Monthly Archives: May 2012

Popular House Design Portugal

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I am sure that property developers spend a tremendous amount of time effort and money in coming up with what they hope will be a popular house design for a three bedroom house.

Several years ago we carried out the total refurbishment of a very old stone house. Our clients wanted a 3 double bedroom home with plenty of covered outside dining space and two bathrooms. It has become a popular house design: 3 bedroom home

The original house foot print was too small to achieve this so we designed an interior layout that would work and not require too much alteration to the original house.

Popular House Design

We took out one of the exterior walls facing the magnificent view. We also removed the internal two story high internal stone wall  and extended the house using the stone that we had removed. The resulting shape of the house is very pleasing to the eye and the interior accommodation just what the clients wanted.

Everyone that we have met who has seen or been in the house loves the style and layout. The good news is that this style of home is very economical to build from scratch.

Popular House Design: 3 bedroom home

If you are looking to buy a piece of land or convert an old property this design could suit you. Would you like to see the original property or talk about your own design ideas. We can help you adjust the plans to suit your individual needs and location.

For costs, timescales and all kinds of construction advice contact us at www.casteloconstruction.com Skype name casteloconstruction or email john@casteloconstruction.com

 

Scaffolding Licence

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If you want to erect some scaffolding outside your house on a public road or thoroughfare. You should go to your local Camra and obtain a scaffolding licence.

It looks like this :-

As you can see in this case it allows for a scaffolding to be erected on a road. The scaffolding measures Ten meters x 1 meter and is able to be in place for 60 days.

Not having a licence may result in a fine and no doubt a close look at what work you are doing on your property.

Cornice or decorative plaster moulding

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The cornice or decorative plaster moulding which runs around the top of your walls were they about the ceiling can be very ornate or as simple as you like.

You can have them handmade and formed in place by craftsmen.

Base shape of plaster

Second coat

Finished off to the desired profile with porcelain.

Then there are the pre cast variety made out of plaster and reinforcing off site then attached with glue and the edges filled with filler.

pre cast cornice

There are even polystyrene cornices. These are very light and meant for the DIY market they don’t look as attractive and are hard to fit well.

Polystyrene cornice

Cornice make a very attractive finish to a tiled wall.

Windows & Doors in Portugal

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Without question the most common form of windows and external doors here in central Portugal is aluminium. They may not look like aluminium because they are painted or have a wood grain finish such as mahogany look windows.

They are strong, not affected by the heat and need very little maintenance. The strange thing is that they don’t often fit a weather strip or thresh so that rain runs into the house under the door. This is very frustrating and needless because threshes are available

You can have virtually any design of door this one for instance has a stable type opening at the top:

Windows should have drains fitted in their frames, You can also specify night vents, fly screens and thermal cut frames. The types of glass available and width of glazing panels will take up another blog.

If you would like to discuss the window options and alternatives available we will be pleased to contact you.

www.casteloconstruction   00351 967 922 513

Why have an outside dining room?

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Why have an outside dining room?

An outside dining room is a very foreign concept for us British people. However here in Portugal where a kitchen separate to the house was the norm it’s less of an issue.

In the old days and in some current grandmas’ houses, there will be an outside kitchen: “the centre of family life”. They are warm in the winter and full of traditional cooking smells.

The reason that it was separate to the house was that cooking on an open fire created lots of smoke and heat better got rid of in a separate building no matter how basic.

Now the fashion for more wealthy Portuguese people is to have an outside kitchen which produces all those childhood favorite meals and space to entertain friends and family so it has become an outside dining room.

Why have an outside dining room? It doesn’t matter whether you are a bank manager or a bartender this is what people aspire too.

When I say entertain I mean of course home produced meat, vegetables, bread and wine that they grew up on.  The outside kitchens of today will have a built in barbeque with a chimney going outside not one of the B&Q variety that will last you a few months.

They will also have a large wood fired oven for cooking bread, chickens, stews, whole goats or young suckling pigs “leitão” or if you are really hip Pizza !

The basic construction is a tiled roof with or without walls that produces enough shade in the summer to cook and eat enormous amounts of food with a large group of friends.

Here are three examples

One thing that is a constant is enough space to dine comfortably.

This dining room is 30 square meters for instance:

If you are considering an outside dining room we would like to talk to you.

Contact us for a chat on Skype  casteloconstruction  or 00351 967 922 513

Or www.casteloconstruction.com to see other interesting projects and what our clients say about our work.

Pool Problems: Ceramic Tiles

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Ceramic tiles are not a natural choice for the surface of a swimming pool and are often seen on older swimming pools. Perhaps you are intending to buy a house in Portugal with an existing swimming pool lined with ceramic tiles.

Where’s the problem?

Ceramic tiles tend to be very slippery when wet making it dangerous or almost impossible to stand on them. Most ceramic tiled swimming pools will eventually show signs of a problem over time. Very often this is signalled by individual tiles cracking or coming unstuck. This is usually caused by the grout between the tiles having been eaten away by the pool chemicals which then lets the water in behind the tiles. The difference in water pressure and the pool water attaching the adhesive causes the tiles to crack or pop off.

This is very unsightly and difficult to fix because when the pool water is emptied to repair the tiles.  “all under water pool repairs have a cost that is higher than the labour and materials because the swimming pool water has to be removed and new water put back in. A typical 5 meter by 10 meter pool will cost around 300 Euros to fill (2011)”

Other tiles in the pool will be effected by the pool drying out and may need replacing.

If you are exceptional lucky you may be able to replace the missing tiles and re grout between them with a modern purpose made grout or a new pool liner could be installed over the tiles.

For more information on pool liners here in Portugal go to:

http://www.waterair.pt/   or
http://www.aquashop.pt/Loja/Default.asp 

If you are worried about your swimming pool and want to chat.

call us for free on Skype  Casteloconstruction

Email  info@casteloconstruction.com  and we will do our best to help.

Pool Problems Glass Mosaic Tiles

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Pool Problems

Glass mosaic tiles are very attractive come in a vast range of colours, sizes, textures. Truly something for everyone’s taste. They are normally impact resistant, hard wearing, not affected by sunlight (UV), changes in temperature or strong pool chemicals. However they do have some pool problems

Why do problems and leaks occur?

We have already stated that the tiles themselves are strong so a likely cause of them coming off is that they were not fixed in place correctly or the underlying swimming pool structure has a problem. Humidity getting between the swimming pool structure and the tiles can cause areas of the tile to bubble up and forcing the individual tiles off.

If large blisters in the pool tiles are not evident then you will probably see a white or brown deposit forming on the tiles a typical pool problem.

The tiles on this step are hiding a leak. The chemicals in the pool water and the pressure are dissolving the lime in the pool structure which is slowly forming this white/brown crust. The pool tiles will have to be removed and the under lying pool sealed before the steps are re-tiled and grouted.

When repairing a mosaic tile problem it is usually necessary to take off a much larger area to get to the root of the pool problem.

If you are worried about your swimming pool and want to chat.

call us for free on Skype  Casteloconstruction

Email  info@casteloconstruction.com  and we will do our best to help.

A brief introduction, Castelo Construction Lda. We carry our all types of construction work to a high standard, we project manage and help source items that you may require to be added you your new home.
Most of our new build or refurbishment clients are living outside Portugal when the work is being done. We understand a client’s need for regular and clear communication. We send frequent reports with photographs detailing work done, suggestions and questions.
We can be contacted on www.casteloconstruction.com

Skype Name = castelo or 00351 967922513

Pool Problems Natural Stone

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Pool Problems Natural Stone

 

Natural Stone has a very varied and distinctive look and feel to it. Providing the option of adding far more texture that any other material. We know that stone is strong so isn’t it the ideal swimming pool material.

In this instance limestone has been used to create a rock pool effect (not constructed by Castelo Construction) a great example of Pool Problems Natural Stone

The problem is that the chemicals necessary to keep the water bug free and healthy will also dissolve this soft limestone !  A harder stone such as granite would have been a more suitable material.

It’s almost impossible to effectively seal the stone and cement joints. Apart from the lime leaking out of them they will slowly be eaten away with the limestone becoming pitted and rough to the touch.

These beautifully carved Jacuzzi baths set in a wonderful location were in fact very rough to the touch under the level of the water because the softer elements of the stone had been eaten away leaving a very rough sandpaper like surface.

If you are worried about your existing swimming pool or thinking about having one installed and want to chat.

call us for free on Skype  Casteloconstruction

Email  info@casteloconstruction.com  and we will do our best to help.

 

www.casteloconstruction.com

Pool Problems: Vinyl Liners

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Most swimming pools with vinyl liners come in a wide range of patterns, shades and designs.

Eventually they show signs of wear and discolouration with time. Very often this is signalled by a “tide mark” around the edge of the pool were perhaps pool toys or a floating pool cover have rubbed the very tough clear vinyl surface. The scratches from the rubbing eventually get clogged with dirt and show up as a dingy waterline mark.

This can be scrubbed off but will return over time. One solution is to fix a coloured border around the waterline so that it goes down into the normal water level and refreshes the aesthetic look of the pool.

If you have a higher than usual loss of water (above that caused by evaporation), this could be callused by a split or tear in the liner. A thankfully rare occurrence and if sharp or heavy objects are kept out of the pool it should not happen.

If it does we can normally weld the liner with a high frequency welding tool.

Unfortunately all under water pool repairs have a cost that is higher than the labour and materials because the swimming pool water has to be removed and new water put back in. A typical 5 meter by 10 meter pool will cost around 300 Euros to fill (2011)

If you are worried about your existing swimming pool or thinking about having one installed and want to chat.

call us for free on Skype  Casteloconstruction

Email  info@casteloconstruction.com  and we will do our best to help

Pool Problems: Painted Render

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Painting over render with swimming pool paint sounds like the perfect solution.  It’s cheap and easy to apply and anyone with a paintbrush can do it or refurbish it.

Its true if the base render is sound then pool paint is very easy to apply by brush or roller. The trouble is that its also very thin. Any abrasions or scratches in the paint coat will cause the paint to peal and bubble. The paint when wetted by the pool water can also be very slippery.

Another factor to consider due to the thinness of the paint is that it fades very quickly with the effect of water chemicals and the suns UV rays.

Expect to repaint your pool ever two years. Alternatively vinyl liners can usually be fitted to a rendered swimming pool.

If you are worried about your swimming pool and want to chat

call us for free on Skype  Casteloconstruction

Email  info@casteloconstruction.com  and we will do our best to help.