Forums > Specific Focus > Home, Garden & Construction in Mexico

Rolly

Aug 18, 2002, 10:13 AM

Post #1 of 14 (7241 views)

Shortcut

The house building report is a little late this week.

Can't Post |

Big party Saturday -- three birthdays in the family including mine (71 - ugh!), so I’m running a little late this week, but the weekly progress report is up now.I've made a change in the cost reporting format to better show where the money is going. And it sure is going fast!To see the whole show from the start go to:
http://rollybrook.com/house-building.htm
for this week's up-date, click below.

Aug 18, 2002, 1:06 PM

Post #2 of 14 (7229 views)

Shortcut

The three P's

Can't Post |

Rolly,You're getting closer to what is known in Mexico's construction slang as the three P's stage. For Pisos, Puertas and Pendejadas (everything else).
And it is said to resemble a Pareto phenomenom often: You may spend 80% of the total cost in the last 20% of the process. But that usually happens when you contract all the work out, which is not your case. Congratulations for your birthday, may life give you many more in good health and spirit.

Earl

Aug 18, 2002, 2:30 PM

Post #3 of 14 (7227 views)

Shortcut

Your Birthday

Can't Post |

Happy Birthday! Hope you have many more years in
good health with interesting events/activities.
I'm ten years behind you but I understand the
ugh! The body just "ain't what it used to be."The house is looking good! Can really see how it
is going to look now.Keep on posting those updates.

Loco

Aug 18, 2002, 3:56 PM

Post #4 of 14 (7227 views)

Shortcut

Cost reporting

Can't Post |

I just remembered that it is going to act as four houses so the price is not bad. I still don't have an idea of overall size and layout. Maybe it will take the interior/communal garden/patio areas to fill if out.I agree the finish work costs more than expected. Windows, doors and cabinets are hard to do yourself.Stay healthy Rolly!

Rolly

Aug 18, 2002, 4:55 PM

Post #5 of 14 (7227 views)

Shortcut

Cost reporting

Can't Post |

Hi Loco:I still don't have an idea of overall size and layout. That info was in the first post of the series. Click below.:Windows, doors and cabinets are hard to do yourself.True, but in this case windows and doors are the main business of the Valdepenas family welding shop. Coco will be doing those. He is very good at it.Cabinets, closets and interior doors will be done by a cabinet maker friend of the family who will move his machines into one of the houses and set up shop right on the site. He'll begin just as soon as we can get the job site secure.Stay tuned…

Howard Mills

Aug 19, 2002, 6:42 AM

Post #6 of 14 (7229 views)

Shortcut

The house building report is a little late this week.

Can't Post |

: Big party Saturday -- three birthdays in the family including mine (71 - ugh!), so I’m running a little late this week, but the weekly progress report is up now.: I've made a change in the cost reporting format to better show where the money is going. And it sure is going fast!: To see the whole show from the start go to:
: http://rollybrook.com/house-building.htm
: for this week's up-date, click below.HAPPY BIRTHDAY--ROLLY I hope i can come down to visit you soon. ? Is there any space to park a small motorhome (21') that running my generator at night would not bother anyone. Or is there a campground close by. BTW we conversed sometime ago by email and you said it would be OK to visit ? is it still OK.

Howard Mills

Aug 19, 2002, 7:07 AM

Post #7 of 14 (7227 views)

Shortcut

The house building report is a little late this week.

Can't Post |

Rolly

Aug 19, 2002, 7:14 AM

Post #8 of 14 (7228 views)

Shortcut

Come on down

Can't Post |

I don’t know of a campground, but there are plenty of places where you could park for the night and be safe without causing problems to the neighbors.Be forewarned: the last people who came down here for a visit got hooked on the place and stayed in this little oasis in the desert.It is hot, hot, hot right now. If your AC is working, come on. If you don’t have AC in your motor home, November might be a better time.

Howard Mills

Aug 19, 2002, 8:15 AM

Post #9 of 14 (7229 views)

Shortcut

Come on down

Can't Post |

: I don’t know of a campground, but there are plenty of places where you could park for the night and be safe without causing problems to the neighbors.: Be forewarned: the last people who came down here for a visit got hooked on the place and stayed in this little oasis in the desert.: It is hot, hot, hot right now. If your AC is working, come on. If you don’t have AC in your motor home, November might be a better time.I do have AC that is why i ask about the generator i would to run the AC.I am a retired const. Pm/Supt. maybe i can be of some assistance.

Esteban

Aug 19, 2002, 3:05 PM

Post #10 of 14 (7231 views)

Shortcut

Quality job! ; a few questions and statements

Can't Post |

First of all, Happy Birthday! Second, the place is really looking good. The construction quality looks very good. Your prices seem right in line for that type of quality. People have been told you can build for real cheap in Mexico and that's pretty true. However, you end up with a "cheap" house. If you want quality, you pay for it. You pay for the craftsmanship and the good materials. So, concerning the electrical, will you have separate meters for each unit? How big will your services be in each unit? Like 100 amps? Less? Since some of the units are in the back won't you have to have all the main disconnects within a short distance of the meters? Great job and thanks for all the information!
Esteban

Rolly

Aug 19, 2002, 5:16 PM

Post #11 of 14 (7228 views)

Shortcut

Quality job! ; a few questions and statements

Can't Post |

I have been determined from the start to have a well built house. I keep telling the workers that we are building a 100-year house. Even the building inspector complimented us on the column spacing and beam sizing as well as the over-sized footings. This is not an earthquake area, but I just can’t shake off 20 years of living in Los Angeles – especially being right on top of the epicenter of the Northridge ‘quake – that was one hell of a ride!There will be four electrical meters mounted on the left street side of the front wall. 100A disconnects will be on the house side of the wall just behind the meters. Each of the four units will have an 8-circute breaker box. Each room is on a separate breaker as are the water pumps and swamp coolers. I’m a great believer in providing lots of power potential – who know what the future will bring?There will also be separate water meters for each of the four units.There’ll be a single TV antenna with appropriate splitters, etc for the whole compound with TV jacks in each bedroom and family room.There is a telephone jack at each TV location wired back to a panel in the ground floor utility room of each of the two buildings. There is no present plan for any phone service. One day the kids will want to be on the internet, so there'll be a connection ready in each bedroom for a telco dial-up or cable connection. TV cable is in the street now, but they don’t yet offer an internet connection – soon.

Rolly

Aug 20, 2002, 8:59 AM

Post #12 of 14 (7227 views)

Shortcut

Yes, I know how to spell circuit.

Can't Post |

Looking at many of my posts and those of others, I have come to the conclusion that something happens during the up-loading process. We all know about the little creatures that live in the cracks in the floor who come out at night to steal scissors. I am convinced that that are digital critters that change spellings, verb tenses, ever punctuation when a message is posted. Perhaps they are escapees from Sesame Street who have mutated. Give now, help stamp out the internet! :-)

Elaine

Aug 21, 2002, 9:54 AM

Post #13 of 14 (7228 views)

Shortcut

The house building report is a little late this week.

Can't Post |

Happy Birthday. Many more happy ones in your future! BTW, my son was 15 yesterday! Also, on your expense list, you list Social Security payments. Could you explain that one? If you already had, I missed it!

Rolly

Aug 21, 2002, 12:23 PM

Post #14 of 14 (7229 views)

Shortcut

The house building report is a little late this week.

Can't Post |

:Also, on your expense list, you list Social Security payments. Could you explain that one?Enrique and I are acting as the builders (contractors) on the job. We hire the workers and pay them directly thus we are obligated to make SS payments. It is the same as in the US -- the employer pays the SS. Actually in the US the employer pays half the SS, the other half is withheld from the worker's wages. In Mexico, the employer pays it all.