Sprinting toward the finish line

The 8 a.m. buzzing of jack-hammers and greeting workers in pajamas half-asleep is something we've accepted as natural during our construction over the last six-moths.

But we're getting ready to make our own buzz now. 

In our last construction update we had (finally) started the long-awaited transformation of quinta minuvida from a traditional manor home to a full-fledged lodging facility, including building our new home. It has been incredible to witness the daily happenings and we are so lucky to have a fantastic architect construction manager and team who are helping us realize this dream. It hasn't been all peaches, of course.

​We have moved in and out of the property about a half-a-dozen times, and even camped in the back to accommodate a few early reservations. We were lucky to have them but João and I nearly killed each other trying to serve gourmet meals while eating our own out of a microwave (since we had no real kitchen...). We even lived with João's mom for a few weeks.

We are SO looking forward to finally having our own home! So, without further ado...

Before and nows!

Note that on the "now" photos the landscaping and manicuring will be the last part;-) 

Here are shots of the living room expansion, new reception and corridor to our future home (formerly the four-car garage). First the team built foundations and then put in iron framing for earthquake-resistant columns. Insulated cement brick walls went up. Inside the living room is a new fireplace and reception area.

This is the view from on the other side, showing the living room expansion and also the second floor private balcony and bathroom for the Dragon Tree Suite. Now that double-pane windows and volcanic stone detail are in it's time for paint!

Some of the main work inside involved creating suites out of the several smaller rooms, and creating in-suite bathrooms. Shown below is the opening in the 3-foot stone wall to create the two-room Kentia Suite bedroom and living room. 

And here's the Kentia bathroom; just needs the fixtures and finishing touches. 

Meanwhile, other exciting stuff is going on in the inside, including a revamped electrical system (oh the dust that created with cutting into stone walls!) and newly stained wood floors and ceilings really bring the original elements into their former glory.   

And now for our home! It was the first part of the project, mostly to create a staging area while the main house was being worked on. We intended to build our home in the back (where the new yoga studio will be), but zoning regulations dictated only one main "residence" and so our home had to be built connected to the main house. It looks very much like our first home together in Somerville, Mass.!

And this is the back of our new house (former garage) and where we created an additional bedroom. There is also a brand new three-chamber septic tank, holy shit!

Stay tuned for some exciting finished photos! – although we are learning that with a property this big and visions so grand, we'll really never be "done"!