About two weeks ago we had a torrential downpour. For a few days in a row, within a 20 minute slot, when it started to rain it didn't stop until every last drop in the cloud was squeezed. As you can imagine the ground around here is always rock hard, so all that excess water found every possible place to go. This was our turn to discover the perils of floods. As I waded through our soggy basement, I thanked the powers that be for flooding now before all our lovely floor was down [ever the optimist]. So after another site meeting we were told that the water was coming from under the ground and wasn't run off. Now I think I did mention the idea of bottling our spring [well] water and making a small fortune as the next best thing to Evian, but not with the spring under my lounge! Thankfully the engineer and constructor were already on the case and a solution has been found. Plastic. Now this really made Dave smile, as all along he's been carrying the torch for a good thick sheet of plastic to prevent moisture intrusion, and now his want will be reality. A tragedy narrowly averted.
Not only did our house flood, but so did our rental - twice! For some reason the rainwater [thank god that's all it was] decided to fill our bathroom too! I had my wellies on inside and out in May!
So back to the project. Antonio and Pedro have skimmed most of the upstairs walls. They look fantastic, really, really smooth. Chico and Rui are methodically rendering the outside walls. It is such a craft, I really appreciate the effort they are putting into it. Seeing those guys carefully smoothing the render as if icing a cake.
The windows are due in about a month, so before then the underfloor heating will be installed and then we [yes us!!] have to tile about 100 square metres of floor. This has to be done before the stairs or the kitchen can be put in.
I just can't believe there's only a couple of months to go x
I'm so sorry to hear about the flood, how stressful that must have been. Good though that you have solved and avoided future problems.
ReplyDeleteI am writing to ask you to pass along to Jose Capinha that his link no longer works. When you first posted it I went there and thought that he would be a wonderful resource. Phil and I will be in Portugal in 3 months and are hoping to find a home to buy. I would like to set up contacts to be ready just in case we find something, and someone to provide an expert eye on work and costs would be great. We will be looking primarily in Foz do Arelho and Nadadouro - so who knows, you may end up with Canadian neighbors (hope that thought is not too frightening). I welcome all advise and knowledge you care to share - I welcome a PM at anapedrosa@rogers.com - should you be open to further dialogue.
Good luck with the house - I imagine it will be done and you will be happily setting up your home by the time we are starting to look for ours.