Thread: Finally starting the build.

So if its pors land and he's built a few houses before, why isn't he building this house ?
You mentioned him being a thrifty fukker too. You may as well throw away those plans. Old foreman Por will surely be making it to his liking.
This thread is gonna be a classic I reckon. I can see him using your house as a water mill on that pond

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

The area looks smaller than the 200 square metres I asked them to make a base on? We will see...

&, from the look of the plot pics, the angles may not best suit my design; I expect evolution.

I like the way you are approaching this project as a learning experience rather than trying to control the whole process. If you don't expect evolution, that is ending up with something that does what you intended but may not resemble what you envisaged at the beginning, then you will go crazy. In that respect off to a good start as it is or has been put in a different location to where you thought and you think the built up area is smaller than you wanted.

As for how long the landfill needs to be left before building on it, in my opinion maybe 1 day is long enough. If you ever read the thread about my wife's house build then you would have seen that we filled the land at the start of January and started putting in the columns in early April. The only thing needed is to make sure that the footings are dug down into the original hard ground below the fill. From what you say your FIL is on top of that issue.

Good luck and as I have read somewhere on here "don't sweat the small stuff and its all small stuff". I look forward to the evolution/revolution.

What are those people called who laugh at other people falling over ?

No. not Koojo on the amusing photo thread

I wouldn't wish any misfortune on anyone, but I do love a good disaster movie.

I better be careful what I wish for though, because I have been contemplating buying the whole of the Missus families land, all of her 3 brothers(yes they are brothers you twisted fukkers) are wanting to sell, but then I think, I can never see me living in Nakhon Bumfuck ever, and where are them losers gonna live ? But then I think like you Betty and I will probably buy off 2 of them, so the Missus has a nice pad if something does happen to me, although she has inherited a treehouse on a plot up there adjacent to her bro's in Roi Et,

Fuk it, i'm gonna buy the land and a shit load of bamboo

Originally Posted by ootai

as I have read somewhere on here "don't sweat the small stuff and its all small stuff"

Sea Traveller

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

^ I have read similar, but me FIL says otherwise. Not sure what's going on really... In NN the hard stuff (rock?) is only 1 metre down, so they will dig through the extra 0.5 metre of soil that they've just laid and put in the foundations. He says that can be done straight away, and we'll likely start very soon.

I'm not sure about this, so I would like other folks' thoughts/experiences.

Boo

I'm not sure what "NN" stands for, but I would think that if "the hard stuff (rock?) is only 1 metre down" then you should be OK to start putting the foundations down whenever you like, as long as those foundations are based in and on that "hard stuff." Another factor in your case is that it's only one storey.

In my limited experience (watching neighbours' 2 storey houses in the process of construction) they have filled about 1m above the original level of the land, left the fill for a few months (3-6), and then excavated through this fill into the original land to place the foundations there.

bobforest

[QUOTE=bobforest;2450289]

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

^ I have read similar, but me FIL says otherwise. Not sure what's going on really... In NN the hard stuff (rock?) is only 1 metre down, so they will dig through the extra 0.5 metre of soil that they've just laid and put in the foundations. He says that can be done straight away, and we'll likely start very soon.

I'm not sure about this, so I would like other folks' thoughts/experiences.

Boo

It's hard to say without knowing what's under the top layer of dirt. It's certainly "normal" to let fill settle for a period of not less than 3-6 months and often for a year or more. Locally around here, they use 7 meter pylons driven into the ground to carry and distribute the weight of the building. If you have bedrock a meter down....I would be surprised; but if that's the case you should be able to build right away just by laying the foundations on the rock bed.

The lighter building materials being used now...QBlock etc make quite a difference to the overall load on the foundations.

I spent most of the day yesterday with an architect and builder learning all kinds of new stuff. We have just filled a piece of land back in January...which has been previously filled about 2-3 years ago (we added another meter of good soil) He is going to do some soundings....but he tells me that we can start as soon as the "wet" seasons is over. We will be using the 7 meter pylons which can be driven in a day or so.

Hope your gonna do a pic thread to Bob ( please )

Originally Posted by ootai

I like the way you are approaching this project as a learning experience rather than trying to control the whole process.

Thanks. Sometimes, the locals know what they're talking about and make decent choices; they have lived there all their lives... In this instance, I'm happy to go with the flow to a large extent.

Originally Posted by ootai

As for how long the landfill needs to be left before building on it, in my opinion maybe 1 day is long enough.

Originally Posted by bobforest

I'm not sure what "NN" stands for, but I would think that if "the hard stuff (rock?) is only 1 metre down" then you should be OK to start putting the foundations down whenever you like, as long as those foundations are based in and on that "hard stuff." Another factor in your case is that it's only one storey.

Originally Posted by koman

It's hard to say without knowing what's under the top layer of dirt. It's certainly "normal" to let fill settle for a period of not less than 3-6 months and often for a year or more. Locally around here, they use 7 meter pylons driven into the ground to carry and distribute the weight of the building. If you have bedrock a meter down....I would be surprised; but if that's the case you should be able to build right away just by laying the foundations on the rock bed.

Thanks for your comments. In Nakon Nayok the hard ground (not sure just how hard the ground is or if its rock) is only 1 metre down. The family have many houses within a few km radius, and have tilled the land for decades, so they know what they're doing (famous last words...). The architect also confirmed that digging down to 1 metre will be ok; as folks have said, it's only a single floor construction too.

As Gerbil said, I'll try to make sure plenty of rebar and a thick layer of concrete is used for the base, as we won't be wanting floor cracks after a year or so...

Have you actually got a firm price for this little lot Betty , or is a bit of suck it and see ?

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

is a bit of suck it and see ?

I wont be popular for saying this, but every single Farang sponsored house build on here is suck it and see........see if she's gonna sell you down the river.

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Have you actually got a firm price for this little lot Betty , or is a bit of suck it and see ?

Well...

I decided upon 700,000; build to that price. The house just completed next door which she likes cost 1.2 million, so I can imagine how it's gonna go...

Just getting some proper plans drawn up; this will give a better idea. I haven't done detailed costings. I'm not a professional.

Good luck Bettyboo. Looking forward to following the progress of your build.

Not sure if you've given this detail any consideration, but be sure to have a termite protection grid included in the base of your house. It's usually a grid of small pvc piping laid out under the concrete base, that some type of poison is added every once in while (once or twice a year I believe is the norm).

Steve

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

I decided upon 700,000; build to that price.

As the process of the build gets closer it seems the cost estimate gets higher as the female adds to her need lists.

Interesting in that I find myself in the same circumstances. Trying to explain "cost effective," building practices is simply a waste of time. In order to overcome the "hard head," of the spouse I have resorted to pronouncements; What you want and what you get are two different things. No doubt that once the build commences we'll both get a surprise.

You will regret living that close to all that bamboo... while nice for providing shade and the 'woosh' whenever there's a nice breeze but as soon as the dry season starts soon everything, and I mean everything, will be covered in bamboo leaves.

After a good few weeks of wind and/or rain it's like a tapestry of pale brown paper covering all you have planted, preventing proper watering and aeration. The good thing is that it prevents weeds from popping up everywhere.

it quickly can become a nuisance, having to clean it up almost every day and to find it in every nook and cranny of the house once doors and windows are left open. Bamboo leaves are very slow to decay and have almost no nutritional value.

You've been warned!





* Back to raking up more bamboo leaves *

yes, but sometimes the benefits outweigh the disadvantages

although that can be difficult to see when you are sweeping up

Originally Posted by stevefarang

Not sure if you've given this detail any consideration, but be sure to have a termite protection grid included in the base of your house. It's usually a grid of small pvc piping laid out under the concrete base, that some type of poison is added every once in while (once or twice a year I believe is the norm).

Good advice thank you; I will check it out. I've also heard about something that can be laid into/near the foundations to help keep the mozzies away - anybody got any ideas about this?

I really need to get up to speed on the plumbing and stuff that needs to be sorted out at foundation time. I've got the architect working with me now and hope to have regular chats with him then the fully completed drawings (autocad pans, 3D SketchUp images, floor plans and construction drawings for submission/approval) should be ready by June 1st. Currently got the missus fiunding the plot on Google Earth so the architect can have all the info (true North, conditions, access roads, etc).

Originally Posted by ltnt

As the process of the build gets closer it seems the cost estimate gets higher as the female adds to her need lists.

I'm sure this is correct. My missus and her dad are cheapskates, I tend to be the one that adds costs!

Originally Posted by Gipsy

You will regret living that close to all that bamboo...

Thanks for the warning; I'll just have to see how it goes. I was worried about the snakes that like living in bamboo! I'm not gonna build any walls or fences, but once the house is completed than I'll grow bushes/trees/other natural stuff as boundaries and paths, etc.

Originally Posted by DrAndy

although that can be difficult to see when you are sweeping up

You mean when the MIL is sweeping up...

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Good advice thank you; I will check it out.

Yes. Well worth the effort.
Hard to see but the small flex tubes attached to floor beams just above the drains is where the termite poison is injected under the house.

Thank you, Norts.

^ thanks. How about attic fans? Know anything about them?







Look expensive...

^ another area I know nothing about... I will discuss the issue with the architect. Thanks.

(Do big horrible people eating snakes come in through the ventillation or just 10,000 mozzies?)

That's another thing to consider. Make sure no trees touch your roof or you will have rats in there eating your wiring insulation and snakes following them in.

If you vent your eaves and gables you can just see how it is then add some whirlybirds later if it needs it or insulate your ceiling. Not worth it unless you are living there though.