Change of plans

We took a couple of days rest to travel through Surin province and had a good time to explore, enjoy and relax and also to discuss things together. 

People who know me, know I like finishing work I started before going on to a next phase. That's indeed my way. 

Last week however, we decided not to finish the first guest pyramid before going on to the next step in our process but to start in a couple of weeks with the second guest pyramid. 

This all has to do with the seasons here. Rain starts step by step after Songkran (the Thai New Year) half of April. Also the pandemic is part of our decision. 

Trucks for delivering concrete, blocks and hollow core slabs only can come to our place when the soil is not too wet is our experience now. And sitting and waiting inside to go on because of the rain is not really my thing. 

So we will finish the basic structure and roofs of the first guest room, finish the sewage system and water and electricity supply and after that start with the foundation of the second guest room. 

When we have rain, we can work dry and go on with the inside of the first guest pyramid. 

Because of the pandemic we think it will take some more time to sell my property in Chiang Mai. So far it is no real need to sell it but it will be nice to have some savings to start building the main house. So actually we create time with starting the second guest pyramid. And... we have building permission already so why not. 

In the mean time we fixed the first roof tile battens and installed the 'flat' PU foam metal sheet roof. This roof will get another 7,5 cm rockwool isolation but at the moment already you feel a great difference in temperature. 

We installed the galvanized U-dich gratings and made, on the inside of the u-ditches a slope. 

LED-lights will be installed under the lowest rooftiles to give a special effect in the night. Sewage pipes are fixed to connect with the soak away field to create soon. 

Frans Captijn

email:  pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

 

Kitchen garden flourishing and making progress during great weather.

Phatsamon is doing a good job. It's still very fresh in the morning but temperatures are slowly rising and our kitchen garden is doing well with her care taking. 

Organic water melons, tomatoes, mulberries, bitter gourds, garlic, pumpkins, pineapples, oranges, chilly, spring unions, morning glory, all kind of herbs like basil, coriander, lemon grass, etc., and some nice flowers, are doing very well. 

In the mean time the welding of the floating guest room bed with turnable stepladder is finished and preparations for the aircon unit are made. Two lightning protections are fixed so the steel construction, certainly after fixing the metal rooftile battens will work as a safe 'Faraday cage'. 

All the steelwork is cured with an anti rust primer now. 

At the moment we are working on placing the u-ditch gutters. 

Many new construction materials already arrived and waiting to be put in place. Others are on their way and will arrive soon. 

Great weather to work outside at the moment. 

This morning, close to our secondary switchboard, we discovered the first bird who showed Spring is in the air. The first egg is taking care of. A bit a dangerous place but we will see. 

Nature is beautiful. During lunch today my Kingfisher friend showed up again. Really every time a nice surprise to enjoy its company.   

Frans Captijn

e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Cutting and welding. Basic construction ready

The last nearly two weeks were days of cutting and welding to get the main construction ready. To be honest, steel is not my favorite material. I love working with wood most but here, with to much termites, that's no option for keeping the structures in a sustainable good quality and condition.

Choosing for pyramids does not make the work easy for us. Cutting is not just a matter of cutting but first of all measuring the different angles of every beam you want to weld. But... meditation ;).

In the mean time we also ordered several materials. The first small bricks had to come from two provinces further than our place. Bathroom wall- and floor tiles are on their way. We got the floor leveling cement and laminate floor planks. 

Around the campfire place we covered the benches with the same materials as the labyrinth floor. We also put the sewage pipes in place to transport rainwater from the two pyramid rooms to the pond. Happy to have good level instruments. 

The first U-ditch unites are in place.

To protect the steel against rusting we got Captain red oxide primer. Great name and it must be quality ;). 

A company we discovered in our village will make a scale example of a glass top roof cover for the pyramid. We are excited to see the model. 

Last but not least we found a new family member. A second turtle who found his (or her) place in our pond. 

Frans Captijn

e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com