Building Villa Volcan : The Dream and the Reality: The Reality

Are you crazy?
Was the most common thing I heard from some of the locals. Why are you investing when others are leaving? Nobody will come here!

While others said it was about time, they need employment opportunities. People need a break from the fast and hectic life in the city and there was a example of such a successful project; according to some, before the civil war there was a park up the road a bit where the the city folks would come up to pass the time in the fresh air. The park was named El Parque del Botellazo after the mayor took to stopping a bottle with his head during the inauguration of the park. The park fell in to disrepair after a mudslide which partially buried the park.

Step 1: fence in the property.
So I went to the building supply store and bought concrete posts and barbed wire. Being a know it all I figured I could handle this. So I show up and set up my posts at the surveyed corners approximately 100 meters by 100 meters. I string my barbed wire and make gate. Just as I was standing back and admiring my handy work my compadre Aris arrives and proceeds to tell me in some many words that I just bought some thief new concrete posts. Hmmm who would steal concrete posts? Lesson 1: someone needs the posts more than you do. It appears that although inexpensive to me the were very valuable to someone with very little money. So what do the locals use: a fast growing tree that has no vale other than being used as a fence post. Guess what no one needs it more than me. KISS- Keep It Simple Stupid. This was a lesson I was not going to learn for a long time. It became apparent that I was going to have to build a wall around the property (400 meters or 1333 ft) if I was going to have any opportunity to store supplies.

Step 2: Find a builder and another

For this I called on a trusted friend: Don Chamba. Don Chamba built my house in the city and did a great job and has vast experince in major building projects a true Maestro. Don Chamba was going to be my project manager, he was to give orders and accept the work on Saturdays. The work of building the wall went to local who claimed to have the necessary experience to build to my specifications. Prices were agreed upon, specification, and drawings were given to the builder. Remember the wall and gate in Jurassic Park? Well you got the idea.

First week the signs began. The local builder did not take kindly to my project managers suggestions. It appeared that to be a mason all that was needed to do this project was a plumb bob and a spatula. ( I don't think he used the plumb bob much) The quality of the work was way below standards and was unable to use the capital molds. After a month or so the original mason quite out of desperation. My rewards was a wall that was so badly built that it had to be taken down. Chamba was capable but he came in at a higher cost, he and his crew would have to commute from the city. A price was agreed upon, Chamba gathered his crew and began the wall.

The wall took almost two years to complete. No power tools were used, it was alldone by hand. The foundation for some of the pilasters/columns were five feet or greater in depth. Special wall bricks were made to order. The image to the right shows the main entrance to the property in its early stages.