Remodeling the SolCasa de RanaQuemada

After enjoying a rented casita in Santiago for six months, Stan and I hunted down the ideal fixer-upper in the same neighborhood. In August, 2007, we bought the house at Calle 2, #11 and started work.

Originally, about 25 years ago, this house was two casitas. Then, some unknown time later, the houses were joined together under one roof, which made for a little quirkiness, like windows in strange, indoor places.

We've logged our works, organized under these major headings (the dates indicate when the last update was logged).

Floor plan, including yards and additions through 2008, when our efforts languished

After taking a break for family stuff, we started Phase II of the project in May, 2011.  As you might have guessed from the list of work in-progress, Phase II took on a life of its own.  The original porch project planned early in the year blossomed to a second story by the end of the year.

Here's what we hoped to accomplish in Phase II:

• Install a glass sliding door in the back wall of the master bedroom
• Chip out bad concrete around rusted rebar (celings, walls and columns), treat and slop on new concrete
• Install fixtures and tile in the master bathroom
• Remove and replace the bedroom door
• Replace circuit breaker panel
• Install air conditioning

The bid was $45,000 pesos for the master suite. Air conditioning and electrical work was bid separately.

Phase IIb: Screened porch ... which grew into a second story

• Screen a porch along the back of the house approximately 12' X 30': including slab, tile roof and screened openings
• Replumb for washer and dryer on the porch, move hose bib outside of porch, and replumb the tinaco on the roof
• Remove hallway bathroom (bathroom #3)
• Break out walls and install two more sliding glass doors leading to the new porch, one at the end of the hallway and one in the other bedroom
• Install floor tile throughout the house and back porch
• Office, bedroom and bathroom built above the porch
• Palapa and outdoor living area in front of the upstairs addition on the existing roof.

Phase III: Carport, bodega and stairs

• Install front stairs to the 2nd level (maybe with an 8' X 12' bodega underneath)
• Cover the carport and remaining front patio with a tile roof
• Remove the existing roll-up garage door that leads into the living room and screen/glass-in the space
• Recycle the roll-up garage door (for the carport?)