How we got here!
It's been a long journey from initial seed, to fantasy, to dream and then, finally, to reality!
Here are some photos of the transformation we have undertaken.
This is how our plot of land looked originally. It was walled around its boundary, albeit a bit decrepit and wobbly in places.
There was also the remnant of a previous partially built building on there, abandoned and incomplete.
We recycled that by crushing it into aggregate to be put into our foundations.
Our treasured mango tree in the corner of our plot - it has fed many workers and local kids over the18 months we've been building!!
Fruit tends to be ripe around end June through to end August.
Setting out ready for the foundations. Foundations included block-work, steel rods and concrete to ensure good strength and quality. Then an anti-termite treatment was applied to all floors before adding heavy polythene, then the concrete could be applied.
Then all the block work began. We managed to find an amazing firm of builders. 3 brothers who were able to meet the stringent quality requirements we had.
A fabulous bunch of carpenters then did an amazing job of the roof timbers. I almost didn't want to cover them up!!
And now the roofing itself goes on. No tiles as such; sheets of fibre glass-like material formed into tile shapes - but better and more robust than using corrugated sheets.
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Typical Gambian style - no scaffolding, no hard hats, just flip flops and a lot of banter!!!
Plastering inside and out.
Who needs ladders or scaffolding huh?!!
The corrugated structure was our Watchman's initial temporary room plus a large store for all our materials and tools etc.
Our fabulous builders rebuilding, strengthening and adding extra height to all our boundary walls to provide added security for the site.
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Please now visit the Gallery for our Lodges to see the final results.
Our ceiling guys making the platters to be suspended from the roof trusses (similar health and safety standards!!)
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The plumbing 2nd fix also completed