Home Repairs and Upgrades

Anyone who owns a home understands that they can represent significant challenges in one’s life. Whether it is repairs or the never ending upgrades (where you put your personal touch on the property), it all boils down to time, money and lessons learned.

The last three days we have been without a phone or internet. The phone challenge is easily overcome by use of cell phones. However, I never realized how addicted I’ve become to the internet until I didn’t have it.

I felt cut off from the world. Not only was I unable to check my email but what about the weather? My daily horoscope? The news? The stock market? (Although not watching the stock market only proved to reduce my stress levels over the last three days.) I couldn’t google a recipe for “Duck Tacos” which suddenly seemed very important. I hardly knew what to do with myself.

What did I do before the internet? I guess I read newspapers and watched the news on TV. However, I don’t get a newspaper now and I’m not sure on what satellite channel I’d find the news. (I’m sure it’s there, national and international, but I just never watch it.)

Telmex (the telephone monopoly in Mexico) finally found the property and ran all new lines from the street to the house, so I’m back in business, both phone and internet. I had to ask Rodrigo if it is customary to tip a telephone repair person. He said yes, something like 30 pesos ($3 USD) but this was a big job so I planned to give a little more. However, the repairman left so quickly that I didn’t have the opportunity. Later, while sitting on the patio, I saw something hanging from the trees in front. It was the old telephone line. He’d just left it dangling. So he didn’t deserve a tip anyway.

The most annoying upgrade in the last year was the septic system. There is nothing quite as motivating as having your own business coming back at you through your shower drain. This was especially frustrating because when I bought the house I upgraded the septic tank. I was told that I wouldn’t need to pay any attention to it for 20 years. (My sister in the U.S. hasn’t had to do anything to her system since it was installed 40 years ago.)

We had to move out and give the maid and gardener the time off. (One can’t exactly live in one’s home without access to a toilet, or expect your staff to work without one either.)

Our friends Bob and Karen graciously allowed us to stay in their beautiful vacation home. However, it wasn’t much of a vacation for us because we had to go back and forth every day to take care of the dogs. “Tomorrow,” the plumber kept telling us – every day. So each day we’d take one change of clothes and one meal, in anticipation that we would be able to move home the next day. This went on for nearly a week.

After much snaking and digging up of the yard, the plumber’s verdict was that the septic tank had been installed backwards. So after more digging and installing of leach lines, the landscaping devastated, we moved home.

Two days later, it happened again; crap in the shower.

The plumber returned. The only option was to tear up the bathroom floor; the new bathroom tile work that I put in during the initial house renovation. The problem was roots in the old cement drain under the house. (Might this have been the initial problem that, had it been diagnosed properly might have saved my landscaping and a couple thousand dollars? The plumber didn’t charge us for this repair. I think he might have been a little embarrassed.)

Then there was the roof upgrade. Heavy rains meant towels and buckets throughout the house. After two months of pounding from dawn until dusk, with dust and little chunks of concrete raining down inside the house, we’re dry.

Not done yet. Electrical upgrade. It was explained to me that our wires from the transformer to the house were too small. This is why, whenever one would flush the toilet and the water pressure pump would kick in, the lights would dim and the stereo would shut off. (Really annoying at parties.) Underground lines had to be run from the transformer at the end of the road, to the front of the property and then down the property to the house; and then from the house to the casita. We can now flush with no interruption to music and my electric bill appears to be cut in half.

Oh, and then there was the barbeque roof that collapsed; but I’ve already written about that.

So while the house isn’t feeling as much of a bargain as it did originally, I’m hoping that I’m nearly done with repairs and the future will only be upgrades.

These, plus the casita upgrade, have all totaled over $60,000 USD within the last 12 months. So if you don’t see me traveling for a while, you know why. Come visit – bring food.

Hopefully the creek won’t flood and reach the house during the rainy season.