I too love those tiles! Yes, we're saving them. In the rooms that don't have them we will use new ones in the center like a rug with polished concrete around them. They still make them by hand with the original molds. I visited one of the "factories" once, not very modern but they had these molds hanging on the walls that went back over a hundred years. They pack colored concrete into each section of the mold separately, put a lot of pressure on it and then dry it.
The high ceilings make a world of difference in the heat. It was pretty hot the first day we went into the house but inside was cool, that was from the high ceilings and the thick rock walls. We will probably only put AC in the bedrooms. Electricity is more expensive in Mexico than in the US and I'd like to get by without using it throughout the house. If we get the ventilation right at ceiling height and a good cross flow of breeze I think we'll be very comfortable all year with just fans. We will have fans in all rooms including the porches.
Shade is important too. I want the pool to come in under the big porch so that part of the water is shaded and stays cooler. Of course, I also have this fantasy of having a hammock over the pool in the shade so I can just fall out of it into the water
This whole peninsula is solid limestone, there's not a lot of soil on top of it. Bedrock can be as little as a foot below the surface. So, I'm doing a lot of thinking about what that means for ponds and gardens. The water is very hard and we do have a well for the pool, ponds and garden, my guess is that the PH is quite high. I'll probably put in a water softener for the house along with a pressure system for the city water. Pool, ponds and cistern have to be dug out with a pick axe, they only bring in a jackhammer if they run into a big rock. Labor is the cheapest part of any construction project so if you can do it manually then it works out costing less. Thus, I hope they don't hit any big rocks. I hope to have planting areas dug out too so I can add good soil at least a foot or two down. I want a hidden spot in the back where I can make compost, I figure it will "cook" pretty fast here.
One of the selling points to living here for most middle class Americans is that help is inexpensive so you can easily have a maid come in several times a week and a gardener as well for very little. Even daily without breaking the bank. There are a few downsides to that and you have to pay close attention to local labor laws so that you don't get caught violating them without realizing it. But, all in all, having someone do the hard stuff in the yard and clean the house is a joy. Merida has world class medical facilities and that's a consideration for most retirees. It's also a lot less expensive than in the US and there are insurance policies available. Some US policies will cover you here as well. Property taxes are very cheap, they top out at a couple hundred dollars a year, most are a lot less. Mortgages are rare so your costs after you buy and renovate the house are very low for housing. As I said, electricity is higher. Imported foods are higher but the fruits and vegetables are not only fresher and better tasting but cheaper. If you learn to find what you like in local brands then your food costs will be a lot less. If you have to have Ragu spaghetti sauce imported from the US, it will cost you. In some things you can get European brands cheaper than US brands so your choices expand. Currently gas is a little cheaper than in most of the US, it's government controlled and it goes up a set amount every month but still has lagged behind the US so far. Cable internet and TV is available and satellite TV is available for US and Canadian channels.
Here's a link to the
real estate agency we used, it's fun to look at the houses. So far, I'm really happy with them and we got a lot of good feedback about them from other ex-pats. Real Estate isn't regulated down here like it is in the US so you have to really be careful and check references. You can see though that a house that has not been renovated is very inexpensive compared to costs in most of the US. You can figure about the same amount to renovate as you paid for it unless you add square footage (+) or it already has updated electric and plumbing (-).
I think I overestimated the heat in my post above. In the winter, it is often in the 70's and low 80's. It's quite pleasant most of the time from December through March and then it starts warming up more. It's almost always good to get out of the sun and rest during the middle of the day, it's almost necessary during the late spring and summer. Humidity is high most of the time, in the winter it drops as there are
nortes that bring dryer, cooler air down from the north. Orchids and bromeliads grow on the trees all over in the wild, hothouse versions grow great on the trees too if you put them there. I think the heat and humidity in the summer is equivalent to a summer in Houston.
**PS - Joyce, I would LOVE to have you do the gardens!
