With sections of the dividing wall removed you can see that the ceiling is of a block and beam construction.
This exposed section allows you to see the orientation of the beams and whether or not they present an obstruction to the cable run for ceiling mounted lights.
The damage to the ceiling evident in the photograph also meant that plaster work would have to be repaired to unify the ceiling in the combined rooms.
The wall construction is of a waffle style of brick tile, easy to cut with a trowel whilst laying them, and allowing wires to be fed through the chambers making up the waffle. A strong render was applied over the brick tile before the ceramic tile was applied using a ‘dot and dab’ technique.
If you look at the pattern of tile adhesive marks on the cleared section of wall, you will see that the material has been applied as a dot in each corner and a dab in the centre very much like the pattern on a playing card such as the 5 of spades. So if you are faced with the removal of a single tile to effect a repair you should follow this procedure.
The presence of pipe work ‘los tubos’, just beneath the tiled surfaces confirmed that a toilet and bathroom suite of some sort had originally occupied this space.
Our design meant that the toilet would be relocated to the far end of the new bathroom; though the relatively easy access afforded by the under build would allow us to connect to the original water and soil pipes. That would save some time and a little money.
The dividing wall between the old pantry and the utility room presented us with two possibilities, by retaining the wall we could site a W.C. in the pantry; and place a shower cubicle against the other side of that wall and a wash basin between the shower and the window, separate rooms An alternative layout was to demolish the diving wall and brick up the door of the pantry creating one larger room which would provide enough space to put in a full bath and shower. We toured the DIY outlets measuring the units on display as well as sourcing the materials, and decided that we would take the single room approach to installing the bathroom.
Now it was time for demolition to begin, we were fairly certain that the dividing wall between the two rooms was non-supporting. We had opted to employ the same firm that installed the heating and other bathroom suites and they confirmed that the wall was a non-supporting structure and could be removed.
When we returned to the thoughts of updating the utility and pantry we began by measuring up the spaces. It was in the process of drawing a scale plan that we had examined evidence of pipe work concealed in the walls and floors of the two adjacent rooms.
It became quite evident when we looked into the void which is the under-build of the house; that the waste and water supply pipes were still in position from what had been a ground floor toilet in the space where the pantry was presently located. There was also a water supply and drain in the utility room which had been utilised by us for the washing machine and dishwasher.
A ground floor toilet was an obvious improvement on the current layout in our eyes; even better a ground floor bathroom was now a possibility. It had potential as they say.
If there was one particular room in this house which cried out for attention it was the so called “Utility room”. Our or rather their Utility room was located on the ground floor of the house and it was adjacent to the kitchen on one side and a small walk in pantry on the other side; though with so many recent demands on our budget it had slipped down the list of our priorities. Decoration in the utility room was bizarre. Though neatly tiled, the walls of the room was displaying what can only be described as the odds and sods of left-over, blue coloured or patterned tiles from the previous owners of the properties many projects of long gone days. In the corner of the room was a precast concrete sink with an integral washboard.
After expressing astonishment at our Gaudi-esc tile patterns, our kitchen supplier had told us that the sinks were an old favourite of Spanish ladies; and that even younger people were installing them in their properties whenever they had space. Personally I think that was just one of many points he stretched, others included the timetable for the kitchen installation and an estimation of when the small unfinished details would be completed. Still we persevered and alls well that ends well. So we decided not to break the sink, it would be useful in the garden or stable area we thought, it was after all big enough to bathe a small cow in.
The ‘Paleters’ (builders) who had installed the steel frames required for the double glazed windows, were absolutely delighted when I press-ganged them into helping me carry the ‘Spanish ladies favourite’ from the house to the stable
Winter time in rural
Our house came with a half built chimney in the lounge which is single storey, the previous owner told us that the chimney was functional which it wasn’t. During the cold spell of last winter; the construction workers employed on the house renovation would open all the doors and windows to let the dust out whilst they worked. As the days passed the nights were getting colder and colder, and I had to sleep fully clothed and with two Nordic quilts on the bed.
I bought firewood and built a fire to try and take the chill of the room and prevent it from becoming damp. The fire looked fine and the heat it gave off was lifting the room temperature by a few degrees it was almost comfortable. Having solved one problem I needed to address the next issue which was hunger. I was living without a kitchen and eating breakfast cereal and sandwiches everyday was becoming a chore. It was nearly11pm and I knew that if I rushed I might just make McDonalds in Figueres before they closed. Fast food not very wholesome but at least it was hot, problem solved I felt warmer already.
As I drove back home, I noticed that the wind was getting stronger with each passing moment, and in the course of my short journey a full blown Tramontana had developed. Opening the door to the villa revealed a new problem, the house was now filled with smoke. The embers of the fire were extinguished to stop it compounding the problem. The Tramontana had prevented the smoke rising up the chimney and instead the fumes spilled into the living quarters.
Tramontana or not I had to ventilate the house and so had to open all the doors and windows. I stood outside learning all about wind chill for what seemed an eternity. Finally at 2am I was able to secure the house and retire to bed for another miserable night.
The house has come a long way in a year, and we now have an inset wood burning fire, it is unspectacular but functional and efficiently burns such firewood as we have.
Paco has triumphed once again! I was sceptical about the amount of material available to him, although I had scoured every bit of the garden to rescue fragments of the 'piedra'.
Always confident of the result, Paco has even surprised Christian with his workmanship. He has effortlessly worked the un-yielding material around the curve of the stairway.
Once the mortar is dry the excess will be brushed away with a wire brush, before the surface is sealed with a silicone based sealant. I will add that to my list then!
High in the mountains, to the untrained eye, the reservoirs appeared to be nearly full though down on the plains farmers were becoming increasingly concerned; the lack of rainfall and the rising temperatures did not bode well. These were the early days of
Driving thousands of kilometres through this dry and dusty landscape, between the coast and mountains; stretching from
The contrast between the care free tourism on the Costa’s and the agricultural workers inland struggle was quite marked. Parched soils were difficult to work, the crops, grass and woodlands tinder dry. Water restrictions were being brought forward in an effort to conserve the continuity of supplies. The summer temperature soared to record levels and with no prospect of rain till autumn all that remained was to watch and hope.
Autumn came and went without significant rainfall in turn followed by yet another dry winter. The land was suffering and crops were threatened; and when in the following spring the long overdue rains did not materialise there was a growing sense of crisis.
Water tensions arose between regions who accused each other of wasting a national resource. Claimed efficiency in local methods of watering crops were contrasted more profligate methods in other regional Autonomies of the Spanish domain. The people of
Then disaster struck, nightly reports of fires consuming huge tracts of land estimated at up to 300,000 acres. Families and whole communities destroyed by the all consuming flames, 11 rescue workers dying in their particular battle against the raging inferno.
A disaster that was compounded by the carelessness and sometimes the criminality of people. Barbeques were held in high fire risk zones, despite participants having to scale barriers signposted with the fire warnings. In other cases blazes were started deliberately.
Our expert ‘instal:lador’ has worked his magic and everything within the bathroom is in position. The expert is looking vacant again, something he is very expert at!
When he was measuring the walls for the placement of the pipes, he had removed from the bathroom the very cabinet that was now causing the problem, and put it in an adjoining room. Despite advice from myself and his colleagues that he should simply draw around the cabinet carcass making a template on the wall. He told us this was his work and that he knew what he was doing. Our expert then walked backwards and forwards between the bathroom and bedroom taking measurements from the cabinet and transferring them to the wall where the cabinet would be fitted.
On examination of the situation he has identified the problem, that the cabinet case obstructs the connection to the water supply for the taps. His solution is that he will cut out a large hole in the cabinet, thereby weakening the cabinet but allowing him to connect to the water supply. In order to get this proposal past me he tells me about the situation, but does so by speaking German to me.
It is often said that the most powerful word in any language is ‘No!’
And so it was. I had to say ‘nein!’
Now I was insisting that he corrected the pipe work, retiled the wall and fitted the cabinet as it should be. As usual the extra work he caused was done by others, this is how one often recognises the expert.
The bathroom fittings were all on site and ready for installation. The fitter ‘istal:lador’ looked over them
“Do you have a crane?” he asked.
“No, why do we need a crane? There are three of us here”.
“But they are very heavy!” he complained.
And so it was that, I ended up carrying everything that was required for the following days work up the stairs. I placed everything in position so that the placement of the sanitary ware and cabinets could not be confused.
