Casita Construction - Los Cabos, Mexico

The Tile Instalation Bane - The Threshold

2008-09-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

This was almost my undoing the other day.

I had quickly thrown together two thresholds similar to these ones when I installed the tile a while back. I took the guys down to mine and told them to make the other thresholds like these. Just use the scraps and vary the design of squares and rectangles - thin, thick, big, small, etc. Just try to go off what I've already done.

I walked away thinking, no problem. These guys got it. OH, WAS I WRONG! (My back is starting to tense just thinking of it.) These guys tried three times to get it and were so far off from what I wanted, I almost freaked. (Shelley would probably say I did freak out.) Ok, I did. "I Still need to LET IT GO - Jeremiah!" I even drew sketches for them!?#$@

SHELLEY TO THE RESCUE.
Shelley so lovingly let me know that I was just quite possibly a little bit anal, and my expectations of these guys was significantly off the mark. I love her. She was so right.

In the end, Shelley worked with them and layed out the design for them to install. And I might add - She did it way better than I did on mine.

SHELLEY ROCKS!!!

Floor Tile

2008-09-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Since I cannot do anything right now with the state of my back, we're having some workers lay the tile for us.

Finaly

2008-09-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

Well finaly were gona upload another photo of the construction.

This is some of the first landscaping I put in... other than the almost free palm trees we got.

Starting the finish work

2008-02-06T21:40:00.000-08:00

Texturing the surface. First they put a coat over the foam, then they add a second finish coat.

The wall is getting about 3/8 to 1/2 inch of cement/sand mixture for the texture surface.

In stead of putting boxes in the walls, we're gluing these plates to the blocks... cost cutting measures that you can do here in Mexico. The metal or plastic boxes you see in wood frame construction are not going to help prevent the block wall from burning down... Oh yea, cement doesn't burn.

Back to work

2008-01-31T12:31:00.000-08:00

As soon as they get the ceiling of the rest of this level, we focus on getting the studio finished... so we can GET OUT of the trailer.

... 17 Cubic Meters of Concrete

2007-12-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

Port-a-Potty?

2007-12-08T04:07:00.000-08:00

Most people would have rented a port-a-potty for the duration of construction... but not us. I was much cheaper to make one and tie it into our septic system, and besides, I got too see why they don't build wood framed construction here.

Where the Guys Work

2007-12-08T04:02:00.000-08:00

This is the rebar bending center, boot locker, hat rack, coffee and nail cabinet, and shaded cafeteria.

Studio Side

2007-12-08T03:54:00.000-08:00

The side of our house where the garage sits... below is a studio appartment. Part of our plan is to get the ground floor liveable sooner than later. With having the separate studio down there, we'll get that kitchen up and running first. Can you say, "Get us out of the trailer!"

The Day Before

2007-12-08T03:43:00.000-08:00

Well, we are ready to have the bomba & cement trucks come to poor the floor/ceiling on half of our house. In fact, right now they are there getting set up.

Fire Pit and ramp up to the house

The foam should keep things more insulated than solid concrete.

All the "Mangera" and boxes are set for our lights and fans.

After I sprayed one Cross, Owen kept asking to go see it. We ended up spraying two more before it was over... and got to talk about the three crosses on Calvary.

O & E

2007-11-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

Owen and Elias have left their mark on our house.

Starting on the Ceiling

2007-11-23T13:56:00.000-08:00

Another huge milestone!

They're forming up the ceiling and getting ready to lay a grid of rebar forms, concrete, and foam blocks. The foam blocks will work as insulation; reducing the amount of concrete, rebar & weight of the structure.

My Little Corner

2007-11-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

This is my Favorite corner of the house. The structure shown will support our back deck, creating an exterior hallway from the master bedroom that leads to the old growth trees at the corner of our lot. I imagine one day we'll have it landscaped, terraced, with seating and fountains... even now, it is almost 5 degrees cooler in this corner than anywhere on the lot.

In the heat of the summer... that is huge!

Downstairs Walls are Almost Done

2007-11-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

It is safe... I think?

2007-11-23T10:44:00.000-08:00

The guys have a way of just getting things done. I like the 1x2 they use here to keep the plank they're working on from breaking! A 1x2 inch piece of wood is the support for a rotted out termite infested 12 foot plank. It works, but I wouldn't try this up in the States.

Making Progress

2007-11-23T10:41:00.000-08:00

It is a House

2007-11-23T10:36:00.000-08:00

The Blocks Go Up

2007-09-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

We have officialy started to lay the blocks for our walls! This is a VERY exciting day for us. It almost does not seem real for us to be at this point in our life: building our own home. I'm sure the reality of it all will sink in sooner or later.

All Framed up and ready to Pour

2007-09-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Footings are ready.

La Bomba.

The boys checking things out.

Primativo and "The Guys" directing traffic.

Owen Loves It

2007-09-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Owen already knows where his room is.

Daddy, Look at me... look at me now!

I love our new house... especially since there's a cement mixer, tractors, blocks, and big loud machines everywhere.

Hurricane Ivo Update - No Harm Done

2007-09-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

The hurricane did not produce more than some good surf and the inspiration for our workers to get the footings in over the weekend.

Photo update to follow.

Hurricane Ivo

2007-09-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

We pray Hurrican Ivo does not dump too much rain on us. We're going to be scrambling these next few days to prepare for the worst.

2007-09-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

Re-bar all lined up and ready to go.

Getting ready with the retaining wall footing.

Going vert.

Some Photos of the building site

2007-09-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here we go! It's all marked out!

I really hope that wall doesn't fall down... It did.

Go tractor go!

We went vertical

2007-09-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

Well, our footings are dug and the re-bar is in place for the retaining wall. Next step is getting the forms set to poor the concrete! We are soooo excited!

I'll upload some photos ASAP.

Excavation for the footings

2007-08-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

Well, we have really started now! We began this week with the excavation for the footings... now where do we put all that dirt?

The fellow driving the tractor didn't listen very well, and now we have quite a bit of soil where we'll have to move it one shovel load at a time.

But all things considered, we are still on track.

Casa Blackwell - Construction Begins

2007-07-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

This month is a slow month for us. Our builder has gone to mainland Mexico to visit his family and to recruit a work crew.

We expect to begin on the foundation and retaining walls within three weeks. Keep checking back for more information.

Here Owen gets to sit with the guy "moving dirt."