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Work performed by referral contractor: The Tesla Wall Job

It’s simply not possible for me to take on all the work that comes in from adobe homeowners who contact me. Some requests fall slightly outside my primary area of expertise—for example, rebuilding an adobe wall that has been knocked down. While I have successfully completed projects like this in the past, there are other contractors who specialize in this kind of work and are better equipped, often with dedicated crews who handle such repairs regularly.

For this reason, I’m building a network of trusted contractors to whom I refer these types of jobs—and others as needed. Each contractor must meet specific standards, and I thoroughly vet them before sharing their contact information with homeowners.

Recently, I received a call from an attorney seeking to have a section of an asphalt-stabilized mud adobe wall rebuilt. The wall surrounds part of a commercial property he owns or leases. One of his tenants had accidentally driven his wife’s Tesla into the wall, knocking down a significant portion of it. Apparently unfamiliar with the car’s controls, he failed to stop in time, resulting in what we now refer to as “The Tesla Wall Job.”

I contacted Ken, one of my trusted referral contractors, to see if he’d be interested in taking on the project. Ken is known for his enthusiasm and wasn’t hesitant—he was ready for the challenge. He’s done some remarkable work for me in the past, but this particular job came with unique complications.

First, the type of adobe originally used in the wall is no longer available in Tucson. These bricks were produced by Bob Barnes of Old Pueblo Adobe Company, located near the I-10 freeway. Unfortunately, the State of Arizona acquired his property during the major I-10 expansion project, effectively putting him out of business. Second, even if those bricks were still being made, the existing adobe wall had been exposed to the elements for many years. The bricks were weathered and stained, making it nearly impossible to match them with new ones. This project would demand an exceptional level of craftsmanship and attention to detail.

I happened to be out of town when Ken and his crew completed the work. Curious to see how it turned out, I decided to ride my bike to the site one Saturday morning—it was conveniently located near the bike path and made for a good excuse to get some exercise. Since I’d never seen the wall before it was damaged and had never visited the property, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.

When I arrived, I surveyed the entire property, examining the wall that stretched along its length and even wrapped around the back. But I couldn’t find the repaired section. I looked closely and thought to myself, “Am I at the wrong address?” I pulled out my iPhone, checked the address, and confirmed I was in the right place. Still, I couldn’t identify the section that had been rebuilt.

Reluctantly, I decided to call Ken—even though it was Saturday and I didn’t want to intrude on his day off. I explained that I had ridden my bike to the job site, but couldn’t find the repaired section of the wall. I wondered if perhaps the wall he worked on was elsewhere on the property, but I had already inspected every section.

Ken calmly told me where the repair had been done. To my amazement, I had been standing almost directly in front of it while we spoke on the phone! Ken’s work was so precise, so seamless, that even with my trained eye—after more than 40 years of working with adobe—I couldn’t distinguish the new construction from the original.

I was absolutely dumbfounded.

As Ken walked me through what they had done, I began to look more closely. Only then could I faintly make out where the damaged section had been. His reconstruction work was so expertly done that it fooled even me.

Here are some photos from the job—click on them to see higher resolution images:

The property owner was absolutely thrilled with the results. In fact, everyone who had witnessed the aftermath of what became known as “The Tesla Wall”—the broken adobe bricks scattered across the ground—and then saw the completed restoration, shared the same reaction: awe.

I was not only awed myself—I was humbled. Ken and his crew had completed a restoration that, quite honestly, I may not have been able to achieve myself. The precision of their work, the seamless color matching, and the ability to replicate the weathered, aged look of the original wall was nothing short of extraordinary.

In my 40-year career restoring and repairing adobe homes and structures, this was one of the very few projects that made me pause and think:

“This is a level of craftsmanship I haven’t yet mastered.”

I tip my hat to Ken and his crew for an exceptional and truly exemplary job.