The Plot thickens, or the plot thins

[bill_bly_ca]

So over the past 30 or so months I have put bits and pieces on our plot scattered amongst generic older house building threads and all packed threads and the like.

This thread is meant to collect all of those disjointed bits as the rubber meets the road visit.

Chilo was sent a video , a couple videos actually, of a reliable clean up family that my BIL has found.

The lot was stripped to the soil, the cuttings burned, and scattered trash cleaned up as well. It now clear that the lot is "Clear". More on that later.

The video also shows the cobble stone has passed our front entrance (was dirt road Nov 2015) and new neighbors across the boulevard.

So the plot is in a group of 24 about 800m north of the Maxi Pali in Masaya. Our plot is one of the mid sized ones of 35x75 foot with nonsquare ends. some were 25x75. There is a boulevard that runs down the center of the collection/neighborhood. Guess of the entire subdivision is maybe 200 foot wide by 400 foot deep. We all share a spiffy new DN/DS transformer taken off the 22Kv mains traversing between (I am guessing) Carlos Fonseca 2 (Bunker generating stating) and Masaya.

We have the plot facing the main street. the lot directly behind us is empty (but sold) and the lot right behind that one, is occupied, with what looks like a younger couple with 2 kids and a 10 to 12 yr old Hyundai (But not a beater.)

The fellow who developed the plot lives on our side of the boulivard, about 3/4 down towards the back, with a double lot (so 150 x 75)

To the east of this development is another of those cookie cutter developments called "Las Vagas" which had 3 houses in Nov 2015, Google maps now shows at least 2 more houses built.

Across the newly cobbled street, to the North west, is another development we do not know much about yet. This area looks to be 2X larger than our development with a more meandering road structure. Unlike our development, there appears to be a cobble stone street already with just one house built according to Google maps.

The plan for this trip is barbed wire fence, as first level, and to see if reliable builder buddy can be commissioned to build a real block fence. This is reference is for the front (street) facing facade to stop (assumed) property cross cutting.

The family who did the cleaning looks really encouraging as help to build. Looks like it is a middle aged couple with a couple boys who were recently bequeathed some land close to Masaya. They invited my BIL and SIL to their compound of what looks like 50' by 200' plot that they have built a bamboo fenced compound (to about 7') and a 20x20 Zink clad house in (get this) 2 weeks ! They were at our plot to clean it within 2 days of being asked and mowed down 3' of over growth within 4 hours. Even burning out the roots of two nasty vines in the center of the plot.

The mason fellow is supposedly in town for our visit (Well it is SS so I guess it is not that suprising) . He regularly is out to Managua and Granada doing jobs. A pleasant surprise (from our Nov '15 trip) was finding out that he actually lives within a couple 100 m of our plot.

Chilo knows a lady who actually has a cement block business and has what seems to be a good deal (example C$50 for a 24"x24"x3" block) Have to buy a couple and sledge them to see what it is for strength.

Only thing missing now is a rebar source for the posts and cross pieces for the fence. That is one thing to dig in too.

Will drop a bunch of photos once we actually touch down ...

[el duende grande]

Unsolicited advise for anyone building.
1- Bring in sufficient balastre and selecto to build up your lot higher than the curb and plan on the house higher than that.
2- think of a shed to store materials during construction. One more than 20 feet would be nice to fit the iron which comes in 6m lengths.
3 ask around about hierro corugado--for 2 story you probably want 1/2 inch tico estandard. Lots of different sizes and qualities are sold, even in the same ferreterria. Your mason will have a suggestion, make sure he is on quality mode, not cheap mode.
4 Remember your lot must drain to the street, not the neighbor. If you have a back yard, a sump and a 4 inch pipe to the street will need to go in.
5- plan on guarding everything, from thieves, rain, rat, etc.. Piedra cantera tends not to walk away, but smaller masonry units do.

Happy homebuilding

[bill_bly_ca]

Unsolicited advise for anyone building.

1- Bring in sufficient balastre and selecto to build up your lot higher than the curb and plan on the house higher than that.

Actually yea - Forgot about that - Will pen it down.

2- think of a shed to store materials during construction. One more than 20 feet would be nice to fit the iron which comes in 6m lengths.

20' Containers is the mode - One will be the "keeper" of goods. The Lady Chilo knows with the blocks appears to be fine with dropping off 2 days of material at a time. So we will have less of a batch of stuff to watch / loose.

3 ask around about hierro corugado--for 2 story you probably want 1/2 inch tico estandard. Lots of different sizes and qualities are sold, even in the same ferreterria. Your mason will have a suggestion, make sure he is on quality mode, not cheap mode.

For this one the container block will have a brick fascia - It (the faciia) will be rebarred, but not the actual structural support.

4 Remember your lot must drain to the street, not the neighbor. If you have a back yard, a sump and a 4 inch pipe to the street will need to go in.

There is no sidewalk yet, nor curb I think, so it should be pretty easy to fit now.

5- plan on guarding everything, from thieves, rain, rat, etc.. Piedra cantera tends not to walk away, but smaller masonry units do.

That is for sure - Chilo's 2 oldest SIL is planning to move back in Nov (she is back there now for a 3 month visit) and the plan would be to 1/2 finish the first 20' container block (1 story, 20x20 block) and she would live there as work progressed from there.

[bill_bly_ca]

We have the barbed wire fence placed - BIL took it upon himself to put in (what looks like) 5 strands of barbed from ground up to the 5 foot level. Have some so so pix sent up which I will have Chilo pull off her phone and put here.

[bill_bly_ca]

So here is a kick at the can...

Most likely we will step and repeat this 3 times over 5 to 7 years. By step and repeat I mean build in 3 20x 32 foot sections. THe first one being ours, the other 2 for rent out. If rent out does not work we will leave it at 2 sections leaving a 25x35 left over compound.

What you see here is 20' wide by 32ish feet deep. THe 3rd story will most likely be "Mostly" open. Meaning something 1/2 to 3/4 of the wall will be solid or opaque and the remainder bars.

Put a note on for the "Street" side.

This will be surrounded by an at least 6' stone fence for the compound, but it may actually be the stone fascia of the house at the same time.. Still stewing on that..

[Little Corn Tom]

After I hit 70, I started looking at 2 and 3 story houses differently. All I see here is steps!

[el duende grande]

but,but,but, steps keep you young...

other note--you are not allowed to have windows on the sides or back of your house if you build on the property lines. Kinda stuffy. One of the best advantages of multistory is the air circulation, but you have to build in about 5 feet.

[Jonh]

The upper floors are for the in-laws and out-laws. Make them hobble up and down the stairs.

[Little Corn Tom]

The upper floors are for the in-laws and out-laws. Make them hobble up and down the stairs.

Yeah...with outside stairs and an outside entrance.

[bill_bly_ca]

other note--you are not allowed to have windows on the sides or back of your house if you build on the property lines. Kinda stuffy. One of the best advantages of multistory is the air circulation, but you have to build in about 5 feet.

5' total (2.5 each side) or each side 5' (10' total) The side to the left of Front is another street, 55 feet to the right of the structure is boulevard of the development.

Behind is abutted to the next property so it would be that wall I would have to pull in...

[el duende grande]

5 feet on the side where you want windows. You are good on the sides that face streets as you are not looking at the neighbors yard.
No tellin what you might see if you saw the neighbor's yard!

Remember the old joke about Two Dogs Fxxxxxx?

[bill_bly_ca]

Went to do a walk around today -

[bill_bly_ca]

Found out what the lots are across the street - They have a facebook page - A little on the high side - $49,000 - Financing @ 4500 down..

https://www.facebook.com/residencialElCoyotepe/

[bill_bly_ca]

New transformer (Sept 2015) from the bunker plant down the street - 22kv mains I am told...

[bill_bly_ca]

It gets better (in a good way)

So BIL starts talking to a fellow 2 plots down that has already built. Buddy wants to sell.

SIL who is down here is interested in going partially with him. The 2 can have separate rooms there (SIL wants to move back as well)

Well, the house was bought and it was to be a surprise for us (Chilo and I ) last week - But SIL somehow got cold feet and wanted all of her cash back so the BIL had to come up with a bunch of cash to close the deal - Which he did Friday. He still has a 70 x 150 lot just off the Car Masays before the police checkpoint by Coyotepe.

He now has a new 35' x 75' lot with a 24 x 27(ish) house - A 10 x 17 covered front porch and a good back lot. It still needs some work (Like an attached shitter)





We went with him today to price fence blocks. He needs it enclosed so he can head back to Canada for 2 weeks to close up some business.


So now we have the BIL 2 houses away to have supervised construction done on some fence parts and maybe some footings for the cantainer, which Chilo is warming too now.

[bill_bly_ca]

So last Wed or Thurs a bunch was at BIL Daniel's house, about 8 people.

Luis (Back for the first time since '84) Marta, Marta's Daughter, her husband, their boy and a few more.

As they were eating a fellow walks down the main street with his 5 cows, cuts out barbed wire and proceeds to graze his cows on our lot.

All of the family comes out from BIL house and starts yelling at the farmer - He yells back - "Jiputas" bouncing back and forth (including you 2 yr old at the top of his lungs)

Cow man eventually relents and takes his bovine elsewhere.

BIL is getting the fence repaired.

[Jonh]

Gotta nip it in the bud!

[el duende grande]

Build de wall! 3 meters is the standard, plus another .5 m for the serpentina. We only did ours 5 piedras high, about 8.5 feet because on a small lot the standard wall is a little claustrophobic. Build the wall first, before the house. It was a colossal pita to have 5 men running around all 4 sides of the house for 8 weeks. The first week we paid a separate muchacho to work under our direction pruning, killing, and transplanting our ornament plants so the masons could work. We were also reintroduced to the world of lodo. Years ago we had covered the clay soil with selecto. Well, you know Nic. construction--every 3 m they have to dig out a cubic meter of clay to do the footing. My, my how sticky black clay moves around.
Build de wall, build it first and build it tall.

It is amazing the privacy and shade we now have, and it helps a little with the noise. Even our yapping dogs don't bark any more at things on the side and back of the property.

[bill_bly_ca]

Build de wall! 3 meters is the standard, plus another .5 m for the serpentina. We only did ours 5 piedras high, about 8.5 feet because on a small lot the standard wall is a little claustrophobic. Build the wall first, before the house.

Roger Roger on that - As the wall will pass close to - maybe over - the septic - Septic is first (Raw material residing in BIL's compound.) Then the wall. Septic start is set for start Sept as the rains calm down.

We want to start moving containers in Feb/Mar 2018 - Looks like Chilo wants to start one container every 6 months with her brother - Using the Broker that did his cars and stuff 2 yrs ago.

Oh yea - Forgot to add. The plot is where the container is to reside as stuffs are distributed. Chilo has 2 ACs - 3 bikes, two Circular saws, Jig saw, blender, Microwave, and a bunch of smaller stuffs to go already.

[bill_bly_ca]

So - I am being pestered when I am taking my next vacation at work - Vaycation books against profit, so the earlier it is taken, the better for the books. .

Looks like 2nd half of November.

So it will be to inspect the built septic and the watch 2 of the 4 walls go up - Thinking we will L shape the back and east lines to stop the cutting across to the new lotification (The $25K lotifications) in behind us and my BILs property.

The $498 Canadian tickets via aeromexico seem to have disappeared so it looks like we will use points again.

[bill_bly_ca]

Ha - I did not update the thread.

So - We are there the last 2 weeks of Nov - Actually got Delta tix at $250 Canadian for the pair and 90,000 points.

Apparently, the street is "Planned" to be cobbled and sewers in 2018 - So we may skip the buried honey pot and do the Trump thing (Build that wall).

Maria is anxious to start moving containers starting in Mar 2017 - We'll see if we can get a good broker to make a go of that for her for a couple or 3 years.

=======================
Re : Oh yea - Forgot to add. The plot is where the container is to reside as stuffs are distributed. Chilo has 2 ACs - 3 bikes, two Circular saws, Jig saw, blender, Microwave, and a bunch of smaller stuffs to go already.
=======================
Now add 3 more bikes, 2 more microwaves, 2 big fans, a 40" TV and a bunch of Kitchen stuff.

[bill_bly_ca]

So regardless of plans we are going to dig - Probably Dec or Jan

2 verbal qutes at $550 (Materials, labour, dug and filled) 6" thick base, 4'x8' base (6" thick) 6 foot high - Down 10 foot.

Even though the street line may come soon, it is probably best to keep the pit of our own. If only to use as the public system gets flow back in the heavy rains. Over the past rainy season there was a 3" standing mini lake for 3 days as the numbered storm (that became Norman I think) passed a couple months back.

Seeing many places going up with the second story having the wire-caged styra foam. I am 99% sure that will be our floor 3 - Originally I was thinking floor 3 to be completely open (With roof, but now I am leaning to a 50% enclosed space.

Phase 1 will be 20x35.

First container is planned to leave Ontario begining March. Fellow who does regular import allows his Licence to be "rented", but only for 3 or more containers. As we plan 4 over the next 18 months or so he said that was great.

We received a materials quote (delivered) for an 8' Pied de tera fence for the entire 75x35 compound of $3k US - Needs some more investigation as that is $13 / foot before labour - Sounds a bit high as the BIL had 175 foot of the same installed for $1100.

But as one of the 75' frontage will be open when the full building is done we may just zink fence it for now rather than stone.

[bill_bly_ca]

So Carlos (The fellow who did SILs extension of the house 3 yrs back) is back in town after an out of town job - He quoted C$21,000 but with rebared corners and base for the septic - None of the others had done so. This makes a lot of sence to me as when the big shake happens the last thing we want is an imploded S#!tter.

And, get this - Works starts 6 AM tomorrow..... Woot woot ...

[el duende grande]

If you are talking piedra cantera, price varies with location. It is a low value/ heavy weight item and the quarries I know of are in
Boaco and Diriamba, so in Masaya you should be getting low prices. At one time our relatives were paying close to 20 cords in Boaco while we in Esteli were paying around 35. Its for the shipping costs. The same for selecto and balastre, we pay almost double for our country place than our Esteli place, and some truckers don't bid because they do not want to drive in the mountains because their truck may fall apart.

In a world without building codes, you need to ask and supervise construction. One guy will put in 3 elements of iron, another guy 4, and always there is somebody who will try to put in none.
Remember, in the culture of cheap they are doing you a favor! Cheap is a value onto itself, far more important than structural integrity.
You might wan't to talk to the first couple of bidders. Good guys assume they will put in the iron and may not mention it.

And just this last week we got a reminder of supervising the construction. The albaniles started pouring our new kitchen floor with out iron mesh. This is particularly bad because we will have a ceramica floor. My wife caught them just in time, we called the maestro and I had to make (another) quick trip to the ferreteria. They had used the iron elsewhere in the project and didn't bother to tell me 2 hours earlier when I told them I was going for supplies. Ho hum, Saturday 1/2 day, let's skip the iron and go home on time! They left about 1 1/2 hours late, lo siento.

[bill_bly_ca]

Yep - This fellow is the 3rd quote - And so far the most pricey - But as I said he is the first to quote a rebared install. A SWAG is an extra $150 ish US on materials. I have the list here we need to go get - He has 10 pcs of 1/4" rebar in the list, tie wire, 15 bags of cement etc etc...

Humm. Looks like the google link is not sticking.

List added as a link.. https://photos.app.goo.gl/H9ciMCpfUuvCXun63