Thread: Building our Retirement Home in Nan Province

Side fences continuing.

Anyone want to guess why I've put a 40cm x 40cm hole in this front fence. (It appears to have amused the Thais no end.)

A couple of accessories have been hung in the kitchenette. Still waiting for the teak shelf. All of the basins are being connected to the waste collection system today so water connection can't be far away.

Originally Posted by BoganInParasite

Anyone want to guess why I've put a 40cm x 40cm hole in this front fence. (It appears to have amused the Thais no end.)

Arrowslit. No castle wall is complete without one.

Sorry Norton, no cigar. Thought they were narrower anyway. Regards, -BiP

Originally Posted by Norton

Arrowslit. No castle wall is complete without one.

Despite three years of technical drawing in the early 70s, it's not a strong skill for me. This is the diagram I'll give the carport guy after a discussion in Thai via the wife for the external metal shelf. (What could go wrong?) The shelf is oversized for a gas bottle but I also want to use it for the electric generator if we buy one. The shelf will eventually be enclosed in a metal cage approx 160cm high, 200cm wide and 80cm deep. Will have lockable doors and store other garden implements and tools.

A question, perhaps superfluous: Any thought about having a room where you stash your gardening tools, wheelbarrow, other tools, paints leftovers, bags with anything, other stuff that does not fit in a fine kitchen, however, at the moment still do not want to throw it immediately into the garbage?
Such handy room is never spacy enough...

Haven't got such a room Klondyke. Clean spare stuff will go either under the stairs or bedroom 2. Bedroom 2 use would be short-term since we have some other plans for it. Likely I'll get the metal cage done before the end of next month and most if not all of the garden implements and tools will go in there. Just measured the wheelbarrow we got yesterday, 60cm x 140cm. Might need to make the metal cage a touch bigger. Regards, -BiP

Originally Posted by Klondyke

A question, perhaps superfluous: Any thought about having a room where you stash your gardening tools, wheelbarrow, other tools, paints leftovers, bags with anything, other stuff that does not fit in a fine kitchen, however, at the moment still do not want to throw it immediately into the garbage?
Such handy room is never spacy enough...

Originally Posted by BoganInParasite

Haven't got such a room Klondyke.

If you are going to do a thing or two in/around the house, you will pretty soon see that you need such a room/house.
Sometimes perhaps to have a spare bed there in order not to be disturbed...

Yeah David, definitely don't want birds and bird shit there. But you know I've observed in Thailand that birds seem to leave some suitable carports, sheds, shop awnings completely alone and flock to others. Our carport in the Nan leased house could accommodate a ton of birds but they don't come near it. There is a shop front close by where the footpath is always covered in bird shit. Yet the next shop along that has the same awning has little and the next one none, and it is nothing to do with foot path cleaning. I cannot see any reason. The wife has been particularly vocal at avoiding bird issues to the extent of banning a bird attracting garden. Hence I going to do butterflies and bees.

Nice cafe name suggestion David but I moved on. Going to paint a couple of large 'H' on the top of the carport, add some steps and collect landing fees. I've never actually seen a helicopter in the area but you know, build it and they will come.

I watched the move trailer and it reminded me of something the wife did to me a few years back. In the space of three months she took me to the cinema and made me endure The Last Airbender and The Chronicles of Nadia (which unbelievably there is several). After the second one I told that she was on two strikes and a third would be the end. David, Bitter/Sweet looks a third strike candidate. Regards, -BiP

Originally Posted by David48atTD

Now, all you have to figure out is how to stop those Sparrow like Thai birds from sitting on the steel bearers and shitting on your cars.

... and they will, in droves.

We simply hung some shade sail (Thai style) under the carport and that stopped it.


Plants won't flourish under the carport. Might climb the vertical post, but not across the steel beam under the roof.

---

As for naming the Carport Cafe ... how about 'Bitter/Sweet'?

Already has an Audience.

Originally Posted by BoganInParasite

Just need the set of mis-matched, old,odd-coloured plastic chairs and a knarled wood table and it will be like its been there for years...

Thanks David, should be there now. Regards, -BiP

Originally Posted by David48atTD

^ Mate, can't see any images as @ 3.50



...

And a cracked concrete bench seat.

Originally Posted by Thai Dhupp

Just need the set of mis-matched, old,odd-coloured plastic chairs and a knarled wood table and it will be like its been there for years...

BiP
My guess for the 40x40 hole is that you are going to have a parcel delivery box set up so they drop the parcel into the slot then when the door is shut they slide down into the box, it will be for all the stuff you plan on buying from Lazada.

As for the blank line between pictures I only made the comment because I thought "he's an Aussie so he must have a thick skin and a sense of humour", I could never get away with making it to a Pom or Yank as they have no sense of humour at all.

But wait there's more, every time I look at the picture below I can't help but think the carport roof is flat. What is the fall over the width (6m or 8m?) of the roof?

Originally Posted by BoganInParasite

Anyone want to guess why I've put a 40cm x 40cm hole in this front fence. (It appears to have amused the Thais no end.)

Would've been even more civilised if they would've initially built the space into the broad design, instead of what appears to be an after thought of creating a hole post-completion in a half-arsed Thai manner.

I trust this was hindsight and not under your full direction originally, BIP? Or.......was that the intention from the start. The space was an after thought?
Nonetheless, can be patched up nicely without too much angst and concern.

The project seems to be coming along nicely to it's completion.
Looking forward to the landscaping/greening thread to accompany.

Cheers!!

Originally Posted by HuangLao

a half-arsed Thai manner.

Schizophrenia is inevitable in received farang circles of perception. So much the better for equatorial dysfunctioness.

Hi ootai, no cigar for you either, not for deliveries.

I had no issue re the blank line between photos. Once those two photos were pointed out to me I could see the issue as well. Aussies rule.

The carport roof is 7.5 meters. Will have to get back to you on the fall, it is shallow though. Likely have an answer on the weekend. Regards, -BiP

Originally Posted by ootai

BiP
My guess for the 40x40 hole is that you are going to have a parcel delivery box set up so they drop the parcel into the slot then when the door is shut they slide down into the box, it will be for all the stuff you plan on buying from Lazada.

As for the blank line between pictures I only made the comment because I thought "he's an Aussie so he must have a thick skin and a sense of humour", I could never get away with making it to a Pom or Yank as they have no sense of humour at all.

But wait there's more, every time I look at the picture below I can't help but think the carport roof is flat. What is the fall over the width (6m or 8m?) of the roof?

Originally Posted by BoganInParasite

And a cracked concrete bench seat.

Originally Posted by BoganInParasite

All I can think of is kids getting their toy cars and using the roof as a race track.
(I never did really grow up)

Welcome back sir, first thing I saw yesterday when we arrived was that holeless fence and my first thought was f@ck me dead, why do I bother planning and asking. Didn't help my mood that within ten minutes of my subsequent walk around there were a couple of other irritating items in the house. Anyway the supervisor arrived and it was sorted quickly. One of the things I've never done was tell them how to do anything. I deal in wants, and let them figure it out. There have been times I've had the opportunity to be asked about a method option and I've always offered up an opinion. I think I said many pages back that if something is structurally sound and can be made to look okay, I'll live with it.

We are still extremely pleased with 99% and expect to be living in the house before the end of the month. It will be more than twelve years for me to have a proper permanent roof over my head rather than a leased premises or hotel while working a time bound contract.

I've not given the other thread enough attention but things will change. The general duties gent now works for me (oops, the wife) and will be building the initial vegetable gardens from Saturday. And today we also requested a quote from the carport lead for two 3.3m x 2.0m trellises for the Aussie and Thai passionfruit vines on the west boundary. One can only hope he tones the engineering down a bit. Regards, -BiP

Originally Posted by HuangLao

Would've been even more civilised if they would've initially built the space into the broad design, instead of what appears to be an after thought of creating a hole post-completion in a half-arsed Thai manner.

I trust this was hindsight and not under your full direction originally, BIP? Or.......was that the intention from the start. The space was an after thought?
Nonetheless, can be patched up nicely without too much angst and concern.

The project seems to be coming along nicely to it's completion.
Looking forward to the landscaping/greening thread to accompany.

Cheers!!

I have a strong suspicion a kiddie won't be the first to roll something down there. If I do put a gutter there will need to have a guard. Way easier to retrieve something off the roof then a gutter or pipe. Regards, -BiP

Originally Posted by David48atTD

All I can think of is kids getting their toy cars and using the roof as a race track.
(I never did really grow up)