Jaime C's house remodeling thread

[Davita]

I agree with macvert...those clear glass shower enclosures are a pain to keep clean....especially in Bali as we use our own well for water and it's quite hard...and I haven't got around to a filter yet.
We have 3 in our Bali villa and one in our Jakarta apartment and, no matter how much squeegee and maid scrubbing, they never look clear.
If I had the choice I'd go with frosty or ornamental tempered glass.
Also, I'd suggest having the tiled shower floor a centimetre lower than the rest of the bathroom...the one in our apartment doesn't slope enough to completely drain and there's always some water left, but it doesn't spill over to the rest of the room.

 

[Jaime C]

Interesting ideas. I have used the fixed half glass for a property I built in Costa Rica, but really don't like it.

The bathroom isn't tiny, but still not as large as I'd like. We had to work within the existing footprint. Ibu wanted a real walk-in closet, too.

This isn't a huge Bule house, but should be comfortable.

 

[Bad_azz]

Personally I like the wet-room style- so easy to clean and I hate glass shower cubicles- lots of little areas for gunk to breed... My floors aren't slippy though because I used ridged non-slip tiles.

 

[jstar]

Also, I'd suggest having the tiled shower floor a centimetre lower than the rest of the bathroom...the one in our apartment doesn't slope enough to completely drain and there's always some water left, but it doesn't spill over to the rest of the room.

It depends of course if you choose for the tiles to continue in the walk-in shower, or if there will be a pvc basin. Of course the tiles look much better but over here, that solution always creates problems. (One month, one year or one decade later.) They don't know what a proper swan neck is over here; they won't apply it under a bathtub or shower. The big tiles that they use are very pretty but difficult to lay and manipulate in case of required sloping. Often they save money by not using additives in semen lem for the tiles. And the moment there is a leak or major blockage, they always need to break out tiles.

Trust me on this; the moment they tile the bathroom floor, check yourself with a waterpass tukang (leveler) that the tiles behind and on the left and the right of the drain slope down as well. Otherwise (cf. David) you will always have pools of water.

 

[Smallworld]

...Often they save money by not using additives in semen lem for the tiles. And the moment there is a leak or major blockage, they always need to break out tiles.....

Confirmed. They even save on semen lem or to put it better they don't use it at all - they use ordinary semen. I am surprised they still haven't got the idea of using chewing gum to mount tiles to the floor. Ah I forgot to add the cheapo developers guys are even adding to cement sand so it is "bigger in volume" and you add less ordinary cement into it (cost saving I suppose).

Here is the best: One day when our floor tiles "popped out" on a 1x1m tiles they (brilliant working people) haven't combed their sandy cementy stuff evenly instead they just put a small dot 15 cm in diameter on each tile. The rest of the space between tile and floor surface was filled up with air. I was told this is very common in Indonesia to have a floor tiles "popping out".

 

[sumyunggai]

Good luck in finding a proper double glass solution btw, we have discussed that before and the problem is that the frame makers are not the same as those providing the glass. Who here has double glass? HR++ with Argon? I didn't think so. So the better way to go is ask for very thick layered glass, 10-12 mm. Wood is generally a better isolator than aluminium or PVC.

Two panes of 5mm (secondary glazing, not double glazing) is better than 1 of 10mm

 

[Anglian]

Something not to forget Jaime, a Lightning Conductor, we had a lightning conductor fitted when our house was built, we were still struck 4 times, how lucky, wife was blown across the kitchen due static built up, we couldn't figure it out, so I got my man to check out the conductor, he found the conductor cables incorrectly fitted, they actually hadn't earthed the cable, anyway all fixed now, also water pipes earthed too, you have to laugh though the house has had no strikes since, but our flag pole got struck, no damage fortunately , but just a thought, something not always thought sbout

 

[Davita]

Something not to forget Jaime, a Lightning Conductor, we had a lightning conductor fitted when our house was built, we were still struck 4 times, how lucky, wife was blown across the kitchen due static built up, we couldn't figure it out, so I got my man to check out the conductor, he found the conductor cables incorrectly fitted, they actually hadn't earthed the cable, anyway all fixed now, also water pipes earthed too, you have to laugh though the house has had no strikes since, but our flag pole got struck, no damage fortunately , but just a thought, something not always thought sbout

I have a lightning conductor and last year it was hit while I was at home. Except for the incredible noise, and I heard from a neighbor there was a big flash, there was no damage.
However, I'm not sure the conductor is still intact so your post is a timely reminder to have it checked.
Is there a method to check if the conductor is still active? Anybody!

 

[Anglian]

I went to see a mate and just looking at his lightning conductor cable it looked a bit thin, I mentioned this and he said the chap who fitted the conductor couldn't get the right size cable so fitted that, I did point out it would fail miserably if hit, he is replacing his cable

I think our man checked the continuity of the cable to ensure it was still intake,

 

[Davita]

I went to see a mate and just looking at his lightning conductor cable it looked a bit thin, I mentioned this and he said the chap who fitted the conductor couldn't get the right size cable so fitted that, I did point out it would fail miserably if hit, he is replacing his cable

I think our man checked the continuity of the cable to ensure it was still intake,

hahaha...I visualize my wife on the roof with one end of the wire and me down on the ground with the other end and a multi-meter checking the continuity.
BTW....I live in a 2 level house and the conductor wire must be inside the wall as it's not visible externally.
That's why I asked the question...as there must be a easier way to check.

 

[jstar]

I have a lightning conductor and last year it was hit while I was at home. Except for the incredible noise, and I heard from a neighbor there was a big flash, there was no damage.
However, I'm not sure the conductor is still intact so your post is a timely reminder to have it checked.
Is there a method to check if the conductor is still active? Anybody!

Ask an electrician for a grounding meter or an earth ground tester, so not a multimeter. (However, with your multimeter example you can easily measure from a wall outlet: Phase/Ground - Phase/Neutral = X. Then Neutral/Ground - X should be like 2V.)

You should go for a conductor pin (electrode) in the ground of at least 1.5 meter, esp. if there are many rocks. Sometimes you will have to go 3 meter and deeper.

 

[Anglian]

Ours goes 4 metres

 

[jstar]

Ya, it depends on the soil; if it's sandy and dry you need a much longer rod than when it is humid clay like.

I have never seen a PLN inspection before operation here btw; most western countries have independent experts to check the electrical installation (including the grounding). I did a small test in a new renovation and found that three wall outlets had power on the grounding pins. It was so difficult to check and exchange the cabling that it was decided to replace the stopkontak with non grounded versions. For chargers, radios etc. you won't really need it. Only for washing machines, water cookers, fridges etc.

 

[CaturMuka]

Ours goes 4 metres

Just out of interest, how do they do that? I assume that the rod/pin/electrode is about 1.5-2m long to begin with, but how do they get it down the extra couple of metres?

 

[Anglian]

Just out of interest, how do they do that? I assume that the rod/pin/electrode is about 1.5-2m long to begin with, but how do they get it down the extra couple of metres?

To be honest I have no idea how he did it , I was in Singapore at the time, but my wife told me he had a very long steel bar, I don't know how he got it so deep, I was a bit sceptical but my wife assures me that's the depth

 

[jstar]

Those copper rods are screw on. So the segments are a bit like the drilling pipe for a water well.

 

[CaturMuka]

Those copper rods are screw on. So the segments are a bit like the drilling pipe for a water well.

Thanks jstar. So the rod itself is actually 4 metres long, right? They just bang in one rod until it's down to earth level, screw on the next and continue?

 

[Davita]

Ask an electrician for a grounding meter or an earth ground tester, so not a multimeter. (However, with your multimeter example you can easily measure from a wall outlet: Phase/Ground - Phase/Neutral = X. Then Neutral/Ground - X should be like 2V.)

I can understand that the Villa's PLN ground-circuit may use the same ground-rod/s as the lightning system but cannot see how the multi-meter test you describe checks the continuity of the air-rod and wire to the ground-rod. Your test is good for finding ground leakage faults which, in the west, we use GFCI to provide additional safety, especially in wet conditions like bathrooms and kitchens.

If PLN don't even inspect the house ground-wiring I suspect a lightning check is probably never done here in Indonesia. I did a search and see that the resistance to ground can be measured, using special equipment, but doubt it's available in Bali.

Looks like my wife WILL have to climb onto the roof to attach a long wire...'coz I tell her I suffer from claustrophobia....OK! I know that isn't a fear of heights....but she doesn't know...

 

[jstar]

That's why I said in fact you need an earth tester, David. You never know what happened after the hit so you want to be sure you're still safe for next time. We also call these meters Megger (a bit like Hoover; the most famous trademark name became the descriptive name) and they are rather expensive so most electricians don't have one.

 

[Jaime C]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a place that sells sliding shower doors? Something reasonably priced. Maybe frosted plastic panel, with aluminum frame, or tempered glass if the price is right?

Prefer Bandung, but maybe Jakarta.

Here's an example:

http://www.capeandislandsglass.com/images/largeSliding1.jpg