A New Casa in 2017 - December Update - A Big Bump In The Road

I wrote previously about the sewer work that has been going on in our pueblo.  This got a lot more real this last week as the sewer work relates to our building project.

Our builder, Leo, has been trying to get a sewer hook up for the house since last spring.  He visits the water office here in town and is told the same answer.  "No hook ups available".  I never realized that we never had the permits to hook up to the sewer line that runs down our street.  He only had permits to hook up to the water supply.  One of those many important details I missed when looking at the paper work and having discussions in Spanish.

Lots of exterior finishing going on

So, he suggested as the property owner to go in and speak with the office staff at the water department.  The answer was still the same.  "No".  Until the sewer line improvements are complete there will be no new sewer line hook ups.  See related post HERE.  Approvals for permits may come available in January or February or even later.  SHIT!!  We have a house that has water, electricity but we cannot go to the bathroom or take a shower for who really knows how long?

Well, just as I was leaving the water department wondering what the hell we were going to do when we moved in to the first floor of the house at the end of the month my phone "dings" letting me know I had an email.  It was our landlord.  SHIT!  Expecting only bad news.  The last I heard from him he was planning on coming down over the holidays and setting up some work to be done on the house we rent from him.  I got some good news in that email.  He let me know that he was going to be busy with business until the end of January and if we would like to stay in the house one more month we were welcome to do so.

With no windows, no doors, no stairs and no sewer connection we were happy to take him up on his offer and be sure we were in a good place until the end of January.  Whew.  We were all disappointed not to be moving into our new place but it was the best option considering all the things that still needed to be done.

Apartment built in bed

Trace's room subfloor

 Work on the apartment level continues and it has been primed.  The built in couches, bed and kitchen have bee, installed, cushions ordered and we still wait for the final concrete coat for the floor.  The upper level walls are finished and ready for paint and several of the rooms are receiving their 4cm thick concrete subfloors.

The front yard has been busy this week with lots of excavation and the beginnings of the garden, bodegas and the front spiral stairs.  Lots going outside but not much really on the inside.

Future bodega

Front garden and stairs taking shape

We are certainly thankful that the crew isn't taking an extended holiday as Christmas time approaches.  It isn't out of the ordinary for construction crews to be scarce for a couple weeks.  Not the case with our crew.  They will keep moving forward for the most part.

What to do about the sewer situation?  We have some solutions but will get into those in another post.  We have essentially 6 weeks to figure it out.