Progress for the next steps to make. Floor carport/cat-house shit because of delivery problems.

After over six years and with already 8 trucks of concrete delivered, we thought we had some experience. So, as never before we made perfect preparations and arrangements. But shit sometimes happens... More about this later. 

After completing the stairs we started with preparations of the next steps to do. 

We ordered at Do-Home and got delivered the curbs and sidewalk tiles to place around the house. Excellent professional free delivery. 

I decided to buy 46 extra curbs as 'formwork' for the floor/foundation of the carport/cathouse. A little bit more expensive but much nicer for the end results of the floor and easy for the concrete to pour/fill-up. 

At Srishot company we ordered and picked-up ourselves with the Kia truck the wire mesh and rebar. Normally you buy this on roles but this company makes the flat sheets by order only in big amounts. I prefer to work with the flat sheets much more to get better (strength) results. 

Visiting the company they were just welding a huge order of 20 x 20 cm with a thickness of 6 mm. Actually I needed 4 mm but it was easier to ask them to make 5 more sheets (for double netting) for us more. Far to strong but no problem. At the place we will make the walls we put extra 10 mm. double rebar. So, to be sure without any problem the floor also works as a foundation.  

Not possible to drive with the material on the truck on the Highway in The Netherlands but here not really a problem. It brought us some fun. 

We prepared the anchors to connect the steel construction to install. Made the curbs/formwork under a little slope. Had to order some extra sand to level the underfloor so exactly 15 cm thickness of concrete to pour was guaranteed. 

After that we put an electricity and water inlet and a sewage pipe for a small kitchen cabinet in. 

Some old tarpaulins and special plastic on the floor first to block draining concrete water into the soil and weaken the concrete. Put the first layer of wire-mesh in on cement blocks of 2.5 cm to guarantee enough concrete cover on the steel wires. Put the extra rebar as strengthening/foundation for the 10 cm thick Q-Con wall blocks to glue. as last we installed the double layer of wire-mesh on spacers. 

I arranged two skilled villagers (who also did the plastering of the walls of our house) to help us yesterday afternoon. Concrete should be delivered at 2.30 PM. 

So far everything OK. 

We wanted to order the concrete at our regular delivery firm KPS. It worked out they were closed because of a broken machine. Spare parts to repair could take some months we were told. So, we had to find another company not to far away. 

With my knowledge as constructional engineer in Saudi Arabia, especially in this climate, transportation time need to be as short as possible and best with cooled concrete (in Arabia we added ice-cubes and cooled with water on nets the turning mixer but here they don't know that system). Best time is not longer than around 20 till max 30 minutes. 

We found a company and ordered three days in advance 5 m3 high quality concrete with 280 kg/m3 cement. 

A day in advance they called us that the drivers thought he could not deliver because of the tight entrance to our site. Strange because 8 colleagues of him did do. So we called the company and showed pictures of earlier delivery. To be sure they sent the driver to check in the afternoon. 

In the mean time we found another company to be sure. But it worked out it should not give a big problem so we ordered and paid in advance. They should load at 2 PM and deliver at 2.30 PM. 

We really prepared and organized the plot so pouring could be smooth. Water waiting, forks for spreading waiting, leveling materials waiting, vibrator working, etc.. 

Yesterday afternoon, it worked out one of the villagers could not come so we only were with three. Also the driver who visited us did not want to come so the company organized another driver to deliver (but who did not know the way to our site). 

2.30 AM, 3.00 AM, still no concrete. Phatsamon called the company. "We are just loading but are in a que number 5... we will see you soon". After Phatsamon told me I looked strange. Que number 5? I never see any movement at that company but, who knows they had good business. It worked out it was not the case.

Murphy's law:

The (new) driver called Phatsamon because he could not find our address. I went to pick him up where he was driving around somewhere around the temple of the village. At 3.40 AM the truck finally was there. It took nearly 10 minutes to prepare the pouring for the truck. So, already 1 hour and 50 minutes the concrete was in the mixer of the truck.  

The concrete that came out was very thick and hard to pour. The extension gutter nearly broke because of the weight and the gutter turned and dropped. 

I had to pour water (not really a good thing but with the amount of cement not a big problem). I worked out the water tank of the truck was nearly empty because the former driver did not fill up... So I climbed up the truck to fill with our own water supply (picture on top).

For the three of us it was hard working to spread and to compact the 'fresh' concrete. Khun Moe, the village helper, worked his ass of to level the concrete. Phatsamon and I helped to prepare the first steps for him. 

After a a bit more than half an hour we could not go on anymore. The binding of the concrete was already too far away and it was not possible to go on with making a smooth surface. 

What happened?

Phatsamon then heard the story of the driver who could not clean his car because he had no water and did not want to drive back to use our water again. 

This man had to load his truck at his company but after loading 4 m3 also their filling machine broke down. So for the extra cubic meter he had to drive a long way to again another company and had to wait being number 5 in que there. After being on his way to us he could not find our address. 

If I should have know that story before I did not accept the delivery but... the concrete was already in. 

So, the concrete was already far to long waiting for bounding. The amount of 280 kg/m3 cement made this quest even stronger so there was nearly no time left for treating the concrete and creating a smooth surface. 

We used water on top to try but this made the final results even worse. 

We have a very strong floor now but with a lot of afterwork to do. 

Last night I woke up two times to water the concrete and we will go on the next few days with that during daytime. 

We will put the walls in a couple of weeks and after that we think we will put a tile floor on top because this result now is disturbing a lot after all the nice work we did so far. Extra time and extra money because of... delivery.

Frans & Phatsamon

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Preparations for the next step, finishing touch and climate change (?)

The stairs, painting work and the yoga/meditation sala are ready to use. Our four girls, as the picture shows, love to join me in the morning during my exercises. They have a great high view. 

Some painting work upstairs, and placing a top cover have to be done but can wait for a while. 

The temperatures here are extreme for the time of the year. 37 degrees C and up in the afternoon. Painting the steelwork early in the morning was, with 32 degrees, actually not a good job but I wanted to finish it. 

Some finishing touch needed to be done:

- Painting (top-coating) the steel of the sala.

- The steel structure of the stairs connected with the two carrying columns now is 'packed' in concrete for even more strength and protection against any rust in the future. The concrete got a special primer to start tiling.

- The 'legs' of the stairs connected with the top of the entrance floor got a double seal against rust. First a top cover of roof sealing material on the underside. After that filled up with a special bathroom tile joint filler.  

- I installed a big ceiling fan and on the east side two bamboo curtains for more comfort during exercise (cooling and protection against the morning sun).

Also we started with the preparation for the next step in our process. 

This week:

- We got two trucks of sand. 

- We needed to do surveying to get the right place of the new foundation on our land in relation to Thai building regulations (distance neighbor and private buildings). 

- We ordered 5 sheets of wire-mesh to make the double reinforcement for the concrete floor of the carport/cat room. It's already waiting to be picked up. 

- We ordered 480 (40 x 40 cm) pavement tiles to place around the house to create a walk around possibility and to be the floor for the 'Thai' outdoor kitchen and laundry place. 

Some explanation: The Thai cook outside. Using lots of chilies, garlic, fish-oil, herbs and all other type of things for their dishes, and stir-frying most types of food, on a gas burner. A household western hood is not able to get rid of the smells and smoke coming from preparation of this food. So better to keep these fumes outside. Happy, soon, to have a double kitchen.

- We ordered 72 concrete curbs and cement (will be delivered Sunday March 1) because too heavy for our own truck (and my back).

Yesterday our digging friend came to help us again the whole day. With his machine he did the preparations for the foundation of the carport/cat room. He prepared the soil and filled up sand to start with the pavement. Last but not least he did some landscaping. 

Really a lot of work we did do together and all in these extreme high temperatures for the year. Yesterday evening we slept very well. 

Just after being finished with the 'digging-jobs', it suddenly started to rain. For two days now. Our dogs welcomed the rain (and the sand to play) with a dance. Again extreme weather because this type of heavy rains here normally arrive around June. 

Climate change? I am sure nature is suffering with how we, people around this world, deal with her. Climate goals??? Not a single country problem but a worldwide problem. Stop talking about it but, shoulder on shoulder and without corruption just do it (just my idea) to give next generations some future. 

We have a lot of work to do again the coming period. We hope, now with high temperatures and high humidity as in the rainy season, we stay healthy to deal with it. Slow, slow...

Frans & Phatsamon

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com