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  1. #26
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    So she returned to Thailand and found an architect in Burinam and here's the final design









    Below is a 3D view however its not actually from the final design but an earlier version. The store room in the corner of the kitchen has been removed and the rear verandah roof (blue) extended in the final design to cover what willbe a l;aundry area.
    In the initial design the storeroom in the kitchen was a bathroom/dunny and the bathroom between the bedrooms a study. I insisted with the missus that it wouldn't be a good idea to be cooking or eating if someone had just dropped an aromatic dump. So it was then converted to a walk-in pantry, but then it was decided to just leave it all open. She will have benches and cupboards in and around the corner, also a mobile workbench. The windows will be bi-fold, probably wood, although I would prefer some glass ones with a built in flyscreen which I have seen on an aussie website. The door out onto the verandah will, I believe, be a large sliding door which should allow us to almost open up and connect the outside to the inside, in a way that will mean we don't have to build an outside kitchen sometime in the future ( I won't hold my breath though).

    Anyway as she says "it will be what it is and you will be happy with it or you can *#** off". Now I know why I love her sooo much.



    Below is just one page of the twenty which made up the engineering design. Obviously it was just a case of input some parameters ie width, height, length and the program spits out the size of the beams required with the steel reinforcment required etc.



    So now we have the land, the shed, the design so all we need is a builder shouldn't be a problem in Thailand, as everyone's anything you happen to want at the time want it. Of course that doesn't mean they will be able to deliver what you want, so the search started.

    One of the benefits of getting the design done by the architect, was that they also have a building company and therefore they wanted to be allowed to quote for the job. When they gave us their quote, it was broken down in a lot of detail which allowed the missus to identify their estimation for material and labour for each bit. Although in the end they didn't get the job, the detail they supplied was invaluable in allowing her to understand the progressive stages of the build. I should say at this point that the cost for their design work was 55,000 baht and she was very happy with their attitude to making amendments, the whole thing took about 3 months.

    Finding a builder. In all she spoke with 5 builders and quotes were between 2.65 and 3.6 million baht, she also visited sites where they were working or had built previously. 2 were at the low end and the other 3 were at the high end (she felt the work of each builder to be up to her required standard) so she didn't consider the high end offers any further. Of the other 2, we asked each about a labour only contract, one was willing one wasn't. As a basis for comparison she used the information from the architect's quote to compare his labour only quote and it was OK. The second builder also owned a building supply shop, so that's why he didn't want labour only as it may mean he loses being the supplier. In the end she needed to go for one and she chose the all-inclusive quote mainly because she felt the guy was or would be easier to negotiate with should problems arise. The one thing I do know about my missus is that she is a very good judge of character (except in my case as I managed to fool her, or was it the other way around?).

    So now we have a builder. What next? A contract is needed. Although she was told by several people that she didn't need a contract she reckoned she would feel better having one. So after discussions with the builder and lawyer a contract was signed which gives payments based on when a certain stage has been reached/completed.

    So now she's ready to start building so its off to the consult the monks about a start date.

    to be continued....

  2. #27
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    “The one thing I do know about my missus is that she is a very good judge of character (except in my case as I managed to fool her, or was it the other way around?).”

    Your missus does seem to know what she is doing. Thanks for the thread looks like it will be a winner.

  3. #28
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    You seem to have got this well under control and organised and remain in the driving seat

    I like the comprehensive plans and attention to detail. Too often missing in other builds, with unfortunate end results of course.

    My plans included lots of stress calculations and figures on earthquakes. That was beyond me but I appreciated the concern for detail. I followed the drawings ok when on site, though the roof elevations exercised the old grey matter !

    I spent about a month on discussions with the engineers/arcghitects/builders and did not rush getting a good final agreement. We did not use lawyers ( i find whoever is paying they tend to be pro-thai as they know how the courts will interpret). I got what I wanted and the buildesrs were happy. Fair to both sides

    The cost of drawings is deducted from the final payment if the work proceeds with the builder. That also i think is fair as a lot of man hours went into the drawings and calcualtions and revisions.

    Good luck but I don't think you're going to have major problems the way you are organising this and the way you have thought it through.

  4. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by BKKBILL View Post
    “The one thing I do know about my missus is that she is a very good judge of character (except in my case as I managed to fool her, or was it the other way around?).”

    Your missus does seem to know what she is doing. Thanks for the thread looks like it will be a winner.
    Thanks for the comment. The main thing different about my missus is that she has just finished living in Aussie for over 8 years and knows that with a bit of hard work and perseverance you can get things done the way you want. She has learnt that there is an alternative to the Thai way if you're not broke and hungry.

    Just recently she had to visit a high local government official to get some documents signed, she waited nearly all day and went she got to see him he complained that he had been busy signing papers all day and that his arm was tired. She told me that she interpreted this as "where's the lubrication for my sore joints". I believe he was very surprised when she replied, "that's OK I'll come back in the morning when your arm is not tired." He signed the papers and didn't get any lubrication.

    Most of how she has gone about this is with guidance from me based on what I have read on this and other forums like this about building in Thailand. Ultimately it is her decision on whether she heeds my advice or not. What I have learnt is not to instruct her to do anything, instead I just point out areas that may have an unacceptable risk associated with them. For example just having a contract that allows for not making the final payment until everything is finished. This in itself won't stop the builder asking but when the request is refused there is an irrefutable basis for the refusal, which cuts through any "face" issues (in my opinion anyway). Verbal agreements can end up as disagreements due to someone just saying "I never said or meant that!"

  5. #30
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    The next phase is to build up the land. The choice to do this was hers as I thought it wasn't necessary. Her argument was that she didn't want water running off the road in front of the house down through the front yard. I believed that with a few well placed drains we could control the water flow and possibly divert it to a pond for storage and later use on the garden etc. Well in an earlier post I explained that she had a "No pond policy". So the land needed to be built up. My rough estimates were 1200m3 were needed and in the end thats very close to what was actually placed.

    The soil came from a paddy field owned by her Mum. The excavator and trucks she used were owned by a company that her brother works for so he was the supervisor of the job. I have forgotten exactly what we paid for the soil to be placed as we had some other work done as well but I think it was around 36,000baht.




    The auspicious day finally arrived (14th April) so the building could start and be blessed.




    I was a bit surprised with this photo (above) as I can almost see the boss (in the purple and white floral shirt near the Monk’s elbow) she does not usually allow herself to be photographed. Ten years ago that caused some issues when we applied for her Visa as they wanted photos of us together to prove we had known each other for a while.


    What I liked about this next photo (below) is that it showed that they had dug down through the new fill into the old compacted soil. This was something I had asked the missus to be very vigilant about but it still comes as a surprise when it actually happens.




    So that’s a start now lets get on with the rest, sorry no can do its Songkran.
    To be continued…..

  6. #31
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    More pictures. Boring as shit for most people but if its your own house very interesting indeed.



    looks like a war zone full of holes to hide in.



    I asked the missus about the builder using all new plywood to construct the formwork and she told me that he said he doesn't re-use the plywood, as once it has concrete stuck on it it doesn't give a good finish. I suppose I have mixed feelings about this as;
    1. we are probably paying a bit higher total price as it is included in the the total price.
    2. If that's his attitude that he likes to get a good result I have hope for the final product.



    Finally starting to become a recognisable shape (below). At this point I had one of those moments when you wonder whether something is not quite right. If the boards are the bottom of the floor beams then the house's floor won't be 700mm above the fill. Then I thought maybe the beams are 500mm thick which means the floor will be at the correct height after all. My next problem will be when I come to try and get under the house, how am I gunna fit under them as I am not exactly slim Jim. Problem solved I'll dig a series of holes so I can get under just like a dog getting under a fence. Having the house off the ground and not bricked closed was one of my very few wins as I believe it will help with keeping the house a little cooler. As I explained to her, if it doesn't well close it in later.



    I hope people don't mind the smaller photos from this point as I am now relying on the wife to send me updates via email and whatever she does they end up compressed a little. I can still see them OK, if I am wearing the glasses that is.

    to be continued....

  7. #32
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    Overall and at the end of the day, plywood is cheap. Yea, they could use the old stuff and the results would be the same. But, it does make the job go quicker and easier for all.

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by hillbilly View Post
    Overall and at the end of the day, plywood is cheap. Yea, they could use the old stuff and the results would be the same. But, it does make the job go quicker and easier for all.
    plywood cheap, I wish

    maybe they have grade C that is OK?

    most builders use cheap re-usable wood planks around us

  9. #34
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    Is that plywood? I dont know.

    But as the material used for the shuttering seems to have a white inner lining is it a more specialist type of material?

  10. #35
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    Thanks for the comments gentlemen.
    I must be running a boring old thread here its taken me ages to get 30 posts (and most of them are mine) and setaputra’s stamp collection gets 40 overnight?

    Anyway I have to check with the boss, as I just assumed it was plywood, it might not be. All I was concerned about was if we’re paying for the stuff I want to keep it to use when I get there and start building a wall. I will need the same things i.e. ground beams and posts. I asked if he was going to re-use to see if it would be left there for me or not.
    So here’s the next pictures




    Unfortunately I can see a problem coming up in the photo above. There is the slab for the laundry area to go in on top of the new fill. If they don't compact the area it will cause some issues later I am sure. The other way I would solve it would be to build support beams between the posts at the lower level but I'm not there so I guess as she tells me often "what it is is what it is" so I guess some deep breaths and move on.



    All was well until I seen this (below) and I immediately thought WTF are we going to have hils in our floors. Then I worked out that this is where the bathrooms are going and the floors are 70mm lower.






    so until I receive the next lot......

  11. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by ootai View Post
    Thanks for the comments gentlemen.
    I must be running a boring old thread here its taken me ages to get 30 posts
    Not boring at all, this is a great thread. Thanks for that and keep the pictures coming.

    It is good to see that your wife seems to have the right approach instead of just hiring the next contractor or a family member.

    I like the open floorplan.

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by ootai
    All was well until I seen this (below) and I immediately thought WTF are we going to have hils in our floors. Then I worked out that this is where the bathrooms are going and the floors are 70mm lower.
    yeah, the bastards do that without telling you

  13. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrAndy View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by ootai
    All was well until I seen this (below) and I immediately thought WTF are we going to have hils in our floors. Then I worked out that this is where the bathrooms are going and the floors are 70mm lower.
    yeah, the bastards do that without telling you
    It certainly seems to be the standard practice here. On my last remodel it took a long time to convince them I wanted everything level. They did make it level but the day I wasn't on the site a curb was installed and tiled.

  14. #39
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    Dr A for an uneducated fellow I feel you may have a quick wit and an amusing sense of humour.

    BKKBill I don't mind so much if they don't make it level but if they put the drain on the high side then I might get a little upset.

    Had an interesting conversation with the wife this morning about the builder. Apparently he asked her why she didn't go up to the site and have a chat with his workers as they were wondering who the owner of the house was. Her response was that she wouldn't want to interfere in their work as she thought he paid them to work not chat. I thought it was a good opportunity to ask if she could maybe get some people in some of the photos, in case you hadn't noticed there are none in the pictures. Anyway her response was the same, if she was working and some arsehole kept looking over her shoulder to check on her, or interupting her work she would tell them to f**k off in a hurry. In that regard she is opposite to me as I would be up there chatting (pointing really as they wouldn't understand me) nearly all the time.

    Another insight into Thai thinking came out the other day as well. A friend of hers is married to an engineer (civil/structural I don't know) but anyway the missus asked her friend if her husband was interested in coming to the building site and checking that the builder was following the plans, using the correct material etc. Her friend response was, sure he'll do that as we can always use a bit of extra money. Then the missus says to her friend, before you answer for your huasband I think you had better speak with him first, because doing the job has some consequences, in that if anything goes wrong and it ends up in court he will need to testify for me. Its times like that when I know that, while she is Thai, a little bit of Aussie has rubbed off and has slightly changed her thinking to be a little bit more forward looking.

    Just so people don't think this project is going exactly smoothly for her, she also informed me that the builder has asked for an early advance on the next payment. My advice to her was "up to you darling its your money" (finally got her back). Anyway, it turns out that he had ordered the prefabricated slabs for the floor and he had to pay for them when they arrived (today) and he hadn't quite completed the work to the point where the second payment was due. The delay was due to rain, Songkran and the missus delaying the start to make it the 14th of April. So she gave in and gave him the advance.

    Just a question for someone. Is it normal to build the roof before the floor? I just never really thought about it but that is what will happen. I can think of 2 reasons for doing it in that order, provides shade when doing the floor and provides protection from rain causing issue with screeded fresh concrete.

    Anyway enough of the bullsh#t, here are the pictures I recieved last night.













    I have finally caught up to the present date. The posts I have put on here cover about the last 10 months so they have been coming pretty quickly but I didn't want to start this thread until we had actually started to build.

    So from here on it will be updates as they come in.

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by ootai
    Dr A for an uneducated fellow
    I know, I left school when I was 12 and went to London to make my fortune

  16. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrAndy View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by ootai
    Dr A for an uneducated fellow
    I know, I left school when I was 12 and went to London to make my fortune
    Seems to have worked out well.

  17. #42
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    yes, Bill

    several universities have granted me honorary doctorates, for some reason

    must be my charm

  18. #43
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    Latest progress. As I am not as good with the words as some on this forum I'll just let the pictures do the talking. When I have finished loading in 10 photos it means I have the equivalent of a 10,000 word short story.


    The verandah looking from the north. Only the other day I was admiring the round colu7mns in Old Monkeys house build and bugger me if the verandah posts on the missus's house are round also. When I asked her about it, her response was of course they're round didn't you look at the plan, maybe you need your glasses checked. If you don't believe me go back to post one and have a look I did and they are indeed round but I had thought that was architect licence to make it look pretty, this time I'm glad to be wrong.


    The carport


    The main bedroom end and front entrance of the house


    The verandah again


    The carport again


    and again


    The front entrance


    Verandah outside the main bedroom


    The front entrance


    The main bedroom end looking north west



    and finally "What trees are these?"

  19. #44
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    great thread, good luck with the build

  20. #45
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    Is that blue plastic water pipe used to form the contrete posts? Will it stay there or will you remove it somehow? If it stays, how do you finish it - or should I wait and see I ask because I am thinking of using round posts and and looking to see how others do it.
    The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. (Bertrand Russell)

  21. #46
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    we used concrete drain pipes for ours, much easier to break off afterwards too

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    Thanks for the post's

    looking good

  23. #48
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    Yes I believe they will be removed, I had to ask the missus as I hadn't seen the pipe used before. As Dr Andy says they usually use concrete pipes.

    Anyway the missus told me that as far as she knows they will cut the pipe off, how we don't know yet. She did say something about the builder couldn't get what he wanted to use so he used this pvc pipe instead. The only thing I can think of is that the posts are of a quite small diameter and that may have been the issue. If you have a look at Old Monkey's thread his column are round but large diameter compared to ours and he used concrete pipes. Anyway next lot of photos (who knows when they'll come) should reveal all.

    She was getting a bit worried as no workers have been on site since Thursday when she made a payment to the builder, I've convinced her that she needs to be careful. Anyway the builder has been coming in alone and wetting down the concrete so today she asked why no workers and he told that there was nothing to do until the posts cured enough to start on the roof beams.

    Will post pictures as soon as I get any.

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    Do you have any plans for insulation in the house to prevent heat build up??

  25. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by ootai View Post
    Anyway the missus told me that as far as she knows they will cut the pipe off, how we don't know yet. She did say something about the builder couldn't get what he wanted to use so he used this pvc pipe instead. The only thing I can think of is that the posts are of a quite small diameter and that may have been the issue.
    Thanks ootai, I have only seen the concrete ones used before, and that is what I was intending to use. When I saw your blue columns I wondered if I was missing out on a better method

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