When Carolyn and Mart asked me about the rebar and some iron rods lying around in the mini-farm in my topic Mini-Farm Got Hijacked, I got curious how houses are build in other part of the world. The houses here are mainly build of cement and bricks, new wooden are very rare because it is very costly to build a timber house. The process of building the extension of our kitchen is the same as building a house out of brick and cement. The extension area to be ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) This is the back portion of the house which we want to build our extension so that the kitchen will be more decent in size so that more yummy food can be produced! Architectural drawing have to be submitted to the government department concern for approval before construction works can begin. Trenches dug for the frame work ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) First the area on the ground is marked out and trenches and pits were dug out for the frame work. The pits are for the footing of the pillars. Wooden frames are used ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Frames made out of plywood are used to form the shape of the frame. The rods sticking out of the footing area are the rebar. Rebar are bend and formed into shape and inserted into the trenches before concrete are poured into it. Pillars ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) After the base concrete were dried, the pillars were next. For the pillars the rebar were set up first and the mould build around it. If you look carefully at the top end of the pillar, there were rebar sticking out which will join up with the other rebar for the top part of the frame. Top frame ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) After the pillar were the top frame. Like the ground frame the rebar were inserted into the frame before pouring in the concrete. Rebar in top frame ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) I missed the forming of the rebar because I was out the whole day but luckily the have not poured the concrete yet. I took this shot from my second floor. Original wall ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) This is the original part of the house they hacked to get at the rebar so that they can join up the new rebar with it. So far this is how much is done and I think the next step is the roof.
Your project looks like it is really coming along now. If I had known that KK I would have been taking pictures of the new neighbors house that is being built across the road. They have been working at it since Dec and a lot of the time it was too cold to be working so it has been really drug out for a finish date.
Rebar sure has it uses! I love these step-by-step photos KK. They really illustrate the work that goes behind something we take for granted.
The construction work looks as though it's coming on well KK. The extension is going to give you so much additional space.
Thank you all, I think I'll post progress photos every 3 days or so. Thank you Carolyn, it had been really hot and dry here so it is good for construction and the builders are seasoned for working in the hot equatorial climate. Thanks Frank, I totally agreed with you and there are lots of things which we take for granted. Thank you Sjoerd, sometimes I think it would be fun to DIY but ... anyway I design it Thanks Barb, we are looking forward to it's completion so our home will be whole!!! Yes Eileen, the very much needed space in the kitchen so that we can feed ourselves well
Very interesting... and looks VERY sturdy. Can't wait to see what delicious meal will be prepared first in the new kitchen.
So far there is not much activity because the main frame work have to dry out well. Moulding removed ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) The moulding were removed to speed up the drying while the support were left in place. Rebars ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Where there is going to be a wall, the rebar extrude from the pillar for added strength I think. Ex-balcony ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) While waiting for the frame work to dry out, they completed the sealing of the balcony and did house keeping but the min-farm is still a mess. We had the balcony sealed because the weather does allow us to enjoy it and to increase storage area. The supervisor ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) All this were done under the watchful eye of the supervisor while enjoying a mango!
Carolyn, a new wall will be put in and the old wall will be removed including that that divide the living area from the kitchen. We are going for the open concept to maximize the space. That is the best supervisor I had ever come across, when any of the worker get out of line, he'll show them his monkey face
