Amor

IT HAS BEEN 12 MONTHS SINCE THE WORK BEGAN; 12 MONTHS OF EXCITEMENT AND JOY, BUT ALSO HEAVYWEIGHT STRESS. THE CREATING OF CASA AMOR, OLH Ã O’S BOUTIQUE HOTEL-TO-BE, IS NOW IN THE VITAL STAGES AND ON THE HOME RUN

Words: ELAINE JOYCE

WALTER RECALLS that finding the old Helena pension was the easiest part of their journey so far: “It was like a treasure hunt. We fell in love with the building, we had to convince the eight heirs to the property, and we had to find all the necessary documents. It is not compulsory to be assisted by a lawyer in Portugal on ventures such as ours, but we preferred to invest in professional help.”

Once ownership had passed over to Jack and Walter, an architect had to be chosen. “This is the key person in your project, and you will spend a lot of time with her or him!” says Jack. “We are constantly asked by others who are thinking about launching a project of their own, how best to start this relationship. We don’t have a miracle recipe but have learned the importance of putting every thought in writing, specifying exactly what you want and also don’t want, even the little things that can make the architect smile, or even annoy them!” It’s a good basis for discussion. And off course, you must visit works carried out by the architect. But above all, spend time when you are interviewing for the right person, to see if you feel good with him or her. Slow dating is preferable to speed dating”.

This is how the duo chose to work with Tatiana Bento of Sena Architects. “But,” they say, “it’s not always a long calm river, and inevitably there are ups and downs. You have to learn to work together with the team you have elected.”

It was bad news, when Jack and Walter discovered that a cosmetic renovation wouldn’t be sufficient. The roof terrace, which looked solid, was in fact supported by worm-eaten beams. It had to be removed and rebuilt, as did the floors. The budget soared!

“It is crucial from the start to know what you are facing, cost-wise,” says Jack. “Always ask for estimated prices or you may have to make cuts when you receive the first quotes. We didn’t do enough in this respect because we were seduced by the vision that we shared with the architect. The reduction phase is frustrating – we had to remove half of the balconies, the old stone paving of the patio, forget about the wooden ceilings, the windows with rounded corners…”

The choice of builders is also vital and can be worrisome because of the stories you hear. “We were told about so many bad experiences” says Walter. “The builder who goes bankrupt and the work stops; the project that takes years and years; the builder who gets upset and abandons the site; and the needs of construction itself which, it may transpire, exceeds the skills of the builder. Ask for itemised quotes, as defined by the architect, which will allow you to compare one building firm with another before you make a decision on the builder. The price per square metre means nothing. Visit the construction sites of other jobs each prospective builder has been responsible for, question the people around you, and above all organise an interview, or several, as a team with your architect.

“It’s very long and tedious; we met eight potential building firms, with incredible price differences; do not necessarily take the cheapest, it could prove to be a huge mistake. Finally, after almost three months of research, we chose EO, Josué Medeiros’ company, whose head office is in Lisbon. As with our choice of architects, we have no regrets, thus far.”

Jack and Walter have known difficult moments. “We thought we had bought a habitable building and we found ourselves with a ruin; only the structure of 1870 remained, certainly with its magnificent arches and vaults,” explains Jack. “The reconstruction phase is motivating. However, after several months, the smell and colour of concrete became unbearable, we dreamed of the smell of paint!”

The morale of the troops remains good as each new phase starts. “The partitions are mounted, the doors and windows made, the Santa Catarina terracottas laid, the white lime begins to replace the gray colour of the cement, the plantibandas give relief to the walls, the parquet is delivered, we have water and electricity, the swimming pool is almost finished...”

There remains, of course, the question of deadlines that we spoke about last month – and that’s the question everyone is asking now, and understandably so. There is an enthusiastic audience ready for the Casa Amor opening. Well, great news is that it is looking like end May now – just a few months away, and in perfect time for the summer season.

Jack and Walter remain optimistic and confident as they watch each element in the equation come to life.