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  1. #76
    Thailand Expat David48atTD's Avatar
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    Have a chat with the Boss about the location of the Buddha spirit house shrine (assuming she wants one)

    Aussie Style House Build-59051930_303-jpg

  2. #77
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    Buckaroo Banzai's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikenot View Post
    Getting off the booze and back to the house plans ......
    While I agree with david's comments that the main bedroom entrance is wasted space as it stands now, I would alter things in a different way. In the main bathroom, i assume the area partitioned off in the top right is for the toilet ? If so, what is the bit between there and the shower screen for ? where is the vanity going, between the door and the toilet ? that won't leave much room once you allow for access to the door and toilet. If you have ever listened to the home stylists on "The Block" you should never be able to see the toilet directly from the door, perhaps turn that partition for the toilet (if that's what it is) 90 degrees, off the bedroom wall, then you could have the vanity up against it. A quick and very rough Sketchup pic of what I mean :
    Attachment 76522
    Attachment 76527
    The original plan looks to be about 3m x 3.5m ? I've moved the wall across 40cm to give just that little bit more room for a closet/dressing table in the bedroom, which also meant moving the bathroom door across too.
    Of course if all my suppositions about what's what are wrong, ignore this !
    Good suggestion. but if I was the Op I would eliminate the bathtub all together. Very few people ever use them.
    In my US home I took out the Bathtub/shower combo in the second bath , and replaces it with a walk in shower, and the big garden tub in the master bath has never been used.
    In Our Thai home we eliminated them all together.
    The sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.

  3. #78
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai View Post
    but if I was the Op I would eliminate the bathtub all together. Very few people ever use them.
    I fully agree. Bathtubs here in Thailand are simply not used. They sound like a good idea but like BB said even in the states tubs are not used very much and take up a lot of space. IMHO If you want a place to relax in a big tub type environment, purchase or have a Jacuzzi built that stays outside and can hold more people if need be.

  4. #79
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikenot View Post
    If you have ever listened to the home stylists on "The Block" you should never be able to see the toilet directly from the door,
    Interesting. Never heard that before. I had to think about that and every house I have ever been in both here and in the states the toilet has always been visible from the door. I have not seen a partition set up to hide the toilet unless at a public restroom but I think we all know why that is required.

  5. #80
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai View Post
    Good suggestion. but if I was the Op I would eliminate the bathtub all together. Very few people ever use them.
    My kids use our bath weekly or me.

    Me? I maybe use it once a year, but when I do it's nice to have.

  6. #81
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    When does the project officially begin?
    Hi JP,
    We're meeting with the builder today to finalise the start date in December. Not too fussed when in December although I'm sure the mother in-law will give Yuri some dates to keep the spirits happy.
    Agree with your comments on the feedback too. Very grateful for the input as my housebuilding experience can be summarised in detail on the back of a postage stamp.

  7. #82
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    Quote Originally Posted by David48atTD View Post
    Have a chat with the Boss about the location of the Buddha spirit house shrine (assuming she wants one)
    Morning Dave, no little house I'm afraid. We're both heathens. We'll rely on our proximity to the Wat across the road to keep us safe / prevent the spirits from stealing our souls.

  8. #83
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikenot View Post
    ....as previously mentioned the front and back doors are facing each other
    Morning Mike, we're both non-believers, so no worries regarding the door alignment. It's purposely done that way to optimise the breezeway effect.
    Kitchen space is okay - there is an island bench not shown on the builder's pictorial rendering.
    Appreciate the thought you've put in to the layout though - please keep them coming as I'm a great believer in looking at things from different perspectives to gain a better outcome.

  9. #84
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    Buckaroo Banzai's Avatar
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    Two things I can think of right now, to keep an eye on,
    One is to have the vent of your septic tank above roof line, when it comes to smelling up the place you dont need the competition LOL
    Second is make sure they put P Traps on every detain pipe that , I told the to do so, and they did, Then I started getting a foul smell in my downstairs bathroom. I started covered every drain with a wet rag and started removing one by one to see which one was the one that caused the stink.
    Nothing!! still a smell , I was stomped
    Then I remembered the washing machine drain , I looked behind the washing machine and it was coming straight out of the wall with a elbow going straight up. I turned the elbow downwards put another elbow on it going up, in effect creating a trap , and that was the end of the smell.
    OHH... and make sure they glue all the PVC pipes well. One day water started pouring out of the drop ceiling downdates, one of the water pipes had blown out. Upon inspection, it was never glued and was only held by friction.

  10. #85
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint Willy View Post
    ya sound a tad troppo to be honest
    Fair suck of the Sav Willy. Crikey, you make it sound like I'm a bloody Jesuit Monk.
    Far kurnell mate. I didn't say I didn't like strong beer. It's just that after three IPA's @ +7% ABV I'm buggered. Staying @ 5% lets me enjoy at least six or seven before I fall off me perch.
    Salt water pools are just as much maintenance as chlorine - not gunna find this little black duck worshipping the swimming pool gods every day.
    BBQ's are great - leaning over a hot grill in 38 degree / 85% humidity while creating burnt offerings. Yep, just great. I'll stay inside and have six or so 5% beers where it's nice and cool in the air con thanks cobber.
    I knew you were from Melbin - it's that funny accent of yours. Kultured like you say.

    For those non-Aussies reading this that need a translation, let me know and I'll explain...

  11. #86
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    Quote Originally Posted by David48atTD View Post
    Humm, if you have the time, I warmly suggest you have a peruse of this ... An Isaan Pond
    Thanks Dave, the water table problem Mendip came across may also be a problem at our land given we're adjacent to the town reservoir. Will be putting in a couple of test bores first.
    Unfortunately the videos on your Life On The Farm post are unavailable. On this laptop anyway. I'll see if I can view them on my desk top PC later this afternoon

  12. #87
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    Quote Originally Posted by David48atTD View Post
    That does look great ... aesthetically sweet, HOWEVER

    The front and rear door align, any luck will blow out of the house.

    Has SWMBO approved the Colourbond steel roof? Concrete tiles are more Hi-So (most Thai's believe)

    That wide stone path looks a treat (the hues blend beautifully with the roof color), but in the Thai Sun could turn that into a big heatsink

    Can't see a carport/garage. Thais like to have them at the front of house.
    Give some serious thought to how you connect the carport/garage to your Home.
    Not fun doing a dash through a tropical downpour with the arms full of shopping.
    The door alignment is deliberate - it's designed to be a breezeway. Any spirits that venture inside to steal our luck have to run the gauntlet of the Wat across the road, so we're pretty safe.
    SWMBO does have concerns about the roof, but only from a noise perspective during heavy rain. She's not worried about the Thai perception that steel is down market.
    The wide stone path is the builder's rendering and isn't in our plan. Instead we've planned for extensive tree planting at the front of the house to maximise shade.
    The car port is at the rear of the house. It forms part of an external breezeway running along the Western wall of the building. The space can also double as an outdoor entertainment area.

  13. #88
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Bathtubs here in Thailand are simply not used
    Will discuss with Yuri today while we're meeting with the builder. I'm not a fan of baths either.
    Waste of space in my opinion. But...SWMBO is in charge of bathrooms and the kitchen...

  14. #89
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai View Post
    Two things I can think of right now, to keep an eye on,
    Thanks for the tip Buckaroo. Much appreciated.
    Yes, we'll definitely have P traps on all drains and stink pipes above the roof line.

    The intention is to pressure test all pipes before pouring the floor slab. We're also going for the 13.5 thick blue pipe rather than the standard wall thickness. To be sure...to be sure...

  15. #90
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    Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to make comments on our house plans and how we can improve.
    Very much appreciate the thoughts and suggestions.
    This is unchartered territory for me, so I'm very grateful.
    Please keep them coming and don't have any concerns about offering critical advice - it often leads to better outcomes.
    Except when it comes to Willy's opinions on my sanity, or should that be sobriety...

  16. #91
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    Quote Originally Posted by peciacake View Post
    We haven't got plans for a BBQ / out door kitchen,
    You may want to revisit the idea of a small outdoor cooking area, you cannot underestimate the way Thai cooking smells linger and this includes the need for a second fridge to store the stinky stuff. Also, frying food. You can have the best extractor in the world but the smell and splatter will get everywhere. It may not suit the overall aesthetics of the house but you'll not regret including a Thai cooking buffer zone in the long run.

  17. #92
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    Quote Originally Posted by malmomike77 View Post
    You may want to revisit the idea of a small outdoor cooking area, you cannot underestimate the way Thai cooking smells linger and this includes the need for a second fridge to store the stinky stuff. Also, frying food. You can have the best extractor in the world but the smell and splatter will get everywhere. It may not suit the overall aesthetics of the house but you'll not regret including a Thai cooking buffer zone in the long run.
    I second that opinion,
    an outside kitchen is certainly a must have, No debate about it.
    we also have a small refrigerator there . where we keep beer. sodas , water, ice cubes etc.
    Wife uses it all the time, when we have friends or family that's where we hung out.
    And the time to do it is while you are building, when it is easy and inexpensive.
    No need for anything fancy, Below is a picture of what we have.
    Aussie Style House Build-out-kitchen-jpg

  18. #93
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by peciacake View Post
    Except when it comes to Willy's opinions on my sanity, or should that be sobriety...
    Barstard!

    If it wasn't POETS day I'd be havin words wiv ya!

  19. #94
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    I am enjoyin the Greg and SW Aussie slang. Good laughs. If I read them out loud I almost sound Aussie. Crikey.

    Happy Friday.

  20. #95
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    I am enjoyin the Greg and SW Aussie slang. Good laughs. If I read them out loud I almost sound Aussie. Crikey.

    Happy Friday.

    Yeah... nah, ya don't!

    But ee'd still 'ave a beer wiv ya.

  21. #96
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    Quote Originally Posted by peciacake View Post
    The intention is to pressure test all pipes before pouring the floor slab. We're also going for the 13.5 thick blue pipe rather than the standard wall thickness.
    You'll need to watch them, hawk-like.

    It doesn't matter how great the builder is, the Somchai sticking pipes together is at the bottom of the food chain and he is there because he's not, well, all there. The builder will not stand over Somchai to watch all that he does and as soon as no one is looking he'll be doing the minimum, which means forgetting the glue because that takes time and effort and if he doesn't use it he can take it home and sniff it. And those P-traps will only be there if he knows someone is checking.

    Somchai truly doesn't understand why you'd take a perfectly simple straight pipe and mess around cutting it and sticking in 4 right-angle bends, all of which would fit snugly in his bag to be traded for yaba. He absolutely does not care and once it is buried in concrete he'll be long gone.

    Maybe I am over-dramatising. My point is that the individual labourers are whomever the boss can find free at the time, you or someone needs to be on site to watch over things, otherwise you'll turn up to find the concrete poured and the builder will shrug and say the truck came and he couldn't wait.

  22. #97
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    Quote Originally Posted by malmomike77 View Post
    You may want to revisit the idea of a small outdoor cooking area, you cannot underestimate the way Thai cooking smells linger and this includes the need for a second fridge to store the stinky stuff. Also, frying food. You can have the best extractor in the world but the smell and splatter will get everywhere. It may not suit the overall aesthetics of the house but you'll not regret including a Thai cooking buffer zone in the long run.
    Appreciate your comments Mike and Buckaroo, but we'll stay with the indoor kitchen for now. Yuri lived with me for five years in Brisbane, in an open-plan apartment. She is an excellent cook and loves preparing traditional Thai meals (finding the right fish sauce was a challenge). No lingering cooking odours and a a whole floor of neighbours who were envious at dinner time, some even asking for the recipe. To put it in perspective she cooked with the balcony and front doors open so there was always a breeze.

  23. #98
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint Willy View Post
    If it wasn't POETS day I'd be havin words wiv ya
    Strewth, settle down sport. Talk about a short fuse. I'm not lookin to get into a blue with ya Willy. We've only just become acquainted.
    No sense bungin on a blue over a difference in opinion over beer. The stuff's made for drinkin not arguing about.
    Cheer cobber. Time to crack a coldie.

  24. #99
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shutree View Post
    you or someone needs to be on site to watch over things
    G'day Shutree (if I may call you that)

    Point taken - plenty of horror stories on TD about lack of effective on-site supervision.
    Given we live just down the road and I'm up and about early (the roosters and dogs see to that) being on site during working hours is part of the plan.
    There will be a short daily site meeting with the head builder on the plan for the day so I know what will be happening. This will be followed by a short afternoon de-brief to review the plan and what was achieved. I'll be keeping a daily Construction Log to record each day's activities.
    Pipe inspections and pressure testing will be recorded in the log, along with photos and details of any re-work required.

    We met with the builder today and he invited us to inspect a house the crew who are pencilled in to build our place are currently building.
    He was expecting us to go there this afternoon. I told Yuri we'll make an unannounced visit next week so we can get a more accurate picture of their work quality

  25. #100
    Thailand Expat
    Buckaroo Banzai's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by peciacake View Post
    I'm up and about early (the roosters and dogs see to that)
    I am glad to hear that I am not the only one. Who is it who said that the roosters welcome the sun in the morning, the damn birds start cacadudling 4 am , and don't get me started with the dogs....One of these days I will buy an M16 and go postal on them.

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