Three months after Robert and I arrived in Hawaii, all the permits are in place, the foundations are poured, electrical and plumbing is roughed in, and framing has begun! Our builder Bob Kirk tells me we have completed the last inspection "for a long time" and that progress will occur much faster. I am away now for a couple weeks in NY, and by the time I get back, framing will be well underway and maybe even close to done at least on the main house.
So far there have been no big surprises. The subcontractors Bob Kirk chose have all been good, and they have been going as fast as they can despite all the delays for inspections.
Gonzalo Herrera was my guest in Hawaii in April along with his husband Jose. Gonzalo is an accomplished photographer. First there's a link to Gonzalo's pictures of our land. Take a look and comment if you like them! Oh, by the way, our property is a working farm which we have named Kikala Keokea Farms. Note: you need to put your cursor over the link below then click the option that pops under that says, "Go to link"
After work by the electrician, plumber, solar electrician, termite sprayer, our contractor and his workers, and the excavator and the forming/concrete guys, and many visits from the Portapotty guy (hey, it's an important job site service too!), today was a long awaited milestone for us. The first part of the concrete was poured for the foundation of our master suite! Gee, I didn't know concrete could be sexy, but when it's the foundation of the house you've been dreaming of for many years, it's very, very exciting to watch it being poured and take shape as the slab of your house!
Tomorrow Carl and his foundation crew return, along with the concrete truck guy, to finish pouring the slabs for the main house and the hale in the jungle. Bob Kirk, our contractor, is already stacking lumber to dry so it can be ready for the pickling process that's going on all the exposed Douglas Fir. Next week, if we don't get too much rain (BTW, average rainfall in April in our area is >10 inches), Bob and his crew will start framing the main house and the master suite.
Below is a video of the pour, followed by a few shots taken today of the crew working. Also included are some beauty shots of the garden from today.
I have to hurry and finish this so I can go swim in the Pacific, it's a beautiful day today!
Mushrooms after the evening showers
Cement truck arriving, note the size of the agave in the foreground!
Carl signaling the cement truck to start backing up for the pour!
Vanda orchid with air plants below it, lashed to a palm tree.
Cariota Gigas palm tree (which grows to be enormous!) and view toward the driveway.
Looking up towards the house pad from around an island of palms and bamboo.
