Happy Thanksgiving, The Teak Issue...

Hola Amigos!

For the most part, this is a photo edition of our blog. Rob and Kent have been in Hawaii for the past two weeks, and will be there another week. The flow of photos has slowed down, and there may very well be updates to what you see in this collection. However, some of these are through Rob via another Costa Rican friend.

I'll explain the photos in order. This first one is while standing on the upper veranda, looking into the Living Room towards the stairs coming up to this level. You can see a bit of American Beam on the left, which marks the outer edge of the building (and hence outer edge of the stairway too). The roof past that is the overhang to shed water further away during rain. Looking up, you can see through the opening where the upper veranda windows will be located, and above that to the cupola feature. Teak will be applied to the outer overhang of the cupola roof. Right now the teak ends where the windows will go.

The second photo is similar shot, but closer so you can see the teak.

The third photo is taken by turning around and looking across the upper veranda. Marlon is applying oil to the teak. You can see how the color is becoming more vivid with oil. As that soaks in, that vividness just become richer. The camera was tilted so that you can see more of the teak and not just a level view which, because of limitations of the camera itself would not capture as much. On the upper left you can see the other end of the cupola feature as well as the other end of the upper veranda windows.

The fourth photo is taken by stepping closer to the railing, and then looking through those upper veranda windows to the cupola. If you imagine an ocean breeze blowing in, and the effect of the sun on the cupola roof creating a chimney effect, you can imagine how this will be naturally cool. Dick and I have purchased three Hunter fans suitable for tropical climates which we'll hang from the veranda ceiling.

This fifth and final photo for this post shows teak, but the focus here is looking up from a few feet out from

the bottom step going up. All of that underside will be teak. Above the wall and behind the worker you can see the teak ends. At that point above the wall will be glass. This is over the kitchen cabinets. Teak will extend outside to the edge of the roof. BUT the other reason for this photo is to show the gutter in place so that when you're walking to the stairs during a driving rain, there isn't a waterfall on ones head. We are liking the color of the teak against the green of the gutters (which match the roof).

All for now. Dick and Jim hope you had a happy thanksgiving!

Ciao!

Ricardo y Jeeeem

The bodega is secured!

Hola amigos!

Our apology for delaying so very long on updating our construction blog. Wow, how did two weeks pass so quickly!

First, some have asked Jim, "what the heck is a bodega"? "Is it a basement in Spanish"? So let's get clear on this bodega thing. Essentially it is a storage space. In our little casa the space that is becoming bathroom #2 (of 3) was initially intended as the bodega - a place where we could store owners supplies, and supplies for our staff to use when we're away - so they can put clean sheets and towels on the beds, and get some cleaning supplies.

As the project evolved and it became very clear that we could add a third floor downhill from the first floor - hanging between some of the structural posts which hold up the house - we revamped our plan slightly, and decided to make the first floor bodega into a third bathroom so that each bedroom had a private bath, and use the new third level as a storage level.

As it turned out, there is a HUGE amount of space provided by doing this. Our quick calculations figure this at about 33 square meters or about 330 square feet of total space. We really don't need a 330 square foot closet. But we're not sure just how the total space will ultimately be used. But we did know we had two immediate needs. First, we needed a secure equipment room where we can store the propane tank, the generator, and compressors for air conditioning. We allocated about 6.25 square meters to be a secure space just for that. In this first photo you can see the generator room behind the guys on the right.

Then we wanted a dry room to replace what would have been the dry room on the first floor. With Costa Rica's humid climate, it is important to have a space where we can run a small dehumidifier. It was in this space, which turned out to be about 7.5 square meters, that we created two sub rooms. The back secured owners closet, and the front employee space. In the second photo you can see the secure owners portion of the dry room, with the mesh door to allow the entire space to be dried. That little window is just to allow some natural light to come in - and it can be opened to allow for fresh air flow when we want to clean that

space.

In the third photo, you can see Gerardo fitting a solid metal door he built so that fresh humid air is kept out of the room.

And in this fourth photo, you can see the completed door to the dry room. If the generator room door was closed, you would see it closing in on the edge of the dry room door. All of these doors have secure locks to prevent petty theft. It does seem like that would be unlikely, but Alazan is the new wealthy gringo community in what is otherwise agricultural areas - so security just makes sense.

All of this fits into the "back" of the bodega level, leaving quite a generous amount of undeveloped space. We will wind up securing that third large room as well with some sort of chain link material. At the moment, that larger third room contains the water filter (at the corner of the dry room) and the plumbing is in place to add a simple wash sink down there as well. So it will be important, but not urgent, to secure the rest of the bodega. Besides, that creates several layers of locked gates - and material to keep the enterprising monkeys who make their way past our casita at least twice a day.

Thanks for reading our blog. Once again, our apology for such a delay.

Regards,

Ricardo y Jeeeem

Stairs Built Photo Blog

When Rob and I spoke this week he had mentioned that Gerardo had removed all the steps and was doing something to secure the left riser to the building. As heavy as the metal is, I didn't think that was necessary. But Gerardo has been doing metal work for decades - and I trust his judgement.

Best I can tell, that first step looks like a short step. I'm hoping he isn't assuming I won't tile the concrete...

A view from the distance of the stairs going up. As you can see, all is well under the drip edge of the roofline.

So this is looking UP.

Another example of Gerardo's excellent work, making this angle in the rail going up.

Now, to finish these steps, they need to be filled with concrete to the level of the metal, then get tiled with the same tile that will be used on all the floors. We brought back samples of everything; and at a point we'll publish a blog of just finishes. But for now this is what will go on the steps and floors.

Here is what we are apt to see when Gerardo comes visiting...