Rains, Lime, Ants, mouses and theft. Just some disturbances we have to deal with.

September is the worst month to work on outdoor construction because mostly its the time of very heavy rainfall during the rainy season. 

And although, if we compare so far with other years we lived here, it's not to much flooding so far this year, its very disturbing. Our garden has changed into a mud field and even our dogs don't like it. 

Sometimes I only can work half an hour per day. Welding is hard to do or not even possible as well as painting.  So, not much progress with the veranda roof. 

Again so to say, we have no schedule or deadline and I am retiring so it's only a matter of accepting it. The inside of the main house is finished so we can live. On the other hand after nearly six years we want to finish this process to start with another project. 

No worries about 'nothing to do'. We had to do a lot of unforeseen maintenance this month. 

Our well-water is rich in lime causing chalk in water-pipes, taps, shower heads, toilets, wash bins, etc..

A problem we are dealing with since we started our process. This lime asks for a lot of cleaning and also damages a lot because of the produced chalk. Many taps we had to renew already, the washing machine needed several repairs and parts renewed, toilets many times fail to run smoothly, etc..

Beginning this month our water supply stopped. It worked out the water filter system between our 60 meter deep well and the water storage tanks was totally clogged with chalk. Also the consumer pumps did not work proper anymore. 

The inside of the filter container turned into a rock although regular backwash and rinsing. The pump, again, happily we could fix ourselves. 

A specialized well known company in Thailand with a branch in Surin (Filter Mart Co, Ltd,) advised to install a new filter system including a Master Zetra ZR-L  automatic water softener. An expensive but necessary change and we hope and think it's worth it. We expect less disturbances and maintenance of our water system and sanitary ware. 

Saturday September 20 they installed it. So far the results are great and the water is soft. We have to fill up salt every around four weeks and we made a contract for yearly maintenance and resin mix renewal. 

It took two days to clean taps, glass shower walls, toilets, etc., with vinegar and everything now is (and so far stays) 'chalk free'. To give an impression, the picture below of the black bucket with only the chalk layers of one toilet water reservoir. 

Another ongoing disturbance are 'our ants'. We have many species trying to escape the wet soil and drained fields and trying to find shelter in our buildings. The small 'fire-ants' disturb and destroy the most. They find their way trough electricity pipes to switches and outlets. Ruining them from working well. A matter of ongoing cleaning during the rainy season. 

Last week Wednesday, we got an announcement by the village loudspeaker system from our village mayor to become even more alert because of theft in and around our village. 

Electricity lines were cut and stolen. A couple of weeks ago the same thing in our neighboring village from the German/Thai couple we know. Around midnight thieves come with a pick-up truck and just cut the cables hanging on the poles to sell the copper or aluminum (Update October 1, 2025: During daytime the same couple got the experience for the second time). Also burglary takes, for whatever reason, place more we heard.

Reason for us, living in the rural area, to take several additional and also different safety & security measures and to give a check up / maintain what we already have and installed. 

For a while one of our group cctv camera's did not work anymore after a change of WIFI settings we made after moving in into our main house. I failed to reconnect this cam so far. Because of the warning we received now I did. I discovered a mouse bite the cable to the camera under the ceiling of one of our pyramids. So I had to take part of the bathroom ceiling and outdoor ceiling out to repair. Everything working fine again.  

Frans & Phatsamon

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Main house inside ready and hiccups because of the rains

Last Saturday, August 23, we completely finished the inside of our main house.

We did not finish the guest toilet and many all small things had to be done. Some small damage repairs, electricity stuff, some small redecorating, finishing placing the skirting boards, a leaking tap, etc.. 

Now this all really is done and the house is operational. 

As I told before, we slowed down our work rhythm, and starting last Monday we are working to complete the outside of the house. 

Painting of several parts that are hard to reach after completion of the veranda roof, outdoor tile joint filling and preparing for welding. 

We had to buy the first steel again for completing the veranda fence and roof and had to order already some materials to fix the roof as eavers filler units. 

We decided to use the Jadeite Green, Exella Classic rooftiles (same as all the buildings) only for the veranda as well. 

It's a challenge to work outside now. The rainy season is entering it's most wet period in September and causes many disturbances in relation to painting and welding. It is the way it is so we have to slow down. 

The wet season also, as usual, causes problems in the electricity system. Ants, we have many different kinds, are trying to find dry places. This time, just as an example, also in the controlroom again the outlets and switches were not working. A matter of take the switches and outlets in parts, clean, and fit things together again. Just add some chalk to try to keep the small animals away for a while but they will come back. 

Also, working in the garden, I cut the wire of the LDR (switch working on the amount of light). So, the streetlamps at our site failed working. The next day I could repair again. 

By the way, plants and trees are exploding because of the rain in combination with reasonable high temperatures of around 30 degrees C. 

So, in between rain showers, we try to do the best going on working to finish the veranda first now. 

Frans & Phatsamon

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

First two weeks in our main house

It took some time to publish this Blog because of some disturbances because of the border-conflict around, we were very busy with preparing the house to be able to use it, and time we enjoyed with visiting neighbors. But... here we are. 

We made it! Actually stupid to give ourselves a deadline and stress ourselves a bit up because a remembrance tile in the wall to honor Phatsamon's parents. But still. 

Tuesday July 15 our main house was ready enough to sleep there the first night.

We did do a lot of completion work insight the house since we published our last blog. Still there is some more work to do to complete the inside. 

The bathroom floor- and wall tiles are in. A lot of work especially to get the pattern of the floor tiles in, as well as the slopes to the basic shower gutter and main bathroom pits.

 

Suspended ceilings are in at the master bedroom, the walk in closet, the bathroom and kitchen storage. The first three mentioned areas are covered with a double layer of isolation on top of the ceiling tiles. All together with the main roof isolation now 22,5 cm.

We are sure, long-term, this will reduce the electricity costs of using the bedroom wind-free air-conditioning.

All together for the house we used 70 roles of SCG Stay Cool roof isolation. All together nearly 170 m2. 

At the places we made the ceiling lights we cut a free open space in the isolation blankets. So heat, produced by the lights, has the possibility to leave. 

Reasons why we installed this type of gypsum board system ceilings are: Easy to install for two persons, easy to reach electricity lines and to do roof and ceiling maintenance afterwards, several types of tile-patterns available and fire resistance. 

Also for the bathroom we installed our preferred, high German quality, Hafele equipment. It's really fun to work with these materials as porcelain toilets and wash bins, toilet showers, water waste traps/syphons, etc.. We think these products, although more expensive, are much more durable and less giving problems and so, at the end, are cheaper at the long term. 

The Hatari wall fan in the bedroom and a big exhaust fan for the bathroom are in and working. 

The master bedroom. living room/kitchen and kitchen storage got a non-battery operated fire alarm. 

All the electricity for ceiling lights in every space are installed now and working. Some in a combination of 'warm-white' and 'Daylight' tone. 

We installed cloth storage cabinets. Actually a mistake of me to order these online. It said 'solid' wood but worked out to be chip wood from China and we guess it will last only for a couple of years. For now it's OK. 

Our western kitchen got a check-up. Part of the contract but great they did do some small things to make things working even better and to get rid of some small damage. 

Ordered kitchen ware (Mostly Philips) arrived as well as dinner-ware and is in the kitchen cabinets already. 

We installed everything by ourselves, but I was in doubt to install the 1 x 1x 1.9 meter, I-Spa glass shower enclosure. The several doors must run without any problem every day a couple of times. So I asked Phatsamon to inform the company to install it and decided to let them do this job with guarantee. 

Although our house has a hot water boiler for the bathroom and kitchen, we decided not to install a so popular rain shower set. If we walk in the rain we like to open an umbrella. So, no rain shower for us. We have a hose with connected wonderful showerhead with different functions and, indeed, German brand Hafele. 

Furniture and interiors like lamps and show cabinets, for the singing bowls, arrived. Not everything is installed yet but step by step the inside of our house is getting into shape. Curtains, especially also to get a more soft sound in the living room, have to be made and installed. 

We ordered a streel bed-frame and rearranged it with wood around and made it higher.

A wooden sliding door to the walk-in-closet is installed as well. 

Around one more year to go. No rush to finish. Better to do it with attention. In around two months we can start finishing the outside and make the outside sunroofs and staircase to the first floor yoga/meditation sala. 

After two weeks of living in the house now, we can really say it feels energetic and tailor made. 

It's great, for the whole process of five and a half year so far we are building with our own hands, we did not take or had any loan or mortgage. Just every small step with our monthly pension. And a lot of small steps brought us this.

We love our small paradise and will slow down a bit more now. It's all finished when it's finished. And actually it will never finish because we are looking forward to take the next step to create a wonderful forest with a big pond and island at our land, adjacent to the pyramids, the TED's, the labyrinth and our main house. 

Guest toilet to be finished

Near future private forest with pond and Sala area

Thank you Carla & Peter de Goede
for your best wishes we received

Frans & Phatsamon

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com