazard" in Thailand....now there's a thing you don't see much off..... :smiley laughing:

----------


## Wasp

He's not very cheerful that FloridaBorn - is he ?  :No:  :No:  :No: 



Wasp

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## Pragmatic

A 'cold joint' is where concrete is to be laid next/on to concrete that has already set. Example being when building a swimming pool and one doesn't have all the concrete poured in one go. Without a 'cold joint' water will most likely leak from that point.

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## KiCanCummins

> Without a 'cold joint' water will most likely leak from that point.


Should you have said "*With* a 'cold joint' water will most likely leak from that point."

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## koman

> A 'cold joint' is where concrete is to be laid next/on to concrete that has already set. Example being when building a swimming pool and one doesn't have all the concrete poured in one go. Without a 'cold joint' water will most likely leak from that point.


Thanks....I suspected it was something like that.

 The path all the way around will have a 10cm gap between the new pour and the house wall.  The gap will be filled with crushed rock,  so the only "cold joint" would be where the concrete is poured over that half assed bottom step thing.

 I understand there will be some kind of small gap between the new pour and the riser of the second step....so I assume that is to prevent this dreaded cold joint business from clouding our lives.

  We will see what these guys do.  They seem pretty knowledgeable and they do this kind of work all the time, so we are brimming with confidence that this will not be a burning issue around here.... :Smile:  

  As is usual with village builders they are not overly supplied with tools and equipment,  but they are working really well so far....  and they are giving us a ten year unconditional guarantee on their work.... :smiley laughing:

----------


## FloridaBorn

> Originally Posted by FloridaBorn
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


I'm glad you found my advice so entertaining, I'll refrain from giving any more good advice in the future. FYI I't exactly BECAUSE there are millions of avoidable trip hazards in Thailand that I'd like to avoid them on my own property.

Thank you Pragmatic, that's quite correct and in short order the cold joint will become a crack tile or not and the 2 surfaces will soon be at different levels due to settling of the larger heavier area being the slab, with cracked and loose tiles and that gap will increase the more moisture that is introduced to the crack. 

But hey don't let me stop you from your entertainment Koman, see how entertained you are when you have to tear it up after the fact and re-tile the whole area, if you want it to look good that is..

Sorry I tried to help you avoid some future problems right now while it is so easy to rectify BEFORE you cover it over..

----------


## FloridaBorn

> They seem pretty knowledgeable


Yah, they're so knowledgeable they poured a fecking step in there that should never have been poured.. Oh well I wasted my time.. Good luck

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> They seem pretty knowledgeable
> 
> 
> Yah, they're so knowledgeable they poured a fecking step in there that should never have been poured.. Oh well I wasted my time.. Good luck


They did not do any such thing.  These guys never worked on the site before.

As I have already stated, the cured cement and the new slab will be separated to avoid all this impending disaster you bring up.

You do get a bit carried away don't you.   Thank you for your _advise_ in any case.

----------


## terp80

> Yah, they're so knowledgeable they poured a fecking step in there that should never have been poured.. Oh well I wasted my time.. Good luck


No you didn't. 

Don't forget that Koman isn't the only one who reads these blogs. Your post was informative and good advice, but while Koman certainly doesn't have to take your advice, others may benefit. So, thanks . . . and have a beer.  :Beerchug:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by FloridaBorn
> ...


Quite correct  FloridaBorn, 

If I was Lord Koman I would demolish/remove that step that would be covered and just have the gap on the vertical surface to the next higher step. Save coming back to a cracked  pathway.

Just my $0.02 Canadian worth.

KCC

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by FloridaBorn
> 
> Yah, they're so knowledgeable they poured a fecking step in there that should never have been poured.. Oh well I wasted my time.. Good luck
> 
> 
> No you didn't. 
> 
> Don't forget that Koman isn't the only one who reads these blogs. Your post was informative and good advice, but while Koman certainly doesn't have to take your advice, others may benefit. So, thanks . . . and have a beer.



The advise was based on a total misunderstanding of what is actually being done.  He obviously either did not read what I had already stated or chose to ignore it. 

 When the thing is completed I will post photos to illustrate why this whole "cold joint" thing is not a problem here.   There are no cold joints other than a 3ft wide step which is being handled by leaving a gap between the old and the new cement with a sealing compound to keep out water.... If the new slab sinks a few millimeters (and it likely will);   it will sink by itself because it's not attached to any part of the building....so I don't know what all the fuss is about. 

  This must be about the tenth time I've done this kind of thing and I've never had any problems at all;  and the builders seem to understand it very well too even if they are just village guys.  

I appreciate advise and observations on any part of this thread and I have no idea why anyone would get all pissed off just because I try to explain why I'm not concerned about what has been brought up as a potential problem.

----------


## koman

> If I was Lord Koman I would demolish/remove that step that would be covered and just have the gap on the vertical surface to the next higher step. Save coming back to a cracked  pathway.


That is EXACTLY what they are going to do.....the bottom "step" is not really a step at all...it's only a few inches thick and as I keep saying it was not supposed to be there in the first place.  We seem to be getting confused between the actual steps and the non-step at the bottom..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):     I should stop posting photos......

I may have unintentionally created some misunderstanding because of a comment about them pouring cement over the "half assed" thing at the bottom.....

----------


## FloridaBorn

> Originally Posted by FloridaBorn
> 
> Yah, they're so knowledgeable they poured a fecking step in there that should never have been poured.. Oh well I wasted my time.. Good luck
> 
> 
> No you didn't. 
> 
> Don't forget that Koman isn't the only one who reads these blogs. Your post was informative and good advice, but while Koman certainly doesn't have to take your advice, others may benefit. So, thanks . . . and have a beer.


Regards..Glad someone may take from it some important info..

----------


## FloridaBorn

> Originally Posted by FloridaBorn
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


Regards for your input..

----------


## FloridaBorn

> Originally Posted by terp80
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by FloridaBorn
> ...


From what I've seen no one has gotten "pissed off" except for the amusement you displayed at my post, not once, but twice when I took my long time experience to try to help you avoid a pitfall. And then to further call it an "over-reaction", I know what you're talking about with your solution which is commonly called an expansion joint, I know what the end result is going to be in time.  

I know more than you will EVER know about construction (but you'll never know that either), I learned my lesson and won't bother with any more advice in this thread, have at it, that's all.. I stay out of these threads mostly as there are WAY too many know it all's and take most advice way too personally being as they see it's a personal affront to their personal projects instead of well intended and free input. Carry on now..

----------


## FloridaBorn

> I may have unintentionally created some misunderstanding because of a comment about them pouring cement over the "half assed" thing at the bottom.....


Yep... Not MY misunderstanding, I comprehended perfectly what was written and got crapped all over for it..

----------


## koman

> I know more than you will EVER know about construction


I actually know very little about construction and have never claimed otherwise.  I do however have a professional engineer overseeing the project so I rely on him for guidance,  and so far not too much has gone amiss.  

It was never my intention to denigrate your advise re the slab pour.  I understand what you are talking about, but I'm not concerned about it for the reasons already explained in previous posts.  

This thread has run to 35 pages and well over thirty thousand views without any kind of childish doghouse style pissing content, and nothing but goodwill and a bit of friendly banter,  so can we please keep it that way.  

Again, thank you for your input.  Now,  can we leave it at that?

----------


## BKKBILL

> I know more than you will EVER know about construction (but you'll never know that either), I learned my lesson and won't bother with any more advice in this thread, have at it, that's all.. I stay out of these threads mostly as there are WAY too many know it all's and take most advice way too personally being as they see it's a personal affront to their personal projects instead of well intended and free input. Carry on now..


Talk about taking it personal.

My goodness koman I do believe you hit a nerve. The advice given about a cold pour joint was correct posting numerous comments justifying it saying he will not give you any more etc, etc is way over the top. And to use humour on your thread.

My god man have you no shame.

----------


## Wasp

Entertaining stuff !!!!!! ::chitown:: 


I think you should take the house down and start again .



Wasp

----------


## koman

> And to use humour on your thread. 
> My god man have you no shame.


Yes, I know, I should be totally ashamed....humour in a build thread; who ever heard of such a thing eh.... :Smile:     I'll try to keep it very sombre and serious from now on....kinda like Wasp or Bettyboo style.

No photos today.  We had a bit of rain so the grand walkway of Isaan is held up for a day or so.   The cold joints became wet joints......OMG... :Confused:

----------


## koman

> I think you should take the house down and start again .


We may have to consider you suggestion Waspie.....I mean the myriad of problems with shiny tiles, hazardous electrics,  avant garde kitchen fixtures and the looming possibility of a crack in the perimeter path are quite overwhelming..... :Smile:    Maybe we should just move into the equipment shed....or the bamboo doghouse..... :Smile:

----------


## Drainpipe

> After a full inspection it was discovered that somebody had not been paying attention and these tiles had not been screwed down properly when the roof was tiled





> Tiles are supposed to be screwed down Somchai...





> but only because some somchai forgot to screw down the bloody tiles that lifted.


I have never seen that type of tile screwed down

How do you do that? I thought they just get hooked onto the battens and sit there by gravity

----------


## koman

> I have never seen that type of tile screwed down 
> How do you do that? I thought they just get hooked onto the battens and sit there by gravity


The tiles that blew off the roof were depending on gravity all right.....but these tiles are screwed down with fairly large self tapping screws to the alloy battons  I didn't know that either until they started doing it....now I know why.  

You could probably get away without screws until something like the storm that showed up here the other day came along.  I was surprised at the way they were lifted off the roof because they are pretty heavy.   

How is it done?....well,  the clever tile manufacturers make the tiles with holes to drive the screws through..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

Now that the subject of how tiles are screwed down has come up; a short photo presentation is in order.



This close up of a tile clearly shows the screw hole.



This is an edge tile showing a screw hole at each end....more or less.

If your tiles are not screwed down, better get out there quick..... :Smile:

----------


## patsycat

I presume that you will rebuild around my female friend Frankie?

----------


## Wasp

> I think you should take the house down and start again .
> We may have to consider your suggestion Waspie.....I mean the myriad of problems with shiny tiles, hazardous electrics,  avant garde kitchen fixtures and the looming possibility of a crack in the perimeter path are quite overwhelming.....   Maybe we should just move into the equipment shed....or the bamboo doghouse.....


You forgot the little wormy things that swim up your little damp cocky and grow in there and explode out your nose .
Don't forget them !  :No:  :No:  :No: 




Wasp

----------


## stevefarang

I'm not going to get into the arguing, but we also put a concrete pad around our house. It has a gap filled with stone.
Looks nice.
Keep on posting Koran !

Steve

----------


## Wasp

Is this an Islamic house ?

Noone told me that !!

----------


## koman

> I'm not going to get into the arguing


There was no "argument"; at least not as far  I'm concerned.  More of a misunderstanding/mis-communication.  Happens every nano-second on TD.. :Smile: 

 There are some folks who just take themselves far too seriously.  You can only hope such folks never attempt to build a house in Isaan using local labour.... :rofl:  




> we also put a concrete pad around our house. It has a gap filled with stone.




You mean....like this?   That's crushed rock between the path and the wall.



Looking from the opposite direction and still underway....   that cut-out where the blue pipes are is for access to the by-pass valve that can be opened if the pump is down for some reason  (ie Power failure)   You just open the by-pass valve and shut off the pump output line.  Then you can get your water directly from the mains....with  reduced pressure, but quite useable.  It just takes a bit longer to shower or fill the washing machine up.   We've already had that part of the system tested during our recent 18 hour storm related power outage.

  We will have a cover placed on the cut-out just to cover the valve.  It's very well protected inside the slab.  It seemed a bit vulnerable just sitting out there  all by itself.

----------


## stevefarang

Koman,
Yes ours is similar. I can't connect on my laptop, so I can't easily post a picture from photobucket. Maybe in a few days.
Steve

----------


## Bettyboo

> Bettyboo style


Thank you very much, Koman. That's the first time anybody has ever credited me with having any style. I feel a tear coming to my eye...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> Bettyboo style
> 
> 
> Thank you very much, Koman. That's the first time anybody has ever credited me with having any style. I feel a tear coming to my eye...


Of course you have style BB; your carport is clear evidence of that... you are just a bit lacking in taste when it comes to kitchen décor and things like that.  

 I thought a spot of warmth and fuzziness was in order because of the hammering you take on the "Coup" thread.  Posting as an idealist on TD is like being a single bacteria in the middle of the dish, and surrounded by penicillin....you know that; but don't let it stop you.... :rofl:  

Tried to green you a couple of times but the highly regulated TD environment won't let me....sorry.... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

> Tried to green you a couple of times but the highly regulated TD environment won't let me....sorry....


Don't worry, keep trying...  :Smile: 

Some areas on here are now all but pointless, the internet is a mecca for the mindless who just wanna argue with one liners and ignore everything anybody else writes. Interestingly, there are quite a lot of surveys that say the internet, rather than being a source of extra information and new information, is just used by many to just reinforce their previously held beliefs - the Fox News Syndrome... Thus, these building threads are great and different from many other trolled threads.

&, your thread is great, so great in fact that if your builders continue to be so slow, and you continue to get into lengthy discussions about exactly what consistency of concrete is best for any given humidity, then your thread might become as long as mine...  :Smile: 

There's nothing wrong with my garage!

Lastly, Frankie is a woman - I might start a thread to free her sexuality...

----------


## koman

> Lastly, Frankie is a woman - I might start a thread to free her sexuality...


If you try any of that kind of shit, I'm gonna set the coup guys on you......I think the generals would support me, being as Frankie is a Sgt Major....and a decorated one at that..... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

Too late...  :Smile: 

Actually, I might need a succession of threads to fully free her sexuality, but we've made a start, a suthep so to speak...

----------


## koman

> Too late... 
> 
> Actually, I might need a succession of threads to fully free her sexuality, but we've made a start, a suthep so to speak...


Yes, I saw your "poll".   If you suddenly stop posting,  everyone will know why.   Watch out for men in black following you around.... Frankie has friends....military friends..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

The house perimeter path is almost finished.  They just have to fine-tune a few tiles and finish off the edges and we're done.    Thailand is full of surprises.  These village guys have done a nice job; better than expected.  They have not broken or damaged anything....that's a first....and they showed up promptly at 8am every morning and worked diligently till 6pm.









The edge is not finished yet...still looks a bit rough, but everything else is looking pretty good.  Another half day or so and it's a wrap....




Looking down the steps from the front porch.  Note the Thai safety footwear which has been discarded in favour of bare feet.  Safety footwear is only worn on really dangerous jobs.... :Smile: 

Flower/shrub beds will be established along the outer edges to pretty the thing up a bit and hide any imperfections (heaven forbid) along the edges.   If anything cracks or comes apart we will deal with it, if and when it happens... :mid:

----------


## Wasp

............... Tidy !
.
.
.
.

----------


## Wasp

That was a suggestion . Not an adjective .



Wasp

----------


## koman

^
OK.... but this is still basically a construction site.  Do you think construction sites are tidy instantaneously.... like five minute after the work stops?.... I mean the bloody cement under the tile has not even cured yet...... :Smile: 

    It will become "tidy" never fear.   You're  talking like an iPhone user now Waspie.....must be the Betty influence..... :Smile:

----------


## FatOne

Looks really great Koman, nice tiles, and no Roman columns or statues!

----------


## Bettyboo

Yes, nice looking path, or will be once the edges are finished off... I'm liking the Daikin too, fine choice; manly.

----------


## Wasp

> ^
> OK.... but this is still basically a construction site.  Do you think construction sites are tidy instantaneously.... like five minute after the work stops?.... I mean the bloody cement under the tile has not even cured yet......
> 
>     It will become "tidy" never fear.   You're  talking like an iPhone user now Waspie.....must be the Betty influence.....




I actually wrote something else but then changed my mind so it's drivel .


Unusually.

----------


## koman

> it's drivel .


Well, you need to get your act together then.   This is a very serious construction thread.  In light of the recent army coup and the potential for a purge, I would tone down the drivel.   Martial law does not take kindly to drivel..... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

There's that bloody evil Jack Nicholson again !

----------


## terp80

> There's that bloody evil Jack Nicholson again !


You may have noticed that  :bananaman:  appears now in a lot of my posts. "JN"  :Smile:   not so much. Out of deference to you, of course, so you can sleep at  night. :bananaman:

----------


## koman

A few more photos of the perimeter pathway which is now completed. 

The crushed rock along the wall has now been upgraded to white pebble.   After the wife noticed photos from Chateau SteveFarang with the same crushed rock.....an emergency was declared and white pebble had to be found within the hour..... :rofl: 

I hope she never sees his water treatment pics.....cause that stuff looks pretty frigging expensive..... :Confused: 





The edge has been finished off and now the tidy-up process has begun....

Those bloody termite tubes are a bit of an eyesore.....what can I do with them?   Paint them pink....stick plastic flowers in them.....WTF can you do with termite tubes?



Out back, same same.....more white pebbles....and the wife is experimenting with some kind of brick structure over the pump.....I have no idea where that will end... :Confused: 

Just to keep Thailand's GDP from crashing, the next project on the drawing board is a carport.   We have not so far been able to steal a tarp from a disabled transport truck, so we have to revert to less attractive brick, steel, concrete and other mundane building materials.... :Smile:  

More on that later.  Negotiations are ongoing with a variety of contractors....some of which have no tools, no idea how to estimate costs for anything;  and although they claim to be highly skilled  and experienced craftsmen,  their 14 year old worn out Honda waves suggest they may not be entirely truthful about their backgrounds.

Some vetting seems to be in order before we select a team to proceed with the next phase...... :mid:

----------


## Wasp

Il Duce Komano : 
Those bloody termite tubes are a bit of an eyesore.....what can I do with them?
Li toobo termatoso sonno multi multi ugilissimassa. .   



You're right .

They ARE a bloody eyesore .

1. ) Need they be so tall ?
No e possibile to cut them down to 3 inches tall ?

and 2. ) Paint them the same Tuscany Burnt Orangey Light as the wall behind them .





Il Wasposo

----------


## koman

^
Seems like a plan.  I don't know if they need to be that tall....will have to consult with the termite people.   If not, then we chop them down to size....and paint them.   All in good time.....there are more important things to do around here.

----------


## Wasp

Il Kumano :

Seems like a plan.   All in good time.....there are more important things to do around here.



Well YOU bloody well asked the bloody question !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOURS I put into that answer !!!!!

Hours . Sweat . Headaches . Blood but no tears !
And all translated into your Home language .

Espesso di Nogratefullo huming been !!!!

I speets at your termitti pipusos !!!



Il Waspusso .

----------


## Bettyboo

That path will look very nice indeed when it is completed.

Are the dark pebbles there for a contrasting effect? I know you like to do interesting and daring things with colour...  :Smile:

----------


## stevefarang

Koman,
Those white stones look very nice. I was looking at such stones, earlier this week, before jetting back to the Colonies. Except, what I really wanted was crushed stone both for the base of a built in flower planter in front of our guest suite and to help fill in an opening on the west side of the house (before I put down some soil). It sounds like I may have to order a small truck load to get that stuff.

All they had were bags of these decorative stones. I might go back there, in a few months and buy some to put around our perimeter. They really give it a nice touch.

Steve

----------


## koman

> Are the dark pebbles there for a contrasting effect


You know I like contrast and variety BB... even in  pebbles.... :Smile: 





> All they had were bags of these decorative stones


It's getting more difficult to find really nice ones now.  All kinds of crap mixed in with the nice white ones.   Another one of the earths great resources becoming scarce.... :Smile:    I suppose for 40 baht a bag, you can't expect too much,  but we used to get big bags of pure white pebbles for 20 baht ...five or six years ago.

----------


## stevefarang

^^^

How many of those 40 baht bags did you end up buying to do the whole perimeter ? I figure I would need at least 15-20 of those little bags, if we are to do it.

Steve

----------


## BKKBILL

Those tubes can be cut down easily, wondering if it is possible to bend them down under the highly decorative stones. Or once lowered maybe a 3 or 4” pipe with cap such as the blue one further down the walk, then paint both.

----------


## koman

> ^^^
> 
> How many of those 40 baht bags did you end up buying to do the whole perimeter ? I figure I would need at least 15-20 of those little bags, if we are to do it.
> 
> Steve


I think it was 12 bags.....but we have a regular house, not a Chateau.... :Smile: 

We did not do the whole perimeter....only two sides of the house where the new pathway was built.   The other two sides were already paved and tiled.

----------


## koman

> Those tubes can be cut down easily, wondering if it is possible to bend them down under the highly decorative stones. Or once lowered maybe a 3 or 4 pipe with cap such as the blue one further down the walk, then paint both.



They would be easy enough to cut, but I don't know yet if the termite guys need them to be that long for some reason.  I would not want to cut them down and find out that it made them useless. 

   They are quite stiff and not bendable enough to just tuck them down under the stone.

I think placing them inside a more attractive piece of pipe (cut or uncut)  with a cap and matching the colour to the wall would be the best solution.

Funny how such a small problem can be so perplexing..... :mid:

----------


## koman

Now that the pathway is finished, it's time to start on the carport.    We finally settled on a contractor based on his ability to accurately calculate the quantity of sand, aggregate and cement needed to pour an 8 x 6 meter pad....he also has his own tools (even has an arc welder and grinder.... :Smile: )  and a pickup truck.   



So;  bright and early on this Saturday morning, this battered old truck containing three somchais and seven 9.5 meter concrete columns arrived.    I always shudder when something like this comes up the driveway.  Those who have never lived in Isaan have no idea of the sheer destructive potential.....   



It took a while to get the crane sorted out and I had to lend them a sledge hammer to get things under way.....



My confidence rose steadily as the somchais handled the heavy columns and guided them to a safe resting place on the ground.



Down they go.  A nice neat pile of columns to hold the carport roof up...and so far no destruction or property or loss of life.... :mid: .

We will now wait for the steel beams and alloy batons for the roof to arrive.  They were supposed to be delivered yesterday, but I made the mistake of paying for them at the shop.   Once money changes hands, everything becomes very low priority..   I usually just give a deposit and tell them I'll pay the balance on delivery.....which means it's delivered in an hour..... :Smile:     We will have to wait an see on this one.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

OMG....the truck with the steel has just arrived.... just goes to show that our cynicism can be misplaced at times...... :Smile:

----------


## BKKBILL

_Those who have never lived in Isaan have no idea of the sheer destructive potential....._

I see no reason to worry one can clearly see the proper footwear and gloves are being worn. Obviously a cut above normal.

----------


## Wasp

koman ....
.... There won't be a huge load on those columns so just for my information I would love to know what depth of a pad they construct under them .

Please.



Wasp

----------


## stevefarang

> Originally Posted by stevefarang
> 
> 
> ^^^
> 
> How many of those 40 baht bags did you end up buying to do the whole perimeter ? I figure I would need at least 15-20 of those little bags, if we are to do it.
> 
> Steve
> 
> ...



Oh come on, it's not like it's Versaille.
It's more like a simple summer home like Le Chateau de Chambord...

I only need to do 3 sides. The east wall does not have the stone fill, as it was always part of the original structure.

Thanks, errr...Merci,  koman !

Steve

----------


## koman

> koman ....
> .... There won't be a huge load on those columns so just for my information I would love to know what depth of a pad they construct under them .
> 
> Please.
> 
> 
> 
> Wasp


I'll provide this information when the head somchai arrives later today to start digging.   My guess would be about 80 x 80 cm....and maybe 10-12 
cm thick. 

 It's pretty hard stable ground where they are building so we'll see what comes up....  We are going to put a tiled roof on it, (to match the house roof)  so that's quite a bit heavier than the Marmite approved stuff.

----------


## koman

> Those who have never lived in Isaan have no idea of the sheer destructive potential..... 
> I see no reason to worry one can clearly see the proper footwear and gloves are being worn. Obviously a cut above normal.


Yes, clearly a company that imposes high safety standards and best practices. 

 As it turns out, they were a cut above normal.  Any crew that comes in and leaves without breaking or damaging anything qualifies as above normal...... :rofl:

----------


## FatOne

Good luck Koman, and don't forget to measure the Blocks!

----------


## koman

Not quite at the crack of dawn, but well before the sun crossed the yardarm, our newly appointed carport building crew arrived.   



Without too much ceremony, the began to clear the area and mark it out with bamboo stakes.



Next they have to get things lined up using the ancient and well trusted water tube.



Once everything has been aligned with the equinox sunrise and the various forces of nature, some serious hole digging can begin. 

(For Wasp:  The holes are more like 60 x 60 cms and not the 80 x 80 cms that I predicted.   I've never claimed to be a hole expert so being a mere 20 cms out seems pretty good......I do better with stock market predicions.. :Smile: )



This photo gives some idea of the overall layout and hole digging progress.  

Our sand, aggregate and cement won't be here till tomorrow (Monday) morning, so  they can't mix up the foundation concrete today.  Still, if all the holes are dug and the site is completely cleared, it will be a good first days work.    This is a typical village crew....one guy does about 80% of the work while the others sit and watch, scratch their nuts and tell jokes.    It must be incredibly frustrating being head of an Isaan construction crew.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 




The wife has done a nice job fixing up the area in front of the house.   This was just dirt and building debris a short time back.   She never stops... :Smile: .

----------


## koman

The great carport project is into day 3 already.  Today is heavy lifting day because the concrete columns have to be placed in the holes ...hopefully in a vertical position.



One of the village strongmen has been recruited for this part of the job.  Here the columns and being place in position ready for the vertical lift.   The holes have a good thick layer of concrete at the bottom. 



Placing the column over the hole.....



The column rests on a thick wooden stake which makes it easier to lever it up into the vertical position.  Master builders know all these tricks..... :Smile: 



Two men to lift and one to control the positioning of the base.  That flat board the guy is holding is also used to adjust the base to the center and to make other minor adjustments.   Pretty basic, but it seems to work very well.  



Checking the vertical.....on all sides... clever stuff, doing it before filling in the hole.....



In about two hours all the columns are in place.....time for a rest....its a relatively cool day today but the boys have a good sweat on.... bloody hard work this construction business; even for a carport.



The steel beams for the roof are all laid out and painted inside and out with rustproofing primer.  Two (maybe three) coats.   I suppose we should do our best to stop the whole thing corroding and falling down on the pickup truck..... :mid:

----------


## BKKKevin

Was a concrete pad poured in before the columns were set in?... Was concrete poured around the columns or just filled with dirt?...

----------


## koman

> Was a concrete pad poured in before the columns were set in?... Was concrete poured around the columns or just filled with dirt?...


Yes there is a concrete pad (about 12-15 cms thick ) at the bottom of each hole.   They don't pour concrete around the column itself.  It just sits on the pad and the hole is filled with dirt to ground level.   Once the columns are all tied together at the top,  with steel beam,  they form a strong box structure,  which is then made stronger still when the big ground slab is poured.  It will surround each column, so they are well supported top and bottom.   At least that's the theory.... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

From the ground down to the cement pad ...... in other words the depth of the hole ?

----------


## BKKBILL

^ 

Wasp, I see the grey matter is on the mend once the colour comes back to your fonts you will be good as new.  :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

I was wanting to see if there's room for me to crawl in there and just fade away .

Unloved .




Whisp.

----------


## koman

> From the ground down to the cement pad ...... in other words the depth of the hole ?


Yes....about 50 cm down to the top of the concrete base.   The columns are 3.5 meters long, so you get 3 meters above ground and 50 cms below.   This is all "standard" stuff I'm told.

----------


## Wasp

thank you



W

----------


## koman

Carport construction is not the most glamorous or exciting activity for a photographer, but in the absence of any volcanic eruptions,  floods, or train crashes in the immediate area,   this is the best I can do. 



The steel beams have been installed and welded to the tops of the columns.

On the ground the frames are being set up for the slab pour....still a couple of days away.






Our contractor has brought in his star welder for this part of the job.   The above two photos show him welding the ridge beams into place.   All the principle load carrying beams have been doubled up with two 2 x 4 beams welded together.   Pretty good for a carport roof I think.



This is what it looked like by the end of the workday.  The roof framing should be finished by lunch time tomorrow.



Same thing from a different angle.  

We had to order in roof tiles because nobody locally  had enough of the same ones we have on the house.  Hopefully they will be here by the time the welding and stuff is completed.  You never can tell.  The local  Homemart told us they had the tile in stock but it was not the same one.....here we go again..... :mid:

----------


## katie23

Hi Koman, looks like your carport is shaping up nicely. It looks like a "mini me" version of your house.  :Razz:  I just came from my LONG holiday, visited family, friends (old and new), and am back to the usual grind - workdays and teakdoor evenings.  :Razz:  Hope you finish up your carport soon! Cheers!

----------


## koman

> Hi Koman, looks like your carport is shaping up nicely. It looks like a "mini me" version of your house.  I just came from my LONG holiday, visited family, friends (old and new), and am back to the usual grind - workdays and teakdoor evenings.  Hope you finish up your carport soon! Cheers!


Hi Katie,
Thanks for stopping by.  We missed you...so welcome back to TD....

A carport is a bit like a little house, except that it has no walls, windows, doors, electrical or plumbing; so the cost of construction works out at about 38 times less per square meter than a house.   

This carport was not even planned; we just decided to slip it into the project one day a couple of weeks ago.   It's actually replaced other things that were planned, but have been put on hold for various reasons.     Plans should be flexible and around here they most definitely are.... :Smile:

----------


## svendiederik

> A carport is a bit like a little house, except that it has no walls, windows, doors, electrical or plumbing; so the cost of construction works out at about 38 times less per square meter than a house.


Of course! A carport means no walls. I forgot that for a moment. Are the cars going to be in the shade in the morning and afternoon ?

Very informative thread BTW.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> A carport is a bit like a little house, except that it has no walls, windows, doors, electrical or plumbing; so the cost of construction works out at about 38 times less per square meter than a house.
> 
> 
> Of course! A carport means no walls. I forgot that for a moment. Are the cars going to be in the shade in the morning and afternoon ?
> 
> Very informative thread BTW.


A building without any walls can't keep the sun out all day no matter how it's configured.    When the sun is low in the sky it will obviously shine in under the roof....but only in the early morning and late afternoon.  It will also vary throughout the year.   The interior will be in deep shade most of the time...and that's all that's needed....otherwise we would be adding walls.... :Smile: 

In a previous house we had a carport with wooden trellis covered in vines along the sunny side.  That works quite nicely, but you have to keep trimming the vines, and they can make a bit of a mess at times....not to mention all the bugs, beetles, snakes and things that can move in..... :Confused:

----------


## koman

As it turns out the roof was put on hold so that we could get the floor slab poured.   The guys did a really nice job of preparing the ground with compacted sand and steel mesh...ready for the pour.



The sand is hard and level and the mesh has been nicely laid out and secured.



Close up of the prepared surface.   These guys have done a better job that the so called professional crew that built the driveway....and they are local village cane cutters and part time farmers.




In due course this big ugly CPAC cement truck is seen backing up the driveway.   We had to do a lot of running around just getting the readymix cement because everybody seemed to be having problems with broken down equipment,  staff shortages, or a lack of sand and aggregate.



Once the CPAC truck driver managed to get his truck into position, the usual exchanges of village gossip and humorous anecdotes took place, after which they actually  started to pour some concrete...... 



Then more and more concrete.....with the somchais frantically spreading......



When the cement truck finally discharged it's last drop.....the team leader and one of the hardest working guys in Thailand did the smoothing.   I've had some exasperating experiences working with village "contractors" but this guy is a diamond in the rough.  Honest; very reliable and a tireless worker.  



Back in the pathway building story, the ugly black termite tubes came under scrutiny.   We slapped a coat of the wall paint on them, which I think helps quite a lot.....but now I have to find a way to tidy them up a bit more.   There are held together with a bit of rusty bent wire at the moment.....I think we can probably do better..... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Back in the pathway building story, the ugly black termite tubes came under scrutiny. We slapped a coat of the wall paint on them, which I think helps quite a lot.....but now I have to find a way to tidy them up a bit more. There are held together with a bit of rusty bent wire at the moment.....I think we can probably do better.....


Being the past yachtsman that you were, I would have each one carefully placed and strapped to the wall with a label beside it showing where or what is does, may be a dangerous chemical sign as well, dont want OHS coming back at you!!!

----------


## FatOne

Hi Koman, I rckon those termite tubes look fine now they are painted. Carport is coming along nicely too.

----------


## Wasp

The pipes look a bit better but they grab your eyes too much .

I think they'd look better boxed in .................








Wasp

----------


## koman

Bit slow on the construction threads.   They seem to be getting more and more like _Twitter_ accounts instead of the serious instructional narratives  that they were meant to be.......:.....anyhow, a few more photos are in order even if the progress is slow...might as well try to keep the thread simmering,  so the photo addicts don't suffer withdrawal symptoms and throw themselves off high buildings... :Smile: 



A bit of progress on the carport.  The slab has cured nicely and the roof structure is well under way.   Only one guy working with two others doing absolutely nothing except handing him a tool every now and then.



The alloy batons are being installed slowly.  Mounting and screwing all these things down is slow work for one guy....plus he had to take a day off for some family business.   The fellow in the blue shirt has decided to make a move and do something ....a rare and unusual scene.....  :Smile: 



Here you can see the location of the carport in relation to the house and the meandering driveway which gets you there.....



All along the driveway and outside the front wall my wife has planted flowering shrubs and a fast growing ground cover plant, which is starting to flourish and spread quite nicely.  It binds the soil, cuts down on erosion and generally makes the place a bit more attractive that the usual crab grass and weeds that many of the neighbours appear to cultivate around their houses..... :Smile:

----------


## terp80

Thanks for these shots Koman. I wasn't sure exactly where the carport was relative to the house. Your whole place looks beautiful. Photo addict here.  ::chitown::

----------


## koman

Thank you T80....we think it's pretty nice too.  It's a lovely place to live....not just the house but the location itself;  which is nice and open with lots of soft breezes  and nice views of the countryside. It's close to everything, yet quiet and peaceful, and we have not seen a single mosquito yet...which I always view as a bonus.   

I will try to keep feeding the photo addiction but once you reach this stage it's becoming something of a challenge... :Smile:

----------


## koman

The carport project is progressing at what might be described as a leisurely pace;  in keeping with the local custom.    The roof is taking longer than the Sistine Chapel but when it's finished it will be a better job than anything that Angelo guy did..... :Smile: 



Looking west out of my den/office window.   There's a bit of a slowdown caused by running out of ridge tile.   They always wait until they have completely run out of something before thinking about getting more.   That way everybody has more time to relax and wait for the next delivery..... there are days when anyone would think they were unionized British workers.... :Smile: 



From the other side looking south east it looks a bit more advanced  The fascia boards have been installed; so now we need just 12 more tiles and it's done......the roof that is.




From the front.  We just have to finish the ridge on the left and the top.   Then the brick work can start.  I wonder how long that will take.....and how many times we will run out of brick, cement or something..... :Smile:

----------


## terp80

> From the front.  We just have to finish the ridge on the left and the top.   Then the brick work can start.  I wonder how long that will take.....and how many times we will run out of brick, cement or something.....


Why can't they start the brick work now? (I'm hoping this not a dumb question.) :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> From the front.  We just have to finish the ridge on the left and the top.   Then the brick work can start.  I wonder how long that will take.....and how many times we will run out of brick, cement or something.....
> 
> 
> Why can't they start the brick work now? (I'm hoping this not a dumb question.)


That would constitute multi-tasking.  Strictly out of step with the culture..... :Smile: 

The only guy who actually works was out buying the extra tiles.  The two sitting around are helpers....who don't really help much, but they save the guy who does the work from having to run up and down the ladder all day getting things. ( One can hold the latter while the other goes up and down) 

   I would not want these two working on the bricks.... or anything else beyond fetching and carrying.... :Confused:

----------


## FatOne

Ha Ha Ha , coming along just fine, as long as you're not in a hurry

----------


## terp80

> That would constitute multi-tasking.  Strictly out of step with the culture.....


Ah, yes . . .  :Haha:  :Pat:

----------


## koman

More progress today.   We are down to one guy who is now in the process or building the brick veneer on the columns.   This work does not really need much in the way of additional labour....not that is made much difference on any of the other work.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 



This is the main man laying the ridge tile connecting piece yesterday afternoon.  This was probably the most demanding part of the whole project...getting the ridge tiles laid and cemented into place.



From the side you can see what's going on here....quite a lot of cement needed for this part.    All that cement will be painted to match the tile once it has cured properly.....in about two weeks or so.   We bought the paint with the tile, just to make sure we did not end up with a village colour match; 
 like electric blue or emerald green..... :Smile: 



There you can see the finished roof (except for the cement and fascia board painting).....and my guy working diligently on the brickwork.



Different angle.....It takes about 200 bricks per column and 2 bags of cement.   Should be finished in another day or two...depending on the amount of interference from village consultants who often drop in to look and  give advise....hoping to score some free booze or smokes...... :Smile:

----------


## rickschoppers

Interesting way to finish off the posts. Hope you never scrape the car coming in or leaving. Looks very nice and I am thinking about finishing mine off with wood, or not. I also thought about the lego bricks, but that seemed like too much money, Not sure which would be more. 

Two bags of cement at about 100 baht per bag and 200 bricks plus labor. Sounds like a cost-effective alternative for the sala.

As you can tell, I am still thinking about how to finish them off. Maybe a good topic to another thread.

----------


## koman

> Hope you never scrape the car coming in or leaving.


The thing is six meters wide.  If I can't get the pickup truck in and out of that without hitting the columns, I think it would be time to give up me drivers license.... :Smile: 

The bricks are 1.5 baht each (1 baht not too long ago) but they are very good bricks that don't crack and fall apart like some I've had in the past. 

  We will use about 1400 bricks and 14 bags of cement for the 7 columns....so around 3500 Thb to do the lot.   We used more tiles that I though we would need....over 800 at 13 baht each and the steel beams are quite pricey for the good stuff.

The whole project will run about 70K including labour the way it's looking at the moment.  The slab alone was a bit over 8000 Thb so not too bad overall.   The quality of work is much better than I expected...always a nice surprise... :Smile:

----------


## rickschoppers

Good price for the carport Koman. 

I wasn't really referring to you personally about the posts. Mine are 5 meters apart and my BIL still managed to back into one of them while pulling out of my carport.

----------


## stevefarang

You're using red bricks instead of Q-con blocks ???


 :smiley laughing: 

Sorry, I couldn't resist, what with all the different threads discussing them.

By the way, I like the look of them.

Steve

----------


## koman

> You're using red bricks instead of Q-con blocks ???


Yes, we do have to recognize that Q-Con has it's limitations.....carport pillars being one of them... :Smile: 




> , I like the look of them.


I really like the "look" of raw brick finish.  I'd build a whole house out of the things if you could get quality brick; really  good bricklaying,  and we did not have the climate to contend with......but of course we do have the climate and both bricks and bricklaying skills are pretty second rate, and I think I'm being a bit generous saying that.

 I hired an old Italian bricklayer to build a fireplace surround for an airtight woodstove,  in Canada,  years ago.   It cost about $850 at the time and the thing was an absolute work of art.    He built it in a single days work without any assistance....and only one bottle of wine.   The kind of skill and pride of workmanship that just does not seem to exist anymore.

----------


## koman

The ongoing saga of the carport.  We are advancing at the rate of about one pillar a day...give or take.   Bricklaying in Isaan is an exacting process it seems.   Still the guy is doing a nice job, and it's not like it's really high priority.  



Three pillars are fully completed....four more are work in progress.




Against the late afternoon sun we can see the 3 completed pillars and the other 4 in various stages of completion.   I'm not sure why he does it like this but who am I to question the wisdom of the village bricklayer.  They all get finished in the end....one hopes.... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

Lookin good Koman,

Just put some mossie netting around the posts and you could have quite the barby in there!!

Might have to move the pickup out of there......

KCC

----------


## palexxxx

Are those brick piers the finished article?  or are they going to be rendered?  

They've been laid very well but if they're going to be rendered then why bother?

Personally,  I don't like the look of those bricks with all the holes showing in them.

----------


## BKKBILL

Does look good Koman.

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Are those brick piers the finished article?  or are they going to be rendered?  
> 
> They've been laid very well but if they're going to be rendered then why bother?
> 
> Personally,  I don't like the look of those bricks with all the holes showing in them.


Ah, the more holes you have, the more things you can hang from them!!!!

----------


## palexxxx

^  that's a point,  also the more homes you can have for poor homeless wasps.

----------


## koman

> Just put some mossie netting around the posts and you could have quite the barby in there!! 
> Might have to move the pickup out of there......


Not a chance.....this is the pickup's home .  There's lots of other designated places for BBQs.. :Smile: 





> They've been laid very well but if they're going to be rendered then why bother? 
> Personally,  I don't like the look of those bricks with all the holes showing in them.


No they will not be rendered.  The brick "look" was the whole idea.....

As for the holes; that's the way they make the brick so we're kinda stuck with them.  If they show any signs of becoming a problem I'll have the guys come back and plug them with colour matched mortar.  A bit time consuming, but easy enough to do if/when necessary.

We certainly don't want any Wasps  hanging around here..... :Smile: 





> Does look good Koman.


Thank you Bill. We think so too, notwithstanding having a few holes..... :Smile:

----------


## gusG

> The ongoing saga of the carport.  We are advancing at the rate of about one pillar a day...give or take.   Bricklaying in Isaan is an exacting process it seems.   Still the guy is doing a nice job, and it's not like it's really high priority.  
> 
> 
> 
> Three pillars are fully completed....four more are work in progress.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Against the late afternoon sun we can see the 3 completed pillars and the other 4 in various stages of completion.   I'm not sure why he does it like this but who am I to question the wisdom of the village bricklayer.  They all get finished in the end....one hopes....


They do it stages so the mortar sets before they do the next section. Otherwise the weight of all the bricks would squeeze the wet mortar out down below.  :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> They do it stages so the mortar sets before they do the next section. Otherwise the weight of all the bricks would squeeze the wet mortar out down below.


That sounds TOO logical for Thailand: :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by gusG
> 
> They do it stages so the mortar sets before they do the next section. Otherwise the weight of all the bricks would squeeze the wet mortar out down below.
> 
> 
> That sounds TOO logical for Thailand:


It does, but it sure makes perfect sense.... I figured there must be a reason and now we have it.   Well done KCC..... :Smile:    Viva the village bricklayers.....

----------


## koman

The carport is finally finished....except for a lick of paint on the roof cement and fascia boards.  That will be done in a couple of weeks once the cement is well cured.



We parked the pickup inside along with a few motorbikes.  Seems only right and proper after all the trouble of building the thing.





Different viewpoint.  The wife has already managed to mount wall plaques on the front pillars and hung plant pots all over the place.   There's a red Chinese made storm lantern hung there too.....whatever that's for?    



An early evening shot looking along the front of the house...  seems well enough lit even without a Chinese storm lantern..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 



Now that the pickup truck and motorbikes have a new  home, we can start to use the large side patio for it's originally intended purpose.   This area stays in the shade all day...except for the very early morning when the rising sun shines in for a while...and in the evening just before the sun sets behind the trees.   



An early evening shot of the  front porch which connects to the carport at the far end.

I've probably milked about as many photos and posts as I can out of this carport project.    Not sure what's next.   We have delayed the laying of sod for a while, and we may not bother now until next year.  


 I'm also hedging on the installation of gutters (eaves-troughs)....after promoting the hell out of them earlier in the thread.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

 Fact is, the newly installed paths around the house are doing a nice job of shedding the roof runoff away from the house, so we will wait and see how the heavy monsoon downpours go before making a final decision. 

  Our surface drainage has improved greatly since we added more soil and graded it.    There's still big mounds of soil sitting around, so that too will be spread and graded as soon as it's dry enough, so the tractor does not sink up to its axles.

----------


## KiCanCummins

Looking very smart there Mr Koman.

I all ways think that with gutters you have the option of saving the water or at least managing the runoff to where you want it to go. You also don't get to walk through another "Shower" when You have to go outside to your carport, or in your case a bike and pickup port. That way in the DRY season you have some water to use for the rest of the property. Just my $0.02 worth.
KCC

----------


## koman

> Looking very smart there Mr Koman.
> 
> I all ways think that with gutters you have the option of saving the water or at least managing the runoff to where you want it to go. You also don't get to walk through another "Shower" when You have to go outside to your carport, or in your case a bike and pickup port. That way in the DRY season you have some water to use for the rest of the property. Just my $0.02 worth.
> KCC


I agree totally, and we will probably have them installed eventually.  It's just that there are other things to think about and I'm doing all this out of monthly income so I have to slow down the pace a bit.    

The carport ended up costing just under 69K.  We used 820 roof tiles, 1500 bricks and 15 bags of cement on the columns.  The slab needed 4.5  m3 of readymix  @ 1800 Thb per m3.  The steel beams are quite pricy....and of course the somchais need to be paid for their sweat....22K worth of sweat in this case..... :Smile:  

I'm very pleased with the result.  Well worth the money.

----------


## Bettyboo

Pink Fino - niccccceeeeeeeee.  :Smile: 

(the garage is a bit OTT, I'd have done it cheaper...)

----------


## koman

> Pink Fino - niccccceeeeeeeee.


My wife has had that thing for about 8-9 years.  It has 78000 Kms on it and till runs really well.   She has a Honda PCX as well, but she often uses the old Fino just because she likes it so much.  It's equipped with the right stickers and everything...


I tried to copy your carport.  We had the bamboo poles,  but despite our best efforts we could not find a suitable tarp to steal anywhere.....so we reverted to bricks, concrete and stuff like that.   

Not nearly as "rustic" as yours, but it keeps the sun off..... :Smile:  



	  ]

----------


## BKKKevin

> Originally Posted by gusG
> 
> They do it stages so the mortar sets before they do the next section. Otherwise the weight of all the bricks would squeeze the wet mortar out down below.
> 
> 
> That sounds TOO logical for Thailand:


The proper Thai way is to pour the mortar into a rubber boot where it has a moment to breath and set up before final application... no waiting needed then...

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by KiCanCummins
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by gusG
> ...



The rubber boot pour certainly has it's applications.  Very good for precision pours where real finesse is required.... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

That's lovely that is koman .

Class .



 :coolio:  :coolio:  :coolio: 




Wasp

----------


## stevefarang

Koman,
The garage looks very nice.
Are you going to install any lights in it ?

Steve

----------


## koman

> Koman,
> The garage looks very nice.
> Are you going to install any lights in it ?
> 
> Steve


I don't think so.  The house lights seem to do the job.  The house has lots of lights on every side.  If it turns out that it does need its own lights, it will be easy enough to install some.

----------


## koman

> That's lovely that is koman . 
> Class .


Thank you Mr Wasp.  First input from you in  a while.... :Smile:

----------


## FatOne

Looks great and very comfy mate

----------


## window

Koman congratulations on a great build and a well put together thread. Im sure it takes a bit of time and work to do the thread. Have enjoyed following you though the ups and downs of the build and working with the Thai's. It pays to keep a sense of humour I'm sure and enjoy the fruits of you labour

----------


## koman

> Koman congratulations on a great build and a well put together thread. Im sure it takes a bit of time and work to do the thread. Have enjoyed following you though the ups and downs of the build and working with the Thai's. It pays to keep a sense of humour I'm sure and enjoy the fruits of you labour


Thanks Window, and welcome to the thread.   I'm glad you enjoyed it.

You're right; it takes quite a bit of effort to maintain a thread like this.  Being on site virtually every day makes it a lot easier to produce the photos, but assembling them, editing and posting them is still quite a lot of work.

Anyone who lacks a sense of humour would have a really difficult time building here.  After careful planning and finding a first class building manager, it's probably the most important thing.     

I actually enjoyed the experience.  There were days when I'm sure I would not have said that, but they were few and far between really.   Most of the workers were friendly, and fun to be around.  A few were surly, uncommunicative and difficult to deal with....but only a very few.

The project manager was excellent.  He did make a few minor mistakes, and I had to overrule his judgement a few times, but unlike most Thai's he did not react badly at all.  In fact it became a learning experience for him too.   I was very carful not to cause any loss of face.  He was always quick to admit an error and take full responsibility for correcting it. 

The only thing that matters in the end is how you feel about the finished product, and in that regard, both my wife and I are very pleased with the results.   The  house is cool, very comfortable and a pleasure to live in.    We have a "warranty" on the whole thing for a year....and so far any little thing we find that is not totally satisfactory is attended to quickly and put right.

    Various important components (like the roof) are warrantied for five years against defect.   Newly constructed building are subject to all kinds of teething troubles, but so far, ours have been very minor....except for losing a couple of roof tiles in a particularity bad storm.  

 As it turned out, these tiles had not been screwed down properly....so a full roof inspection was conducted the next day just to make sure all the rest were.... :Confused:    We were lucky the errant tiles were right on the edge, so no water damage was incurred.   Others in the area were not so lucky.

----------


## Wasp

Thais  :Pirate:

----------


## koman

> Thais


My bad....should I stay behind after school and write 500 lines...?... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
> 
> Thais 
> 
> 
> My bad....should I stay behind after school and write 500 lines...?...





It's sloppy . It's careless . It's shameful .

You shouldn't have such a nice house .



.... and what the Hell is " ... My bad  "  ?



Bettyboo

----------


## terp80

> .... and what the Hell is " ... My bad  "  ?


It's ghetto for "I'm sorry." :147:

----------


## Bettyboo

> My wife has had that thing for about 8-9 years. It has 78000 Kms on it and till runs really well.


They were costing just over 30,000 then, so it has done you well. I had a 125 Honda when I lived in Saraburi, maybe 11 or 12 years ago now, and it was fine, a nice basket on the front for shopping, jobs a good 'un. They last a long time...




> Not nearly as "rustic" as yours, but it keeps the sun off


It does look nice, but I'd need a bit more width for my missus (ahem...), she'd never get the Honda City into that small space...  :Smile: 



It does looking very pleasant, but is it authentic???

----------


## Wasp

.... and what the Hell is " ... My bad  "  ? 

It's ghetto for "I'm sorry." :147: 


Well it's ridiculous .

Koman's nearly 74 .

He shouldn't be speaking like that . :No:  :No:  :No: 



Roobarb

----------


## koman

> Koman's nearly 74 .


No he's not...  and there's nothing ridiculous about "my bad".  It a very commonly used expression here on TD.    It's not an apology as has been suggested.  It can mean different things depending on the context, just like many other expressions. In this case it's just an acknowledgement that I did something or said something which was incorrect.

Get yourself up to date with the language FFS..... :Smile: 

Are you feeling neglected or something.  You're posting a lot of total bollocks again.... :rofl:

----------


## koman

> It does look nice, but I'd need a bit more width for my missus (ahem...), she'd never get the Honda City into that small space...


The width is 2.8 meters.    Not  really suitable for parking a Honda City, but it does the job as a place to eat the breakfast cereal and have a mug of coffee.....




> It does looking very pleasant, but is it authentic???   
> 				__________________


What do you mean "authentic"?  it's a front porch...with tiles, a railing, columns and lights...  It's about as authentic as a front porch can get.....as far as I know... :Smile: 




> a nice basket on the front for shopping


Lovely.  I hear the new Harley Davidsons are installing shopping baskets now.  The Hells Angels are demanding them after visits to Thailand..... :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> Originally Posted by Wasp
> 
> Koman's nearly 74 .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Are you feeling neglected or something.  You're posting a lot of total bollocks again....



It was Roobarb.

----------


## koman

We;....or at least She...has been busy planting and moving flora around in an attempt to beautify the place.   Considering there was nothing but raw dirt here a year ago, it's starting to come along.





The beginnings of a tree lined avenue...????



Looking from the opposite direction.



Outside the front wall the trees are getting quite big.  They were only waist high last year.



All along the north wall, stuff is growing quickly.  There was nothing growing a year ago.



Newly planted trees along the south side pathway.  



Some of the potted plants from the south side have been moved north..  they move every week on average..... :Smile: 




Some fast growing stuff has been planted along the sides of the carport to provide shade when the sun is low in the sky.



The front has been reinforced with more flowing potted plants too.  Not sure how long they will be allowed to stay there but for now they do the job..... :Smile: 

We are still debating the question of laying sod now or waiting till next year.   The rainy season would be good for sod I think.  New grass likes lots of water.....we will have to see.

----------


## FatOne

WOW! Looks like paradise Koman, great job.

----------


## palexxxx

> We;....or at least She...has been busy planting and moving flora around in an attempt to beautify the place.   Considering there was nothing but raw dirt here a year ago, it's starting to come along.



Congratulations on your build,  and also on the efforts of your Mrs in the garden.  I especially like the flowering tree in this pic.  It grows all over Chiang Mai but I can't find out the name of it.  Do you know what it is called?

----------


## koman

> WOW! Looks like paradise Koman, great job.


Thank you FO.  I would not go quite that far, but it is a pretty nice place to live.... :Smile: 





> I especially like the flowering tree in this pic.  It grows all over Chiang Mai but I can't find out the name of it.  Do you know what it is called?


The local name sounds like "Saa-ku-la-Thai"?? (sp)......but I can't find any reference to it anywhere.     This one has two colors of flower.  The one your see in the photo and a bit later on white ones bloom as well.     Maybe somebody on TD will be able to put a name on it.....and if I come up with something better than Saa-ku-la-Thai, I will post it...... :Smile:

----------


## terp80

Your wife has done an excellent job! :smilie_clap:  The landscaping has come along nicely - and quickly. :Biggthumpup:  I would also think sodding would be good at the start of the rainy season. But I would ask the guys who sell sod. Or, better yet, for an unbiased opinion, ask some independent landscaper. :Thinkerg:

----------


## FatOne

You do love those little icons Terps

----------


## terp80

> You do love those little icons Terps


I do.  :bananaman:

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## koman

> Your wife has done an excellent job! The landscaping has come along nicely


Yes, she has.  I should have lied and taken credit for myself..... :rofl:    There's quite a lot more tree planting in the works....some kind of small pond out front...and of course preparing the ground for sod laying....whenever we get around to it.


We are now investigating window curtains.  There's lots of room for argument and drama in that process... but we are making some progress; albeit slowly... :Confused: 

The problem as usual is that all these sales people show up with a truck load of samples, but they don't seem to know the costs of anything or how to estimate quantities.    We've narrowed it down to a couple that have shown that they can at least measure a window.  I have no idea how the rest function in a competitive world.   

I'm going nearly blind looking at fabric catalogues.  

Color is often the stumbling block, but the wife and I have very similar tastes, so we are usually OK in that department; but then you have the weight, texture, and cost per meter for the cloth....then  you have all the hanging shit, and fittings. 

It's far easier to go out and buy a new car, a sailboat, or a house,  than curtains. 

  Then we'll need some Venetian blinds for the kitchen windows.....more complications... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## English Noodles

Koman, lovely looking place you have built. I have not had the chance to read through the entire thread, but I will do so in the next week or two. I just have a couple of quick questions which would probably be answered by reading the thread, but will ask anyway.

1. What is the sqm size of the house?

2. Did you design the house or have it designed for you?

3. How many Bedrooms/bathrooms?

Help is appreciated, from a quick look at the last half a dozen pages or so, this is looking like something I would consider trying to replicate to one degree or another.

Cheers, and well done.

----------


## terp80

> We are now investigating window curtains.  There's lots of room for argument and drama in that process... but we are making some progress; albeit slowly...





> Color is often the stumbling block, but the wife and I have very similar tastes, so we are usually OK in that department; but then you have the weight, texture, and cost per meter for the cloth....then  you have all the hanging shit, and fittings.


Well Koman, good for you, I say. My wife likes colors and designs from the American 70's, or from Guatemala and Honduras. I cannot live with that. :Ugh2:  But, having said that, I'm pretty sure we will agree on curtains sooner or later. If not, my money, my choice. Actually, she is OK with that, because she likes most of my choices . . . just maybe not as much. :Biggthumpup:

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## rickschoppers

Koman, your wife has done a very good job on the landscaping. She definitely has a knack for it. Thank goodness my BIL is the same and he is responsible for how our house looks on the garden side of things. Here are a few pics. I do enjoy looking at all the plants he is growing, but I must say, I do not have a green thumb myself. Landscaping is one of the next items on my agenda for the house. It adds so much and makes me feel good when things are in bloom.

----------


## koman

[QUOTE=English Noodles;2817903]Koman, lovely looking place you have built. I have not had the chance to read through the entire thread, but I will do so in the next week or two. I just have a couple of quick questions which would probably be answered by reading the thread, but will ask anyway.

1. What is the sqm size of the house?

250 m2 under the roof.   That includes several porches (which are considered living space)  The actual rooms inside add up to about 170 m2


2. Did you design the house or have it designed for you?

The design was taken from our previous house which had been designed by the Piman Group.   We used the same basic floor plan; enlarged all the rooms and added several porch areas.    Our project manager did all the re-design work for us...which was quite substantial.


3. How many Bedrooms/bathrooms?

The original plan was for a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house, but we modified it by turning one bedroom into a general purpose hang-out room, for TV, computer and playing guitar badly.    There are just the two of us so we did not need more than two bedrooms.   If anyone ever wished to turn it back to a 3 bedroom house, it would be very easy to do so.


Help is appreciated, from a quick look at the last half a dozen pages or so, this is looking like something I would consider trying to replicate to one degree or another.

Cheers, and well done.

Thank you.   If you have any more questions, just fire away...... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Koman, your wife has done a very good job on the landscaping. She definitely has a knack for it. Thank goodness my BIL is the same and he is responsible for how our house looks on the garden side of things. Here are a few pics. I do enjoy looking at all the plants he is growing, but I must say, I do not have a green thumb myself. Landscaping is one of the next items on my agenda for the house. It adds so much and makes me feel good when things are in bloom.


Thank you, she will be pleased to hear that people appreciate her efforts.   She has a great love of growing things and she has a very green thumb it seems. 

Your flora looks a bit further along than ours.  You certainly won't be short of bananas.... :Smile:    We have lots of banana, coconut, mango etc.....but mostly out back.  All the stuff out front is more of the non-edible variety............what am I saying;  the Thais eat everything.... :rofl:

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## English Noodles

Thanks for the reply, Koman. I will surely have some more questions for you soon.

----------


## pominasia

Koman
I have been following your thread from the start.  A magnificent house and I appreciate the quality of your thread.  Both require dedication and hard work !
A question - where did you get the rainwater ong  (post # 976) ?  Our house is in Tak province and so far we have not been able to locate a source.

----------


## koman

> A question - where did you get the rainwater ong  (post # 976)


Thank you, I'm glad you have enjoyed the thread.

To answer your question:   A couple of enterprising guys drive past our house about once a month selling them from the back of a flatbed truck..... :Smile:    The one you see is 1600 litres and cost 850 Thb....including handling charges..... :Smile:     They have gone out of fashion a bit in some quarters, but we like them.   Will be getting a few more soon.

----------


## cnx37

koman
Not my 1st browse. One needs a cut lunch to go through this thread! 
I like -
a) discussion re toilets - B2k - B30k!
b) sunset photos
c) Thai-style furniture - where did you get it? I much prefer Thai-style to "cheap" western stuff. Happy with it? Wife - opposite - of course.
d) KK - you lived there. What is KK?

----------


## koman

[QUOTE=cnx37;2819326]koman
Not my 1st browse. One needs a cut lunch to go through this thread! 

  Worth cutting lunch.....look at how much you can learn..... :Smile: 


I like -
a) discussion re toilets - B2k - B30k!

  Yes toilets are a minefield for the unwary.   The main difference between a 5k toilet and a 25k toilet is.......price.


b) sunset photos

 Mostly sunrise it think......but thanks anyway.. :Smile: 

c) Thai-style furniture - where did you get it? I much prefer Thai-style to "cheap" western stuff. Happy with it? Wife - opposite - of course.

 It came from a vendor who displayed his wares at a big annual market in Khonkaen..   My wife likes it much more than I do.  It's not the most comfortable furniture around;  hard as a rock to sit on, but for a Thai wife it's the cat's ass, mainly because it's a lot  more expensive that the Tesco grade stuff in the cousins houses.... :rofl: 



 KK - you lived there. What is KK? 

[QUOTE]

Khonkaen.

----------


## cnx37

No cut lunch today - sabbatical or Buddhist holiday - your pick.
Toilets - Wife, FIL/MIL - B6.5k (not B6k - not B7k). Me - B10k. Why? You are "special". You have a big arse! (No "big boss" reference).
Sunrise v sunset - same, same? Only difference - AM v PM?
Furniture - "Modern" - inferior quality, poor appearance. "Thai-style" - negative effect on the arse. Decisions, decisions? I guess that one must do the "toilet test" - sit & sit.

----------


## kelantan

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> We;....or at least She...has been busy planting and moving flora around in an attempt to beautify the place.   Considering there was nothing but raw dirt here a year ago, it's starting to come along.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...



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

It is called Sakura  (The local name sounds like "Saa-ku-la-Thai"?? (sp)......but I can't find any reference to it anywhere.)

They just added "Thai"...to make it sound Sakura Thai.. :sexy:

----------


## kelantan

"Cherry Blossom" and "Sakura" redirect here. For other uses, see Cherry Blossom (disambiguation) and Sakura (disambiguation).
 
 Cherry blossoms in Fukushima


 
 Cherry blossoms at the Tokyo Imperial Palace


 A *cherry blossom* is the flower of any of several trees of genus _Prunus_, particularly the Japanese Cherry, _Prunus serrulata_, which is sometimes called *sakura* after the Japanese (桜 or 櫻; さくら).[1][2][3]
 Cherry blossom is speculated to be native to the Himalayas.[4] Currently it is widely distributed, especially in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere such as: Europe, West Siberia, China, Japan, United States, etc.[5][6]
 Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do  not produce fruit. Edible cherries generally come from cultivars of the  related species _Prunus avium_ and _Prunus cerasus_.

----------


## koman

> They just added "Thai"...to make it sound Sakura Thai


Thank you for your input Kelantan.  I suspected that it might be some kind of cherry but I've never seen the color of flower before on a cherry tree.

  Japanese cherry is usually pink and white (I think)   This tree is more purple, but I suppose there are many different varieties around the world. 

   The  grammar school I attended (long ago) had a long line of Japanese cherry along the driveway--all pink.   It certainly has the same shape, and the leaves look about right.... :Smile:     Thanks for the info.

----------


## kelantan

You  are welcome "LORD KOMAN" :St George:

----------


## koman

QUOTE="kelantan"]You  are welcome "LORD KOMAN"  [/QUOTE]


By Jove..... not only do I have a_ Prunus serrulata_ in that picture then; the tree on the left is none other than a _Delonix Regia._    Seriously Lordly, wot..... :Smile:

----------


## palexxxx

> Originally Posted by kelantan
> 
> They just added "Thai"...to make it sound Sakura Thai
> 
> 
> Thank you for your input Kelantan.  I suspected that it might be some kind of cherry but I've never seen the color of flower before on a cherry tree.
> 
>   Japanese cherry is usually pink and white (I think)   This tree is more purple, but I suppose there are many different varieties around the world. 
> 
>    The  grammar school I attended (long ago) had a long line of Japanese cherry along the driveway--all pink.   It certainly has the same shape, and the leaves look about right....    Thanks for the info.



The Japanese cherry blossom 'sakura'  and the tree that I was enquiring about are not the same,  totally different.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by kelantan
> ...


OK, then it's back to the drawing board....WTF kind of tree is it?   

As I said,  the flower color is different to any Japanese cherry I've ever seen, but there are many different varieties of cherry apparently.   The local name sounds like Sakura....so I'm stumped.    Does TD have a botanist???

----------


## cnx37

For the past 25 years, I have lived in condos. Artificial plants are my speciality! Can I assist you, Sir? Shall we dust the plants today or next year?

----------


## koman

I never did manage to identify the mysterious flowering tree outside our front fence.  TD is lacking in botanical talent it seems.   I still think is a variety of cherry but the jury is still out on this one.

----------


## cnx37

"Isaan cherry"
"Koman cherry"
Notify the world botany societies. Problem solved?

----------


## koman

Rather than dwell on trees, I'll move along with the great window curtain saga which was finally drawn to a close just yesterday.....bit of a pun there I think... :Smile: 

The two promising contractors I mentioned previously (the ones that could measure a window) both fell down on the job.  Missed appointments, failing to show up when promised,  and not being able to come up with anything like a plan did it for me.   I was reaching the point where bare windows were the preferred option.

  Then we found this business card than a youngish fellow had dropped off way back during the early days of construction.   We called him, made an appointment;  which he kept by arrived exactly at the appointed hour driving an impressive  looking new pickup truck. 

 He came equipped with fabric samples, measuring tapes, and a bloody tablet computer loaded with pictures of his work, window designs, matched fabrics......fuck me, this was like being propelled from the late nineteenth century to 2014 in half an hour.   After weeks of getting the run-around and basically getting nowhere, we had the whole thing figured out and the job awarded in about 90 minutes.    We accepted his quote and off he went to get the curtains made.....no deposit required....he trusted us to honour out commitment.    I kept thinking how un-Thai this was, but we have had similar experiences with others, so maybe it's not that un-Thai after all.    It's just a matter of weeding out the ones who are on the ball from the many that are not.

On Friday July 25th...our man arrived with his installation team...again exactly at the appointed time.   This punctuality and efficiency is getting too much to bear......



They laid out various bits of hardware, tools and stuff on the front porch.......everything was very well organized in big plastic boxes.  They had excellent tools and equipment.....even a kind of staff uniform.



Easily identified by his pink golf shirt (uniform) this fellow is checking the net curtains which were stored in two plastic bins.  They all know exactly where to find everything....totally organized.

Four men...each with his own special tasks.  One would drill holes, another would mount brackets, while others were arranging poles, and curtain rings ready to hang.



The actual hanging bit brings them all together in one great coordinated effort.....something like an orchestra.... or at least a barbershop quartet... :Smile: 

By early evening they had finished.  Here are some of the results.














We are not totally finished yet.  There are still 5 windows to be fitted with pelmets, and a bit of minor adjusting here and there.   I understand that the curtains have to hang for a bit before they do the little adjustments.  The have to take their "shape" and all the little creases need to stretch out.   

The place looks and feels a bit less barren now.  Very impressed with the little family business that made the curtains.  Nice people, good prices and excellent delivery of service.   It does happen every once in a while to make up for all the other clusterfucks out there... :Smile: 

One nice little touch.....they made us a dozen matching cushion covers out of the surplus curtain material....free of charge.   Now that's a class act.

----------


## cnx37

QUALITY PRODUCT COUPLED WITH QUALITY SERVICE? A rare double in LOS?
Furniture - I am "obsessed" with "Thai" furniture. Wife is obsessed with "modern" furniture.
A "mix", a "blend" - no thank you. We are both somewhat "firm" on our opinions here.
In an unusual fashion, I am "putting my foot down". As they say, "my $$$" - but her house/land?

----------


## terp80

> The place looks and feels a bit less barren now.  Very impressed with the little family business that made the curtains.  Nice people, good prices and excellent delivery of service.   It does happen every once in a while to make up for all the other clusterfucks out there... 
> One nice little touch.....they made us a dozen matching cushion covers out of the surplus curtain material....free of charge.   Now that's a class act.


Wow! Looks terrific Koman! That service is truly impressive! :goldcup:  I hope they put all those others out of business. Too bad they're nowhere near me. :Sad:

----------


## koman

> Furniture - I am "obsessed" with "Thai" furniture. Wife is obsessed with "modern" furniture.
> A "mix", a "blend" - no thank you. We are both somewhat "firm" on our opinions here.


Compromise is possible.  We have a good mix of Thai and "western" furniture and they go very well together. 

  The western furniture is not the modern "boxy" stuff where only angles of 90 degrees are allowed and the only colours are black and white.  I hate that stuff...suitable only for dental clinic waiting rooms..... :Smile:  

 French provincial style or the classic Edwardian period stuff goes very well with traditional Thai or Sino-Thai furniture IMO.    No accounting for taste in furnishings----or anything else for that matter.   No matter what you choose, somebody is going to hate it.... which should sent the "don't give a shit" meter over into the red sector...... :Smile:    You have to please yourself in all these things,

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> The place looks and feels a bit less barren now.  Very impressed with the little family business that made the curtains.  Nice people, good prices and excellent delivery of service.   It does happen every once in a while to make up for all the other clusterfucks out there... 
> One nice little touch.....they made us a dozen matching cushion covers out of the surplus curtain material....free of charge.   Now that's a class act.
> 
> 
> Wow! Looks terrific Koman! That service is truly impressive! I hope they put all those others out of business. Too bad they're nowhere near me.




Thanks T80, we really like the way it turned out.   As with many other things we have done, a lot of time and frustration was involved in finding people who shows any real signs of interest and ability to do the job well. 

  There must be about 20 outfits around here doing curtains,  but all of the ones we contacted turned out to be real duds.    I had just decided not to give out work to people who showed no signs of trying to earn it. 

  Patience is a huge asset here....there are good people who can do decent work around.  It's just a matter of plodding along until they show up and prove themselves.   The worst thing you can do in Thailand is try to hurry...... :Smile:

----------


## palexxxx

> I never did manage to identify the mysterious flowering tree outside our front fence.  TD is lacking in botanical talent it seems.   I still think is a variety of cherry but the jury is still out on this one.



OK,  I found out that it's a Lagerstroemia speciosa,  also known as Rose of India or Pride of India.

https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=...2F%3B640%3B471

Thanks koman for attempting to find out.

----------


## palexxxx

btw,  those curtains do look great,  congratulations on getting lucky with a good local business.

----------


## koman

> OK,  I found out that it's a Lagerstroemia speciosa,  also known as Rose of India or Pride of India.


Thank you for that PaleX  Great job finding it.  That definitely fits.   Man, when my _Delonix Regia_ starts blooming alongside my _Lagerstroema speclosa_.......it's going to be quite a show..... :Smile:   I think the Regia has another year to go before it blossoms....then it's bright flame red.  In fact it's often called the "flame tree".  Grows really big too..... :Smile:   We are on the lookout for more of these trees.

----------


## BKKBILL

No, no, non koman this will never do!

Where is the drama, the frustration, drilling holes in the wrong location, hand marks on all the walls and curtains, asking for extra payment for gas.

Oh wait that was my installation, sorry carry on.

----------


## rickschoppers

It is great when you finally find a group of well trained and skilled workers. This just proves that there are some in Thailand and it just takes time to find them. Glad to see you found someone who is actually skilled AND organized. I just wish they were in my area. 

I opted to go without drapes since I felt there are no skilled workers around. I will continue to look since you have been successful in finding some.

----------


## FatOne

Wow! Koman, the curtains look great! I hope when my time comes ( and I actually have windows) I can find the same sort of guys. I'll be lucky if I can find anyone who does curtains in the sticks where I am. I had a similar job done in my house in Oz a few years back, 2 large sets of windows cost me about $A5k, about b150k. Was your job expensive?

----------


## koman

> Where is the drama, the frustration, drilling holes in the wrong location, hand marks on all the walls and curtains, asking for extra payment for gas.


I've had quite a few of those experiences too.  I'm a bona fide graduate of the Thai school of building and home improvement now..... :Smile:    We live and learn as they say... :Smile: 





> opted to go without drapes since I felt there are no skilled workers around. I will continue to look since you have been successful in finding some.


Pretty much describes the stage I had reached when we finally found the business that we hired to do the job.   Time, patience.....and always a bit of good luck... :Smile: 





> I had a similar job done in my house in Oz a few years back, 2 large sets of windows cost me about $A5k, about b150k. Was your job expensive?


FO, that is actually quite funny...... I paid 45000 Thb for the whole thing including 3 venetian blinds for the kitchen.    Good quality fabric and very good work.   

You just can not compare the costs of this kind of thing with Australia (even beyond the black stump) or any other "developed" country that I know of. 

  Three women worked for two weeks making these curtains, then 4 guys plus the manager worked for a whole day installing them.   I estimate the labour cost to be about 15K-18K....and the rest for all the fabric, fittings etc for a total of 12 windows and one large sliding door.  

My last port of call was Vancouver, BC....where the average house now sells for $748,000 and a plumber charges $150 just for the call out.....I can't even begin to guess what this curtain job would have cost there.

I see people on various forums complaining that Thailand is getting too expensive but they seem to be mostly guys who have lived here for a long time and they appear to have forgotten that things have become a lot more expensive back home too. 

 Two problems we all have to deal with are inflation and exchange rates....which are deteriorating again now that the coup thing is all settled down.  The Bahtski is on the rise again... :Confused:    A bit of informed hedging is required to keep ahead of this particular game.... :Smile: .

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## FatOne

That is incredibly cheap, and for such a great job! Ok , I was just going to throw up some drapes myself but now I'm going to get the real thing. Thanks for that Koman.

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## koman

Houses look different when the light of day moves into twilight and night.  We arrived home from a regular multi million baht trip to Makro the other day.  It was that time of day when the light was fading, so all the light were turned on.   

I grabbed the camera and shot some pics of the place lit up in the gathering gloom.



Arriving at the front gate.  The sun is well down below the tree line behind me and the light is fading to dusk.   There's a bit of a glow in the clouds back there on the left.....reflection of the setting sun. 








The sky looks cool blue as the light fades, but the glow of the lamps warms up the foreground.



Lamplight on the north patio tile... 



....on the front patio tile.......



The effects of nightfall on the camera.....exaggerated deep blues in the sky. 


The driveway looks a bit of a mess.  We cut the grass and weeds down with the trusty Honda brush cutter earlier.  The jungle was encroaching fast.  Some of this stuff seems to grow about a meter a minute at times.... :Smile: 

Still hedging around laying the sod.....we need to go visit the landscaping company to see if the price is still good and when/if they can fit us in.  Busy outfit, with a bit of a waiting list.   The good ones always seem to be that way.....

----------


## terp80

Looks really beautiful! Nice job Koman. Unusual, cool blue neon look in a couple. These photos are frameable. :goldcup:

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## cnx37

Korman, before your head swells too much, I offer my congratulations. Beautiful, functional, tasteful, $$$ OK. Enough complimentary words? What more does one "need"?

----------


## rickschoppers

Very nice curb appeal Koman, congrats!

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## RangsitRiot

Really nice bahn there! Would love to sit on that veranda with a few ice cold Leos

----------


## koman

> These photos are frameable


I've tried to produce the best photos that I'm capable of.  Sometimes they turn out pretty good, sometimes not..... :Smile: 





> What more does one "need"?


Well. lets see.  I need about 1200 m2 of sod.   I need a small tractor and a few attachments to keep this place from turning into jungle......I need an electric motor to open and close the gate.... and I need about 40 years of my life back...... :Smile: 





> Very nice curb appeal Koman, congrats


We do get lots of people stopping to take photos.....not sure if they like the house or they are putting in on their list of burglary targets..... :Confused: 





> Would love to sit on that veranda with a few ice cold Leos


That does happen once in a while.... There is even an upgrade to Beer Lao when it can be found... :Smile:

----------


## cnx37

koman - congrats - 40k views but only 1k responses. I guess words could not describe the emotions.

----------


## JBaker

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Koman, do you think it's possible to get the driveway to this stage then just lay shingle rather than concrete it, like below? How do you reckon it'd work out in Thailand? Have you seen any (I don't think I have); would the cost be similar?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sorry to jump forward is someone answered this. It's called exposed aggregate. You're right it's a concrete pour and then a choice of rocks is put on it while still wet and that is pressed in with a long float. It is actually pressed all the way in and then the next morning while the concrete is still green, it is acid washed to expose the aggregate.

That red color reminds me of the SE US where they have that color of rocks in abundance. 

It is screened to get the various sizes from pea gravel (size of green peas) up to about 1/2".

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## FatOne

House is looking ultra comfortable Koman, my congrats on a job well done

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> ...



Bit of a blast from the past there.... :Smile:   Bettyboo  (who seems to have done a runner from TD recently)   brought this driveway idea up way back during the build.   

I have never seen it in Thailand, but it's quite common in the US and parts of Canada.   It can be done in several ways as I've discovered.   One as you describe,  and another way which involves the laying of preformed slabs over the concrete base. 

  It generally looks very nice, but the one problem people seem to have with it is cleaning.  Seems that the pebbled surface can collect all kinds of dirt which can not be removed easily with a casual sweep.  This is especially true where there is a lot of foliage nearby.   It needs to be power washed on a regular basis to keep it looking good.; which is OK for smaller driveways, but a bit of a chore on a big one. 

I really like the look of it, but I think I'm going to just live with my raw concrete.

Thanks for your comments.... :Smile:

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## koman

> House is looking ultra comfortable Koman, my congrats on a job well done


Thanks FO.  You will get there before too long.  The fun part is still ahead..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

Me house was invaded by a hoard of Thais the other day.

 Village  Headmen and a collection of Matriarchs.   The purpose of this august gathering...???   First a photo is required:

.

Well you see, the young couple seated on the floor with their heads kept well below the level of their elders, wish to marry.  

Such a proposal has thrown two families and a host of others into a state of panic.   Blood lines have to be authenticated;  bank balances checked, along with a whole range of personal attributes and an assessment of degrees of suitability.     Serious business indeed.



Some of these people are related in some obscure way to my wife and so our house was commandeered for this important meeting because, maybe we have more chairs than any of the others.  I can' think of any other reason.   

Anyhow we supplied them with cool water, various juices, coffee and tea.   My booze cabinet was locked and secured at all times.

After a couple of hours of intensive interrogation, and negotiation, some kind of deal was reached whereby the couple could become "engaged" once a suitable sum of money was paid to the girls Mother....(figures, there would be cash involved)    It's by no means clear where this money is coming from because the prospective groom does not have enough to fill up the tank of his motorbike.

He is 27 years old and she is 24.  

I'm standing by for the request to fund this venture.... I can smell it coming.... :Confused: 


My side of the family really has very little interest in any of this...



Wake us up when it's over will ya.......thanks.

----------


## rickschoppers

Koman, I don't have to tell you to stay away from this situation as far as you can get. In no way offer any advice, money or solutions. You have been here long enough to know once you stick your nose in, it will be pulled along until you are too deep to pull out.

On the other hand. It was a nice gesture that they chose your house to hold the important meeting. You handled yourself well by giving cold drinks an no alcohol. They must respect you for reasons you don't even know. I would just take it as a compliment and move along.

----------


## JBaker

> Originally Posted by JBaker
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


Actually it's not hard to keep clean. It's given two or three coats of clear gloss concrete sealer which brings out the color in the rocks and the rain will wash away most dirt and debris.

As you know, nothing will actually be glossy unless it's free of imperfections, so it doesn't look or act glossy. More of a semi-gloss. A driveway should never be level but rather have enough side slope that water will run off, and that will help carry away any dirt.

A pressure washer might damage the sealer. 

The rocks are barely exposed so that they can't come loose.

----------


## rickschoppers

^
Slippery when wet?

----------


## pseudolus

> Wake us up when it's over will ya.......thanks.


Lovely doggies  :Wink:  

Don't know why you allowed that BS in your house. First sign of that lot moving in to make your house the official village meeting place, I would have had my foot firmly down.

----------


## JBaker

> snip---
> 
> My side of the family really has very little interest in any of this...
> 
> 
> 
> Wake us up when it's over will ya.......thanks.


I don't know how you can risk having such vicious dogs around. They are obviously alert, on guard, and ready for anything.  

(Maybe a rub on the belly?)

----------


## koman

> Actually it's not hard to keep clean. It's given two or three coats of clear gloss concrete sealer which brings out the color in the rocks and the rain will wash away most dirt and debris. 
> As you know, nothing will actually be glossy unless it's free of imperfections, so it doesn't look or act glossy. More of a semi-gloss. A driveway should never be level but rather have enough side slope that water will run off, and that will help carry away any dirt. 
> A pressure washer might damage the sealer.  
> The rocks are barely exposed so that they can't come loose.


I'm sure you're right.  I have no personal experience with this kind of driveway surface....just what I've heard.   I've never seen it in Thailand so it may nor even be available...although there are concrete tiles with pebbly surfaces that would probably look similar.    Might look into one day after all the landscaping,  sodding, tractor purchasing and various horticultural ventures are done with..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Lovely doggies


Thanks, they will appreciate that..... :Smile: 





> Don't know why you allowed that BS in your house. First sign of that lot moving in to make your house the official village meeting place, I would have had my foot firmly down.


Not a chance. We allowed them to meet here, because it seemed like a civil thing to do under the circumstances.  They wanted someplace private where curiosity seekers would not be able to wander in.     I really did not mind.   If it shows any signs of becoming a regular event, then the dogs get turned loose on em..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> They are obviously alert, on guard, and ready for anything.   
> (Maybe a rub on the belly?)


That white guy in  the foreground is mostly very alert and watchful.  He patrols the property all night, looking for threats,  and takes his naps during the day.    The other two are just pups....4 months old.    The one at the top right is called "Flip".....because she's always flipping over on her back and demanding belly rubs..... :Smile: 

These dogs  have all been rescued from a short and brutal existence living out on the street with all the other soi dogs.    They seem to have great natural "street smarts" encoded into them at birth.    They are great pets.....but not exactly "best in show" material..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> They must respect you for reasons you don't even know.


I think the appearance of cash flow may have something to do with it...or it could be my great charm and handsomness...... :rofl: .

You are quite right of course.  I'm not getting involved in any advise giving, or any kind of family negotiations.   The only real danger is my wife being sucked into the thing, because she is involved just by virtue of the fact that she is from here, and related to some of the players.    They will try to rope anyone in who shows signs of having a few baht to throw around.... :Confused: 

We have to be diplomatic and try to maintain neutrality at all times.  I'm already prepared for any kind of cash requests..... :Smile:

----------


## JBaker

> Originally Posted by JBaker
> 
> They are obviously alert, on guard, and ready for anything.   
> (Maybe a rub on the belly?)
> 
> 
> That white guy in  the foreground is mostly very alert and watchful.  He patrols the property all night, looking for threats,  and takes his naps during the day.    The other two are just pups....4 months old.    The one at the top right is called "Flip".....because she's always flipping over on her back and demanding belly rubs.....
> 
> These dogs  have all been rescued from a short and brutal existence living out on the street with all the other soi dogs.    They seem to have great natural "street smarts" encoded into them at birth.    They are great pets.....but not exactly "best in show" material.....


Great story.

----------


## cnx37

koman, may I suggest a "donation" of about B5m towards the welfare of the "young ones". Bride price, vehicle, party, small home - you will be the "headman's 2IC" - prestige, respect - a small price to pay. Farang - jai dee mak. Negative - there will be a lineup at your doorstep from "young ones".

----------


## koman

> koman, may I suggest a "donation" of about B5m towards the welfare of the "young ones". Bride price, vehicle, party, small home - you will be the "headman's 2IC" - prestige, respect - a small price to pay. Farang - jai dee mak. Negative - there will be a lineup at your doorstep from "young ones".


A man of your obvious means can no doubt do such things, but I'm more inclined to just buy them a toaster ----if they in fact do get married.   I'm sure that would be enough to maintain the exalted position I've earned in this community... :rofl: 

Funny how in the early days of this thread people were telling me how walls and fences were not necessary....undesirable even....separates one from the community etc etc..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## cnx37

Oh Exalted One - what is a toaster? Mornings; vendor of Pad Thai; by night, KFC deliveries. If only! Avoiding Immigration authorities - life is bliss. My only friend - a soi dog. Life is getting better!

----------


## BKKBILL

> ...or it could be my great charm and handsomness.......


Yes, yes that is it or well.................. :smiley laughing:

----------


## JBaker

> ^
> Slippery when wet?


No, not at all. The rock itself has enough roughness, and the rocks in combination enough difference to allow good traction. The sealer soaks into the pores and doesn't actually put a slick film on the rocks.

----------


## koman

When our carport builders finished building, the roof ridges and facia boards had not been painted.  They need to leave the cement on the ridges for a week or two before they paint it.  

Of course the weeks came and went without any signs of the crew coming back to finish the job....and I had paid them in full.   This is usually a capital mistake........

But, a few days ago they showed up right out of the blue; ready to paint.  Thais are not noted for keeping appointments or tight work schedules.   Eight weeks instead of two is well within the margin of error in such matters.... :Smile: 



Here they are, busy painting the facia boards to match the ones on the house.



...and here they are, just finishing the top ridge.  Definitely looks better without all that grey cement.  

They also did a few extra jobs around the place free of charge, because as the boss felt sorry about keeping us waiting so long.   There's hope for Thailand after all..... :Smile:

----------


## BKKBILL

I do like that carport koman.  :Smile:

----------


## 6kon

Yes I very nice carport.

Hope you didn't had to sell your car to finance it..  :Smile: 

6kon

----------


## koman

> I do like that carport koman


Thanks.  It's turning into a kind of apothecary were the wife brews up her folksy medicines and tonics from tree bark, fruit, leaves and Christ knows what else...but I will continue to call it a carport.





> Hope you didn't had to sell your car to finance it..


No we still have our pickup truck,  although it may be eventually displaced by big plastic bins of brewing stuff as mentioned above.

Meanwhile She went out and bought a couple of pieces of pretty hideous outdoor furniture for 1500 baht each.





I was not that thrilled about this acquisition, but yesterday she sold one of them for 3000 baht.....so we ended up with a free swing seat; even though I don't like it all that much, it's hard to be critical of such business acumen..... :Smile:    I'm sure that I will learn to like it, given time..... :Smile:

----------


## FatOne

Now that's the sort of girl you need! Bit of luck she'll get rid of the other one soon, and you can get something a bit more comfortable

----------


## BKKBILL

Get her to sell the second one use the proceeds to get something you both like.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Now that's the sort of girl you need! Bit of luck she'll get rid of the other one soon, and you can get something a bit more comfortable


The thing is actually quite comfortable.  It's just big and bulky.  Some people (including many Thais) really like this kind of thing, but it's not really my style.




> Get her to sell the second one use the proceeds to get something you both like.


The wife likes it so I don't mind if it stays. I don't really hate it or anything.   A couple of the dogs have taken a liking to it as well.   It's not like we are short of things to sit on around here, ..but she just saw a good deal and grabbed it.  Worked out pretty well so far..... :Smile:

----------


## cnx37

This may well be a test on how much you love your dogs? & why did the wife "grab" you?

----------


## Wasp

Koman Sweetie ......

 On my story I asked for some assistance about 4 holes in the ground .... but nobody helped . :Guilty: 

So I'm coming straight to someone who may know .

I need to ask the Indolent Brother to do some work as I'm in England and he's slothing around over there . But he's fairly hopeless .
However if I say absolutely specifically what he should do he might even get it right .

Better if you would look on my Thread really because the photos are there .... but what I'm doing is asking him to dig 4 holes and maybe even put in 4 posts in order to extend the balcony .

There won't be a lot of weight on this .

Here is a photo of how you did things .



If my 4 new posts are just supporting a balcony ( and me sometimes ) would it be overkill asking him to dig out and construct bases copying what I can see here ?



Wasp

----------


## BKKKevin

I've seem at Global House where they have pre made footing post with a flared base in different lengths starting at 1/2 meter... Seems like those in a hole then filled with gravel would be sufficient..

----------


## Storekeeper

Love it Koman. Possibly my favorite of all the house threads I've seen in the past 8-9 years.

----------


## koman

^

I agree with BKKKevin.   

Wasp,  that photo above is the base of a column rated to withstand 27 metric tons..

I've looked at the photos on your tread and it looks like your balcony extension which can be accomplished by cantilevering beams forward from the existing balcony supports, and installing a few preformed posts along the outer edge. 

I used these posts to support our carport roof; which is quite big and heavy.   They cost around 550 baht each for 3.5 meter posts, but you can get them in different lengths.  They will just need a half meter deep hole with a solid base of gravel and a few buckets of cement....and a couple of muscular somchais to lift them into a vertical position.....somchais with a plumb line or level would be best..... :Smile:  



These are the kind of posts you need.  They are very strong and if you use 3 or 4 of them, your balcony will be just fine....as long as you use good support beams as well.... :Smile: 

Even the village idiots can install these things without too much difficulty, so the indolent BIL should do just fine.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Love it Koman. Possibly my favorite of all the house threads I've seen in the past 8-9 years.


Wow, thank you Storekeeper.  That is high praise indeed. There are a lot of very good constructions threads on TD.  

When I started this one, I had never even posted a photo on TD before, so that was the first hurdle to overcome.  If you look back at the first couple of posts, you can see that I was  struggling a bit,  but managed to improve as the mysteries of PhotoBucket became less mysterious.

Running a decent construction thread is quite a lot of work, but I was fortunate to have lots of good input from others,  and plenty of good humor, as well as a bit of criticism here and there.. You have to expect that I suppose.   

My controversial kitchen cabinets and bathroom urinal have been great successes, despite the condemnations by a few of TD's interior décor gurus..... :rofl:  

I'm just drip feeding the odd photo now that the project is essentially completed....and of course offering any advise or help that I can if/when someone asks.   There is much to be said for first hand experience.   I think there's a lot of useful information here for anyone who wants to take the time to search it out.

----------


## cnx37

and of course offering any advise or help that I can if/when someone asks.   There is much to be said for first hand experience.   I think there's a lot of useful information here for anyone who wants to take the time to search it out.[/QUOTE]

OK, koman, small challenge issued -
a) kitchen cabinets. Purchase CNX (major Thai suppliers) v Fang ie similar to your situation - (Isaan style). Your experience/thoughts? Our indoor kitchen will primarily be a boiling of water outlet! Major cooking - outdoors.
b) bathroom - paint v tiles (warning - terps brought this up) 
c) H & C water outlets - bathroom. I will have one (shaving) or zilch. Other members of the household - no interest. Not really an issue - wife shaves me - she brings in the hot water.
d) windows & sliding doors - basically, we have decided to go "local" - logistics - Fang is 150km from CNX. Measurement & installation=headache?

OK - a starter to keep your idle mind occupied!
Thanks, koman! (or should you be thanking me?)

 :cmn:  :cmn:  :cmn:

----------


## Bettyboo

> Love it Koman. Possibly my favorite of all the house threads I've seen in the past 8-9 years.


Red sent, and reloading...

Certainly the slowest build I've seen in the past 8-9 years!  :Smile:

----------


## thaimeme

> Originally Posted by Storekeeper
> 
> Love it Koman. Possibly my favorite of all the house threads I've seen in the past 8-9 years.
> 
> 
> Red sent, and reloading...
> 
> Certainly the slowest build I've seen in the past 8-9 years!


Needn't be so harsh, Bets...
Everyone has their own time schedule.

As long as it is finished to specs!!
 :Smile:

----------


## Wasp

> I've seem at Global House where they have pre made footing post with a flared base in different lengths starting at 1/2 meter... Seems like those in a hole then filled with gravel would be sufficient..


I need to be clear for the brother .

Does this mean dig down a half metre and then use the precast posts ?

the land is well-settled . Never disturbed . So I don't need anything under the posts ?

And thank you BKKK.



Wasp

----------


## Wasp

KOMAN : They will just need a half meter deep hole with a solid base of gravel and a few buckets of cement....

Being annoyingly specific ..... " a solid base of gravel " would be what thickness ? Please .

The brother's not the village idiot . He's aspiring to that level . He's just the village sloth.

and thanks .

----------


## koman

> and of course offering any advise or help that I can if/when someone asks.   There is much to be said for first hand experience.   I think there's a lot of useful information here for anyone who wants to take the time to search it out.


OK, koman, small challenge issued -
a) kitchen cabinets. Purchase CNX (major Thai suppliers) v Fang ie similar to your situation - (Isaan style). Your experience/thoughts? Our indoor kitchen will primarily be a boiling of water outlet! Major cooking - outdoors.

If  your indoor kitchen is not really a kitchen, why spend a lot of money on it?  Our kitchen cost quite a lot, but it's used all the time and I like kitchens.  I've always considered the kitchen the most important room in the house...and still do. 


b) bathroom - paint v tiles (warning - terps brought this up) 

I've never even considered painting  a bathroom in this climate.  No matter what paint you use it seems to get mouldy and ugly pretty quickly.  Tile (even the best) is dirt cheap here....and it's virtually maintenance free and will last forever.



c) H & C water outlets - bathroom. I will have one (shaving) or zilch. Other members of the household - no interest. Not really an issue - wife shaves me - she brings in the hot water.

We installed hot water in both our bathrooms because we don't like anyone suffering from hypothermia on January mornings.  If the locals wish to freeze their asses off, good for them, but this is a farang household.  We do hot water.


d) windows & sliding doors - basically, we have decided to go "local" - logistics - Fang is 150km from CNX. Measurement & installation=headache?

It should not be a headache, but I have no way of knowing what level of door/window expertise exists in Fang.   Our installation was very slick and professional. No problems at all.

----------


## koman

> Certainly the slowest build I've seen in the past 8-9 years!


Well we did have foundations, a proper roof, kitchen and stuff like that.  It takes a bit longer than a tarp hung over bamboo poles ya know....... :Smile: 

Welcome back BTW..... :Smile:

----------


## koman

[QUOTE=Wasp;2851344]


> I've seem at Global House where they have pre made footing post with a flared base in different lengths starting at 1/2 meter... Seems like those in a hole then filled with gravel would be sufficient..


I need to be clear for the brother .

Does this mean dig down a half metre and then use the precast posts ?

the land is well-settled . Never disturbed . So I don't need anything under the posts ?

And thank you BKKK.


Yes, dig the hole half a meter deep.  If the ground is well compacted already, you probably don't need much under the base of the post,  but it's probably best to put something under it.    I think my guys dumped in a layer of crushed rock about 12-15 cms thick on the bottom before erecting the post.

Once the upright posts are all "tied" together at the top they will form a very strong supporting box to hold the whole extension bit up.  

It doesn't look like you are going to have a great deal of compression with that balcony extension anyway,  from what I can see in the pics.

----------


## Wasp

Gratitudes .

----------


## cnx37

Professor koman -
a) kitchen - simple.
b) bathroom - tiles
c) H/C water - not difficult - inexpensive.
d) Windows, sliding doors - I trust Fang supplier - support the "locals" He better be good or he will be shot! A fair deal?

----------


## koman

Remember this august gathering in my living room a while back?

The sad news is that the grand romance and marriage proposal died a sudden death when the girls mother demanded 200K up front from the young man. 

He's a very decent and responsible young fellow and is clearly quite taken with little PomPet (or whatever her name is)  but the parents are not interested in things like that for their daughter.  They are only prepared to sell her apparently.  She will probably end up with a local loan shark or Yabba dealer.  200K is pocket change to those guys.  

I bought my MIL a new washing machine in exchange for the wife, so I guess that was a pretty good deal, all things considered. .... :Smile: 

Should I buy PomPet and install her as a Mia Noi.....just to save her from the loan sharks like..... :Smile:

----------


## FatOne

This dowry business is ridiculous! Poor kids! I came across it when last visiting the village, my stepson was seeing a young girl from the next village, I believe seeing is a loose term, bedding is probably more accurate, and my wife decided they had better formalise the deal, went to see her parents and agreed to pay about b100k, can't remember the figure, but it seemed a lot to me. Her parents are quite well off too! Bloody stupid, but she tells me the folks around now consider them as good as married, whereas if they had been discovered it would have been bad, and I think we'd all lose "face"

----------


## palexxxx

> Should I buy PomPet and install her as a Mia Noi.....just to save her from the loan sharks like.....



That would be the decent thing to do.   ::chitown::

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> Should I buy PomPet and install her as a Mia Noi.....just to save her from the loan sharks like.....
> 
> 
> 
> That would be the decent thing to do.


Might not be a bad deal.  200K is about the price of a beat up pickup truck at the auction... :Smile:   She's quite pretty but I don't know if she has a brain or anything.   Maybe not important for a Mia Noi.... :Smile:    I'll clear it with the wife...... :smiley laughing:

----------


## cnx37

koman, I fullly support your philantropic "desires". Your wife will definitely have a similar understanding. Therefore, you have no choice. Go for it! An "award" of "Permanent Residency" (the ulimate prize of a farang in LOS) will be in the mail. Congrats!

----------


## Wasp

No brain but very pretty ?

Perfect.

You should save her from the loan sharks ....... for the next 5 years .




Wasp

----------


## koman

Thought it was time for another look at the construction section of TD and update me thread with a few photos of the progress since we moved into the house.   We have been living in it for six months already, and so far no problems worth mentioning have shown up.   A few very minor rendering cracks in the outside columns but you have to look hard to find them.

Also we have one stress crack in the concrete driveway, where one of the poured slabs has subsided a bit where the ground underneath was a bit softer than the rest.  Not too bad considering the amount of concrete.   No electrical, plumbing or structural issues at all......so far so good as they say.   

The progress has been all on the surrounds.  It's a lot of land to cover but it's coming along.   The lawn sodding is on hold.  I'm considering sowing the whole thing with grass-seed.  It's a lot less expensive than sod, so I think it's worth a try.  We'll have to wait until the rains come back before sowing or sodding...new grass needs lots of watering.   If the seeding does not work out, it's back to sod.....after all it's just money.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 



A few new  trees have been planted in the front garden area.  



This is the outline of what will be a crushed rock roadway leading to the rear of the property.  January should see that finished.  We need the ground to be nice and hard.


This is the future road looking the other way......kind of a tree lined avenue look we hope.   Maybe Wasp can insert a coach to give it a more regal appearance?




General view of our scorched earth front,  which will one day have nice grass and hopefully look like a lawn.....which means I have to fork out for a decent lawn mower....




The foliage along the perimeter pathway is coming along nicely. 



The vegetable garden area is well prepared for planting.  Needs a bit more tilling to break up the soil and we're ready to start feeding the world.




This is supposed to be a future Lime tree plantation.  We copied this setup from one of the wife's cousins.  They produce loads of high quality fruit with this arrangement....so we'll have to see how that goes.



Looking out the front sliding doors towards the front gate.


A great deal of work has gone into the landscaping already, but it's a big job and takes time to show results.  This is all a DIY operation so far.    Another year should  make a big difference in how the place looks.

----------


## KiCanCummins

Well done koman,
So in 12 months you should be able to sit back and take in all the rewards on a Job well done then!!!

----------


## terp80

All the plants look terrific koman. :Smile:  That lawn is going to be more difficult. Good luck! :Fingersx:

----------


## FatOne

Looks great Koman, well done

----------


## koman

Thanks guys.  There's a way to go, but we are pleased with the progress so far.

The latest project (wife project, not mine) is to grow half a rai of onions... :Confused: 
This is guaranteed to generate huge revenue flows....her view.....my view is that she will be lucky to cover half the cost of the water pump we bought for irrigation.   Good thing I'm not dependent on any of these folk for income..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 


The soil is all tilled and read to go....


I bought her this spectacular new water pump....at outrageous expense... :Smile: 


Hired some help from the village to plant 100 kg of onion seed.


I have to say these women earn their 300 baht...they work from about 7am till 5:30pm out in the sun; eat their rice and fish under a shade tree and just chat constantly about bank bonuses; falling stock prices,  the excess oil supply,  and the downward pressure on commodity prices etc......

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps145dd16d.jpg

It's that time of year when the Thais feel the need to burn everything and poison the air for a month or two.  One big advantage of the rainy season is that they can't burn everything combustible around them.


Hard to believe these trees are only a year old...  they give me hope that the onions will grow well and the wife recoup at least part of the expense of growing the bloody things.


I went out this morning to see what the dogs were kicking up such a stink about, and found this standing there.....?   Some relative of the wife gave it to us.   Although she's not very responsive,  I guess this is as close as I'm going to get to having a Mia Noi.... :smiley laughing:

----------


## nigelandjan

Good job well done mate , looks a really nice place , hope your both very happy there for many years to come .

BTW , if its any consolation to you regards outlay versus income regarding your veg plot ,

   I offered the same advice on deaf ears to the thousands of pounds the wife wasted on 3 lots of land with rubber trees on em , that was 6 years ago , so far have been proved correct every year , of course I am not counting the kudos she gains by walking round telling her friends , " You see all them trees over there ? they are mine , and so is that lot "etc  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Wasp

> I bought her this spectacular new water pump....at outrageous expense...


How outrageously expensive is such a thing ? 
*Missy*'s dad could do with one .... although we've previously bought him stuff and when he's drunk he doesn't even SELL the things . He gives them away !
But still how much for one ?




> :



I've always enjoyed your Thread , *koman* , and here for the only time I have a close-up of the detail at the foot of your columns ..... and I really like it .



Wasp

----------


## koman

> Good job well done mate , looks a really nice place , hope your both very happy there for many years to come .
> 
> BTW , if its any consolation to you regards outlay versus income regarding your veg plot ,
> 
>    I offered the same advice on deaf ears to the thousands of pounds the wife wasted on 3 lots of land with rubber trees on em , that was 6 years ago , so far have been proved correct every year , of course I am not counting the kudos she gains by walking round telling her friends , " You see all them trees over there ? they are mine , and so is that lot "etc


Thank you Nigel.  Yes many Thais do seem to be unable to made a connection or see the relationship between cost of production and income from production.  I understand that the rubber business has fallen on hard times after a long period of being quite lucrative.  Never mind, the land will always be there.

Onions on the other hand are going to replace oil as the world largest producer of revenue from a single product..  Just wait and see.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> How outrageously expensive is such a thing ?


Hi Wasp.
Like most things of this kind, there's a wide range of units and prices on the market.    The one you see above cost 8200 Thb plus fittings to handle difference sized hose connections, and two hoses....one special 12m one for water intake, with a big strainer mounted at the intake end; and 100m of soft flexible hose for watering.....  the final damage was just over 11,000 Thb.

We buy all our motor driven stuff from a local family shop, so we probably spend a bit more than going to Global, Homepro etc.   The owners are very wise in the ways of small engines and mechanical stuff, and they are very helpful and honest.   Any time we have a problem, they are ten minutes away and always very willing and able to to fix it....while lending us a replacement if they need to take something into their repair shop.  

I saw other units with labels touting unheard of brands,  that looked similar,  for as little as 3600 Thb....but in my experience,  the Honda small engines are far better than any of the other stuff  I've found out there and we got good quality attachments etc.

   I've tried the funky  lower end stuff before, ....chain saws, sprayers etc.....and ended up replacing them very  quickly....so they end up not being very cheap after all when you have to virtually give them away and then go out and get good ones that will get the job done and last a while.

----------


## Wasp

" Buy Cheap and you buy Twice " ...... _at least_ twice .



W.

----------


## Wasp

> The sad news is that the grand romance and marriage proposal died a sudden death when the girls mother demanded 200K up front from the young man. 
> He's a very decent and responsible young fellow and is clearly quite taken with little PomPet


Did any happy ending come out of this ?  :Sad: 



Wasp

----------


## Stumpy

> Houses look different when the light of day moves into twilight and night.  We arrived home from a regular multi million baht trip to Makro the other day.  It was that time of day when the light was fading, so all the light were turned on.   
> 
> I grabbed the camera and shot some pics of the place lit up in the gathering gloom.
> 
> 
> 
> Arriving at the front gate.  The sun is well down below the tree line behind me and the light is fading to dusk.   There's a bit of a glow in the clouds back there on the left.....reflection of the setting sun. 
> 
> 
> ...


Beauty house Koman,

I followed as a guest for sometime but wanted to post in now. I can't wait to get where I can take some pictures like that of our place.

----------


## koman

> Did any happy ending come out of this ?



The young guy had the good sense to tell his proposed in-laws to piss off.....Pompen sided with her parents as one would expect in this semi-feudal society.    I think she's still available.....if you have a spare 200K laying around?

The guy is working full time and saving his money....very un-Thai like.  He actually comes and helps us out from time to time, with a bit of heavy lifting and that sort of thing,  when he's available. 

 One of the better young Thai men I've ever met....and far too good for the greedy scumbag family he was thinking about joining.

For happy ending you must visit the right kind of massage shop........all other happiness is dispensed by the Thai army and it's PM/commander... :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Beauty house Koman, 
> I followed as a guest for sometime but wanted to post in now. I can't wait to get where I can take some pictures like that of our place.


Thank you JPPR2.   You realize that last photo was used by Wasp in another thread, where Dillinger said it looked like a drive in McDonalds?   Harsh bastard that Dillinger... :Smile:  

I've not been paying much attention to the construction section for a while,  (too wrapped up in other things)   so I've haven't seen your thread yet.  I hope you're not building another McDonalds?.... :Smile:

----------


## lom

> I've tried the funky lower end stuff before, ....chain saws, sprayers etc.....and ended up replacing them very quickly....so they end up not being very cheap after all when you have to virtually give them away and then go out and get good ones that will get the job done and last a while.


Sounds like you have tried the Black&Decker brand.. We've all been there.

Chinese proverb:
Only the rich man can afford to buy cheap products.

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
>  I've tried the funky lower end stuff before, ....chain saws, sprayers etc.....and ended up replacing them very quickly....so they end up not being very cheap after all when you have to virtually give them away and then go out and get good ones that will get the job done and last a while.
> 
> 
> Sounds like you have tried the Black&Decker brand.. We've all been there.
> 
> Chinese proverb:
> Only the rich man can afford to buy cheap products.


Well, I had not thought of them as being in the same league as the junk commonly found in most Thai shops...all made from the cheapest material available to the Chinese factories that knock them out by the shipload. 

  At least B & D are an old established brand and although I've not bought anything of theirs for a long time, I've owned a couple of drills, power saws,  and a few other things that have lasted for decades without a problem. They were the US made versions so maybe that's why.  

  Just about everything you find now is made in China anyway, but if  it has a well established brand name (and is not a fake) the quality is usually a lot better than the lookalike no brand versions.

----------


## Bettyboo

Is this thread still going??? Terrible, DD would turn in his grave...

----------


## koman

> Is this thread still going??? Terrible, DD would turn in his grave...


Piss off Betty....and stick to posting about guitar accessories and gay phones..... :Smile: 

BTW, how's that carport  of yours holding up?......
 :Smile:

----------


## Stumpy

> Dillinger said it looked like a drive in McDonalds? Harsh bastard that Dillinger...


McDonalds... I do not see Ronald out front. Dillinger is mistaken... :Smile: 




> I hope you're not building another McDonalds?....


I think it might end up looking like a Sizzler...... :rofl: . I will wait for Dillingers opinion as it gets closer.

----------


## BKKBILL

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> 
> Is this thread still going??? Terrible, DD would turn in his grave...
> 
> 
> Piss off Betty....and stick to posting about guitar accessories and gay phones.....
> 
> BTW, how's that carport  of yours holding up?......


 :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing: 

Good one Koman

I don't think those pictures look anything like McDonalds if you look close I'm sure there is a glint of frankie in one of them.
Good to see your wife is intent on paying off the mortgage. Just kidding we need a few more like her.  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Good to see your wife is intent on paying off the mortgage


Thankfully, there's no mortgage or other debt to pay off.  However, At the rate she's coming up with new projects and the need for equipment and supplies.....????

----------


## Bettyboo

> BTW, how's that carport of yours holding up?......


Funnily enough, I was showing the missus this thread a couple of days ago, and I was saying how shite your carport was, how ours was far superior, but she didn't seem to agree with me...




> Good one Koman


Don't encourage him, his ego is out of control as it is...

----------


## koman

[QUOTE="Bettyboo"]Good one 

Don't encourage him, his ego is out of control as it is... /QUOTE]

I haven't even posted here for three months....any you're still envious of my car-port and the fact that I can play 6....no 7 chords and you only know three..... :Smile: .

----------


## Bettyboo

I wouldn't say that I can 'play' even one cord; certainly can't move cleanly between 2 cords...

The carport is nice, I have to admit it. But, Frankie, well, that's another story; one which I doubt many would be brave enough to delve deeply into...

----------


## patsycat

Are you going to cook the Christmas turkey in Frankie?

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Are you going to cook the Christmas turkey in Frankie?


I got a 3 lb Butter Ball Turkey Boneless Breast roast from the Mall last week, cooked it on Sunday and every one was surprised how good it tasted, could not find Cranberry sauce but used some Strawberry Fruit Spread instead, it tasted just as good. 
They asked me when I was going to cook another one. Told them next Christmas. LOL

Sorry Koman for straying off topic, old chap.

----------


## koman

> Are you going to cook the Christmas turkey in Frankie?


Of course. Frankie's second most important role involves roasting/baking;  after his primary role of being a kitchen fashion icon.... :Smile: 


 I've finally figured out how to make a really good pie crust after the early experiments which turned out something like waxed cardboard.. :Confused: 

I'm going to take a crack at baking a Tourtiere  this year......that, for the Bettyboo's of this world (who don't think having a kitchen is worthwhile .... :Smile: )   is a kind of savory meat pie invented by the Quebec French a couple of centuries ago.  A proper Tourtiere puts all other pies to shame.... :France:  

  If it turns out badly there's always a basket of sticky rice sitting about....and my dogs will eat just about anything.......

----------


## koman

> could not find Cranberry sauce but used some Strawberry Fruit Spread instead, it tasted just as good.


I've seen Cranberry sauce in Tops market from time to time.  

Strawberry fruit spread on Turkey is very creative and adventuresome....  it's sometimes good to not find things; because it allows you to discover new and sometimes better things to do with food.  So many people get set in their ways and inflexible about what they will eat, and just decide they don't like something without giving it a shot.  

Maybe next year you can try hot chocolate sauce, or custard ..... :rofl:

----------


## 6kon

Yes its sometimes difficult to understand buisness here. If the buy something for 3 bath and sell it for 5 they have earned 2 bath. transportation and other costs doesn't matter.


6kon

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Originally Posted by patsycat
> 
> 
>   Are you going to cook the Christmas turkey in Frankie?
> 
> 
> Of course. Frankie's second most important role involves roasting/baking;  after his primary role of being a kitchen fashion icon....
> 
> 
> ...


Koman you are making my mouth water with your Tourtiere, it should be easy to cook. Are you going to serve that with Poutine as well?

----------


## FatOne

I have been experimenting with ways I can create pastry once I live in LOS. This is an attempt at sausage rolls previously posted in another thread from a BBC recipe called Rough Puff.

----------


## KiCanCummins

Looks good FatOne,
Just need some ketchup on them, nice and hot, yummy.

I will be making my Christmas cake in the next few days at the request of Mrs KCC. So I might post a picture if Koman does not object to it, er I am not cooking in a Frankie either!


KCC

----------


## PeeCoffee

Koman, congratulations on a thoroughly beautiful home for you and your wife.

Quick three questions if I may be so bold - 
(1) how many years have you been residing in Thai ?
(2) in which area of Isaan / (Province) did you decide to build your castle ?
(3) as it appears rather rural - are you able to communicate with the locals in Thai ?

Again, your domain looks marvelous.

----------


## koman

> Are you going to serve that with Poutine as well


No, Poutine is one of those things I've never quite managed to accept...... :Smile: 





> a BBC recipe called Rough Puff.


Are you sure that's right?....from the BBC it should probably be "rough poof"... :rofl: 

....anyhow it looks good....haven't had a sausage roll for years  Something else to challenge me after I've done the Tourtiere and and roasted me Turkey.    This will be my fourth Christmas dinner cook-up, so I've got it pretty well down pat now.....the turkey comes out brownish instead of black... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 





> I will be making my Christmas cake in the next few days


Show-off..  :Smile:    My cake making adventures began and ended with Betty Crocker snacking cakes.   I might try again some day, after I have all this other stuff figured out.

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Quote:
> Originally Posted by KiCanCummins
> I will be making my Christmas cake in the next few days
> Show-off..  My cake making adventures began and ended with Betty Crocker snacking cakes. I might try again some day, after I have all this other stuff figured out.


It does take a little time to get to know ones Ovens idiosyncrasies. 
Which I am still learning but can make a few things in the Oven, I have had a few flops along the way but even they got eaten as the locals here did not know what it was supposed to taste or look like any way.
KCC

----------


## koman

> Koman, congratulations on a thoroughly beautiful home for you and your wife.
> 
> Quick three questions if I may be so bold - 
> (1) how many years have you been residing in Thai ?
> 
> Six years next month full time...and visits for 2-3 years before that.'
> 
> (2) in which area of Isaan / (Province) did you decide to build your castle ?
> 
> ...


Thank you for the kind remarks and welcome to the construction/cooking section... :Smile:

----------


## patsycat

She....

----------


## Wasp

Patsycat ---  " She ... "



Is this because it has a pretty and pleasant outside appearance but underneath it's a bloody monster ?





Wasp

----------


## Stumpy

> construction/cooking section.


Is this what happens to the members after they finish their houses....?  Cooking with TD'ers?. Fess up, how many of you have aprons?  :rofl: 

Well then, I make an excellent Baked Rigatoni using all ingredients found in Thailand. My wife loves it as does her family.  :smiley laughing: . The sauce takes time as I have to make it entirely from scratch.

----------


## Wasp

Let's FFS stamp on this tangent right away !!!!!!





Wasp

----------


## Stumpy

> Let's FFS stamp on this tangent right away !!!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wasp


Hey Waspy, how about a new thread "Cooking with TD'ers in their house?"  :rofl: . It could stay in the Construction section being the are constructing food....

----------


## FatOne

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> construction/cooking section.
> 
> 
> Is this what happens to the members after they finish their houses....?  Cooking with TD'ers?. Fess up, how many of you have aprons? 
> 
> Well then, I make an excellent Baked Rigatoni using all ingredients found in Thailand. My wife loves it as does her family. . The sauce takes time as I have to make it entirely from scratch.


Where's the pic??

----------


## Stumpy

> Originally Posted by JPPR2
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


Mr M, You are gonna have to wait til I move back. Albeit I do make it here for the wifey but its not the same.

----------


## Wasp

No. No. No. NO. *NO.*

Time Out !!!!



Permanently .



W :ssssh: sp

----------


## koman

Last update before Christmas.  
The onion farm is all ready to grown and flood the world market.

 

My pump investment seems to be paying off.  The onions are sprouting already.... :Smile: 



This arrangement is supposed to keep the dogs out of the onion patch.  So far it's worked, but they are working on ways to get past it..





Same on the other side of the pond.  Not exactly the great wall of China....but they are just dogs, not Mongols..  determined pack of bastards the Mongols.



Meanwhile back at the house, we have erected a Christmas tree.....not to be outdone by Chateau Stevefarang.... :Smile: ,   but we put it outside so all the passing Somchai's could stare and wonder.....



A closer view....



Side view..... 



At the risk of getting Wasp all fired up again; here's a shot of my Tourtiere.......turned out bloody great....even the cat likes it..... :Smile: 



Half gone already.....might have to make another one...the word is out... :Smile: 

*MERRY CHRISTMAS* TO ALL TD'ers......even the ones in the Doghouse..... :Smile:

----------


## misskit

Your new house looks so beautiful with your Christmas tree out front. Bet it smells good inside with the pies baking.

Merry Christmas to you too, koman!    

 :pullsleigh:

----------


## Stumpy

Happy Holidays Koman.

----------


## KiCanCummins

*Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 
to Mr & Mrs Koman and Family*

----------


## patsycat

Merry Christmas to you too, and Frankie - she has cooked a rather nice looking pie.

----------


## terp80

> Meanwhile back at the house, we have erected a Christmas  tree.....not to be outdone by Chateau Stevefarang....,   but we put it outside so all the passing Somchai's could stare and wonder.....


 :rofl: 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year koman to you and your family nestled in your beautiful new house. :Smile:

----------


## FatOne

Merry Xmas Koman, and the missus, and all TD'ers. Here's my Xmas ham glazed with honey and ginger marmalade.

----------


## bsnub

Happy holidays to you old buzzard!

----------


## Bettyboo

Happy New Year, Frankie...

----------


## Wasp

> This is supposed to be a future Lime tree plantation.  We copied this setup from one of the wife's cousins.  They produce loads of high quality fruit with this arrangement....so we'll have to see how that goes.
> .



I like the idea of a Lime tree plantation , koman .

Those concrete rings ...... do you fill them a couple of inches with cement to prevent stuff coming through ? Leaving the depth of the rings as enough for the trees .

Or do you allow the roots to carry on down into the ground ?

Would you Post an up-to-date piccie ? Please ? 



Wasp

----------


## thaimeme

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is supposed to be a future Lime tree plantation. We copied this setup from one of the wife's cousins. They produce loads of high quality fruit with this arrangement....so we'll have to see how that goes.
> .
> 
> 
> ...


I've seen this technique, as well...

For long term production, I believe the pots will restrict growth, as they don't break down soon enough to keep up with healthy process of the fast growing citrus.

We do limes - perhaps 25 maturing trees and another dozen saplings in nursery.
A more common and everyday technique will be to nurture the saplings for 10 months-1 year encased within the proverbial light 3-ply plastic lining, before transplanting permanently [same soil that they were nurtured in - not to shock the plant].

----------


## Wasp

*thaimeme* ...... do you not recommend the concrete rings then ?

I was thinking of getting mature - or semi-mature - trees as we won't be there .The BIL will be there but he's not noted for his work ethic.

Do we simply dig down and locate them in the present soil ?

*ANY* advice at all on this will be very welcome .

Thanks .



Wasp

PS  thaimeme .... you're not handily located within range of Korat are you ?

----------


## Wasp

...... and *koman* .

How are your Lime trees doing ?


Wasp

----------


## koman

> ...... and *koman* .
> 
> How are your Lime trees doing ?
> 
> 
> Wasp


If there is one subject that I know positively nothing about, it is agriculture.
(Duke of Wellington)

There are no lime trees yet wasp, except for the few we planted in the ground a couple of years ago.  They have managed to gain approx. 5cms in height over two years and have not produced a single lime.     Lime trees do not do well in this soil and that is why we  (read wife)  chose the cement cylinder approach.   A very good deal was available so we went ahead and bought them a while back.....but there are too many other projects going on, to allow the launch of a lime empire just at the moment.   Irrigating and tending the onions alone takes up a couple of hours a day.

This method is being used very successfully by one of my wife's sixty million cousins a couple of kms away   The growth of the tree is limited by the cylinder so they have to be replanted every 4-5 years, but the trees begin to fruit very early,  and produce prodigious amounts of limes using this method; as long as good soil is used and the tree is well fertilized, watered and pruned properly.

    The cylinder (or tube) is closed at the bottom using a concrete lid which comes with them.  (these things are more commonly used in sewage systems)   You can leave the bottom open and allow the tree to grow its roots down into the soil beneath,  but I'm told that the fruit yield goes way down when they do that.  I have no idea why, but that's what the local lime growers all say.

 Instead the tree is confined until the root system fills the tube, at which point it is removed and aggressively pruned, along with the roots.   It is then re-planted and the process starts over again.    This is more labour intensive that just planting them in the ground obviously, but the yields are much higher and fruiting begins sooner.  If your soil is not suitable anyway, it's probably the only way to go.

Different methods work for different folks depending on where they are located and what it is they are trying to achieve.   If you just want a few trees to produce fruit so you have juice to dump on yer fried rice, or if you want to sell the things by the truckload around Songkran when the prices are usually highest.

I have some photos of the "cousin's"  operation somewhere, but I can't seem to find them at the moment.   I'll keep looking and post a few pics  when/if I locate them.   It's quite an impressive setup and they claim to make more money  from it than all their other farming operations combined.

Are we now in danger of turning this into an agri thread?.... :Smile:

----------


## koman

Well it took a while but I did find some of the photos of that lime growing operation.  My computer has some kind of black hole where photos go when I want to use them....but I always get them in the end.



General view of the setup.   The blue water pipe from their pond can be seen crossing the picture a bit more than halfway up.....



Closer look at the trees.   Lots of watering hose laying about.   I'm not sure how old these trees are,  but I'm told between one and two years and already producing a lot of limes.




I've yet to find out what purpose the bamboo cages serve.....maybe some old time lime grower can fill us in on this?

----------


## Wasp

> Are we now in danger of turning this into an agri thread?....



No . But I remembered SOMEBODY had Lime trees on their Thread and I remembered the photo .

" It's koman or ootai . Koman or Ootai . I think it's ootai .

And it's koman "

See !!!  I can't even guess the winner of a two-horse race .

I never expect so much information in an answer so I do appreciate very much the time you've taken here koman .
It's me that wants the Lime trees . Maybe just 4 of them . And I'll go this route and limit their growth to get fruit quicker . For my kaoew padd chicken.

Just one more please ........... do they need some shade or are they fine out in the sunshine ? And one more one more ..... I think you got full trees did you not ?

Thank you again * k*.



Wasp

----------


## Wasp

Meaning .... did the cousin grow trees from seed or sapling or what ?




Wasp

----------


## koman

The Lime trees in the pics above are all out in the sun.  Ours will be as well.  As far as I know, Lime trees like the sun.

The "cousin" started the operation with saplings and so will we.   I try to copy what works rather than re-invent the wheel.   We have a supplier lined up to supply them in 15 -20 cm sizes....and expect to be flooding the world Lime market within 18 months...... :Smile:

----------


## Bettyboo

Those limes look nice...

----------


## BKKBILL

> We have a supplier lined up to supply them in 15 -20 cm sizes....and expect to be flooding the world Lime market within 18 months......


Oh dear just when getting excited about lime tree production koman craters the market.   :Confused:

----------


## koman

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> We have a supplier lined up to supply them in 15 -20 cm sizes....and expect to be flooding the world Lime market within 18 months......
> 
> 
> Oh dear just when getting excited about lime tree production koman craters the market.


Yes, I'm following the well proven strategy of the Saudis to tank the world oil price, maintain market share and piss off Russia and Iran.   Our onions will have a similar effect on the EU and other markets once we start harvesting...  Limes will take a bit longer because of the more elaborate startup requirements... :Smile: 
..

----------


## koman

In the meantime; a short presentation on the fine art of avenue building and fish pond excavation by one 50kg Thai female........



My wife is determined to have a fish pond in the middle of the front lawn....so she set out to dig it herself using a pick and a digging hoe.   I did not really take her too seriously until I discovered this excavation, which had already reached a diameter of 2.5 meters and a depth of 1 meter....and she's still digging.... :rofl: 



She even market it out with string tied to a peg to make a nice clean circle.....inspired by the methods used in ancient Egypt....and currently in Issan.





Then she moved all the soil with a wheel barrow and used it as fill for the proposed road to the rear... our tree lined avenue.



After the soil had been spread evenly,  I did the really hard part by driving the truck up and down a dozen times to compact it all down nice and tight.... :Smile: 




Then she ordered in 2 truckloads of crushed rock to top it all off.....



Welcome to the Avenue de Issan......

I ordered in a couple of bags of hybrid grass seed from the US.  The kind they use on the golf courses in the South.   Drought resistant, wear resistant and so on.... I'm hoping it's also Somchai resistant.....but we'll have to see.... :Confused:    Getting the place grassed before the heavy rains is now moved up on the priority list again.

.

----------


## Bettyboo



----------


## koman

Haven't visited my thread in a while, and now I see it's about to fall off the edge of page 3.... :Confused:    Still a good few people are still having a look, so it's time for a bit on an update.    

We decided that the main living area was a bit too big and open, so a separating arch was designed and commissioned out to a local Chinese cabinet making family.    The very chatty and sociable family matriarch along with her very quite and subdued husband came for a visit and measured everything up.   They stayed for 4 hours....and then had the rest of the family come over in stages to check out the place.   

The original order was placed in early November 2014.   We finally had the thing installed in late Feb 2015.    Labour shortages during the rice harvest,  New Year, ordering in the right kind of wood, and having some custom milling work done in Bangkok, all added to the timing of the project.   

  I was very surprised that they were willing to go ahead and do the whole thing without any written contract or money up front....but they did.   They were also very good at keeping us informed of the progress, slow as it was. 

   Very nice people; polite, friendly, very professional and as it turned out,  produced beautiful woodwork at a very reasonable cost.  



An installation team of 4 (sometimes 5 or 6) were in attendance.  Here they have assembled the main sections ready to install.



The structure in place, ready for the installation of lighting, glass, handles and stuff.




A more finished view taken from the  back (or dark  side)



The front view looking towards the back......



Night view.  The LED lighting mixed with the incandescent lights gives a mixture of colours and effects.    I may replace the LED's with a softer lighting effect but that has yet to be decided.





The side cupboards with glass shelving to accommodate lots of dust gathering ornaments and crystal etc.   The bottom sections are decent sized storage units for all the crap that will no doubt find it's way into them....




Dust gatherers on display. Looks especially good at night with the lighting.



While they were at it,  and the good wood was available, we had them finish off the window sills with polished wood as well.   Gives a nice finish and looks much better than painted Qcon...... :Smile:    They did this free of charge.   (ie included it in the original quote even though it had not been included at the time)

The next project is brewing already.  Build in custom closets using the same kind of wood.  Might as well keep trying to make the place habitable eh?.... :Smile:

----------


## terp80

Wow! Simply wow! A beautiful job there Koman. Really adds to the wood accents and furniture already there. I don't suppose that family does business up in CM? Someone will ask about the cost I hope.  :Very Happy:

----------


## Deris

I agree with Terp, Wow! The arch display unit is really nice. 

On a side note to earlier posts, my wife tells me the dowry is supposed to go to the bride after the marriage. I wouldn't know for sure as I signed up for the long term payment plan.... 20+ years and we still send money to the MIL.

----------


## terp80

> On a side note to earlier posts, my wife tells me the dowry is supposed to go to the bride after the marriage. I wouldn't know for sure as I signed up for the long term payment plan.... 20+ years and we still send money to the MIL.


 :rofl:  Excellent point JP!

----------


## koman

> Wow! Simply wow! A beautiful job there Koman. Really adds to the wood accents and furniture already there. I don't suppose that family does business up in CM? Someone will ask about the cost I hope.


Thank you.  Yes it does add a bit of ambiance to the place,  as we had hoped.   The trickiest bit was finding woods to match the existing furniture and accents.   I assumed it would be easy enough, but as it turned out it was not, and it took quite a while to assemble everything.  

Sorry,  this family only works locally.  They don't really need the money any more because like all the other Chinese families around here, they are loaded,  and own half the land in the province along with most of the successful businesses.  

We have done business with quite a number of local Chinese over the past couple of years and in every case have  found them to be very honest, straight forward and reliable.   They give accurate quotes and stick to them, you know exactly where you stand right from the beginning.

  It's not hard to  see why they are so successful.

----------


## thaimeme

Property and house look great, Koman!

Cheers.

 :Smile:

----------


## koman

> I agree with Terp, Wow! The arch display unit is really nice. 
> 
> On a side note to earlier posts, my wife tells me the dowry is supposed to go to the bride after the marriage. I wouldn't know for sure as I signed up for the long term payment plan.... 20+ years and we still send money to the MIL.


If you are referring to the "match making" arrangement in my living room last year, the deal fell through because the "brides" parents got a bit carried away with the valuation of their offspring....... :smiley laughing: 

I've been to several Thai weddings including one pretty high society one, and in each case the "dowry" was presented to the brides Mother during the reception....after the marriage ceremony.   The last one we attended involved 2 million in cash, a bucket full of gold,  and other bits and pieces.   

I'm told that all this wealth is usually returned to the groom later on as it's all  supposed to be just symbolic;  but I have no knowledge of that actually happening.  

It's not always the same.   In the case posted in this thread, there was a kind of "down payment" demanded.  I think the amount was 20K and then another 200K on the wedding day.    That was the end of that romance...... :rofl: 

I can't say for sure,  but little bits of intel filter through on the Thai grapevine.....and it seems maybe the brides parents (being greedy scumbags)  figured out the "groom" being a relative of my wife,  had access to farang funding  (ME)....so somehow they thought that I would front all this cash for their daughter...... :Confused:  

I was never approached with a request for any money, so it may be just speculation.   Anyhow, the guy has another GF now so maybe that one will turn out to be a better deal.   

 We are definitely not in Kansas any more...... :Smile:

----------


## terp80

> Excellent point JP!


Ooops!  :durh: 

Edit:  Excellent point Deris!  :Very Happy:

----------


## FatOne

Nice cabinet Koman, adds great ambience!

----------


## Deris

> Anyhow, the guy has another GF now so maybe that one will turn out to be a better deal.


Well I wish him the best.   And as to the greedy parents, I just can't understand the mentality. It seems some Thai's would kill the cow to get the milk instead of skimming the cream.

----------


## koman

Time for my monthly visit to the construction thread.   

Today is well drilling day.  The wife's agricultural projects are demanding a lot of water and our pond is going down fast.   That, together with a 4 day interruption of the municipal water supply demands a bore hole.     Apparently we are sitting on top of a very large aquifer or something, so we may as well tap in and use it.   

Various drilling contractors were consulted and the usual range of estimates from the reasonable to the ridiculous were obtained.   We decided to go with a guy who recently drilled a bore for one of our neighbours.   He was not the lowest bid but at least we know he has the right equipment and can do the job.

He roamed around our land with his forked stick, and eventually pronounced that he has struck big water; so he planted a bamboo stake and went off to arrange the rig and crew.



*Here they are arriving at 8:30am this April 27th 2015.......all good so far. At least they showed up, which is more than many of the local contractors do.....
*



*Here the boys are setting up the drilling rig.  
*



*Here's a rear view of the rig.   Bet Exxon, Shell and outfits like that don't have gear like this......but this is Isaan were we do things right....
*


*A senior somchai is connecting a water supply pumped up from the pond.   This water will be used, under pressure to flush out the bore as the drill goes down. * 

 

*The President and CEO priming the pump that will be used for the flushing.  
*


*All connected up and ready to go.

*

*The first tube is hooked up to the drill and we are ready to start finding all that water somchai promised was down there.......
*


*The first tube is down and is now disconnected so that the second tube can be inserted.   You can see the pumped water gushing out of the bottom of the drill.   This water goes down inside the tubes to flush out the soil and I assume to help lubricate the drill bit....which looks like a big arrow head with carbide edges.    Seems to we working so far.....

*

*Waiting to insert the next drilling tube  (I don't know if tube is the right thing to call these things, but it will have to do)

*
*
.....and down goes the next tube.....we are about ten meters down already.....but the water is much deeper than that.   Lots more tubes to go.*

Have to stop now.....Photofucket is getting very slow for some reason and a fair sized thunderstorm is bearing down on us........  more tomorrow......when we hopefully hit water, oil, a major gold vein or something..

----------


## KiCanCummins

Koman, good to see you are still helping the wife with her projects.

You should be able to write a book about your Issan build.

I think the tube as you call it, is known in the Albert oil patch as a drill pipe.

It certainly looks like an impressive rig for the small water drilling operation from the back it looks like the back of one of the highway buses here with all those belts, abet a bit of a Heath Robinson affair that seems to work.
Just hope you get the water as promised, Did you get an Iron Clad contract, No Water No pay, LOL

----------


## koman

^
Thanks for your input KKC.....
I will henceforth refer to the "tubes" as  "drill pipes". ... :Smile:    The difference between tube and pipe may be subtle, but I'm sure it's important..... :Smile: 

The "rig" does look a bit rustic, but the damn thing is quite brilliant the way everything works.   The diesel engine started up at the first touch of the switch and runs smoothly and quietly, without any black smoke or anything.   The whole thing seems well lubricated and well serviced.....and the drill pipes keep on turning and going down to that water.....   

The deal is,   no water, no money.......but these guys seem very confident in the forked stick and I'm told they never fail to find the water....so, we'll see what happens.... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

> The deal is, no water, no money.......but these guys seem very confident in the forked stick and I'm told they never fail to find the water....so, we'll see what happens....


As long as they dont have to drill right through the center of the earth to the Great Lakes or some wear like it,LOL

----------


## BKKKevin

Curious... What was the range of estimates?... Which did you pick?... How far down did they go?... Are you worried that the well might also lower the ground water level and further delete from your pond?... Can you post a pic of the finished well head? 

And finally what color is the pump?!...

----------


## koman

> Curious... What was the range of estimates?... Which did you pick?... How far down did they go?... Are you worried that the well might also lower the ground water level and further delete from your pond?... Can you post a pic of the finished well head? 
> 
> And finally what color is the pump?!...


The credible range was from 15K to 24K.....one guy wanted 30K, another said he could do it for 8K.. :Confused:    The guy doing the job wants 18K.. but he's also going to lay pipes to the pond, main water tank and to the front garden....so quite a bit more than just the drilling, and we did see some of his previous work.  He seems to know exactly what he's doing and the price is fair enough.   

   The cost estimate depends on the size  (diameter) of the bore and how deep they expect to go.   Ours is a 15 cm bore....and will go down 50+ meters...how much more we don't know yet.   When somebody throws out an estimate without knowing these things, you know it's time to move on......

(We hit good water this morning at 32 meters.....but he's going down to 50 meters plus because that's were we believe the really big supply is.)

  I'm told this is a good time to drill because the water table is at a low point after 5 months with virtually no rain.   The pond would not be effected by the well because the water source is far below the level of the pond bottom anyway.   (the pond is 8 meters deep)    In fact the well will be big enough to keep the pond filled up....that's one of the main reasons for drilling it in the first place......irrigation.


???Color of the pump.....yes that's very important... :Smile:   If you mean the rig pump it's kinda dirty brown and rusty looking, like the rest of the contraption.... :Smile: ..  The well pump will be bright stainless steel and will likely cost over 40K for one big enough to do the job..... :Confused: 

Yes I'll post more photo's as soon as I can get around to it.....this may go on for a few days. .

----------


## piwanoi

The average depth hereabouts to hit good clean water  is 30 to 35 meters ,but I have heard it varies from district to district , the only problem is if you intend to put fish in your pond wait a while as the water is virtually lifeless no oxygen or anything else for that matter ,as for your pump I'd have a look round as IMHO 40k seems a bit steep , there,s a guy here who has a resort and a big swimming pool ,his pump cost him 15k and it fills the pool in about 24 hours  from empty :Smile:

----------


## koman

> The average depth hereabouts to hit good clean water  is 30 to 35 meters ,but I have heard it varies from district to district , the only problem is if you intend to put fish in your pond wait a while as the water is virtually lifeless no oxygen or anything else for that matter ,as for your pump I'd have a look round as IMHO 40k seems a bit steep , there,s a guy here who has a resort and a big swimming pool ,his pump cost him 15k and it fills the pool in about 24 hours  from empty


Not only does it vary from district to district, it can vary quite a bit within the same district.   Water can be funny stuff.

Our pond is filled to capacity every October/Nov  just from the natural runoff during the wet season.    The land has all been graded to channel water towards it, so it's just a big catchment basin.

  The well water would just supplement it when necessary.   There seems to be quite a few people in our area topping up their ponds from deep wells, and the fish manage OK... as long as the whole pond is not filled with deep well water it appears to work all right.    Anyhow, fish is not the priority, having a copious water supply is.....

You can buy all kinds of pumps at all kinds of prices.  What I'm talking about is a deep well submersible pump made from 100% non corrosive material; maintenance free; that will move a lot of water and last for years.     The price depends again on the size and power of the pump.   The cheapest one of the type we want is around 12K.....but its far too small.  

   I don't doubt that you could easily find a pump that could fill a swimming pool in 24 hrs for 15k.....depending on the water source and the capacity of the pool.

 We have a small Honda water pump used for vegetable crop irrigation,  using the pond water.   With all the necessary fittings it cost just over 10K.......you can buy one that looks _exactly_ the same for around 3500 Baht or maybe even less.    

 I've had a fair amount of experience with the Chinese made "copycat" versions of things over recent years.....that's why I buy Hondo now.....and why I'll stick with the yank built submersibles and pay the price.     Lots of the good brand stuff is made in China too, but it's the genuine brand that makes the difference.

   I have a shed half full of those bargain priced gadgets, all unserviceable and worthless after minimal use.   Crop sprayer, chain saw, post-hole auger, water pump.....all cheap crap that never really did the job...even before they quit.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## piwanoi

Yep , Honda takes some beating ,loads of cheap crap Chinese m/cycles here and after 12 months or less they are knackered ,the drill rig in your photo's is identical to the ones they have around here ,average price for drilling  appears to be about 15k pump included but that is only for domestic use ,and not the heavy duty one you require for irrigation etc  :Smile:

----------


## Latindancer

Interesting and informative thread....thanks.





> The difference between tube and pipe may be subtle, but I'm sure it's important.....


My humble contribution (for what it's worth), for anyone interested : tube has a thin wall, and pipe has a thick wall.

----------


## koman

> Interesting and informative thread....thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by koman
> ...


Never really thought about it, but that does make sense.   These are definitely pipes then, because they are really thick and strong.  They take a lot of abuse. 

Looks like I was out in left field about the pump size and cost after all.    :Confused: 

The drillers told us what pump to use and came with us to buy it, plus all the fittings.    Got a 1.5HP Schaefer submersible for 15K just like Piwinoi suggested......plus 5K worth of bits and pieces to connect everything up....including a waterproof electrical boxl, switches, cable,  pipes and all kinds of stuff.   

The pump I thought we needed would supply a good sized hotel....with a laundry and an attached water park..... :Smile:   It's nice to be wrong when it costs way less......   These guys told us they have these Schaefer pumps working all over the place and have never had a problem in years......hope we're not the first.


Lots of water at 50 meters just like the guy with the forked stick said......  so now we just have to get it all hooked up and running.   

More photos soon.....

----------


## piwanoi

> Originally Posted by Latindancer
> 
> 
> Interesting and informative thread....thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


  The pump we have and is the one used by nearly all the farangs I know who have a bore is called 'LUCKY STAR" the only thing to go wrong with it in 5 years  was the solenoid needed taking off and cleaning cos the Ants got inside somehow and stopped the points from connecting that was about it  :Smile:

----------


## koman

So here we are after several days of entertaining blunders and general cockups, we finally have a fully functioning well.   

I mentioned previously that we hit water at 32 meters, but kept drilling down to a depth that ended at 55 meters.   There's a lot of water down there.....



*Water surging out of the well head.  Looks more like coffee but we are assured that it will be clear and clean soon enough.*




*The bore liner going down. 
*


*Pretty basic stuff.  They just bang it with a pipe to drive it all the way down.....
*


*Now it's all the way down.....and ready for more drilling, capping and whatnot....*



*It's always worth showing the quality gear that Isaan contractors bring along.   This is their sunshade.   It's designed to give a nice "dappled" effect and allows good airflow....*



*Bit of afternoon maintenance going on.....it's 40C and I don't see anybody sweating yet.  It's a nice shady place to work and we always get a bit of breeze so even in this heat it's not bad at all.  You could easily fry eggs on the metal of the rig though...*


[B]*
Drilling continues.....I think we're getting close to 50 meters now......



things are getting a bit muddy around the well head...  at least the Mangos are getting watered.....*[/B




*This is our submersible pump and bits of installation kit.....   tomorrow I'll post pics of the installation process.   They cocked a few things up here and there, but it all came together in the end.

  Most contractors from around here have to do everything at least twice before it works.....it's just another form of Thainess.......*

----------


## KiCanCummins

Please excuse my ignorance, but do they back flush the well before lowering the pump down, just thought if it was flushed with clean water one would not overload the pump.

----------


## koman

> Please excuse my ignorance, but do they back flush the well before lowering the pump down, just thought if it was flushed with clean water one would not overload the pump.


That muddy looking water you see surging out of the well head is not being pumped.  It surges up the bore hole due to built up pressure.   The muddy water is caused by the actual drilling itself.     By the time the pump was lowered down the bore the water was coming up much clearer.  

The better quality pumps have sand screens, overload protection and are generally pretty bullet proof.    The water that came up when the actual pumping began was slightly milky looking but ran clear after ten or fifteen minutes.

    The ground water pressure itself is bringing the water up the bore to a depth of maybe 3 meters below the surface.   The pump is lowered to around 35-40 meters, so there's still a lot of bore hole beneath it.   The idea is to make sure there's lots of water in the bore and the pump is always well submerged.   At least that's my current understanding... which is always subject to change..... :Smile:

----------


## piwanoi

> Originally Posted by KiCanCummins
> 
> 
> Please excuse my ignorance, but do they back flush the well before lowering the pump down, just thought if it was flushed with clean water one would not overload the pump.
> 
> 
> That muddy looking water you see surging out of the well head is not being pumped.  It surges up the bore hole due to built up pressure.   The muddy water is caused by the actual drilling itself.     By the time the pump was lowered down the bore the water was coming up much clearer.  
> 
> The better quality pumps have sand screens, overload protection and are generally pretty bullet proof.    The water that came up when the actual pumping began was slightly milky looking but ran clear after ten or fifteen minutes.
> ...


  Yep for what its worth  I concur with everything you write .

----------


## KiCanCummins

> Originally Posted by koman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by KiCanCummins
> ...


Thanks Guys for your knowledge, Like Mr Koman says *"Subject to Change"*

----------


## piwanoi

The way I see it apart from a major earth quake Koman will never be short of water again, Scheafer pumps are used World wide and are totally relieable , not sure but I think they are American made by a company called Franklin Electric , a Dutch guy who lived near me who has sadly just passed away had one which worked a big fountain in his Koy Carp pond for as long as I can remember with no down  time whatsoever :Smile:

----------


## koman

> The way I see it apart from a major earth quake Koman will never be short of water again, Scheafer pumps are used World wide and are totally relieable , not sure but I think they are American made by a company called Franklin Electric , a Dutch guy who lived near me who has sadly just passed away had one which worked a big fountain in his Koy Carp pond for as long as I can remember with no down  time whatsoever


I hope you're right.   I just checked the water flow again and it's absolutely sparkling clear now;  it even tastes good.   I was a bit concerned about salinity because in some places that can be a problem; but not here thankfully.  Excellent water quality.    

*Franklin Electric of Fort Wayne, Indiana* make the Scheafer pumps.    The Control box says Made in USA........rather unusual these days..... :Smile:  

  As you say they are distributed world wide and are one of the top rated units on the market.    They are used extensively on prairie farms in both the US and Canada and seem to have a very good reputation.    Our drilling guys swear by them and have installed dozens of them around this area.   Very good local supplier too......staff that actually know what they are doing.... :Smile:

----------


## piwanoi

> Originally Posted by piwanoi
> 
> 
> The way I see it apart from a major earth quake Koman will never be short of water again, Scheafer pumps are used World wide and are totally relieable , not sure but I think they are American made by a company called Franklin Electric , a Dutch guy who lived near me who has sadly just passed away had one which worked a big fountain in his Koy Carp pond for as long as I can remember with no down  time whatsoever
> 
> 
> I hope you're right.   I just checked the water flow again and it's absolutely sparkling clear now;  it even tastes good.   I was a bit concerned about salinity because in some places that can be a problem; but not here thankfully.  Excellent water quality.    
> 
> *Franklin Electric of Fort Wayne, Indiana* make the Scheafer pumps.    The Control box says Made in USA........rather unusual these days..... 
> ...


  This pump originally came from Holland as the late owner had it brought over in a shipping container full of all sorts of stuff from his last residence in Amsterdam ,oh and forgot the same pump also fed a mini waterfall too ,so he must have had a two way water feed system .

----------


## gusG

Hi Koman, have they put in a flow switch that is connected to your control box, so that it shuts the power off if there is no water flow?
Highly recommended.

----------


## piwanoi

> Hi Koman, have they put in a flow switch that is connected to your control box, so that it shuts the power off if there is no water flow?
> Highly recommended.


  Yeah Quite correct Gus, most if not all pumps work with pressure switches , when you open the tap or valve  the pump start, s and when you close it the pump stops ,but  hey great to see interested members who throw their idea's in the ring  eh  Koman   :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Hi Koman, have they put in a flow switch that is connected to your control box, so that it shuts the power off if there is no water flow?
> Highly recommended.


Yes the pump has a built in sensor that will shut down the unit if the bore runs dry. 

In fact our pump will  not run unless it is submerged......we saw that when they were testing it. 


  In this particular well it's highly unlikely to ever run dry because it has a huge supply, but it's good to know that the pump is protected anyway, just in case.

   I would have thought any decent submersible pump would have that kind of protection?  I don't know why they would not;  it's a pretty simple arrangement. 



.

----------


## koman

> great to see interested members who throw their idea's in the ring  eh  Koman


Yes, that's what these threads are all about.  I've learned all kinds of stuff from member input since the start.   Hope others find all this  useful.   There's nothing like real life experience when it comes to this kind of thing..... :Smile:

----------


## piwanoi

> Originally Posted by gusG
> 
> 
> Hi Koman, have they put in a flow switch that is connected to your control box, so that it shuts the power off if there is no water flow?
> Highly recommended.
> 
> 
> Yes the pump has a built in sensor that will shut down the unit if the bore runs dry. 
> 
> ...


 Yeah A huge water supply is right ,and without some cataclysmic event measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, your worries about plentiful supplies  of clean water now are over, just like mine and many others who have invested in a bore  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Yeah A huge water supply is right


I've already experienced the downside.....the wife won't come in the house; she's out there watering every tree and blade of grass,  and it's dark already..... :rofl:  

   Fortunately there was enough left overs in the fridge.....but I may have to start cooking again..... :Smile:

----------


## piwanoi

> Originally Posted by piwanoi
> 
> Yeah A huge water supply is right
> 
> 
> I've already experienced the downside.....the wife won't come in the house; she's out there watering every tree and blade of grass,  and it's dark already..... 
> 
>    Fortunately there was enough left overs in the fridge.....but I may have to start cooking again.....


  A kid with a new toy eh  :Smile:

----------


## FatOne

Hi Koman,

We put in a bore well before building the house, it feeds MIL as well as us. 2 probs - the water from our well smells pretty bad, like sulphur from volcanic regions, and when the power goes out we have no water. We are considering a rooftop holding tank which will improve pressure and guarantee supply when power goes off.

----------


## piwanoi

> Hi Koman,
> 
> We put in a bore well before building the house, it feeds MIL as well as us. 2 probs - the water from our well smells pretty bad, like sulphur from volcanic regions, and when the power goes out we have no water. We are considering a rooftop holding tank which will improve pressure and guarantee supply when power goes off.


  True, water quality varies from area to area ,some districts have Sulphur others have masses of Iron , spose we are lucky cos our supply has none of these ,as for a header tank ,it all depends on whether power cut's are regular and for long periods ,here again we are lucky cos power cuts are infrequent and often only last a short time  :Smile:

----------


## koman

> Hi Koman,
> 
> We put in a bore well before building the house, it feeds MIL as well as us. 2 probs - the water from our well smells pretty bad, like sulphur from volcanic regions, and when the power goes out we have no water. We are considering a rooftop holding tank which will improve pressure and guarantee supply when power goes off.


Hi FO,
Haven't seen you on here for a while....

Water in many areas suffers from high mineral content which makes it taste anywhere from slightly unpleasant to bloody awful.    Sometimes it can be quite salty as well.  

  Our water is sparkling clear and very pure.  Tastes like the water coming out of our RO filter.... :Smile:     We had been told by many people that the local water was realty good, and it was one (of many) reasons for moving here.   

The local power supply is pretty reliable, (although it did go off for nearly a whole day this time last year after a big storm) ; but having a power outage even for a lengthy period would not cause any water problems anyway. 

   First we have a good municipal supply, which only goes off once in a while for a day or two....    We have a 2000 liter storage tank for day to day household use.  That's enough to see us through any likely outages.  

   Secondly we have a pond that holds over ten thousand cubic meters of water when full..... :Smile:  

   If I had to rely solely on the well, I'd invest in a generator or set up some alternative pumping method.    A small generator of 2000 Watts or so is a good thing to have around anyway.    One like that could easily handle our water supply,  fridges  and a few fans......    I must buy one soon..... :Smile: 

We had a kind of vague plan to install solar panels on the south facing roof, but when I added up the costs of all the stuff you need to actually make use of them it went on hold for a bit.   The costs are coming down  so maybe one day.

   Too may projects, not enough money..... :Confused:

----------


## FatOne

Thanks Koman,

We are pretty much in the sticks, power is not reliable plus we have not bothered to connect town water. Power went off for a few hours after heavy wind while I was there for 2 weeks, and again for a whole day last week, my wife is still there at the moment, lucky girl, I had to come home to Oz and work. When we stay there permenantly I will definitely invest in a genny, mainly to keep the fridge working.

----------


## koman

Finally getting back to me well story after a short trip to Bkk.

I think we've pretty well covered the actually drilling already, so now I'll show the pump installation and the assorted electrical devices, piping and whatnot.



*This is the top of the bore liner after all the drilling has been completed.  We are now ready to install the pumping gear and distribution system.*




*Connecting the electrical supply to the pump.


*

*The control box.*



*Testing the pump before installation.  If it's not going to work, this would be a good time to find out before it gets lowered forty meters down the bore.....*



*The first pipe is screwed into the pump and now they are attaching the electrical cable and ropes to the pipe.   The rope is for lowering the pump.   It's a kind of polypropolene  sash cord, that won't rot or disintegrate for a million years or so.*


*
Here we go.  The pump is being lowered down the bore at last.*



*As the pump goes down, more and more pipe is connected.  I think they used 14 pipes of 3 meters each.*



*When the pump is set at the prescribed  level, the well liner is capped with a metal plate and the water distribution pipes are connected.*



*Now, the electrical control box and power switch are installed and connected to the electrical supply.  All services are underground around here.....no wires hanging from bamboo poles or any of that more traditional Isaan stuff......*

*We had an old spare concrete fence post laying around.  It makes a very good mount for the electrical gear, and definitely better than the rotting plank they had hammered into the ground before I arrived on the scene and requested the upgrade.....*



*A general view of the well head.....almost completed.   Looks a bit muddy after all the water sloshing around, but it will dry up quick enough.*



*Close up of the switch and controls.  These boxes are rugged; storm proof and  mounted on a good solid base.* 



*The outlet pipes with valves; one going to the pond and the other to the South wall and all the way to the front fence.   Another pipe was added after this photo was taken.  It goes to the North wall and again all the way to the front gate......so we have water outlets all over the property for irrigation, truck washing, dog bathing and whatever else water is used for,*


*
This is the water supply at the front garden.   The pond supply is also running, so the flow rate is really good.*



*No posting would be complete without showing at least one of the little cockups.   Here Somchai has placed the outlet right beside a wall column...and secured it with a stick....   This was done about 4 meters away from a municipal water outlet which had been properly secured to a wall column.     Somchai looked suitably ashamed when I pointed this out.....and graciously did the job over again....*





*The above two photos show a bit of what all this drilling was about.   The first shows a crop already being harvested.   The second a new crop just being planted.  These crops are watered twice each day so a lot of water is needed.  
*

----------


## KiCanCummins

Well Done Koman, (yes pun intended), LOL

Generally good work, but this would not be Issan without those little cock-ups.
Good to see those big capacitors on the electrical panel, with an electric motor drawing a massive current at startup these are a must.

As for your "It's a kind of polypropylene sash cord, that won't rot or disintegrate for a million years or so" surely with your marine background this it tongue in cheek!!!

You do give very good descriptions and lots of Photographs.
We all learn from each other with these builds.


So what is the Next big project out on the FARM??

KCC

----------


## koman

> "It's a kind of polypropylene sash cord, that won't rot or disintegrate for a million years or so


Yes, that was a bit tongue in cheek....although it's pretty tough stuff.  The main enemy of this kind of rope is the sun.   A marine environment with salt air and sun is about as corrosive as you can get.   There's a saying that it can rust plastic......

Down the well bore out of the sun, and only exposed to fresh water, it should last a long time...   :Smile: 




> You do give very good descriptions and lots of Photographs.


Thank you.  This is a photo thread after all, so I try to keep it that way as much as possible.   Well drilling is probably not the most exiting subject to be found on the build threads, so photos are the way to go......everybody says they like photos..... :Smile: 





> So what is the Next big project out on the FARM??


At the moment, a new mobile phone.  The wife "borrowed" mine and forgot that it was in her pocket when she decided to dive into the pond yesterday.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

After that, we have a front garden pond to finish,  a bit of a roof extension to do, and we still have not managed to get grass for the front lawn.    I ordered 10 kilos of Bermuda grass-seed from the US.....but the Thai customs would not let it in.... :Confused:     In the meantime I'm getting quite attached to the bare earth look..... :Smile:

----------


## KiCanCummins

Good to see you haven't progressed to sitting in the rocking chair all day, seems like your wifey keeps you on your toes...

I remember a couple of years ago trying where to buy grass seed in LOS, seems like you cannot as some Hi Soi has the market cornered for the instant lawn business and does not want any one else to get a foot hold on the market, A bit like those guys with there unripe fruit down in the lower provinces, sent some poor sod to jail, just because he sold the fruit a little too early, any simpleton knows that a day or so in the sun here and the fruit is ripe ready to eat, (Sorry for venting).

KCC

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## koman

> Good to see you haven't progressed to sitting in the rocking chair all day, seems like your wifey keeps you on your toes...
> 
> I remember a couple of years ago trying where to buy grass seed in LOS, seems like you cannot as some Hi Soi has the market cornered for the instant lawn business and does not want any one else to get a foot hold on the market, A bit like those guys with there unripe fruit down in the lower provinces, sent some poor sod to jail, just because he sold the fruit a little too early, any simpleton knows that a day or so in the sun here and the fruit is ripe ready to eat, (Sorry for venting).
> 
> KCC


Bermuda grass seed is available here, but trying to find it ...... :Confused:    There was a guy advertising it in small cans on one of the forums, but it was some time ago and it was quite expensive.    Think he was in CM or somewhere up that way.  

  You need an import license to bring it in, but I'm not going through that process just for a few kilos of the stuff for my front lawn.   It's a hybrid grass that they use  on golf courses in the southern states.  It's has a fine leaf; produces high turf density,  and it's very drought resistant.    It actually  seems just about perfect for the climate around here and produces a far better lawn than most of the ones you see.  

 I'm going to live with the desert look until I find a way.....but at some point I may have to give in and buy turf from the local Chinese family that has virtually cornered the market on all things grass...... I don't really want to fork out 60K if I can get Bermuda seed for about 5K......which I was doing before the customs guys confiscated it and shipped it back to Florida..... :Confused:  

Maybe the customs officers were cousins of the local grass mafia; that's pretty much how things work in the land of endless smiles...... :Smile:

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## koman

The well is working above expectations.  We have not seen any appreciable amount of rain since last November so things have really dried up and our pond level had dropped by about two meters.  

The photo below is of the "dock",   (I'm using the term a bit loosely)  which had to be lowered several times because of the steady drop in the water level; mainly due to the fairly extensive irrigation going on.






After a couple of overnight pump runs, the water is back up to a respectable level again.



Part of the Omni directional distribution system with valves inserted to control where the water goes.



A new onion crop planted two weeks ago.  There's a full rai there, with another full Rai just tilled and ready for planting in a week or so.



The foliage along the driveway has grown quite a bit and looks fresher now with regular watering.



The front garden still has the bare earth look but at least we're ahead of Chateau Stevefarang...... :Smile:   Gotta find some decent grass somewhere.......



Out back, the Lime production empire is being established.  These are the first 24 plants underway.  Again we had to wait for a reliable water supply before launching into this venture.

Another massive project is underway utilizing the latest in Isaan technology; but it's still top secret so I'll have to wait for the material to become declassified before posting..... :Smile:   Maybe in a week or so.......

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## martin b

Hi Koman, are your onions spring onions? Fantastic house and garden mate :Smile:

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## koman

> Hi Koman, are your onions spring onions? Fantastic house and garden mate


Thank you.. :Smile:    Yes those are spring onions.  This is a big onion growing area.



Here is some of the finished product being prepared for market.  Local village help comes pretty cheap and they are well practiced in the business of onion packaging.

Depending on the timing we sometimes just sell the growing crop off to the highest bidding jobber.  They are then responsible for the harvesting, packing and selling.  



All bundled up and ready to go.  Each bundle in 1kg.   We grow between 1800 and 2000 kgs per crop.   Keeps the wife busy and she makes a bit of cash too..... :Smile: 

Our onions are in big demand because they are of very high quality and the folks in the markets grab them as quick as we can grow them..... :Smile:

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## martin b

Absolutely brilliant, they look great...Can I be cheeky and ask where you buy the seeds from for such a big crop? :Smile:

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## koman

My wife has all the connections and this is her project....I have very little involvement.....other than as official photographer.....and financing wells, water pumps and whatnot.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

She was buying seed from a guy who comes around with a pickup truck full of 50kg bags...price varies with supply and demand but she's a very skilled negotiator.... :Smile:    She is producing most of her own now because you can't always rely on getting the best quality when wandering pickup sales are the source     The crops are big enough now to let a few hundred kilos go to seed at the end of each cycle.   

We have a load drying in the shed at the moment.....

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## terp80

Koman, it looks like your wife is doing a great job with the farming. I'm impressed! :Fing02:  I like to watch farming. :bananaman:

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## koman

^

Yes, she is a natural at this stuff.   Oddly enough, I was born and raised on a farm, but by about age seven, I had already developed a deeply rooted longing to never be involved in farming..... :Smile:     I do enjoy watching all the action however; and the results are very pleasing.

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## Loy Toy

Great thread mate.

Extremely interesting.

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## koman

> Great thread mate.
> 
> Extremely interesting.


Thanks LT.  Does it make you want to give up on plastic buckets and jump right into onion growing?.... :Smile:

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## martin b

Hi Koman, is your wife growing any other veg other than spring onions and limes?
Love the photos mate :Smile:

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## koman

> Hi Koman, is your wife growing any other veg other than spring onions and limes?
> Love the photos mate


She grows all kinds of stuff.   Corriander; or Cilantro as it's known in some places.  Morning Glory....which is basically a weed as far as I'm concerned, but the Thais love it.   We have quite a bit of Lemon Grass which is used all lot for flavoring soups.

  Other things I don't know the names of.     We also have several varieties of Mango,  Papaya, Banana and some Coconut underway....and of course the Limes which will take a while to produce.       There's a whole range of other weird things growing on bushes and trees that the Thais also eat, but not me.  




The above photo shows Coriander/Cilantro growing between onion beds.   They grow well together and its very easy to harvest.

Glad you like the photo's......this is primarily a "photo thread" so I try to post anything that seems worth looking at.   We have lived in the house for a year already, so it's all just bits and pieces now.

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## martin b

Hi Koman, thanks for the info, my wife and I have found your thread very helpful well done mate, just a couple of things to ask... have you got fish in that there pond of yours like Pla chon, Pla tilapia, Pla duck, Pla nin? What you and your wife are doing is what my wife and I have been waiting to do for 25 years and we're about to make the move soon. Also do you know if Kubota make bore hole pumps?

Great thread mate well done... cheers martin

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## koman

^

I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed this thread and found it useful.     Yes there are all kinds of fish in our pond.  After living in British Columbia and fishing the coastal waters for Sea Bass, Snapper and Salmon as well as the excellent inland lakes and rivers for trout, I just can't get very excited about any of the fish here.  They always have a kind of "muddy" taste about them and they are not even slightly exciting to catch.   Like many things, it just depends on what you get used to I suppose.   We do have the odd fish from the pond but most of them we just give away to the locals.

I'm not aware of any deep well pumps made by Kubota.  Pretty sure they don't make one.    There are several very good pumps available in Thailand however.   All the good ones seem to be from the USA....where deep bore wells are very common.    There's some info and photos of ours back in the thread a bit.   So far it's worked like a charm.

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## martin b

Hello Koman, me again, having heard many reports about the drought in Thailand I was wondering if it has affected your project at all, hopefully not.

The Wife, Grandson and I are very close to making the step into Thailand, Daughter will follow and we're looking forward to a new life there :Smile:

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## Mathos

A credit to you Mister. Well done.

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## piwanoi

> A credit to you Mister. Well done.


 As the old adage goes "Behind every good Man is a good Women" or one might even say it takes two to tango :Smile:

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## koman

> Hello Koman, me again, having heard many reports about the drought in Thailand I was wondering if it has affected your project at all, hopefully not.
> 
> The Wife, Grandson and I are very close to making the step into Thailand, Daughter will follow and we're looking forward to a new life there



Sorry it's taken me a while to respond.  I've been away on a bit of a road trip.

The drought has not effected us at all because we have a large pond and a very good drilled well for irrigation.    The Thais are in a constant state of drought- flood- drought.....you need a good secure water supply to do this kind of thing.

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## koman

> Originally Posted by Mathos
> 
> 
> A credit to you Mister. Well done.
> 
> 
>  As the old adage goes "Behind every good Man is a good Women" or one might even say it takes two to tango


Actually I take no credit for the agricultural ventures around here.  I'm just the banker..... :Smile:

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