Thread: The Building Decisions That I Regret .

Originally Posted by baldrick

if there is a bath in the plan take it out

Why ??

Originally Posted by crepitas

Wish I had bit the bullet and installed all aluminum or teak windows/doors..every rainy season everything sticks. Front door is teak...no problems.

Do you have regular timber windows then ?

Originally Posted by Wasp

Why ??

then you have a big shower area without the problems of a poorly installed bath

The most leathal mistake most people make in their build is allowing their bathroom floors to be tiled in the same tiles that are on the wall, I know of two guys that have checked out after slipping arse over tit and bashing their skulls in so unless you like showering with a full face crash helmet go with non-slip.

Originally Posted by JPPR2

Regrets: While I do not have but a few here they are.

1) While hard to think about future yard ideas at the time of the build, I would have liked to have had the septic tank on the back side of the house. I never gave it any thought until I was thinking about landscaping

2) Install the 1000L water tank inside the laundry room downstairs versus outside, looks nicer and tank is out of the elements

Advice for anyone building:

1) Find a reputable builder. Go see his projects. talk to the end user to see if they like what they got.

2) Don't be a cheap skate. You only get what you pay for.

3) Sit down and REALLY decide where you want to build and live. Move around Thailand first. Go north and south.

I will think of more I am sure

JPPR : " Sit down and REALLY decide where you want to build and live. Move around Thailand first. Go north and south. "

But also pretty difficult for a lot of people I would think as the Thai partner will almost invariably want to live within " warm soup " distance of the parents ?

With... " Find a reputable builder." In Missy's case and a few others it was going to create huge family tensions if anybody other than the ' cousins ' was engaged to do the build .
Even though no cousin owned an undamaged Spirit Level or a sharp chisel.

Valid points just the same JPPR.



Wasp

Originally Posted by Wasp

Originally Posted by Stinky

The most leathal mistake most people make in their build is allowing their bathroom floors to be tiled in the same tiles that are on the wall, I know of two guys that have checked out after slipping arse over tit and bashing their skulls in so unless you like showering with a full face crash helmet go with non-slip.

Honest Stinky ???

Two guys dead because of this !!!! ?

Got to be Number One bit of advice !



Wasp

Sadly it's true, the closest tragedy happened while I oversaw a house build for a friend in darkest issan as he couldn't be in the country at the time, the build went badly with the usual bs fubars and his wife wanting everything done the "Thai way", one of those ways was to tile the bathroom floor with the same tiles as the walls, something that I tried very hard to disused her from. I was constantly on the phone to my friend trying to get him to reign her in but he was unwilling and/or unable to, and so I went on my way before something bad happened and I'd be left in the frame. Her unwillingness to accept my better judgment cost her father his life a week after they moved into the house, he slipped on the bathroom floor and caved the back of his skull in on the toilet. He was a very decent chap and had years left in him.

Ensure you install more power outlets than you currently require, or if not run additional conduit at the outlet location at the first fix, so that you can add additional cables later for communication/speaker cables etc.

3) Sit down and REALLY decide where you want to build and live. Move around Thailand first. Go north and south.

I agree whole-heartedly and have given that advice to a few newbies over the years.
First time in my wife's village I was in that frame of mind that I'm sure a lot of farangs have experienced. That of ''WOW! I wanna live here the rest of my life.''

I gave myself one year to decide before settling for a village way of life.
After only about 6 months I realised that it wasn't really what I really wanted. And when my wife was heavy with my first child, I knew then that I had to think about what would be best for me, my future child and for my 6 y/o step-daughter.

I ended up buying a townhouse in a quiet mooban partly surrounded by green fields on the outskirts of Bangkok. I've got a nice fusion of village life while having a city on my doorstep. If I ever want more of the village life then I can always go back to my wife's village and stay or live there for however long I want to.

Gazza :

I gave myself one year to decide before settling for a village way of life.
After only about 6 months I realised that it wasn't really what I really wanted.

I ended up buying a townhouse in a quiet mooban partly surrounded by green fields on the outskirts of Bangkok. I've got a nice fusion of village life while having a city on my doorstep. If I ever want more of the village life then I can always go back to my wife's village and stay or live there for however long I want to.



I hadn't planned to work that way ..... but actually I do like being only a 30 minute motorbike ride outside Korat .
And it's a nice ride with only 2 traffic lights and the police always hiding in the same spot .
If I was 3 hours away maybe I'd not be anywhere near as content.



Wasp

Stinky :
Sadly it's true, the closest tragedy happened while I oversaw a house build for a friend in darkest issan as he couldn't be in the country at the time, the build went badly with the usual bs fubars and his wife wanting everything done the "Thai way", one of those ways was to tile the bathroom floor with the same tiles as the walls, something that I tried very hard to disused her from. I was constantly on the phone to my friend trying to get him to reign her in but he was unwilling and/or unable to, and so I went on my way before something bad happened and I'd be left in the frame. Her unwillingness to accept my better judgment cost her father his life a week after they moved into the house, he slipped on the bathroom floor and caved the back of his skull in on the toilet. He was a very decent chap and had years left in him.




Our floor tiles in the bathroom are the same as the wall tiles !!!



Wasp

Originally Posted by Wasp

Funny though

Not fookin' funny, at all!

Originally Posted by charleyboy

Originally Posted by Wasp

Funny though

Not fookin' funny, at all!

You're right.

Not funny.


Wasp

Originally Posted by charleyboy

Built a bathroom the length of the (small) guest house bedroom. Should have been the width!

Would have got a much nicer bedroom.

Not sure if I could turn around in there now Chas

Originally Posted by Wasp

JPPR : " Sit down and REALLY decide where you want to build and live. Move around Thailand first. Go north and south. "

But also pretty difficult for a lot of people I would think as the Thai partner will almost invariably want to live within " warm soup " distance of the parents ?

Waspy. It all boils down to the individual. I truly believe if you date someone and have her travel with you they too will see a different side of it. I suspect most foreigners met a gal and are unable to communicate well enough to tell their gal I do not want to live here. I know if my wife had told me early on when dating that we have to move to her house by family I would have walked away. In fact a year before I met my wife I was dating another Thai gal I met where I was working. We started dating. After 8 months I finally met her family. Her mom took no time and was right up in my face about my intentions and plans and that her daughter (36 I was 46) was to stay in close proximity to them. I walked away from her 2 days later and never talked to her again. I am a grown man and will not be told what I have to do. I am not saying this to stir a debate here in this very valuable thread but I think far too many are a little blind about it all and need to take a few big steps back and take in some air. I say this to help newbies.

Originally Posted by Wasp

With... " Find a reputable builder." In Missy's case and a few others it was going to create huge family tensions if anybody other than the ' cousins ' was engaged to do the build .

Again same sentiment. If I am plunking out the money I have the holding vote in the decision and if I want a reputable builder to build the house we want I should get that versus being a disgruntled cash cow in the back ground paying for something I do not like or want. I wouldn't do that here so why there? In fact I would think one would want it better not worse.

Originally Posted by Gazza

I agree whole-heartedly and have given that advice to a few newbies over the years.
First time in my wife's village I was in that frame of mind that I'm sure a lot of farangs have experienced. That of ''WOW! I wanna live here the rest of my life.''

I gave myself one year to decide before settling for a village way of life.
After only about 6 months I realised that it wasn't really what I really wanted. And when my wife was heavy with my first child, I knew then that I had to think about what would be best for me, my future child and for my 6 y/o step-daughter.

I ended up buying a townhouse in a quiet mooban partly surrounded by green fields on the outskirts of Bangkok. I've got a nice fusion of village life while having a city on my doorstep. If I ever want more of the village life then I can always go back to my wife's village and stay or live there for however long I want to.

Good on ya Gazza, I did same thing. I met my GF (Now wife). As we dated and traveled around I told her that I was looking to find an area that suits me for the long haul. She understood. I drove her nuts about it but she was on board. we had some fun discussions. We moved around over a 2 year period and I am so glad we did. In the end we agreed that her land up North was a good match for our lifestyle, expectations and needs. Not to far out in nowhere land but not in the loud noisy city. Again I completely understand everyone has different expectations but at least take your time to determine its the right call

But I still say that anyone who has intentions of making Thailand their primary place to live and stay they should really spend some time seeing it all before sinking a wad of money into a build.

I should have brought in fill, have never flooded but you never know.

The hip roof over the upstairs bathroom needs to be tied into the main roof to eliminate the rain gutter.

The stairs to the upper level should have been on the north east side not north west side. The upstairs is nowhere near finished. Its made of wood not concrete so no problem.

All correctable and not a big deal as long as it never floods that is.

Oh and retiled one of the baths cause I didnt like the way it was done. Its livable and I like it now however by the time I retire Im sure I will have to redo alot of stuff but I'm ok with that.

We want to have a balcony that spans the west side and wraps around the south side creating a covered fron porch. Then on the south side an outdoor kitchen on the lower portion.

Miss spoke, cant correct the fill issue.

Originally Posted by Stinky

If you have these wall tiles as floor tiles at your homes it's worth spending out on replacing them, you can't replace a loved one.

The other way is to put down those rubber mates that stick to the tiles.

What I have done in my Condo is use those wooden squares that plug into each other and create a wooden floor.

Works a treat. Think outside the box if they are already installed.

Originally Posted by terry57

rubber mates

Would they be like, rubber johnies?

You'd be breaking your fookin' neck!

Originally Posted by JPPR2

2) Install the 1000L water tank inside the laundry room downstairs versus outside, looks nicer and tank is out of the elements

Have mine below ground. Out of sight, out of the elements and takes no space. Well worth considering.

Originally Posted by terry57

The other way is to put down those rubber mates that stick to the tiles.

You could of course be a tad less crude like us English

See picture below of Dillinger showing off his shower mats

Originally Posted by terry57

Originally Posted by Stinky

If you have these wall tiles as floor tiles at your homes it's worth spending out on replacing them, you can't replace a loved one.

The other way is to put down those rubber mates that stick to the tiles.

What I have done in my Condo is use those wooden squares that plug into each other and create a wooden floor.

Works a treat. Think outside the box if they are already installed.

A good choice for rented accommodation but I couldn't find them anywhere in PI. And in your own place would you really want those horrible looking granny mats laid down on the entire bathroom floor.