So a bit of catch up. When I was last in Pieve in April, I had to leave without anything more being done than erecting a fence out front. I debated staying longer but really had to get back home. However on my last day, I did run down to Unieuro and pick up a security camera. Since our new project is just four doors down from our current house, I can (sort of) use the camera to keep an eye on the work. I spent much of my last afternoon in Italy on the fifth story terrace, running wires, standing on the top rung of a ladder, stretching out as far as I could around the side of the building, and basically hoping I would not fall off. I was 5 stories up, and let’s just say I really didn’t want to drop a screw.
With the camera up and running, I headed back to California where I proceeded to stalk the live feed early each morning and very late in the evening – essentially the only times I am awake and someone might also be working in the house given the 9 hour time difference. For several days it seemed like a whole lot of nothing was going on.
However, our town spies did start sending photos of scaffolding going up. These were the first shots of signs of life:
Then this:
And now today it looks like this:
Meanwhile, our building company has been sending some updates. Sadly, it’s mostly bad news. We can’t save very many of the beautiful floor tiles as they are chipping when being removed. The in-floor radiant heating we really wanted is now not recommended, since it does not cool very efficiently and the Superbonus will not cover a separate cooling system. As mentioned in a previous post, the Comune will not let us raise the roof or do a single pitch. The neighbor will not let us set the scaffolding on his terrace (which explains why I saw scaffolding set up on his terrace and then the next day it was gone). And finally, the Comune will not allow us to use public water due to the drought and we will have to truck water in. (Thanks, global warming!)
But progress is still happening! As of late last week, three truck loads of internal doors have been removed, contractor grade electric panels have been set up on each floor, the two random toilets on the staircase as well as third floor partition walls have been removed. And they are recommending one of us come out in about a month to check on progress, as much of the demo will have been done. You don’t have to tell me twice. Checking on flights now.
Comments are closed.