Casa de Bell

Updated photos and information on the Web

2011-06-28T20:45:00.001-06:00

Check out our new website, designed by my two younger daughters and given to me for a Father's Day present. It is really cool: http://casadebell.com

Casita de Bell rental agent

2011-04-30T19:20:00.001-06:00

These units can be rented. Please visit www.atenascostaricaapartments.blogspot.com for information.

Casita Finished!

2011-01-02T13:07:00.002-07:00

We spent two weeks in late December putting finishing touches on the interior and the landscaping of the Casita to get it ready for the first tenants in January. The pictures show our progress from the day we arrived to the night we left.

The Casita - Almost Ready to Move In

2010-10-31T12:34:00.000-06:00

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

2010-10-31T12:03:00.000-06:00

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

2010-09-18T22:34:00.000-06:00

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

2010-09-18T21:56:00.004-06:00

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!!

2010-08-30T20:39:00.000-06:00

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

2010-08-30T20:16:00.002-06:00

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

2010-08-30T19:50:00.004-06:00

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

2010-08-11T18:39:00.000-06:00

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

2010-07-23T21:58:00.001-06:00

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.

Starting to Have a Roof

2010-06-30T09:04:00.001-06:00

June 29, 2010

In spite of having been rained out a couple of days, Luis is making sure that the roof is going up on this project. The support beams are in place and secured with cement, and they are now installing the laurel boards.

This is what it looks like from the inside

In addition, they are working to put the finish coats of cement on the walls.

According to Luis, they are still on schedule in spite of the rain..

A Few Pieces of Wood Going Into Place

2010-06-22T15:30:00.001-06:00

June 21, 2010

Luis is starting to put the beams up for the roof above the second story.

Now, remembering back we tore down the original structure that was on the property and tried to salvage what we could. In the process that Luis uses, the beams are sanded down, stained and then protected. This is an example, and I think it could be one of the old beams from the salvage. - Look's pretty good I would say.

This is a stack of Laurel that will be used for the ceilings in the house. They are stacked this way to let them dry out. Then they will also be sanded and stained.

While they are working on the beams, other guys are working to put the coats of cement on the block walls. There will be several coats of cement applied before the finishing coat is applied.

Once the roof is on, then they will lay the floor for the lower level. Stay with us to see the finished product...

Getting Ready for The Crown for The Second Story

2010-06-12T16:02:00.000-06:00

June 7, 2010

The men seem to make more and more progress every day.

As you can see, the block for the second floor is about done. They are now putting up the forms for the arches on the second floor balcony. Check out the other pictures below.

June 10, 2010

A couple of days later, all the re-rod for the crown is in place. Then, they will frame it in and make the pour for the concrete crown. This should be done by the middle of next week.

This shot gives you a better glimpse of how the re-rod is set in place.

After the crown is set they will begin installing the Almond beams for the roof structure. This type of wood is very hard and insect resistant. - Stay tuned..

Great Progress on the Second Story

2010-06-07T14:55:00.054-06:00

Friday - June 4, 2010

It has only been a few days and the walls are not too far away from completion. Here, you can see that they only have a few more layers to go. The forms you see are where they will pour solid concrete for the structural support.

To the left, is Luis checking to make sure things are level. Also, you can see the pillars have been poured for the roof over the upper deck.

Now, this is a big thing - This is the electrician preparing to install the main electrical box for the house. When it is installed, they will begin running all the wiring for both units.

The pictures below give an idea of how the casita sits on the lot from a curb view and how the arch of the pillars look.

From the way it looks at this point - we are not too many weeks away from starting the roof phase of the project..

Starting the Second Story

2010-06-02T22:10:00.000-06:00

These guys are not messing around. The floor and crown was laid late last week, and now they are starting to lay the block for the second story.

Here is Luis working on the materials the men need to do the work

Above, is the finished crown from the interior view of the living room. At this point, all the structure has been tied in together and secure,

As the followers of this site can see, they are going strong now, and I am very happy with the progress

The Second Floor Pour

2010-05-28T17:36:00.001-06:00

May 28, 2010

There is a low pressure system on the Pacific Coast, and it has been raining here almost constantly. In fact, one town on the coast got 11" of rain in one day. This has slowed things down a bit, but as of today - the second floor has been poured. Now, they are getting ready to lay the blocks for the second floor. Take a look at this:

This is the main ramp to the second floor - originally, it was designed for Evil Knievel to run his high powered motorcycle up the ramp and over the building onto the hill above. However, Luis decided the best use for this ramp was to get the concrete in wheelbarrows up to the second floor. And, that is exactly what they did yesterday.

The floor and crown is now poured, and we are ready to start on laying the block for the second floor.

Here you see the framing for the crown, which will be removed during the next couple of days. Now that the second story floor is in, the men can work down below every day during the rainy season.

Below, you see the men preparing the re-rod to lay the blocks for the second level.

It is starting to look real good. By mid July, Keith needs to get down here to pick out the tile and many other things.

Almost Ready for Second Floor

2010-05-22T11:03:00.001-06:00

May 21, 2010

Luis is really making some progress. I was shocked at how much he accomplished in only a few days. Another thing I noticed was that the quality of what he is doing is better than what I have seen in other homes.

Above, you see the forms enclosing the re-rod and the end of the metal beams. When the concrete is poured next week, everything will be secure and all the walls joined together for total support of the structure.

The way Luis is doing the metal beams is pretty impressive. Although they are made out of corrosion resistant material, he had them painted with anti-corrosive paint to insure durability. The man working on top of the beams is welding the seams to ensure no movement and a more sound resistant floor. The corrugated metal above the beams is the base for the concrete floors.

Because Luis has been working the men Saturday's, the pouring of concrete should take place Monday or Tuesday of next week. You are going to be amazed at how they do this.

Stay tuned...

Preparing For The Crown

2010-05-18T10:15:00.000-06:00

May 17, 2010

The crown is the final pouring of concrete before the roof is started, or the start of the second floor as is in this case.

Here, you see all the formed re-bar going across the top of the walls and all the arches and doorway openings. The purpose of the re-bar is to stabilize and reinforce the concrete after it is poured.

The curved wood forms you see here will make the arches between the columns,

This man is busy building the forms that will be used to enclose the re-rod. Once all the forms are in place, they will start pouring the concrete to make the crown. Once that is done, they will begin construction on the second floor.

Below, you see the man painting steel beams. These will be used to support the floor for the second story. The beams are set first, then corrugated galvanized metal will be placed on top of the beams - then they start pouring the floor.

Below, are some more pictures taken of the project on the same day.

Moving Right Along

2010-05-13T15:50:00.000-06:00

Luis has really made some progress during the last few weeks. He intends to start work to get the second story floor ready to pour soon and then start working on the second story walls.

This is the side where the stairs going to the upper floor will be. In addition, it will house a bodega that is very useful.

Here we see the bedroom and bathroom area.

This is the rear shot of what will be the dining/kitchen area with an additional workspace area

The living area with sliding walk-out doors to the terrazza's

When you look at the pillars being built, you can imagine how much covered outdoor space Keith and Marina are going to have to enjoy.

Stay tuned...

Really Starting to Shape Up

2010-05-07T21:29:00.000-06:00

May 7, 2010 - It has only been two days since the last pictures were posted. Luis is really at it in getting this guest house built for Keith. The blocks for most of the rooms are almost in place. He has started shaping up the stairway to the second level and almost all the pillars have been poured.

The Walls are Going Up

2010-05-06T13:18:00.000-06:00

May 5, 2010 - Luis and his crew are now into action getting the walls started. He even started pouring the molds for the pillars. Take a look - Progress is being made now!

I really think that this one is going to be much better than the last one.

Countermeasures Are In Place and Now We Get Things Going

2010-05-02T17:44:00.001-06:00

May 1, 2010 - For the last few days, we have experienced much rain that has slowed things down. I arranged for a meeting with Jose and Luis at the job site on Saturday to discuss the countermeasures. When I arrived, Luis and the men were going full bore pouring the concrete footers.

When Jose arrived shortly after, he had the final plans that he is going to submit to the Municipality on Monday to get the permits. He gave me a copy and promised to email Keith a copy.

We discussed the plan for the footers. They went as deep as they could all the way around the foundation and Luis is doing what they call an armor footer to strengthen everything. Jose explained that they will lay two rows of block, lay all the required piping and fill it in so the floor will be above the 2nd row of blocks. This means that everything on the lot will have to be raised to the height of the floor, By the time this is all completed, the footer will be 1 meter deep and more in some areas. The end result is that the building will not be affected by any changes in the soil around it, and will be much stronger than others in the area.

Luis leading the way for the concrete. No, here in Costa Rica, truck concrete mixers are not the norm. Concrete is poured one wheelbarrow at a time.

In order to make more room behind the house, Luis utilized the jack hammer to cut out a portion of the dirt/rock wall. This will also provide more stability for the dirt when they are finished.

As you can see in the pictures, the re-rod for the first floor walls are in place, the blocks for the walls has been delivered - I think they will be ready to start laying the blocks on Monday. We will keep you posted.

Man, This is Some Very Hard Ground!

2010-05-02T17:05:00.000-06:00

April 24, 2010 - Even though there is a lot of backfill near the hill end of the lot, Luis ran into a lot of rock behind that fill. When I was there, I could see where this was going to slow down the building process. I requested a meeting with Jose and Luis to discuss this. At the meeting I showed them a picture of an attachment that you put on a backhoe that will cut through the rocks. I found out that Luis went to Alajulea and got an electric jack hammer to take care of the rocks. This worked fine until...

Luis ran into solid rock that was in no way going to be cut by anything, and no one was interested in doing the dynamite thing. So, Jose and Luis put their heads together and came up with a very good countermeasure.

Getting the Lot Ready for Construction

2010-05-02T16:50:00.000-06:00

April 22, 2010 - In many areas of the world, the land developer will use fill dirt to make the lot larger. However, it is not a good idea to build a house on areas where this fill dirt is present. Luis refuses to build on anything but solid ground. After Luis had the lot graded down to obtain as much solid land as possible for the building construction they started getting things set up.

Here, you see the men setting up a structure that will house some of the building materials and act as the base of operations.

Jose gave Luis enough information to get started on the footers. Once all the measurements are verified correct, then the process begins.

Within the next few days, Jose will have all the changes made to the blueprints and apply for the building permits.

Demolition of Old Structure

2010-04-27T13:45:00.000-06:00

After Keith gave the go-ahead Luis immediately started with the demolition of the old structure and getting the lot set up for the building of the new buildings.

March 30, 2010 - One very important thing that needed to be done was to salvage whatever could be salvaged. Here you see the worker removing the roof beams. These beams are made of Almond wood (Almondo) and are very hard. So hard that it is difficult to drive a nail through it, and they will last forever. Luis will take these beams and re-finish them to their original beauty.

The structure that Pedro started was not very strong. This became obvious when they removed the beams over the door and the overhang collapsed.

April 5, 2010 - Now the backhoe has begun it's work to completely demolish the old structure. Luis has made arrangements for the debris to be hauled away by truck instead of being shoved over the cliff like some others would do.

April 6, 2010 - ALMOST DONE

April 11, 2010 - Now is gone what was a bad rememberence of a project that went bad. Now, it is time to start again and move forward.

The Construction Team

2010-04-27T13:07:00.000-06:00

BUILDER - Luis Alpizar: This is a small Costa Rican builder who Keith found to be very honest, and capable of building his home. You can be assured that Luis will be on the job everyday to ensure quality and being completed on time. Luis will be completely responsible for the construction of the entire project, and Keith is relying on him to do an excellent job.

ARCHITECT - Jose Sanchez. Highly respected, very experienced and creative in his designs. Jose will design the guest house, rancho and main house. He will also make weekly inspections to ensure that all construction is being done according to the plans he did.

PROJECT MANAGER - Pete Bogatinoff. Just a guy from Nashville, TN who got a lot of experience in building homes in Costa Rica. Pete is a friend of Keith's who wants to make sure everything goes to the best interest of Keith's investment. He will over-see all phases of the construction and work closely with Luis and Jose to ensure that objective.

Background

2010-04-27T12:51:00.000-06:00

Keith Bell came to Costa Rica to build his dream retirement home. He bought a lot in Roca Verde, a very nice community located in Atenas, Costa Rica and hired Pedro Sebaja to build a home that Keith had designed. It was going to be a gracious and comfortable home. A few months into construction, Pedro went "bust" and left Keith hanging with a partially finished home and took Keith for mucho dinero. - However, Keith did not give up on his dream home and made several trips from Alaska to Costa Rica to find a way to make his dream come true.

On his last trip here, he found a builder, architect and overseer to demolish the old structure and build a guest house, rancho and pool. This would give him the opportunity to visit and enjoy his property until he retired. After retirement, he would decide on a plan and build his retirement dream home.

This blog will provide a picture and history of the construction of the guest house, pool and rancho. Please follow it to completion and help Keith celebrate a dream come true.