Deck Ape's Big Gringo House

[jandajoy]

nice bit o sculpture in the garden..........

[jandajoy]

will they dissolve if it rains?

[Deck Ape]

Guaranteed someone will say rain will damage them beyond repair. Lucky for me the gods are on my side and rain doesn't dare fall on my blocks. Either way the roofers are on their way...... really, they are.

[DrAndy]

Solar water heaters for your home will cost you in excess of 100,000 if done properly. Enough then, lets move on.

why do you say that DA?

mine work fine and we have enough hot water for everyone

they cost B25,000 plus the pipework to the house. Are you saying they were not done properly?

in my book, chapter 7, I tell of the tale of two hussies fighting in the shower room, the hot water seemed to attract a lot of attention

[DrAndy]

Guaranteed someone will say rain will damage them beyond repair. Lucky for me the gods are on my side and rain doesn't dare fall on my blocks. Either way the roofers are on their way...... really, they are.

no one said it yet?

they will only get wet, they are cement

[Deck Ape]

And the work continues at a blistering pace.

Had a nice meeting with the guy at the building suply place this morning. He suggested that in sporting matters China is the greatest country in the world.
I told him that the Chinese womens gymnastics team is so young that Gary Glitter is dying to "meet the girls".

The bill at the supply place is huge. As things look now I only have enough money to almost finish some things sort of half assed. GO TEAM!!

Still more roof parts showed up

few too many, actually. Didn't order any Shera.


Here are the fasteners and cloth for the "cool roof system" hope to god it works!

Lucky for me this guy was right across the street. Bought one for Mrs DA. Let the next round of financing begin.

[SEA Traveler]

Regardless of comments that might be offered about what color of roof tiles are best, I like your "earth tone" color choice of roof tiles Khun DA. Don't need any flashy blues or greens but a more modest and conservative "earth tone" works well and offered a wider viariety of wall clors to go along with it. Good choice.

What have you decided to do with insulation? Anything?

Good job on the daily thread posting by the way and good commentary. Thanks for sharing.

[Deck Ape]

Khun Sea,

Yeah, had a wrestling match with the Mrs. over color of roof and other design elements. I'm trying for understated bordering on the minimalist. She's Isaan. 'Nuf said.
Went with the "cool roof system". Meaning foil directly under tiles but over stringers. Airgap is obtained between foil and tiles with little spacers. Combined with ridgevents
should "wash" hot roof with cool air.
As for insulation I'll put the fattest layer of staycool I can afford on the ceiling.

D.A

[SEA Traveler]

Khun Sea,

Yeah, had a wrestling match with the Mrs. over color of roof and other design elements. I'm trying for understated bordering on the minimalist. She's Isaan. 'Nuf said.
Went with the "cool roof system". Meaning foil directly under tiles but over stringers. Airgap is obtained between foil and tiles with little spacers. Combined with ridgevents
should "wash" hot roof with cool air.
As for insulation I'll put the fattest layer of staycool I can afford on the ceiling.

D.A

I understand and read you loud and clear on the "cool roof system". I did same but have no ability to comment or offer any profound assessments at this point. What you are doing all looked familiar hence, my comments. Keep up the good work.

[Deck Ape]

Just a quick note since I was bitching about money yesterday. Cost for Q-con blocks, wood, (yes wood) windows and doors + render approx 250,000. Cost of roof tiles, hardware and labor 300,000 baht. This is for a 200 meter house with a 1.3 meter overhang.

[Deck Ape]

Not much happening at the jobsite today, just four guys working. Think they've got another job working. Exterior walls are built up to the headers. Waiting for the roofers. Tomorrow sounds too good to be true, but that's what I'm told.

Here's some pics of my current digs. The store has the stock in one side and a T.V lounge in the other. Our biggest sellers (of course) are Beer Chang, 40 rice whisky, and cigs. Here's a shot of the front with a few of our best customers.

[Deck Ape]

Here's the side with the TVs. Rigged up a video projector and 150" screen to the playstation. One of the reasons I plan to have millions of electrical outlets in the new place.


Here's the other side. Porch is a pretty nice place to kill an afternoon.

[Deck Ape]

The security system.

[Deck Ape]

No pics or progress today. Supplies ordered late, very little talent on site. My wife is a she- devil and I might rent a tractor to demolish the place even before it's done. You may see this house for sale online very soon (seriously). Seem to be talking to myself. Thought the joke about our little dog was funny, too.

[Travelmate]

You may see this house for sale online very soon (seriously)

you can't sell it. Only your wife can.
Not to worry. Tomorrow is a brand new day to start afresh.
Ahem...how much you want for it?

[Bexar County Stud]

Here's the side with the TVs. Rigged up a video projector and 150" screen to the playstation. One of the reasons I plan to have millions of electrical outlets in the new place.
.

What kind of projector did you get, and how much? I've often thought about buying one and setting up a home cinema. But the price of LCD's keep coming down...
nothing like a big screen, is there?

Good luck with the marital troubles, BTW.

[Deck Ape]

Hey Khun BCS,

I researched projectors for months. I bought a Panasonic AX200u. It's an LCD that's got this tech that blurs the "windscreen effect". $1250 usd with a free ceiling mount and $350 in free movie rentals.
No problems at home a few nights with the mia noi can't fix.

DA

[Deck Ape]

Ahem...how much you want for it?

After today I'd probably trade it for a plane ticket elsewhere. Like you say, tomorrow.......Whatever it brings it will certainly not bring the roofers. Latest has them delayed two more days due to rain. Grand total= 12 days delayed.

DA

[jandajoy]

DA... get drunk.

[Deck Ape]

Another no pics day. Rebar for "caan" up for the windows. Cement rings showed up for septic tanks. Did a detailed inventory of all the roof fixins'. Quite a bit missing. Assured by Mrs. DA that it just hadn't shown up yet. Also have been told that this might be the real reason the roofers are so late, supplies dribble in as they are manufactured. Added problem for my job is that my tile is a "new" color.
Not a bad day, though. Stopped by Korat immigration- got everything I wanted and more. Go figure. Will post pics tomorrow.

[Deck Ape]

DA... get drunk.

Done and done.

[Deck Ape]

Went to homemart today to specify what exactly didn't show up for my roof. Stopped at the homesite on the way. The living quarters for the roofers have been built. I think that's all that was accomplished today.

Had a blowout with Mrs. Deckape. When she got back from Korat (she didn't make it as fast as me. I took the truck, she took the bus) she said the roofers had postponed again and she had threatened to return all the roofing supplies.

I have to go back to work on 60 days. My goals have adjusted from "wife and kids living in new house" to "walled in with ceiling". Damn.

[sunsetter]

jai yen yen, try not to freak too much, these things happen da, youll get there in the end

[Deck Ape]

Thanks Khun Sunsetter. Great avatar pic by the way.

Brought my camera to the site today. Many roofers there. They started with the
foil and the stringers.



Here's Na, one of the roofers. She wears a ski mask most of the time. Thats a shame.

[Deck Ape]

The rest of the house has looked more or less the same all week. I understand the layoff on this job was a long time. The contractor is finishing up the job he had in the meantime. It's more than a little frustrating, though.


Here's one of the exterior wall sections. Pretty sure no cement for awhile because the batter boards are currently the floor in the roofer's shack.


Can't wait to start filling these babys up. We'll have cesspits on two sides of the house.