NOVEMBER 2007: “Can You Tell Me...?”
(NOTE: Newcomers, who'd like to get an idea of what this site is all about, would be well-advised to click on "2005 Pages" and read that introduction. Enjoy!)
During the months TC and I have lived here in Casa Ingaso, we've heard from several prospective and actual Altoids—an unofficial sobriquet for those of us living in Altos del Maria—that they enjoyed this web site, plus gleaned good information from it, information that will help them with their lives here. TC and I think that's great! Now, if they would just leave it at that...
Invariably, however, the conversation turns into a mining operation: the eager inquisitive newcomer attempting to drill the disappointingly shallow depths of my scant information for even more answers to seemingly endless questions—"Sheesh, I'm still trying to remember which switch turns on which light!"
( I'm doing something a little different this time. If you click on the images, larger ones will open on-top of this page, sharing with you some memories of our Thanksgiving. If you'd rather skip my musings, click on the walkabout link at the bottom of the page. Enjoy! )
Don't get me wrong: I love sharing what little knowledge I can recall about our experiences here in Panamá. But, that's the problem, isn't it: memory. Mine sprung a leak, and now it's almost empty—anyone know where I can get a refill? At any rate, since thinking on my feet has never been one of my strong points, much less remembering while standing (activities I've been warned not to attempt in tandem), I thought I might have more luck writing down some of the answers to some of the questions that I can...recollect. (Depressing, ain't it.)
Before I start hunting and pecking my thoughts, a friend here in Altos, George, who is in the building process as we speak, has put together a very extensive, informative, and insightful list of points to consider before and during construction. It would be an invaluable asset for anyone building anywhere, but especially here in Panamá. You can either peruse an online version HERE , or download a Word file HERE . —"Thanks, George!"
The first issue I want to bring up has lately been a hot topic on the Altos news groups and during polite dinner conversation: build or buy? "Is it better to build your own home or buy one already constructed?" That wasn't a choice when TC and I bought our lot, but now there are several completed homes for sale with many more nearing completion. So, the nervous newbie wonders which way to go. The answer? Well, the question was recently put to the members of the Altos news groups (there are at least two and they have several hundred subscribers) and the overwhelming response was: "Buy!"
Those of you who remember my opinion of the building process also know my answer: "OMIGOD, BUY!" I was pleased to see that others shared my opinion—and that I wasn't the total wuss TC claimed me to be. I think it's fair to say that, unless you have a "dream" home you just can't live without or a streak of structural masochism, buying is a much less traumatic affair; and as the choices increase, finding a home you can live with is getting easier. Although, you have to keep in mind that they're all Panamanian construction, which takes some getting used to, if not some serious drugs.
It's true, during discussions of building methods here in Altos, I advise the unheeding hothead, "Some day you'll look back on all of this and laugh...until they sedate you."
(Anyone not perfectly clear on the horribleness of building a home in Panamá should visit our June issue of 2005. You won't have to read much before you form your own opinion of Panamanian construction methods, believe me. Otherwise, you'll get your chance to discover just how deep that streak of masochism goes! Now, TC wants me to add, however, that building your own home, besides allowing you to make an architectural statement, also allows you to know where everything is in the walls and out, to minimize surprises, and to include personal touches Panamanians might not think about. So, there's the beginning of a balance sheet that you can use to make your decision...you know what I think.)
The next thing I'd like to mention is: insects! I loved Southern California because the only creepy-crawlies you need concern yourself with were house flies and spiders. And even then just one or two small ones a week. A bee in the house was justification to dial 9-1-1! Year-round, we could sit out—albeit, swathed in swaddling clothes—and eat dinner without nary a buzz. So, the prospect of moving to a country renowned for it's quantity of varieties of bugs gave me pause. But, I'm here to tell you now, nearly three-years into our Latin-American life, they ain't that bad! Really, there are about a week's worth of evenings scattered throughout a year when we need to close up at dusk to keep-out the latest flying-insect hatch. The rest of the time our great room doors can stay open into the night without much problem. It's truly like a miracle, and I can't fully explain it.
I think part of it is Casa Ingaso's openness. Not just the house, but the property around the house. We're above the trees, clear of the shrubs, open to the breeze, and over the bugs. Like I said, I can't fully explain it, but outdoor living should be high on your list of priorities—our terrace is an outdoor hallway, as well as our lounging and dining area. I mean, why else move to a near perfect climate, if not to enjoy the climate?
Moving on, we've noticed a perplexing trend in homes built for Panamanians: views are not coveted. Many times, homes are built with either no windows facing the view or rather small ones, considering the staggering beauty of the Maria Valley. One house, in particular, you enter into its large living room, but instead of a bank of floor-to-ceiling windows offering a stunning vista all the way to the sea, you're greeted with a large, blank wall. It has a small window at each end, but you have to walk over to them to see the ocean. It's bizarre. Time and again, Panamanians build houses that do not take advantage of the view. I can't explain that either—vistas are healthy physically as well as spiritually. It's something to be aware of, if you are looking to buy a home.
Of course, walls are meant to be torn down...but now you're getting involved with construction processes, and you know how I feel about them. Still, if you're determined to build or have already started, here are a few words to the wise.
To be or not to be...present during construction? Let me just say that every time you turn your back on Panamanian construction workers they'll do something you didn't know they could do. And I don't mean that in a good way. Either TC or the both of us visited our construction site almost every day and, looking back, that wasn't enough. Too many mistakes and "surprises" took place. I'm not saying you need to be continually onsite, but you should never be comfortable when you're not. Picture floor drains widely off-center, window and door openings a foot too wide or narrow, 3-wire electrical connections where the color of wire is secondary to the screw nearest to hand, light switches connected to nothing, and you'll begin to understand. We know Altoids who, unknowingly, gave their architect/builder carte blanche on design and construction only to regret it ever since. So, to be!
And especially be around during the finishing work: plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, appliances, etc. That's when the true ability of your installers is revealed. Several construction workers will be good at roughing-in: laying pipes, pulling wire, connecting drain traps, even installing toilets and whatnot, but the knowledgeable and proficient fixture-installer is a rare bird—most of the local workers haven't seen a single-handled, dual-flow sink faucet, much less properly plumbed one. And the real problems begin when they don't stop to ask questions, but blithely go on where they've never gone before, unable to read the English instructions (some can't read Spanish!), but bound and determined to finish the job. And if there's parts left-over? Why, just throw them away, along with the manual, so no one will be the wiser! Sadly, I'm not exaggerating.
Remember that Three Stooges comedy where water filled the light bulb when the chef flicked the switch? Yeah, it can be like that. So, it's a good idea to hire installers through the company where you purchase your appliances and fixtures—if they don't have them, they will recommend some. Yes, yes, I know the installation costs are included in your contractor's estimates, but save yourself the headaches and shell-out for the "professionals." Our results, when employing them, were always superior to what happened when the builder's muchacho did the work. (Hey, I was befuddled by some of the installation instructions, myself...okay, bad comparison: I'm in the boat with the bozos.)
Let's see...roofs! Lord have mercy: roofs! Is there anyone living in Altos that hasn't had to deal at some time with at least one leak, if not umpteen? TC and I were told we were getting a leak-proof techo (roof), guaranteed by, arguably, the best builder in the valley. Good thing, too, because he's made good on the guarantee by fixing three leaks, so far. One he fixed four times! I don't know what the answer is to this problem, especially with the amount of rain our roofs have to withstand, but whatever time you spend inspecting your roofing material and its installation will probably pay-off with fewer leaks; not none, just fewer. Of course, erosion problems go without saying...
If our roofs have to deal with torrential rains, so do our lots. TC and I used to pull-on our Wellingtons, grab an umbrella, and walk the lot during downpours. That way we were able to pinpoint drainage problems, then have our builder make French drains, cement run-off troughs, larger holes in our retaining walls, etc. The final outcome being, we can be inundated at the "Holy Crap, Build an Ark!" level without nary a pebble out of place. Oh, and it helps to have terraces, patios, driveways, and walkways sloping away from the house, not toward it!
We all know what I'm talking about: flooded entrances, patios, living rooms, bedrooms, you name it. Make sure your builder's cement finishers remember to spread their sauce with a negative-incline that directs water away from living spaces. Seems obvious, but like I said, "Don't take anything for granted!" And the same problem applies to shower floors that can lead the agua away from the drain rather than toward it. Don't try, however, to get any problem fixed in November or December.
Beginning November 1st with National Anthem Day, Panama celebrates a plethora of holidays throughout the month, then through December, culminating with New Years—a total of nine dia libres. That's bad enough, but you need to take into account the long weekends squeezed around as many of those days as possible. That, and also all the days you lose to rain—it is the wet season, after all—and hang-overs. You can see why not a lot gets done around the end of the year.
December, however, is a good month to begin the initial lot preparations, because it marks the transition to summertime, when the building is easy. If you do, you'll then have about four months of good weather during which you hope to get a roof over your head. That way, when the rains start again, the workers can do inside jobs. Good luck...
Sorry to say, but there are purported "builder/contractors" to avoid, like the plague. I don't want to get sued, so I won't name names, but you should ask around before you pick one. Ask several people, because there is that strange dynamic at work with people who have gone with a bad builder: they don't want to admit they made a mistake. Plus, some of these ersatz builders are real smooth talkers, telling you everything you want to hear while they take your money out the other side of their mouths. Just remember, every culture has its hustlers.
Well, like the man said, after tossing several lawyers in the drink, "That's a good beginning!" And I hope this information helps make someone's home-decisions here a little less annoying. That would be nice.
"Hasta luego, Amigos! Hasta proximo ano: 2008!"
[click here 2008's first home page...]
[or click here for our November walkabout gallery...]