Light switches

Whilst living in rental properties in Thailand, I have encountered a number of instances of faulty fittings having to be replaced, ranging from door handles and locks to light switches and sockets.  I realise that 'every baht counts', but the cost of these essential fittings is such a small part of the overall cost of the house yet they contribute so much to its look and feel. It seems foolish to try and save money in this area.  Also, as these types of fittings are heavily used, it is a false economy to install the cheapest option as you have to consider the cost of all of the replacements over the life of the house.


I have opted for light switches which I think will stand the test of time, whilst also complementing the modern style of the house.   They were several times more expensive than the usual fittings one finds in most houses in this region, but by my reckoning this has added less than 0.2% to the total cost of the build... a worthwhile investment, I think.



Light switches Light switches

Break for Songkran

Yesterday, the scaffolding was erected, ready for the rendering to be applied to the exterior of the house. This will not now be started until after the Songkran (Thai New year) celebrations. Expect more progress updates after 16th April!

Scaffolding made for Eucalyptus Scaffolding made from Eucalyptus

Multiple projects... multiple categories...

I will be blogging here a about all of the future properties we are developing as a company, and also client projects that we are involved with, when permitted.  As we embark on new projects, it may get a little confusing following along with all of them in one blog stream, so I will be adding them to separate blog 'categories'.  You can view all posts relating to a specific project, by selecting it from the 'categories' menu in the right hand column.

The next project...

Yesterday, after a lot of searching and negotiation, we finally managed to secure the plot of land for our next building project. This plot is also in Thip Thani, about 100m from our other building project.  However, this plot of land is slightly larger and bordered on two sides by the stream that flows around Thip Thani.

I now have to get to work designing a home to fit with this land, which I shall be starting shortly.  I intend to have the design completed by the end of April so that the footings can be dug ready for the workers to get straight to work once they have finished the current build in mid May.

Thip Thani - Plot 2 Thip Thani - Plot 2

As you can see, the plot is a bit of a Jungle at the moment, but tomorrow the land will be cleared and levelled.  That should give a much better idea of what we have to work with and make it easier to visualise a property on the land.  As I mentioned, the land is bordered on two sides by a stream, however during the rainy season this can become more like a raging torrent!  In order to secure the land from erosion we will shore up the land over the next few days if it is required.  This is a job that certainly can not wait as the rainy season should be starting any day now - it will definitely be easier to shore up the land while the stream is just a trickle.

Roofing almost complete

After another couple of days of hard work, the initial roofing has been completed.  However, there is still some secondary roofing work to be carried out to form the "wing" that overhangs by 1m around the perimeter of the roof.  This wing is primarily an architectural feature for aesthetic appeal, but it will also provide some additional shade to the exterior walls and windows.  The 'wing' will be fitted after the walls have been rendered.

Initial roofing complete Initial roofing complete