Building Starts!
Design; check. Planning; check. Budget; check. Big Frecking Machinery; check.
My project manager mailed me to say that ground works would start on Monday the 15th January 2018. And they did. A gentleman called Rubens had been hired to bring his big Tonka Toy (read large caterpillar tracked digger) to the plot and start digging and excavating the land, along with a large truck to shift the spoil that could not be re-used, such as rocks and tree roots.
That'll be the Daewoo then. Bright funky orange Tonka Toy, Rubens must be proud of this because it is shiny and looks brand new. Here is the start of the work, making the parking spaces and bringing down the old wall.
Several tasks needed to be undertaken before construction could start proper. Provision needed to be made for the parking places at the front of the property (as mentioned before, a requirement of the local authorities), along with a footpath. This necessitated the removal of some trees.
For the trees to be removed, permission and a licence was required from the forestry authority. They had to inspect the trees and be responsible for their safe removal and subsequent 'processing'. So they where not wasted, a consolation at least. The permission came through surprisingly quickly, allowing the trees to be removed as required.
Also, the drive needed to be widened to allow safe access for the construction vehicles and materials. Widening the drive and providing the roadside parking meant removal of the existing retaining walls. Such a shame as they were old and had bags of character. But the replacements have been specified that should weather in easily, get a coating of moss and patina and most likely less likely to move over time.
For sure the drive needs to be wider - this shot shows that there is no way a delivery truck could make it down to the construction site. More wall and trees coming down. Once re-established though the little tree area should be really lush.
Even the orange beast finds the drive a tight fit to get in and do its job. No mini- diggers here though. I feel guilt that it is getting dirty.
Services need to be provided to the site, ahead of finishing the footpath and parking; water available within 15 meters (next doors was the nearest main), electricity within 10 meters (across the road) and whilst at it plumb in the phone / comms.
Meanwhile, the land needed to be levelled on several 'terraces' for want of a better word, since the property is to be built on a hill side (hence the need for a complex topographical survey, conducted earlier).
These trees look 'safe' for the moment. Here you can see the old ruin with some white paint on the stone. That marks where the front (road facing) side of the house will be. Much more digging to be done though to level the building area.
This 'terracing' needed to be undertaken with some forethought, since the plans and planning permission required the bulk of the house to be built over an existing ruin, whilst also bearing in mind that the house would be a minimum of 6 meters from the boundary of the land at the sides... lovely thing about this is that even neighbouring properties are a minimum of 12 meters apart... so detached means detached, unlike some so called detached properties you see in the UK.
Whilst mentioning this, it is worth mentioning that on one side I have a farm (but you still need 6 meters) and on the other side is a holiday home that is used occasionally. So no worries with being 'hemmed in' as is usual in the UK!
The neighbouring wall with the holiday home - it does not look pretty now that all the vegetation has been cleared - however, a coat of white and some re-establishment of some growth will soon have it looking good again. Imagine with shrubs and vines. A rocky mountain way indeed.
"There be a cow on my land". It is not mine. Get orf my land! Only joking, great stuff and keeps the grass short. Lovely view across the channel to Pico.
So this post is bringing us more or less up to date... more ground works to do.
Next Up ... I Dig It, Man.
