This post is going to be a work in progress. I just realized that I don’t have any pictures of the floor in the bedroom – my bad. And that I don’t want to show you the bathroom floor in this section. You’ll have to wait until I can show you the finished bathroom. Wow!

The original floor in the living room was in really good shape. Of course it needed refinishing and some patches were needed where water, time, and what all did their worst. So, after much hemming and hawing, we decided to restore it rather than covering it with a modern alternative. You can see in the photos that it is still a work in progress. It is getting sanded and cleaned up. Our next step is to stain and finish it. It is going to be a work of art. Thank you to our fantastic crew for a great job on this. Its not fun getting on your hands and knees to do this kind of work.

Coming soon – bedroom, bath, and kitchen.

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We’ve been on a roll – actually, its been a while since I’ve posted.

The septic went in and meanwhile our wonderful crew has been busy inside with framing out the rooms, furring inside the adobe walls for plumbing and electric etc. As you will be able to see, its taking shape. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, a laundry/utility room, a small kitchen and dining space, and a pretty nice living room with a fireplace.

We came across some interesting challenges. 1st, there were major holes in the floors, they’ve been fixed. The roof trussing didn’t line up correctly for the ceiling – that still needs to be addressed. The adobe is so very very rough that some of the walls get close, others end up with a major gap between the adobe and the framing.

I’m pleased with the layout. The master bedroom is a decent size, the guest room is a little small and would probably work best for a child or an office. Both bathrooms layout well and there is a dedicated laundry and utility room which is a big plus. The living room has a wonderful picture window and a good size fireplace. We are debating on what type of insert or lining to use. But the craftsmanship for repairing the brickwork is beautiful. I haven’t been able to finalize the kitchen layout yet. Because the drywall isn’t in I don’t have good numbers for cabinetry and appliances. The space is L shaped and really small. I think I will look at getting a table that will double as work space, it will probably be table height. We will have a discussion, though, about a possible counter height table since there will be so little counter workspace otherwise.

Next step inside is to get some insulation between the adobe and the framing and to layout the electric system. Plumbing will come later, we have it very roughed in, except the master bath. It is in serious need of some floor and plumbing rough in work.

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Its not glamorous, but every house needs something to take care of . . . well you know. So dealing with engineers, the county, the excavation guy, the supplier and well, the septic is in.

It doesn’t sound easy – and there are always complications. We hired the engineer, got plans, the county said yes. Then the we hired the excavator, who was very very very busy – the good ones always are. And finally, a bit too late, it was in. The county came back, said “too late” and we needed to refile the plans, plus they no longer licensed that engineering firm. So, we had a septic system from plans that are no longer approved. Fortunately, we found an engineer who redrew the plans, $$$, the county came back out and approved the system.

Now, we just need to finish the interior plumbing and get it connected.

Yes, the Post Office was part of this package deal (also the Mansion – but that’s a separate and tale).

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With paint, steps to the porch and some of those finishing touches (well getting closer to finishing) the Post Office is really taking shape. It has a welcoming feel as you approach the front door, step onto the porch and then enter the 100 plus year old building.

The deep green gives nod to the National Forest that surrounds the site. With the eye catching pale yellow trim, the building pops. Adding to its natural warmth are the simple but sturdy posts left its natural color with an oiled finish. Southern Arizona is a copper producing region, so we decided on the coppery door. Although the mines in this area had limited copper output, the color was a good complement to the deep green of the exterior walls.

We have more surprises to come, keep in touch.

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The Mansion, about 1300 SF on the main floor, but when its way out here – this is big! And the locals call it “The Mansion”.

Getting a roof on is a big deal! Well, it had a roof but after years of neglect and use as a target, it was not in good shape. The Mansion has 12 ft tall ceilings on the main floor and peaks at about 12′ on the second floor. The crawl space is about 6 ft tall on one side. So, if you add it up, the peak is 30 ft above ground on one side. And the roof has a 8/12 slope. So, its a dangerous job up there. Having the right crew is critical.

Our first step was to shore up the second floor and add the subfloor. We also need a safe way up so we had the stairs roughed in. The crew needed to build the 2 dormers and to fix or replace the damaged rafters. They also had work to do on the sidewalls to stabilize the building. They were brought up to par carpentry wise, and they got siding. I’m sure there was a lot of additional work that I’m not recalling at this point.

Then, the old roof needed to be removed. You can see the mess in the photos. I arrived and ordered the windows, stashed in a corner, removed to a safe location. Fortunately they weren’t damaged. Hours were spent by those of us with lesser skills cleaning up the mess of shingles and more to keep the workplace neat and clean.

Only then could the real work begin. The crew used ledger boards and were tied off with full safety gear – good thinking! Once they start, the work goes pretty fast. You can see, its not complete. We’ve ordered metal roofing and must wait on that. So, there’s more to come.

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This happened in the blink of an eye. When you get the right crew and the right equipment it just works. We’ve cleared the area for the driveway and the area for the septic system in one go. The septic still needs an install – it will happen soon, I hope.

The tree was saved from another location. We are doing our best to keep it alive!

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I found more photos that needed to be shared for “The Mansion” so I updated this gallery.

The building was in extreme disrepair when we came into ownership. The roof had gaping wounds, letting water into the interior which rotted floors and walls. Remodeling efforts had muddled up the original lines and hid the beauty beneath. Yet the building still retained hints of its former glory.

Take a look at the stenciling, the epic windows and fireplaces, interior doors, and the simply gorgeous windows (now hidden under a framed in porch). Wouldn’t you love to cuddle up with a good book on a window seat and look out at this amazing view!

The remains of lathe and plaster gives us insight into the construction methods of the past. And don’t you love the view looking up the peak from inside – the construction is simply amazing!

The building had been used for target practice. The chimney from the dining room had huge holes in it, clearly aimed for repeatedly. What a shame!

On the back side, look at the row of 4 windows. These were higher and appeared to offer light to a secure space behind the 2 sided fireplace in the center of the house. We have no way to know, but this may have been an office as it has no direct outside entry and offers more security for private business. Above the row of 4 windows is a decorative gable end with a diamond in the center. This attention to detail is indicative of the care taken to build this house. There is an interior door on one side of the fireplace and a window on the other side. The window has been broken out, but I’m guessing it would open allowing fresh air to circulate through the house.

A covered entrance was added at some point, not as well constructed as the house and you can see the ravages of time.

Rooms have been identified as 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, the “Arizona” room or office, a formal room, the dining room, a butler’s pantry, and a kitchen. The floor upstairs was usable with access from the hallway next to the butlers pantry.

More to come as we work on stabilizing this building prior to its full restoration.

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The front porch is taking shape on the Adobe. As you can see it is full width of the front section with a huge picture window from the living room. The posts are substantial and really make a statement of their own.

We’ve got more in store for this porch, but I’m not telling. You’ll just have to check back on its progress

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Now that the roof is on, and we have made good progress drying in the Post Office, its time to move on the interior of the Adobe.

First thing to do was repair the floor. It wasn’t too bad but once the rotted subfloor areas were repaired we were able to start framing the interior. To make plumbing and electric easier and to add insulation, we added framing inside the walls and then framed out the rooms. It still looks less like a house than I like, but the rooms are taking shape and we can start to get the feel for how this place is going to work.

The more we do, the more I like it. This is a really nice, small family or a comfortable couples house. 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. The kitchen is small but with the outdoor fireplace and patio, it works for entertaining too.

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Well, not quite – but as you can see. We’ve added metal roofing, windows, drywall and texture, and the electrical is roughed in, some steps to get in, and a door! But look, we’ve got solar power. It keeps the tools charged and the carpenters happy.

Its kind of amazing how fast (and also how slow) it can transform from a ruin to a home. Well, we are almost there.

The Post Office