Progress in May

The main type of work done this month was roof construction and walls

 at the back of the house

 this will be the laundry area

 the reflective pond is taking shape

 the concrete roof above the office had to be demolished and rebuilt at the correct height

 this is how it is supported

 on this side just temporarily

 the youngest member of the crew needs a break 

 the architects are checking on the roof

 the brick walls are coming along

 it's obviously fun

 Heinz and Ruedi checking on progress

 that's what the house looked like on May 24

 and the workers going home after a hard day's work

Shortcomings

The regular visit to the site is becoming increasingly important. We often discover errors in construction (walls in the wrong place, a window is not the right size, etc.), errors which are corrected immediately each time. At the moment we are focusing on shortcomings that could have costly consequences in the future

bad concrete work

open water lines where dirt can penetrate

water pipes sloping in the wrong direction

water pipes exposed to the sun which would get brittle quickly

the cleanliness of the site is a topic which has the highest priority

Safety

Safety at the work place does not have a very high priority in Thailand. We are not sure what kind of rules and regulations there are but on site we can see all kinds of things that sometimes look a bit scary.

This makes the climb up to the roof a bit difficult

This scaffolding actually looks rather safe

 in comparison to these workers balancing on the roof

the supply of electricity is still a bit basic