I Bought Land and Built a House in Mexico Start to Finish (complete construction)

It's been 2 years since we bought our land here in Mexico. Raw land, a halfacre lot a few steps from the ocean, full of native desert plants. Nothing on it, nothing built. In this video, we want to share the real process of building our casita from the ground up, start to finish, from day one. Every step it took to turn desert land into a home. Did we know what we were doing our first day on the job site? No. Did we figure it out? Absolutely. And this is the whole process. Before we get into it this year, a quick rewind because none of this started without machetes. The first year we owned this land, we didn't build a house. We hand cleared the lot ourselves, one swing at a time, doing our best to protect the plants that were actually worth keeping. The toot, the cardon, and organ pipe cactus. Since our house plans and permits weren't ready yet, we figured why not build something? So, we started on a wall, one side of the property, not because we needed it yet, but because we needed the practice. That wall taught us how to tie rebar, pour a footer, and lay blocks. Looking back, that whole year was just us quietly learning the language of construction before we actually had to speak it. But the real progress that started the following year, we were finally breaking ground on the cassita and the sistern. So, step one was marking out exactly where everything would go. We used this really cool GPS tool for the big picture. And then very high tech, a Coke bottle with a stick for the fine details. Somehow both worked. Once the lines were set, the machine got to work clearing the dirt, and they moved fast. But a good chunk of the leveling still had to happen by hand with us and a compactor getting everything perfectly flat before anything could go in the ground. Someone on this crew fell in love with that compactor a little too much. Then came the part we'd been dreading and looking forward to in equal measure. Rebar. It had been a full year since our practice wall and it showed. It took a minute to knock the rust off, but we had help remembering the ropes. Our bodies, on the other hand, had not done their homework. My hands are not used to this type of work. >> We walked away from this one with the first of what would become a long list of build injuries. Welcome back to construction. It missed us. With the land prepped, it was time to actually start building with a whole new crew. And here's the thing. We knew basically nothing about building in Mexico. Different materials, different methods, different rhythm, which meant it was time to learn. We started with the sistern. First job, tying in all the rebar supports because a stronger skeleton means a stronger structure. And this thing needed to hold water for years to come. Everywhere the rebar crosses another piece of rebar, you have to tie it. So, pick a row. >> While we worked, we overheard the boss on the phone confirming our sand and gravel were on the way. Translation. We were about to pour concretto. >> As soon as this foundation is all reinforced barrel barrel barrel moves. This will provide 20,000 L of water. So both the house and the tiny house will have water from this one sistn. It will branch off to both structures which will provide you with water for washing dishes, for showering, for drinking, for all the things. This is a very important step in the process and on the construction site. With the system prepped, we shifted to the casitas foundation. Same drill, hand tying every support, this time with even more column supports thrown in. What do we think, Izzy? Pass inspection. You're not even looking. >> We moved into forming. Since the Cassita's foundation wasn't just a hole in the ground like the sistern, we needed plywood forms to hold the concrete exactly where we wanted it. That plywood, by the way, would end up getting reused for the same job over and over throughout this entire build. Then the first real pour of the build. Okay, before I forget, two buckets of concrete, six buckets of gravel, sorry, I'm thinking in Spanish right now, and seven buckets of arena sand. And that is what makes up the mixture that is going into the bottom of the sistern for the base. This is so fun. I'm having the best time. We started with the sistern and it was an instant reminder of one very important fact. Concrete is very heavy. We developed this little lean back and wiggle move. It went faster than expected, mostly thanks to a genuinely excellent team. While some of us poured from the top, someone stayed down at the base, making sure it was spread evenly because an uneven pour today is a problem forever. Then we moved to the casita foundation and it went just as smoothly. Some poured, some leveled, some tried to keep up. It's tiring work. It's also somehow a really great time. And at the end of the day, you're left staring at this solid pad, ready for whatever comes next. It's another beautiful day in Baja. And the footer for the Kittita is dry. It looks incredible. And we're mixing up the mortar for the block laying. Jasmine's in the system putting the first blocks down. It's going to be another big day on the job site. It might look like we had this all figured out. We did not. It had been a full year since we'd last laid a block, and the muscle memory just wasn't there. And add in lifting blocks over your head, and it didn't take long before the pros left us in the dust. >> These are our blocks. This is Amigos's blocks. >> Got to stay humble. >> We made a call. Join a much more experienced block layer and actually learn the trade properly. Honestly, this turned out to be one of the best parts of the whole build. He taught us almost everything without saying much at all. Just watch, mimic, and adjust. Here's the process that would carry us through the rest of the project. Mix your mortar to the right consistency, similar to thick peanut butter. Now, spread a bed of mortar along the foundation where the block will sit. Take your first block and carefully set it into the mortar bed. Press it down gently and wiggle it slightly so it bonds with the mortar underneath. Check level and plum. Tap the block slightly until it's aligned. Before placing the next block, butter the end of the block with the mortar. Make sure each block joint is staggered. Finally, clean off any excess mortar with your towel for a neat finish. And slowly it clicked. That feeling when your hands finally remember what to do is one of the best parts of a project like this. We made real progress alongside the crew. And somewhere in the middle of all that block laying, we made something else, too. Friends, we walked through the foundation method properly. Lots of nails, wood, ties, all in service of getting ready to pour supports. Once that setup was done, the whole team moved like a machine. Full, full, full, full, and bull. Next up, waterproofing the foundation. This section would end up buried in earth, surrounded by dirt on all sides, so it needed to be able to handle anything nature threw at it permanently. We kept laying block and forming supports while our dirt got prepped to fill the foundation for a later pour. In between, we poured a round of supports and our plumber got to work laying in the plumbing. Everything was starting to line up toward one big movement, the foundation. Ready to go. Quick explainer in case this part looks confusing. The ground under a foundation needs to be as tightly compacted as possible or you risk shifting and erosion down the line. So, the process is add a layer of dirt, wet it, compact it, and repeat over and over until it's built up to the exact level you need for the pore. Then we got handed what might be the hardest skill in masonry. He makes that look so easy. Like just a flick of a hand. It's not. Jazz has been in there practicing for at least almost 20 minutes to half an hour now. It's not as easy as it looks. It's such a technique and there's so much precision and power going into one place. the way he covered that entire wall so perfectly. But it's really cute because everyone's having a great time laughing, watching us learn. And Senor even said just keep throwing it. Even if you've got to take it off, just keep throwing it. Practice is the only way you're going to get it. So, I think that applies to everything in life, folks. Just keep trying. While we waited on the machine to bring in more dirt for the cassita foundation, we used the downtime to pour concrete into the sistern walls for extra strength and set the corner where our meter box would live. And then I learned to plaster. Whack. I think you got it. But don't let that get to your head. >> Oh, that was a lot, though. >> That's okay. That's what the screen thing's for. And with each layer, you smooth it out with the bar all the way up to the top so it's still pretty level. And then finally the third or possibly the fourth layer. They're doing a super fine mortar. So this is building up the walls, creating a exterior around the bricks. That way water can't get through. >> Second layer. First layer more smooth. >> While the foundation prep continued, electrical and plumbing kept advancing behind the scenes. And then it was time to gear up for the big one. This pour needed a lot more rebar than anything we had done so far. This man truck is coming down and she's a spinning full of concrete. Holy smokes. That's right. Poor day. We're asking for a little bit more water. the glory. So much faster. >> So much. >> Look at this place. We're >> almost there. >> I think this like last night we were like, are we going to be doing it by wheelbarrow or poor truck? >> You never know here. >> You never know. Does it ever take a team to pour a perfect concrete floor here? Taking a step back to have a look at all this gorgeous work we did this morning. It's completely leveled out. They're all pouring it off the edges. Jasmine's going around the edges as well, making every making sure everything is looking good. And does it ever look good? It is absolutely glistening. It's actually looking perfect. I've never seen a more beautiful slab in real life that's just been poured. I'm super impressed. We all worked really hard this morning and now it dries. Woo! With a foundation finally under us, it was time to actually build a house, which meant, you guessed it, more block laying. Told you this skill would keep coming back. This round felt different, though, because for the first time, we weren't building supporting structures. We were building the actual walls of our house. It was the moment this stopped feeling like prep work and started feeling like a home. There's little spaces being left everywhere you look. There is a door over here. There is a window right there. That's the bathroom window. And when you compare it to the plans, it's really cool to see it come to life in real life. This was a full team effort with everyone locked into their own task. Right now, currently, there are three people stacking blocks. Jazz is one of those people. And every one of them have a buddy. So they've got someone who's measuring, cutting, bringing blocks, keeping the mortar nice and soft and suave with a little extra water in there and making sure that they are happy and they have everything they need to continue stacking blocks. I've noticed this is really important down here in general. There's usually a big flow and it feels good because everyone's got a purpose. You're useful. Before long, the walls climbed up higher and higher than we could reach from the ground. Time for scaffolding. This was a genuinely exciting milestone because it meant we are closing in on pouring the wall supports. It was physical work of the build so far. Lifting those blocks are no joke, especially lifting them up above your head or even to your shoulders and lifting it nicely and placing it nicely, particularly where it needs to go perfectly on the wall. I'm the apprentice now. Interior walls are finished. Any place we have electrical or plumbing coming up, we've made an X. So that way the electricians and the plumbers know where to go. This is the bathroom. So you can see this is going to be where the sink is. X, X, and X. Next, pouring the supports inside those walls. If pouring on the ground was tough, pouring from scaffolding was a whole new level. Those buckets did not get any lighter and we were hauling them up constantly. But we got there. How's that fun? Pretty fun. >> I love pouring castillos. >> And when it was done, the structure finally looked connected. They look stunning and strong. After a few more support BS, it was finally time to bring electricity to the property. I would say considering how long we've been here and we've been building from what I understand having the electrical coming to the land this quick is quick and I would have to give a shout out to our amazing builder because he's so well connected and we were able to get the electrical company in here so fast which is so amazing because once that house is built we'll be able to plug her in and light her up and it'll be livable. Electricity is also going to make the build that much faster because we'll be able to run tools easier. Um, not have to pull a generator, etc., etc. So, power baby. Next up, forming and pouring the horizontal supports. This was a bit of watch the pros, copy the pros, or gringo gringle do. It was time to form and pour the supports around them. Next, the top row blocks. This one's quite a bit harder since there's nothing to actually hold on to up there. So, we ended up asking the crew for tips just to get through it. >> It's heavy. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Ah, the corner. >> M. Nice. >> Perfecto. Okay. >> Gracias. >> Gracias. Okay. >> Remember how we said everyone has a buddy in masonry? Well, turns out I need a buddy even to lift these bricks after five of them. pretty good. Standing in here is wild. This is such a tall house. In Canada, our walls are like 711. >> Yeah. And the drama. >> What is this, Jazz? Like >> 10 ft. >> Yeah, this is 10 ft. And yes, even more block laying. This stretch was pure heads down grinding, but it moved quickly. While we worked the walls, the rest of the crew had already started prepping for the next milestone, pouring the roof. So, the roof and the ceiling will be formed with plywood. How? >> No idea. >> Yeah, I thought you were asking me. I was like, I don't know yet. And then we are going to fill the plywood with concrete. That's going to be just wild. I can't even believe that we're at this step. And this was just delivered today. checking if it's level. I hammered all the window and doors. I think that was like a few weeks ago. And let me tell you, I still feel it in my rotator cuff. Forming a roof takes way more strength than it looks like from the ground. Watch how easily this crew moves material up and down. It's honestly kind of hypnotic. Not much to say about that. >> Jasine's made her way up there. Sounds like they're having a good time. >> Wow. It's going to be gorgeous. I got another way. >> Flies up. >> Yeah. >> Cool. In here. >> And we got a bunch more beams. Are these beams? Supports. We got more supports. >> What do they really call them? Gate >> gate. >> Gate gate means cat. These are also cats. We shifted our focus to the extra rooms of the house, filling every gap underneath the roof forms. Next came a full grid of rebar supports. Tied together across the entire span of the roof. And nestled into that grid is our insulation. We're learning new words today. Is casseton or block the yellow, which means literally a block of ice. And if you look at these, they look like blocks of ice. Then came the stairs, or at least the forms for them, which honestly looked more like a row of tiny benches. It was a little funny watching it come together. >> You know what time it is? >> Yep. Got to tie everything. >> Everywhere the rebar crosses. We prepped everything at once, the roof, the sistern, and the stairs, so we could knock it all out in one single pour. The last step for the ceiling is putting this grid down on top of all of this beautiful work that's been done this week. And tie it in, of course. Pour day. Holy, the truck is here. And then the roof pour began. This was one of those days where everything happened simultaneously. The truck didn't stop and neither did we. Leveling out the roof inch by inch to get it perfect. All I hear is it's so strong. It's so powerful. Holy And I look up and Jasmine's got the pipe and it's just pumping out the concrete. We knocked out the sistern and the stairs in the same pour. The stairs, in fact, were basically built from the extra material we pulled down from the roof. It was a wrap on the pore, and we celebrated with a well-earned lunch. We even had enough leftover material to fill the subtle tubes for our future fence. Check it out. We have stairs. Wow. >> And we have a huge space up here. >> It looks bigger now. It's poured. >> It looks humongous. Then once again, block laying. In Mexico, a roof is a real living space. So, we needed a proper barrier around the edge to make it safe to actually use. All right. Come here, Rapunzel. This way. >> You're Rapunzel. >> Over here. The wall is done. >> It's so cool. With the biggest transformation of the build behind us, it was time to start turning this structure into an actual home. We kicked things off with the casita's patio. Rebar forms, vapor barrier, concrete, futter, supports, more block, more concrete. Familiar rhythm by now? Then finally, it was time to clear every form out of the inside of the house so we could start making it look like something. A specialist joined us for that job, and honestly, watching him work was its own kind of satisfying. The final beams on the entire house are being tied in. And that is the very top of the railing up here on the roof deck. We formed the final beam so we could pour them. >> Yeah. >> Fun. >> Yeah. That means tomorrow we're pouring concrete. >> You got to wake up early. >> This will be the highest that we've ever had to lift concrete. I'm assuming there's going to be a giant assembly line. Everyone's waiting in position and I have to find my place. Everyone had their own role locked in as per usual. And even with the added height, we finished pouring the main structure by the end of the day. Look at me under this hat. Wow, what a workout. This morning we are removing the wood that we formed for our beams. They look good. Nice. From there, we cleaned up and prepped the stairwell for a railing. A totally different kind of form than we had ever built before. But once it clicked, it came together fast. And at the same time, we poured the first stage of the castillos for the patio. The patio foundation. If it looks familiar, that's because it's basically the same process we use on the house. We also plastered the foundation here and touched up a few other spots around the house while we were at it. Made it to the other end. We got our little marks. Now we just got to do the hardest part, which is crawling. This is really where the build shifted into aesthetics. Stone going up on the exterior of the house and suddenly it started to look like the place we imagined. We're learning a new trade called fina, which will be the final layer before the paint. >> It's pretty high up here, not going to lie and wobbly. We're just waiting for the material now. >> Okay. Put the mixture right on your towel with none other than the bottom of a Coca-Cola bottle and then spread it. Want to get that smooth finish on a concrete house? It all starts with your mix. Get your fina nice and smooth. No lumps. Wet the wall first and then grab your towel and a small bucket. Add the mixture to the triel. Spread it evenly with the towel. Smooth it out with this one, which takes out all the lines. Then this tool. And then this one. And a special note about this one. You know you live in a surf town when this tool that we've been using is actually the inside of a surfboard. Bam. Look how good it looks. >> I can't even hold that together. Not bad. Nice steady hand. So you put on your sponge and you pick it up with the back of your paddle. You line this up and then you slowly turn your paddle so your material lasts longer. Now to make it perfect. Gorgeous. >> Then came the patio supports. And if there's one thing we've learned, it's that concrete is always done in stages. beams first, then foundation, then castillos. Meanwhile, inside the yo finish was going up, and it was already looking incredible. With every grid and support tied in, it was finally time to pour the patio floor. We've been waiting on this one for a while. Pour days are our favorite, and this was no exception. Wow. Now, we just have to remember not to walk out there. We've been walking out there lots of days until tomorrow. It will be tried tomorrow. >> That' be an easy mistake. >> Poor days are always a celebration around here. >> Pizza day. >> After that, back to the sistern. First finishing the back fill we had left half done. Then we learned paleo, a polish concrete finishing technique that looks incredible, but takes almost an absurd number of steps to get there. So, what we've gathered so far is if we want to be able to make it smooth like this, it starts out like this, but it's a multi-step process. It looks like we are sanding down the walls to get all the little bits off and make them nice and smooth. Using all the tools we already have on hand, a tel, a good old block does the trick. Okay, throw some water at the wall. I can do that so it sticks, I assume. Put the material on your towel and start smoothing it out. All eyes on you. Now we have to wait. Of course, patience. We also finished off the bathroom shower half wall. At the same time, a dozen other things were happening all around us. The patio posts were being formed. The cassita floor was being prepped for its own round of pledo. And the electrical run continued. Oh, and more pledo in the sistern, too. Fidel, our rebar guy, came back to help us tie the interior floor rebar ahead of the pledo pour. The surface needed to be perfectly flat for the concrete to lay right. So, our solution was beating it with sticks. And it worked. He used the handle on the bottom. Did you? >> Yeah. I know. Everything looks easier than it is here. So, when he down, this hand is really pushing it down. That way, it's just pushing back. You're forcing it down. See, concrete's being mixed. Wheelbar is being loaded. It's time to pour. This job moved a lot faster than we expected. And before long, we were checking level on every post. And honestly, these posts turn out great. The exterior of the casita is looking incredible. I am obsessed with the patio. It looks so, so good. The outdoor walls now need color. We then primed the cassita and it turned into this glowing white beacon out here in the desert. At least until we land on our final color. Next stop, priming the interior. Time for a very different kind of project, the septic tank. Building a circular structure out of rectangular blocks sounds like a nightmare on paper, but we had good teachers. It's septic time. And just like the sistern, we have upsized it so that it can handle the capacity of multiple structures on this property. And we're thinking about the future house build. So, the system and the septic will be ready by the time we get to the house build. A biodester septic is basically a sealed underground tank that uses natural bacteria to break down waste without oxygen. Turns out once you've learned to lay block in a straight line, laying it in a circle isn't as far off as you'd think. We picked it up fast, before long we were pouring concrete to reinforce the septic structure, building it up layer by layer until the actual tank arrived. It was big. >> This row we needed to put rebar going around horizontal. Cornelia just informed us if it's not going around and it's just vertical, it's not going to do much. >> From there, we back filled around the sistern wall. The crew lowered the septa tank into the hole and we packed sand underneath to keep it stable and stop it from settling over time. Then came digging the channels for the pipes. Our ground here is rock hard. Good work. The septic walls are getting taller today. Wow, what a beautiful sight. >> Back filling from one end to the septic. >> Once everything was dry fit and confirmed, it was time to glue it, back fill it, and test it. It worked on first try. >> It worked. He really had to pee. >> I'm walking you through our septic lines. Got all of our bathroom lines here. Three of them coming out follow down the trench. They tee here the kitchen drain comes down into the septic into the 4-in tube which connects all the way down here into the septic the septic inlet and all the liquid that gets filtered out of the septic comes down here through here out the outlet and through the peripherated pipes. Then, like everything else on this build, the septic tank needed its own plywood form, so we could pour a lid over the top. This one was different, though. The wood had to stay inside permanently since there was no getting it out after the pour. We tied the rebar, formed the outside, and poured a small quick job compared to what we'd gotten used to. We finished by laying a protective barrier over the pipes, covering it in gravel, and back filling the whole area. All that hard work nearly buried. But to be honest, I am so happy how the septic turned out. Really cool to learn and do a biodigtor. I can't wait until we get to use it. Super happy we upsized to the 7,000 L one because it is a massive tank, but it's going to be perfect for all the structures that are going to be on the land. Morning milkshake. We're pouring the entire floor of the house. And it is about 3 and 1/2 in of concrete that's going to be going down in every room, creating a nice polished concrete floor throughout the entire house. A lot of you might be wondering why we're pouring a concrete slab on top of a concrete slab as you watched us pour this. Here's an example of a sample. We're going to be pouring this thick of concrete. So, we have the red line marked around the house as well as a string line. And then on top, we're going to be working on the pito or the polished concrete. >> Nice. So, why are we doing the floors this way? Well, for one, it keeps homes cooler since concrete naturally stays cool under foot. It is also extremely durable when done properly, lasting decades with little wear and tear. Finally, it can be custom colored, which is what we are excited about, and it ages beautifully. Another concrete pour, but this one came with a twist. First, we had to build a full scaffolding jungle gym across the room just to start the polishing process. This is a multi-step process and it turns out everyone kind of works at their own pace so the finish comes together person by person. Then we mix the color using the most precise method available to us and started applying it. Fresh out of the mix, it always looks far more intense than the final result. Easy to panic at this stage, but over a few days it mellows into exactly what we want it to look like. Day two of pouring the floor. Today we're doing half the living room. Yesterday's looks amazing. You can already see in some spots where the floor has had a little chance to air dry that it's looking way lighter. I love it. We're already done pouring the concrete for half the living room. Now we're moving on to the bathroom. You got it. Same process. Round two. Form, polish, mix, color, apply. This time we worked the room one half at a time just so we had somewhere to actually stand. We also revised our plans for the roof. We then repeated the whole process on the second half of the floor while also prepping for windows and doors. And instead of doing it as high as the interior cuz then water would go in, we're going to do it lower and I believe on a little bit of a grade. >> I've been looking forward to this day for a long time. The exterior finish. >> Shakum. It is a highdecorative architectural wall coating inspired by the traditional Mayan chakum finish and smooth polish cement. It is a readytouse paste that creates naturallooking artisal textures providing a modern yet earthy aesthetic for both indoor and outdoor spaces. We are obsessed with how this turned out. We can't stop staring at it. We spent the whole day going up and down over and over for this result. I have next to no words. So much hard work. Hang off right now when I look at this house. I can't believe it. But it's time for the finishing touches and the start of furniture hunting. These massive 20ft beams are going to become the pergola for the house. Fighting over the last spot here. >> You having fun? Yeah. I never would have thought I was that I'd having fun, but I like how fast I drive here. A pergola helps create shade, a cool down space, and makes the whole outdoor area feel so much more inviting. First up, the pergola on the patio. While we got started on the pergola, our pump and bathroom supplies arrived. So, we paused to help install those, too, including a genuinely intense heat tool that we had way too much fun with. Jasmine got her dream to use the pipe connecting tool, and now she's trusted on it. She's having the best time. Plumber Jess. Plumber Jess. It's always fun learning something new. Then back to the pergola. We also got lighting installed in the casita. Next, we poured the concrete on the roof. This time to prep for the polished concrete and set the grade for our drains. We had to have drains on the roof because water would fill up up there if it rained. This pour was tougher than usual, mostly because it meant running up and down the stairs constantly. It was a long day, but a fascinating one to watch unfold. All these buckets and all we have is a few lines. half an hour in wrist trauma. That's all I have to say. I always see everyone in the comments talking about um any sort of hurt that they have from this physical labor and construction. And I've got to be honest, I've never really related because I haven't had anything that I've done long enough to really experience the toll on the body. Concrete work. couple months, five, six months, not even. But I'm feeling it. The good news is we're only doing half the full art today because we have to perfect the top layer just like inside the house. Then came the roof's polished concrete. Instant favorite. That color makes me happy. I'm just so excited about color. After that, we finally painted our bedroom in its color. Friendly yellow. This is the most beautiful color. I love the yellow so much. I'm wearing it. Just kidding. It's beautiful. It's so happy and so bright and so Mexico. We are incorporating color wherever we can. Just wait until you see this bedroom come together. While that dried, the other half of the roof got poured, prepped for its own polished finish. Meanwhile, the pergola cross beams got stained, and we painted the kitchen and living room in their own colors, too. It was really starting to feel like a house. Remember the plumbing we did over here? the filters. There's more filters to come and all that jazz. Well, now it's time to build a concrete slab because not only is there going to be the water system, but there's going to be the propane tank that's over here, too. So, simple formation. And then the window frames went in. Prepping for actual glass windows. It's really coming together now. While we waited on the glass for the windows, we figured why not build more stairs? Speaking of finishing touches, the cabinets arrived. This one felt huge because for the first time, we could actually start planning the layout of the space. Then back to the stairs. If you followed this build, you know we have a relationship with stairs at this point. This round used a different method than usual. And of course, we filled and poured them with concrete, plus a second set off to the side. Have we mentioned how heavy these buckets are? >> Not like you have a 100 lb bucket. Hey, Gross. Any time now. >> Once every step was poured, we left our mark. Perfect. Oh, it's a little paw. It's a little one. I love you, girls. >> And then we went hunting for decorations. The window crew showed back up with our windows. Huge moment. No more open holes to the outside world. The cassita is finally fully enclosed or dried in. We also started the polished concrete on the front entrance stairs. This time going for a more texturized look. I have a feeling all of you are really going to like what we're doing to these steps. Today we're using salt to give it its final texture. Okay, so what we mean by we're using salt is see this photo. I sent it to Cornelio and I said, "How do we get this texture? we want to do something very similar to our front steps. And he said, "Huh? I've done it before. Salt." And I said, "What?" Anyways, that's exactly what we're doing. So, let's see if we can all nail it. Because we're doing the salt technique, we have to put the paste on extra thick. That way, the salt doesn't sink to the bottom. We think >> looks so good. >> You throw salt at the wet concrete, tap it in lightly, and let it wash out later as the concrete cures. It's a small trick with huge payoff. The finished texture looks almost like a bar of chocolate. My dream day. >> These are the plants we're looking for for our planter. These don't grow. These grow up and that's what we want for our pergula. >> Yeah. So, they're same flower, two different styles. And everyone in the comments also was telling us to plant these. We also painted that handmade pot. We planted it right next to the pergola where it'll eventually climb up and over the whole structure for natural shade. Taking a step even further back to just see how everything looks from here. That plant makes our house look like a home. Wow, the cassita looks so good. Okay, this is really it. Time to finish the cassita for real. We started with back filling the entire perimeter, then wrapped at the pergola, and finally plants. Not anyone can just come here. This is a full VIP experience. We had to make a reservation. >> We are at a 14 hector nursery right now. Let's just say Crystal is in her glory. Since a future main house is still down the road, we designed everything around the casita for now. Turning it into its own little oasis on the land, we made a trip to a specialty plant nursery to pick everything out. Every kind of cactus, all the agave in every different size, shape, and color. Feeling very inspired for the garden. And the very next day, we started planting. This step transformed the property more than almost anything else we had done. You can't even see you guys behind there. Go for a ride. All right. One, two, three holes. We want some beautiful gardens, and that's going to include these big boulders that we're going to place down. Anytime you incorporate rocks into a desert garden, it looks so good. And now we're starting the front garden. I love these cute little guys. We've learned a lot, eh? >> Gringo. See, gringo do. It was a lot of planning and hard physical work, but seeing it all finished was worth every bit of it. The palms are opening. >> Wow. >> That's so pretty. >> Wow. Wow. Garden tour. We need to do some up close and personal shots of every plant and show you everything that went in here yesterday because we were all over the place and I want to make sure you truly see what's been done here cuz it feels like a transformation. We have two palm sylvester if I'm saying that correctly. They do grow very tall. Ours are two different heights. You can see that this one's a bit taller, 2 something m and this is 1 point something m. And we love them. >> I've actually named that one Bella and that one Izzy. That's right. >> Goes bigger and smaller. And I want to plant a tree for both of them. >> Yeah. >> Tie basil on the ground. >> Yeah. The whole focus of everything we did was that tree. >> I thought you were going to talk about our little man friend. >> Oh, yeah. Of course, our little man friend is still here to stay. Little man friend has a lot of friends now. But the whole point was this native Mexican plum tree. This is an old growth tree. It's been here for a very, very long time. It's looking good. It's feeling good. It's a great place to hang out. It provides a lot of shade and it's truly so beautiful. It really looks like a bonsai tree >> almost like it's got so much character. And so, because of that, we decided to plant so many different types of native plants underneath this tree to just bring it to life. So, this garden, although we didn't have to purchase too many plants, is actually so big because of the tree. The tree is massive. Underneath this beauty, we have tons of native Mexican plants. This here to my left is the noales, which is an edible cactus. People actually take this off the cactus, cut it up, cook it, and eat it in tacos and many other recipes. >> It's delicious. >> It's very good. And it's so cool that we could eat this. >> Yeah, >> it's very nutritious and tasty. It also has these cool little fruits on it, too. This is an agave leia. So, we've got quite a few of these in here all spread throughout. Behind me is another beautiful agave of a different species. Then we added rocks all throughout the garden because it just provides a little bit of texture. This agave is a very special agave. I believe it's a tequila agave. It's called the sentry plant and it doesn't live 100 years although you may think that but it does get very tall six feet tall believe it or not and very very wide. So this is a real beauty. >> Uno dos entr. >> We have three tulia pans and we put those in because we love the way they look. They're fluffy green looking trees. I describe them as fluffy cuz they kind of just looks like clouds to me. >> Yeah, they do. Green clouds. >> Yeah. And they get very big and very wide, which is amazing because they create a really nice privacy wall. And so when you're in the casita, these three trees, the way that they're planted allows you privacy in the casita and looking out. So it just kind of creates this natural wall, which we love. >> Yeah. And one day they'll all be hugging. >> Also, they produce flowers, as you can see, and different colors. So we have a yellow and a red one already. >> Like how pretty. It's such a pretty tree. We also planted 30 bug and 15 Virginia creeping vines that will eventually grow up and completely cover our fence. And if you're wondering how we're going to keep all of these plants alive, the answer is our irrigation system. Every line is buried underground and pops up right at the base of each plant so you don't see any of the plumbing. Each nozzle is adjusted to deliver exactly the right amount of water. And everything runs on automatic timers, so the entire landscape waters itself. If you've got an eye, you may have spotted boxes and boxes of salt tile on the job site today, and that's because it's just arrived from mainland. It's actually come from a place called Saltio, which still blows my mind that that's a place I want to go there. It's clay handmade tiles that we're putting on the front patio, and it's happening now. It's 6:00 p.m. The sun is going down, and we're out here laying these tiles. Look how good it looks. Time to bring some furniture to the cassita. Wow. Yeah, it's perfect. Perfect. >> It's so nice. Honestly, I've been dreaming of this day for so long. We've been hoarding all of this furniture in our storage room for a while and I would fall asleep at night thinking about it. Every little detail. My mind would spin about all the colors and textures and the themes and this and that and when things were arriving and blah blah blah. Now we're here at the stage where we're putting it on the wall right now. >> Tada. So after 16 weeks, this raw land has become a fully functioning home. A cute one, too. And it took every skill we had and plenty we didn't to get here. We tied rebar until our hands bled, poured more concrete than we can count, and learned an entire trade from a crew that became friends along the way. Somewhere between the rebar, the paleo, and those poor days, a home was created. And honestly, the more time we spend here, the more potential we see. We have a finished casita, a shaded pergola, a garden that's already climbing up the walls, and a patio that catches the ocean breeze. It's everything we've dreamed of for a life out here. something slower and something ours. If you like this video, make sure you subscribe to see the whole transformation because we have big plans for this place. A main house, a pool, a sports pad, and of course, more landscaping. But we already know this is home.