Costalegre Jalisco Mexico

Suggestions are ...

What workers or companies have you been happy with
Comparative prices (or just fair pricing)
Where to find things like ::: Wood, brick, metal, plumbing, paint
How much should you do yourself or hire out
Workers you know looking for work

Any questions about what works best in a cost/efficiency comparison -
Should I use copper or CPVC plastic for water
Pressure system as opposed to Tinaco pressure

... etc

Scott,

Broad question!

1. I do most of the simple albañil type work on the house myself. Anything that needs to look good, except for paint, I hire out. I have lots more time than money!

2. Supplies...I'm not sure my sources are of interest to you because they aren't close but...Materiales across from the Scuba Shack (cause it's in the neighborhood and I like to keep my money close to home), electrical - Raulin 4 blocks in and 1 block south from the Santiago Jardin, plumbing - Bujaidar same reason as Materiales and I can walk there. They are 1 1/2 blocks north of the Santiago Jardin on the east side of the street, paint -for finish painting I am partial to Sherwin Williams Acabo Perfecto it is one block south from Soriana on the other side of the street and lighting fixtures either Amutio or the big electrical store on Avenida Mexicana in Manzanillo, wood - I don't remember the name of the place but is is hidden in Salagua east of the plaza del toros.

3. Workers I know couldn't make it to your area so I will pass on that one. If someone wants recommendations in Manzanillo then they can give me a shout.

4. I do not have any experience with PVC in a house, only sprinklers NOB. However my hunch is that in an earthquake zone the copper would be better as it would be more forgiving. I think the PVC gets brittle over time.

5. Lastly pressure vs gravity on the Tinaco. Well the automatic pump systems are very nice, kind of like what we had on the boat, but they are very expensive. I ended up putting a small 110v pump in the line from the tinaco with a switch inside. It is not an elegant solution, but I only use it when I want a strong shower while on the tinaco and it is cheap!

If you need anything more detailed let me know.

I just put this up to maybe get a few recommends for my house construction. Windows and doors, wood suppliers, roofing crews, backhoe operators, etc. So far I'm doing OK just asking around but thought people might either use the info here or have some input. I get the feeling not many people are doing their own work ... or at least their own contracting. I may eventually post a few things I have run into but lately on this board I'm talking to myself

I find myself talking to myself quite often!

I agree, I don't think most folks do their own work or contracting. I get a charge out of it and it helps keep me busy besides learning new skills and helping with my languange skills.

Exacto .... I work with my guys a few days a week and am out there most days. They are easy to talk to and plan things with. A few ideas are toooo Mexican for me but we work it out. And yes, good for my Spanish

Today was 'peon' work for me and I'm sore

Scott: The hands-down choice is the pressure system. Yes, the initial cost is a minor thing, but you get 'real'
water pressure everywhere, without green slime growing in a sun-baked tinaco. Remember, that tinaco is not an
inexpensive item. When you eliminate it with a pressure system, the cost difference will be peanuts.
With a good pressure system, you can add a truly effective filtering and sterilizing system that will give you
lots of long-term health protection. Just make sure you have a 5000 liter plastic 'cisterna' for lots of reserve.
FYI: we live in a fairly busy household, and on big laundry days, we can go through 1000 liters per day ! With a
bit of conservation, a 5000 liter cisterna will easily give you a week or more of good quality water.
Plastic cisternas have good seals, so no worry about drowned mice/rats/snakes/roaches in your water.
The plastic also prevents water leakage and keeps sewage from migrating in.
Don't even consider any copper pipe...it will disappear the week it's installed. There are excellent plastic
'tubo' systems here, and as a bonus, they can be more earthquake-friendly too. Even better: no corrosion.
Scott M

That has been the plan for agua .... except for the thought of no electricity. I have been trying to figure out a duel system so we have emergency water in a tincaco. We also have a large family with as many as 10 kids ... so lots of washing and showers.

The Mexican way is a cistern, a pump and a tinaco (tinacos are easy to clean) so that is still an option. In Pinal the water pressure could fill a tinaco on the 4th floor but then we would have no backup water. I'll start pricing and talking more after we have the cistern in and the roof on

I've been reading this Water Tanks dot Com message board for a while. Finally joined and asked a few questions. Lots of 'out in the country' type issues .... wells, cisterns, etc

http://www.watertanks.com/forums/default.asp

But with that big family, the tinaco ain't gonna last long with a power outage. A backup generator is an
obvious necessity if you have any electrical concerns. Gonna look kinda silly with 5000 litres of water sitting
under your floor with a little tinaco on the roof that can't be filled.
Municipal water in San P has so little pressure, it wouldn't even get to a 2nd level tinaco. (When the electricity
fails, you likely won't have 'municipal' water either.)
Always have backup electrical...just for the basics (pump, fridge)
The ideal generator would be one of the propane powered models, but if you diligently run/test medium sized gas
models, they will work fine too.
BTW: Do you really know of anyone that has cleaned a slimey green tinaco ...? Tinacos are awful to clean unless
you know a skinny dwarf that doesn't puke easily.

I wash my tinaco out about every 6 months using a clean broom, soap and a little bleach. I empty it, disconnect it, roll it over to the edge of the roof, lay it on it's side with the valve pointing down and go to work. It never gets green and slimy.

Stan: Your the only one I've heard of that is diciplined enough to do that. Disconnecting the supply, electrical
and drain lines can be a challenge in this climate. Most people don't realize the amount of crud that grows in
those solar-heated aquariums. Your doin' a great job. Your situation further emphasizes the advantages of a real pressurized system.
The tinaco lids often get neglected / lost too...then it gets really nasty....we overlook a number of tinacos in
our neighborhood, and some of them even have birds crapping in them, and mosquitos look at them as a
delightful vacation spa...yummy.
Give me a little pressure tank under the stairs any time...and I can have a great shower, with real water pressure too.
BTW: Here in our San P/ Obregon area, municipal pressure is not much more than a dribble most days. What area
are you in, and how is the line pressure there ? The water quality seems pretty good too(no dirt / smell)
Heard of any water testing that's been done ? How about a testing service in the area ?

The suggestion on the other board was to plumb direct to cistern and tinaco since we have good street pressure. If short of water we can pump from the cistern. We can see how the pressure is ... and if not enough, add a pressure pump beyond the tinaco

Yep the generator is a good idea and we'll probably look at that someday

Oscar,

I live in Santiago and we have pretty good pressure during the day. The water is off almost every night. Disconnecting the tinaco is not a big deal, just the input and the ouput. I have a pressure pump on the ground that is connected to a switch that I throw if I want more pressure during a shower. Most of the time I just run gravity off the tinaco when there is no city water. I do not have an accumulator tank and the pump does not have a pressure switch. It works just great for us.

Water testing?? I haven't heard of any. I suppose you could take a sample to a lab and have it tested. Ignorance is bliss and I am a happy man! I drink bottled water, but I cook from the tap, make coffee from the tap and brush my teeth from the tap. In 2 years full-time I haven't had any problems! But of course your mileage may vary.

Oscar, where did you get your pressure system and how much? Thanks in advance.

The pressure systems are available at all the major building supply places here (Consturama, Pollo etc.)
When Home Depot opens up in Colima, they will have 'em too, of course if you're in Ajijic, Home D. in Guadalajara
will have some.
Tinaco based systems are pretty dated for modern gringo water needs, so pressure systems are appearing.
We all like a 'real' shower....
Not sure of exact prices, but I think they were about 3000 pesos here. The biggest part of the cost is the pump,
which you need no matter what system you decide on. Then you trade the tinaco price for a little pressure tank, and
you'll likely find the pressure system is cheaper.
As for Stan brushing his teeth with street water : Why bother when beer is so reasonable?
Actually, I'm guessing the street water is probably pretty good, but it likely gets fouled in old leaky brick
cisterns lurking under the garage floor. Hence my question about a testing facility.