Here is a photo montage of the progress on Casa "Dos Palomas", starting from raw land, and as permits are obtained and construction commences, through construction progress. Construction started April 1, 2007.
Raw land, scrub, the odd cactus. Will also require significant landfill.
Lot is scrubbed, elevation lines plotted and marked, trench for footing of rear ground floor/retaining wall dug. Footing is 5 feet deep.
4/18. Rebar being bent into structural frame for lower floor back wall/retaining wall.
This trench and wall is 55 feet wide by 5 feet deep. Pouring the footer and allowing it to cure takes a few days, and creating the full rebar frame takes about two weeks, then pouring the wall another week or so, and then curing time. Once poured, work will commence on ground floor foundation and footings.
5/18 After a two week stall over a building permit SNAFU on the city's end, footers now poured and cured, form for concrete in position. Rebar wall support skeleton in place. Project schedule will erase most of the permit delay over the project's progression.
6/17. Wall cured, sealed, landfill being moved onto the lot. Lower floor footings prepared in anticipation of floor being poured and walls commencing.
6/25 - Lower floor poured, walls commencing.
July 4, and the downstairs walls are progressing.
7/10 - the walls on the downstairs are almost done.
7/22 - Landfill making its way onto the lot, as the water cistern that will be under the garage floor is built.
Walls now looking more finished on the ground floor.
8/18 - Landfill now mostly in place, bottom floor almost finished, preparing to go up.
9/3 - Getting ready to frame and structure the second story
Hurricane update - we lost a week or so due to the flooding and road washouts and whatnot, and another few days due to supply chain interruptions related to the storm. When the concrete isn't delivered for a week, everyone then needs to get theirs, and you lose not only that week, but another one waiting to play catchup. Still, this year, not such a bad storm season, all things considered.
9/22 - landfill being compacted for second floor. Rebar all bent and in place, electrical and plumbing runs in, footers cut in landfill, foam block in place, retaining walls being built to keep dirt in, cisterna now sealed. Floor pour scheduled for October 4.
10/13 - Second floor going up. Pool poured.
11/09. Pouring the roof. Note the styrofoam blocks used for insulation.
Stay tuned for more photos as construction progresses.