May Update

02.05.14 – Our friends Jules and Andy paid a last visit to our site before heading off home; from the photos they sent we could see that the concrete has now been poured into the foundation beams.

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06.05.14 – We can see from the today’s photos from Paulo the Project Manager that the concrete on the foundation beams has set and the shuttering has/is being removed. What next? A question we posed to Paulo, would it be agreeable that when we get the update we also get an idea of what is going to happen in the next week or so, just so we know. He is going to discuss with Marco the builder to see what they can provide, we’ll see!

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13.05.14 – Today’s update certainly seems to show that we are getting more attention on site now. In the photos this time you can see that the columns/pillars are clearly in the process of being erected. Some still have the shuttering on but they are clearly in the process of having the shuttering removed.

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On a lighter note, there was an interesting conversation in the car on the way to work this morning between Teresa and myself, just shows how a man’s and a woman’s minds work in different ways. I was making comment about the pillars and how they are reinforced / made and Teresa look at me really puzzled, then the penny dropped, she was thinking pillows not pillars. We southerners tend to slang Pillows to Pillars.

Pillars drivingpillows20.05.14 – We are still making progress however slow it seems, but there is definitely a pattern to the way they are working. This week’s update shows they have completed the removal of the shuttering around the uprights; let’s avoid the pillars/pillows question eh! And they are in the process of shuttering up; installing the reinforcing metal ready for the concrete on the foundation beams that will form the two doorway areas.

The pattern definitely seems to be, shuttering, metal work, wait for concrete, pour concrete, and wait for concrete to set really well…….. Remove shuttering. This process seems to take about a week and half to complete.

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30.05.14 – Information has been a little slow these past few days, but today we received the latest update, it was great to see that further progress has been made. The architect also told us that they would pour the concrete in the latest shuttering next Monday and then press on with the roof supports.

IMG_3240.JPG IMG_3242.JPG IMG_3245.JPG IMG_3246.JPG IMG_3248.JPG IMG_3251.JPGHang on! That doesn’t look quite right. Sitting here this evening I have noticed a mistake. It looks like they have shuttered up for a crossbeam on the garage end of the building. That was not on the drawing, it fact it was one of the interesting features of the design that we liked, the open end of the building. So a quick email to the Project Manager to explain our concerns. Fortunately we are also friends with him on Facebook, so due to the importance maybe a private message to him would be an idea, but as luck would have it, he actually online, so a quick chat session and he confirmed that this did not look right and is therefore going to discuss with the builder in the morning. Hopefully we have caught it before they pour the concrete.

social.media_Maybe another useful piece of information for you, if you are trying to keep an eye on everything remotely, try to keep as many communication channels open as you can, including if possible, social media tools like Facebook and make sure you study the drawings and update photographs carefully to make sure things look right, if they don’t, ask.

Well that is for May, its June tomorrow so more next month. We will be making an onsite visit next month so expect a few more blogs, cant wait to get back and see it all for ourselves. ttfn.

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