Quite the day (again). Ricardo left yesterday for a week in Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean Coast while I remained to oversee the beginning of the construction Elizabeth and I have planned for the second edifice on our lot. On the advice of Rosario, our house keeper, I hired Romaine, who has already completed several jobs for me (new shower heater, aluminum windows, shelving), and his partner Bryan. A great recommendation. We spent the morning at a variety of Ferreterias and supply shops. Bryan has several "ins" so we were able to get some excellent descuentes. Following the buying of materials, the men spent the rest of the day framing a downstairs room for a ceiling. Delivery trucks were arriving regularly bringing wood, plastico, soil for cement, electrical wiring and everything else necessary to complete phase one: a first floor kitchen/barbecue area and an upstairs lounge with sliding glass windows to see the mountain view. New flooring, walls.... Costs here are amazingly inexpensive compared to Vancouver (like most places in the world). The materials ran about $800 while the cost of labor is almost embarrassingly low.
The last delivery was a gallon of paint. Both Romaine and Bryan considered the cost prohibitive, so off went the truck with the paint: we will visit the store tomorrow to negotiate a fairer price. Just shows the importance of working with locals who know the market and insist on fair value. Despite the advice of those who warn about the dangers of being taken advantage of as Norte Americanos, we choose to place our trust in our neighbours and keep a positive perspective on the people who live and work here. So far so good!
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