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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

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Build (me up buttercup) in Ambergris Caye, Belize.

by tacogirl 14/12/2012
written by tacogirl 14/12/2012
building a house in belize

Well, the first thing I want to ‘say’ is a BIG thank you to tacogirl  aka Laurie Norton for allowing me the opportunity of being her guest blogger. Platitudes out of the way I will now get on with my story!

So where do I start? Well, I am British, retired and in my early 60s. My wife is Irish, also retired and much,much younger than me ( my wife took over the post momentarily but I have control of it again).

Struggling for a location to go to for our holiday in 1998 we decided to give Belize, and in particular, Ambergris Caye a try and I booked accommodation at Lily’s Hotel ( now Tio Pil’s Hotel).

Six weeks before our holiday Hurricane Mitch hit Central America and wreaked destruction in its wake. Family and friends implored us to cancel but I am pleased to say that we did not heed their warnings. We went ahead with our trip and fell in love with what we saw and felt.

So much so that within 8 weeks of returning to the UK we had purchased a condo at the Banana Beach Resort and so began our annual (sometimes bi-annual) trips to Ambergris Caye.

It didn’t take too many trips for us to realise that when the day came for me to pack up work it was to Ambergris Caye that we would relocate.

With this decision taken we looked around for land to build our dream home on and in 2004 purchased a canal lot in San Pablo ( just up the street from where tacogirl lives actually). Over the next two years we bought two adjacent lots which gave us (well obviously we paid for the land) combined land space of 15,000 square feet. Enough to build the  house of our dreams on.

This plan changed in 2007 when we saw some lots for sale on the lagoon side of Tres Cocos. We decided straight away that this is where we wanted to live when that day came so bought the two lots which together are around 40,000 square feet.

north ambergris caye

Ariel shot Tres Cocos

The plan to retire here was accelerated in the summer of 2009 when I was made redundant ( this is the only sad part of this story so handkerchiefs away).  Rose and I set about preparing our apartment in  London’s Docklands for sale and divesting ourselves of the many
possessions we had accumulated over the years. We also started thinking about the type of house we wanted to build.

We compiled a room by room, floor by floor written specification for the house we wanted and, after seeking advice from acquaintances in Ambergris Caye, appointed Strukture Architects Limited in Belize City to produce plans for us. We had considered appointing an English architect but concluded that it made more sense to use someone who had first-hand knowledge of the climate and the building regulations.

We also started to give serious thought as to who we wanted to build for us and started to communicate with people that we knew had built in Ambergris Caye and when we visited we went to look at the projects builders had worked on and met the people that they had built for.

With the apartment sold and our worldly possessions disposed of ( given to family, sold, given to charitable donations ( to a children’s hospice), some put in storage to join us later or what was of no use to anyone we just threw away) we moved to Ambergris Caye and arrived
here on 31 May.

Within three weeks of arriving we had finalized the plans for our home and by mid October had chosen Daniel Camal to build it for us.

building a house in belize

First steps is to building a house is designing one – home exterior

Clearance of our land started within a week of appointing Daniel whilst we waited for planning permission which we got on 2 November and on 5 November the build officially started.

building a home in belize

Roadside before clearance

north ambergris caye

Roadside after clearance

It is scheduled -weather permitting – to be a 40 week project and we are already in week 6 and are exceptionally pleased with the ways things have gone so far. We know that there is a long way to go but we  like what we have seen so far.

steps to building a house

Foundations In

As to living in Ambergris Caye? Well, we love it . It is everything and more than we had thought it would be.

To record the build and to keep my family and friends in touch with what we are doing I have stated a blog . So, if you want to see how the build progresses you just need to go : A Belize Home for Us.

Oh, the feed for the headline comes from the 1969 hit ( number 2 in the UK and number 3 in the US) ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ by The Foundations ( rather apt that because they have just been laid for our house).

Thanks again to tacogirl for allowing me this guest appearance. John

Related

tacogirl

Laure Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton! I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s... always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and... local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do... what everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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THE ORIGINAL BELIZE BLOG

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation.

If you have any questions or want Belize discounts, Contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

3 childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age.Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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