And now a quick set of long-overdue photos of the ongoing construction work. I know I should have posted something weeks ago, but every time I was about to put some pictures up, I was tempted to wait for just one more development!
Our builders have done a great job. They’re nearly finished, and soon it will be up to us to get some timber frames happening.
The concrete foundation slabs went down in four stages: first a rough layer of concrete directly onto the ground. That makes a base for reinforced concrete beams that will go under the load-bearing walls .
Formwork for the beams that will end up under the heavily loaded parts of the slab.
Lots of steel reinforcement going in.
The slabs were big enough that it wasn’t possible just to dump concrete directly from the truck, so the pumping truck was called in as well for most of the pours.
Luckily, concrete trucks can get up our new driveway without too much trouble.
Giant pumping truck for getting the concrete into the formwork.
The third stage was to dump heavy railway gravel into the gaps between the concrete support beams: this sets up a good base for the finished slab . The gravel truck deliveries were dramatic, and the driver did well to get the truck into every corner where stone was needed.
About 30 tons of railway-grade gravel arriving.
Gravel used as fill for under the slabs, and plumbing laid in. Ready for the final pour.
Meanwhile our animal comrades have become very interested in the building process.
Zeytin approves of the work.
Inspectors both large and small have been up to check things out during the night.
Sirem in particular has been really busy acting as site foreman, but we’ve also made time for a few other jobs. Some neighbours invited us to harvest their pomegranate tree (long story). It took longer than we thought — lots of standing up a ladder and getting scratched. But the pomegranates are fantastic and make a disturbingly healthy-looking juice.
Pomegranates stored for winter: if you hang them up with string so they’re not touching each other, they last much longer.
Look at that vitamin C. You could reach out and touch it.
We also put the finishing touches on our hügelkultur raised bed, which should make for lots of good vegetable options next spring.
Raised bed finally done.
And with colder nights coming in, I thought I had better build one more dog house for Tito (the dog who is not really our dog but just a stray who lives outside our gate and gets fed by us a lot).
Tito (who is not really our dog) gets his own house. He is moving his head to make his face blurry which is part of his anti-paparazzi strategy.
The final part of the concrete work was pouring the 15cm-thick top slabs that will become the floor of each building. The plumbing all seems to be in the right place so far.
Slabs all complete now (view from the top of the block).
And the swimming pool. We know that in summer, life will centre around the pool for our guests, so we’re keen to do it right. And the builders have been fantastic. (We’re happy to recommend them, if any Turkish readers are thinking about getting a pool built.)
Pool concrete looking good and being waterproofed.
Rounded steps under construction in the south-east corner.
Tiles going in, and part of the pool terrace area taking shape.
Finally a couple of sunset photos so you can see what the winter light is looking like now.
Sunset with work boots.
Winter sunset view (from what will one day be the cafe terrace).
