The Build
Our build in Cape Verde, told in order, as it happened.
How we ended up building a house in Cape Verde
It started in 2003 with a TV programme and a 2am arrival on Sal. Twenty years later, we're building a house from scratch. This is how we got here.
A false start before we broke ground
We bought the land in September 2022 and expected to start building in January. We didn't break ground until the end of March — because our structural engineers changed the terms at the last minute.
The structure, the mistakes, and moving in
Between July 2023 and May 2024 the shell of the house went up, twice in places. Two ceiling heights got out by half a metre, a roof pour ran out of cement, and we ended up finishing the job with a different team.
The pool — shrunk, restored, and still waiting for its finish
We cut the pool down in a panic over costs, then went back to the original design and paid more for changing our minds. Then came eight months waiting for a contractor, a failed leak test, and a finish that is still waiting for the right tradesperson.
Living upstairs while the rest of the house caught up
From May 2024 to August 2025 we lived on the first floor while a small, steady team turned the rest of the plot from a building site into a house waiting to be finished, pool included.
Where the build is now (and why we write as we go)
A short orientation post — what stage we're at, and why this diary is written live rather than tidied up afterwards.