New larger bodega

The old narrow one that covered the well and wash area was not good protection and was badly made. Decided it was time to build a real one that can also work as a garage, cover for the trailer, keep the washing machine dry and be protection for the animals (sun and rain). Also stuccoed over the bricks on the back wall. Bodega will be 5x5 meters.

Beams are 4x4 palm and cross support pieces are 1x2 pine. They put up the cement pillar and beams a few weeks ago when doing more cement work. Thinking about putting a cement floor in but this is the last week so we'll see. I'm afraid I'll have to take out the bamboo as it is under one corner and will grow a lot with the rains. Sadly I have no place else to put it.

New palapa ramada

I've been threatening to put a palapa or lamina ramada over the ugly cement box in my yard that covers my cistern and finally decided to do it last week. They finished Saturday. These were friends of one of my cement workers and the total charge was 8000 pesos ($700us) including the wood frame and the palapa install. My guys put up the cement posts a few weeks ago using Sonotubes.

The project pretty much took over the whole yard so my cement guys took a break and helped the 'palaperos' from time to time. All the palms are nailed on rather than tied.  The crown has a piece of black plastic (1x5 meters) and then covered by palm fronds and tied down with wire.

After they left we gathered under the palapa, had a few 'cubas' (coke and tequila) followed by tacos de carne asada. Very satisfying day.

Palapas arrive

Starting on the first course

Getting near the peak

Starting on the other side with dad below

The boss putting on the crown

All finished

House projects

I posted this on my main blog but also added two more fotos here. They delivered most of the wood for the palapa today and will bring more and start the wood finishing tomorrow. Also all the marquesina forms are down and the finish work underneath has started.


I consider these finishing touches to a house that began very simple and not all that well planned. The largest is the awning (marquesina) along the house that will help keep rain away from doors and windows. Oscar is up there now filling the joints between the awning and the house that they had to cut out to attach it.

The second is a palapa over the ugly block of cement that covers the cistern in the middle of the yard. The four posts (castillos) are up and the palapa builder will be here next week to build the wood structure that sits on top. Gonna use the long palapas rather than the royal palm that is very much more expensive. He says with the right pitch and placed close together it should be good for 5 years. We'll see.

The third project is to replace a jury-rigged lamina roof that was over the outside wash and pump area. It will extend out 5 meters rather than the 1.5 meters of the old one. Will be much better protection for the area, equipment and can act as a partial garage. One column of the same type used above and two cement cross supports (vegas) that they just poured this morning.

Posts for palapa, house awning and lamina supports

New lamina supports for utility area

Soon to be covered with a palapa

Another view of the house awning

Palapa wood (madera)

Cement finishing

Just a house foto

Someone asked for a picture of the house so here it is. Pretty soon to be made a mess again with a new awning/roof along the side of the house. The new awning will be for shade and rain protection. The existing one is not wide enough. Still not sure if I want solid cement or wood that supports tiles or lamina. Will have to talk about cost and amount of disruption.

Lately I've been painting the kitchen and bought some cabinets from Home Depot. Gonna be a few weeks before they go up

Dos Marquesinas

The weather has been good, a little too hot actually. It has allowed the guys to stucco the inside of the roof wall an build two marquesinas (awnings) over windows and doors. The large awning below on the side of the house and a smaller one over two windows in front. I just finished painting them this last weekend.

Besides providing a little bit of shade the marquesina stops water from running down the wall and in the doors and windows. Typical Mexican construction usually the roof is extended for the overhang. Eventually I'm hoping to cover the walkway with a lamina roof tucked under the marquesina so I won't have to seal the lamina against the house.

The storm windows I made a few weeks ago work well and I guess I could have taken the plastic tarp off the door for the foto ... but what the heck. The tarp is to stop wind blown rain

Marquesina and storm windows

Front marquesina

Yard and pump house from above