The Casita - Almost Ready to Move In

The only thing we are waiting for at this time is the installation of the cabinets and wood trim. Because of his attention to detail, John has been a little slow in completing the job - BUT, when you see the quality of his work - I'm sure you will agree that it will be well worth the wait.Within the next two weeks, the cabinets, appliances, window treatments and furniture will all be in place.

John just installed this door Friday that opens to a very large storage room under the stairs to the upper unit. In Costa Rica, the more storage area you have, the better. That is because us crazy Expats tend to bring much more than we need to live here.

These are the patio areas off the living area and are large enough for just lounging and enjoying the view to the South of the Central Valley.

This is the view I am talking about - Like it?

This is the living area of the lower unit. There is plenty of glass area to give one a feeling of being out in the open while inside.

Here we have the newly installed fan in the bedroom of the lower unit. The solid wood closet is also completed and installed.

Now, a couple of shots from the balcony area..

Very soon - I will show you pictures of the fully completed Casita and Rancho. Then - we will show you the great pool Luis is building and the landscaping the will be done. I'm sure you will like it...

The Rancho - Almost Completed

We are almost at the point where both the Casita and Rancho will be totally completed. The only major thing left to do is the installation of the cabinets and wood trim. This is expected to be finished November 5th. All of the appliances will be delivered about the same time to ensure proper fit. The furniture will be delivered and set up the first of the following week. Then, we will work on the window treatments and decorations. Take a look:

 This is the counter/sink area for the Rancho. The front will be covered with a rich wood door treatment and Keith intends to put a small fridge beside it to hold refreshments for the many guests that will be visiting.

This door leads to the pump room for the pool. It is very large and will also serve as a storage room for the lawn equipment.

On the back wall close to the door, you see a tall gray area. This is going to be an outside shower using the same tiles that will be used for the pool.





 

Look at the beautiful ceiling that Luis did for the Rancho. The beams are what we call Almando (almond), and they are very, very hard. The wood inserts are made of Laurel, which is an excellent wood that will last forever. Please notice how the fan is mounted. Luis made a custom mount from the Almando beams.

The door to your left was custom made by John Rojas and it matches the interior doors of the Casita. This door leads to a very large bathroom for Keith and Marina's guest to use will outside enjoying the great weather we have here in Atenas.


By November 5th - Everything here will be completed except the tile for the outside shower. However, Luis has just started on the pool and expects it to be completed by the first of December. Stay Tuned.

Phase Two - The Rancho

In Costa Rica the Rancho is a very, very important part of the outdoor living area. It's the place where people gather to relax and have a good time. The Rancho we are building for Keith and Marina will be very nice. As you can see, Luis is very fast at building nice things, and is about ready to start putting the roof in place. This Rancho will host a separate bathroom, outside shower, pump house for the pool, large patio area with facilities for outdoor grilling and seating areas. In addition, it is situated right off the new pool they are going to build for friends and family.

 Luis is pretty far along with this project and it should be completed in about 3 weeks. - Stay tuned..

Casita Almost Completed

We are at the point of almost being finished with the casita. The windows have been installed, all the ceilings are finished and Luis is in the process of installing all the light fixtures.

In addition, Omar has the alarm system installed and ready (see the motion sensor in the corner of the wall at the ceiling).

All of the tile and sinks have been installed. Now we are ready for all the cabinets and closets that John Rojas is working on and should have installed before the end of this month. The preferred method for building cabinet bases in Costa Rica is to use concrete for the base and cover it with wood. You will soon see that John's woodwork is outstanding.

This is the view from the kitchen of the upper level



























This is the sink that we are using for the bathrooms
















Now comes a very important part of the process for me. This is because I suffer from Vertigo and in need of protection when higher than 3 feet off the ground. - Yep the railings for the stairs and upper floor that Biron has just installed and boy am I happy about that. - he has done an outstanding job and all the railings are very solid.

Looks pretty good don't you think? - We are now only a few weeks away from moving in. However, Keith needs to come here and pick out the furniture - Think he may enjoy that :-)

Check This Out!!

August 30, 2010

We are now in the final stages toward completion. Take a look...

The windows are now being installed to Keith and Marina's specifications..

And, the gutters are in process of being installed.

The tile work is finally completed. For the stairs to the second floor, Luis went to a wider gap of grout between the tiles. The reason for this is that the additional grout is for increased traction so you won't slip so easily when the tiles are wet. Wish they had done this on my guest house - had to end up using stick-on strips for the same purpose.

The color scheme is now in place. Luis went with a two-tone exterior for variation and a light buttery color for the interior - really looks good.

The windows and exterior doors will be completed tomorrow. The railing will be installed later this week. Saturday, we went to EPA (the Home Depot of Costa Rica) and purchased most of the lights for the house, and they will be installed this week. all the faucets and sinks will be in by the end of the week. - Because of the very high quality workmanship of the cabinets and interior doors, it will take a little longer for that phase to be completed. However, you are going to be very jealous. Please keep up with us as the casita is almost complete. - Now, we are ready to start on the Rancho and pool.

The Tile Work

August 25, 2010

Luis has the tile work just about done, and I think you are going to like it. Between Keith, Marina and Luis, they have picked some great colors and patterns. Take a look...

This is the main floor tile color. It is a very neutral beige color.

Here, we have the contrasting terraza (covered patio) tile that adds warmth to the home.

Having a variation in the thresh holds of the interior doors, Luis has added a little touch of his own.

What do you think of the bathroom tile and design - pretty nice isn't it...











And, here we have the top of what will be the top of the bar and kitchen counters with a very nice decorative edge. This really sets for a very warm and comfortable atmosphere in the living / dining area.

There is much more to come - please stay tuned...

The Painting Stage Has Begun

August 14, 2010

We are really starting to get close to the end of actual construction and doing the final touches. We are at the point where the painting stage has started.

Here is the side of the casita with the chosen color. The worker you see to the left is laying the tiles.

This is the front in progress.

Here you see the finished ceiling in the living area of the lower floor.











Wait until you see what comes next...

Just a Few Weeks From Completion

Luis is doing an outstanding job on making Keith's guest house very high quality, and will finish it within about 2 weeks. Right now, we are at the point of having the primer coat of paint applied. He will then apply the first coat of paint to the interior and exterior. Next week, he will have all the ceramic tiles installed and then have a second coat of paint applied. Then, the windows and wrought iron will be installed. Finally John Rojas will install the cabinets and doors. - Getting very close now.

This is what the house looks like with the primer coat of paint.

The upper color is the main exterior color the house will be painted. The accent color will be an ivory. The color below is what the entire interior will be. It is kind of a buttery color that will make the interior look more open and larger. (You may want to click the picture to see a larger view of the color pattern)

This is the just completed Laural ceiling of the main level.This was just completed today.

Here we have the upper ceiling of the second floor that has been stained. Absolutely beautiful!!

Shown here is the kitchen area. In Costa Rica, this method of using concrete for the base is very practical and cost efficient. John Rojas will cover all of these units with wood and make it very beautiful. then the counters will be covered with the tile that Keith and Marina picked out.  Stay tuned for the results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The building shown here is the laundry room. It is placed on the outside of the main building so it can be shared by all staying in the apartments. It will also house the hot water heater and propane tanks.

Guess what - the guys in this picture are measuring for the pool and rancho that will be started very soon. I guess you can say that we are making some definite progress...

Catch Up

We have been extremely busy lately and I haven't had a chance to update you on the progress of the project until now. Things are going smooth and fast without any problems. Keith and his lovely wife Marina came to visit and see how the casita was coming along. It gave them time to meet with some of the suppliers and discuss their needs and desires. I think that it was a good trip for them and they headed home with a good feeling knowing that things were under control.

Below, you will see the progress that has been made since the last post:

The roof is on and sealed. This is important because it will give the workers the ability to work inside while it is raining in the afternoon eliminating any work stoppage due to rain.

Keith opted for an aluminum roof that had the appearance of a clay tile roof. This method will last longer than a tile roof and minimize maintenance due to mold build-up.







Now the pouring of the concrete for the lower level.
This is the point where everything starts coming together now. When this is complete and foundations in for the cabinets and other - they will begin to lay the tile.










Keith and Marina decided against having a door off the bedroom and wanted it replaced with a sliding window so they could gain more wall space. Luis is taking care of this wish in his normal efficient manner.










This is how the builders in Costa Rica build a snack bar counter-top. These are made of solid concrete. I watched this guy while he laid the concrete and it was much more of an art than I ever expected. When they are ready, it will be covered with a beautiful tile that Keith and Marina picked out.








This is the layout of the kitchen. It will host a gas range/oven, refrigerator/freezer and overhead microwave. With all the windows around it, there will be more than enough light required for cooking a gourmet meal. A popular method of building base cabinets in Costa Rica is to build them of concrete and cover them with wood cabinets. This is more practical than standard US methods where the cabinets are completely made of wood.






The guy on the right is John Rojas who is one of the best cabinet makers in Costa Rica. His work is beyond expectations. Today, he is measuring for the kitchen cabinets, bedroom closet, desk area and more. When you see the completed work, you will be amazed. What he does here for $1000 would cost you $4000 in the US.








To me, Luis is now working on one of the most important parts of the project. He is working on building the laundry room on the rear of the house. When this is done, it means that the building is completed. From this point on, it means that all we have to do is:

• Lay the tile
• Paint the building
• Install the windows and doors
• Install the lights, bathroom equipment
• Bring in the appliances
• And... it is basically done.

Then we start working on the pool and rancho - This is going to be a very, very nice place for Keith and Marina to stay until the main house is built. - Stay tuned for the completion of this great project.