Thread: Aussie Style House Build

Originally Posted by Topper

It's not a mancave until there's a fridge full of beer. It's the rules.

White tile on the deck of your cave? Real men have unfinished concrete!

Yep, agree with that. A full fridge is rule No. 1 to be a genuine man cave

No floor tiles, just troweled concrete, albeit we've enough spare tiles to do the whole shed...

Originally Posted by Norton

Will be down your way in next few weeks.

Looking forward to catching up Norton.

Originally Posted by Topper

It's not a mancave until there's a fridge full of beer. It's the rules.

Yep and a comfy chair of some sort. Optional ( but highly encouraged) is a nice TV up in a corner for those pleasant quiet times. Spend a few extra bucks and make sure it's Bluetooth capable so you can wear a noise canceling headset.

Originally Posted by peciacake

Tana Aluminium from Roi Et delivered and installed the windows on Friday, arriving at 10:30 and leaving at 16:15 - job done

The saga of the missing shower screen and the wrong kitchen window

Tana Aluminium were contracted by Koh Kay Constructions to fit a glass shower screen and a top hinged kitchen window as part of the window installation. They installed a sealed window in the kitchen, with the owner claiming it was too big to install a casement window. They didn't install the shower screen at all, and the kitchen window remains as installed despite Khun Pu confirming a top hinged window is available. Despite numerous phone calls to both Khun Pu and the owner of Tana, who is a less than pleasant person to deal with, the two outstanding items are still to be rectified.

The mistake I made was paying Khun Pu the full amount for the fifth and final progress payment. I should have retained just enough to ensure all work was completed satisfactorily.

For anyone contemplating building in Issan, I have no hesitation in recommending Koh Kay Constructions, albeit with anyone else other than TANA ALUMINIUM supplying the windows. An indirect reflection on Khun Pu unfortunately.

Sealed kitchen widow. We need it replaced ASAP as Yuri's kitchen arrives next week.

Where is the missing shower screen in the second bathroom? In the original job spec, but never installed.

Otherwise the overall quality of the build is highly satisfactory - we're both very happy at this stage. The workers all did a great job apart from the rendering and some hasty back filling of the waste water drain that has eroded away after some heavy rain. The house is very cool and comfortable, with mainly fans used during the heat of the day: AC used when the humidity inside makes it uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by peciacake

The saga of the missing shower screen and the wrong kitchen window

Tana Aluminium were contracted by Koh Kay Constructions to fit a glass shower screen and a top hinged kitchen window as part of the window installation. They installed a sealed window in the kitchen, with the owner claiming it was too big to install a casement window. They didn't install the shower screen at all, and the kitchen window remains as installed despite Khun Pu confirming a top hinged window is available. Despite numerous phone calls to both Khun Pu and the owner of Tana, who is a less than pleasant person to deal with, the two outstanding items are still to be rectified.

The mistake I made was paying Khun Pu the full amount for the fifth and final progress payment. I should have retained just enough to ensure all work was completed satisfactorily.

For anyone contemplating building in Issan, I have no hesitation in recommending Koh Kay Constructions, albeit with anyone else other than TANA ALUMINIUM supplying the windows. An indirect reflection on Khun Pu unfortunately.

Sealed kitchen widow. We need it replaced ASAP as Yuri's kitchen arrives next week.

Where is the missing shower screen in the second bathroom? In the original job spec, but never installed.

Otherwise the overall quality of the build is highly satisfactory - we're both very happy at this stage. The workers all did a great job apart from the rendering and some hasty back filling of the waste water drain that has eroded away after some heavy rain. The house is very cool and comfortable, with mainly fans used during the heat of the day: AC used when the humidity inside makes it uncomfortable.

Sadlly, even with the best of builders, there should be a payment hold for punch work of at least 5% or 10%. Seems to be a solid guy, hope he comes through with fixing the problems.

Coming along nicely, i especially like the way you designed the bathroom layout around the scales

Uninvited Visitors

On Sunday we took a break from working around the house and spent a great afternoon at Ryan's Guesthouse Resort, Prassat. After a top lunch, with good company, great food and a good selection of imported beers we headed home. Yuri checked her phone to find a number of missed calls from earlier in the afternoon. People had been trying to get hold of us to tell of some intruders who came onto our land who were looking to cart off anything not bolted down. Fortunately Blin (see earlier post about house blessing ceremony) was cutting grass when these two miscreants decided to drop by. She promptly told them to bugger off in no uncertain terms (no one messes with Blin). When we got back home the whole saga was repeated in great detail by any number of visitors to Yuri's mum's shop - word travels fast in a small village.

Turns out the village thief had tried to rob our place with an accomplice (more below)

This is one of those drama's that small villages thrive on the world over.

On the previous night I was about to leave the house and go back to Yuri's mum's place for dinner. I noticed this clown slowly walking passed our place as I locked the gate. "He's up to no good." was my immediate reaction, just by the way he hid his face when I looked at him. He has plenty of form, but he hasn't really bothered us until now as he's right down the other end of the village. After he had checked we weren't on site on Sunday he and his partner in crime strolled through the front gate then checked all the doors and windows in both the house and the shed before Blin spotted them and told them to fuck off in much stronger terms. All of this was recorded via the CCTV system, which made for an interesting confrontation with the village chief yesterday.

The thief has only just moved up to this end of the village after hooking up with a lady who likes to play around - her husband has a mild disability after suffering a stroke. She kicked him out and the thief to move in. Lovely lady isn't she? She's been helping him to case our place, living diagonally opposite, so she knows whether we're here or not. They are both alcoholics and have no income so as a thief it suits their addiction well.

To cut to the chase, Yuri met with the Village Chief showing him images she'd printed from the CCTV footage. He in turn confronted both the thief and his new partner in crime yesterday. From reports of those who were there both denied any trespass stated Blin was lying. The Chief let them go on claiming their innocence for a while before presenting them with 10 photos tracking their movements around the house and the shed, the last being Blin telling them to bugger off.

The thief became pretty agitated and threatened to bash the chief (big mistake) while his girlfriend started to cry after seeing herself in 10 different photos. Needless to say the chief didn't let either of them off the hook, saying the police were involved and they'd likely go to jail. We are still waiting to see the police - hopefully they can put an end to the thief's activities.

The 50.0K investment in the CCTV security system has already paid for itself.

Originally Posted by peciacake

This is one of those drama's that small villages thrive on the world over.

Sure is....

Yuri's Kitchen

After a delayed delivery due to the roll out shelves Yuri wanted initially being unavailable it was good to finally have Yuri's kitchen installed, and boy does it look good. And the installation went just as well - a good job, done by two professionals who really took pride in their work. Everything checked and laser leveled & aligned to dead square: every cupboard, every shelf, every drawer adjusted to millimetre accuracy. The design Yuri came up with works a treat too. Just enough storage space for the essentials, ensuring we don't get drowned in kitchen clutter. The roll-out shelves make it much more convenient, and will become more so as we get older and it becomes harder to bend and reach.

It took two full days to install, largely due to the care they took to check and then re-check. Nothing was left without checking it fitted exactly according to the plan, which impressively, was on their Apple tablet, including 3D views scaled to show actual shelve and cupboard height.

Following images show installation and the final result:

1. Installing the first set of roll out shelves. These were the reason for the delayed installation. Originally quoted as ex-stock, we had to wait a month until new stock came from Korea.

2. Completed roll out shelves

3. Completed kitchen. Fully functional and aesthetically very pleasing. And a very happy wife.

Future addition will be a floating shelf above the window for Yuri's crockery collection.
After looking at floating shelves in Home Pro, Do Home, Index and Global House it looks like it will be on the list for our next trip to BKK to find the right quality and design.



Greg's Study Nook

The image below shows the study nook with the laundry in the background. It's a comfortable and functional work station. The WiFi hub and router sits on the wall above the filing cabinet.

Looking fantastic mate...

House Blessing Ceremony No. 2

Straight after signing off on the kitchen install and the installers left, I filled up the truck with our remaining stuff at Yuri's mum's place and started the last house move & unpack I'll ever be doing in this life, the intention being to be sleeping in our new house 24.08.23, exactly 10 months after we started the build. Yuri's mum took a dim view of this, saying we had to have a proper blessing ceremony before anyone can sleep in the house. Despite reminder her we'd already had one (small) blessing ceremony she insisted we had to do it all over again or the spirits wouldn't be happy and we'd end up with bad luck. We tried the old, "It's not a good Buddhist day" trick but no, we had to have another ceremony...

Various uncles and aunts were assembled at short notice with Yuri's dad once again doing a good job as MC, making sure the spirits were well served with Leo and Lao Kao. The spirits obviously like a drink given the whole bottle was poured into a bowl as an offering. He gave a prayer in Khmer while Yuri's mum and her brother and sisters offered their's in Suwei. Thankfully it was all over pretty quickly, letting us get back to unpacking (code for hanging everything up on the floor). Before it was over we were given strict instructions by Yuri's aunt, who tends to run the family social occasions, that we must have another ceremony, with the full bells and whistles, including monks and the village shaman and the full extended family in attendance. Planning for this has already commenced between various aunts, uncles and cousins. I've made my feelings clear on this but not even the slightest bit of notice has been taken. Suck it up is a phrase that came to mind...

This is an image from the second blessing ceremony. The aunt in charge of social occasions is in the foreground, helping the spirits by having a glass of Leo with them.

Later, about 23:30, we had our own ceremony - a glass of Duchess each. Much more to my style of a blessing.

After nine days we're still settling in, getting things properly organised and squared away, but so far so good. Need a bit more furniture but that will come once we find what we're looking for. The house itself is great - no real problems, just small niggles that are part and parcel of setting up a new house. Once again this is all due to the good quality build from Khun Pu and his team. Still need a shower screen in the second bathroom - our window contractor let us down once again and Home Pro's contractor doesn't seem to be too interested either. Got to put some curtains up once we sort out the security screens. The last major jobs are to put french drains along the edge of the path around the house (in lieu of roof guttering) and a ramp from the path up to the back door. They may be a while off completion as the local contractor we want to use is busier than a one legged man in a bum kicking contest. The real test for the build quality is to see how the house shapes up after 12 months. Early indications are looking good.

Originally Posted by Norton

Looking fantastic mate...

Thanks Norton. Stand by for an invite, but I'm not sure when. Unfortunately it's out of my hands...

PC I second Norts sentiments. Really worth ensuring you are there and enforce quality in the build, it is after all not a dress rehearsal. Hope you'll both have many happy years together there.

Excellent job mate. Congratulations to Yuri and yourself.

Originally Posted by peciacake

Yuri's Kitchen

After a delayed delivery due to the roll out shelves Yuri wanted initially being unavailable it was good to finally have Yuri's kitchen installed, and boy does it look good. And the installation went just as well - a good job, done by two professionals who really took pride in their work. Everything checked and laser leveled & aligned to dead square: every cupboard, every shelf, every drawer adjusted to millimetre accuracy. The design Yuri came up with works a treat too. Just enough storage space for the essentials, ensuring we don't get drowned in kitchen clutter. The roll-out shelves make it much more convenient, and will become more so as we get older and it becomes harder to bend and reach.

It took two full days to install, largely due to the care they took to check and then re-check. Nothing was left without checking it fitted exactly according to the plan, which impressively, was on their Apple tablet, including 3D views scaled to show actual shelve and cupboard height.

Following images show installation and the final result:

1. Installing the first set of roll out shelves. These were the reason for the delayed installation. Originally quoted as ex-stock, we had to wait a month until new stock came from Korea.

2. Completed roll out shelves

3. Completed kitchen. Fully functional and aesthetically very pleasing. And a very happy wife.

Future addition will be a floating shelf above the window for Yuri's crockery collection.
After looking at floating shelves in Home Pro, Do Home, Index and Global House it looks like it will be on the list for our next trip to BKK to find the right quality and design.



Greg's Study Nook

The image below shows the study nook with the laundry in the background. It's a comfortable and functional work station. The WiFi hub and router sits on the wall above the filing cabinet.

That's bloody impressive. Kudos to them

Excellent build, no doubt cost a pretty penny. But cheaper in the long run to have it done right.

Very nice!!!!

Do you worry about the heat the dryer will give off blowing directly into your office space?

Really nice

Originally Posted by Topper

Very nice!!!!

Do you worry about the heat the dryer will give off blowing directly into your office space?

The heat from a dryer can and should be vented into the correct location, usually a window or ceiling.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

The heat from a dryer can and should be vented into the correct location, usually a window or ceiling.

And if he has a Condenser Dryer ?

Most people do these days, I think

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Excellent build, no doubt cost a pretty penny. But cheaper in the long run to have it done right

You're right Dr Willy. We have a great house.

Originally Posted by Topper

Do you worry about the heat the dryer will give off blowing directly into your office space?

It's a front loader washing machine Topper. No need for a dryer round these parts, or a dishwasher for that matter.

Originally Posted by helge

Really nice

Thanks Helge. Was not expecting it to be this good. Turned out much better than I ever expected, courtesy of our builder, and Yuri (the brains of the outfit).

Thanks for taking the time to document this!