Building a House in Roatan

 The house is moving along.  The cistern is now finished.  They put a cement top on it.  The beginning of the framing is starting.  So excited to see it progress this fast.

 Our cistern is 8 X 7l X 12 which will hold approximately 5,000 gallons of water.  Double the size was recommended, but I didn't measure this one before my builder was done.  Thankfully it's just the two of us and hopefully we won't have to buy water, but there is a truck that will deliver water if we run out in the dry season.  They are pouring the cement top today.  

 Can't believe it.  Stopped by today and yesterday they had started on the beams.  I'm so excited!

The posts are all done and the cistern is missing the top.  Next week starts the real construction!

 We had to go back to the USA for our Visa so we were gone for a week.  Came back and presto!  The cistern is half done and the wood is drying!  Progress. Electric- the previous owner promised to put in a large electric box for 5 adjoining lots.  He didn't get it done so he put in a temporary electric pole and ran some lines to our shed.  So to get power turned on, I had to go to RECO, have their people come out and inspect the pole, then you have to pay for the meter, sign some papers and they finally come over and turn on the power.  So we finally got it all done on Thursday after we got back.  In the mean time - the cheapest place to rent generators is at a place next to Puerto Cortes - just east of Snappers.  It was $24 a day, but they only take cash. Another thing about Honduras - the wood gets shipped wet???  When it arrives at the building site you have to let it dry for 3 weeks.  Hence the wood TeePees.

 The last two days they have been laying down the foundation for the cistern.

 I forgot to mention RECO.  That is the only electric company here on Roatan.  Unless you want to go off grid, you are stuck.   Yesterday I went to the office with a copy of the sale of the lot and also my passport.  It will cost $800 Limperas ($320 USD) to install the meter on the electric pole the electrician added.   First they have to come out and inspect the  lot - which they did today.  Then you have to pay for the work and the meter should be installed in the next couple of days.  Unfortunately I'm going to be on vacation, but my contractor said he can go in and pay, I already sent him the money. Today the backhoe came again and dug the hole for the cistern and a trench for the retaining wall.  Most backhoe operators charge $60 an hour here on Roatan.   He put in 3 hours yesterday afternoon and another 6 hours today.  We  also had the debris removal trucks in today and take 3 loads of stumps.  Th...

 Saturday the guys started on digging the foundation post holes.  I'm having concrete posts under the house.  Concrete is more stable than wood posts.   Today the backhoe was there to dig out the cistern/catchment tank.  There is no city water available on the island and you can either have well water or rain water.  We are going with the rain water.  The gutters for the house will collect the rain and deposit it into the cistern for our use.  Later I will be buying a purification system. Also we ordered the wood for the house.  Here the wood has to dry out and that takes about 3 weeks.  We ordered the wood today and it should be delivered tomorrow.  I'm pretty sure it's the wood for the frame and siding only.  It cost just under $7,000.00

 I bought a barrel to catch the rain from the shed water and the guys were nice enough to build me a little stand.  Now I just have to hook up the gutter.  

 Since the lot is sloped the house will be on Post and Pier.  The posts will be cement because it is more stable.  The builders have put in temporary posts outside of the dimensions of my house.  Next they will put strings from one side to the other to line everything up since I will be having cement posts every 9 or 7 feet across.  I didn't think this would start happening until next week, so I'm very excited.  Tomorrow I'm buying the wood for the forms and 400 lbs of cement!

 My new shed is ready to go!  Window and all.  According to my builder the best place to buy windows is right on the west side of Technos in Dixon Cove.  I got a nice 2' x 2' window with a slider and screen for $80.  For my house he says it will be 2 weeks from when I order them.

 Today was the start of the storage shed so we can order cement for the foundation and have it safe!  The cement was poured.  Tomorrow the shed will be ready to go.  I was hoping the backhoe would be back this morning to load up the last couple of stumps.  It rained last night so I was worried that our dirt would be washed down the driveway, but thankfully it wasn't.