old school stucco/plasterer here, for mixing your stucco mixture you want a 50lb bag of lime, 1/2 bag of 100lb portland cement to 15 shovels full of sand, and of coarse water. that should fill your wheel barrel or your small mixer, mix it together , while your stucco is mixing, wet and spray down your wall, this will make it so the lime in the stucco mix will suck the water up out of the wall and it will bond stick to the wall better, and you wont have troubles of it sliding down the wall,(unless you put to much water on the wall) after you put it there. The lime is the bonding agent between the concrete, sand and water mix. Its what gives it the structure, kinda like a glue, so it dont crack , or fall off the wall after it dries. the lime is kinda important to have in your stucco mix. After your done with the first coat of stucco, before it dries, you can go over it with , whats called a sponge float, its like a 4' by 12' trowel float with a sponge on it. you dip the sponge float in a bucket of water and then float it over the stucco wall in circles, packing in any bee holes and giving it a good sandy texture. if you dont like the sponge texture, try a smooth rubber float trowel same water and bucket method, it will give you a smooth texture, or just use your round trowel, and bring out the creme of the stucco and smooth it out like a concrete slab. Second coat is called skip drag trowel, pretty much like finishing dry wall, but with stucco. I hope you read this and hope it helps you.. Stay Safe and Stay Awesome
Matt - I rarely comment, but always "like" your videos.... Don't let anybody get to you! (well, maybe Kristen) But you are doing such an amazing job, first transforming your boat into a yacht, and now building a Mansion from a bare field! With no apparent construction skills! And you are doing better than great!! Just keep that in mind....
In the future buy yourself some survey paint and some of those flags and prepair what you want the day before they come. Those guys work better when they see something laid out on the ground.
Agree. That is a visual they work with. Giving them width numbers serves no purpose, just give 'em a fat painted line to follow. As for bring down trees when you specifically clarified with "grass-only"...well...you can't fix stupid!
Moving along ... Another great video . Just a little friendly advice . When you start your plans for the cabin or house whatever you guys decide on . The most important thing too do is plan for the future . If you're planning on a two bedroom home go three bedrooms . Plan on storage space . Parking , plants and trees . Also think of where the rain water goes . Thanks for sharing ...
Matt, I've been away for a period, trouble in Florida after Milton. I was rocked on hearing Kristen is pregnant, praying for a uncomplicated, safe and healthy outcome.
My hubs and I have built three houses with our own hands much like you're doing, but I swear, sorting your own sand? WAY beyond where we would go! You two are ALL IN. Much respect from two old builders!
I wear white athletic tube socks and there are two things that never should be done outside of Japan. Wearing them with flip flops and pulling the sock all the way up your shin in shorts.
Don’t let anyone piss in your cheerio’s your doing great . And to be totally honest the video we see each week is top notch so great job on both of you.
Hey Matt, damp the walls down with a fine spray of water before applying stucco, and add a bit of dish washing liquid to the mix to plastercise it and hold it back a bit longer from setting.
I've got to give you props, Matt, you have a work ethic that puts most of the world to shame. The only thing I'd criticize is your disregard for your personal safety and health. I hope you don't live to regret that in the future.
Hi guys how are you? About the stucco! 3parts of zand and 1 part of cement is what we use for brickwork! For stucco we use 4parts of sand 1part of cement and 1/4 part of lime that gives you more time to make it flat en smooth !
You both rock! Love your hearts, dreams, passion, compassion, ethic, and drive! Never, ever listen to negative souls! YOU are the only experts on YOU! Love, K on S/V Mistral in San Diego
Stress is a bad thing. Laugh it off and enjoy everything that you have both accomplished to date. Lots of respect to you Matt because you are learning as you go on. You both work very hard and it shows. I love your videos.
It's fun watching you guys because it's like watching our journey 10 years ago when we moved here to Puerto Rico and built a little jungle cabin hideaway (you can see it in some of our old videos). Don't worry, there's always little hiccups, but eventually you'll get through them. Enjoy the ride! If you continue like us next up might be having a kid and that's a whole NEW level haha
You're going to want to easily move or change out the charge controllers and other wall mounted gear.. so cement anchors are problematic. Much easier to just anchor in 2x4's or 2x6's horizontally.. and then screw your controllers/inverters into the wood. Now you can change out or move or reorganize your gear, cable ties, etc, without making more holes in the concrete.
Just a couple of recommendations that could help avoid the miscommunications in the future: 1: make sure you write down the specific instructions you want the workers to do in Spanish and English. Use google translate or get a friend to do it. The have them sign off on it beforehand. I hope you didn’t pay for the work in advance cause there’s no incentive for them to do it right. 2. Consider investing in a blueprint of your land and the proposed layout of all the things you want. My hunch is you have stuff already written down somewhere but a couple of hours in front of a computer or even with ruler and pencil could make for decent planning. 3: consider investing in a marking wand to put spray paint marks on the ground like surveyors do and show what you want and where you want it - $40 on Amazon. Work smarter not harder. Hugs to you all. Forgive if have already done most of this. Just trying to help.
There’s one easy way to get what you want, manage in real time. In person. As an employer in real estate and construction it’s often very difficult to accurately describe what you want via verbal instruction. Gotta manage them as they work. Given that there wasn’t going to be a way to accomplish what Matt wanted with the machine. They needed a front loader.
Dear Matt and Kristen, you guys are doing an amazing job. Big challenges but it is what it is. It will be paradise when you’re done. I just wanted to say that I’m currently living in Asheville, NC and we got hit by Helen in 2024 and the wind, tornados and water was devastating. Since the French Broad River, and other rivers, overflowed by an unbelievable 20 feet high, homes just disappeared. I just wanted to say that I hope wherever you build you home, that it like 20 feet above the water or more, or if your at the top of the mountain and that’s not a concern then fine. But be sure to take 100 year flooding into account because homes and people got swept away forever. Places near water that always looked the same, everyday, suddenly looked like an entirely different place because the flood water changed it forever. It was like a tsunami in a canyon or gap. Stay safe and keep up the good work. Love you guys always, Brad and Trak’r
@22:22 If you want a properly graded road, you must lay out the road's boundaries *_first_* and _then_ call them. Pound down some stakes and run some boards first so they know how far to push the rocks and *_no further._* Otherwise, they'll use a bulldozer like a grader and you'll have gravel *_all over_*_ your property._
My wife asked me if I cared if she watches you guys. She added "I know, they're pretty boring. But sometimes I get to see the cats and the goats!". Lol ha ha 😅. Keep up the good work!
You both are great. I'm sorry you had them do what you didn't want or expect. You'll make it a palace no matter what. I'm so proud of you both. Love n hugs! Regards, Myk
Hi guys, Matt, Buddy, get yourself a tractor. Even a POS, just to do the road work yourself. Also, buy some bright marking tape and tie it to the trees and bushes you want saved. keep up the hard work, looks great.
one time i saw a guy i worked with, he rigged up a motor to a sifter on a 4x4x6 frame so all we had to do was put the wheel barrow underneath and turn it on. and he made that like Macguyver. good work Matt!
😊😊😊In the beginning, a purchase of a good used skidsteer, would be a good plan of attack. And you will continue to have a need for one or a tractor with hydraulic attachment on front for a bucket or forks , you will need both .❤❤❤❤❤😊
I think it’s been mentioned in a previous vide but you should re-hang the door so it opens towards an internal wall. You’ll appreciate the change with more internal space.
Hey Stucco Steve, If you put your mixer on blocks, you’ll be able to get your barrel under without knocking it over. That’s what we do. Love your channel! Claude
Matthew amongst *all* of the men i've met or saw,you are the hardest working,adaptable,& funny mofo i've seen! Animals know,& what they know of you is a protective,loving person. Please HOLY SPIRIT,Watch Over Mighty Matt & His Loved ones. Also:Onward "Kristian" Soldier. Keep calling her that Matt,she LOVES IT. 🙏🦉 🏞️
ALWAYS challenging to deal with folks doing a job when you KNOW that there is a better way to do something and they get offended that you are telling them how to do what they do. It is often a no win situation. With a language barrier is must be worse. As Always, May God Bless you and yours! 😇
Sorry Matt that you had frustrated time with this work! Love your positive way to roll with lifes problems! Keep up the great work! Kristen the baby bump is showing and you are still glowing! I'm sure everyone is so happy for you both untill next week ❤️🙏☕☕🤰
Matt, If you had a small excavator you would have plenty of work for it. Worth investing in one as you can move dirt/fill, dig your footings and drainage trenches, repair and maintain the driveway, with an attachment you can drill holes, lift stuff, move stuff, heaps of things mate. I bought one and it has saved me 1000s.
I agree that marking locations can help direct a contractor. Also, it will for you to visualize and make decisions. The same goes for drawings and plans. Always, I mean always draw what you want on plans. It will help see what you are getting, estimate, and communicate. I comment about masonry. Maybe consider pouring a foundation with rebar in the concrete and protruding to tie wall rebar. Set forms after rebar. Spray with form release and vibrant concrete. Leaving forms help cure, but it is easier to smooth before a full cure. Using block, then forms, and then stucco seems like too many steps. Maybe you can rent forms locally rather than building them. Again, take a set of drawings so you can get forms to fit. Don't worry, you will learn everything by the time you are finished. 😉
Keep doing what you are doing. We all love seeing the good results and bad. It just proves you are willing to learn and roll with the situation. It was suggested to clearly mark where you want things. Spray paint is a great and inexpensive way to mark things.
You guys are doing such a great job. Just ignore the arm chair experts. Everybody thinks they know better. Truth be told most of us are just absolutely envious of you. You are out there making your dreams come true with blood, sweat, tears and laughter, living your best life while the rest of us are sitting on our asses watching TH-cam. 😂
Check the proximity of the river for your future construction plans! During hurricanes there can be land erosion and quite a bit of it due to rising water levels! My advice!
I agree with you on how the dump truck should have gone all the way down the road and turned around, at the bottom releasing the stone incrementally as the truck headed back up the road. That would have made everything easier on everybody, especially for spreading it out evenly. Live and learn. You're doing great, stay the course. I've been considering doing something similar, maybe with just the growing, no animals. Not even sure if I would vlog it either, seems like a lot of work for you both. Nice brand, love it!!!
professional dozer operators can keep a road 8 to 10 feet wide with fairly uniform rock depth by eye. the blade angles both directions to control width. but, building a virgin eyeball road at a fast pace will usually end up too wide and overage of material needed. These guys were blow and go. It happens. Hey, you can drive the pick up. Probably have to add stone to the weak areas as they present themselves.
Great progress! Don't sweat the minor stuff, you'll evidently want wider graveled areas, especially in the rainy season. Contractors rarely do exactly what you want and require constant supervision. Their priority is get done, get paid, and leave - so supervision is a must. One idea is to install temporary stakes and orange construction to help steer them. What would be interesting to see [periodically] is an aerial photo of your property when you first bought it, and the current aerial photo. Paint the inside of that solar building white. You're going to have some high voltage connections in there and you'll want all the light you can get.
I hope you already considered how high that river gets when it rains a lot. You're doing a great job considering there's only two of you. Best wishes for.the New Year!
Pretty frustrating when workers cannot follow instructions, all they need to do is repeat what your directions are so you know they have a clear picture prior to proceeding. You will always get workers that just do what they want cause that is how they have done it before. Anyway it is what it is & life goes on, hay your little Mumma Bump is happening Kristen you look so wonderful pregnancy agrees with you. A Cabin with log/timber or stone steps to the water will look great & accessibility will be good for Grandma when she comes to visit. 🎊🥂Happy New Year🥂🎊 Onwards & upwards looking forward to ya progress in 2025 🫶🥰🙌👏👏👏👏🌟🌈🇦🇺
Very clever homemade trowel to get more mud on the walls! You always come up with your tricks Matt! Looking so lovely Kristen! Best 2025 ever to you both❤❤ 🎉 Its going to be a fantastic year!
Friend, to clean the sand from the stone faster, first mix it with the cement, then the cement does the process of drying it and sifting it, believe me it will be faster.
Always give ur walls a Spray of water it stops the mud going dry as quick. &IF ya fix 2 timber trim. What ever thickness you want ur stucco about 3/5foot apart &use a straight edge going fm bottom too top it will give you a nice straight finish. Give it a rub of a concrete float &finish off wit sponge puts a nice finish... try it while doing outside hope ya see thiz chat matty
Use some type of vapor barrier to keep grass from coming back like you did in the front entrance. those promo banner are perfect they thick and durables you can find around also pallet wood to mark roads and perimeters save you some money. Just a suggestion.
Only advice id give is usually you'd wet the walls down to help that mix stick.. also, old trick my grandfather who did this for a living always did was he'd add about 1 cup of wood glue (white PVC Glue) into each mix.. makes it real sticky, gives it a heap of water resistance and it helps to stop it ever cracking.. Good luck with it though..
Good morning folks, and Happy New Year! Great to see the Homestead taking shape & the power plant making progress Congratulations on the new news, Matt got look after new Mama ! I keep watching for you guys every Sunday morning 🇨🇦Cdn. Dave 🇨🇦
Matt and Kristen, things don't always go right when doing a build like yours especially when you hire help. So you've had some issues and I can promise you that more will come! So hang in there, you are moving forward. Thanks for Sharing! 🙃🙂
Hi guys, I love what you have done to the property! One thing though, I believe that the spot you choose to build is a little too close to the river! Find out with your neighbors how high the water roused during hurricane Maria, which is historically the worst case scenario! I live about 45 minutes from you and know how unpredictable the weather is here!
Can understand your frustration and yes it sounds like the operators were not getting the required result The trick is to tell the operator your required result, Not to tell them how to get it Having spent many thousands of Hrs working dozers I know well that unless in a trench they are not good for carry material over longer pushes The main failing I see here is your own as to maintain a distant narrow path the material needs to be lifted and bought forward with skidsteer or loader
Matt, you are a machine, a mistake making machine sometimes...lol...but your drive and tenacity overcome those mistakes. There are always going to be armchair critics out there, ignore them. Keep the vids coming!!
Consider 5/8" plywood with Hardie backer board for mounting Mppt controllers, buss bars and inverters and shelving brackets. You can make only a few holes in concrete blocks to mount the plywood. The Hardie board makes it fireproof which is safer and may be required by code. Sounds like you are going the individual components route vs. combo mppt/inverter/charger. Just make sure you get inverter that is 48v battery capable and can do split phase 120/220. Look for MPPT controller that can do PV 250v dc or higher, otherwise you will be running more MC4 cables and have multiple MPPTs if you go with controllers that max at 150v.
Hi Matt, why not mount the electrical on a board that you mount to wall with a space ( like in a boat) for easy removal . ? There is special primer for fresh stucco . Cheers Warren
Or spray paint lines. But I have a feeling these guys were gonna do what they wanted. A dozer isn't the greatest tool, either, something with a small bucket to initially spread the rock out would have been a good idea.
23:55 Build a container home...!!! There are a ton of shipping containers at the docks..!! You can stack them, cut out for windows. Paint each one, a different bright color..!! Lime green, orange, yellow....it would be beautiful...!!!
Matt, I would rake the rocks from the edges of your road to the center, to provide a somewhat crown shape. Just incase it rain, that would help erosion
Consider NOT mounting any electronics directly onto the walls, rather run vertical 2x2's and a plywood backing plate to mount on. Any moisture from the walls could degrade the electronics if mounted directly on the walls. Mounting off the walls allows an air gap to dry out before going into the electronics. (Also could be cleaned of any mold or other critters) Is the gap between the joists going to be screened or closed? To bad you did not spray or stake the desired width of your roadway.
The amount of major projects you both conquer is unbelievable!! One thing you guys can do before laying stone is take a sprayer with water & vinegar and spray the grass. This will kill the grass. But, be careful not to spray anything that you want to keep alive. This is a great natural spray but, check with your vet to make sure it wont harm your cats. You can lok this up on garden channels. You can also kill weeds if they grow in the stone driveway/road. Love that you saved those beautiful trees on the cleared future cabin pot. Very smart to save those beautiful fluffy & flower trees. Sorry you lost the other trees. Dont forget to take some rest & relaxation days to give your body a break from all your hardwork.
In your rending your walls - not sure they have it where you are - try adding recycled shedding old tyres in your mix - I live in the tropicals in Australia - really helps stopping cracks in your walls cheers from Australia
old school stucco/plasterer here, for mixing your stucco mixture you want a 50lb bag of lime, 1/2 bag of 100lb portland cement to 15 shovels full of sand, and of coarse water. that should fill your wheel barrel or your small mixer, mix it together , while your stucco is mixing, wet and spray down your wall, this will make it so the lime in the stucco mix will suck the water up out of the wall and it will bond stick to the wall better, and you wont have troubles of it sliding down the wall,(unless you put to much water on the wall) after you put it there. The lime is the bonding agent between the concrete, sand and water mix. Its what gives it the structure, kinda like a glue, so it dont crack , or fall off the wall after it dries. the lime is kinda important to have in your stucco mix. After your done with the first coat of stucco, before it dries, you can go over it with , whats called a sponge float, its like a 4' by 12' trowel float with a sponge on it. you dip the sponge float in a bucket of water and then float it over the stucco wall in circles, packing in any bee holes and giving it a good sandy texture. if you dont like the sponge texture, try a smooth rubber float trowel same water and bucket method, it will give you a smooth texture, or just use your round trowel, and bring out the creme of the stucco and smooth it out like a concrete slab. Second coat is called skip drag trowel, pretty much like finishing dry wall, but with stucco. I hope you read this and hope it helps you.. Stay Safe and Stay Awesome
Matt - I rarely comment, but always "like" your videos.... Don't let anybody get to you! (well, maybe Kristen) But you are doing such an amazing job, first transforming your boat into a yacht, and now building a Mansion from a bare field! With no apparent construction skills! And you are doing better than great!! Just keep that in mind....
In the future buy yourself some survey paint and some of those flags and prepair what you want the day before they come. Those guys work better when they see something laid out on the ground.
This was not the fault of your contractors.
Agree. That is a visual they work with. Giving them width numbers serves no purpose, just give 'em a fat painted line to follow. As for bring down trees when you specifically clarified with "grass-only"...well...you can't fix stupid!
Wearing white socks with flipflops doesn't help your case . 😮 Loco
Moving along ... Another great video . Just a little friendly advice . When you start your plans for the cabin or house whatever you guys decide on .
The most important thing too do is plan for the future . If you're planning on a two bedroom home go three bedrooms . Plan on storage space . Parking , plants and trees .
Also think of where the rain water goes .
Thanks for sharing ...
Matt, I've been away for a period, trouble in Florida after Milton. I was rocked on hearing Kristen is pregnant, praying for a uncomplicated, safe and healthy outcome.
Matt I wish I was in PR so I could come over and help a brother out. You have the endurance and tenacity of 10 men. Great work as always.
My hubs and I have built three houses with our own hands much like you're doing, but I swear, sorting your own sand? WAY beyond where we would go! You two are ALL IN. Much respect from two old builders!
Slaying the fashion world with the new sock and flipflop look. Should be on Men’s Vogue look of 2025.😅❤
I wear white athletic tube socks and there are two things that never should be done outside of Japan. Wearing them with flip flops and pulling the sock all the way up your shin in shorts.
Hey, you stole my post!
Also called safety shoes
@@veronicabell6652 should of at the least, sport some crocks wit them so...lol
Don’t let anyone piss in your cheerio’s your doing great . And to be totally honest the video we see each week is top notch so great job on both of you.
I agree!
I love you showing the little mistakes and mishaps, shows how hard stuff really is
Hey Matt, damp the walls down with a fine spray of water before applying stucco, and add a bit of dish washing liquid to the mix to plastercise it and hold it back a bit longer from setting.
I've got to give you props, Matt, you have a work ethic that puts most of the world to shame. The only thing I'd criticize is your disregard for your personal safety and health. I hope you don't live to regret that in the future.
Finally found a stucco consistency you are comfortable working with. ❤ Nobody gets it right on the first try. Good job.
Hi guys how are you?
About the stucco!
3parts of zand and 1 part of cement is what we use for brickwork!
For stucco we use 4parts of sand 1part of cement and 1/4 part of lime that gives you more time to make it flat en smooth !
You both rock! Love your hearts, dreams, passion, compassion, ethic, and drive! Never, ever listen to negative souls! YOU are the only experts on YOU! Love, K on S/V Mistral in San Diego
Stress is a bad thing. Laugh it off and enjoy everything that you have both accomplished to date. Lots of respect to you Matt because you are learning as you go on. You both work very hard and it shows. I love your videos.
It's fun watching you guys because it's like watching our journey 10 years ago when we moved here to Puerto Rico and built a little jungle cabin hideaway (you can see it in some of our old videos). Don't worry, there's always little hiccups, but eventually you'll get through them. Enjoy the ride! If you continue like us next up might be having a kid and that's a whole NEW level haha
You're going to want to easily move or change out the charge controllers and other wall mounted gear.. so cement anchors are problematic. Much easier to just anchor in 2x4's or 2x6's horizontally.. and then screw your controllers/inverters into the wood. Now you can change out or move or reorganize your gear, cable ties, etc, without making more holes in the concrete.
I agree 100%. Always easier to do it this way.
It is easy to sit back and look at someone else's work and say something about it, but you do a good job man. Keep it up. 👍👍👍
Just a couple of recommendations that could help avoid the miscommunications in the future: 1: make sure you write down the specific instructions you want the workers to do in Spanish and English. Use google translate or get a friend to do it. The have them sign off on it beforehand. I hope you didn’t pay for the work in advance cause there’s no incentive for them to do it right. 2. Consider investing in a blueprint of your land and the proposed layout of all the things you want. My hunch is you have stuff already written down somewhere but a couple of hours in front of a computer or even with ruler and pencil could make for decent planning. 3: consider investing in a marking wand to put spray paint marks on the ground like surveyors do and show what you want and where you want it - $40 on Amazon. Work smarter not harder. Hugs to you all. Forgive if have already done most of this. Just trying to help.
There’s one easy way to get what you want, manage in real time. In person. As an employer in real estate and construction it’s often very difficult to accurately describe what you want via verbal instruction. Gotta manage them as they work. Given that there wasn’t going to be a way to accomplish what Matt wanted with the machine. They needed a front loader.
White socks with flipflops 😂 now you know why the dozer operator doesn't listen to your instructions .
Dear Matt and Kristen, you guys are doing an amazing job. Big challenges but it is what it is. It will be paradise when you’re done. I just wanted to say that I’m currently living in Asheville, NC and we got hit by Helen in 2024 and the wind, tornados and water was devastating. Since the French Broad River, and other rivers, overflowed by an unbelievable 20 feet high, homes just disappeared. I just wanted to say that I hope wherever you build you home, that it like 20 feet above the water or more, or if your at the top of the mountain and that’s not a concern then fine. But be sure to take 100 year flooding into account because homes and people got swept away forever. Places near water that always looked the same, everyday, suddenly looked like an entirely different place because the flood water changed it forever. It was like a tsunami in a canyon or gap. Stay safe and keep up the good work. Love you guys always,
Brad and Trak’r
@22:22 If you want a properly graded road, you must lay out the road's boundaries *_first_* and _then_ call them.
Pound down some stakes and run some boards first so they know how far to push the rocks and *_no further._*
Otherwise, they'll use a bulldozer like a grader and you'll have gravel *_all over_*_ your property._
Another terrific Sunday morning coffee video.
We'll see 😂
My wife asked me if I cared if she watches you guys. She added "I know, they're pretty boring. But sometimes I get to see the cats and the goats!". Lol ha ha 😅. Keep up the good work!
😅 more goat shots coming up!
You both are great. I'm sorry you had them do what you didn't want or expect.
You'll make it a palace no matter what. I'm so proud of you both. Love n hugs!
Regards, Myk
Hi guys, Matt, Buddy, get yourself a tractor. Even a POS, just to do the road work yourself. Also, buy some bright marking tape and tie it to the trees and bushes you want saved. keep up the hard work, looks great.
one time i saw a guy i worked with, he rigged up a motor to a sifter on a 4x4x6 frame so all we had to do was put the wheel barrow underneath and turn it on. and he made that like Macguyver. good work Matt!
😊😊😊In the beginning, a purchase of a good used skidsteer, would be a good plan of attack. And you will continue to have a need for one or a tractor with hydraulic attachment on front for a bucket or forks , you will need both .❤❤❤❤❤😊
I think it’s been mentioned in a previous vide but you should re-hang the door so it opens towards an internal wall. You’ll appreciate the change with more internal space.
Hey Stucco Steve, If you put your mixer on blocks, you’ll be able to get your barrel under without knocking it over. That’s what we do. Love your channel! Claude
front end loader / bucket should have been used to distribute the rock down the road then dazer it to spread thin.
It looks ok, deep breath, better next time. The dozer operator seemed to be very talented weaving in and out so that was good! You’ve come a long way!
Matthew amongst *all* of the men i've met or saw,you are the hardest working,adaptable,& funny mofo i've seen!
Animals know,& what they know of you is a protective,loving person.
Please HOLY SPIRIT,Watch Over Mighty Matt & His Loved ones.
Also:Onward "Kristian" Soldier.
Keep calling her that Matt,she LOVES IT.
🙏🦉
🏞️
Thanks!
ALWAYS challenging to deal with folks doing a job when you KNOW that there is a better way to do something and they get offended that you are telling them how to do what they do. It is often a no win situation. With a language barrier is must be worse. As Always, May God Bless you and yours! 😇
Love your humour, even when things don't go exactly to plan. You're doing great. Keep it up. HNY from the UK
Sorry Matt that you had frustrated time with this work! Love your positive way to roll with lifes problems! Keep up the great work! Kristen the baby bump is showing and you are still glowing! I'm sure everyone is so happy for you both untill next week ❤️🙏☕☕🤰
God bless you, Matt.
Hi Kristen and matt, long time viewer and enjoy your videos so much.❤❤
I Love you guys. I really wish you had more than 1 video a week and usually under a 1/2 hour. I wish they were longer.. Just my opinion and dream.
Matt ….you are a very good man 👏🏻👏🏻
You’re peace of land is amazing 🤩 all those beautiful trees 🌴
Matt, If you had a small excavator you would have plenty of work for it. Worth investing in one as you can move dirt/fill, dig your footings and drainage trenches, repair and maintain the driveway, with an attachment you can drill holes, lift stuff, move stuff, heaps of things mate. I bought one and it has saved me 1000s.
Hang in there guys. Love the show and look forward to every Sunday. You'll laugh about this little detour with your kid some day.
I agree that marking locations can help direct a contractor. Also, it will for you to visualize and make decisions. The same goes for drawings and plans. Always, I mean always draw what you want on plans. It will help see what you are getting, estimate, and communicate. I comment about masonry. Maybe consider pouring a foundation with rebar in the concrete and protruding to tie wall rebar. Set forms after rebar. Spray with form release and vibrant concrete. Leaving forms help cure, but it is easier to smooth before a full cure. Using block, then forms, and then stucco seems like too many steps. Maybe you can rent forms locally rather than building them. Again, take a set of drawings so you can get forms to fit. Don't worry, you will learn everything by the time you are finished. 😉
Cheers guys!😊
Hey Matty, definitely spray the walls with water before you put the stucko on. Massive tip. Good work though, buddy 👍
Beautiful site for the cabin. Just add another layer of rock to the road when your trusted guy is available. It will be even better.
Keep doing what you are doing. We all love seeing the good results and bad. It just proves you are willing to learn and roll with the situation. It was suggested to clearly mark where you want things. Spray paint is a great and inexpensive way to mark things.
Matt is so funny. I can't believe Kristen would say anything that you could not say on video. Love the video
You guys are doing such a great job. Just ignore the arm chair experts. Everybody thinks they know better. Truth be told most of us are just absolutely envious of you. You are out there making your dreams come true with blood, sweat, tears and laughter, living your best life while the rest of us are sitting on our asses watching TH-cam. 😂
Check the proximity of the river for your future construction plans! During hurricanes there can be land erosion and quite a bit of it due to rising water levels! My advice!
I agree with you on how the dump truck should have gone all the way down the road and turned around, at the bottom releasing the stone incrementally as the truck headed back up the road. That would have made everything easier on everybody, especially for spreading it out evenly. Live and learn. You're doing great, stay the course. I've been considering doing something similar, maybe with just the growing, no animals. Not even sure if I would vlog it either, seems like a lot of work for you both. Nice brand, love it!!!
professional dozer operators can keep a road 8 to 10 feet wide with fairly uniform rock depth by eye. the blade angles both directions to control width. but, building a virgin eyeball road at a fast pace will usually end up too wide and overage of material needed. These guys were blow and go. It happens. Hey, you can drive the pick up. Probably have to add stone to the weak areas as they present themselves.
Rent a machine, you wil have much more fun, learn, and get it done the right way . That dozer operator has an egg head.needed a front end loader
Small advice. Remember flooding areas from the river. Tropical rainforest
Great progress! Don't sweat the minor stuff, you'll evidently want wider graveled areas, especially in the rainy season. Contractors rarely do exactly what you want and require constant supervision. Their priority is get done, get paid, and leave - so supervision is a must. One idea is to install temporary stakes and orange construction to help steer them. What would be interesting to see [periodically] is an aerial photo of your property when you first bought it, and the current aerial photo. Paint the inside of that solar building white. You're going to have some high voltage connections in there and you'll want all the light you can get.
I hope you already considered how high that river gets when it rains a lot. You're doing a great job considering there's only two of you. Best wishes for.the New Year!
Sucks about the road! But it’s time Momma lets you get a backhoe! To control outcome one must control the MACHINE!
Pretty frustrating when workers cannot follow instructions, all they need to do is repeat what your directions are so you know they have a clear picture prior to proceeding. You will always get workers that just do what they want cause that is how they have done it before. Anyway it is what it is & life goes on, hay your little Mumma Bump is happening Kristen you look so wonderful pregnancy agrees with you.
A Cabin with log/timber or stone steps to the water will look great & accessibility will be good for Grandma when she comes to visit.
🎊🥂Happy New Year🥂🎊
Onwards & upwards looking forward to ya progress in 2025
🫶🥰🙌👏👏👏👏🌟🌈🇦🇺
You guys are going to need to get started on the nursery soon... :)
Very clever homemade trowel to get more mud on the walls! You always come up with your tricks Matt! Looking so lovely Kristen! Best 2025 ever to you both❤❤ 🎉 Its going to be a fantastic year!
Some people have to pick people apart it's their nature, your doing great
Things will get better for you. I know it is hard. Things will improve.
Friend, to clean the sand from the stone faster, first mix it with the cement, then the cement does the process of drying it and sifting it, believe me it will be faster.
Always give ur walls a Spray of water it stops the mud going dry as quick. &IF ya fix 2 timber trim. What ever thickness you want ur stucco about 3/5foot apart &use a straight edge going fm bottom too top it will give you a nice straight finish. Give it a rub of a concrete float &finish off wit sponge puts a nice finish... try it while doing outside hope ya see thiz chat matty
Love your DIY spirit!!!
No to the 100 sq ft tiny house, but if you want to maximize the space, you should swing the door the opposite way. 😉
Happy New Year's 🙏❤️🎊🎉🎊🎉❤️❤️❤️🏠🏡👏🏽👏🏽💪🏾💪🏾👍👍
Use some type of vapor barrier to keep grass from coming back like you did in the front entrance. those promo banner are perfect they thick and durables you can find around also pallet wood to mark roads and perimeters save you some money. Just a suggestion.
Only advice id give is usually you'd wet the walls down to help that mix stick.. also, old trick my grandfather who did this for a living always did was he'd add about 1 cup of wood glue (white PVC Glue) into each mix.. makes it real sticky, gives it a heap of water resistance and it helps to stop it ever cracking.. Good luck with it though..
Good morning folks, and Happy New Year!
Great to see the Homestead taking shape & the power plant making progress
Congratulations on the new news, Matt got look after new Mama !
I keep watching for you guys every Sunday morning 🇨🇦Cdn. Dave 🇨🇦
Thanks
Matt and Kristen, things don't always go right when doing a build like yours especially when you hire help. So you've had some issues and I can promise you that more will come! So hang in there, you are moving forward. Thanks for Sharing! 🙃🙂
Hi guys, I love what you have done to the property! One thing though, I believe that the spot you choose to build is a little too close to the river! Find out with your neighbors how high the water roused during hurricane Maria, which is historically the worst case scenario! I live about 45 minutes from you and know how unpredictable the weather is here!
Put a lot of grass seeds and soil on the land instead of rocks the grass seeds should help out with a lot of things.
Can understand your frustration and yes it sounds like the operators were not getting the required result
The trick is to tell the operator your required result, Not to tell them how to get it
Having spent many thousands of Hrs working dozers I know well that unless in a trench they are not good for carry material over longer pushes
The main failing I see here is your own as to maintain a distant narrow path the material needs to be lifted and bought forward with skidsteer or loader
Matt make some shelves above the washer / dryer for laundry things for Kristen
Matt, you are a machine, a mistake making machine sometimes...lol...but your drive and tenacity overcome those mistakes. There are always going to be armchair critics out there, ignore them. Keep the vids coming!!
Consider 5/8" plywood with Hardie backer board for mounting Mppt controllers, buss bars and inverters and shelving brackets. You can make only a few holes in concrete blocks to mount the plywood. The Hardie board makes it fireproof which is safer and may be required by code. Sounds like you are going the individual components route vs. combo mppt/inverter/charger. Just make sure you get inverter that is 48v battery capable and can do split phase 120/220. Look for MPPT controller that can do PV 250v dc or higher, otherwise you will be running more MC4 cables and have multiple MPPTs if you go with controllers that max at 150v.
I love your ingenuity Uncle Matty
Hi Matt, why not mount the electrical on a board that you mount to wall with a space ( like in a boat) for easy removal . ?
There is special primer for fresh stucco .
Cheers Warren
Such patience you have Matt!
Happy New Year
As a heavy equipment operator of 30 years, the operator you had was very good at what he’s doing! Looking good GBU!
Ya, I see the issue with the width of the road.., that’s not cool…..
Hopefully you can taper the road with a bobcat, to clean up the edges to look more like a residential driveway should…
8 FT. road No Bueno anyway.
Put stakes in the ground to mark out the areas?
Or spray paint lines. But I have a feeling these guys were gonna do what they wanted. A dozer isn't the greatest tool, either, something with a small bucket to initially spread the rock out would have been a good idea.
23:55 Build a container home...!!! There are a ton of shipping containers at the docks..!! You can stack them, cut out for windows. Paint each one, a different bright color..!! Lime green, orange, yellow....it would be beautiful...!!!
When you paint put the primer into the masonry paint, it helps sealed the stucco as well as the makes the paint stick better to the stucco.
Things happen for you. Thinky how to use that for your advantage for the future 😊
Paternal Pete is on a deadline. Get that homestead up and running.
Matt, I would rake the rocks from the edges of your road to the center, to provide a somewhat crown shape. Just incase it rain, that would help erosion
Consider NOT mounting any electronics directly onto the walls, rather run vertical 2x2's and a plywood backing plate to mount on. Any moisture from the walls could degrade the electronics if mounted directly on the walls. Mounting off the walls allows an air gap to dry out before going into the electronics. (Also could be cleaned of any mold or other critters)
Is the gap between the joists going to be screened or closed?
To bad you did not spray or stake the desired width of your roadway.
The amount of major projects you both conquer is unbelievable!! One thing you guys can do before laying stone is take a sprayer with water & vinegar and spray the grass. This will kill the grass. But, be careful not to spray anything that you want to keep alive. This is a great natural spray but, check with your vet to make sure it wont harm your cats. You can lok this up on garden channels. You can also kill weeds if they grow in the stone driveway/road.
Love that you saved those beautiful trees on the cleared future cabin pot. Very smart to save those beautiful fluffy & flower trees. Sorry you lost the other trees.
Dont forget to take some rest & relaxation days to give your body a break from all your hardwork.
without extra help besides your wife you are doing very well, keep up the great work
Absolutely love love love your show you have a loyal watcher for sure thank you!
Looks great. Who cares about right or wrong way. If the end result is there, what works for you works for you
Your property is beautiful.
Way to roll with the punches and stay positive. Everything will work out in the end and always remember to enjoy the journey!
Great video! Thanks for sharing.
Thats a long push for the stone with a dozer. suprised you dont put fabric under the stone to float the road . its still looking good guys
Map land work ahead of time with grade sticks and flags. better than just verbal instruction no matter how fluent one might be in the language.
In your rending your walls - not sure they have it where you are - try adding recycled shedding old tyres in your mix - I live in the tropicals in Australia - really helps stopping cracks in your walls cheers from Australia