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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 15, 2013 18:23:45 GMT 2
Not a lot off time at the moment to update this. I'll stick up a couple of photos though. The pool has been filled (took four days with the hose pipe) to keep the concrete in good condition. Attachments:
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 15, 2013 18:25:17 GMT 2
This are the confusing mirror windows that now give the kitchen better light. Attachments:
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 15, 2013 18:26:32 GMT 2
A slightly different angle. Attachments:
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Post by mockchoc on Jul 16, 2013 11:55:04 GMT 2
So beautiful Mark.
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Post by happytraveller on Jul 16, 2013 12:56:31 GMT 2
Ooooh I so wanna jump in that pool !
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 16, 2013 13:42:59 GMT 2
We did go for a swim and considering it had just been filled from the mains water it was quite warm enough.
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Post by shrjeff on Jul 16, 2013 14:17:37 GMT 2
hope you get lots of enjoyment out of the place, mark... just reading what you have to go through wore me out
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 20, 2013 0:39:23 GMT 2
Still going through it jeff. I just wish we had the money to get it all finally done. As it is we can just do what we can when we can afford it but there is light now at the end of the tunnel.
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Post by grumpy on Jul 24, 2013 11:46:07 GMT 2
Amazing project Mark. I love your hall tiling and kitchen best, I'd paint the pantry door white - did you paint it yet?
What's the update on the land ownership?
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 26, 2013 17:57:51 GMT 2
Yep, the pantry door has been painted white and the main door in to the kitchen given a white coat as well as it seemed to be originally like a dirty cream when you got close to it. The land ownership hasn't made any progress, probably because the man who is 'disputing' it is keeping out of our way. We keep trying to meet him but he is somewhat elusive. It's not too important as regards the building now anyway as we're only building on what is the footprint of the old place even though we might pinch a metre of 'his' land at one corner for the pool patio. Our builder, who is well versed in these things, has previously shown to us that not only is the disputed land ours but so is another great wedge of land owned by someone else - this is all according to the official paperwork lodged with the authorities in previous years. Hence we are not making a fuss unless we actually really want this land for something. In time we'll sort it out.
Anyway, I need to put up a couple more photos when I can but the latest is the battery room is 90% finished, we now have solar hot water as well again, I've eventually finished putting up lights and decorating the last upstairs bedroom that will be an office as well, and the builders are starting to refurbish the big front of the house, the facade. Other little bits and bobs are being done also.
Thanks for your interest, anyone.
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Post by slowcoach on Jul 26, 2013 18:24:37 GMT 2
I am still following, taking an interest, but right now I am coming up with more questions than I expect your time permits answering, and mine asking for that matter.
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Post by james on Jul 26, 2013 18:35:11 GMT 2
Nice Mark...
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Post by grumpy on Jul 26, 2013 19:05:09 GMT 2
Good call on going with white, I think we need some updated pics if you have time?
It's a very interesting project. Weird that no one seems to be clear about who owns what land though... high stakes local poker game?
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Post by slowcoach on Jul 26, 2013 20:40:44 GMT 2
Grumps,
Land ownership in Spain can get very mysterious but mostly the confusion relates to informal land deals, partitioning between family members, and the ownership and legality of buildings.
There is a Registry but not all properties are registered, the process does not appear to be mandatory until one wishes to convey the property. Some previous property deals have been by informal private arrangements and some still are, particularly if the property shouldn't have been built in the first place.
To the best of my understanding, most/all rural land is registered and what constitutes a plot (parcela/recinto) is quite clear and that informal subdivisions ("my brother said I could have that bit") carry no legal weight but might be ethically justifiable.
Unfortunately, the number of people who think they own or have some claim on land or property is much larger than the number who actually do own the land and property.
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 26, 2013 22:57:11 GMT 2
That's the position we are in, in that a parcela has been divided by word of mouth and no record has been made of what the borders, if there are any, are. Thanks James. Slowcoach, by all means ask away when you have time and I'll reply as quickly as possible. This is what the front used to look like after the first stage of work to the interior and on page 1 of this report is the original frontage. Originally it looked quite good but the photos do give a false impression considering the state of the inside - Now that has been completed the facade can be done. This is the stripping away of the original covering, removing the outside steps that are no longer needed and then putting a coat of render on the surface. The render will be white, the edges of the building will be a pale red (hard to describe the colour) and there will be similar as borders around the windows. Probably best in a week or two to post the final look as well. Note the scaffolding tied to a grill with a bit of string and wood - The 'courtyard', an area of 14m x 9m, so errr............. 126 sq m, is being used for the rubble from the building work going on. Eventually a front wall will be built bordering the access track to the right and the courtyard decked out in some nice tiles with a compass needle as a centre piece picked out in marble -
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 26, 2013 23:04:41 GMT 2
Grumpy, a bit of a round up with pictures might be an idea. I'll see what I can do over the next few weeks. I'm sort of waiting for several things to be finished so I can post a set of 'look, this is now finished' type of thing. Only so much rubble can hold interest after a while.
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Post by auntieannie on Jul 26, 2013 23:54:32 GMT 2
good to see lots is happening on your property, Mark!
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 27, 2013 0:32:07 GMT 2
It's bedlam some days Annie.
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Post by OnlyMark on Aug 6, 2013 10:21:44 GMT 2
So, a bit of a round up. Floor plans – The ground floor with the two bedrooms hasn’t changed as they were the first to be completed (as per page of this ‘report’), though one of them is being used at the moment by the workers to store their kit and is in a bit of a state. We need to redecorate these bottom two anyway. The middle floor is on the road to being finished apart from several bits of furniture we need to save up for. The kitchen needs a breakfast bar building behind the cooker and a couple more units for storing crockery etc nearer the dining table. The table has had a bit of a refurbishment with a coat of varnish – the kids seem to have left several deep scars in the old surface. I reduced the gap between the cooker and the sink by 40cm by removing one kitchen unit and replacing it with a smaller width one as it was just a bit too wide for comfort. The cooker still needs a plinth building for it. The guest toilet has had a coat of paint and wall paper to finish it off. The back door has had a coat of varnish and a cover put over an ugly electrical box with also some coat hooks in the entrance hall/room. The reading/living room has obtained a couple of bookcases and a bit more furniture but needs quite a few bits more, especially pictures. There are several ceiling fans now, all in the four top bedrooms, the ‘master’ bedroom and this room. The bottom two bedrooms are cool enough without them. Mrs Mark getting her dusty feet all over the temporary sofa-bed - The TV rooms hasn’t changed other than a few pictures and a new light. Photos to follow another time. The master bathroom has had a bit of a tickle up with another coat of paint above the tiles and a few bits and bobs put in it. The whole middle and upper floors are very dusty due to the workers working on the façade and whenever we open a window a cloud of dust floats in. Out the back the rear patio hasn’t changed much apart from a couple of outside lights I’ve fitted, though the top path in the other direction away from the house has been levelled to a certain extent due to getting better access for vehicles delivery building stuff. This eventually will be paved/tiled/bricked with bushes down the edges as far as the olive tree at the end – just as an extra bit to meander along in the evenings, or it might be made into a garden – Going up the stairs to the top floor. The landing still needs painting. Three of the bedrooms are unchanged apart from a little more furniture; this is where the three kids sleep. The fourth room, a combined study crossed with a spare bedroom, has had a bit of paint, a few pictures, a fan and the bathroom for it, as eccentric as ever, has had a light over the mirror that is actually is a movement sensitive outside light – scared the crap out of Mrs Mark when she first went in there the night I fitted it. Outside is currently where all the money is going. Being poured into it like the amount of concrete the Spanish like to build with. The pool, now going a shade of green, will be tiled eventually. The far side of it, the other side of the steps, will be built up to a patio/sunbathing area for about four metres or so and underneath this will be space for a workshop for me – the roof being the patio floor. Hopefully I should get something single garage sized over there. This is the side of the house towards the pool. Obviously needs some work doing to it. And this is the other side. On the side of the pool nearest the house are the outbuildings for, nearest us, the battery, hot water, washing machine and storage room – more on this in a minute. Then there is a long corridor room down the side of the pool which we’ll store something like sunbeds in, then on the far end it the room for all the pool and pump/filter stuff plus and overflow water tank as it is an infinity pool (mentioned before). Coming down the steps to the bottom level where the doors are we look into the ‘wash’ room. The floor here has been finished off and we can start to see the technical side of the house. The batteries and control boxes are on the left, the old, too large, kitchen unit in the middle full of my tools and the water system, hot water tank and solar heating control box are on the right. Electrical controls – Water heating controls – Under the steps are a number of tools and things I just can’t quite find a place for – Coming back out there is the door to the corridor store on the right and the double door for the ‘pump room’ ahead. In between is a ‘patio sucio’, a dirty yard that will have a sink in and used for all sorts of dirty stuff that I’m not sure what at the moment. Anyway, the façade and courtyard at the front of the house haven’t changed much in the last few days. Still a building site, so we’ll follow these pipes from near the back patio up the hill a little. They are the electric cables and water pipes to the house from the solar panels. Can’t remember showing these before, but if I did, here they are again. Seven electric panels and two water panels above the house. That reminds me – I must get those roof tiles fixed before the winter comes on in earnest. I’ll let you know if there is any other progress. Thanks.
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Post by happytraveller on Aug 6, 2013 11:44:05 GMT 2
Wow... this is really nice ! I like how friendly and colourful it is inside, and the outsie will look great as well I am sure !
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Post by OnlyMark on Aug 6, 2013 15:48:15 GMT 2
We might have gone a bit overboard on the colours, but we didn't want just white everywhere and I can always paint it again.
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Post by Baz Faz on Aug 6, 2013 16:32:27 GMT 2
What a project. It is really coming on. The dirty yard is where you hose down Geeky if he comes to visit.
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Post by grumpy on Aug 6, 2013 17:07:50 GMT 2
The kitchenew looks fabulous and it's nice to see that the pool is coming along well. What's the latest on when the facade and pool tiling are expected to be finished?
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Post by slowcoach on Aug 6, 2013 21:30:54 GMT 2
Hi,
The northeast corner of the middle floor has a sticky-out bit, is this part of the final house or suprlus to requirements?
Are the external butresses at the north end still required?
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Post by OnlyMark on Aug 6, 2013 21:44:51 GMT 2
Baz, not only for hosing down geeky but that's where he'll sleep.
grumpy, the pool wont be tiled until hopefully next year at the soonest. It will be just about the last thing to be done after more or less all other external building work is finished. I'm hoping next summer will see it tiled but it is a bit tight considering the quotes we've had for the other work. The facade should be finished in the next week. I'll post a photo as soon as it is.
slow, "The northeast corner of the middle floor has a sticky-out bit....." - sorry, need something more than that to identify it. Is this what you see on the plan at the top or a photo? If it is on the plan it's not just the door that is marked? If on a photo then the only things not needed are as your 2nd question, the butresses that will be removed when the facade on that side is done.
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Post by slowcoach on Aug 7, 2013 0:35:58 GMT 2
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Post by OnlyMark on Aug 7, 2013 8:46:57 GMT 2
Aha! I see what you mean now. Inside the house it forms part of the entrance room and is destined to stay. It is there now and is where we dump our shoes upon entering. It's my mistake that in this recent floor plan it isn't included. The problem part is actually the chimney (where the metal pole is leaning against). We're not sure what to do with it as it now is immediately below a window on the upper floor. Between the chimney and the sticky out bit you can see the remnants of the old wall, and how thick it was, that formed an old abandoned and derelict room at the side of the house.
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Post by sprite on Aug 7, 2013 10:19:33 GMT 2
i know this all represents a massive amount of time and money and that there are frustrations (will this &$^"$£ dust ever go away??) but it really does make me want to go out and do the same.
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Post by slowcoach on Aug 7, 2013 14:55:15 GMT 2
i know this all represents a massive amount of time and money and that there are frustrations (will this &$^"$£ dust ever go away??) but it really does make me want to go out and do the same.
sprite, I believe that quiet a few people have sufficient imagination to do this once in their lifetime. We have that one house that we want to build that would bring together key things we want in a home. Don't despair of it ever happening. Things have to fall into place and you need time and ways of doing things in a cost effective way. Spain has many advantages, it has lots of opportunities in the form of ruins and the cost of holding on to the property, rates/taxes, while the work is done are very low. Here's hoping katje's gets a agreement with current owner of her new house, I think she said that today's the today.
OK Mark thanks for explaining the the sticky-out bit. Now that I look, its outline is shown on the exterior plan as a restriction in path on the way to the head of the steps. I can't really make out the chimney, I will go back to the bit where you illustrate the fireplace from the inside and get back to you. It sounds like a bit of a challenge. I see the old wall, and know what you mean.
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Post by slowcoach on Aug 7, 2013 16:16:42 GMT 2
OK, I've got there! From first and second postings respectively: and reproducing the one above for convenience: Oooooh yes, you need a feature. I can't see a scar going up to the roof line, so was it a free standing stack? Well my first thought isn't to the point but presuming that the winds are predominantly from the west and that means towards your hill of dry grass and trees will you consider some sort of cinder catcher? I think, but am not sure that you can have some sort of device fitted between the grate and the bottom of the stack, perhaps one of our lovely log cabin in a forest people might know. Beyond that I would tempted to aim over the top of the toilet window and just to the front of the house side of the rear bathroom window and use a metal tubo with a cowl. Probably not the best solution but cheap, effective and a good delaying tactic until inspiration bites my bum.
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