Ya know, without actually saying anything.

Lots of noise the past week at the weekend place next door which was extensively remodeled three years ago:

• Adding a roof
• Large plate glass doors – how yesteryear
• The industrial house next door
  

Today the workers opened the rolling shutters for the huge glass doors positioned so that it’s impossible NOT to see into the house from our upstairs patio, and lo and behold! Apparently they’re tearing up the tile floor–that they installed in new construction three years ago.

This seems to be A Thing. We’ve watched the crappy house in Villa Argentina built, roof replaced (twice, I believe), rebuilt, repainted. Another much fancier house near it was built, facade changed, entire yard dug up for drainage, now sporting new construction which will apparently be a barbacoa. Does anybody plan anything?

In the process of building the new addition next door, I watched the attempts to join the new Isopanel roof to the existing one, then the attempts to seal, and re-seal, the various joints, ending in a mess that only we get to see from our patio (though from below they might notice the paint blistering on the wall).

As they were working on this, I asked the foreman, ¿Se planficó? (Was this planned?). No, he replied, we make it up as we go along.

At the time, I thought he was joking.

Our neighbor’s industrial remodeling became a little more industrial over the weekend with the addition of a very industrial-looking carport.

Pavers along the side lead to the back,

where most of the yard is now tiled.

Construction update: the neighbors on the corner have almost completed their [whatever] with parking for 3-4 cars. And painted everything gray.

This is what it looks like from our bedroom porch. Note the three flagpoles in the upper right. Obviously a business proposition of some sort, but what?

The neighbors on the other side have erected a fence around the front yard that can only be described as industrial.

From our upstairs patio, we can see the front yard has enough pavers—the workers told me they were for the Jacuzzi—to pave most of the yard.

Here is the warehouse-like addition. Look closely: they’re…

…painting it gray.

And here’s their lovely industrial stovepipe, obscuring the view of the neighbors’ weather vane.

I haven’t ventured into the neighbor’s project in a while (I let the workmen park in our front yard so it’s cool). The project is definitely developing an industrial look. I’m undecided whether to call it Casa Industrial or La Fábrica. Apparently this stovepipe, erected yesterday, does not sit well with the neighbors beyond the wall, and I can understand why.

Meanwhile, closer by, I see there’s been a boo-boo, perhaps because of the wind today. The walls of this addition are going to have a huge proportion of large, sliding glass doors.

But—ye northerners—notice anything odd? Yes, the glass: plate glass, which when broken will form large, dangerous shards. Plate glass sliding doors, which have not been allowed in United States construction for over 45 years. Hmmm.

Construction update: neighbors on the west side brought in a specialized (and noisy) crew on Saturday, when workers usually don’t work, to make framing for a dropped ceiling, presumably drywall. The metal of the insulated roof panels is not attractive: very cold and machine-like.

On the east side, the neighbors WTF project steams ahead. We now have the outline of a slanted roof that will drain into a wall. I guess they haven’t heard of gutters?

Still trying to figure out what the neighbors are building in front of their house. I would ask, but it’s too much fun wondering.

Construction continues on both sides of us, and both strange. Workers have just finished the molds for huge concrete beams atop the 42m² addition. I finally got curious and asked about the plans.

The large opening in the foreground will have a sliding glass door (facing a bush and a wall). The two distant walls are to be glass. Since this is looking roughly northwest in the southern hemisphere, and the backyard is open, this structure might be concisely described as a solar oven. I expect there may be an overhanging roof.

But at least I get it. I also get that the neighbors on the other side are making some sort of grand entrance.

Walls that might be planters, two large columns (or something), and indented area (to the right). All very curious. But I’m not going to ask just yet. Too much fun trying to imagine where this ambitious project might go next.

We’ve has three days of jackhammer noise. The back corner of the neighbors’ was a parillera, covered cooking area, with a bathroom. Behind the tree on the right is another small building. Not clear what it is or what they’re doing with it. I asked the foreman today and he told me they’re adding a 42m² addition to the main house. You can see the ground they’re clearing to pour concrete. So all the work is in back, out of sight of the road.

And yet they’ve put up a temporary privacy fence in the front. In time, I suppose the purpose of the fence will become clear.

Or not. That red thing is the volquete, which they’ve filled with rubble three days in a row.