John's budget build

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ajarnudon
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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » January 2, 2018, 12:24 am

Well, I drove back to the big smoke this morning, ready to start work tomorrow. I was very happy with both the amount and quality of work that we got done between Christmas Eve and New Years Eve - eight days less one lost to wet weather. The first day was spent on the retaining wall drainage, installing the slotted PVC pipe described above at the base of the wall. Once in place, it was covered with 40 x 40 cm of crushed aggregate and two layers of 80% shade cloth. Carrying the rock in buckets was very labour intensive, and we had 10 workers plus the foreman on site the first day. As the rock was placed between the wall and a couple of sheets of ply that I had fitted with rope handles, the macro followed and placed fill against the outside of the ply which was then lifted out, leaving the shade cloth separating the stone from the fill.
tn_20171224_150519.jpg
The first picture shows a section of the rear wall with drainage in place, and some aggregate on top of the shade cloth to hold it in place before the macro places the backfill. Altogether, there are six pipes coming out at a 45 degree angle which will allow me to put a hose down and flush the slotted pipe should it become silted up some time in the future. The next picture shows the macro spreading backfill inside the garage wall.
20171224_153335.jpg
While he was doing that, we marked out the holes to be dug for the nine posts which I decided to erect at this time around the outside of the house . The macro then dug the 1m x 1m x 1m holes, which workers cleaned out and squared up by hand. At the same time another small team boxed up the reo at the top of the garage wall pillars which were about 15 cms shorter than the blockwork, ready to be concreted next day. Another two guys had started bending steel to make the 90 cm x 90 cm rebar cages for the posthole footings. Pictures here show cleaning out the holes, and luk buun that they made up (used to support the reo off the ground like the plastic saddles we use in Oz). The last pic shows luk buun wired to the under side of a cage and placed in one of the footing holes. There is a 5 to 7 cm concrete pad underneath the luk buun.
tn_20171225_112423.jpg
luk buun.jpg
20171228_113901.jpg
OK, getting late so will close now - hope to post some more tomorrow.
Cheers, John
Last edited by ajarnudon on January 2, 2018, 3:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.



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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » January 2, 2018, 3:08 pm

We lost a day to wet weather, but the posts were delivered anyway. Five guys struggled to place them around the site.
tn_20171227_120118.jpg
Next morning the garage column tops (20 cm) were poured while my wife went in search of a fish trap, a young banana plant and some sugar cane to attach to the first post before it was raised. Also, a lotus leaf and 25 baht were put in the bottom of every hole. The latter 'evaporated' within an hour and a half. The prama did the blessing ritual, then lots of grunting as the posts were raised and braced in position with 3 metre eucalypt poles. A lot of time and effort was expended getting them positioned, which wasn't easy due to curvature in a couple of the posts. The end result will be OK, with thicker render providing the cosmetics.
tn_20171229_093911.jpg
Heave-ho and up she goes - the first of the house posts is raised.
In the afternoon the 240 steng concrete that we ordered for the footings arrived. But it wasn't all plain sailing - see pic attached.
tn_20171229_143243.jpg
Most of the concrete was barrowed around the site, after which the bogged truck was able to be extracted. Approx. 0.6 cubes went in each hole, making very solid footings.
Next day the 12 m top plate was welded to the exposed rebar on top of the outer garage wall columns. For this I used heavy guage 12.5 cm C-purlins. Next, the inside top plate (same spec steel) was welded to steel plates dynabolted into the posts. It was good to see both the inverter welder and the cut off saw that I bought a year earlier finally getting a serious workout.
tn_20171228_113822.jpg
The last day (New Years Eve) saw the 7.5 x 3.75 cm box rafters welded to the top plates, and finally longitudinal lightweight steel battens were welded to the rafters. Garage roof frame completed, and happy owners. Knocked off at 3 pm and we all sat down to a feast that my missus bought at the market, a few beers, handed out the pays and - happy workers!
tn_20171231_154920.jpg
That's all for about 6 weeks, when I have 3 days in town.

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Barney
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Re: John's budget build

Post by Barney » January 2, 2018, 3:39 pm

We lost a day to wet weather, but the posts were delivered anyway. Five guys struggled to place them around the site.

John your a funny guy, good statement, when I looked at the photo more closely was I the only who could see why the 5 guys struggled? Sack the guy in the red overalls for a start. :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » January 2, 2018, 3:48 pm

Ha ha Barney. Not my crew - these guys came in the truck with the posts. He did it with every post; must like walking backwards.

Apart from the construction work, I got some extra value out of my crew. One of them is very agile and (with the owner's permission) I got him to lop some large tree branches in the neighbour's property that were overhanging the garage. Apart from likely roof damage, that also gave a bit more light to come thru the glass blocks in the garage wall.

And while I had the welders onsite, I got them to weld up the steel that I had cut about eight months earlier to make a carry frame for the back of my pickup. Very happy with the result.
tn_20171228_162939.jpg
The new carry frame on her maiden voyage - being loaded with the steel rafters at Global House.
20171230_153122.jpg

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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » January 9, 2018, 9:49 pm

Didn't expect to be back on the block so quick, but the pic below shows the garage roof sheeting going on last Saturday.
20180106_131811.jpg
At the same time we enclosed half of the 11 x 4 m garage with a reo cage to keep building materials and a few hand tools in. The same day we had 600 14 cm concrete blocks delivered (some in the foreground of the picture). These are known locally as Superblocks - they are very heavy and have two large cavities that can be reinfored and filled with concete - a great idea beside door frames and under lintels. In fact, cutting the webbing out of the top of the blocks by a few inches and laying reo laterally across them, then filling with concrete, you have superstrong lintels poured in situ. Pipoz and I both love these blocks - don't know that the blocklayers are so fussed with them though.
On a different note, spotted these 15 cm x 6 m heavy guage steel box sections at Thai Watsadu last weekend.
20180105_095446.jpg
The 15 cm x 5 m concrete posts that we used around the outside of the house had good heavy reinforcing, but two had serious bows in them. I am seriously considering using ten of these box sections for the two rows of posts in the centre of the house, either side of the 2.4 m wide hallway. I am envisaging them sitting on a 1 m x 1 m reo footing cage with two sets of transverse 16 mm bars welded at 15 and 30 cms, enclosed in 45 cms depth of concrete. They would be a breeze to erect and align, and three of the guys in the team I am using are great welders. And steelwork goes up so fast - the house literally grows before your eyes. Comments welcome.

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sometimewoodworker
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Re: John's budget build

Post by sometimewoodworker » January 11, 2018, 7:18 am

ajarnudon wrote:
January 9, 2018, 9:49 pm

The 15 cm x 5 m concrete posts that we used around the outside of the house had good heavy reinforcing, but two had serious bows in them. I am seriously considering using ten of these box sections for the two rows of posts in the centre of the house, either side of the 2.4 m wide hallway. I am envisaging them sitting on a 1 m x 1 m reo footing cage with two sets of transverse 16 mm bars welded at 15 and 30 cms, enclosed in 45 cms depth of concrete. They would be a breeze to erect and align, and three of the guys in the team I am using are great welders. And steelwork goes up so fast - the house literally grows before your eyes. Comments welcome.
What does your structural engineer say about the strength? If he says they are strong enough then use them.
Last edited by sometimewoodworker on January 11, 2018, 10:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Stantheman
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Re: John's budget build

Post by Stantheman » January 11, 2018, 10:04 am

sometimewoodworker wrote:
January 11, 2018, 7:18 am
ajarnudon wrote:
January 9, 2018, 9:49 pm

The 15 cm x 5 m concrete posts that we used around the outside of the house had good heavy reinforcing, but two had serious bows in them. I am seriously considering using ten of these box sections for the two rows of posts in the centre of the house, either side of the 2.4 m wide hallway. I am envisaging them sitting on a 1 m x 1 m reo footing cage with two sets of transverse 16 mm bars welded at 15 and 30 cms, enclosed in 45 cms depth of concrete. They would be a breeze to erect and align, and three of the guys in the team I am using are great welders. And steelwork goes up so fast - the house literally grows before your eyes. Comments welcome.
What does your structural engineer say about the strength? If he says they are strong enough the use them.
When first reading and saw the words "Structural Engineer" I had to laugh a little

harry68
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Re: John's budget build

Post by harry68 » January 11, 2018, 10:14 am

im still laughing

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sometimewoodworker
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Re: John's budget build

Post by sometimewoodworker » January 11, 2018, 10:22 am

Stantheman wrote:
January 11, 2018, 10:04 am
sometimewoodworker wrote:
January 11, 2018, 7:18 am
ajarnudon wrote:
January 9, 2018, 9:49 pm

The 15 cm x 5 m concrete posts that we used around the outside of the house had good heavy reinforcing, but two had serious bows in them. I am seriously considering using ten of these box sections for the two rows of posts in the centre of the house, either side of the 2.4 m wide hallway. I am envisaging them sitting on a 1 m x 1 m reo footing cage with two sets of transverse 16 mm bars welded at 15 and 30 cms, enclosed in 45 cms depth of concrete. They would be a breeze to erect and align, and three of the guys in the team I am using are great welders. And steelwork goes up so fast - the house literally grows before your eyes. Comments welcome.
What does your structural engineer say about the strength? If he says they are strong enough then use them.
When first reading and saw the words "Structural Engineer" I had to laugh a little
Why :? the company we used had one on staff.

At the least a suitably qualified architect will be able to do the calculations needed. Or you can go to the Or Bor Tor and they will be able to do them.
Jerome and Nui's new househttp://bit.ly/NJnewHouse

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pipoz4444
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Re: John's budget build

Post by pipoz4444 » January 11, 2018, 10:26 am

ajarnudon wrote:
January 9, 2018, 9:49 pm
Didn't expect to be back on the block so quick, but the pic below shows the garage roof sheeting going on last Saturday.
20180106_131811.jpg
At the same time we enclosed half of the 11 x 4 m garage with a reo cage to keep building materials and a few hand tools in. The same day we had 600 14 cm concrete blocks delivered (some in the foreground of the picture). These are known locally as Superblocks - they are very heavy and have two large cavities that can be reinfored and filled with concete - a great idea beside door frames and under lintels. In fact, cutting the webbing out of the top of the blocks by a few inches and laying reo laterally across them, then filling with concrete, you have superstrong lintels poured in situ. Pipoz and I both love these blocks - don't know that the blocklayers are so fussed with them though.
On a different note, spotted these 15 cm x 6 m heavy guage steel box sections at Thai Watsadu last weekend.
20180105_095446.jpg
Hi John

Don't know how much you paid for your Superblocks, but I bought these blocks (a few months back) from a place down on the Udon Thani Ring Road between the Airport and Tescos (Na Dai). He makes them at his place and sells them (140 x 390x 190mm) for only TB 20 each (Delivered) and also has 100mm wide ones. The are very well vibrated, excellent quality.

pipoz
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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » January 11, 2018, 9:49 pm

Hi again Pipoz. Yes, I paid the same price. There is a large hardware shop on the LHS of the Nong Khai Road beside the Udon Thani Christian School (I think) a few hundred metres before the ring road. The shop and the block plant are owned by the same people. I suspect the outlet you bought from has the same ownership. I know that you paid quite a bit more for your first lot some time ago (and my previous - read sacked - builder tried to put that on me too), but these are a great product. I used them for the bottom four courses of my retaining wall filled with concrete and 12 mm reo vertically in every second block and horizontaly in the third course.
Last edited by ajarnudon on January 11, 2018, 10:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » January 11, 2018, 9:53 pm

Hi again Pipoz. Yes, I paid the same price. There is a large hardware shop on the LHS of the Nong Khai Road beside the Udon Thani Christian School (I think) a few hundred metres before the ring road. The shop and the block plant are owned by the same people. I suspect the outlet you bought from has the same ownership. I know that you paid quite a bit more for your first lot some time ago (and my previous - read sacked - builder tried to put that on me too), but these are a great product. I used them for the bottom four courses of my retaining wall filled with concrete and 12 mm reo vertically in every second block and horizontaly in the third course.

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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » January 11, 2018, 10:17 pm

And hi too as well to STWW and my other commentators. In my design I am guided by the materials and sizes that were specified for the construction of my house on the Gold Coast circa 1991. I hand drew the floor plan and elevations, and after a few builder interviews, my selected builder had them profesionally drawn and specified and approved by the GC City Council.
I know they will be strong enough, particularly when braced laterally at only 2.4 m, and longitudinally at up to 6 m centres but with heavy guage 15 cm C-purlins. The things I am not so sure about (and still seek comments on) are about partially filling with reo concrete, and in particular, anti-corrosion measures. I have never used steel posts with concrete block fill walls before. Plaese comment on these and any other factors (eg. tie wires into the mortar etc.).
Thanks in advance
John

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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » January 14, 2018, 9:51 pm

Another whirlwind trip to do some work on the house. On site at 8 am Saturday, back in BKK 2 pm Sunday. Really achieved a lot in that short space of time though. First up we checked a couple of measurements and marked out a lot of levels - this was so that I could revise the plans (Sketchup) in the light of reality when I got back to BKK. We got a couple of things not quite right, but nothing too major. I had drawn the plans with a 12.5 deg roof pitch, but after roofing the garage, this has come down to 11.7 deg. And with single spans of roofing sheets, this won't be a problem. Just need to adjust the plan so that the the main house roof has the exact same pitch.
As my pickup is in BKK, we got the foreman to use his to pickup to get some stuff in Udon (25 kms) - hired a vibrating-plate compactor for the weekend, next call Global House : four HD 15 cm x 6 m C-purlins for some more top plates, primer to paint same, lightweight purlins to go under the garage rafters to support the rolls of foil-sheathed FG insulation we bought, a 2.1 m aluminium stepladder, and some lengths of 25 mm electrical conduit.
Back to the village, and painted the top plates.
After lunch (as pre-arranged) we took on 8 10-wheeler tippers of fill and the neighbour (who was severely hungover) came with his tractor to move it around the site. He did a very good job under the circumstances, manouvering his machine even within the confines of the garage frame.
20180113_143021.jpg
Meanwhile, the foreman had found a new toy - nobody else got a go on the whacker packer. We used this to compact the areas that would be slab-on-ground - the garage, kitchen and bathroom cum indoor garden. The rest of the house is elevated (five steps), and the outside area will be compacted by rain during the wet season.
20180113_142954.jpg
Sunday the tractor man came back for a final trim, my three-man team finished the compacting and returned the compactor, picked up some more gear from GH, then back to the village. My missus sent me a photo and video of the aftenoon's work, and the under-rafter purlins had all been welded in place and the insulation installed. The rafters are three inch deep box sections 1.2 m apart, accommodating two parallel rolls of the two inch insulation perfectly, and allowing for a one inch air gap on top to obviate condensation and mould. I intend to use the same method in the house proper, with four inch rafters and 3 inch insulation.
LINE_P20180114_213840493.jpg
In case you're wondering, the garage is going to be my motel room as well as lock up storage during construction.
The place is even starting to look like a building site now.
20180113_111233-1.jpg
Cheers, John

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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » February 20, 2018, 8:06 pm

Quick update. I've been back the last two weekends. Have welded some small guage gal mesh to birdproof the top of the outer wall of the garage. Over the two weekends, we dug 40 x 40 trenches for the footings for the inside and back walls, poured a 5 cm concrete bed, laid 6 cm blocks x 2 high as (permanent) formwork, made luk buns, fabricated 15 metres of 30 x 30 reo with 6 x 12 mm deformed bars, and finally poured the footings along the back and inside walls of the garage. The inside footing will support a double skin wall, with 14 cm wide concrete blocks on the inside, a 7 cm air gap, and a 9 cm AAC wall on the outer side (being the internal wall of the house proper).
20180217_152953.jpg
20180217_171641.jpg
Remembered the conduits for power (X2) and comms, but forgot about the laundry at the back of the garage. No probs - will run pipes under reo in the floor to exit right, under the (elevated) main house sub-floor.

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Barney
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Re: John's budget build

Post by Barney » February 21, 2018, 10:00 am

Well done ajarnudon.
Cover your pipes with some plastic to keep em clean and free from rubbish.
Pain in the rectum later to try and get em free of crap.

Just a few more weekends and it will be all over. :D

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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » February 21, 2018, 11:18 pm

Well, the garage will be virtually complete - which is a huge step. It will give me secure storage for tools, welder, materials etc, and somewhere to sleep on the odd occasion - although at 300 baht a night, the local resort with air con might be attractive in the hotter months.
We have been spoiled with the beautiful weather over the last couple of months, but it has come to an end. Had the first big storm of the season in NE BKK yesterday afternoon.

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Re: John's budget build

Post by fhorst » March 26, 2018, 11:36 am

H John,

Looks you got a good thing going!!

Like many farrang I like to get a house build.. but how to find a good contractor!!!

I live about 15 km from Phen, towards Laos.
The people I found till now... no good at all!

I can not PM.
Don't know why..

All real help would be fantastic!
If it can't be done, it never happened..

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Re: John's budget build

Post by bluejets » March 27, 2018, 6:19 am

Don't know if they are available in Thailand but using long radius bends on your encased condiuts make for much easier pull in of cabling. Less chance of damage to the cables as well.
Cheers Jorgo

Also glue male side of joint to stop glue going inside bend and obviously use glue to stop concrete water entering conduit which can leak in via an unglued or poorly glued joint and harden inside making conduit useless.

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Re: John's budget build

Post by ajarnudon » April 23, 2018, 10:43 pm

Hi Bluejets
Thanks for the info, and duly noted. I learned the hard way - the 25 mm conduits that I ran thru the footings for my elec mains were useless because I didn't use large radius bends. But fortunately this wasn't a large problem as I am using cavity walls to a large extent, so just brought them up the wall cavity without any problems.

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