modern construction

[60minuteman]

hi everyone, does anyone have any experience of building to this sort of standard and design in thailand, anyone have an idea of cost etc...

[geordie]

A far cry from the shipping containers
This and any other style is acheivable subject to certain engineering limitations i have bumped a post for you to read MORE LAND AHOY NAUGHTYit would pay you to have a look at the members builds even if you went to the albums first and took a look at pictures you cannot be serious about throwing up a couple of pictures and expect someone to come back with a price there is a bit more to it than that like how many rooms /how big /what materials /do you want gold taps or silver ensuite bathrooms or thunderbox near the pool

also take a read through BUILDING MY HOUSE SATTAHIP

combine the styles materials

[60minuteman]

cheers geordie, yeah sure bit of a fool to ask costs, i guess what i was trying to say is, are the skilled workers available to attempt something more engineered without the costs becoming over inflated....i understand that the usual building methods can work out a lot cheaper in thailand, but does that ring true for more modern designs also?
and i guess it is a bit different from the containers but the finished asthetic is still the same, i was planning on cladding the containers....anyhow thinking concrete, steel, wood construction is a better idea now anyhow.

[geordie]

the two posts i bumped for you will show the skills are available to mimic what you pictured and the costs though above normal for a build would still be a drop in the ocean compared to uk prices nawty used riverstone for his cladding as well as what looks like we would call shale he describes as slate another member Thaifly has used sandstone as cladding concrete as you will have noticed is in wide use the biggest enemy there will be termites so design wood to a minimum apart from anything else its heart attack expensive although you can buy fake wood
anything exposed and not treated is lunch but seriously have a good look through the picture gallery and see what you like read some of the forums and get an idea of any problems they had

[fredlk]

Before even starting designing, I read maybe 80% of this site in detail to see what I might learn and believe me I learnt heaps even though I thought I knew it all.
Having built a house in northern Europe I thought I was a wise-guy, BUT a lot of it does not apply here.
South facing windows? Forget it. Flat roof? Forget it. Etcetera, etcetera.
The building above I also viewed while looking for designs and I quite liked it, but that particular one is VERY expensive, believe you me.
Anything is possible here and the building regulations allow a lot but you do have to find people to work with who empathise with your ideas and with whom you can communicate.
Fred.

[60minuteman]

hi fred, thanks, im slowly reading through the info on the site and yes it is opening my eyes! i am a good way off building yet so hence lots of questions on design etc....I have studied sustainable building in the uk and i am aware how important aspect, siting and passive cooling are, im not sure i agree with you on the flat roof issue, that is to say you can build something that looks like it has a flat roof but conceals a basic shed roof design. Do you say flat roofs are a no no because of water issues or heat issues? because that design is used in many tropical area of the planet, new mexico for instance.... im keen to hear your opinion on why you think it is a definate no go?
as i said nothing is decided yet im just exploring myideas.

I did see a build on here that used the basic shophouse principle, which is something i think i could modify to get the look im after, again any opinions on that would be great. Im quite keen on having the downstairs left open for a large living area and ensuite bedrooms above.

[fredlk]

im not sure i agree with you on the flat roof issue, that is to say you can build something that looks like it has a flat roof but conceals a basic shed roof design. Do you say flat roofs are a no no because of water issues or heat issues?
I did see a build on here that used the basic shophouse principle, which is something i think i could modify to get the look im after, again any opinions on that would be great.

One architect I spoke to does build flat roofs, but uses some kind of expensive sandwich system. I do like the look of a flat roof, but if it is not perfectly executed it will most probably leak in this climate. And then there is the heat issue. How do you let the stored heat escape? With a sloping roof it is so much simpler to achieve. A square build with a concealed shed roof will look good I am sure, but then there's the issue of heat storage in the walls.
At the moment I live in what is called a townhouse. The problem here is that there is so much exposed exterior wall over 4 floors which all acts as a heat-sink. It takes hours for the house to cool down in the evening.
And there are stairs, LOTS of them. As I age, gracefully I hope, I don't want the fact that I have stairs in my house make me have to move.

[60minuteman]

mmmm seems all construction method have there drawbacks, so i guess its a case of get a good architect!

[SunTzu]

Tough to get a good architect here, even more than back home . . .


Of course, you don't want to build a bare flat roof, like most Thais have, but I'm afraid I will disagree with Fredlk : flat roofs are great to install soil and plants, which in return will provide the best thermal insulation you can get here, and also extend the life of your waterproofing. Furthermore, you can still keep a gap between them and the 'living boxes' beneath, providing further ventilation (but it's not really that necessary at that point).

Designing your roof, you will want to calculate the eaves as to provide shadows on the walls, just like with any roof, flat or not... Depending on your latitude, and house orientation, existing trees/buildings, you can determine precisely how much they should extend out from the walls you want to shade.

I personally see sloped roofs as a heat trap, unless you keep them opened on the sides, or clearly above the rooms underneath. Even then, thermally not optimal.

[fredlk]

... I will disagree with Fredlk : flat roofs are great to install soil and plants, which in return will provide the best thermal insulation you can get here

You misunderstand me. I'm all for a green roof. Looks good and works well, BUT here in Thailand? Never! How do you keep it alive and green during the hot dry months? And if you do have stuff with good roots they will try and get into your waterproofing which will have to be heavy duty stuff, something I am certain not widely available here and maybe nobody with experience at fitting it. Dangerous territory unless you have excess amounts of cash for if and when it might go horribly wrong.

[60minuteman]

I THINK IT Is all a case of design, siting and orientation, spend some time looking at the modern buildings aroung nimanheemin road area in chiang mai and you will see that it can be done very effectively in thailand, and moreover there are plenty of other countries that have always used flat roofs, look at new mexico!

and of course when you say flat it doesnt necessarily mean completely flat..... georgian architecture in the uk often used a technique where the pitched roof was hidden so as to appear to be flat....

with regards shadding, there are plenty of other methods to shade the building....

[BKKBILL]

All roofs in Thailand are heat traps. I think the big thing is to ventilate them properly and of course as stated building site, orientation, shading, proper design are some of the things that help keep your house cooler here.

As for growing plants on the roof I think not here in Thailand. Could just see my wife up there weeding and she would be. The high winds we have would soon blow any trees down.

On my next build here will have a combination of flat and pitched roofs. The flat roof will have Sista D150 coatings for waterproofing and its reflective abilities. Also planning to use dual layer autoclaved aerated concrete block with air gap for the walls and keep most of the windows smaller with reflective coatings on them.

Anything you can do to control sun exposure should help.

[fredlk]

Also planning to use dual layer autoclaved aerated concrete block with air gap for the walls and keep most of the windows smaller with reflective coatings on them.

How is this type of block better than Q-con or a double wall with insulation? I ask because I have one short section of wall which might get too much sun on it and I want to keep it cooler on the inside. I was thinking of Q-con after reading about it here.
Keeping windows smaller might be a bit of a problem if the rooms do heat up. You need to create a good airflow to remove the hotter air and with small windows this might not work too well.

[SunTzu]

How do you keep it alive and green during the hot dry months?

selecting the right plants, no watering

And if you do have stuff with good roots they will try and get into your waterproofing which will have to be heavy duty stuff,

the waterproofing must be protected with anti-root barrier, just like in the west. But its mostly weed-like plants that are being used, don't expect shrub or trees !

something I am certain not widely available here and maybe nobody with experience at fitting it.

there are companies in Bkk, although it's still a bit new here

Dangerous territory unless you have excess amounts of cash for if and when it might go horribly wrong.

of course a bit more expensive at constuction, but if you consider all the benefits (thermal comfort, noise protection, cleaner air...)and the longer term economies (waterproofing lasts much longer, less need to insulate inside, less electricity wasted and lower AC needed), it looks like a really good solution to me

What could go horribly wrong ?

[BKKBILL]

redik, sorry if I led you astray Q-con is autoclave aerated concrete block just covering all of them and not just one brand name. With double wall the air gap gives a thermal break. Hopefully a cooler house.
As for the smaller windows I was thinking it would help keep the heat outside thus helping to keep the inside cooler. Open windows when it is cool outside and close them when hotter. Well that is my thinking anyway if anyone has a better idea I’m willing to listen as everything is still in the planning stage.

Plants will not survive with 50-60 CM of soil in our hot dry season then how would you remove the lake on your roof in a torrential downpour. What could go horribly wrong indeed.