Deck Ape's Big Gringo House

[Deck Ape]

Ummmmm no.( 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.

[TizMe]

I hope the owner of this house isn't a TD member. That is one very ugly colour scheme.

[Loombucket]

I've lowered my expectations yet again.

Always expect the worst, then you will be pleasantly surprised. It's true what others have said, building a house can be very stressfull and, sometimes, the workers look like they are doing nothing. In many cases, however, they are waiting for something. Usually whisky!

Don't give up yet, me and Mrs.LoomB should, by rights, have gone our seperate ways, after the first month of building. Most of it came down to simple misunderstanding and a lack of tranlations for simple building words.

Good luck.

[sabang]

over 1 million does sound a bit too much.

Huh? I'd like to see you get a house that size and spec done for less than a million.

Finished around 1.5m. 150m2 inside and 50m2 of porches.

Sounds about right, maybe even a bit optimistic- it's a decent sized place.

[SEA Traveler]

I hope the owner of this house isn't a TD member. That is one very ugly colour scheme.

But not a gotesque as the sky blues and pinks I've seen. Personally, I like the color. Nice earth tone and fits in well with the landscape. Too each their own. That's one reason they makes so many colors of paint. Everyone can be happy that way....

[Deck Ape]

Work recommenced again today. Labor relations feel good. My peace offering was a bunch of good quality dust masks (they're cutting the qcon, really bad dust). Think Loomie's right and a case or so of whisky might get production going.

After taking a few days off, the whole thing feels a lot better. The next few weeks should bring some good progress, and then I'm out of money and time- back to the salt mines.

Sea Traveler has a good point. The people who are building that art deco brown house are probably thrilled by it. I like it too. Not enough to copy it or anything, but I think it looks great.

[DrAndy]

we used to have a little party with the team now and then, at the days end when something had been accomplished

get the BBQ fired up and a few beers and a bottle of cheap Scottish whisky went down well (they liked to mix the two). The only days we lost were due to illness or a funeral in someones family, so it seemed to work, and we enjoyed it too

[Deck Ape]

Yeah Dr. Andy, positive reinforcement is the best way.

So here we are, at the big gringo house. Loud and dusty these last few days because they're tearing the ass out of walls and door/window frames. Making good headway (hope I didn't jinx myself there).

[SEA Traveler]

Taking shape Khun DA. Lookin good.

[Deck Ape]

Thanks Khun Sea Traveler . One thing I've noticed is the great cross breeze we're getting in all the rooms. Lots of windows and an open floor plan seem to work.

All of the door and window frames now have "chaab liem". That's the guide to keep the final render coat true. Water pvc and bathroom floors should be prepped in the next few days.

[Deck Ape]

So here's what's happened the last few days.



That's the chaab tiem, applied with the edge of a cement float. Used as a guide to keep the final render coat true.

There are also a bunch of these. Inside is that yellow PVC. No cable yet.



The rough in for some drains


At the top of the picture is what will be the floor/shower drain. There's a P-trap there and a 1" vent. At the bottom of the pic is the toilet drain; 4" with a T to 2" which will be the stack vent and go up into the roof. 1" vents for sink and shower will tie in to stack vent. Around 1" fall per foot for drain lines.

If no P traps, smelly. If no vents, poor drainage and/or water sucked out of P-traps. Had to buy and suggest this stuff myself. The builders I've dealt with might not think of it on their own.

If anyone has a smelly shower drain (no P trap) they now make drain covers (for shower deck) with a trap built in. Wouldn't take much pressure to overcome it, but it might fix it.

Toilet drain for other bathroom



The plumbing isn't done yet, just wanted to get some pics while I was there.

[The_Dude]

"At the top of the picture is what will be the floor/shower drain. There's a P-trap there and a 1" vent. At the bottom of the pic is the toilet drain; 4" with a T to 2" which will be the stack vent and go up into the roof. 1" vents for sink and shower will tie in to stack vent. Around 1" fall per foot for drain lines."

Hello DA,

Way too much drop for Drain Waste! 1/8" - 1/4" is standard code. Your water is going to scream past your poop! Invest in a snake you'll need it. And make some clean outs now or you'll regret it later!

Nice looking project keep it up!

[The_Dude]

Hello DA,

Do you have any pics as they cut your block wall to lay in the conduit? I'm interested in this product and the process it requires for conduit and pipe installation.

[Deck Ape]

I've been on a few sites for plumbing and there isn't a consensus (not surprisingly). But people who claim to be journeyman plumbers say if you've got the extra fall, use it.

Yeah, I can get a few pics of q-con destruction.

One note about materials- upcountry the folks will always try to talk you out of buying "expensive" materials. I try not to let them do it.

[Deck Ape]

Oh Happy Day




that's what I saw when I took a walk this morning. Ten guys working!



Mixing the mortar. Not sure if it should be called thin set or not. Anyways it comes with the cement and sand mixed together in the bag. Add water and away you go.



A little power mixing for extra thoroughness. This stuff looks really good.


They splash a little bit on first, so the rest would stick. Told them it looks like a looktung Jackson Pollack.




Then, happy happy, joy joy the boys begin making it look more like a home.



Here's Pa using a power chisel to remove the material for a drain vent. They use a cutting wheel to make the grooves (above) and then chisel it out. The Q-Con blocks seem pretty strong considering how light they are.

[DrAndy]

I've been on a few sites for plumbing and there isn't a consensus (not surprisingly). But people who claim to be journeyman plumbers say if you've got the extra fall, use it.

.

That may be true for waste water but the lavatory does not need or want to much fall. As was said, it works better when the fall is quite low, otherwise the water will just vanish leaving the happy turds sitting high and dry

also, I agree that it is a good idea to put a cleaning eye in where possible

[Deck Ape]

Well, cleanouts for sure. But I think it's the age of cast iron that gave extra fall a bad name. That and long drain runs. PVC puts the whole cocktail on a silly slide. We have two sets of tanks, so it's only about 2m from shitter to tank. I will bet 1,000 baht and an MK dinner that our toilets never clog.

[dirtydog]

1 inch drop per meter if I remember correctly for wastes.

[Deck Ape]

From what I understand, 1" per 8 foot is a minimum. There is no max.

[DrAndy]

. I will bet 1,000 baht and an MK dinner that our toilets never clog.

If they do, I will take the money and forget the dinner!

If your run is only 2m then no problem

[DrAndy]

1 inch drop per meter if I remember correctly for wastes.

DD, it is lucky you are not sending a probe to Mars

[splitlid]

1:40 should be

[dirtydog]

DD, it is lucky you are not sending a probe to Mars

When I learnt it, it was in feet and inches, so I converted it into something even I could remember

[dirtydog]

1:40 should be

1:04? Feet or meters?

[Deck Ape]

Hopefully the final page in the roof chapter. Roofers on site today to install last five ridge tiles. Got word they were finished, so I went up to check it out. No, no, no. They offered to fix a large hole in one tile with silicone. And assured me that a faint breeze wouldn't blow another unsecured tile off the roof. I offered to not pay the last installment.

They finished again. Of course they might have had me over a barrel because Mrs. Deckape signed a paper last week verifying completion. Little mischevious vixen!

And "my guys" did something...... have to re-learn this lesson. Never just tell your contractor generally where you want things (water lines, walls etc.) always ask them specifically how they will do it and with what materials. And when.

Then factor in an extra 300% in extra time, 400% in extra materials and tell yourself that it's worth it.