Kitchen / Paint / Vet

 The start of the mixing for the polished concrete for the kitchen counter.









Adding more color

 Is the color right yet?    
Opps the mixer was going to fast and the break came undone, causing the mix to land on the ground 

        Now have to mix by hand and try to get each mix the same color!

The pouring of the counter

 Installing the next set of "bull's eye windows"

What the view will be from the bedroom.  Hopefully the construction mess will be gone

Starting to paint walls.

 





Cody has become a very sick.  The vet's office is in Tomatlan, 40 miles away.  Had to get an x-ray, the same place people go, at the Red Cross!   We are still trying to get him well. 

Privacy walls, bodega, stairs and guests

 The privacy walls where plastered, but when you touched them the plaster came off in pieces.  Soooo, we had to take the plaster off and redo.  As seen the plaster was put on painted brick without any prep.  We had to put chicken wire up and then replaster.

  The bricks on the bodega are cemented differently, not long ways.  This was done because the bodega will house out cistern too.

The cementing of the cistern and then special paint.   Almost done with the bodega.

 

 The stairs being formed and then the cement goes on.

The stairs are anchored to the wall.  This is the outside wall with the rebar. 

                 

The basic stairs.

The floor of the upstairs being poured.  Everyone on their toes.  Buckets and buckets of cement being hauled up.

The cement mixer was smoking.

 The thickness of the upstairs floor.

 Our first wildlife visitor.  He was actually in the house one night and I didn't see him, as of coarse no lights yet, and he hopped out at me.

 The upstairs being bricked.









Finally we can sit upstairs!
This is the sunrise.  Currently the sunrise is around 7:40 a.m.

More beams, kitchen and boveda ceiling

 The workers riding the backhoe, with only inches to spare on the motor home.  Then barely missing the castillos.  Once in place the other workers grab the beams and haul them across and into place on top of the dalas.

 Next comes the placement of the bricks for the boveda ceiling.  They made forms to fit between the cement beams.   Then they climb on top to lay the bricks and cement them in place  After they very carefully remove the form and put it in place behind the cemented bricks and do the next set.









You can see one of the forms and  full bay completed.

 Ceiling in the main room done!







The cement and mortar are all hauled with these wheelbarrows.









The kitchen is starting.  They use panelray and then build it up with cement.  The corners where anchored with rebar.

 Looks like the counters are hanging in air, but they are anchored into the wall with rebar.

 Ready for the polished concrete counter tops.












The pick-up truck came by with plants.  I couldn't resist!  I'll need tons more, but it's nice to see some green around all the construction site with gray walls and dirt.

The ceilings in the bathroom, closet and laundry are done with very thick Styrofoam and cemented and plastered.

Post, Curves and backhoe

 We have been out of internet for a long time now.  Can't remember what has been posted and what hasn't.    Currently sitting in a restaurant having lunch so I can catch up.


The front of the house will have pillars, but the dala had to be poured so they added to the pillars with brick and plaster to create a semi circle.  It's amazing what they can do with brick and plaster.


All the windows and doors will have arches, so first make a typical square and then make the curves with pieces of rebar and plaster.   Notice the anchors to hold the forms in place are also made of rebar!

 There was lots of debris and mounds of dirt around the casa.  This had to be moved to get to the back corner of the house to dig out the bodega and cistern.   Very tight quarters around the house.  It was nerve racking seeing him drive around the house, but then he had to back out!






The cement beams are starting to go in.  Placed on the backhoe and two workers sitting in the bucket as they go around the corners of the house.