It’s finally here! We officially moved into our new home in Villaflor on June 1st!

So, what filled that month between leaving our rental and settling in? Airbnb, and let me tell you, it was rough. Some of the houses were lovely, but options around Paute are limited, which meant we had to move four different times. Four rounds of packing suitcases, loading the animals, and trying to get comfortable in a new space. It was exhausting, stressful, and time‑consuming, but we made it through, and now we’re in our permanent home!

If you’ve been following along, you might be wondering how we managed to move in when the house looked nowhere near ready. Yet here we are. In this post, I’ll walk through the key jobs that had to be finished to make the house livable and allow us to finally call it home.

Installing the Septic System

During wall construction, all of the house’s greywater and blackwater lines were installed and left terminating just beyond the foundation. These have now been extended, connected, and routed through an inspection point before continuing to the septic tank located at a lower elevation on our property. The greywater lines are 3 inches in diameter, while the blackwater lines are 4 inches.

All of the septic lines from the house converge here, draining into a concrete pit measuring about 1.75 meters (69 inches) on each side and 2.5 meters (98 inches) deep. The pit is built with gaps between the blocks, allowing wastewater to gradually seep away while solids break down over time. With the top now poured and the lines connected, the surrounding area will be backfilled and leveled.

Pouring the Perimeter Slab

With the septic lines now in place, we can move on to preparing the perimeter slab; a 90‑centimeter (35.5‑inch) band of concrete that fully encircles the house. Once the electrical and septic inspection points are sealed off, the area will be readied with aggregate and reinforced with wire mesh. After that, the process concludes with a straightforward concrete pour.

Installing the Central Gas System

Most of our appliances rely on liquid propane for heat, so when it came time to install the supply system, convenience was key. We ran a single main line from the tanks that branches to each location in the house where it’s needed. This central line feeds two hot water heaters, a clothes dryer, a countertop range, and two ovens. For added visual appeal, we chose exposed copper tubing. Once the house is painted, we’re hoping the warm copper tones will complement the finish and lend a rustic touch.

For the moment, the lines have only been temporarily secured, in preparation for more enlucido and paint, but the system is completely functional.

Water Tanks

The water tanks, each with a capacity of 1,500 liters (400 gallons), have arrived and are now installed behind the house. To ensure strong water pressure throughout the home, we added a 2.5‑horsepower automatic pump to the system. For now, the supply isn’t potable, but a filtration system will be added later so that water can safely be drawn from the taps.

Windows and Front Door

And finally, most of our windows and the front door are in place! We’re still waiting on two sliding‑glass doors and one bathroom window, but fortunately those areas can be closed off from the rest of the house. The front door is crafted from chanul, a dense tropical hardwood native to Ecuador. You’ll see this beautiful wood used throughout the interior as the carpentry work continues.

That wraps up much of the work completed to get the house ready for our arrival. Of course, there’s still a long list of tasks ahead, especially inside the home. And that will be the focus of the next post!