Finding and Building a Residence for Mr and Mrs MTSINTERNATIONAL

[SEA Traveler]

Khun Sea Traveler,

I enjoyed your thread immensly. Your dedication to this project is reflected in the result. Talking here about your home, but the same could be said for your long and entertaining thread. Keep up the good work.

DA

Welcome first time poster Deck Ape. I am humbled in that my thread is the first post to which you have posted. Thanks for the kind words about the project as it was a long time in coming to fruition. Now if only the pool part of the the project stays on the scheduled time line we will be all set. More pics to come as I will be doing a final inspection within a month. Stay tuned and "keep on posting". Ciao!

[Marmite the Dog]

Hmmm Khun SEA that soil looks very very sandy, was a covering of decent soil put over it as it does not look like it to me. In all my years of laying turf I have never used a roller afterwards just 'planked' it as it tends to stretch the sods.

I've lost count of the number of times I've posted the same thing Props.

[HINO]

Stop counting

[AZZZEY68]

Is turf expensive in Thailand ?

[SEA Traveler]

Is turf expensive in Thailand ?

Khun A68,

From my notes, it looks like I paid 70 baht per sq meter, delivered and installed with a guarantee for it to take hold in the ground. I do not know if this is a good price or not but what I can probably be assured of is that there are some readers and participants of this forum that will say that I paid too much.... others will say it is not too bad a price.... and still others will assess the type of price with the type of grass and offer an opinion. A68, you will have to be the judge for yourself if 70 baht per sq meter is a good price for you or not.

Ciao!

[Deck Ape]

Khun Sea,

Your lawn looks fantastic. I'm pretty sure you'll keep it "high and tight" too. Things less promising on my side. Looks like a ghost town. Lost one more day of good weather.

DA

[DrAndy]

never mind, keep your chin up, look on the bright side, there is always a silver lining, a bird in the hand is B500

[Nawty]

70 baht sounds fine.

We bought turf for 25 per sqm and then laid it ourselves, bought the soils and sand and mixed it all and laid it with staff etc and probably cost more than your 70b in the long run. Well worth it especially with the guarantee of live grass.

[dirtydog]

15baht per meter for Malaysian grass laid and 25baht per meter for Japanese laid, 10 cubic meters of black soil about 2,000baht per truck, and then you need some bags of the good stuff.

[SEA Traveler]

Thanks DD but water over the bridge with the grass sod already purchased but will need more in about 5 weeks. Grass sod source for both Malaysian grass and Japanese grass [at] notes prices appreciated.

So which would prosper better in the Thai climate? Are either one a creeping grass rather then a vertically growing grass?

[dirtydog]

Malaysian is the flat wide leaf one, doesn't need too much sun, the Jap stuff thin grows upright and needs cutting a lot but is the best looking and most popular.

For local work we just order it from the plant shops on Thappraya Road, they lay it aswell, it's an inclusive price.

[SEA Traveler]

Thanks Khun DD. I appreciate the insight. Ground cover is mostly what will be needed rather than somethiing that looks real good and definately nothing that requires a lot of cutting so the Japanese stuff is out. Too much cutting.... who needs it...

[bruceveld]

I just wanted to say HELLO NEIGHBOR

Bruce in Ban Phe, Rayong

[Nawty]

The malaysian stuff does not seem to like shade at all, at least at our house it does not, all shady areas thinned out a lot.

15 and 25 baht laid is good for down that way, certainly not in Bangkok and if you have to buy the soil and shit etc extra, then it is really not an all inclusive laid price.

[dirtydog]

if you have to buy the soil and shit etc extra, then it is really not an all inclusive laid price.

It is an inclusive price if you already have normal soil in your garden, if your garden consists of rocks and sand then you will need to buy dirt.

[AZZZEY68]

IMO you should have a show lawn in the front area of your property i like to see a nice lawn it sets off the property.

[SEA Traveler]

I just wanted to say HELLO NEIGHBOR

Bruce in Ban Phe, Rayong

Yes, and greetings to you as well Khun Bruce. We will be talking I'm sure. Ciao!.

[SEA Traveler]

if you have to buy the soil and shit etc extra, then it is really not an all inclusive laid price.

It is an inclusive price if you already have normal soil in your garden, if your garden consists of rocks and sand then you will need to buy dirt.

As it relates to this project, rocks and sand were not an issue as "good dirt" was brought in 18 months prior to construction and then again prior to laying the grass sod.

As it relates to inclusive costs, it is all a matter of semantics. Personally, I understand what both Khun's DD and Nawty are expressing. The inclusive part is for the grass and delivery and labor to lay the grass.... but not the extra good dirt if needed.

And we wonder about the communications between a Western customer and a Thai contractor????

[SEA Traveler]

IMO you should have a show lawn in the front area of your property i like to see a nice lawn it sets off the property.

Thanks Khun A68 for your comments. A beautifully landscaped front lawn with nice grass certainly does make for a show piece. In my case though, the whole front area outside and in front of the house is the tiled entrance way and drive way. There is an area about a meter wide and 12 meters long inside but alongside the wall that will host some grass and a few plants. This will be nicely taken care of. The side is the pool and patio area so no grass requirements. The area where grass will be is in the back and distant sides (other side of the pool and patio) of the house. Low maintenance, green ground cover, and longevity of it's growth was a real consideration. After all, there will be some tress planted in the area as well and a vegie garden for the wife to plant food stuff. Ciao!

[Propagator]

IMO you should have a show lawn in the front area of your property i like to see a nice lawn it sets off the property.

Something like this ?

[SEA Traveler]

IMO you should have a show lawn in the front area of your property i like to see a nice lawn it sets off the property.

Not too shabby although the evergreen looks somewhat out of place. Other than that looking good...

[AZZZEY68]

Not bad but cut your lawn in different directions each time you cut it, and invest in a good mower is always a tip.

September is a good month for top dressing your lawn in the UK , are you using a rotary with a rear roller ?

[SEA Traveler]

Greetings!

The MTSINTERNATIONAL Home building thread was temporarily suspended as a result of movement in route to Thailand, conducting a final house inspection, making minor modification and adjustments to the final work, and above all, working the issue with the swimming pool. I have successfully located a contractor to assess the pool work already completed, remedy and rework any issues caused by previous run away contractor, and complete the work according to the original contract making only those changes that I agree to. Some of which I have already discussed and agreed to with this new contractor... Who is the new contractor... well Khun, my house project manager is now overseeing the work of the new pool contractor and his technical team in my absence during the next 20 days or so while I am in Kuwait. U see, it was a quick in and out of Thai to do the house inspection, move into the house on the prescribed date of the heavenly powers, and get the construction of the pool resummed. Family members in the house now squaring things away. I'll provide a more detailed update with pics of the final of the house and progress of the pool immediately upon my return from Kuwait around 1 October. Until then Ciao and happy building!

[SEA Traveler]

I continue to get updates on the goings on in the neighborhood, with the pool rework, and with the fly screens and blinds from the wife while I'm out making some money in Kuwait. Seems like the government has funded the paving of the soi the way it should be done. I'll post some pics in a follow on post of what that looks like now that it's been completed. The window blinds should be in within 2 or 3 days. After they are up and we are using them for a while, I'll give some info on thumbs up or down and the source and price.

I've got lots of people to thank for the successful build of this home. Khun the contractor is primary in receiving my thanks. He got paid well for his efforts but he kept the project on schedule and budget and he was an honest broker in a lot of the other stuff I was doing with the house. Thanks Khun.

My use of EURO PVC for my windows was a fortunate decision. Aaron and his work crew were timely, professional, and flexible in their support for what I was doing with the windows and fly screens. Thanks Aaron and team.

EURO PVC was out to measure for the window fly screens and they are going to be installed on Friday or Monday. I have to say that the EURO PVC windows have lived up to their sales pitch. About 2 months after they were installed and after the house was completed, EURO PVC was contacted and they came out to take the protective coverings off the PVC and clean the windows. Additionally, they adjusted the hinges and on one window that I wanted to open differently, they put on a new type of hinge. The EURO PVC windows are looking good and I would recommend them for quality and good old professionalism. I'll give you another update after they have installed the retractable fly screens.

The old pool contractor is out. I was taken in by their can do talk but it was all "Bravo Sierra". When I get back to Thai and some info on the company, I'll advise on who to avoid...

Some of the Teakdoor members who have stopped by to check the house out in my absence and give me update reports were a God send. Thanks guys, you know who you are.

I'll be doing a final photo shoot on Wednesday, 1 Oct and summary of of what I have seen now that the house is finished so I would be glad if you join me in that review some time late next week. Until then, CIAO!

[Loy Toy]

Hello ST,

I didn't realize you were back and was actually expecting a call from you around the 10th of this month.

Has your pool problem been sorted as yet as the contractor was waiting for your return and to make an inspection with you?.