Progress Report

August 8-12, 2005 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #44

Contact phone numbers

Internet Phone:
New York 315-279-6711 // Toronto 416-907-5758

Costa Rica:
Cell 506-305-3965 // Land 506-282-4142 Ext. 101

NOTE: our land line in CR has changed;
we are now integrated into the compound network.

Pictures: advances in 106 and 114-116.

CONSTRUCTION

Permit: SETENA: WE RECEIVED A FAX OF THEIR APPROVAL ON TUESDAY. We went to their offices on Wednesday to get the original. They didn't want to release it until Friday for reasons which only they knew. However, sweet oil and persistence got it. We promptly gathered the other documents we knew we needed and proceeded to apply for the permit with the City. We were stopped in our tracks -more paperwork, stale dated legal papers had to be updated, plus a bunch of other stuff. None of which add any value to the project. My words are not printable at this stage but we are continuing to work on satisfying the requirements. Perhaps next week we'll have it together enough for them to tell us what more we need.

Note: We applied to SETENA on April 14. We received their decision August 8. By law, they are suppose to render a decision in one month. I guess we now know the length of a legal CR-SETENA month.

New Construction: On the triplex (114, 115, 116). Drywall framing and boarding work has continued as well as the creation of the entrance to 115 -the corner unit. Much of the interior boarding is done and the first coat of taping is done.

I've finalized the design for the closets and am working on getting two quotes.

I've made a few modifications based on purchaser's wants. These always take time to work with the purchaser, get the architect to make the necessary changes, communicate those changes with the site superintended who will build it.

Some preliminary work was done on the 167KVA transformer but this work will be extended over several months as the transformer is built, tested and approved by ICE -the power company- and installed and then inspected and then commissioned.

One of our resident purchasers told me about a Hunter fan sale at PriceSmart. Since I had just purchased six for clients I knew the price was good -even though in one case, they would not have fit the criteria I was given. I bought all they had-19.

I was also able to trace down a special on MOEN kitchen faucets -a design I had like before and the price was right but the stock ran out. I bought 14 so those are now secured.

Unit 106: Work continued on established the substrate for the footings and in installing the re-bar reinforcing cages for the footings. To these were added the rebar reinforcing cages for the columns as well as the rebar which will go into the center of the hollow block which is later filled with concrete. All this steel reinforcing is integrated and wired together to make a one structural element. It takes a lot of time but the end product is superb.

One incident to demonstrate the construction axiom: if it can go wrong, it will go wrong. We punctured the main supply pipe from the well to the pump. Water sprayed up and onto the building next door. When fixing it, we saw that the pipe was made of thin walled PVC and it had begun to deteriorate. (This had been installed by the former owner.) We decided to replace it. That night the occupant of the house who was suppose to join three of us for dinner at the Italian restaurant, came home late from working. She found a wet, soggy bed. Subsequent analysis determined that the windows were louvered and designed to shed water from above but even though they were closed, water still got in when sprayed from underneath. We can laugh now but... I think I'll have to give here a meal ticket for two to the Italian restaurant!

Unit 107: Mainly cleaning and finishings -mirrors, bathroom accessories, door stops, specialty painting on the wrought iron work, appliance installation, ceiling fans, etc. Decorating will begin next week.

Roadways and Rainwater Mgt. System: This took another four man weeks and a backhoe for the week to complete -two more absorption holes and a lot of interconnected trenching. It continued to be messy and disruptive. It's now mostly done; we will be building some concrete collection registers just before surfacing the roadway.

Phone System Upgrade: What we believe to be the last bugs have been worked out. It seems to be functioning properly now. I had occasion to speak with one of the purchasers who happened to be on holidays in Yellow Knife, North West Territories, Canada. The cabinet maker had mistakenly made a king size bed instead of the queen which he / I had ordered. The king was fine with the purchaser but the point here is the ability to communicate.

Marketing: Several purchasers made their progress payments and several are waiting for their lawyer to review the documents to close on the purchase.

Telemarketing campaign: hoping to start this next week.

Next Project: No time to focus on this area. This is a long weekend here -another holiday on Monday- third in a month. This time it is Mother's Day -a major holiday here. We worked an extra 1/2 day last Saturday so the workmen could have a 3 day holiday this weekend. I'll use the time to develop a pro forma of the next project to see if I can get some interest. Knowing that it will take 8 mo. or so to go through the permitting process, I would like to be working on something now but... I really don't look forward to loosing the crew I've assembled.

OUR LIVES

Weather: It rained and some of our work got a bit muddy but for the most part, it didn't slow us down.

Canuk: he's getting old for a German Sheppard -around 10 years old. His hip displesia (? Sp) -common in his breed- is advancing and he has skin cancer. I think we will have to begin thinking about an understudy for him.

Boat: "Lita-B" I've accepted a verbal offer. The deal is conditional on sea trials and the potential purchaser getting a loan from his bank. It will be a relief if it goes through -we'll see. We'll miss it as we had wonderful times and met a whole new group of great people. However, our circumstances have changed and it's now time to move on with fond memories.

We put Terry on the plane so he could connect with the Queen Mary II in New York. He'll be gone for 4 months. We'll miss him but we'll see him again in November.

We were introduced to a new Italian restaurant on Thursday -had a wonderful seafood pasta. Ceviche Del Rey in Santa Ana continues to serve a great seafood paella as well as Peruvian style ceviche.

Lita has the next three nights planned out so I have to go to work. Between looking after the dog, the parrot, the gardeners, her gym, and social life, she's been busy. And that's good because it keeps her off my case (most of the time).

Brian, Lita, Hugo and irreverent Vicka, the pigeon toed parrot.

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