Electricity upgrade, maintenance, glass blocks, roof work, land-office and... still no road

Due to changeable weather conditions we have to deal with many work breaks. The temperatures are much better than a month ago (between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius during the day) but, because of several rain showers during the days and nights, humidity is extreme. Causing lots of sweating. 

No complaints. We are in the rainy season and the rice famers need the rain. So far, for them, it's much to dry.  

At the beginning of March we got our new 50 mm2 electricity lines installed. 

Last week check of PEA showed we needed to change the main switch to our project into a stronger (100 Amp.) switch first to get the upgrade and replacement of the electricity meter. We installed that switch ourselves. A bit a tricky job without main power switch off, but we succeeded. 

Yesterday they changed that meter into a digital (max 100 Amp.) one. 

So, if needed, we have the ability to use all together max. 22.000 Watt together in one time. Something, in practice, that never will happen but still. 

If the main PEA lines serving our living area have the power, we can use our five air conditioners, induction cooking, the hot water boiler and electric showers, water pumps, fridges, washing machine, inside and outside (garden) lights, and all outlets together. We have even place to install some more things in the future if we want. 

It's all very over-dimensioned but for the future in one time we are prepared and finished. 

To close the wall and protect to heavy storms we finished the glass block masonry. 

Our master bedroom and living room both got a glass block light strip. 

Also at the back of the house, for the walk in closet, bathroom, guest restroom, and kitchen storage, got the blocks in. 

We had some maintenance to do as well. 

The outside kitchen syphon had to be repaired because of damage of the sun. Soon I will change it by a new one. 

Also we needed to clean and renew the inner basket of this kitchen's grease trap. 

At the 'control' room (water and electricity inlet) we needed to change a couple of taps because we could not clean the basic water filter anymore. The basic Thai plastic valves did not shut anymore because of the amount of chalk in the water. 

Bye the way, we checked (tested) the water quality of our well water (our well is 60 meters deep). We found it is potable without any problem and can deal easily with the drinking water quality standards. The only thing is a very high amount of chalk due to the soil composition in our area.   

In the meantime we make slow progress with the roof. We did another request to companies to install the top roof but nobody is interested. So we decided to install that roof 'from the inside' as far as possible. Gutters around are in the process of installing. They all get a leaf protecting cover. 

Slowly we also close the middle roof now. 

Because we married, we went to the land-office to change the official document of the land paper. There is no need for Frans to keep a 30 year lease agreement any more on the land. Now it is changed in a life long free usufruct of the land. By Thai laws the land always stays family property of Phatsamon but I can live there till I pass away and use it for whatever reason until I pass away without any further problems.  

And about the road...???

6 June they started with leveling. 7th June everybody was gone again. Still no road! It's getting more and more a kind of slapstick with the title: "The road to your house will come 'soon'." 

Typical again a "Best friends first" matter because they are working elsewhere. Phatsamon called again and the answer: "The road to your house will come soon" came again. Possibly only 80 meters. The rain several times brought us in a temporary lockdown. Soon will be there when it's there...

New digital 100 Amp. electricity meter

Former electricity meter

New 100 Amp. main electric switch

Glass block light strip

Outside kitchen siphon

Outside kitchen grease trap

Old plastic valve damaged by Chalk 

New installed valve

Basic water filter installation 

Preparing the gutter of the top roof

Installing the top roof inside out

Leaf protecting cover of gutters

Part of the changed backside of the official land paper
for life long usufruct

Frans & Phatsamon

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Aluminum slidingdoors and windows placed and starting with the roof endings.

As a surprise yesterday afternoon at 2.30 PM already a pickup truck from the window company arrived with 5 workers and our aluminum sliding doors and windows. All in parts to be fully installed into the door and window spaces we already prepared. It took the men till nearly 6.30 PM to place and fix. 

The aluminum is covered with a protecting foil. We keep this in place till the exterior (tiling) and interior (plastering) is finished. 

We ordered special (thicker) aluminum and strengthened 6mm black tinted glass. Both higher quality than basically used in Thailand and much stronger after our experience of around one month ago with the hurricane. 

A small aluminum rainwater protection profile will be placed above three top-hung windows. Two bedroom windows on the north-side and, although under a future sun protection roof, the kitchen window on the west-side.  

The sliding bathroom window is installed with frosted glass. 

The small openings on the back side and on both sides of the entrance will get half glass blocks. 

Why black tinted glass? We also have this type of glass in doors and windows of the TED's and the two guest pyramids. Just to protect against the extreme bright (sun) light and UV. It works as a kind of sunglasses, creates a peaceful inner atmosphere and is a lot calmer on the eyes. It also supports energy saving in relation to the use of the air conditioning units to be installed later.

As the pictures made from the inside of todays blog shows, it does not make dark inside at all. 

All the windows and doors are prepared to install mosquito screens already. We wait with installing those screens till the construction work is all done.

The future back aluminum sliding door and the wooden front entrance doors and windows are not in yet. We will make a temporary structure to close this spaces till the roofs are totally finished. After that we will install the wooden frames and stained glass door/windows. 

We hope this all protects in the best possible way against, or at least to diminish, damage because of new storms now. We will go on to continue closing the roofs now. 

At the moment the doors & windows firm arrived, we were just working on the barge boards and roof trim tiles at the gable roof. Sealing against leakage and placing the first barge (end roof trim). Actually we broke the first one so we need to order a new one because we ordered only the necessary two we needed.   

Frans & Phatsamon

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

More and more closing, and hopefully protecting, the structure. And ... a big surprise.

The last weeks we worked on closing the roof structure more and more. 

To protect the outside and underside of the roof against heavy wind and storms we installed a 'metal stud' construction, actually used to make room dividing walls in offices and houses, covered with cement board. Partly with ventilation spaces covered with mosquito nets. 

The front top side of the house now is closed with Shera wood that got already two layers of TOA Super shield coating. The planks are screwed on the outside and glued on the inside just to make it stronger but also a bit flexible installed in case of heavy storms. 

To cover the top of the outside walls at the front of the house against rainwater we used floor tiles (we also will use for the outside walls). First the wall got a primer and the day after we glued the tiles with a special tile glue (Silver Crocodile). The connection between the steel and the tiles is made with Profast Drytech plus tape and after installing the Shera wood we filled the joints with TOA acrylic sealant before we will put another top coating at the end.   

June 5 we got the new ordered 240 rooftiles to close the roof. Happy we got them within 4 weeks in stead of three months. 

The special aluminum materials to create the doors and windows arrived June 5th as well at the company in Surin. We visited today to see they are working on making the windows and sliding doors in the factory. 

A big surprise today. For many years we were told: "The road to your house will come soon". But... no way. 

Today they started with that. The first 250 meters of concrete road will be installed by a company chosen by the local government. It's the first step in the for us right direction. After this step ther will be another around 200 meters to reach our house without mud but we have to wait for the next part for next year(s). 

A bit sad again we got a problem with our Kia truck. The air-conditioning unit exploded during driving and all cooling gas escaped. The repair took till today but we could not pick up the truck. Unfortunately some engine problems were discovered and have to be repaired / renewed. So, waiting again till somewhere next week. 

Never ever I will buy a second hand car again. Just because, for years, we are very unlucky with this car and spend too much money to keep it in good and safe running condition. Also part of the deal so to say. 

Again some unexpected costs after the extra costs we got because of the damage of the hurricane around three weeks ago. A matter of slowing down a bit our expenses on construction work so our progress. 

During our work we get company of our three 'security guards'. Two sleeping and the oldest one walking around. 

Frans & Phatsamon

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com