Thai Dhupp and Princess Joy's Thai House Build

[Airportwo]

Something to bear in mind when "shopping" here is the business model is a little different to what we are used too. As an example Home-Pro, I initially thought they were relying on high volume sales and discounted prices, I was wrong! from what I can see they sell at top price, there main driver is easy credit so they charge as much as they can then make money from the easy finance also. In most cases you will find goods at a cheaper price in the local run shops, but that takes time and patience, which have never been my strong points! Fair and competitive pricing hasn't caught on in Thailand, the 3 or 4 families that own all the big shops have made sure of that and makes it a pain when you just won't to go out and buy what you need at a fair price.

[Thai Dhupp]

Should be plenty but busy. If he is planning on being finished by the time you return next, even paint/colors need selecting. You should be able to find 99% of what you want at one of the big home stores. I prefer Global House but not sure there is one in your area.

...and also, they often have 'offers' on some items. We have a discount card for Home Pro, but i am not tying myself to them only. Anyway, 4-5k for a toilet is not that bad I think...? All these places have a good range. what about MAKRO too? any good?

[Thai Dhupp]

A few things to consider when shopping:

Lightbulbs: One thing about LED lighting is that the bulbs quite often do not match the packaging... I ordered all bulbs soft/warm white and received a bunch which are harsh blue light in the wrong packaging, best double-check.

Hi Jonny, noted and will be checking as best as possible

Plug sockets and light switches: Panasonic (as others have said), but if you want metal (as opposed to plastic/ plastic painted to look like metal, which wears off over time), then fill your suitcase and bring with you, as I have yet to see them in any shop over here. One handy thing I have found with my Panasonic light switches is that they have a small luminescent strip on the switch end so you can see it in the dark.

I might consider that though, EVERYTHING in middle east, well Qatar and UAE is rip off prices because... lol... no competition here either, plus greedy shop owners. I will check out brass plate units as they were an option

I think that PEA have also changed the law about electrical installation of combined sockuits in each stage ets and light switches, even though these units are still for sale, they advise against using them, as lights and sockets should be on separate circuits.

All of ours will be separate as we are definitely having two separate lighting and power socket ring circuits in each stage and on each floor

Sinks and Toilets: lots about, went with Cotto, as they had the best designs to suit my needs (toilets have side-mounted flush handles, not top-mounted push buttons which I found have failed many times in the past). Additionally, If buying units from different manufacturers, there is often a difference in the colours and finish of the glazes which may be noticeable, so probably best to stick with a single manufacturer. If sinks are wall-mounted, the waste and feed pipes are set at a different height to those that are pedestal-mounted. If the toilet style is a sealed-side design (ie flat-sided without the s-bend shape visible), they are super tricky to install, as the only space to access the seal when fitting is from the back).

I quite liked some of the Cotto designs too, but there are others. No issue for colour. white everywhere, as you say just need to match it up. and yes... I too have had problems with push button systems, including the apartment I am currently living in. 2 attempts from 'maintenance' to fix both failed so far

Door furniture either Yale or Hafele (although their website sucks, so best to download their catalogue and send in an order by email).

Good call, Yale are pretty dependable

Gas hobs and electric ovens: Smeg (if you don't mind paying 3 times the price of any other manufacturer, but style and quality are great), I went with Italian-made Tecno (good reviews, good price and clean design although they have a crappy name) and the cooker vent hood has a very strong motor with 2 robust charcoal filters, plus removable stainless steel vents for cleaning rather than the usual flimsy expensive aluminium, plastic and charcoal filters that clog up quickly and need replacing regularly... but I was initially looking at Hafele (but read that one of their gas hobs had a seriously dangerous design flaw and was recalled, allegedly!)

No gas of any kind will be used in our house for cooking. Induction hob, electric oven. That's it! I had a very bad experience with SMEG in Abu Dhabi, luckily I bought it second hand but was only a year old, i.e. just out of warranty, and the cooker clock timer started to fail. Round came the repair guy who happily informed me that the timer was a well known failure item on these brands cookers and the replacement cost would be about 200 quid plus fitting! jeez cheeky or what. I did check the price elsewhere got the same story.

I personally like DeDetrich, but I am not sure if that brand is available in Thailand..... don't think I can fit a double oven into my suitcase....

Kitchen sink: If you don't want a reversible unit (which have a visible metal plug that snaps into the unused hole for the tap, you have to hunt about for a design that is either left-handed or right-handed according to your requirement, has the right style and is deep enough. Again Hafele are good, although the bags of assorted plastic plumbing that they supply with the units are just a complete mind-bender, they just didn't fit... it took 3 of us (plumber included) to try and fit the components somehow ...MC Escher and W Heath Robinson would have been proud. We had to resort to ditching half of them in favour of the old favourite blue plastic and tin of solvent to get things to work!

Not given too much thought to that aspect but I will check with k. Pot what he can 'n' cant do...

You'll find that you have to hunt about a fair bit, as prices vary wildly from place to place and, although they might have what you want on show, they often don't carry the stock, (I found Global House to be the most useless place in regard to this, they also have lots of very shoddy goods in stock for door and window furniture, but they are good for pumps and fans though). Have fun!

thanks Jonny... shopping is always fun, right...!?

[Thai Dhupp]

Something to bear in mind when "shopping" here is the business model is a little different to what we are used too. As an example Home-Pro, I initially thought they were relying on high volume sales and discounted prices, I was wrong! from what I can see they sell at top price, there main driver is easy credit so they charge as much as they can then make money from the easy finance also. In most cases you will find goods at a cheaper price in the local run shops, but that takes time and patience, which have never been my strong points! Fair and competitive pricing hasn't caught on in Thailand, the 3 or 4 families that own all the big shops have made sure of that and makes it a pain when you just won't to go out and buy what you need at a fair price.

Its the same in middle east AP2, single brand sponsors (Locals, of course) so no competition and no discounting. Shops are apathetic. They will offer you a kettle or an iron .... anything but a discount. Basically its their price of no sale.

Same with communications. only 2 semi state sponsored phone companies in UAE object to any other rivals trying to set up in competition and there two form a cozy cartel dressed up as 'competition'. lackluster performance and apathy if you complain - they know you have to use them or not talk. These companies would not last 5 minutes in the real world.

There are some grey market imports on smaller items such as mobiles, but not surprisingly, those greedy sponsors of the official route 'cry to teacher' that its not fair (lol) and grey imports are somehow not as good (for them) and often police intervene and confiscate. ..what to do?

[Thai Dhupp]

Inside and outside access


Internal stairs getting 'boxed in'


Still waiting for the wall here though...


External: Sala steps just waiting for the Sala to be completed


View from the base of the Sala stairs, looking into the large (10m x 8m) under house 'room' in zone 2

Eventually, zone 3 will be coming once we finish the 1st 2 zones and can move in!

[Thai Dhupp]

Internal Walling

So...quite a bit has been happening. While he waited to start the roof, walling got done...


Looking into the Kitchen, with downstairs WC on the left of shot...


Entrance to the kitchen. You can just see the base of the staircase on the left


So now we are standing in the kitchen, looking through what will be the downstairs WC and towards the office door, with dining room down the short corridor beyond.
Kitchen door is on the right.

[Thai Dhupp]

Door Frames

Yes, fixed up and placed into the wall construction.


Not sure who the junior crew behind belong to, maybe they are 'security' because, touch wood, nothing has walked off the site so far...


...and, one more!

[Thai Dhupp]

Walls pt. 2


Kitchen wall, looking to the side of the house. Cupboards and storage will go here


Inside the Dining room, standing at the junction of the two folding doors and looking in


Last block infill to complete the wall.


Another view looking towards the dining room and office.
The stairs to the 1st floor are in that recess to the right, between the office and kitchen.

[Thai Dhupp]

Block stock getting used up...


They better be doing so wall infill because there is no door on the plans at this location!


Security on patrol

[Thai Dhupp]

Walls pt. 3


Looking from the office WC into the office
Remember... this will double as an extra bedroom if needed.


Standing at the 'back door' of the kitchen looking in.


''Are we missing a window?'' lol... actually, they are, but its because the Office WC encroaches a little bit into the office.


More blocks delivered.


again...into the kitchen.
The camera is a little deceptive. The 2 long walls are 6m each and the kitchen wall to the left is 4m long.
kitchen is an 'L' shape, with the back door leading out to PJ's incineration zone (where the camera is now)

[dennis4558]

Looking great, now that the walls are going up it looks like more is getting done.

[Thai Dhupp]

Looking great, now that the walls are going up it looks like more is getting done.

yeah, Dennis...you can really sense the home growing out of the building site! Really quite encouraging. 2.5 weeks and I am there to see it for myself!

One thing I noticed bout this builder... he does not want any excuse to stand still.. hes doing the block-work even though its NOT the next stage. i.e. hes not due for a payment for it.... the roof is next!

OK...he will complete the walling stage quickly but, he cracked on with it on his own clock while the roof components arrive.

[Thai Dhupp]

Miscellaneous...


Outside walls also getting built, as you saw from earlier photos, and this one...



This one is looking from outside the back of the large open downstairs room in zone 2.
That blue pipe assembly is for the downstairs WC, with the Kitchen to the right of it



This is a shot looking out from the Office bathroom, partially under the stairs.
I quite like the open plan... you can see who is coming, and it helps to dissipate any odour...



Remember I said we were missing a window... K.Pot has an idea that will allow the window to be put in, albeit a reduced width.



Another shot of the Open plan area, 10m x 8m at the ground floor of zone 2

[Thai Dhupp]

Roof cross-brace infill sections








Good to see that metal scaffolding access in use




The view from what will be our balcony


Blocks stacked ready to do the dressing room and en-suite bathroom walls...


Looking back from bedroom 1 to bedroom 2 in the far corner, and over green fields beyond. Roof continues to grow






There are always 'off-cuts'...

[Airportwo]

Good to see that metal scaffolding access in use

Not seeing a tag? please check....

[Thai Dhupp]

Lol AP2 ..would you believe I was on scaf-tag checking on the Museum of the Future site this morning?! (all in place, thankfully)

Access/egress arrangements on some of his scaffolds is a little bit suspect too... OMG don't get me started...

[Airportwo]

OMG don't get me started

They have a ways to go - depending on how you look at it & if they wont to take that route, least theres no trip hazards, barriers are all in place & & & & unfortunately it becomes second nature to notice, best off trying to not look too deep..............
He is moving along nicely though.

[Norton]

He is moving along nicely though

He is indeed.

[Stumpy]

The view from what will be our balcony

You know its funny TD, I had slated to have our house with 3 balconies (one for each room upstairs). I decided to make the rooms larger with larger windows versus adding balconies except for the guest room. I changed my mind because I reflected back to my days in the states and living where there were balconies and people never go out on them. Here in Thailand foreigners in Pattaya use them but seem to "Fall" over them regularly . Seldom do people actually go out and sit and relax on a balcony here due to the heat and other elements. Our guest room balcony has become nothing more then a bird perch on the rails and a dust collector.

Your house is coming along quite well.

[Airportwo]

Seldom do people actually go out and sit and relax on a balcony here

From what I have seen they are used solely for somewhere to put the AC, doubtless an element of fear does exist? having read all the horror stories!

[Stumpy]

From what I have seen they are used solely for somewhere to put the AC, doubtless an element of fear does exist? having read all the horror stories!

True True. In most cases balconies here end up being a place to store junk (If their is shade) or as you said a location to mount the compressor part of the AC unit in which case you never use the balcony because the hot air from the fan usually blows across it.

[Thai Dhupp]

You know its funny TD, I had slated to have our house with 3 balconies (one for each room upstairs). I decided to make the rooms larger with larger windows versus adding balconies except for the guest room. I changed my mind because I reflected back to my days in the states and living where there were balconies and people never go out on them. Here in Thailand foreigners in Pattaya use them but seem to "Fall" over them regularly . Seldom do people actually go out and sit and relax on a balcony here due to the heat and other elements. Our guest room balcony has become nothing more then a bird perch on the rails and a dust collector.

Your house is coming along quite well.

Morning JPPR2!.. sorry for the delay in answering . .. I have been quite unwell so was away from the pc for a few days. In any case, I can only tell the story as fast as K.Pot builds it, and weather has played its part over at the Chonburi Hilton site.

Yes... balconies.. to use or not to use... that is the question.. you will see once the roof is on that there is a v good overhang on all the open areas, minimising the direct sunlight. Early morning, when its still fresh and not too hot outside, we will be taking coffee or breakfast out there, or out on the main verandah, or under the main living room in zone 2. We have options!! I suppose if nothing else i will be able to jump off the bedroom balcony and into the swimming pool.

[Thai Dhupp]

From what I have seen they are used solely for somewhere to put the AC, doubtless an element of fear does exist? having read all the horror stories!

Lol, AP2... I will try my very best not to fall off said balcony after a couple of errr.... light shandies.

[Norton]

I have been quite unwell

Hope nothing serious. Get well quick. You will need all the stamina you can muster for the mega shopping extravaganza soon to come.

[Thai Dhupp]

Hope nothing serious. Get well quick. You will need all the stamina you can muster for the mega shopping extravaganza soon to come.

Thanks for your kind wishes, Norton.

Its hard to believe but, despite 40 degC heat, I had a full-on cold, with complications - persistent dry cough, really persistent! lol Im sure the humidity is not helping, and my sleep patterns are completely screwed up too. not the best combinations. I am getting over it now.

Oh....and I was out at 3 am on Saturday morning as the official photographer to capture the 'Darkness into Light' charity walk ending on the beach at Burj al-Arab, the well known 7-star hotel in Dubai.

This event is also taking place in over 200 other countries this year.