AT THE DESTINATION

It's Monday, 16 January 2023 and we have officially moved in! A lot of work and hope and trepidation are now behind us and a huge burden has been lifted.

After our house was already structurally completed both inside and out in mid-November 2022, we retrieved the container with all our furniture. Since we left for Portugal, we had stored all of our belongings with the freight forwarder. At the same time, we applied to the Portuguese energy supplier to connect the house to the public energy grid.

We had already applied for a connection to the public sewerage system from the local council.

So our plan was to be equipped with electricity and a sewage connection in time for Christmas. The closer we got to Christmas, the more we realised that this wasn't going to happen. Worse still, there were no specific dates for the work to be carried out, neither for the electricity nor for the sewer connection.

The situation with the electricity connection was particularly difficult because the company "E-Redes" first had to ensure that the main connection was laid to the transfer point. Only when "E-Redes" has reported completion can the customer go to the actual energy supplier and apply for the supply of electricity.

It turned out the way it had to, with endless phone calls and contact attempts to initiate the necessary steps in a timely manner. Because Christmas was fast approaching. The first Christmas in the new house was getting further and further away.

The situation was even worse when we applied for a sewer connection. At some point, we were given a time frame for when the construction team might arrive.

May 2023!

What?

Another six months to wait before we can move in?

Surely that can't be true?

I'll refrain from commenting on all this. Equipped with this experience, we would take a completely different approach to the next build.

Leap forward!

On the morning of 4 January 2023, much to our delight, the construction crew arrives. They dig up the road and connect the house to the sewer network. Cool, water on, we can use our toilet. What a joy!

In December, the cable for the electricity was laid by "E-Redes" to the transfer point of the house. The only thing missing was the "juice".

But it arrived on 12 January 2023 after we were able to clear up some not inconsiderable "administrative difficulties".

Together with our heating specialist, we were finally able to put the heating system into operation and heat the house thoroughly to get the humidity down. After all, we don't live far from the sea.

Our fibre optic connection for the internet synchronised automatically with the first sip of electricity from the mains.

Suddenly all our worries and troubles were blown away. We could move in. What a great feeling!

18 months of building time, from the ground-breaking ceremony to completion, flew by. We finally realised our dream and built a house out of clay. Clay, a building material that has been used for thousands of years but has lost its attention in the age of cement and concrete. But not in relevance!

We have reached our destination and are looking forward to our new life in Portugal!