Because it's still an active construction zone, the most I can tell you it's on the Island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. The area is pretty secluded from any main roads.

Yes. 98 % of the building walls are 8 inch. Only maybe 1 or 2 walls for the bedroom closets are used with 6 inches. A building this high and heavy, will not support 6 inch blocks to carry the load; will not pass building code approval.

Send in your application in advance to rent a unit :) 1 year from today should be a good move in date.

Thanks for watching and things just getting started. Plenty of room to join in the party :)

I'm still waiting on that donation :)

Oh, got you down for $25K donation....US currency or UK currency :)

still waiting on your donation :)

Thanks for watching. My retaining wall is part of the building structural wall as well. The ground floor is a level up on the hillside and weight is carried on this wall. Check out video #40 where we cutting away the hillside.

Thanks. You're still 2 videos behind though based on you're now only seeing this one :) At the time of typing this, latest video was at Episode 40

You and me both!

Well, this is one of those situation where preservation will loose as it's on my lot. : ) I was also told that whole area there are a number of those underground channels but I just happened to come up on one by accident. Water was always on the foundation pad but we never knew why until seen it for ourselves. This is an area they called Spring Ghut as there was always water running down from the hillside somewhere. Growing up I never really knew why until we found that underground channel.

The wall has multiple functions. It's a retaining wall to keep back the dirt behind the wall and also serves as a structural wall for the 3 floors that are going on top the basement level. Most of the weight of the building is on that wall which why it had to be poured all at once with 4000 PSI concrete and a lot of steel rebar. The wall is also 8 inches thick concrete which is mandatory in the building code.

@@thejourney-buildinginthebv4981 okay cool 😎 keep building ❤️

Construction is on the island of Tortola within the British Virgin Islands.

Thanks for watching. Even though I'm not local there at this very moment, I'm very much involved in what the guys are doing on a day to day basis to address any issues or make a correction that needs my feedback. It works well when you have a good crew looking out for your best interest.

Every week is a bit excessive...I don't have that kind of money.....My trips are based on priority or if I need to be onsite to check things out before next steps but my builder sends me what I need most of the time.

​​@thejourney-buildinginthebv4981 oh I thought u reside in the bvi

No alcohol allowed on job site and that only opens up more problems or risks for some one falling on the job due to being intoxicated. Power tools and alcohol, don't mix either.

Save your money....Keep away from that excessive shopping buying stuff you don't need. Stay focus on your goal and don't listen to anyone when they try to deter you from achieving that goal.

@@thejourney-buildinginthebv4981 ain't that the truth people do try to deter you.. idky but it's all good.. my ear goes blank lol

Yes, if you can get your material from Puerto Rico or USA, get them. Puerto Rico didn't had them when I tried at the time so I got from Florida which was more expensive in shipping. Tropical doesn't let you know the cost until you actually deliver the items and they are enroute to the destination, thus, you can't change your mind. Bill of Quantity process in the BVI is a rip off but yes, some folks start at $1500. Most of them just copy and paste the stuff and don't do any calculations.

So let me ask do u have to travel to Puerto Rico to get materials an get them or can u do it online

I do not travel to Puerto Rico. I have my contacts in Puerto Rico for items if I need like lumber, steel rebar, plywood etc. and I do everything over the phone or with just a text. I usually get a quote in less than a hour of what I need and then decide if I want to buy then or later. Once you establishment a good payment history with them, the rest goes easy. Also since exporting , there is also no sales tax like the mainland USA. You can not buy anything without a credit card, copy of your license or ID the 1st time you make a purchase.

@@thejourney-buildinginthebv4981 so you can't use cash like debit if u have the money? Everything credit?

As far as getting proper documentation to receive you imported items where do you apply for that.. and can you apply online or do you have to go to the shipment place where you receive your shipment and apply

Check out the latest videos as the cistern and most of the foundation already poured.

Thanks. That's your plywood & Lumber there at work :)

I'm taking donations :) Scared to see the bill for that last concrete pour

UH?!? Why not share holders?

A lot of prepping and investment in a rebar bending machine, made a huge difference.

I had bought all the steel rebar at once from Puerto Rico for the building and forgot there was a 2 % wharfage fee on all imported item based on the invoice totals. The fee is normal but forgot how large a purchase I had made. There were 29 bundles of steel rebar which was quite a large sum but at the end of the day, savings buying them was in excess of over $16K saved.

Thanks for watching. New video will be uploaded soon.

It's under control and in planning.

There is a pump on site but most of the water was dried out before casting the footers with concrete. The water problem is being addressed and the plumber started part of the remediation with running pipes to have the water flow under the building and come out in the front. Other drainage is being added with gravel and pipes behind the wall once the foundation wall is completed to remove any extra water. Knowing the water is there, we can't leave things as is and it have to be addressed.

I'm taking donations as well :)

If items shipped on or by Wednesday, they arrive on Sunday. If they shipped on Friday, they arrive on Wednesday. So, just a few days once they clear at the dock. BVI has 2 weekly departure dates.

Great!.Tks!! .I thought it would be 2 or 3 weeks!! I can order through Lowes and/or Home Depot and they can deliver to the company, right? @@thejourney-buildinginthebv4981

They will deliver but each have a fee. Delivery is usually $79 (truck) and special packing with crates etc. is like $100 on top of your bill. I found Lowe's to be more cheaper though. Home Depot, the discounts don't kick in until you spend $2,500 or more.

Yes! The items bought in the islands are usually marked up 3 to 5 times more than what you would pay for within the states. Also note, if you are exporting the items outside the US, there is no sales tax on the items and the more items you buy, the lower the price will drop if bulk pricing is offered. Stores like Home Depot and Lowes have an export PRO department with bulk pricing where you provide them your list and they will deliver it to your preferred shipping company. I usually just email them my list after checking their site and I get the bulk quote after but the prices you are being charged are always lower than what is listed on the company site. I would recommend items like steel rebar, plywood or lumber in general, electrical conduits, electrical wires, breakers boxes, plumbing pipes (anything you need a large quantity of) to buy from the states. Just to give you an example of the difference: In the BVI, a 10 feet electrical conduits ½ inch will cost you about $19 to $25 each. In the US, that same conduit will run about $5 to $6 each. Compare to my cost buying from the states for my electrical conduits they only cost me just over $4k but the same amount would have run me about $15K buying within the BVI. Even with shipping you will still come out ahead.

Aw man thx for this I appreciate this info.. also for the bill of quantity who did you use if you don't mind me asking?

I used Sun Leaf Construction and the fee at the time was $500 but I've seen the fee starting as high as $1,500 and up so shop around. Word of advise, never share your quantity of build document with your builder or use the same company that provide you one. They will follow it exactly and take you to the cleaners!! The documents is not something I take seriously as it different for anyone who creates it and it based on local prices which are subject to negotiation based on trades it references. You only need it to get a bank loan or to get the tax exemption for importing your items. They add tooo much crap within it to inflate the cost to build. Crap like cost to have your workers picked up to and from work . I had 6 electricians provided me a quote and they were all different and each reviewed the same drawings. The quotes range from $47K to $83K for the same work!!! Shop around as the BVI trades are all looking to get rich quick.

Thank you soo much for the advice I really appreciate it. If I think of anymore questions I will definitely ask you.. I didn't start yet so far I just did the plan..

If you have not started, your plans are only good or valid for a few years (3) before they force you to reapply for approval. So, if you haven't started any construction by then, you have to start all over the plan review process with public works. Some red tape they have in place to make money off the locals. My construction actually stated this morning. But, once you start and have your 1st inspection, plans are good indefinitely.

Thanks, will do!

Unfortunately, the government utilities there aren’t too helpful when there is politics involved so as a work around, I implemented my own solutions to keep things moving even though there are power lines and water line next to the lot. I bought a 1,100 watts generator for power (already on site) and will be setting up a gas water pump and lines from my nephew’s house (it’s about 250 feet distance) to fill up the water tank when needed. These were the immediate solutions until I’m ready to deal with the government red tape and other delays. I have a sibling been waiting for over 3 years now for a water connection and the lines just as close.

It wouldn't have made much of a difference based on the amount of rain that fell that month. The concrete blocks falling off the hill was due to this wash out of dirt as well. The whole areas within town (city) was under over a foot of water, schools flooded out and roads washed out. It was one of those weird storms that popped up in the middle of November that dropped a huge amount of rain over a few days. But, in the next few weeks, a heavy machine will be onsite to remedy all that as construction is about to start.

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching ...

It's not a huge lot. Just .27 acres but the property's use was maximized even with the setbacks and restrictions.

Tola is not like how is was 20 years ago, so, you have to be careful who you trust with your stuff. There is more to just having items loaded from the port as there is a very detail process that I go through. I do it myself to make sure it gets done correct the 1st time. Even for me, the broker sometimes make mistakes that hold up everything so, you have to react fast to have the situation corrected. Sometimes it is 2 months of planning and I have a backup for every primary person I use in the effort. You need to have this doing anything in the BVI. As to the support jacks, that was a personal investment. Some builders have but they mostly borrow from each other which becomes a timing issue if you needed them and someone else currently have. I found it's best to own your own stuff cause to also rent, it turns out cheaper to just buy out right. The cost wasn't substantial and I can recover any money spent by selling when I'm done. Plus, there is a phase 2 to this project that would require the jacks. Time is money. The water tank is related to a previous video where I'm unable to get a water connection due to disarray within the Water and Sewage department. There are water lines right by the road at the property line but unable to get a connection at this time since last year August. Made all kind of concessions to get it but it's like talking to someone deaf. It becomes political at this point so the water tank is the work around to keep things moving.

Company name is CCADS Ltd. I would recommend you ask the cost up front (for everything & what's included) before you start the process.

Working on it but the person responsible for causing the issue, not even the owner. Lots around me all family and he just renting the lot next to me for sheep. They gone but fence still there. I'll just have the equipment move it if it's still there when I start. He had plenty warnings to correct the issue and he trespassing at this point.

Sorry for the late reply as I'm just getting back from the BVI. I do major orders usually around Valentine's Day, Thanks Giving, Christmas and New Years. Special orders can be done if giving at least 2 weeks notice. Current options are Coconut, Pineapple, Guava (you can get mixtures of these 3 as well if available at that time) and sweet potato pudding. FYI - They are prices now $20 each plus shipping if you looking to get some.

@@thejourney-buildinginthebv4981OK cus

Put in your "Thanks Giving" or "Christmas" order early :)

It's not hard to do and as long as you get the ingredients correct, you set...Just have to make up your mind one day to make a batch :) Most of the work is in the presentation of the tart.

Glad it was helpful!

Will try to post a progress video at least weekly for now.