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Our New Home – Week 2

OK, 2nd week of building our new home and lots of progress.

Plans were submitted to the alcadia (city hall) and they were approved so we have the permit to build. I understand it is usually 1% of the building cost but our fee was only a little over $500 so we are quite pleased with our builder. We now have our own set of the detailed blueprints so we can bug the builder with detailed questions instead of big, generic questions.

Every time we visit another home or hotel we see an idea we would like to incorporate into our new home. For example, we wanted a simple palapa near the pool but after visiting the new Hotel Tribal we have changed our minds of how we want the palapa to look.

At the construction site, all of the footings have been installed with rebar stretching to the sky. Quite exciting! We have already made more progress than quite a few developments in Nicaragua since many did not get this far.

Amy and I visited SINSA in Managua to start selecting the tile, fans, lights, toilets, sinks, etc. First we looked at ceiling fans. Nope, could not agree on anything. Next we looked at toilets and sinks and we think there is a fair possibility of compromise. Then we looked at tiles but there was a wide gap of disagreement. At this point I discovered I will have little to say on selections that are within the house. Trying to retain a scrap of dignity I asked Amy if I could select the refrigerator model but the answer was a firm No! I may be allowed to select the yard tools if I don’t go wild.

Here are more photos with descriptions.

Week 2 (9)

Don’t see many real cement mixers down here. To the left you can see the cement blocks ready to start stacking the walls.

P1000081

This is the front gate at Hacienda Iguana. We will be using this as a model for our security metal work on the front terrace and on the doors. We are trying to stay away from the Berlin Wall look that is so common here.

 

 

 

Week 2 (7)

Front of the house with the growing rebar trees.

Week 2 (5)

Darrell inspecting the work as if he knows anything about it. Note Granada in background.

Week 2 (3)

George determining where he will sleep once the floors are in.

Week 2 (17)

Construction shed and where the workers sleep on weeknights. Many of them will stay on the construction site a week at a time.

Week 2 (15)

This is the weekend cuidador (caretaker) that watches the work site. Not sure what he would do if a band of ruffians showed up and started taking construction materials.

Week 2 (16)

Construction shed with wheelbarrows.

Week 2 (11)

More footings with rebar. But now we can see the outlines of the rooms.

Week 2 (12)

Another view of the initial work.

Week 2 (13)

Remember the large hole in the ground from last week we thought would be the septic system? It turned out to be the latrine for the workers. Cute little outhouse!

Week 2 (14)

The cuidador that watches the water tanks with his son. He lives nearby and is excited that finally someone will live out in this area.

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