Loombucket's Paradise on earth

[Loombucket]

nice shirt, so that will be Ok then

Yes, I hope so. We gave him a good check over before we gave him any money.

[Smithson]

Are you close to Saraburi? We've got land in Nakhon Nayok and are looking to build.

I've heard a lot of building products are cheaper in Saraburi?

[MrBoJangles]

how long will you be letting the dirt settle ?

This is something i've been wondering about. We've got some land in Chaiyaphum and as we hadn't even thought about the size or tyope of house etc. the Mrs insisted that we at least had some soil trucked in and put down in the approximate area of where the house will eventually be built.

This was about 2 years ago, so that soil should be fine but if we need to go bigger than what we have already put down, what's the best amount of time to leave it for and to let settle?

Excellent thread BTW Loom, i love the building ones.

[Loombucket]

Are you close to Saraburi?

No, the family just goes to the temple there, once a month. It was easier to meet the Architect there than drive all the way to Bangkok, to his house.

I've heard a lot of building products are cheaper in Saraburi?

That may be true but I don't have much experience in this field. It may be better to start another thread and ask that question. You will get a better response, from people that know what they are talking about.

what's the best amount of time to leave soil for and to let settle?

Most people reckon a year is ok, if you are only building a house. If you want to build a castle, the foundations would be deeper anyway.

[Loombucket]

Meet Khun Mow. He is the general handyman who has been helping us over the past few months. I have met some camera-shy Thai folk but this guy would run and hide every time the camera came out of the bag. I finally caught hime when he was exhausted, one time, and needed to sit down.



Master of the back hoe, Khun Mow will stay on and help us in the garden. Here he is again, disguising the neat terrace work at the outlet side of the drain pipe. Notice, also, that he appears to be having a little trouble with his phone implant, or maybe he knew that I was hiding in the tree.




Now we wait for the Songkraan thing to finish and if there is any water left, we might get connected.

[Lady Hawk]

thanx for sharing this L/B great thread

[Loombucket]

Here we go. These are not as good a quality as I would like, but I had to grab and photograph these before Mrs Loomb did her usual scrunching and scribbling. This is the front of the house or the view from the main road. Obviously, it won't be leaning over, like it is here.



This is the view from the side or from the small soi.



We have three beds and two bathrooms upstairs and a study/fourth bed room and bathroom down. That's the party terrace on the right and one's own, private terrace on the left. The kitchen is out the back and the lounge is on the left. Archi 1 or 2, or maybe both, are coming on Saturday with the full plans needed, to get the permit. I was so relieved, earlier, that I jumped for joy and pulled a muscle in my arm. On the upside, however, I got a litre of Tequila, at the border in Laos, that I was saving for my birthday. I may have to start it tonight. Cheers everyone.

[dirtydog]

it won't be leaning over, like it is here.

Why ever not? The Leaning Tower of Piza is only famous due to it leaning a bit

[SEA Traveler]

Khun Loom,

I'm finding your building project interesting as well as entertaining. As said by others, this type of project can be exciting, frustrating, eductional, and nerve racking but in the end, we are much better people and a more well rounded individual for taking on and successfully accomplishing a project such as this. I enjoy the photo updates and commentary. Thanks. Keep up the good work.

[hillbilly]

We need some pics!

[jizzybloke]

I was so relieved, earlier, that I jumped for joy and pulled a muscle in my arm.

Tickled me that.

plans look good when does it start MrLoom?

[Loombucket]

plans look good when does it start MrLoom?

They are promising to start before the end of the month. Maybe I will believe that, when I see it. If they don't get a wiggle on, I suspect that there will be an office in BKK with many broken windows and some bricks on the floor, if Mrs LoomB has anything to do with it!

The Electric men came, sometime in the week, and put up this handy meter. They obviously have a bit more faith in the project, than I have had lately. Having said that, the Archi did come late last night and gave a fine demonstration of groveling. This would have redeemed him, in my book, but then he went off with my lighter...



Please note the hi-tec string and Issan style safety knot. I thought that the bolts were there just for show, untill I discovered the nuts in a small bag hanging behind??? Now, at least, it wont fall off.

I will post any new info, as it comes, and any pics worth sharing, hopefully, the same day. Thanks for all your support.

[Loombucket]

Mrs LoomB and I went to see the local 'old wise woman of the village' the other day. After 'chucking her old bones and bits of rock in the air, and muttering in a strange tounge', she announced the day that we must start to build. This was wasted on me, as I have a hard time with horoscopes and that sort of stuff. Actually, at the time, I had no idea what was going on, at all. I just sipped my water and grinned stupidly.

It seems that the day must be lucky or the building will not be any good. The choice of colours is important as well, including the roof and front gate. Our lucky day is, *pauses for fanfare *, 29th May!! Just in time for my birthday. We have a choice of colours for the roof and the gate but that's a way off. No news on the water yet but there are a few gallons in the lake, if anyone wants to knock up some cement.

[buad hai]

Just re-read this fine thread. Keep it coming with lots of photos.

Cranked up Google Earth to see if I could figure out where you are, but...

When you drive to Korat, do you go through Kham Thalay So, or how?

[Loombucket]

Just re-read this fine thread. Keep it coming with lots of photos.

Will do and thanks very much.

When you drive to Korat, do you go through Kham Thalay So, or how?

Yes, I've just checked it on the map, the 2068 heading south-ish. If you do a U-turn and go back up, take the left fork, the 2148 and you will see a little place called Ban Sa Chorakhe. We are a bit further up the road, where the river runs quite close to the road (on the map). Kham Thale So is close to you right?

[buad hai]

Kham Thale So is close to you right?

Yes, about 12 K. I often go through there on my bicycle.

[a. boozer]

Our lucky day is, *pauses for fanfare *, 29th May!! Just in time for my birthday.

Sounds like it could be party time!

[SEA Traveler]

Mrs LoomB and I went to see the local 'old wise woman of the village' the other day. After 'chucking her old bones and bits of rock in the air, and muttering in a strange tounge', she announced the day that we must start to build. This was wasted on me, as I have a hard time with horoscopes and that sort of stuff. Actually, at the time, I had no idea what was going on, at all. I just sipped my water and grinned stupidly.

It seems that the day must be lucky or the building will not be any good. The choice of colours is important as well, including the roof and front gate. Our lucky day is, *pauses for fanfare *, 29th May!! Just in time for my birthday. We have a choice of colours for the roof and the gate but that's a way off. No news on the water yet but there are a few gallons in the lake, if anyone wants to knock up some cement.

Khun Loom, no need to be a believer but don't take any chances by not following the wise ladies assessments of when to start building... even if it means just digging the hole or putting up some rebar columns. me, i went to the extreme and had all the column holes dug and on that special day that was proclaimed as the best building day, we had our ground breaking ceremony, made offerings to the spirits, and lifted to rebar columns into the hole, threw a few coins and flower pettles into the hole and poured concrete around the base of those columns. me superstitious? no way, but still, I'm taking no chances.

good luck with the build.

[Loombucket]

As an aside, but on a related topic, I just received this letter from the Architect. I had asked for an English translation of the breakdown in costs. This has been done by a 'professional person', at the office.

1. Lay design outline follows the data that the host give make orininal plan building manuscript, present for conside(r).

-Part all plan of building
-Perspective the body model, properly

2. When change original manuscript meditation has already, make the detail and list the work next.

-building part all plan.
-structure building engineering.
-electricity plan, public health plan
-the list assemble model.

3. Make the blue print

Note that the second page, with the prices on, was actually missing from the letter. Note, also, that it does actually make sense but uses a poor choice of sentence constuction. I suspect thet the 'professional person' in the office is a software programm. As long as we understand each other, there is no problem many.

[buad hai]

^Hilarious. Looks like word for word with a dictionary....

Keep it coming!

[a. boozer]

Remembering that TIT, it seems pretty much par for the course!

Good luck with the project.

[Loombucket]

We have some bad news and some really terrible news

The bad news is that the builder can't start on the twenty-nineth of May. He reckons that he gave us that date because of 'clerical error'. He is now looking at August.

It won't be much of a problem to find another good builder and we have a full set of plans together with the permit. However, the really terrible news is that because we won't be using the Archtects buddy builder, he has hit us with a demand for 120K baht, for the kickback that he won't be getting, or we can't use the plans. This will make a large hole in what remains of our budget.

We are now back at square one, albeit with some great plans that we can't use. I am currently working out that even if I redefine or mis-spell murder, could I live with a dead Architect on my conscience?

If things change, I will let you know.

[Marmite the Dog]

If you have the plans already and have paid the architect, the architect can go and fuck himself.

[Loombucket]

I would have thought so but I am not clear on a few details. As soon as I am done here I am off to find someone who speaks English and has a greater understanding of these things.

[Thetyim]

Send the architect a letter saying that the translation was incomplete and that page one was not in coherent English. Say you will get the translation done yourself .

This gives you reason to not pay any translation costs and reason to with hold payment