What we learn together.....

[kerrysum]

There is something special about this site... I have poured over it in many ways... Point being, people helping each other, giving suggestions, and coming together. If there is something that I want to know, or ask, it is great.
What I have learned?
1. I love the ideal of the floating foundation, thanks to all of you that have shown me this way... I believe in it...
2. Sorry, I believe in load bearing walls.....
3. It is the most important resource that I have found for building a home in Thailand....
4. It gives a purpose for the ideal, that we may just want to live here, I know I do.....
5. The moderators of all forums, offer free advice, submit ideas that will work.....
6. I admire those that have built, in Thailand...... and even more their experiences, such as their ups and downs, hopefully mostly up.......
7. So let us get what I want to say.....

This is the benefit that I have found from all that this site is about.....
My wife is from Mukdahan, yes it is in the Issan Region of Thailand..... Her uncle which we call, (loong noi), is the primary builder of the homes in the village.... He utilizes the post and footing methods for building homes... In past years, he has done most of the work, for building new houses, and home additions. But I did do a survey last time I was home... He did not get very good marks... Everything leaks, everything is sinking, and when I go home, they ask me to fix it... Some things I can, and some things I can not.....
But through this site, I know what I want to do, and yes my wife tells me that loong noi, may put a kabosh on it, it does not bother me.....
But at least through this site, I have gained invaluable insite into building a home in this community.... to all the commentators, and those with experience, I say Thank You!
Just my thoughts for today... Foundation is the most part of the house... Yes we will be building on farm land... But the core ground, native earth, in which we live is fortunately higher, much higher where we propose to live.... Build the foundation and backfill is my true intent....
Have a great day! Kerry

[otis-a]

thxs 4z summary
pls post plans+details of u float'g foundament when avail.

[kerrysum]

thxs 4z summary
pls post plans+details of u float'g foundament when avail.

Well I think it has been well documented on this site... As an example, the land fill and wait situation which many ask about on this site... For the precise, I would say that I did this here, yes in the USA.... It worked well...
My immediate point? From relatives in Thailand? Send money now so we can bring in dirt....
What is the purpose of virgin soil? It has been here since the beginning of time..... It is compacted, as was the last home that I built here in America...... Many conditions throughout Thailand depend on what is going on with your land.....
This property is 6 rai 50 meters wide by how deep? Frontage property of this land is high, and in the rear? It slopes down, to the rice farm..... I call it a blessing..... What about the pad that I want? 50 meters by 50 meters for the home and trees, and vegetables, and whatever....... I am working on this floating foundation, and yes I give cheers to some great brothers in my opinion... I have taken suggestions from many posters in this process... That is why I admire their advice...
But for me in the past, I love to backfill, it is easier, and I know what is under it.......
there is a great program that, gives one a perspective.... It is google sketchup..... free download mind you, but it gives us an ideal of how to....
1. Place our home on a measured plot...
2. Lets us know what is on wither side....
3. The real truth of this project is about people, the village that we will live in, and perhaps a chance to educate...
4. How do I want to build it, well it is in the designing stages now, my wife is excited about it.....
5. I have been in the construction industry for over 37 years now.....
6. It is a self indulged ego process? No it is the willingness to share knowledge, exchange ideals..... and in the end to help a community of which I love.....
7. If you are lookiing for details how we will do this, then I apologise.....

And by the way? I do have a barking lot, it is called home....
Best wishes brother,
Kilosierra

[kerrysum]

thxs 4z summary
pls post plans+details of u float'g foundament when avail.

So let us go to another point, so are you in the USA or Thailand right now? Just picked ut up.... If that is your child that you posted, it makes me happy.....
I would think that Atila and Jazzman on this site have given much information... And yes DOZER I love ya! Your work is great! To me it depends if you want a one story or two story home.... I do not know where you will build, different parts of Thailand have different soils....... Each lot is different..... Each terrain is different..... So I do not know where you will build..... For me and the wife, here is my point.... I am here half way across the world, yes I have the plots plan, which will be changed out.... that means we are exchanging land, and have agreed to this.... What it comes down to?
We want the more elevated land in exchange that we will watch her, yes rubber tree plantings.....
They are at the rear of the properties.... that is fine.....
If you wish to contact me further, then please let me know....

I have sketched up our home plan, in two or three ideals.... I want a garage, this is not important, it is merely a place to park the vehicles, and yes, I love a workshop.... For this part, I will accept the old traditional post structure... It gives one a place to store materials, and as my wife says, a small house......

In all truth, I did it here in America, they were pissed that I would dare to build a garage, before my home... But it was ok, throughout the process we had a place to store materials....
Just my thought brother....
So drop me a line, I am always willing to talk...
Kilosierra

[otis-a]

yo bro
i am sorta retired to thai
the sorta means i work on what tickles me fancy
still waiting another 36mo untill can draw my ira w/o 20% penalty.
But i never say never will i go back to drawing a regular check. It woud be kinda nice to add a little to my soc unsecur as i did not contribute since 1989 when aramco went from being a Delaware corp to a saudi domiciled corp.
Looking forward to seeing yo posts, even if they are just rough screenshoots of what u r cogitating

[kerrysum]

thxs 4z summary
pls post plans+details of u float'g foundament when avail.

Here is a good ideal of the whole principle, Atilla posted it with pics... So you go here and scroll down to see how he did it....
http://www.coolthaihouse.com/forum/view ... highlight=
I think you will like it.......
Kerrysum

[kerrysum]

yo bro
i am sorta retired to thai
the sorta means i work on what tickles me fancy
still waiting another 36mo untill can draw my ira w/o 20% penalty.
But i never say never will i go back to drawing a regular check. It woud be kinda nice to add a little to my soc unsecur as i did not contribute since 1989 when aramco went from being a Delaware corp to a saudi domiciled corp.
Looking forward to seeing yo posts, even if they are just rough screenshoots of what u r cogitating

Read you loud and clear about the waiting game Otis, I am in the same boat, so come this January things will change.
Then the next adventure begins. One program that has helped me amazingly is google sketchup, and yes it is the free download version, but I am impressed what one can do with it.... there are even tutorials on it, at youtube.....
I sent you a post earlier today, hope you got.... tonight I did a gig with the foundation with sketchup, it worked amazing well... The wife and I ave also done a few house renderings. so I figure out how to post it for ya, ok? It is a lot of research that goes into this, but the forum is a good way to get answers and help others....
I believe most of it depends on where you plan to build in Thailand....
Have a good evening Otis.....
We'll keep in touch....
kerrysum

[geordie]

Having trouble functioninhg today picture credit (developer3d waffle pod design)
Caution this sort of foundation is designed to sink ??? as a whole so the house survives the movement or if it tilts the house survives the movement it spreads the load evenly over the surface b
ut you should consider keeping it balanced IE: do not build two floors on one side patio on the other

http://www.coolthaihouse.com/forum/down ... &mode=view
search = waffle pod at the top of this page advanced search i am having trouble copying the link sorry (maybe someone can add the link ??)

[kerrysum]

Having trouble functioninhg today picture credit (developer3d waffle pod design)
Caution this sort of foundation is designed to sink ??? as a whole so the house survives the movement or if it tilts the house survives the movement it spreads the load evenly over the surface b
ut you should consider keeping it balanced IE: do not build two floors on one side patio on the other

http://www.coolthaihouse.com/forum/down ... &mode=view
search = waffle pod at the top of this page advanced search i am having trouble copying the link sorry (maybe someone can add the link ??)

Thanks for the post Gordie it was informative, the pic came through ok, but searched the link also, and found more pics.
They definitely look like load bearing walls to me, and I like that block that was used. the wifey and I plan to do just a 1 story that is U-shaped, with a patio in the center.... I do have a question about load bearing walls though... Is a 20cm concrete block, all that can be utilized for load bearing walls. I have heard about Q-con and superblock, but perhaps these are more for the column type construction? Your comments would be greatly appreciated....
Kerrysum

[geordie]

Qcon and superblock are load bearing and ok to use for no colums we use similar in the uk
all the time the problem you will have is convincing the thais to do it for you
I beleive MGV12 built that way A lot of the thais will not have come across the blocks let alone used them so will want to stay traditional You should check that the manufacture recomends they are strong enough they may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer
I am pleased you found the rest of the discusion / pictures of the waffle pod slab its a very robust way of doing it and if you did a cutaway you have a beam every meter or so giving it substatial rigidity exactly what you want for a foundation

[kerrysum]

yo bro
i am sorta retired to thai
the sorta means i work on what tickles me fancy
still waiting another 36mo untill can draw my ira w/o 20% penalty.
But i never say never will i go back to drawing a regular check. It woud be kinda nice to add a little to my soc unsecur as i did not contribute since 1989 when aramco went from being a Delaware corp to a saudi domiciled corp.
Looking forward to seeing yo posts, even if they are just rough screenshoots of what u r cogitating

Otis finally figured out how to get te pics on I think, so her my stab at adding ok? This is our home idea and foundation idea,
Still more work to do, but it is a start.....

Home on plot of land

foundation idea load bearing

nother pic of home design

kerrysum

[geordie]

The foundation you have there is a standard strip foundation as used daily in the uk it differs from the Thai pads but would not constitute a raft foundation so if the ground is not fairly firm you could end up with problems also do you have no internal walls all of those should have a means of support other than the floor slab unless you intend to cast a real heavy duty slab with lots of rebar

[kerrysum]

Qcon and superblock are load bearing and ok to use for no colums we use similar in the uk
all the time the problem you will have is convincing the thais to do it for you
I beleive MGV12 built that way A lot of the thais will not have come across the blocks let alone used them so will want to stay traditional You should check that the manufacture recomends they are strong enough they may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer
I am pleased you found the rest of the discusion / pictures of the waffle pod slab its a very robust way of doing it and if you did a cutaway you have a beam every meter or so giving it substatial rigidity exactly what you want for a foundation

Thanks again Geo, you are totally correct... this especially concerns the builder in the wifey's village, my uncle...
So I will put it this way, Sir... 90% of my wifey's village is her family...
Yes he is a traditional builder, in Issan... He likes thin block construction, single row blocks, and prefabbed columns... Are we striking an ideal? So I am sure you can understand where I am going with this... He mainly does the wood work on homes.. He subs out the block work... Last time I was there? He was building a house for my sister-in-law... So he asked me to come and look at his work.... well he wasn't so happy... I pointed out the joints of the thin block walls that he had
hired done... In certain places there were 2 to 3 inch gaps at the end joints where they had cut corners... This was usually where they didn't want to cut the block, but instead cut a corner.... He wasn't happy with me, the only thing that I saw was a potential for cracks, that would surface.... I called it no bonding strength.... His answer was that rendering the walls would solve this problem.....
Geo I have thought about this with all purpose, and have thought some things, so I ask of your wisdon in the ideal...
I did discover a nephew that lives away, from the village, and so it is he will be our neighbor.... He raises cattle, loves his family, and I had never seen him at any functions for the family... so we talked, and he told me he didn't like the drama in the village, and that is why he built where he did....
So here is my thought Geo...
1. I want to build a house, in a different way.
2. Give people a new ideal in the ways to build a house.
3. Pick a candidate that I admire, send him to a school and be there with him, so one understands.
4. I think this would be my nephew, some how he captures my heart...
5. My thoughts are this Geo, I will send him to the school and training, and give him a new skill, ideals, well I have always loved this ideal.... Do not get me wrong, I need him to be a cattle farmer, but I also want him to learn, to improve.....
6. I need him for his cattle farm, because we can have some cattle together.
7. I would choose him for his individuality.....
8. The wifey agrees, but says, uncle may not like this......
So this is my two pence in a basket.......
My greatest thought? That me and the Unc will come together, understand, as difficult as it may seem.......
Thank you for all of your advice so far, it is with great appreciation.....

Final thought? I look for a better way, to share, to develope, and to help a community become stronger....
Or in the other stance, to remain silent, shut up, and live with the ideal that we can not inprove upon what we have come to know...... Thank you for all of your previous posts.....
kerrysum

[geordie]

Kerry you come a cross as a potential wife
You found somwhere you like (i assume you like it) so now you want to change everything ?
Why interfere with what is their culture? History is full of examples that tell us leave it alone

Forget educating the nephew do you have any idea of how insufferable life would be if he had ambitions and desire,s ? he may have limited aspirations now an education will encourage him to reach way beyond what he could achieve sitting in a field looking at Buffalo
So his days as a buffalo farmer will be over he will see himself as too good for that

By all means hook up to the internet and show them modern standards modern methods but do not expect to change everything or anything you think uncle did not see the dodgy blockwork he saw he knew he accepted it the render will cover it ? so uncle is the corner cutter as much as the block layer we accept a higher standard and insist on it

Now look at a "poor Thai" house which is thrown together with recycled thrown away begged stolen materials the asthetics don.t come into it function is all they expect and that being the mindset You have at the oposite end of the scale the look at me brigade built to a slightly higher standard but dressed to look beautifull The Thais still think at least once maybe twice in their lifetime the house will need replacing so why waste money trying to defy the inevitable

Your challenge is to get uncle to build in a manner totally alien to him he will likely think it going to fall down he will see no advantage to it and unfortunately he is 100% correct the chances of average Thais forking out the prices of superblock are slim although they must be buying them otherwise they would not be available
So why does he need to learn to use them when its likely to be a one off? look for a need in the village comunity and try and help? but expect it to backfire at some point when one person decide,s another has an unfair advantage most villages are like disjointed families
and behave as such with fall outs reconciliations occuring daily weekly monthly you helping out will only add to the mellee

[Ians]

With regards to using slab, floating slab or piles and beams, be guided by the local "experienced" builders - not the rice-farmer come builder in the off-session. The ground conditions in parts of Thailand dictate that load-bearing piles are prefered. For my own build I was keen (read wanted) slab but the couple of professional building companies I approached would not even consider discuss slab over load-bearing piles - if I was to insist on slab they didn't want the job - and it wasn't about money - it was about what they were happy to put their name to.
I know that floating slab would have been Ok coming from an area in Sydney Aus. where a whole suburb is built on reclaimed swamp where every house including 2 story are on floating slab.