When we received a quote from our builder to build a retaining wall below the agricultural building he was busy erecting for us, we not only realized that we couldn´t afford it, but decided to do it ourselves. Well, let´s be clear, Michael decided, and I idiotically went along with his hairbrain idea, completely misunderstanding the process and the extent to which I would be involved. Michael project managed from Abu Dhabi, while I had to be both unskilled labour and site manager on the quinta, until he arrived for two weeks of hard labour to pour the concrete and build the formwork for the actual wall.
Step 1 – Source Materials
My first job was to source, price, buy and make sure that all the materials on long lists Michael sent me would be delivered on time. Anyone who has ever had to go through this process would know just how much back and forth this means between various suppliers, and how frustrating it can be when deliveries are not done when promised. I even dragged my neighbour, Lawrence into the chaos, when he mentioned that he receives good service from a wood yard in the area, and did the liaising on my behalf, until I could simply waltz into the office, pay for the wood, and confirm the pin for delivery.
Most of the deliveries went smoothly, except for one of the most important ones. When the goods were finally delivered after some frantic messages from me, I was told by the delivery guy that one of the most important things, namely the concrete vibrator, was not there. With a limited amount of time to source another if this one, which was paid for and was rather expensive, was not delivered on time, my stress levels went through the roof. Various empty promises and two trips to the city, a 50 minute drive away, later, and I could finally relax.
Step 2 – Measure Out and Dig Foundation Trenches
I felt a bit useless on the day that the foundation trenches were dug after relaying Michael´s instructions to Lawrence and Natalie. All I could do to be helpful was to retreat into the kitchen to make sure I fed them well for lunch.
Step 3 – Build the Formwork for the Foundation
Lawrence and I were responsible for this step, which had to be done by the time Michael arrived for the big part of the job. The challenge was that I had to understand every step, be able to explain it all to Lawrence, and get it done in time. I will just say that, during my discussions with Michael there were many instances of tempers flaring (okay mine), and a stomping off (again me) in frustration. Luckily he had the good sense to stay calm during all my tantrums.
Just to spice things up, I broke my little toe on my left foot two days before the actual hard physical labour started. My days were long, as I often started an hour or so before Lawrence arrived. His calm demeanor helped when I was uttering swear words aimed at poor Michael, when I was physically pushing myself past my comfort zone.
While Lawrence and I were busy with the preparation of the foundation, the builder was busy erecting the steel structure. I made good use of that by asking if he could help us with his skid steer, placing gravel on top of the geotextile, as carting it in a wheelbarrow would have been a ridiculous amount of work. When I sent Michael a photo after we carefully positioned the geotextile in the trench, he realized that I made a mistake. That meant a scramble to redo everything in the time the builder was on lunch, who arrived just as we were finishing off the final bit, ready to move the gravel for us.
Once the formwork was placed and levelled on top of the wrapped up gravel, it was time for the rebar. First, full 6 metre lengths of rebar had to be placed and tied onto the formwork in three specific spots, before the upright pieces could be tied on at intervals of 25cm. For the upright pieces Lawrence had to cut and bend them, before we could tie them in place. It was uncomfortable work, contorting our bodies to fit into the narrow space of the trench, but we had fun doing so by racing one another from opposite sides of the 29 metre trench.
In the end, we got it done, and Michael could swoop in to finish the tricky corners that would have been too difficult to explain to me. I suspect Lawrence was as relieved as I was when Michael arrived, and I could take a step back.
Step 4 – Throw the Concrete for the Foundation
For this step to have worked, we had to gather the friends and people we trust and could rely on to help, so it was with a nervous sense of anticipation that we gathered on that first morning, waiting for the rumble of the concrete trucks.
The concrete company we used was the same one our builder used to throw the foundation for the agricultural building, and were reliable and wonderful, especially as it was a bunch of rookies gathering for the job, and not professionals. It went well, despite Lawrence having had to scramble to put extra nails in the wood that was threatening to give away under the force of the concrete on the side that stepped down. It was a great dress rehearsal for the next, much bigger job of throwing the actual wall, so we took the rest of the day off, celebrating with lunch and lots of beer.
Step 5 – Build the Formwork for the Wall
This step, Michael likes to point out, was always going to be tricky to complete in 6 days, but the concrete for the two pours were booked and paid for even before Michael booked his plane ticket, and we had no choice but to meet the deadline. Luckily the weather was great, and I would like to think that the after work beers and hearty lunches I cooked helped to keep everyone motivated and in good spirits throughout the long hours we worked.
Even though I was supposed to be mainly in charge of providing a good lunch, my hands were often needed to cut and twist wires, or tie rebar into place. I literally did thousands until my hands were so sore that it felt like fire ants were nesting in them, waking me up in the middle of the night. Both Michael and I felt the physical demand in our bodies, but for him it was much more difficult, as his body is used to sitting at a desk, and not to engage in strenuous physical labour. To make matters worse he also fell when his foot got hooked in one of the bits of rebar, nearly impaling himself, and then, a day later hurt his knee that left him struggling to walk. That was all in addition to his neck and back which always tend to play up. But he knows how to push through pain to get a job done.
Step 6 – Throw the Concrete for the Wall
The day that saw the culmination of all our hard work started with a flicker of head torches, as there were more bracing to be done before the trucks arrived.
Everyone had a specific and crucial role to play that to me looked like a finely choreographed dance, especially when one of the formwork boards (luckily on the short side) cracked, and everyone scrambled to brace it with rocks and sand to prevent a blowout (one of my favourite bits in the video). Tim was in charged of pouring the concrete resulting in a nickname, 40 ton Tim, as he directed 40 tons of concrete into place, a job Michael later told me he could never have done, as when he tried it briefly, he quickly handed it back to Tim. Equally demanding was Michael´s job of vibrating the concrete, which he wouldn´t have been able to do if it wasn´t for Chris carrying and operating the motor, and untangling the extension cord. Lawrence and Figs were in charge of all the rest, which were plenty, especially when things threatened to turn into a problem.
The concrete guys were patient and kind, giving Michael the biggest compliment they could by telling him that he would make lots of money if he started a company in Portugal, as his formwork was better than those on professional sites. The day was concluded with a proper celebration, as everyone was relieved it went well.
Step 7 – Remove Formwork
The next day Tim and Lawrence were back to help with taking off the formwork, a job that took 2 days to complete. The big boards and wood that can be used again were stored, and it was my job to collect the screws, bolts, washers, and threaded rods. I still have a whole wheelbarrow full in the barn to deal with, but I´m certainly not in a hurry to get that job done.
Step 8 – Backfill
Left on my own again after all the excitement of the building part of the job, the heavens opened, turning the floor area of the building in a gigantic swimming pool.
Notes:
# I hope you can appreciate the irony in the title and have a chuckle with me, as there were definitely no easy steps along the way.
# As always, I have no actual photographic proof that I was doing the things I say I did, so you will just have to take my word for it. The harder I work, the fewer photographs or video footage there is in general. In the video below, I focused on the two concrete pours, as apart from cooking lunch, I had plenty of time to be the recorder of events instead of being part of the job, while I hardly shot any footage in the time the formwork was built.
# A total of 8m³ of concrete was poured into the foundation, and 17m³ into the wall, which is 1.5m high, except for the side where the foundation is stepped.
# I should backtrack slightly to write about the agricultural building, or workshop as I like to refer to it, as it is another of our crazy projects with plenty of bureaucratic speedbumps. More about that in my next post.
Written by: Jolandi
What a saga!! You not only saved money but have this epic story to tell, filled with characters and suspense and injury and celebration! Yes, I’m sure the delicious homemade lunch with after work beers made a big difference. Your descriptions of the eight easy steps makes this project accessible to the total novice! Ok, the truth is, this blog post leaves me in awe. Michael is immensely valuable in his ability to study, plan, and relay so much critical information from a distance. YOU are incredibly valuable to him in being able to take his instructions and make it all happen – like conductor. I just can’t believe all the moving parts and the collections of humans and the black and white spirit animals that oversaw the process. The video really brought it to life and I’m glad I read the whole post before looking at it. I can’t even begin to tell you how much wow I feel. This was super cool, Jolandi. Good on ya!
Ah, bless your soul, Crystal. You make me feel that all the swearing and stomping about was worth it. 😇 To be honest, I am in awe of Michael´s ability to be able to pull anything off that he sets his mind to. Even if it involves coaxing his wife into things she is not keen on doing. I cringe when I think of all the other crazy ideas he still harbours, and the workshop/agricultural building isn´t even done yet. Although that said, we are giving ourselves a break this winter to recover and regroup. – Jolandi
Wow, what an amazing undertaking. Well done! We’re in Arabia for eight weeks.
Thanks, Peggy. I hope you will enjoy every moment. I am itching to visit AlUla in Saudi, so am looking forward to you posting about it. – Jolandi
Will keep you posted.
Wow – that was a JOB! Very impressive on both of your parts, and how wonderful to have local friends and acquaintances who are willing and able to step in and help. I enjoyed seeing Lily supervising the many steps along the way!
We are certainly blessed with the support system we have, Lexie.
Oh, and Lily adores big machines, and often comes home with clumps of black grease in her hair that I have to cut out to get rid of. – Jolandi
A saga is right… wow! You two are definitely a S.African/Portugese cowboy and cowgirl, working to get things right… and the best way to make that happen is to do it yourself. And while I usually like a little spice in life, a broken toe is definitely not one… but kudos to you for working your way through this and all the frustrations.
The photos of the work and end result must make you both proud – and the compliment of the concrete guys is pretty special because it rings so true. This building is something to cement the legacy of this adventure, pun intended, but also accurate as well 🙂 For both of you to be able to step back and see what you have accomplished will not only make for a great holiday season but also inspire you to move forward with projects yet to be done. Congratulations to you both ~ it sure feels good to get your hands dirty when the work done pays off as well as it has here.
Love the pun, and yes, I think we are both pretty pleased with ourselves and the end result, Randall. Thank you for your kind words. It is definitely good to step back at times to re-energise oneself, and winter is the perfect time to do so. – Jolandi
Fantastic work, Jolandi! I too am in awe of all the work you put in and how professional you were. Well done all of you! I couldn’t have managed a fraction of what you achieved 😀
Ah, thank you, Clare. – Jolandi
Wow! That looks like a rather big project, Jolandi. I can feel your frustration. As introverts, we do tend to have a lower level of stress tolerance, or at least that’s what I read, especially when things go south. A broken toe certainly wouldn’t help, I can imagine. I like how Lily seems to be very keen on inspecting the project! I hope she gave everyone a pat (or paw?) on the back.
I didn´t know that about introverts, Bama, but it makes complete sense, because I have zero tolerance for stress when things go wrong. I actually become a bit disfunctional and cannot think straight. Midnight, like both Michael and I, is an introvert, but Lily loves the attention, so she certainly congratulated everyone, including herself with the role she played in all of it. 😻 – Jolandi
Wow! What a huge job, and like you, I would have been swearing and wanting to strangle my husband for having to do something so far out of my comfort zone. My hats off to you and to Michael. What a huge job, but a job very well done. I can’t even imagine. Maybe now you can rest a bit? 🙂
Take care of yourself,
Terri
I´m so glad to hear that I am not alone in my response/reaction to being pushed out of my comfort zone, Terri. We are definitely taking a break for winter, partly because of the weather, but also to gather strength and enthusiasm for the next phase, as well as to save up for it. – Jolandi
I better understand why one might consider quitting after reading this. Good glory, my friend. The responsibility of just doing the prep work layers enough stress on one’s body, let alone doing all the extra tasks, with meal provision plenty of labor in itself. Time for a long winter’s nap, indeed.
I’m proud of you-all of you. Bravo. Standing ovation from here.
Thank you, my dearest Sarah! Yes, it was a very intense time, so I am fully embracing this winter hibernation. – Jolandi
Jeezus Christ Almighty. What an ordeal. I can certainly understand your frustrations and while it was good of you to include them, please know that they were completely normal. You’re human. Congratulations. 😛
Although there must be a great sense of pride in accomplishing all of this! And it endears me to hear that your friends came together to help you out. Such community building and bonding! Great job! Whew.
😅 Thank you, Lani.
Yip, it was quite a job, but we are happy we did it.
I must admit that I love how much of our own effort, time, and life force is shaping and changing our environment. There is something very satisfying being able to see these physical changes over time. – Jolandi
Well cut my legs off and call me Shorty – that is quite the accomplishment. And quite the way to “cement” friendships with your neighbours.
After reading the details and watching the videos, I feel competent to tell people how to do the job (joking). What close calls you had with it all collapsing. There must have been plenty of multicultural swear words flying around then. But you all got there – under Lily’s supervision, of course.
Congratulations and may you have good rest and recuperation. Hope the toe heals soon.
Love the pun, Gwen. 😆 Oh, let me tell you, there was plenty of swear words from my mouth. 🙊 Thank goodness Lily kept an eye on everything.
Luckily the toe is back to mostly normal, and hopefully by the end of winter I will be okay with round two, as there is still plenty of work left on the building, part of which we will be doing before handing the rest over to the professionals. – Jolandi
Hello again Jolandi,
My husband and I are absolutely in awe of what you and Michael have accomplished.
You are the shining example of the perfect team whose strengths complement each other, and when combined you are both unstoppable. I don’t how you managed to get everything done, but your character must have also attracted the best help possible and brought out the best in everyone. You’re amazing!
I love how the cats are casually walking about as if it’s just another day…the first photo of Lily’s expression as she stands beneath the tractor is priceless.
Thank you for your lovely words, Takami. Although I dissolve in a bit of a mess at times, I have to admit that we do make quite a good team. And slowly-slowly we are getting all the things done that we want for ourselves on the land. Oh, and the cats absolutely adore it when there are big machines on the quinta, and they take hours after the workers leave to sniff every inch of them. They certainly take all the activity in their stride, and still follow me around as I work or take them for walks in the late afternoon. – Jolandi
An the Oscar goes too…..Jolandi & Michael of A Taste of Freedom.
Are you kidding me!!! that quiet kid from next door!! Who would have thought you would be building a mighty structure in the middle of Portugal. I was glued to the Youtube trailer, all of it and the easy peazy (hahahah) steps. WOW!! you guys are a-maz-ing. Shoo!!
Who would have thought, indeed, Yvonne!! 😅 Certainly not me. I’m glad you were glued to the video, and are appreciative of our immense effort. I’m looking forward to the day you can come and see the result of all this madness in person. – Jolandi
Wow, I shall never pass by another wall again without thinking of all the hard work that goes into it! What a crazy time it must’ve been for you. Hoping this finds you recovered from wall-building and holiday-merry-making. And wishing you a most wonderful new year!
Thank you, Atreyee. Yes, thank goodness the memory of the hard work has softened a bit, both physically and mentally. The amount of work going into building projects is astounding, as I am learning with every new project. May you too have a wonderful new year. – Jolandi