latitude26n - 4-19-2005 at 01:55 PM
I hate to clutter the general Q&A subject with our:
Building materials resources(?)
Good source for flagstone(?)
Best notario (?)
Federal zone concession (?)
Appliance stores (?)
type questions, but the Lat.26's would find this type of information invaluable both now, as we're trying to have something built long-distance, and
in the future as resident/property owners/Baja dwellers. We've learned some what-not-to-dos over the years and have a few good referrals that we'd be
happy to share too.
Would a "Baja Living" subtopic, (a place for attorney referrals, legal, tax and fideio. questions for example, in addition to building and
construction exchange) warrant enough interest, or be appropriate in this Travel-oriented forum?
I think it would be a wonderful thing.
thanks, Latitude26n
[Edited on 4-21-2005 by latitude26n]
jide - 4-19-2005 at 02:48 PM
I would love to hear more about this subject... even though I unfortunately can't contribute much with info ...
Marie-Rose - 4-19-2005 at 02:51 PM
YES!! I would be so interested. We are just starting our new project and I would love to get feedback from the pro's on the Nomad board!
turtleandtoad - 4-19-2005 at 03:03 PM
Yes, as someone that is looking to build a place of my own on the Baja, I also would be interested in such a subtopic.
Dave - 4-21-2005 at 05:18 PM
Excellent idea!
Baja Living
Price - 4-22-2005 at 02:35 AM
We think it would be GREAT !!! We have several projects going at "the house" This topic would be a great help to us & I am sure many others !
comitan - 4-22-2005 at 06:46 AM
I'm sure there would be a lot of interest in this topic.
rpleger - 4-22-2005 at 01:29 PM
Yes. Yes Good Idea. Would really help to know the source of things available in La Paz or Constution. Lumber, Hardware etc.
Richard on the hill
PacO - 4-22-2005 at 03:43 PM
I would like this a lot. I tend to think I'll be doing some type of low key construction down there the rest of my life. Right now my big decision is
to put in an underground or above ground pila..... definite advantages to both. I have very limited space so I have been pondering this for quite some
time.
comitan - 4-23-2005 at 09:51 AM
Pac O Underground for sur with plastic tank, In La Paz Tanks available to 10,000 liters.
PacO - 4-23-2005 at 12:14 PM
Do you use a submersible pump or one that is outside the tank discharge? Also, do you install the tank and then pour concrete around it for structural
integrity?
There is a learning curve here, that's for sure.
comitan - 4-23-2005 at 12:56 PM
In ref. to underground tanks most people here are building block wall around tank, and using above ground pump w/ one way valves, my system has one
ways valve and strainer on pickup I also added one way valve at pump I never have to prime. Note I was the first one in our area to put in the plastic
tanks and the instructions said to backfill w/a mix of dirt and cal. I backfilled with just dirt then watered to campact, I collapsed the tank had to
take it out and build wall.
JESSE - 4-23-2005 at 01:34 PM
I like this idea, it has my vote.
Water Tank
latitude26n - 4-23-2005 at 02:11 PM
We are in the process of designing the initial phase on our new property and have been working on a cost effective, yet long-term solution to water
storage. We will require water delivery and will be dividing our time between BCS and our place down South so we may be absent for 5 months at a time
and had to devise a way to have water delivered to replenish irrigation without requiring access to areas where expensive equipment will be kept. This
is what we came up with:
We designed a below-ground (12,000 gallon) water tank that will be made of block/cement. It?s 4 ft deep (any deeper hits lava rock), 8 ft wide (this
width should reduce the number of cement castillos needed in the ceiling) and the concrete lid forms the walkway that we wanted around the
garage/workshop anyway. The tank extends 27 ft. along the back side of the garage and wraps around the corner another 15ft or so, forming an ?L? shape
that shares footings with the garage.
We decided against a free-standing, above grade tank because of cost. This will be all new construction and we want to share some footings that we'll
need anyway.
The future Utility room (8.5? x 8.5?) will be attached to the garage and it sits on top of one end of the tank. It will house the solar, water
pumping/pressure tank and irrigation systems. It will also have a 3 foot high raised ?bench? that will have a well-sealing, large hatch- cover for
access to clean and observe the water tank below. We made the tank access above the floor so there would be a safety zone of air to prevent overflow
in to this room with the batteries etc. We did not want the water tank access outside in our dusty,dirty location. Have you ever looked down in to
some folk?s water tanks?? It?s not for the weak of stomach.
The tank fill spout is up at the front of the garage for easy access by the ?Water Delivery truck? and the pipe is sloped down towards the tank.
Actually there?s no such thing as a water delivery truck yet, but one hurdle at a time.
The fill spout is housed in its own block cabinet with a door out of the wind, and theoretically the dirt, and has a tank overflow prevention
configuration which will cause about 50 gallons to come out a spout down by the feet of the ?Water Tank Delivery Man?, before it begins to before it
fills up the floor of the utility room. There is a 2nd safety feature of the air-gap provided by the access hatch mentioned above.
We plan to seal the outside walls of the tank with a cementations product that worked well on our former roof deck, and the inside with a product
called Crystalock, which is a liquid, paint or spray-on product that?s specifically for water storage cisterns and reservoirs and is supposed to
prevent the leaching of minerals in to the water and the eventual breakdown of the cement which can eventually expose the rebar in the tank.
Our plans are currently at our Mexican architect who is putting together the info to give to the Geo-Biology ?consultants? that he?s using to obtain
our ""Environmental Impact Study" which is required because we abut the Federal Zone. (A roll of Tums is required for that story). All of
that will be submitted to Semarnat and when we have the correct stamps, the architect can submit the plans for the local building permits.
We?re looking at another Mexican month before we can start construction and will see if our water tank idea will actually work!
I started this thread about a separate ?Baja Living? subject because we?ve spent the past 6 months trying to gather information about things such as
water tanks without a lot of success. Hopefully there will be enough interest.
PacO - 4-23-2005 at 02:46 PM
Yeah, I am leaning toward underground and backfilled with concrete and rock to prevent a collapse. Of course the tank will be full when I backfill it!
I have a pretty small lot so I have to utilize space efficiently.
"Baja Living" subtopic
latitude26n - 4-26-2005 at 02:46 AM
Doug says he's been following this thread but has been very busy.
Stand by...
Backfilling
turtleandtoad - 4-26-2005 at 05:30 AM
If you backfill with the tank full, won't it just collapse at a later date when it isn't full?, like during/after a storm?
latitude26n - 4-26-2005 at 10:35 AM
Not sure I understood PacO's design idea, but ours will be block with concrete "traves and castillos" (beams and columns). We're leaving the footings
and other support specs up to the Architecto/ingeniero.
Anonymous - 4-26-2005 at 10:51 AM
Saw your questions. I to have alot of questions on land building etc. Where are you building. Hendu
BajaNomad - 4-26-2005 at 02:29 PM
Help me out here....
What should the name of the forum be... and what should be the description?
Thanks,
--
Doug
Baja Living?
meme - 4-26-2005 at 02:45 PM
how about Baja Living & Building?
comitan - 4-26-2005 at 02:56 PM
Baja Living & Building good forum title
latitude26n - 4-26-2005 at 05:52 PM
"Baja Living" , "Casa Baja", "Baja Home(s)"
with the description of the subtopic something like "Information exchange for Baja dweller's: Building, resources, referrals, legal"
David K - 4-26-2005 at 06:10 PM
Baja Home Building & Living Forum
El Jefe - 4-26-2005 at 07:37 PM
Whatever you call it. I'm interested.
PacO - 4-26-2005 at 07:53 PM
My idea is to backfill around it with larger rocks and concrete like they do footings down there. With the tank full once that concrete sets up it
should be fine. I hope.
comitan - 4-26-2005 at 08:04 PM
PacO To be absolutly sure I would surround it with chicken (Hog) wire then fill with your rocks and concrete, better safe than sorry.
PacO - 4-26-2005 at 08:08 PM
There will definitely be some type of metal in the equation. However there are plastic tanks designed for this without anything but dirt around them
but they cost a few pennies.
You could call the "What the hell did you do at your house?" forum.
Marie-Rose - 4-26-2005 at 08:18 PM
My vote is for "Casa Baja"!!! Can't wait!
mike odell - 4-26-2005 at 09:20 PM
Hi am not solicititing business! Won't go there. But I have a
certain amount of expertise in this area, have ben a contractor in baja sur for a long time, if you need some help with building, will be glad to help
as long as its a real question and not how to get it done free, Am getting ready to retire, so info is also free, but expect intelligent questions!!!
Baja Living, Building & Employment
TommyAfrika - 10-12-2005 at 11:41 AM
How about Baja Living, Building & Employment?
[Edited on 10-12-2005 by TommyAfrika]
bajajudy - 10-12-2005 at 03:50 PM
Pompano...
Perfecto
bajaden - 10-13-2005 at 10:12 AM
Where as Im breaking ground after the first of the year, I would be very interested in this fourm. Good idea..... Don't care what you call it.
turtleandtoad - 10-13-2005 at 10:35 AM
Don't look now folks but the forum has already been created and you're posting on it 