Deck Ape's Big Gringo House

[DrAndy]

A look at one of my soakaway pits. Unsuccessful. About .25cu of gravel w/ a 4" pipe through the wall. The problem is I used fiberglass matting to screen the dirt and keep the pit clear. The fibers seem to swell when they get wet. Gonna cut some holes in it or something. Any suggestions welcome.

I suppose it is not worth screening the pit. Just let the dirty water flow through the pipe and off to wherever!

[El Gibbon]

Don't bother with a screen, just rake or disturb the top of the pit on occasion. The dregs will wash away into the pit,

E. G.

[jaiyenyen]

Hi Deck Ape,
I've done a bit of self-build back in the UK, and know from experience what the moments of doubt feel like.
You have a great looking place there, don't worry, room sizes will be fine, although I do think it might have been a mistake to omit a guest bathroom, but it's not the end of the world.
As I said, the house is looking good, I can't wait to see it finished (Bet you can't either).

[Deck Ape]

Dr. A and E G thanks. I'll give that a try.


Jaiyenyen I appreciate the kind words.

Q-Con update: tomorrow could be the day. Interior and exterior walls done ( blocks, anyway). Bring on the chaab!!

[jandajoy]

Looks bloody great. Who needs a guest bathroom? Who needs guests? There's a yard outside.........
Bloody good job mate.

[Deck Ape]

Thanks JJ. Not just any yard I've got those soakaway pits!!

[jandajoy]

Well there you go. I suppose you could chuck up a bit of tarp to protect guests from the rain but other than that you're sorted.

[Nawty]

For a house that size and single level, over 1 million does sound a bit too much.

Depends on the finished materials and taps etc though.

[Sir Burr]

I wouldn't bother with rain collection if you have a well. When it rains there's plenty of water in the well and in the dry season the water collected will only last a day, or so. Not worth it.

[Deck Ape]

For a house that size and single level, over 1 million does sound a bit too much.

Depends on the finished materials and taps etc though.

A million as of yet. Finished around 1.5m. 150m2 inside and 50m2 of porches. It's gonna be somewhere around 10,000 a m2. Wood windows are the only budget material, everything else is top shelf

[Loy Toy]

It's gonna be somewhere around 10,000 a m2

Well done Deck Ape.

Great price and looks a nice job as well. Should be well satisfied!

[Deck Ape]

Thanks a lot Loy Toy - I'm not chilling the champagne yet, though. The finish work (as you know) really makes the place a home. Well, you liked the other ones, so here's a few more.

Little housing boom in my 'hood right now. Here's one right down the street. Just your average cement shack, but they've made it look like a work of art.


And your average raised house, but with a roof upgrade. Fantasize about having one of these near a beach someday.

And my own cement shack will be built. Here is a rough opening at ceiling height for a vent. Heard an Ozzie say they do this kind of thing back home. There are 1.5 meters of hot air in this room above the door and this vent should keep it moving up. There'll be a large central "house fan" and vent in the center of the house to facilate convection.

[SEA Traveler]

Nice build DA. Keep up the good work...

[Deck Ape]

Thanks Sea Traveler.

Minor problem today. After a less than stellar week, only one guy onsite today at 10 am. In the house watching TV. Enquired as to the contractors wherabouts. "kin khao".

No, at his other job with the rest of the crew. Tonight when I showed up, no work had been done, so I asked the wife to fire him.

[jandajoy]

Photos Deck, photos.

[DrAndy]

Thanks Sea Traveler.

Minor problem today. After a less than stellar week, only one guy onsite today at 10 am. In the house watching TV. Enquired as to the contractors wherabouts. "kin khao".

No, at his other job with the rest of the crew. Tonight when I showed up, no work had been done, so I asked the wife to fire him.

if you keep firing guys because they don't turn up, you will run out of guys

[Deck Ape]

It's not a "I keep firing guys" thing. This is my third project here, and the first time I fired a contractor. Not too happy to do it, but I fucking hate being lied to.

[jaiyenyen]

I know how you feel.
Maybe firing him will send a warning to others, but I somehow doubt it.
Oh well, good luck with the new labour.

[Deck Ape]

Not trying to send a warning, just got a little worked up yesterday. Another day of 0 productivity + 10 guys partying on the front porch after work = 1 fired contractor. Had the wife do it so probably nobody lost too much face. Honestly I should have done it 6 weeks ago when not much was getting done. I've taken extra time off from work so I could be here while this place gets finished up, and it hasn't worked out very well.

I'm also starting to question whether I really want to live in Thailand. Not that keen on my nieghbors, marriage is in the shitter etc.

[sunsetter]

^ bit late for all that? chill out for a while, concentrate on getting the house done mate, it shouldnt be but house building can be a bit of a fcuker,hope it all works out for ya, best of luck

[DrAndy]

I'm also starting to question whether I really want to live in Thailand. Not that keen on my nieghbors, marriage is in the shitter etc.

yeah, building a house is a bit stressful, so chill a bit and try to look forward to having a beer when it is finished

[jaiyenyen]

Chin up, mate.

[Deck Ape]

Will do. Thanks.

Today Mrs. DA had a meeting with the contractor who built this.



He needs a day to figure out how much to gouge me... excuse me- prepare his estimate.

[Deck Ape]

Well......

Put Mrs. DA in charge of getting new talent. She wanted the other guys back. Apparently I failed to act like a big enough dickhead the other day, ( matter of fact to my own credit I didn't say anything, just gave the missus a ride to the site) so they agreed to come back.

So the guys responsible for this



will hopefully bring us the rest of the way home. I've lowered my expectations yet again. Now any progress at all will be seen as a positive thing. No action today, or maybe even tomorrow. Just gonna have to wait and see.

[Travelmate]

what happened? You lost the plot? You went berserk at the workers?