Progress Report

October 3-8, 2005 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #53

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: misc. of all areas under construction.

CONSTRUCTION

ANNIVERSARY OF CONSTRUCTION: The Year in Review: This week marks the completion of one year of construction for this phase. I just reviewed Log 1 and looked at the pictures. Certainly a lot of construction has been accomplished but not as much as anticipated. This was partly due to the slow construction permitting process. The quality of the five renovations exceeded my expectations but so did the extent and their complexity. The result turned out much better than the original plan. The complexity of the front wall, as well as the large warehouse and garden refuse areas consumed more time and resources than anticipated.

I still consider it probable that we will have achieved substantial completion all four units in 106, 115, 117-120, 122 and 123 by Christmas. This is a lot of units left to complete but much of the labor intensive work has been done. That will leave 121 and our own units to complete in the new year. For five weeks now we have been firing on all cylinders and with 65 people working, progress is being made. Rain has not delayed us much this week.

114, 115, and 116: We dealt with some deficiencies in 114 this week and concentrated on finishing off 116. The owner is moving in as I write. This next week the finishing crew will focus on finishing 115 and do some repairs / maintenance in two previously built units.

Unit 106: The upper units are being framed. We ended up redesigning the roof. It will be the same design as we are using on the other new construction. The wooden forms have been removed from the collar tie and the walls prepared for parging. The ceiling of the ground floor has been framed for drywall and the rough-in electrical and plumbing work has been done. Exterior parging is on-going. We are using a new product which will speed this process; we'll use the same material on the interior walls as well. I expect all the parging, both interior and exterior on the ground floor to be completed this coming week. Following that, we will probably start to adjust the work force mix and reduce the number of people.

Units 121, 122, and 123: Work continues to advance on 122 and 123. Rain did slow 122 a bit; 123 now has it's staircase roughed in and the framing for the upper concrete floor is nearly finished. We will pour it next week. The redesign of 123 continues to look better and better. I've increased the price from $155,000 to $170,000.

Units 117-120: 95% of the gray work has finally been completed. Framing for the cana brava and for drywall has advanced. Most of the exterior densglas framing has been finished; boarding has started on the interior of 120.

Units 101 and 102: No progress.

Electrical System Up grade: This work continues. The 167KVA transformer is on site; the electrical meters and buses are also on site. Installation of each continues. All should be completed by the end of next week.

Problems: Rushing to complete 114 and the number of changes and substantial details add time to the completion schedule. The result was some screw ups. We've worked our way through them. We have only a few minor deficiencies to finish off.

Marketing: The purchasers of 107 and 108 were on site this week to inspect their homes and to complete their due diligence. The closing for each is scheduled for Oct. 20. I continue to get inquiries and have started to schedule people for fall arrivals.

The final draft of the marketing brochure is being put together for my review. When that is done, three days for printing and we'll be ready.

I was given a list of 7,000 names of people interested in RE in Costa Rica. I will be making plans to contact these people. The mystery of the telemarketing saga was cleared up; he simply had too many other things on the go and dropped the ball on this one. However, he returned all the product we had together created and sent me the list of names. He will be coming to CR soon; I hope to meet him and we'll focus on the future.

Useful Websites on Costa Rica

http://www.therealcostarica.com/default.html
http://groups.msn.com/CRLeBoard
http://www.arcr.net/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CostaRicaLiving/
http://welovecostarica.com

OUR LIVES

My partner returned to Canada on Monday and we rushed to prepare his interim unit (108) for the owner's arrival in mid week. Lita returned to her gym routine, parrot paddling and scolding, and her other activities. I spent most of the week either preparing for the arrival of the owners of 107 and 108 who are also friends and later in ensuring their questions were answered to their satisfaction-friendship is one thing but a sound investment decision is something else. I also enjoy their company so we did some visiting as well. Neither had seen the finished product of their homes. They are ecstatic about them.

The final snags in the sale of the boat seemed to be worked out this past week. Hopefully, the coming week will see the sale completed.

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

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