A view of the exterior earthen plaster after the entire cottage has been refreshed inside and out. This image also highlights the new metal roof we put on earlier in the season. The old roof was inferior and in need of new decking and tight connections. Upon demolition of the old roof, there were sections in which we vacuumed out 4-6 inches of mouse droppings. It highlighted the very serious need to make sure any structure is created without gaps in walls, roof lines and the like. Building basics, but back in the day, when this small structure was created, some rules that not everyone followed we can only hope because of lack of proper skill.
We made sure at the completion of this project that no small gap was left unattended, a bit of a chore when we could see gaps in the adobe bricks which showed light from inside to out. We certainly appreciate owner-builders who have a certain level of knowledge and feel confident to take on any building project. However as we have seen (and repaired) time and time again, it is imperative to get advice from professionals, for any aspect of building. As you can imagine, fixing and back peddling to repair mistakes made during any building process can take a huge amount of time and certainly adds cost (and heartache?) to any project.
Our advice if you cannot afford to hire a pro? Research, research, research!