Work On Hold Due To Heat

For several weeks it's been hot and very humid.  Too uncomfortable to do any serious work, so we've taken some time off until the weather cools a bit.  

Some of the local Mexicans swear this is the hottest summer they've ever experienced.

There's been lots of thunderstorms, here's one forming in our backyard!

8:30 a.m.  88 degree air, 88 degree ocean, 88% humidity.

With all the rain this year, our only road has had issues.  Good thing we've received the last of our material and appliance deliveries!

The granite counter tops were delivered a few days ago.  Here's the guys finagling a 400+ pound piece through the door:

Setting it down...carefully

Countertops in!   Next week they'll return to do the backsplash and install the sink.

We were extremely lucky with the granite.  We chose the granite guy mostly because of his proximity, only 2 hours away, rather than 5 hours for the guys from La Paz.  After talking to him, we were fairly convinced he knew what he was doing.  

Turns out his work was AAA+, and definitely U.S. quality.  The bullnose and all the edge pieces have matching grain, and the corner seams are completely invisible.  What a relief!

Detail Work

Now that the masons are gone, it's pretty much up to us when the house is finished.  Still a lot to do.  

We installed all the trunk lines for the drip system to irrigate the front of the new house and courtyard.  We also installed all the trunk lines for the greywater system that will use shower and washing machine water to drip irrigate plants.

We also now have power and water to the new house!

Sealing grout...a never ending job.

Painting the upstairs exterior is finished!

In a neighboring farming town, we found a granite guy that has 15 years experience cutting and installing granite in the U.S.  He has since started a successful granite business here.  Here he is measuring and creating forms for our countertops

 Guest shower...Done.

Bathtub...finished

Master shower...complete.

Debris...gone!

With rain and thunderstorms threatening the last few days, we started painting inside:

We also got the courtyard cleaned up and filled with sand to keep the dust down until we have time to landscape

Entrance to courtyard:

Upstairs paint done, down stairs is still mostly tinted primer.  Finish that when it quits raining.

The Masons are Finished!

After 16 months, the Masons have finished.  They've been a part of our lives for a year and a half.  It almost feels like part of our family has left.  It's also nice to have our privacy back!  The day after they completed the job, we had a barbecue for the guys and gals that helped out with the project.  

Living Room View:

This week I've been...painting, and will be for the next several weeks.  I also hired an electrician and helper to install the power and water lines to the house, along with the drip system trunk pipes.  Yesterday we connected both the power and water to the new house.  Hurray!

Painting continues...a slow and tedious project.  The temperature and wind dry out the paint and brush so rapidly I constantly have to add water to keep it fluid.  So far I've got nearly 2/3 of the upstairs done with two coats of paint, and all of it at least covered with primer.  Oh fun.

Entrance is done, now we need a gate:

 Someday to be a nice green courtyard:

Just built a house, but my favorite thing is the new fish cleaning station!

My Mother-In-Law sent us a care package that had everything in it from sharpies, to crime scene tape, and beef sticks.  I actually used everything to this point except the crime scene tape.  Well...as of today I've used the entire care package.  The tape made a great marker for gas line pressure test valve so no one runs their wheelbarrow over it!

July 19, 2012

We're preparing to buy and install appliances.  The range hood needs a 7 inch vent duct, which in the U.S. would be as easy as heading to Home Depot.  Here...there are no 7 inch vent duct parts within 600 miles.  After searching in vane, a hardware store owner pointed us to Taller  Langarica, which is a muffler and welding shop.  They made the duct out of galvanized sheet metal.  This guy was pretty talented.  I should mention that it's about 102 degrees and we're under a very hot asbestos roof.  The working area is probably about 110 degrees.

 

The workers only have about 4 more days of work left.  They went home until Tuesday.  They should be completely done with their work by next Thursday!

So...it's time to take down the smelly outhouse.  I'm glad I wasn't there when they pulled up the floor!

Courtyard wall:

Painting is progressing.....slooooowly

We decided since we had some extra rocks that we should frame the front door:

Upstairs patio cover ready to have shade slats installed:

There's about 6 or 7 things going on at once right now.  

Cabinets ready to install

Pantry

  

Walk-in closet

Master bath

Osprey eating a fish on our fence post

Cabinet maker Chris and his wife installing them

Time to paint

Rock wall only needs grout:

Downstairs Bathroom:

Courtyard Wall: