Love it, Hate it, Miss it....Expats in DR page 2 - Dominican Republic forum

Love it, Hate it, Miss it....Expats in DR

Tomas Cabrera Serial expat

606POSTS

11 years ago

#41

Hi there Gypsy!
OK, I give up.....
WHAT'S a swamp cooler?

texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#42

swamp coolers work best in lower humidity areas The lower the better, That's why Arizona did not have much AC years ago. just swamp coolers use alot of energy vs the cooling benefits in high humidity..they provide zero cooling at 98 to 100% humid days. most end up on the junk pile in places I lived like south texas

texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#43

evaporative cooler is correct name. has basin full of water that used to get moldy hence the name swamp.
I can lower temps by about ten degrees if 50% humid. not good for high humidity. but we do not have to many days above 70% si they will work

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#44

Yes in the right climate they work great and saves huge $$$$ over AC.聽 But alas won't really work here

Bob K

Tomas Cabrera Serial expat

606POSTS

11 years ago

#45

So, it's a de-humidifier?

gypsy401 Serial expat

659POSTS

11 years ago

#46

You are right, I had the humidity bass-ackwards.聽 bleach in the water, a few drops will prevent the mold.聽聽Works like a wet hay bale in a barn door.聽 I used them in Ft Lauderdale, Delray Beach, Boca Raton & in Boynton Beach..聽 Commercial units with automatic drip dispensers of algae & mold preventers.聽 No odors or chemicals emitted into the environment.聽聽Granted it was many years ago.

texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#47

Tomas Cabrera wrote:
So, it's a de-humidifier?

no the opposite.,it works like blowing outside air over a wet rag then onto you. in simple terms

texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#48

gypsy401 wrote:
You are right, I had the humidity bass-ackwards.聽 .

that's ok we all get things backwards at times. I do. I knew you knew better since you used them. I bought a bunch of聽 used ones in government auctions, never made a dime reselling them. don't work in houston

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17772POSTS

11 years ago

#49

Great discussion.聽 So,聽 90 with a light breeze............ too funny.聽 How about聽 96 at night and it drops all the way聽 to oh say 93 at night.聽 Then the humidity聽 from mid June all the way to聽 mid Oct or so can be brutal.聽 Get ready to sweat.....LOL聽

Living by the water helps a lot with the breeze but not near enough.聽

But we still love it.

We are so fortunate as most can afford an inverter and batteries, when the electric goes out you still have a fan to get you thru this heat. Now imagine what its like for most locals - no inverter, no electric, no fans LOTS of suffering through hot sticky nights with little sleep.聽 Then they get up and go to work......... yikes.聽 This can go on for days sometimes.....

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Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#50

Planner well said.

AND glad to hear Tiny is home!!!

Bob K

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texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#51

we do not have AC .we do not have invertor, nor batteries. and yes it gets hot. sometimes we bring out the fan. Night is not too bad..we take a lot of cold showers

1 member reacted to this post

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#52

We have AC and have used it about 10 times in the last 10 years. Usually a nice breeze here on the hill. In fact the last two nights I ended up under the covers.

BObK

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Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#53

We have AC and have used it about 10 times in the last 10 years. Usually a nice breeze here on the hill. In fact the last two nights I ended up under the covers.

BObK

granca2 Member

22POSTS

11 years ago

#54

We are going to put a second storey on our our house. As a result of recent visits to Super Pola i like the idea of the little room they have to keep drinks cold and would like one, only a little one, where any of us could go to cool down when necessary, then come on out to carry on with whatever. What do you think?

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texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#55

we go visit the mermaid when its too hot jajajajajaj (la Serina).at least I do, my wife thinks i'm loca

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Tomas Cabrera Serial expat

606POSTS

11 years ago

#56

Okay, it's a humidifier.

texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#57

Tomas Cabrera wrote:
Okay, it's a humidifier.

sort of
a humidifier puts humidity into a room but you get no cooling from it.

an evaporative cooler uses evaporation to cool. that's why they do not work good in high humidity. the air is already saturated聽 with moisture,they do not add humidity if working right

they are called desert coolers also
evaporative coolers have been around since romans.but they were crude barrels of water with slaves standing behind them, with palm聽 fronds

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ns143 Member

12POSTS

11 years ago

#58

Thanks Planner, this trip in July is part research and fun. We were just there in February and of course it was beautiful but if we're thinking about living there full time we need to experience a different "Season" before pulling the trigger.

ns143

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ns143 Member

12POSTS

11 years ago

#59

Thanks Bob K,
I'm curious, I've been putting together a budget for us, how much should I allow for a housekeeper once or twice a week plus a gardner ?

ns143

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17772POSTS

11 years ago

#60

NS聽 you have a great plan.聽

Texas you are a far stronger person then I care to be.....LOL NO inverter =聽 horrible attempts at sleep and mosquitoes. No thank you.聽

Granca - my guess is that little room will cost you BIG time, it is air conditioned or like a refrigerator, and there goes the electric bill. And you won't be running that on an inverter........

texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#61

nah.i sleep fine. its not that hot at night. mosquitos not a big problem we have screens on windows. we are all accustomed to it. You get used to it.. I can survive anywhere. if I can sleep in a humid swamp I can sleep anywhere. home is like 5 star hotel to me

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Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#62

Housekeeper on a聽 daily basis should be about $500 pesos a day plus lunch.聽 Gardener $400 plus lunch.聽 ON a daily basis both are聽 bit more expensive per day than if hired full time.

Bob K

1 member reacted to this post

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17772POSTS

11 years ago

#63

Good info Bob,聽 remember that housekeepers are being put on the gov't insurance now,聽 that adds a bit of cost and hassle.聽 Now sure how it is going to apply to part time people but full time needs to be registered.

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#64

Has that become law or are they still arguing about it?

Bob K

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17772POSTS

11 years ago

#65

Its law,聽 they started registering people this week apparently.

Tomas Cabrera Serial expat

606POSTS

11 years ago

#66

Hey Bob.
Here in Cabrera, housekeepers/cooks are between 4-6000 pesos
per month, 6 days a week inc. lunch. Gardeners, 1 day per week
for 1-2000 pesos per month.
You are quoting "gated Communities" rates.

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#67

Yes I am.聽 Here gated or not housekeeper is $8000-$10,000 plus lunch and transport.聽 Gardeners closer to the $8000 rate.

For our house keeper we also pay her insurance and have put both of her daughters in private school.

Bob K

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texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#68

wow we pay zero,

1 member reacted to this post

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17772POSTS

11 years ago

#69

Gee sounds like its a daughter or two????聽聽You may not pay but it costs you.....LOL聽聽

Easy to say聽 rates differ by location and lifestyle..

1 member reacted to this post

dreamtime Serial expat

271POSTS

11 years ago

#70

My house cleaner is great. I just showed her the new vacuum today and she couldn't believe it. I can eat off the floors now! Love it!

texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

11 years ago

#71

planner wrote:
Gee sounds like its a daughter or two????聽聽You may not pay but it costs you.....LOL聽聽

Easy to say聽 rates differ by location and lifestyle..

nah my wife
kids live on there own

we do all the cleaning, gardening and house work. we can hire people but we don't

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#72

We enjoy like having house staff it frees up our time to do lots of other things.聽 I know it is not for everyone bit certainly works for us

Bob K

dreamtime Serial expat

271POSTS

11 years ago

#73

The lady cleans my place for 300 pesos and does a great job. That's less than $8. In Colorado my place was twice the size but cleaning costs were $75-$350 for a one time clean. That's just nuts.

gypsy401 Serial expat

659POSTS

11 years ago

#74

Texas, I'm with you.聽 Exercise is good for you, too easy to get lazy & fat with out it.聽 Plus the satisfaction of having accomplished something worthwhile.聽聽I do my own everything including laundry.聽 I would go nuts just sitting around watching others do the things that I'm capable of doing.聽 Even if I were rich, I would still do it.聽 Maybe not the laundry though.聽 Different strokes I guess.

1 member reacted to this post

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

10 years ago

#75

Dreamtime we may have had this conversation before but where in Colorado.聽 We moved here from Conifer.

Bob K

pammyfour Active member

46POSTS

10 years ago

#76

Thatd be me, too, Gypsy.聽 I'm kind of picky, too.聽 But I can see the advantages of having help, if you're working part time, or have other involvements.聽 And it is nice when you are able to help others , too.

dreamtime Serial expat

271POSTS

10 years ago

#77

Boulder. The absolute worst place I've ever lived in my life. It's hard to believe people are piling into that place like its #1 on the planet. Totally insane.

The same issue is with everything in that city. House and construction workers, plumbers, painters, etc. It's endless how expensive and a royal pain it is to do things there. I tried for 3 years to get a landscape crew to come out and do the sprinkler system. Only two people came out. One gave a quote for top dollar and he couldn't even do it till the end of summer. Just nuts to live there.

texasdonkey Serial expat

268POSTS

10 years ago

#78

dreamtime wrote:
Boulder. The absolute worst place I've ever lived in my life. It's hard to believe people are piling into that place like its #1 on the planet. Totally insane.

The same issue is with everything in that city. House and construction workers, plumbers, painters, etc. It's endless how expensive and a royal pain it is to do things there. I tried for 3 years to get a landscape crew to come out and do the sprinkler system. Only two people came out. One gave a quote for top dollar and he couldn't even do it till the end of summer. Just nuts to live there.

was a good place years ago in the聽 60's and seventies but then people with money move In聽 and change everything,(for the better or worse) and it happened all over聽 Colorado.you could not pay聽 me money to hang out in to many of those towns today.

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

10 years ago

#79

That is some of the reasons as to why we lived up in the foothills in unincorporated Jefferson County.聽 Lived on acreage shared with elk and other critters.聽 I do miss is a tad.

Bob K

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gypsy401 Serial expat

659POSTS

10 years ago

#80

Unfortunately much of the same is happening in the DR.聽 In the heavily ex-pat populated areas, the wealthier ex-pats cause the prices to go up & the service quality drops.聽 The trades know that they can charge more no matter how shoddy the work or timeliness of it.聽聽This is not to say all of them are guilty of this, just a higher percentage than 20 or 25 years ago.聽聽 Simply put, if you have more, you will pay more.聽聽A good example is the price of used cars.

1 member reacted to this post