Inside story… tough week with the renovations. 
Bravos Bungalows Reno Update – April 2012
We should have another update on the
Like this:
Mire Mire! Cheeping Cheeping! Bien!
Short Circuit
It appears the wiring in the house was quite a mess and Costa Rica has painstakingly tried to trace the system back through three different boxes. Now that the work has started for the pool, a second contractor (Johnny Montagne) is working on site as well. The question arose about the existing amp service to the house and what the added electricity draw will be for the pool and air conditioning. I agreed with Johnny to go ahead and install 200 amp service and have just gotten off the phone with an irate Costa Rica because some of his previous work has been undone. I am beginning to sense that the two men working at my house do not really like each other… or perhaps it is just the fact that they are getting in each other’s way.
Despite all of this both Costa Rica and Johnny are making good progress.
JOHNNY’S PROGRESS ON THE POOL IS STALLED – Rain, rain, and more rain.
COSTA RICA’S WORK – Before and after
Cabana which was formerly a bedroom.
Cabana now with open arches that will lead to the pool and deck
Like this:
Over 10,000 site visits
Our site now has over 10,000 site visits. Surely, we will have the Bravos Bungalows completed before 20,000 visitors?
Bravos Bungalows in the Bravos de Boston Garden District
a quick 51 second video on the renovations…
One Renovated Kitchen and A New One
The Bravos Bungalows will consist of one 3 bedroom unit (The Garden Bungalow), and a 2 bedroom unit (The Pool Bungalow). Both will have fully functioning kitchens equipped with modern equipment.
The Garden Bungalow kitchen has been renovated and is 90% complete.
THE GARDEN BUNGALOW KITCHEN BEFORE AND AFTER RENOVATION PICTURES
BEFORE
AFTER
THE POOL BUNGALOW KITCHEN IS BEING BUILT ALMOST FROM SCRATCH FROM WHAT WAS ONCE AN OUTDOOR KOOKING AREA.
BEFORE
IN PROGRESS
AFTER??? WHO KNOWS? HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE DONE ON THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.
The Bravos Bungalows Are Coming Along
After our two week visit and the subsequent flurry of activity, things are really coming together. We will definitely have the property ready for the next rental season. We have Costa Rica working on the interior, and although behind schedule, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have also contracted for a front fence, off steet parking, and a 14 x 28 foot in ground pool and work has started in earnest on these elements of the renovation.
Here are some past and current pictures of the house;
Front of House Before
Front of House Now
House Before With Ramp to Breezeway
House Now With Breezeway and Pool Cabana Arches Taking Form
Like this:
What The Truck!
We returned after a busy two weeks on Vieques. There was a lot of progress made but the little things sometimes do not go too slowly. As an example, we had multiple loads of fill delivered to the lot and the truck got stuck not once, not twice, but three times…and all at the same spot.
But with the help of a backhoe, the truck was extricated all three-times.
Progress….
We have been at our new house for the last week listening to coqui frogs every evening and jack hammers and backhoes every morning between 6 and 6:30 am. Costa Rica appears to be getting through his work and a slow and mehodical fashion, but Laurel and I are pleased. In fact I just made him a bif tray of lasagna for him and his wife as she did some cleaning for us before our arrival.
Plus we contracted for a pool and a new front fence while we were here. Fingers crossed that all will be complete before our next visit.
Ready Or Not – Here We Come!
The last time we were at our new place in Vieques the house was a construction zone. We are returning this weekend (4 months later) and it still appears to be construction zone with activity moving to the back of the house while the front unit is still not completed. The agreed upon completion date for everything was to be April 15th. We certainly did not hit that deadline and in reality it looks like it will take Costa Rica until July or August to complete everything. We will have better idea after seeing the house in person as aside from some photos that were sent to us roughly a month ago and the fact that charges against our credit card are being made at Nales every couple of days, we really do not know the state of the progress that has been made.
The real timing concern we have now is getting the pool installed before the rainy season. We may need to get Costa Rica to postpone the renovations on the house until after the pool is installed. I hope that is not the case, but it is what it is.
Keeping our fingers crossed!
