Thread: Building a house in Suratthani province

Looking good !

The roof looks nice. It'll be a lovely house.

I'm jealous! A home at the seaside.

The bathrooms in the back will be a step lower than the main floor to keep farang hight on the roof:





Steve: A very little house compared to the one you have. I couldn't afford sth like that, but of course I don't know the total cost of my house before it is finished either


6kon

One thing that worries me about a wooden house in Thailand is if it starts burning. Wife like to seal off windows so its impossible to enter (and leave) like a prison to keep bad people and ghosts away.


How does other people secure windows on wodden houses?

6kon

Love that location .



Wasp

Looks Ideal, mate. We use key locks on sliding windows in Oz

Actually 6kon, if you check out most Thai bathrooms, you will find they are set lower than the living spaces. I think it is to help prevent any possible flooding from the bathroom into the main living areas.

Steve

Wasp: thanks. I love the location too


FO: Thanks. Do u have some pictures of such solution?


Steve: yes, but this one will be a bit more than the normal 5-6cm The most important for me is that it will be closed for snakes, as I hate cobras sitting there watching when I'm sitting on the toilet doing some serious stuff.



6kon

Originally Posted by 6kon

One thing that worries me about a wooden house in Thailand is if it starts burning. Wife like to seal off windows so its impossible to enter (and leave) like a prison to keep bad people and ghosts away.


How does other people secure windows on wodden houses?

6kon

We have a wooden house, at least the top floor is. Our windows are all opening ones and are secured top and bottom with a sliding lock thing a bit like this:



Our walls have a layer of gypsum on the inside, some vertical joists every 30 cm or so and some 1cm thick wooden siding on the outside held onto the joists with little nails.

If for whatever reason we couldn't get out through a window I reckon it shouldn't take much more than a minute with a big hammer to bash a hole in the wall.

If you're worried about it then perhaps keep a sledgehammer somewhere handy...?

Roobarb: thanks. I really like the look of your house. I like the idea of using the place under the wooden part, but the locals here said it would be more risky to build a 2nd floor like that so close to the sea, and since I didn't need the space I found it easier to drop the idea.


6kon

Originally Posted by 6kon

like the idea of using the place under the wooden part, but the locals here said it would be more risky to build a 2nd floor like that so close to the sea

6kon, exactly what are the locals talking about? More than half of the houses built on the Carolina shores are built up on posts to prevent flood damage during hurricanes.

terp: I think you are right I think its more that my better half wanted a 1 storey building so sth got lost in translation

But as I didn't need the space I think its better with one as long as its lifted some cm above the ground.


6kon

Originally Posted by 6kon

terp: I think you are right I think its more that my better half wanted a 1 storey building so sth got lost in translation
But as I didn't need the space I think its better with one as long as its lifted some cm above the ground.

Lost in translation . . . What is the elevation of your first (ground) floor above mean high tide? The locals can tell you where the high water mark is. So probably OK raising it a little bit.

Originally Posted by terp80

Originally Posted by 6kon

terp: I think you are right I think its more that my better half wanted a 1 storey building so sth got lost in translation
But as I didn't need the space I think its better with one as long as its lifted some cm above the ground.

Lost in translation . . . What is the elevation of your first (ground) floor above mean high tide? The locals can tell you where the high water mark is. So probably OK raising it a little bit.

I guess about 2 meters from high tide.
This is a picture of the highest level before the seawall was built:


6kon

Originally Posted by 6kon

terp: I think you are right I think its more that my better half wanted a 1 storey building so sth got lost in translation

But as I didn't need the space I think its better with one as long as its lifted some cm above the ground.


6kon

No.

Take it up at least above head height .
You'll be happy with the storage , the access to pipes , the height above floodwater , your balcony view .

All pluses.



Wasp

Wasp: I don't need to worry about the access since I let somechai take care of it

Actually I trust my BIL that he will find a good solution for the house. He has a good eye for good solutions and he likes that things are done properly.


6kon

Originally Posted by 6kon

Roobarb: thanks. I really like the look of your house. I like the idea of using the place under the wooden part, but the locals here said it would be more risky to build a 2nd floor like that so close to the sea, and since I didn't need the space I found it easier to drop the idea.


6kon

Thanks for the compliments on my place 6kon, much appreciated...

I don't think there's a right answer as to whether you raise the house or not. We built two stories largely because I liked the look of it. Having done so I do sometimes wish that we'd simply built a single storey place on a larger footprint, especially as Somchai's initial coat of varnish on the upper floor exterior woodwork is now beginning to wear off...

The key as you know is to have plenty of shaded outside space. So long as your plot of land is not tiny then there's no reason that the outside lounging area needs to be under the house, put it where you get the best breeze/views etc - you could even raise it up and use the underneath bit as a garage/carport...?

What colour will the tiles in the bathrooms have
Pink?
Blue?
White?

Its up to me darling....(but only if it is the same as I like)

6kon

We(BIL) signed a contract with 30% payment in advance and 70% when the work was finished. In the contract they guaranteed the building process should be finished in 2 months.

The company found out they had problems with finished it on time so they asked for an extension, and BIL gave them 2 extra weeks if they did a proper build. Better that than working fast to finish with some shortcuts.

BIL is very pleased with the work they have done so far.
He works on the bathrooms and the other things that needs to be done while he look after what they do.


6kon

Sorry 6kon, the house I'm in now doesn't have the window locks, so no pics. They are very common in Oz tho, I'll try and find a pic.

FO: no problems I guess I could ask Betty, but then I guess the solution would involve bamboo and chicken wire.


6kon

Last update from BIL. 2 workers on site working on wooden tiles under the roof. I wish I had some picture of it. But wife told me she had seen it on a similar house and it looked very good.
BIL working on bathroom. Walls soon ready there for tiles.


6kon

Wife told me the wooden tiles will be sth like the one that can be seen on this picture:



6kon

I have been told that the fron of the house will look sth similar :


As far as I know it will look like this. And hopefully not painted in pink , blue or white


6kon

Originally Posted by 6kon

And hopefully not painted in pink , blue or white

So pink, blue AND white then? Oh well, each to his own...