house projects

podborski says on May 8, 2007, 05:52:

or if anyone is thinking of doing it and has questions, I'm happy to share my experiences, good and bad, dealing with architects, bricklayers (who don't like to work, even inside, when it rains) and building permits.

My experience is in Argentina, but I am sure 90% of it applies to Colombia as well.

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podborski says on May 8, 2007, 06:22:

photo of my project in Palermo Soho, Buenos Aires

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billyb says on May 8, 2007, 06:28:

Pod, I like the facade.... do you have anymore pics? Cool cobblestones, do you have any pics of the street panorama? Is this the hotel you mentioned in another thread?

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podborski says on May 8, 2007, 06:33:

how to build a new foundation in an old house

1) hire two skinny young guys to dig out, by hand, a massive amount of soil. They haul it up by bucket and rope and carry it out to the volquete. It's 35 degrees C and very, very humid.

2) Dig out (one strip only, maybe 20%) under the existing walls/foundation and build a brick wall which will be covered with 'hydrofugo' waterproofing material.

3) Build a form for the strip of wall and floor and jam it full of rebar

4) Pour the concrete which has been treated with waterproofing chemical called sika

5)repeat steps 2, 3 and 4, five times, remembering to paint the edges of the old concrete with special epoxy to help it join the new stuff

6) Build forms and fill with rebar ('troncos') for the supporting beams ('vigas') under the existing wall and on top of the new walls you just built below.

7) wait 21 days and take off all the forms

8) Most important step: have an asado to celebrate the end of a big job

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podborski says on May 8, 2007, 06:44:

I don't have many of the street, but here's one of the roofers arriving that gives you an idea.

Yeah, this is what I am turning into a boutique hotel.

Since I have had to completely gut the place and rebuild it, (basically I have built a new house inside an old shell), I joke with the architects that I paid a LOT of money for just a facade, and it's really the truth.

It would be cheaper, faster and easier to build from scratch on an empty lot, but then you lose the charm, I think.

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podborski says on May 8, 2007, 06:49:

going to put on a sloping metal (zinc) roof like in Paris, since the house is french neo-classical style (so I am told).

Rubito can stay in this room when it's done. It will have a walkout (through huge arched wooden doors) to a smallish balcony with a nice view, but not as nice as the one from the rooftop terrace.

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podborski says on May 8, 2007, 07:01:

the asado tradition After every big task is completed the tradition is to have an asado which the owner (me) pays for. Costs me $15 to $20 to buy the carne, chorizo, pan and orange pop for 10 to 13 workmen (and me).

It's a surprisingly good motivator. Before each big job I promise an asado if we finish on time. The guys practically jump up to go to work.

They use scraps of wood from the site for the fire, and massive amounts of salt. Asado is actually this cut of meat, beef ribs basically.

Tastes amazing.

Anyone know if there is a similar tradition in Colombia?

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podborski says on May 8, 2007, 08:48:

happy to talk to you ken I love Colombia and hope to do a project there some day, but for now I chose BsAs as this is where the tourists are, ones willing to spend $100 to $200 USD a night for a room.

pod

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dibbs says on May 8, 2007, 17:47:

Ken and Pod i totally agree with both your arguments, Argentina's economic growth last year was more than twice that of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay and grew 8.5% so real estate market is growing strongly spurred by commercial and residential demand due largely by foreign investors who are trying to buy low, which means right now in terms of real estate the place to invest will be Argentina, because Cartagena is too expensive, Medellin and Barranquilla even Bogotá people tend to buy properties towards the outskirts of the city.
i will recommend for Colombia right now the best thing to invest in is in their stock market, in the last 25 months i have made a 250% killing, way more than i did in Real Estate.
The acceleration of foreign reserve accumulation has led the central bank in Colombia to keep the peso,well below fair value - with heavy foreign reserve purchases. i know you might argue that the economy in Colombia is only projected to grow to 4.5% this year, but trust me on this one!!

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mecca says on May 8, 2007, 17:54:

edited.
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fugdis says on May 8, 2007, 22:19:

House in Cali I'm doing a major refurb on an old house in Cali and its turned into a real headf***. I'll be glad when the bloody things finished and I can sell it.
Dealing with builders,services and any red tape is not good for the blood pressure.Its amazing how so many,so called professionals can give bad or completely wrong information.
Having to send Mrs fugdis in to get any quotes or prices to avoid the gringo tax is also a pain in the arse.

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dibbs says on May 8, 2007, 23:42:

No Mecca, I'm not Colombian although sometimes i wish i was.
A trading account is very tricky and hard to get if you do not have a full time job in Colombia, i would say almost impossible,but if you do manage to get one there's a minimum investment of $10 000 000, the commission is very minimal, the bad part is you never get to trade your own stocks, it's all done through your account manager/portfolio manager, in my case my account manager is my brother in law, so basically it's in his name.

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podborski says on May 9, 2007, 06:08:

I can relate fugdis I sometimes wonder if I am just paranoid? Or are they all really out to f# at * me?

I hate to be the guy who mistrusts everyone, and has to watch their every move, has to question everything, but it is the only way to do it.

Recently the architects were getting quotes on bath faucets and all that stuff. I have 9 bathrooms, it's a decent bit of change. They gave me 3 'presupuestos'from different firms. I walked 6 blocks and into the first plumbing supply store I saw and got a quote about 8% lower, significant. And I'm clearly a gringo.

So I go back with my quote, and lo and behold don't the architects go back to 'their' supplier and get a slightly better deal than mine.

So you tell me what's going on.

I know very little about construction methods using solid brick and concrete walls, not to mention 1 foot thick floors. In Canada it's all wood, maybe a brick facade that is not structural.

So in the beginning when I saw the guys doing something that struck me as odd, I'd bite my tongue and wait and see if there turned out to be a reason for it, and sometimes there was. But more often than not, I found out it was either a mistake, a lack of planning or coordination between the trades, or just plain stupiditý.

Now I question EVERYTHING, 2 or 3 times, and I make them do it my way when I don't hear a really good answer as to why, for example, they are pouring cement right where the plumber wants to lay some pipe.

It's amazing how many times my questions of 'why are we doing it that way?' are met with blank stares, maybe a 'we always do it this way' answer.

I'm finally hearing a lot more 'tenés razon' instead of the oh too common 'tenia razon'.

Speaking of which, I better get my ass back over there, to see what trouble they are into now.

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mecca says on May 9, 2007, 08:05:

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Tinto (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on May 9, 2007, 08:10:

You should have hired a budding documentarian (is that a word?) to create a "THIS OLD HOUSE" TV show in Argentina.



;-)

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mecca says on May 9, 2007, 08:17:

Thanks dibbs Ive never tried a trading account. I've just been told not it's a mess for a gringo without being a citizen. If you've got family you trust, that's the best way.. Good going!!

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miamimike says on May 9, 2007, 12:03:

Vertical Surface Angles not the only area to look at in Marble or ceramic tile work. You need to make sure they prepped the concrete floor below by insuring it is more or less flat(leveling coat of concrete-self levelng type) before they apply the actual cement that bonds the Tile. If you don't do this you will end up with a lot of "Honeycombs"(known as juecos )which in reality are Airpockets trapped below the tile. You can check for their prescence by tapping on the tile with a light wood mallet or a small wood dowel a few feet long so you don't have to bend over for the tapping.WHat you are looking for is a Hollow echo type of sound as you tap; if its present this is the sign of a bad job and if not corrected, in time these tiles will loosen up or crack from the weight of foot traffic or when someone rolls a cargo dolly cart with a heavy load on it. These Tiles with Air pockets underneath will crack like Soda crackers when a heavy load is placed on top of it! Its common here in Miami-we had our condo hallways tiled a few years ago and on a few floors, I found over 150 Tiles on a couple floors that were honeycombed and they(tilelayers) had to chip them back up and replace them all. Evidently they never heard of stretching a Chalk Line across the floor run to check for low spots. This type of Shoddy Work can also cause huge sections of Flat Tile work to come up in large Blister like areas 3-5 feet in diameter!
Podborski-you have a lot of courage to undertake a Job of this magnitude without a lot of Construction experience. In another country to boot-can't you find a retired Carpenter or General Builder/Inspector who could help you oversee the construction and check on these guys?? Someone who is familiar with local building practices. Pay the guy to do a couple of visits daily to make sure they are using a chalkline and a Square when they should be because, in many instances, you may not discover the damage(shortcuts, lack of correct drainage Pitch, walls are plumb ect) poor work like I desribed with the Tile work)until after the Job is finished and the workers long gone. In the case of the tile work I desribed, you may not discover these Honeycombs until the concrete cures out(mositure completely gone)or when the building experiences a drastic change in reletive humidity. Poor workmanship may not manifest itself for months or years down the road! I see an extension of this Poor workmanship here in Miami daily but thank God we have Building Inspectors who check on the job at various stages of construction~! Even then they pull off lots of crappy subpar workmanship! Its unbelieveable what I see here in Miami! Caveat Emptor

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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miamimike says on May 9, 2007, 12:21:

Podborski, if you are present before they start pouring those 1 foot Concrete floors, make sure the have pounded in Grade Stakes evey 6-8 feet. The idea of gradestakes to be able to stretch a string line across the tops of the grade stakes from side to side of the floor forms from the chalkline marks on the walls to be poured to ensure a level floor at all points and to make sure you have correct pitch for proper drainage(if one is outside and called for). The idea is that the concrete workers(masons)use a an 6 foot 2x4(or a 1x3) piece of wood (known as a screed) which they float over and between two gradestakes to make sure concrete is level below these areas. When this is not done, you may end up with "Birdbaths" which are low spots that allow water to accumulate instead of draining off. Lack of gradestakes to insure a level floor also complicates the laying of tile, terrazo or wood floors at a later date. You may end up with these Honeycombs! They(workers) may claim they can "Eye it Up" but I wouldn't trust that method! Caveat emptor,,,

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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Cerealkiller says on May 9, 2007, 12:30:

Pod, that looks like a really exciting project. How many rooms will you have? What additional services are you planning on offering? Itd be cool if you kept posting about yor project, i love learning about things of the sort. I might even stay at your hotel when in Bs.As :)

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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mecca says on May 9, 2007, 13:08:

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on May 9, 2007, 13:11:

I'm reading you, fudgis.... when are you going to be ready with the house?

Cheers,
Desi

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe
they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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miamimike says on May 9, 2007, 13:48:

Mecca, you may want to try Google as they have a Lot of super good tips on about any type of construction you are planning. Google "Concrete laying tips" and "Tile settings tips" Nowdays they also are big into the Do it yourself construction Videos and these may not be a bad idea as they aren't super expensive considering they alert you to what to watch for even if you aren't doing the Job yourself. Here is one from Bob Vila(ex host of PBS "This Old House")on concrete, nice he uses a New Laser Leveler(when I finished concrete in heavy construction in the 70s, we didn't have that luxury!) : http://www.bobvila.com/BVTV/HomeAgain/Episode-1016.html


Tile setting: http://www.floorstransformed.com/

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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mecca says on May 9, 2007, 13:59:

Thanks again Mike I looked at bob vila's page and will keep looking at tile setting tips. In the second link you sent there's some vid's. Thanks again.

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podborski says on May 9, 2007, 14:51:

Obviously this is my dream project And I waited (and saved) a long time to be able to do it. I am quite excited about it (as you can probably tell), especially now that it is getting down to the fun part: decor, furnishing, etc.

I have been taking tons of photos, and I started a blog, but have not had time to keep it updated. But I keep meaning too. I might write Taunton press to see if they would be interested in doing an article in their 'Fine Homebuilding' magazine (which is great for those who don't know about it. Their website too has a chat forum, very useful info).

I will have 6 rooms in the end, 1 is a large 2 room suite, 1 a suite with a private terrace and a clawfoot bathtub outside the bathroom (and a shower inside), and 4 small to normal sized rooms.

The rooms on the top floor will have 4 meter high cathedral ceilings and big walkouts to private balconies.

I also have a roof terrace where I will put a wooden deck, maybe a parilla or fireplace, and a 5 to 6 person Jacuzzi.

The ground floor will be a wine bar/café, and it has a smallish kitchen and a outside patio that is quite big.

The wine cellar will be 2 rooms, one of which will have a bar, maybe a long table with stools on both sides. Very romantic cerealkiller, I think you'd like it.

And of course, generous discounts to all.

(to give you an idea, my competitors in this area charge $100 to $200 USD a night. I am not sure yet what I will charge. The bargains will be when I first open, August I believe).

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podborski says on May 9, 2007, 14:58:

amazing how much better the tile looks when it is mitered correctly mecca.

keep after them...

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podborski says on May 9, 2007, 15:06:

The way it works here (and in Col too?) is the architect is also the general contractor more or less. You pay him to oversee the workers, all day, every day. So I am not even supposed to have to be around.

It just happens that I am losing faith in my architects (a team of 3) as they don't seem to want to stay on top of things all the time. I fight with them constantly.

Today the roofers were welding the bricklayers' wheelbarrows for 2 hours, I just about had a stroke, as waiting for this goddam roof has delayed us a month and a half. But I followed protocol and just called the awol architect and said he better get over here and get these guys back on the roof.

So the architect shows up and sorts it out, then tries to tell me I need to give him ¨room to breathe¨, his exact words.

Fuck that, I told him if he wasn't going to watch the guys then I bloody well will, and he's going to get an earful everytime they screw up.

It kills me that after this kind of crap the architect tries to make it like I am the one in the wrong. Bastards. I'm on to them!

So the only other thing I can do, and I have thought about it, is hire ANOTHER architect to oversee these guys.

But where do you stop? And how much does it cost?

Nothing is easy...

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podborski says on May 9, 2007, 15:14:

cement floors- m mike I hear what you are saying mike, but hee is the way they do it here:

1) rebar over bare earth, no gravel, then pour about 6 inches of concrete, more or less level, but not really. This is 'la losa'

2) next comes the 'contrapiso', about 3 to 5 inches of rubble mixed with concrete, filler really, that they level a bit better and slope in the general direction of the drains. If you don't watch carefully, they will throw in broken bottles, wire, mate grounds and whatever else is lying around.

3) then comes 'la carpeta', a 1 to 2 cm layer of cement that they level carefully, strings, levels, slopes etc. They might imbed strips of wood if they are going to lay wooden floors later

4) then they paint the carpeta with some kind of epoxy

5) then comes the wood floor or mortar and tiles. I have not reached that point yet. But I'll watch them really carefully. Thanks for the tips on what to watch for.

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podborski says on May 9, 2007, 15:23:

not only do I know nothing about construction I also know nothing about running a hotel, restaurant or bar.

Wish me luck.

Also, I need a name. I have struggled for months for the right name, and have not yet got it. It's getting down to the wire and I am going to ' settle' on one that I like, but it isn't perfect.

Free weekend stay to anyone who gets me a name :)

Ones I thought of and rejected or couldn't register: chateau, montrachet, burgundy, vintage. I like the idea of something french (the building is a french style, which I will keep) and related to wine.

Hard to find something that is not too pretentious or formal, but conveys a bit of luxury too.

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poco says on May 9, 2007, 15:32:

Everyday You've got to watch them every day or expect rework.

I furnished a set of drawings for custom cabinet work. This is one of many.



The final product was within 1 cm. Told them I'd accept responsibility for problems with drawings and they needed to rework any mistakes that WERE NOT according to drawings or specifications. I visited them two or three times a week and saved them some rework.

Final product.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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pedro (☼Travelguide writer) says on May 9, 2007, 15:55:

Ctg Bound says on May 9, 2007, 16:01:

pedro I was thinking along the lines of your second choice as well.

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pedro (☼Travelguide writer) says on May 9, 2007, 16:37:

miamimike says on May 9, 2007, 16:37:

Podborski I never saw any Concrete poured that way at least up North where I used to work construction. I am in Awe, really reading that description of the various levels of 'Crete and materials used for "Fill". All that various fill described weakens concrete as its rarely uniform and offers no consistency. Unless its all been cleaned, it also contaminates the concrete. Also, here in the USA, they would never have one layer of concrete applied cold over another layer as this would be a "Cold Joint" and not near as strong or watertight as Concrete poured in one continous pour from start to finish. Same for Vertical concrete walls-thats why you see all those 4x8 plywood wall forms all formed&re-inforced and ready, rebar in place and then the entire 4 walls are poured on one continous pour. On the rebar, it should be, more or less,in the middle of the concrete for maximum strength/effect. We always propped it up 2 inches off the floor with cracked bricks or on a large commercal floor pour, laborers with Hooks would lift it up and let it settle back down above fresh concrete as we moved backwards rodding off the excess concrete. Strange no gravel is placed over the compacted earth for drainage before the concrete is poured. Wow That is quite a process they have in Argentina but hey if it works but who is to say...Still I believe I would find a Independent Type of retired inspector or builder to check up on their work from time to time.

Poco-that is a Nice Looking Kitchen-what kind of Final Finish Coat is applied over the Wood? Urethane?

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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mecca says on May 9, 2007, 18:13:

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billyb says on May 9, 2007, 19:59:

I'ts already taken in France, but the owner lost her head.. how about Le Petit Trianon?

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fugdis says on May 9, 2007, 20:03:

time Desi they reckon another 3 months and it will be finished.
Mecca we also decided to do away with the architect and went with a maestro.I think we were lucky and got a good one recommended by a nice lady on cblog.
You do have to go every day to make sure things are ok and there are no problems.
Next week i am gonna get my old workboots out of retirement and get stuck in with them,try and hurry it up a bit.

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mecca says on May 9, 2007, 22:17:

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mecca says on May 9, 2007, 22:26:

duplicate

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 01:19:

you know how difficult architects are now imagine porteno architects...

Wish I had known about the maestro, as I would have gone that route. I was reluctant to hire architects as I knew exactly what I wanted.

However, I will say they have done a truckload of paperwork that the trade unions and the gov't requires (health insurance and documents for every worker on site, and they change quite often).

But the drawings are the important thing, and I could have had a good draftsmen do them up in half the time I bet.

I'll know better when I do the next one in Zona Rosa : )

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 01:30:

thanks for the name suggestions they are as good as any that my hired expert has come up with... But I don't think 'the pod' would do it, jaja, but maybe it would considering my competition is the BoBo??

I met a really interesting guy here (another reason I like to travel, so many interesting people around), another canuck, who is an expert in domain names. At one point he owned more domain names than anyone else on earth (over 30,000) and he was sued over 100 times for being a 'cybersquatter', perhaps the very first.

He lost a landmark case against a very big US company (you can google him and find all this out, like I did), and thus lost his business and everything else. Now he is here in BsAs starting over.

Annnyway, his advice is to use a very friendly name (like the BoBo) and be sure that it means a lot to ME, preferably my own name. Also it's better to use names with a first letter at the beginning of the alphabet (I don't know why). (The best domain name he had at one time? Nudity.com, jaja!)

Hmmm, I'll have some things to think on tonight. Thanks pedro, CK, billyb and Tinto. All good ideas.

I actually was considering 'Trianon' and another name with Le petit in it, billyb, but being a straight guy I just don't know, lol.

Probably I should think about the fact 50% of my guests are likely to be gay, but the name I am leaning towards is totally different to what I was originally looking for. It's more HIP Hotel trendy.

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 01:41:

look forward to your visit mecca and I was thinking about the umbrella, that's a good idea to have the base embedded. It's both bloody hot and bloody windy here most of the time.

The top floor rooms will be the best ones for sure. And they seem a lot higher than 12 feet, but that's what the plans say.

Now inside the cathedral ceiling I need to decide soon on: stained wood (natural colour), painted wood (white or off white) or durlock (drywall).

I don't know how a lighter or darker ceiling affects a room. Any design experts out there who have an opinion?

(The floors will be natural stained wood.)

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billyb says on May 10, 2007, 06:44:

Pod, what I want to know is, if you use Trianon... do I still get the comp weekend ;)

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mecca says on May 10, 2007, 07:56:

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mecca says on May 10, 2007, 08:56:

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fugdis says on May 10, 2007, 09:14:

mecca Mecca,Tried to pm you,but you got it turned off

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 09:21:

whew! thanks mecca for all the good advice.

First, I am going with a classic style, not modern or minimalist (I think minimalism is over done now). Since my target market is foreign tourists, I'm pretty sure they would want to stay in a place that has the look and feel of a big old Buenos Aires mansion.

But I am NOT going to do dark and heavy, or formal. I have been cutting pics out of magazines for a year and half now, and trying to explain my ideas to the architects, and they just don't get it.

So I think I will do it myself, perhaps with the help of a new friend who has some experience in design.

I will definitely try some painting techniques on the walls, but I don't want to go overboard there. However, a wine bar is not the same as a house, so I think I can be a bit more out there than I would in my own house.

Do you know if they can add some colour directly to the yeso (plaster)? Or if they can maybe texture it a bit? I have not yet hired the yeso guy, but need to soon.

I will have a huge central air and heat system, my single biggest expense I think. You really need air in BsAs, it is very hot and very humid. I just didn't want to have an AC unit in every room. But i will definitely think more about using some ceiling fans.

Lighting is a big deal for me, I plan to blow my budget there.

But what I am wondering, since I will almost certainly come very close to using all my cash and dipping into a line of credit, is can I install some cheaper fixtures now and update them later when I have some income? Or do I just bite the bullet now?

faucets: They arrived today. Another big item for me. They were EXPENSIVE. But gorgeous and very well made. everyone told me only 1 manufacturer to use: fv. I went to the huge barugel azulay store and looked at about 300 faucets, I only liked 1. The most expensive. Story of my life. I did manage to get them at a good discount from another store.

I didn't know cedro was cedar? cedar in canada is very lightweight and very expensive, great for outdoor use.

I am matching the original wooden windows (which I have had restored) and cedro is what the carpenter is using. The first huge french door arrived it weighs like 300 pounds, it takes 4 guys to lift it. Not like any cedar i know of! I guess it is the heavy glass that weighs so much.

hardware is another story. I have never seen as good quality hardware as they have here. Some is off the charts expensive, but not all. You can imagine in a city where a lot of big buildings have 15 to 18 foot tall doors, the hardware they use is huge, well made and, well, impressive.

I am again going to restore the hardware I have, and try to match it. I did cheap out a bit here and did NOT go for all bronze, which was like $10,000 extra.

Think I might have a photo of the carpenter restoring the windows in his little shop. let me go see...and thanks again for all the advice, very much appreciated.

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 09:31:

original window

I'm having the carpenter replace all the panes of glass with thicker, beveled glass, to help reduce noise and because I wanted beveled glass!

The stain has been stripped off of course, but the original colour is a beautiful golden tone. I sure hope we can get it back exactly to original.

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mecca says on May 10, 2007, 09:35:

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mecca says on May 10, 2007, 09:41:

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 09:48:

I was planning on crown molding And I have tried to keep as much of the original as possible, but I will rethink that. The ducts are in place now, so I can take a look and see if I think it will be unsightly.

The workers will wonder (again) why I am standing around for hours staring at the walls with my chin in my hand : )

I'll also put some serious thought into the lighting, you're right, I need a ton of it. Prices here are almost exactly what they are in Colombia for these things, but some good imports are cheaper than in Col I have found. A FEW things locally made are good quality and much more reasonable.

I think the smart thing to do would be to go with the recessed cans as you say, and then splurge on one or two really great chandeliers for the entrance/bar area.

I saw a pair of amazing chandeliers at a shop in montevideo..only $6,000 USD the pair, jaja! I think that was the gringo price, but they were pretty amazing...

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mecca says on May 10, 2007, 10:01:

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 10:04:

can't find a pic of the door But here is the arch it fits into. It will open onto a metal balcony.

I think you can see how big it is. The front room has an even wider doorway, I think it's 2m wide.

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 10:12:

the ac ducts are confined to the center of the building, thank god, and so there I will have dropped ceilings, using the pot lights will be easy. Some rooms on the 1st floor need to have dropped ceilings, but most do not.

Yes, it is all concrete here (the old walls were all brick, but I built all new reinforced concrete columns, beams, floors and ceilings.

From what I saw in bogotá, it is exactly the same method of construction.

I noticed as we demolished the old floors and replaced them, the materials and layers were exactly the same, so no change in methods for 100 years anyway.

Not sure if that's a good or bad thing?

I'm looking forward to building the rooftop deck myself, maybe with help from a friend from home, that's work I have done before.

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mecca says on May 10, 2007, 10:20:

edited
edited

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pedro (☼Travelguide writer) says on May 10, 2007, 10:47:

mecca says on May 10, 2007, 10:52:

edited
edited

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 11:59:

enough about me, what are you doing mecca with a 6500 sq ft place in cali? Having a great time I imagine...I think I should be coming to visit YOU.

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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 12:05:

actually, this made me think of the difference between colombianas and argentinas.

When I finally spilled the beans about having a hotel to a very attractive colombiana I had been dating, she literally squealed my name in excitement and didn't let me out of her sight for the next week, night and day, if you know what I mean.

Then I was at a tv commercial wrap party here in BsAs and was left chatting to a so-so looking girl who was a driver for the production company. She asked what I was doing here and when I told her she practically sneered at me saying 'Don't you know EVERYONE is doing that??!!' and turned and stalked off.

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mecca says on May 10, 2007, 12:12:

edited
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podborski says on May 10, 2007, 13:43:

I'm going to need an escape from the stress mecca I think, and what you describe sounds like paradise to me!

A while back TACA had really cheap flights BsAs-Col, I wonder if they are still available?

My place will have been a year and a half from first conception to finish, about a year of construction, not bad really.

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podborski says on May 24, 2007, 13:17:

a little update the roof is going on, finally. That's just the rough sheathing you can see in the photo. I've decided to go with drywall on the inside (as opposed to natural or painted wood planks).



Also the new balconies have been installed, just need to be painted.

next step: windows and doors.

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on May 24, 2007, 13:45:

Love the progress! Love the photos showing progress. It looks like it'll be a great place when completed. I hope to be able to visit when I'm in BA in Dec. Your hard work and devotion to your project is evident.

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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podborski says on May 24, 2007, 16:51:

thanks hg Sometimes I really am working hard, like I personally stained every single piece of wood on that roof, it took me 2 days.

But sometimes I let the experts do it and I spend my time with my PBH pals, sitting in some nice outdoor café!

Look forward to seeing you. My (realistic) target inauguration date is September 1, so I hope to be running smoothly by december.

I interviewed a young local interior designer today. She's right out of school, but I think I'll take a chance on her. I like the idea of someone being excited at the opportunity. I'm thinking creativity is more important than experience in this area (unlike say, the area of plastering a wall)?

I also met with the neighbour whose courtyard can be seen from the back balconies. He's a very well known photographer, and his house is very cool, like you would expect an artist to have.

Anyway, he has amazing black and white photos of argentine scenery, people, flowers (he's done big coffee table books on Patagonia and the North) and I told him I want to use his photos in the hotel, so he's going to give me a private viewing of his work in a few weeks. (Hope I can afford his stuff?!)

I love the idea of not only using argentine artwork, but of an artist who lives right there.

This is much more fun than working in a big bank.

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 24, 2007, 17:14:

wassup with all those edited posts of meccas? is he still here? Just my opinion...

Miguel_Clavo =)..aka, DragonSlayer..2-0..Colombia es pasión!

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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mecca says on May 24, 2007, 18:02:

Looking good pod that machimbre looks good from inside. With the steel supports, are they going to dry wall inside. I like the look of the machimbre. ALOT...!! You could cover the metal supports to look like beams.

MC, just being cautious keeping the information to a minimum, my places are not for rent or commercial usages so no need to promote them. Lots of nuts en la red, tu sabes senor.

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on May 24, 2007, 20:27:

Artwork Rather than buying his photos, why don't you ask if you could sell his photos? Display them as art with little price tags for tourists to buy. If they're Argentine scenery, my guess is that tourists would probably buy a few pieces of places they've visited. Maybe you could even work out a commission. You may even want to mix it up with pieces from other artists. Again, see if they would be interested in lending you pieces to sell.

Eventually when cash flow improves you could buy some pieces for your permanent collection. When it comes to art, just buy what you love and you'll never get tired of them.

Good luck with the interior designer. Appearance is everything in the hotel biz so it's critical you the design matches the structure. I hope my BA trip doesn't get canceled b/c I'd love to see the end product.

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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mecca says on May 25, 2007, 02:17:

good point houstongal pod, i've got a guy from poland that during the cold war was responsible for painting replicas for a museum. They would store the origionals in safe places and display replicas. He is excellent, you can pick your piece, he will duplicate it, actually to the faults in the origional. He does them in oil and you can roll them into tubes and ship down. Not super cheap, but excellent work and you may want to pick say 1 piece for center attention.

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Brians says on May 25, 2007, 05:30:

Pod great project!! I don't know how I missed this before. I think the place looks great. You mentioned how much you over paid for the facade but man it looks beautiful. Keep posting as I really enjoy watching this project progress.

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podborski says on May 25, 2007, 07:14:

thanks for all the advice HG, about the artwork/photos, I was thinking a bit along those lines, I think it's a very good idea, but as usual I kind of spoke before putting my brain in gear and so I'll have to think about how I'll change my approach with the neighbour.

Mecca, I know what you mean, but that machimbre is pretty poor quality. Plus I need to insulate (more for sound than anything else).

But I could put higher quality wood on the inside instead of durlock. However, since I will have wooden floors, I just think it will be too much wood.

I also like the idea of having metal beams showing, and I personally like galvanized metal, but I might do a little cast iron or something after the durlock goes on...we'll see...

I also LOVE the idea of buying reproduction artwork. Obviously I won't be having any real Renoirs hanging around. I am just getting into that stage, so I'd be interested in his contact info mecca, if you can pm me?

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podborski says on May 25, 2007, 07:18:

thanks Brian I didn't really mean I overpaid, just that I have replaced everything BUT the facade, so I paid a lot for just that one wall! Of course the facade is what attracted me to this building.

There are amazing facades all over this city. You see lion's heads, cherubs, people's faces, etc. I'll post some pics of those sometime.

I'll be restoring the facade too of course, and lighting it properly.

A big decision will be do I leave the facade a natural sand colour or paint it something vibrant?

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Brians says on May 25, 2007, 07:21:

I really like the natural sand color lighting can really change the appearance without making such a dramatic decision as painting.

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podborski says on May 25, 2007, 07:29:

that's my intention at this point I'm going with natural wood, natural colours of plaster, brick, metal.

Maybe I'll call the place 'au natural', jeje.

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mecca says on May 25, 2007, 07:56:

hey pod, curious. What do they put outside the machimbre in argentina? From outside in. Turney, then thermo-acoustica, then machimbre. Then, ? before the drywall. More insulation?

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podborski says on May 25, 2007, 09:31:

not sure what Turney is? If I understand them right, it'll be the metal roof (chapa), some kind of membrane that maybe is the thermo acoustica but I have heard them use that name and another one I can't recall, then you have felt paper, machimbre, and on the inside more insulation.

Questions for you: 1) I have been bugging them about ventilation. They say it is never used here. Where I am from if you don't ventilate a roof properly you knock 10 or 15 years off the life. In your experience do they put in vents at the eaves and peak?

2) what insulation is best for inside? We're looking at the spray on stuff?

(BTW, one thing the drywallers are doing that I really like is putting on DOUBLE layers of durlock, plus proper sound insulation in between. Apparently that is how the best hotels build dividing walls between 2 rooms and keep sound levels tolerable.)

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pedro (☼Travelguide writer) says on May 25, 2007, 11:37:

podborski says on May 25, 2007, 12:03:

jaja! I like the name pedro I might even go with 'the Moose'.

I really think that should be Canada's animal instead of the poor old beaver don't you? I mean, jeez, we poor canucks already get made fun of for enough stuff without that little embarrasment!

I put the construction details in as some guys here are builders, and I personally find it interesting, probably because it's all new to me.

From what I can tell, they build the same way in Colombia as here, and I imagine it's similar all over LA.

I'm sure you could do it if you wanted to, you just need to really want to do it.

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mecca says on May 25, 2007, 13:01:

Pod, the roof membrane is the "turney". That will be the obviously what is keeping the water out. But, above this, they usually put the clay tiles on to help keep off heat. The tiles do not really shed water they are for heat.

Then below the "turney" or membrane as you call it. You can use either felt, or thermo-acustica, or the spray paper that you're talking about. All of those are fine.

Then Machimbre. You did it right, first the supports, then machimbre, then you'll build the external roof, being the felt then turney (membrane) then tejas.

Then do the inside of the roof. In south america, usually they will put no insulation on the inside of the machimbre. You can. They just usually dont.

You really have to look at this thing well. Are you only trying to shed heat? How well sealed are your doors and windows??

If you're only trying to shed heat. AND your doors and windows are not US spec, (ie double glass, seals on doors, etc). If it's not build like an airtight US house. Don't bother with insulation inside the machimbre. Unless it's real cheap. Cause a small crack in the window frame or door, negates all the insulation you could do..

Venting of the roof is for the air-tight houses/roof ONLY. You'll know if your place is airtight or not...Pod, you konw what US houses are like..... It's to control moisture in and out and prevent rot. It's not going to make a huge difference if it's not super sealed.

Is there more than just the machimbre in the pics? as far as a roof?

If you had a real high steeple type wood roof, you'd want to vent it as the top would catch alot of moisture, but looking at that pic, no need.

Hope this helps.

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on May 25, 2007, 13:45:

Approaching your neighbor Hey Pod...how about you approach your neighbor this way...buy a couple of his pieces and tell him your financial situation doesn't allow you to buy more. But you would consider showing the pieces (with his approval as to where and how to light it) with a discreet price tag. He's welcome to switch out the pieces if needed. You probably would need to have final approval as to which pieces to display. You could forego any commission. It's like he'd have a private art gallery next door. He can always refer people to your hotel to view the pieces. If I were you, that's how I would sell it.

I would also recommend you hit art shows in parks (I assume they occur in BA...I've seen them in all major cities I've been in). Talk to the artists and see if they would be willing to display their works in your hotel. Alternatively, try an art school. You may find some cool up-and-coming artist. I would suggest picking up a variety of pieces. Maybe some sculptures, glassware, jewelry (again, tourists love buying stuff that catches their eye), etc. A hotel I stayed at in Bogota had artwork everywhere in their public areas for sale. They do this in cool restaurants in Houston as well.

On another note, I recently stayed at a boutique hotel in Malaysia. It had 52 rooms and I would return not necessarily for the hotel itself but for the location and the service. So think about this when you hire and train employees. Service needs to be top-notch for this market.

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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podborski says on May 28, 2007, 08:39:

the wine cellar is almost done This is where I think I'll hang some of the black and white photos done by my neighbour...

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on May 28, 2007, 18:33:

Nice cellar! And I assume you'll stock it with Argentinian wine? Is the wine for the afternoon wine and cheese gatherings? If so, your hotel sounds better every time!

Are you going to have small spot lights installed where you plan on hanging your artwork? Just another detail to consider before the wiring begins.

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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podborski says on May 28, 2007, 20:37:

thanks hg Yes, one of my 'themes' has always been to promote argentine wines, which are excellent and quite inexpensive. Plus, I think the wine aficionados are a nice upscale market to go after.

(One thing I have learned is that apparently the soil or climate near Mendoza is a natural barrier to bugs that plague other vineyards, hence vines do not have to be sprayed with chemicals, leading to more 'organic', better tasting wines. I need to learn more about it.)

Wine tastings are certainly in the plans, plus we'll help people plan tours to either Mendoza/San Rafael (red wine) or Salta/Cafayate (white wine).

Lighting will be critical here, and the cables are already installed behind the bricks, you can see the white cables peeking out in one of the archways.

I took the photo from the first room where the stairway comes down, this is where I'll probably store the serious long-term wine. there are a couple of niches that will be dark and cool.

The room in the photo is where I'll have a bar (in the archway to the right) and a few tables and stools.

Against the architects' strong objections, I not only had them put in those arches (which replicate the real house foundations) but then I had the nerve to fill them in with bricks.

I want to fill in the final arch to the left, but agreed to think on it for a day or two.

Any opinion on that? (if you agree with me I'll listen, if not I won't, jaja!)

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on May 29, 2007, 07:54:

Left archway If you didn't fill it in, what will you see in that room? If it's a view of shelves of wine I think that would be oool to see while you're drinking wine. You really don't want to enclose everything or else the guests will only see brick (and get claustrophobic) . And although you will have a bar area with tables and chairs, my guess is that people will want to walk around and look at the different wines and the open feeling of the "window" invites people to do that. I've had dinners in wine cellars of restaurants before and that's a memorable experience. You may want to keep your options and think of the space as more than just a cellar. My two cents on the topic. I'm not a designer, but I do enjoy dabbling in the field (with my own house and when friends ask for my opinion).

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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podborski says on May 29, 2007, 08:51:

yes, that's the architects' thinking that it closes the room in too much. But the space is only a few inches wide, so I can't see what I might put in there? I could put some shelves with bottles standing upright?

My idea was the bricks finish off the room more, then I'd put maybe a big antique mirror over top?

Well, better wait for my prospective interior designer to give her opinion.

Anyway, yes, the idea is to have the room be a place with several tables, 3 or 4 would fit, it's bigger than the photo shows. So it will serve as a proper cellar, with climate controlled storage, but that's a small part of the space really. The rest can be shelves of wine that will be used in the shorter term.

I went to an antique shop nearby that is selling everything and closing down. They had this huge, gold framed antique mirror that would be too big for the cellar but great somewhere else. I asked how much it was. The owner said he's selling that last, everything else has to go first. (Not only that, but some english guy also has his eye on it, apparently. Damn brits!)

I don't get that logic? Why do you care what order you sell things in?

Anyway, it is fun searching for this stuff, but I think there is a lot of garbage trying to be passed off as antique, and the good stuff is wildly expensive, even here.

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on May 29, 2007, 12:26:

Antiques Were there any jewelry or clothing in the shop? If so, then the mirror is used for buyers to see how the items looked. If not, then I have no idea why he would wait to sell it last. Maybe he uses it to check out himself during the day or to see the woman walking down the street! ;-)

Small space huh...why did they even bother putting up a wall? Oh well, you can always hang things in that open space in the wall. Aren't there suspended hangers available to hang wine? Or a nice piece of stained glass (my bias...stained glass is a hobby). Definitely keep the space open. Closing it off will make you feel claustrophobic. And you certainly don't want guests feeling that way.

When are you meeting with the designer? I've never worked with a designer myself so I can't give you much advice there. But I do like watching design shows on HGTV! I'm not much for the "finished" look, but if you expect a higher level of clientele that look is important. I prefer a more cozy, homey, comfortable, which I can pull off on my own.

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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podborski says on Jun 14, 2007, 15:59:

el yesero This is Salvatore the yesero (yeso is the fine finishing plaster).

I love watching him work, it really is like an art. I might make a small video of him because you can't really describe how he gets a mirror-like finish so quickly.

I love how the plaster looks just in its natural state, I am reluctant to paint it. But the interior designer thinks she knows someone who can copy the antique look of the plaster and add a bit of colour to it at the same time.

I'll post a picture that might show the great patina of the fresh plaster. You can't tell it isn't 100 years old.

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podborski says on Jun 14, 2007, 16:03:

yeso This photo does not do it justice, but maybe you can see how natural the finish looks. To me it's better than paint. Too bad it is too grey. It dries whiter, but still has a grey tint.

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Frank Rizzo says on Jun 14, 2007, 17:27:

looking great POD!!! That's the roof level, correct?? How's the wine cellar comming??

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podborski says on Jun 14, 2007, 18:02:

yup that's the top floor The wine cellar is almost done, right now it is where I am storing all the finished windows and doors.

I've chosen bath tiles and the wood for the floors, that work starts in about a week.

Also I MIGHT decide to go with a colour (other than natural stone/sand) for the facade...the interior designer is doing a mock-up for me now.

Still searching for a name. I thought I had it but the lawyers said it was iffy, someone else had registered something close, even though it was a totally different business.

But I might have come up with a better one anyway, just hope it can be registered. I want to get the website going. My friend says it will take a few months for the website to move up the google search results, and I think that will be where a lot of my guests come from.

I am hoping to be open in September, as I already have friends and acquaintances asking for reservations that month. I'm going to be busy but still hoping to squeeze in a quick trip to Bogotá...

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on Jun 14, 2007, 20:45:

How's the designer? You getting along with her and her ideas? Sounds like things are moving along quite well. It now sounds like you've got lots of little details to tend to. Thanks for posting an update.

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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podborski says on Jun 14, 2007, 20:57:

love the designer hg! She's great. She listens to me very closely, understands what I want, and is working like mad to meet deadlines. It's difficult for her as I brought her in very late and now she has to scramble to help me pick tiles etc. when she has barely had a week to come up with a theme, colours, etc.

I think my decision to go with someone young is paying off. She's very excited about the opportunity and might even be as passionate about it as I am.

She spent all last weekend doing her first proposal, she even made a scale model of one room, complete with wood floors, antique bed, gold picture frames, etc.

She's very creative and I love her ideas, I just wonder if she might over-do it? Or maybe I am just too conservative?

She has this idea about using picture frames...well you'll just have to wait to see the photos!

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on Jun 15, 2007, 20:33:

It's a boutique hotel... the more creative and unusual the more "talk" it generates. What you want is to attract the design magazines/newspapers to write you up. And of course, she gets credit for the design. Picture frames? I have a whole box of antique frames in my garage. What does she have planned?

I am glad to hear you are getting along well with your designer. Sounds like your hunches were right and you're in good hands. BA is still on my schedule for December...at least a week. I may need to tack on a few extra days for vacation purposes to check your hotel out! Hopefully the schedule works out that BA is my last stop (I have to also spend a week in Mexico City and Sao Paulo).

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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billyb says on Jun 15, 2007, 21:16:

Coming along nicely Pod.... and those are some good ideas HoustonGal has. I was also going to be in BA later this years as I was going to move back to Colombia and teleconsult for my company from down there and as my cousin's ex is filming a project in BA towards the end of the year, he invited me to come down and hangout and do the teleconsulting from there. But as things turn out, they need me her for a couple of more years, so it makes the scheduling harder, but if i make there, I will certainly check your place out for a couple of days.

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podborski says on Jun 24, 2007, 15:58:

one of the ground floor (kitchen) windows has been installed. (Still needs the finishing plaster on the outside).

They came out darker than i wanted, but the work is so good otherwise I can't complain.

[IMG]http://i17.tinypic.com/4pyeu6x.jpg[/IMG]

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podborski says on Jun 24, 2007, 15:59:

ok, let's try again..

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podborski says on Jun 24, 2007, 16:05:

notice how thick the walls are? I love that. I don't think there is a house in all of Canada with walls like that.

The guy I am buying wood floors from has some really great hardwood on sale, he called it lingua or something? It is the heaviest/densest wood I have ever seen. But it is also dark. I never wanted to go with dark floors, but the interior designer thinks it might just go perfectly with her colour scheme, so maybe.

Any of you used or seen dark wood floors lately? What do you think?

(I'd say they would be about the same as the window in the photo above.)

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podborski says on Jun 24, 2007, 16:28:

one of the bath tiles:

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on Jun 24, 2007, 20:49:

Whoa....that's a gorgeous window! And dark floors seem to be in now. I've seen a lot of new homes in my oh-so-trendy neighborhood with dark hardwood floors. Dark goes well with the Pottery Barn color pallete (greens, tans, yellows). And that tile is amazing! Is that going on the floor or on the wall? It's almost like wallpaper! Looks very rich, and would go well rich colors like burgundy, reds, and browns. Nice choice!

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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podborski says on Jun 25, 2007, 05:37:

Paula (interior designer) said the same about the wood floors. I'll go with them I think, even if only because the wood is such a high quality i am sure the floors will look great. And paula's ideas about colours are along the lines you mentioned.

These tiles will go on the walls. The idea will be to do one (at times two) walls in the bathroom with this tile (there are 2 others similar ones to have some variety) and the rest will be an off white tile that complements it well.

I've never seen tiles like these before, called Venis, imported from spain. They do look like wallpaper, but much better IMHO. I like them because they go perfectly with my idea of keeping the old style of the house but in a contemporary way, if that makes any sense?

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on Jun 25, 2007, 08:22:

I remembered that the dark wood floors that are big in Houston are Brazilian cherry. A good hardwood. The darker colors also lend themselves nicely to dark or brushed chrome fixtures (i.e., faucets, door knobs, etc.), which are also very popular.

Sounds great to have the tiles on one or two walls, otherwise it would look too much like wallpaper and make a room smaller. In my last house I put up wallpaper in a power room that's similar to this tile and it made the room look incredibly rich. Definitely a more classic style, but not too ornate.

I don't think I've ever seen tile like that either. They look much larger than the typical 12x12 or 18x18. But I haven't been in a tile store in a few years. Hope they look great once they're up!

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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podborski says on Jun 25, 2007, 10:52:

yeah they are huge tiles, in cm they are 44x66 I think, and we will use some others that are 100(1 meter) x 33. The floors will be more normal 33x33.

They use a lot of very large tiles here, not sure why? They also have all the small ones, but these big ones seem to be the latest thing. Or maybe they are common here and in europe?

Too bad I can't post the designer's dwg files that show how the bathrooms will look, she somehow photoshopped the actual tiles and reduced them in size and pasted them into the architectural drawings. Cool software she has!

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on Jun 25, 2007, 20:46:

Very cool that she can show you her vision like that! It must make you, as the customer, feel better about the $ you spend.

Maybe the large tiles are a designer thing and I need to check out the $1 million houses to see large ones like that! Are you going with granite countertops? What about the shower head? 2 heads? I was recently in Malaysia and the shower in the Hilton Kuala Lumpur was amazing. Lots of glass everywhere and a little TV so you can watch while showering. I have this thing for great bathrooms. Hope you're staying away from the vessel sinks. I think they're cool, but will be dated once the fad dies out. Enough design talk!

Hope the work continues without any problems while you're in Colombia!

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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podborski says on Jun 27, 2007, 17:30:

I was going to go with modern bathrooms at first (I even had the glass wall idea), but then I decided to stick with the theme of a renovated mansion, classic style.

And I considered the multiple shower heads, and I might do it in one or two rooms, but the others will be just a big old fashioned rain shower type head.

You are so right about those sinks too. I won't use them anywhere, over the objections of the architects (they have finally given up trying to influence me on design stuff).

Just trying to decide now whether to use pedestal sinks (no storage space!) or custom made marble tops with undermount sinks.

The sinks might be white porcelain, but I found the most amazing hand made metal ones with a little beading around the edges...oh but the cost...they are not THAT expensive (on second thought, yes they are) but it all adds up you know? And do I really need to go that far? I suppose in the end I might use them only in the 2 best rooms?

Trust me, the bathrooms will be the highlight (I hope).

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on Jun 27, 2007, 21:44:

Your comment about the architects is too funny. You are obviously thinking longer term/classic vs. trendy. A wise choice.

Yeah, pedestal sinks look sleek, but the storage space is a killer (I have one in my powder room and had to buy a small box to keep rolls of toilet paper). As a frequent hotel guest,