Guatemala HFH Habitat House

Rabinal, Guatemala – 2016. This is the house that Habitat built in Rabinal, Guatemala for Natalia Lopez and her husband Sylvester Coloch and their family. The house is approximately 20’x20’ (6mx6m) and consisted of three rooms plus a toilet. Construction was concrete block with horizontal and vertical rebar and concrete at engineered intervals with a corrugated metal roof on tubular steel supports. The Habitat masons had dug out the trench and put in the first layer of concrete for the foundation before we arrived so we started with pouring the foundation and over the build got to almost the top of the walls – a pretty good effort for ten days. The masons are responsible for finishing of the house.

Habitat sign. Rabinal, Guatemala

What was done before we arrived - the foundation trench with the rebar all ready for the next layer of concrete. Rabinal, Guatemala

The habitat masons showing all of the preliminary work that they did before our arrival. Rabinal, Guatemala

All the foundation trenches had been dug before we arrived which was great because digging the trenches is a LOT of work. Rabinal, Guatemala

Preparing the first big batch of concrete for the foundation. Rabinal, Guatemala

Preparing the first big batch of concrete for the foundation – ten bags of cement and thirty wheelbarrows of sand. Gravel still to be added. Rabinal, Guatemala