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  1. #1
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    House modifications ...

    After building your house and living in it for awhile you see things you either missed in the initial build or life changes and you want to add on or change.

    Up to this point for 15 hrs out of every day we are always outside doing something and resting underneath. As time has gone on we have found that being downstairs so much that we want to make it more comfortable to be there, especially with the summer months as well as the rainy season.

    We have decided to take a section under the house where we eat dinner and convert it to an enclosed "Family room" which can double as a bedroom for guests. I sat with my wife and we drew up some plans and then got it all coordinated to begin.




    This is the area we will enclose. My wife initially wanted to have it all walled in but I am an open air type so we will have it glassed instead keeping it open appearing and having slide glass doors. I had to move the Jacuzzi out and have not found a home for it yet.



    This will be the glass design style. We will not have blinds for now as there is no need being the sun never hits this area but if later we want to add them we can for privacy.




    We will have 2 AC units installed in those Red box locations. One side of the room will be the dinner table, the other side will be the furniture and a TV mounted on the wall. I did not want one big one as no need to cool it all if we are just eating or just sitting relaxing on the other side.




    First we had to remove the Teak we had installed on the one wall as it was open to air. This will be the only "walled" in side.



    I went and picked up the Q con. This will be for the walled in side and one area where we are having just windows installed and not sliding glass doors.



    Our long time family friend is doing the masonry work. He built my car park and shop.

    We have a packed schedule over the next 3 days. I will pull power in for the AC's as I can use the Jacuzzi power lines.

    More pics as this project proceeds.

    BTW, the Pond project I had started is shelved for now....

  2. #2
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Day 1 Progress

    We hustled today. I worked with Arnut on the Teakwood move to new section. Had to make a run to get some trim wood. Our friend did the Qcon install.



    Teak moved and the Q con wall almost done



    Short wall done and cement on top setting for landing for glass. Wiring pulled in and on the wall.


    Tomorrow my wife friend who did the electrical work on our house originally comes. We are adding power for AC's, wall mount for TV location and 2 other "whatever" outlets. Likely for the refrigerator and water dispenser. We will render the Q con on Friday and hopefully paint on Sunday before I head back to work

  3. #3
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Day 2 Progress

    Today went along quite well.



    Our electrician friend showed up bright and early this morning. I helped pull power from our kitchen while he did the conduit underneath.



    The plan is the TV will cover the glass as I did not want to pull it out. I will install the wall mount tomorrow and hope that works out.. The conduit will all be paint matched when done.




    Both AC power lines pulled in and waiting. AC units will be installed tomorrow. Glass fabricators coming tonight for the measurements. Not sure how long it will take to build the glass. Probably 2 weeks.



    Q con rendered and we will paint on Sunday as planned.

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat lom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Q con rendered and we will paint on Sunday as planned.
    Don't rush the paint job, let the render dry properly, I would wait 7-10 days even though it is a thin cement layer.
    Thais are way too fast with putting the color on.

  5. #5
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lom View Post
    Don't rush the paint job, let the render dry properly, I would wait 7-10 days even though it is a thin cement layer.
    Thais are way too fast with putting the color on.
    Thanks for the comment Lom. I thought at least 5 days but 7 sounds better as I will be back in Sattahip and my wife and niece can do Tim. I hate painting.

  6. #6
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Day 3

    Man it was a bull rush today.









    AC's installed. Homepro always does a nice job on installing.

    Being my wifes close family friend was available to do some work, we decided to have the pocket door installed in the guest bathroom.





    Started out simple and was a lot of damn work.





    Took some work but got it all trimmed up.

    Glass work all measured and will install in 2 weeks

    Got a lot accomplished in 3 days.

  7. #7
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Got a lot accomplished in 3 days.
    You certainly have. Looking good!

  8. #8
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Thanks Norton.

    We have always been blessed with good folks to help us. After all was done today I cracked a bottle of Glenmorangie to share with everyone and wife tracked down some food.

    The good life.

  9. #9
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    JPPR
    You are too much like the Energiser bunny and you need to learn to relax or you will never be able to enjoy your retirement if it ever comes.

    Anyway I am confused (which is not difficult) about exactly what it is that you are doing. You said in the first post that you have a plan but I still cant work it out.
    Maybe if you took some pictures that showed a bigger broader view then I could put it all into context.

    So in the picture below which is really the first one I've seen that shows what I think is the 2 areas that you are planning to enclose.
    In the section where I have drawn a red line I believe you are installing glass windows. Are they going to be fixed glass or are they going to be able to be opened?
    In the section where I have drawn a blue line I think you plan to have glass which incorporates a sliding door. Is that going to be full height?
    In the sections where I have drawn green lines are you closing these panels and if yes what with glass? Will you have a door in both panels?
    Are you going to leave the section under where you have installed the AC's open or are you also going to close it?

    Why didn't you just enclosed the whole bottom section? I understand it would have been a huge area to try and cool with AC's.

    House modifications ...-jppr2-v1-jpg

    Hopefully the trees you had put in for your other project have continued to grow and didn't stop when you put that project on hold?

  10. #10
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    Make sure the drain from the air conditioners run down, away from the unit, I have seen many where they dont, the result is they fill up with water and run out under the unit, very very annoying.

  11. #11
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    I'd have thought that a big part of the reason why you were spending a lot of your time in this area was because it's in the open air.

    But hey what do I know?!

  12. #12
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    Hang on a minute, you haven't finished the 'small pond' yet - one project at a time!

    The FiL is free at the moment if you need any help with your construction; very much takes a traditional Thai approach...

  13. #13
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ootai View Post
    You are too much like the Energiser bunny and you need to learn to relax or you will never be able to enjoy your retirement if it ever comes.
    Howdy ootai,
    Yeah I am always busy doing something. Sitting still is not part of my make up at all. Drives my wife nuts sometimes. . That said I am doing this as I am winding down on working now and thought I would just get the place the way we want it now versus later. I plan on being a "Pensioner" soon...

    Quote Originally Posted by ootai View Post
    Why didn't you just enclosed the whole bottom section? I understand it would have been a huge area to try and cool with AC's.
    Numerous reasons why I did not close it all up.

    1. Cost. To enclose it all up was cost prohibitive in my opinion. Plus it was never really ever part of the plan as I love sitting outside underneath and relaxing at the end of day with my dogs and a bourbon.
    2. Enclosing it all would have made it too dark. Its a huge area underneath and to your point how many AC's would be needed would be a huge unknown. Plus Who wants to wash windows all the time..
    3. If I closed it all up our dogs (My wifes children) would have been stuck outside all the time as we do not let them in the main house. I also have a dog kennel underneath the front stairs that they stay in at night. Enclosing it all would have enclosed that as well. Our dogs are great watch dogs and bark when someone comes down our soi and would if someone entered our property.


    As to your mark ups, Yes that is exactly where we are putting the glass. 3 sections will have sliding glass doors with screens to keep the "Mozzies" out. The 4th section will have opening windows so we can enjoy the flowering trees out back. This side sees virtually no sun so its quite comfortable there.

    The glass folks came and measured it all out. It will take about 3 weeks and they will come and install. We went with Brown wood similuated color versus white as the white would look filthy all the time.

    @ Cyrille. Yes I love the open air of our home. This little section we are enclsoing will be glass so you will still have the appearance and feel while offering a family room and a dinner area to entertain our friends.

  14. #14
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo View Post
    Hang on a minute, you haven't finished the 'small pond' yet - one project at a time!
    Yeah, I had to shelve the "Water Feature/Pond" project. Save that for when I call it quits and can be at home. Nobody will take care of it if I do now.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo View Post
    The FiL is free at the moment if you need any help with your construction; very much takes a traditional Thai approach...
    Thanks but I will pass. I have one of those FILs living with us. He would do it all Thai Traditional if we did not clip his wings. Everything is bailing wire, Bamboo, or that Red or green plastic string shit to hold stuff together. He has no idea what all the work we are doing is for. I asked my wife, did you explain it your Dad...she said "Nope, He doesn't need to know". I said..."Good point"

    Additionally. our niece from Ayutthaya will be moving in with us. She has landed a job up here near Lamphun area. She is excited as she gets away from her parents and finally has some privacy and her own room. My wife and I agreed we are going to charge her rent but all that she pays us will go back to her when she moves out. My Dad did that for me and my wife liked the idea. She of course doesn't know that, to her this is a life lesson.

  15. #15
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mozzbie47 View Post
    Make sure the drain from the air conditioners run down, away from the unit, I have seen many where they dont, the result is they fill up with water and run out under the unit, very very annoying.


    There were a few things I was very specific about, draining was one. I wanted AC's installed first so when the Glass installers came they would know how to build the frame around the AC's.

  16. #16
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    ^ you don't need to worry about that kinda stuff, the Thais will sort it out by themselves...

    I don't know how you have the patience.

    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Yeah, I had to shelve the "Water Feature/Pond" project. Save that for when I call it quits and can be at home. Nobody will take care of it if I do now.



    Thanks but I will pass. I have one of those FILs living with us. He would do it all Thai Traditional if we did not clip his wings. Everything is bailing wire, Bamboo, or that Red or green plastic string shit to hold stuff together. He has no idea what all the work we are doing is for. I asked my wife, did you explain it your Dad...she said "Nope, He doesn't need to know". I said..."Good point"

    Additionally. our niece from Ayutthaya will be moving in with us. She has landed a job up here near Lamphun area. She is excited as she gets away from her parents and finally has some privacy and her own room. My wife and I agreed we are going to charge her rent but all that she pays us will go back to her when she moves out. My Dad did that for me and my wife liked the idea. She of course doesn't know that, to her this is a life lesson.
    My FiL is a bit of a chicken wire and large piece of plastic kinda guy, with the bamboo, of course. He is a nice fella, is trying his best to help out, but sometimes...

    The life lesson is a nice idea - what are lovely fella you are.

    (although, I'm a tad upset at not being able to see Lamphun's big new attraction: The JPPR2 Waterfalls. Was the district governor ok with the delay?)
    Cycling should be banned!!!

  17. #17
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Don't worry BB, my waterfall will get done come hell or high water or in this case maybe no water..

    As for patience, I have found that I sit with my wife. Explain what I want with pictures and she goes out and shows and tells them. Then she blames it all on me being picky but it gets done right. I showed the HomePro AC install guys a few tricks that they liked.

    Like you BB, my FIL is a good guy but has no clue how the world has changed. He hasn't left the house for any length of time in years. Obviously he doesn't browse the internet so his world is Eat, sleep, eat, sleep shower go to bed. Inbetween its Wire, Bamboo, tape. He even takes old nails and spends time straightening them only to have them bend first hit because they are weak after pounding them back straight.

  18. #18
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    That does ring so true.

  19. #19
    I'm in Jail

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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Thanks but I will pass. I have one of those FILs living with us. He would do it all Thai Traditional if we did not clip his wings. Everything is bailing wire, Bamboo, or that Red or green plastic string shit to hold stuff together.
    and of course anything free. We had one too Buddha rest his soul. The problem was that being 80+ we didn't want to hurt his feelings so just let him get on with his "projects" and they would deteriorate quickly enough to be able to clear them away within a month or two.

  20. #20
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NamPikToot View Post
    and of course anything free. We had one too Buddha rest his soul. The problem was that being 80+ we didn't want to hurt his feelings so just let him get on with his "projects" and they would deteriorate quickly enough to be able to clear them away within a month or two.


    Oh yeah. Let's not forget the save junk for later use. I routinely throw stuff away he tries to save. Again NPT you don't want to hurt their feelings. My Favorite is he uses bailing wire to tie up trees to Bamboo stakes then it slowly cuts the branch or trunk then when a big storm comes those all break and he can't understand why. Took me 3 years to get him to stop it. That and using big nails to put stake against the tree. I showed him that beating nails into trees slowly kills them. I also showed him how to use old tire tubes to tie up trees. It's a work in progress.....

  21. #21
    I'm in Jail

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    ^ the old boy did the nail straightening thing too, had a box of completely rusty ones and yes when they were called upon for a project he'd go though 1/2 dozen for one hole - i think the wood just gave up in the end and said go on then if you must.

    Yep the "Useful" store of stuff for future projects too which used to get picked up and blown liberally around the garden, only half of which would he recover so i'd spend time of a morning walking around recovering his stash and filing it in the round file.

    I do miss the old guy.

  22. #22
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    JPPR2 and NPT and Bettyboo you all should be ashamed of yourselves you rich farangs.
    You obviously don't know what its like to have nothing.
    I tried explaining to Wasp one day that these people cherish crap we would throw away just because to them it means they have something which is better than having nothing.

    As for straightening nails I do the same because I am such a bad shot with the hammer I would run out of nails otherwise.
    True they bend easier after they have been straightened but the trick is , especially with some of the very hard wood here, to drill a smaller hole than the nail through the top piece of wood and then put a bit of grease on the nail so that it goes into the hole easy and then is held straight by the hole while you smash it into the bottom piece.
    Bit like having sex really bit of lubricant sometimes helps although I am yet to find a hole small enough to keep my nail straight while hammering away.

  23. #23
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Got a good laugh from your post Ootai.

    So let me understand. So you bend a nail that costs less than a penny, you spend time to straighten it, you then fire up a drill to drill a pilot hole probably costing more than the nail so you can pound it in to avoid throwing the nail away?

    I am by no means a "Rich" foreigner but tossing away old bent nails just seems like common sense. One thing I have tried to show my FIL is he needs a bigger hammer. He uses a hammer that is the size of what a child would use in his first tool box at 5 years old. One day I saw him out making a saw horse. He was pounding away. Nail not going in. I went a got my 20oz framing hammer and in 3 whacks the nail was in. He smiled. I left the hammer for him to use. 15 minutes later I hear the tap tap tap tap again. I walk over and he is using the little hammer again with a small pile of bent nails. My wife came over and his comment was. "The hammer is too heavy". One thing I have found here with my wife and FIL that my tools are to heavy to use. My shop broom to heavy to push, wheelbarrow to heavy to move, hammer to heavy to nail, my shovels to heavy to dig. I just crack up.

    Funny story. One day my FIL was trying to beat a big stake in the ground, he was trying to do it with a piece of wood on top and a big rock. My wife asked if I would help him. I said most certainly. I went and got my sledgehammer and in a couple of smacks it was done. He tried to lift the sledge and said...... Too heavy. My BIL was here and he said same thing. I just put it away and thought whatever works but they make it a lot harder than it has to be.

    When I built my shop I had his side and my side. I respect all tools and wanted him to have his space. When my BIL first came over he made us all laugh. He saw the shop and said....High Tech and Low Tech. My FIL still uses the tubing with water as a level. I showed him they make levels now.

    I will miss the old fella when he moves on regardless his methods of getting things done.

  24. #24
    Thailand Expat lom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    My FIL still uses the tubing with water as a level. I showed him they make levels now.
    The rotating laser beam levels are cheap nowadays, you should give him one.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Got a good laugh from your post Ootai.

    So let me understand. So you bend a nail that costs less than a penny, you spend time to straighten it, you then fire up a drill to drill a pilot hole probably costing more than the nail so you can pound it in to avoid throwing the nail away?

    I am by no means a "Rich" foreigner but tossing away old bent nails just seems like common sense.
    JPPR2
    If I don't have any new nails and I'm too lazy to drive to the shop to buy some more I try and straighten the ones I had previous bent so I can finish the job.
    I was actually just having a crack but you Mericans some times don't see the humour or the sarcasm.

    As for using a sledgehammer to knock in a stake I wish my brother didn't have one when I was 10 as he got mad and swung the thing and broke my nose, I was the stupid twit holding the stake for him.

    As for my wheelbarrow being to heavy, its not, this morning the MiL was using it to cart some stuff in the garden.

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