It’s been about 3 weeks since we received any photos. Anne asked Kevin if work was progressing, and he responded with a bundle of photos showing a lot of different projects underway.
The front of the house is looking very nice. Work is continuing on the retaining wall up the hill.
Front from Kitchen Side Click image to enlargeBase of the Retaining Wall Click image to enlarge
Tile is going in the kitchen area of the main room and on the marciapiede that surrounds the house.
Kitchen Tile Click image to enlargeTile Along the Back Click image to enlarge
The terrazza tile is done, and the views from the terrazza looking southwest are wonderful.
Terrazza and Roof Tile Click image to enlargeSouthwest from the Terrazza Click image to enlarge
Inside, the stone wall is grouted and the heating control box is connected to the underfloor tubes.
Interior Stone Wall Grouted Click image to enlargeUnderfloor Heating Pipe Connections Click image to enlarge
Also, the interior is being prepped for painting, some of the bathroom fixtures are in, and utility connection boxes have been set in the ground outside.
Here are all the photos of the various projects underway.
Despite the temperatures that have regularly exceeded 40°C (104°F) and reached at least 43°C (109°F), they have been continuing to work on, of all things, the roof. You have to admire our crew’s commitment and perseverance.
They have completed the tiling of the main roof on the front side of the house. It’s great how they used older tiles for the top layer, giving the house an older look.
Front Side Roof Finished Click image to enlarge
I think work now moves to the back side, where the solar and photovoltaic panels will be. That may be a longer process, and even more in the afternoon sun, being on the west side. Fortunately, the heat is supposed to subside, at least a little bit: only one day over 35°C (95°F) during the upcoming week.
Work is also continuing inside, installing window and door frames.
They have roughed in the electrical on the ground floor, following the plans I prepared for light, switch, and outlet placement. Kevin and Alessandra, who we’ve asked to help with lighting, did a three-hour walk through with Francisc to ensure everything was in place.
Kevin came back with a list of changes they had to make — very minor, all related to placement of elements where there is a column. He also had a few questions for us.
Q: Were we planning to mount the TV on the wall, so that the outlet and connections should up at the mounting location? A: No. We’ll put in on a table or cabinet with the satellite receiver.
Q: Did we really want those pesky floor outlets? They’re concerned that the placement won’t be right. A: No, we’ll do without them and rely on overhead lights and lights near a plug in the wall.
Q: Were we OK with wireless remotes for the ceiling fans? Francisc said it made wiring easier. A: Wireless remotes are fine. We just need to be sure the fans we choose have them or can be fitted with them.
Updated Electrical Package Click image to read
In going over all of this and looking at my plans, I realized that I’d left out switches to some of the lights we added recently. I revised the plans and sent them along.
The other questions related to the network. I had drawn up a plan that included a separate modem and wireless router, like I have at home now. That confused the electrician and the network guy, as they use combined modem/routers. Obviously, no problem here.
They also raised an issue about the three wireless access points I have planned to ensure good coverage throughout the house. Could they directly wire and wall mount them? Again, no problem.
Ubiquiti Access Point
Kevin sent along a picture of his access points. I’m familiar with them and they are supposed to work great. The question now is whether the internet provider Fidoka supplies all the equipment and leases it to us or if we can buy the pieces outright and save some money.
Finally, I asked them to relocate the top floor access point to be closer to the bedrooms so the signal is stronger there. I don’t think it should be any problem.
Today we got pictures of some of the ground floor rough-in work. Kevin highlighted that Francisc had decided that we should have a drain the floor of the laundry/utility room and just installed it at his cost. They’re really great to work with.
