Thread: Japanese House

Well, here is a new tread for my new house. I am a newbie with these treads and I was fascinated by the adventures of farangs in Thailand. I have designed and built houses in Canada and in France over the years of my long life, but never in a tropical setting. I found this beautiful farm in Northern Thailand in 2003, and right away, I knew where I was going to build my home. But first, there were other priorities. My Lisu wife’s father and mother were lodged in a nearby village, my wife had a bedroom, farang style bathroom and living room added in my absence. I stayed there two winters, with the cooking fires and roosters waking me up very early.

Then, I shared a large bamboo hut on the farm with everybody, parents, relatives and workers, for a while, then moved to a tent in the lamiai grove, « I did’nt marry your mother! »! Then, my brother-in-law and his wife needed a place of their own, then the pigs too… So this was built…

I then had a guest house built in 2007 for the visitors, volonteer workers from all over the world, this was also quite a trip, but never as bad as what I read here, maybe because I’m used to do everything myself and I was involved in every stage, and maybe also because there were no thais on the site, only Lisus and Thaiiais. This had six bedrooms and four bathrooms. I shopped for materials, used my pick-up a lot, and was plain lucky. There were days with twenty workers present, all the cement was hand mixed, and we had started with the pighouse, so the turnover was rapid on the site and I could spot the real workers, and, more important, the thinkers and leaders.

My future site was leveled by tractor then, it is on a hill dominating the valley, with 3 sides part of a National Park, so no real neighbors. There are farmers renting some rais in the valley that they cultivate and, in fact, they take care of my view!

Last year, two headmasters got the base of the house up, and I interrupted the work when I left in April. Finally, after the garlic was picked and sold for a very good price this year, Poon, richer than ever, came to direct the work, he was now free and he would be leading this alone, his fellow thinker had another job. We agreed on the plans, this had not changed much, he hired his team from his family and friends and we got going. Here are some photos. In front of the house, my wife had a fish pond dug seven years ago. It was never used for a question of acidity, so I thought that this could be the perfect spot for a swimming pool. Since I’m aware that a swimming pool is a constant hassle, lots of work, and I dislike work, and chlorine, I started studying « natural swimming ponds » and decided to jump in.

I am also very curious about koi carps and would like to integrate a big fishtank to get big kois. Finally, and this needs more research, the house will be japanese style with shojis and an upturned roof, Golden Temple style. So, we’ve got the view, the water, a cement mixer, lots of available workers, and ideas. I hope this will turn all right!

So, I’ll be showing the building as it goes, not to show off, I’m old enough to have nothing to prove, but because I believe that there are people out there who should not be afraid to dare, to be crazy if they feel like it, and do it. The hell with the rest. I’m always ready to question my decisions before they are in concrete, but after, I live with them. This is going to be my house, I will share it with my wife, and with her alone. There is one bedroom!

Originally Posted by Old Monkey

So, I’ll be showing the building as it goes

Look forward to seeing the progress Old Monkey and welcome to Teakdoor.

Your building venture sounds adventurous and promising. The one bedroom concept certainly sends a message but my guess is the relatives would be and will make themselves just as comfortable in the living area floor. Good luck and looking forward to viewing the pics.

Glad you got the pix posting thing sorted. Good luck with this, looking forward to seeing the rest.

This will be a grid of nine 4mX4m rooms. at ground level, only 3 and a half squares will be built, a 6mX4m storage room, a 4m round water tank , 3 m high (for koi carps), and an office-entrance 4mX4m to contro who can go upstairs.

good job, glad to see the photos,,,

Notice the view! Roud posts from cement drain pipes, 10" and 12".
When to be integrated into walls, square.

Originally Posted by Old Monkey

Notice the view!

Spectacular stuff, Mate.

More photos please.

Watering made the digging easier, this is rock!

Readying square forms.
[IMG]http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af13/vieuxsinge66/treads%20on%20teak%20door/DSCF1060.j

I'm living in chiang mai too, 30 km south from the city. ^^ Anyway welcome to TD's wish to see more photo of your house.

Readying a square form.

well done OMonkey, the view looks great

PinkP says she lives south of CM; where are you?

The steel rod are already there. The fourth side will be nailed after it's up and straight.

16 posts up!
I'm 100 km North of Chiang Mai.

After the posts, the horizontal beams. This is armed like a ten story skyscraper! This is the Thai way.

This is group work. Safety is not a question... There are no accidents!
In fact, every one was told that accidents are forbidden!
Note the girl in the white hat, she's a WWOOFer, a volonteer (Willing Worker On Organic Farm). More of her next picture!

What a smile, no? She insisted to climb up and work on this.

I rented forms, used but usefull, 40 for 2 months for 1000 baths.

Notice the scafolding!

Finally, from the South, this is when I stopped the building, in May, I had to go. There are lots of jack beans, this is where I'll have a special garden.

This is what I found when I came back in December. I had to wait till March before restarting the work, when the garlic was picked and sold.

Right in front of the house to be, a fish tank that will be a swimming pond. The tree will have to go.