Arrested Development - Ex-Pats Mexico

do any builders in the lake area use
Contec blocks which are made in Zapopan or
would one have to hire ‘outside’... ?

I don't know what these blocks are. I know that Insulated Concrete Forms are increasingly being used, there is a couple Mexican manufacturers, but I can't find the bookmarks. Here is a project in Baja http://www.todossantos.com/whatsnew.html and I have seen them used in commercial work (a new movie complex) in Puerto Vallarta. Funny enough, Mexico is way ahead in spraying of cement stucco with the low tech, tirolessa sprayer made in Mexico.

While custom homes are always built, as you probably know, and have seen, there is a big market for low cost, community housing projects, and a big drive among the builders to get the construction prices right down. This usually involves taking all the 'curves' out of the design. Build a insulated foam box, then coat it inside and out with stucco.

here is some info on the blocks:
http://www.texascontec.com/blocks.html

Ah - I see now, AAC Autoclaved Aerated Concrete. Thats great stuff, and I know a lot about this subject - though I have only actually seen one block. I make my own foamed cement from magnesium cements, which are twenty times stronger than portland cement - then I use it as carving stone, it looks like cantera or limestone but is real lightweight. This company uses the same cement, but hasn't caught on to the foaming process http://www.grancrete.net/ See their 'developing countries' project. They don't realize that EPS foam can be expensive, especially when it is shipped. By using air as the aggregate it is free, and already delivered to any construction site. I was going to put a proposal together for the Virgin Earth Challenge prize (magnesium cements absorb large amounts of C02) but it is just too big for me.

One of the problems with AAC is that it needs special tools and fasteners to work well - here is a company I buy a lot from http://www.demandproducts.com/

Pretty cheap but still need that compressor. There's a guy here that may rent his ShotCrete equipment. Thanks for the option

http://www.papercrete.com/tiro.htm

Tirolessa is based in Mexico City - but I am told that Mexican cement/stucco stores carry their product. They also have a 'flinger' which launches little gobs of cement onto the wall, for decorative effect. This is called a 'Tyrolean' finish in Europe, common in that area of Switzerland.

I have a neat compressor - it is a VW bug engine (1600 cc), two cylinders push air, two cylinders fire the gas. I guess it is a 30 hp gas compressor, its unique that it can fit through a typical doorway, then do heavy duty sandblasting, jackhammer, or up to three tirolessas (100 psi, 58 cfm output).

On Nolan's site did you see the guy spraying the foam panel with steel mesh on it? A fast way to build a fence and manufactured somewhere in Mexico now (the site is in Spanish and I don't know the right words to google).

"Tyrolean"

Tyrol (German: Tirol) is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.

Tridipanel is similar but there's a number of variations. The foam looks like plain styrofoam but there's also a higher density almost corrugated foam. They build everything with it but usually as fill between cement or steel columns. Called hielo seco (dry ice) around here