Finding and Building a Residence for Mr and Mrs MTSINTERNATIONAL

[SEA Traveler]

Putting the rain gutters on the Front North Side and West Sides of the house is something that we will probably do sometime during the dry season after we move in and have time to oversee that project and before the next wet season. Realistically speeking, I'm thinking next year February or March.

SEA Traveler,
Have just had to re-model our guttering, found a chap in Ban Chang, that provided a very fair quotation and did a good job. Will pass on details when you arrive back in LOS.

Thanks Khun Teetotaler (I mean Boozer), I will surely give consideration to any reasonable quote as long as there is proven quality in the workmanship and can meet the personal rqmts that I want established. Best to Mrs Boozer. Ciao!

[HINO]

Khun SeaT, I know you have many things to do before the rain gutters are installed. Boozer has a good idea but from the gutters I see here they are not very attractive, even the stainless ones you might see.

Another possible alternative is the Upvc or "plastic" ones. I see that the Windsor upvc window company here in Rayong also makes a line of the gutter products. I seem to remember that their prices were not too bad. I think starting around 325 baht/meter which is comparable to sheet metal in cost.

[SEA Traveler]

Khun SeaT, I know you have many things to do before the rain gutters are installed. Boozer has a good idea but from the gutters I see here they are not very attractive, even the stainless ones you might see.

Another possible alternative is the Upvc or "plastic" ones. I see that the Windsor upvc window company here in Rayong also makes a line of the gutter products. I seem to remember that their prices were not too bad. I think starting around 325 baht/meter which is comparable to sheet metal in cost.

Thanks Khun Hino for the advisement. The fact that the PVC comes in colors and does not have to be painted is appealing. Will have to check it out.

Ciao!

[dirtydog]

^^That guttering is a good price, normal galvanised is about 150 per meter, and stainless nearer 700baht per meter length.

[SEA Traveler]

^^That guttering is a good price, normal galvanised is about 150 per meter, and stainless nearer 700baht per meter length.

Thanks Khun DD for chimming in. Advisement appreciated. It is tough for a good man to not belly up to the bar.

[a. boozer]

SEA Traveller. The work is looking good, popped around yesterday, Khun reckons maybe two more weeks until completion. The tiles in your bathrooms are a great choice and look really classy - maybe HINO could post a picture or two! The floor in your office is looking great, just waiting for one more coat of gloss - you are going to need a really good desk to compliment it!

[SEA Traveler]

SEA Traveller. The work is looking good, popped around yesterday, Khun reckons maybe two more weeks until completion. The tiles in your bathrooms are a great choice and look really classy - maybe HINO could post a picture or two! The floor in your office is looking great, just waiting for one more coat of gloss - you are going to need a really good desk to compliment it!

Thanks Khun Boozer for the advisement. Hino's pics have alreaqdy been incorporated in this forum stream. By the way, I have the perfect desk for the office room.... Ciao!

[HINO]

Yes the place is looking real smart. The floors are great.

I think a visit this week is in order to see what's new.

[SEA Traveler]

Yes the place is looking real smart. The floors are great.

I think a visit this week is in order to see what's new.

Thanks Khun Hino. Always looking forward to an update...

[SEA Traveler]

8 July 2008,

My weekly phone conversations and almost daily e-mail with Khun ensure continuity of the project and make sure that any adjustments that need to be made can be done so without much rework. But if it were not for the pictures taken and forwarded to me by Khun and Mr. & Mrs Hino, I’d be fumbling around as if in the dark. Thanks Khun and Mr. & Mrs Hino again for the updated progress pictures.

Detailed work and final touches on the inside and out continue. From the first picture you will see that the shower water fixture in the bathrooms has been made right side up. The actual shower has also been installed now. Other recent focus has been on completing the staining of the kitchen, bathroom, and walk in dressing room cabinets as well as putting the hardware on the interior doors. You will notice that glass has now been installed in the Western Kitchen door. That was the wife’s selection and turned out not so bad. The hardware for the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors is being installed so the doors are back off the cabinets. The frame for sliding doors, 1 from the Master Bedroom into the walk in dressing room closet and 1 from the Master Bathroom into the walk in dressing room closet, are completed and the doors are almost ready for installation.

The front driveway and pedestrian gates have been completed and installed. The motor for easy opening of the driveway gate will be installed later.

The swimming pool pump house outside shower area is being completed. The same brick fascia used on the bottom part of the columns in the front of the house is being used at the pump shower area wall.

As it relates to the finishing of the swimming pool itself, the pool contractor has been advised that they can resume work in the pool area. The surge/balance tank will be completed, the tile will be placed in the pool, the sandwash will be applied, and the pool pump and filter equipment will be installed. I have the Jandy Never Lube valves on their way to country so any further delays in progress with the pool should be minimal. “But where is Murphy? As sure as it is hot in Thailand, I’m sorry to say that Murphy will in all probability reappear”.

And finally, an updated picture of the West side of the house with grounds in the foreground.


Above Picture: Bathroom shower handle hardware made right side up with the shower nozzel installed.


Above Picture: Western kitchen door with glass installed and stained kitchen cabinets with doors off for the hardware to be installed.


Above Picture: Glass installed in Western kitchen door.


Above Picture: Front pedestrian gate.


Above Picture: Front driveway gate.


Above Picture: Stone fascia beiong installed on the pump house shower area wall.


Above Picture: West side of house with pool in foreground.

That's all for now... until next time. Ciao!

[Loombucket]

Nice gate you have there SeaTraveler. May I be rude and ask what they set you back?

[SEA Traveler]

Appreciate the kind complements Khun Loom. Actually Khun Loom, the costs for the front gate that you see in this picture were consolidated with an electric motor with 2 remote controls to open and close the gate, a pedestrian gate as shown below, approximately 40 meters of iron/steel grating (see below picture) at the top of the wall and the installation of all mentioned. Check your PMs.


Pedestrian Gate...


Iron/Steel Grating at the top of the wall.


Iron/Steel Grating at the top of the wall... close up.

The wifey picked out the gate design. It took us about 45 min or so to look through the who catalog and discuss. After finding the style and design of the gate that we liked from the catalog, we altered it slightly and came up with what you see here. Not too bad. I like it also. It provides some privacy while at the same time provides some visability through the gate although limited. As we wanted it to be.

Ciao!

[BosseO]

Wifey and I went by today to have a look at your 'Grand Palace'. Your crew was busy making furniture for your bathrooms. Everything was really looking nice.
One of the comment from the lil'un was, 'And a gate for a King'.

[SEA Traveler]

Wifey and I went by today to have a look at your 'Grand Palace'. Your crew was busy making furniture for your bathrooms. Everything was really looking nice.
One of the comment from the lil'un was, 'And a gate for a King'.

Greetings Khun BosseO. I see you made it back to LOS just fine. Thanks for the kind words and for stopping by. Your place should be just abuot finished by now. Anyway, see U in August... Ciao!

[SEA Traveler]

14 July 08:

Finishing details of the house continue. Kitchen cabinets are now completely installed, stained, and have the door hung on them; wall baseboard and ceiling trip is being placed; pump house plumbing and exterior is being completed; and the construction of the kitchen island is near completion. Here are a few updated photos:


Above Picture: Entrance to the walk in closet and bathroom from the Master Bedroom both have sliding doors. In this photo, the carpenters are applying the wicker type covering on the insert part of the door. The Mrs actually saw this type of door at one of the hotels we had stayed at and liked it so this was one of her design features inputs. Good choice!


Above Picture: The custom made island for the kitchen is near completion and is seen here drying fron the 1st coat of stain. The island will not be fixed to the floor so we will retain the flexibility to move it around as needed... breakfast table, kitchen preparation counter top, room seperator, and probably most likely, the bar...


Above Picture: Khun added a sink to the Pump House bathroom... don't want any one swimming in the pool without clean hands.


Above Picture: the brick facade on the pool side of the pump house where the shower will be is now completely installed and the pvc piping for the sink on the inside of the pump house is now covered with cement on the exterior. I'm guessing the shower and associated hardware installation is next.


Above Picture: Not gone from the work site but a few weeks and already I have some potential squatter issues that I'll need to contend with.

[Nawty]

Looking good, I like the bathroom tiles on the wall, look very nice in the photos at least.

Do you. or your builder, have a team doing the built in furniture ? We have a seperate team, subbies, supplied by the builder and they are somewhat disappointing considering the quality we required.

I have a number for 2 other cabinet makers/carpenters (carpenters seem to have a different class here than back home) that I am going to do a walk through with upon completion and get their cost quote for the same, their comment on quality and then go look at some of their completed work prior to the next project.

[SEA Traveler]

Looking good, I like the bathroom tiles on the wall, look very nice in the photos at least.

Do you. or your builder, have a team doing the built in furniture ? We have a seperate team, subbies, supplied by the builder and they are somewhat disappointing considering the quality we required.

I have a number for 2 other cabinet makers/carpenters (carpenters seem to have a different class here than back home) that I am going to do a walk through with upon completion and get their cost quote for the same, their comment on quality and then go look at some of their completed work prior to the next project.

Actually Khun Nawty, the carpenters that Khun uses are carpenters that he uses regularly for his interior remodling work. Apparently they have worked as a team for some time now as they remodel condo interiors etc. The cabinets and buit in furnitre work that I saw his carpenters do in his own house is what convinced me to have the custom built in furniture. In fact, a few years ago when they were working on Khuns house, I saw the custom bed and built in furniture being made and installed. As for the actual work they have done on my house, I'll have to wait a few more weeks to see and then a few years to see how well it holds up.
Appreciate the comments.
Ciao!!!

[Nawty]

I would like to know a price, but then its hard to relate it back to my stuff for comparison etc. Regardless I want to find a new crew for the next lot as they are not doing a top notch job.

[SEA Traveler]

I would like to know a price, but then its hard to relate it back to my stuff for comparison etc. Regardless I want to find a new crew for the next lot as they are not doing a top notch job.

Khun Nawty,

PM coming your way with contact information.

Ciao!

[SEA Traveler]

21 July 2008

Progress seems slow on a construction site when the focus of the effort for completing a house is on the finishing details. And so it is the case in this instance. Within the last few days the baseboard wood work is now installed in the living room and has been stained, the airconditioning units and compressors have started to be installed, more of the the metal grating for on top of the perimeter wall is being fabricated and installed and painting continues. The following few pictures reflect some of this most recent progress. Thanks are extended to Khun Hino for the snapshot photos.


Above Picture: Completed living room baseboard wood work and kitchen cabinets with the handles yet to be installed.


Above Picture: Kitchen exhaust fan.


Above Picture: Living room/ Kitchen Air Conditioner, baseboard wood work, and kitchen cabinets.


Above Picture: Added metal grating to the top of the perimeter on the South side.


Above Picture: Front car and pedestrian gates and driveway.


The Jandy Never Lube Valves for the connection of the swimming pool filter, pumps, and other connections have arrived in country and are now in the hands of Khun to be made available to the swimming contractor when installing the equipment. Discussion with the swimming pool contractor today revealed that the pool tiles will be delivered anyday now and that installation of those tiles will begin shortly afterwards and in conjunction with a rebuild of the surge/balance tank. Sandwash of the pool perimeter walkway will follow along with the installation of the lights and pool equipment. Then I guess it will all have to functionally tested to make shure all is working properly and to get the water balance to where it needs to be. Estimated completion date for the pool and everything house related is now mid to late August. I'll continue to post as circumstances and availability of pictures permit. Ciao!

[SEA Traveler]

23 July 2008:

DOORS:
As the detailed work of the house construction project are being finalized, the sliding doors from the master bedroom to the dressing room and from the master bathroom to the dressing room have been constructed, stained and installed. Here is what they look like.


Above Picture: sliding door from Master Bedroom to dressing room.


Above Picture: sliding door from Master Bathroom to dressing room.


Above Picture: Master Bedroom door and sliding door into dressing room.

[Loombucket]

Strewth, Khun Sea, you nearly have room for an indoor five-a-side, Hocky match, in that kitchen. Will you be cooking whole annimals?

[SEA Traveler]

Is that your way of suggestion Khun Loom that I call for "pig roast" when we have the move in blessing?

Actually, we planned for and have a wide open living space plan. The Western kitchen, dining room, and living room areas are all open and not restricted by having any walls so it gives it a feeling of being slightly larger than the actual size. Likewise, the camera's wide angle set up may prove to inhance the actual size as well.

In the end though, there will be a little extra room in the house to accommodate the occasional family member visit and friend visiting from the throughout the world.

Ciao!

[SEA Traveler]

28 July 2008:

Progress continues on the finishing details of the house. Khun estimates that he will be completed in not more than 10 days. There are a few details that he is saving to finish up on until I get over to Thailand for a final inspection. He explained that he wanted to make sure he places the towel racks in the exact place I want them and a few other things he wanted me to make decisions on. The kitchens and bathrooms granite top for the counters still needs to be placed and I have asked Khun to redo the Tahi Kitchen Outside Patio as the Mrs did not really like the left over multi tile mosaic that was used (see below picture). Grass sod and a few trees will be placed in this week and then it is basically just the swimming pool that needs to be completed but that is another story. Possibly I’ll get more into that in a week or so.

Got a little bad news yesterday. The 48K BTU ceiling AC for the living room will not be able to function until the govt utility office finalizes the 3 phased electric for the area. So, the 4 way dispensing unit that has already been installed in the ceiling will remain there for the time being and the compressor was returned. I won’t be paying for unit at all and will just install the AC once the 3 phased electric is run to that area. It is on the books to be done this year but I highly suspect that it will not be for another 18 months. We all know how things in Thai go…

Anyway, below are some more updated pics (complements of Khun Hino and others) of the finalized detailed work being done. It is all over but the shouting now…


Above Picture: Guest Bathroom shower room with glass enclosure and door. Mirror with stained frame also in place now.


Above Picture: Master Bathroom Shower room with galss enclosure.


Above Picture: Master Bathroom w cabinets, mirror and staind frame installed.


Above Picture: Dressing room mirror and cloths hanging rails installed.


Above Picture: Front Entrance with the "Stained Glass" window on top of the door. The Mrs will be pleased to see this as it was one of her many contributions to the design of this home.

[a. boozer]

The work certainly does look good in the pictures, but I can assure you that it looks better in the flesh!