Restoration Diary

[Di]

Hi all,

I thought I'd use this thread to document the process of restoration. I'm thinking it would be useful for others contemplating it. With that in mind, I'll get you caught up. We found our apartment in the centro storico of Santa Domenica Talao on a wirlwind trip with Tony in September 2007. We had a big decision between a larger place in Scalea centro storico with a lovely terrace and view of the sea and this one, smaller with a view of the sea and mountains set in a quiet town of friendly people.

Next came the purchase (I'll leave that for someone else's thread as it's all a blur to me now) and picking out the design elements with our architect, Antonello. There were a lot of funny stories there. We picked our kitchen from the Sarubbi showroom (465 Corso Med.) and our bath and tile from Crusco (near Grisolia). Because we come from far, far away, we had to pick everything out at once....which I don't recommend but we got through it somehow. There were some glitches like me picking out, after what seemed like hours, the most expensive tile in the place without knowing it and not having the energy to start all over (not to mention Tony and Antonello's energy).

You can change the outside, apparently, if it's in keeping with historic looks and passes muster at the comune. We are adding an arched entry,enlarging the door to the terrace, and retrieving some "lost" windows.

So, currently, work has just begun. The beginning is getting the electricity going which is facilitated by the property management folks at Mattoni Casa (and Tony and David who are managing us so Antonello doesn't have to).

That's it for now. Hope to find a way to add pictures here or links thereto.

[Italy4me]

Thanks Di!
I just love "before and after" pictures - and stories from along the way.
Can't wait for some more photos later on but as they say in these parts....piano,piano.

Lesley

[elgian]

Grazie Di;

consigli utili e racconto interessante. By the look of your pics, you made the right decision: you must have the most enviable view south of Amalfi!

We also made our decision on a whirlwind trip: two weeks last July: just two months before you guys. We were just lucky that our duplex was already in the process of being renovated so we bought on the strength of what we were seeing.

Your tip on Sarusco is greatly appreciated, though. We're going to have to do a "similar" when we come up next, hopefully May and June. I guess two months should give us a bit more time to shop around.

Thanks again. Keep them coming.

ciao

G.

[Maureenb]

I also (with my son who has been more or less the sleeping partner) have bought a house in SDT and have just been through the process you describe. It is 2 years since I first saw the property. The delay was due to legal problems (the house was inherited by 8 'children') and time taken to renovate. We have been promised that the house will definitely be finished for March. Antonello has been great and has come up with a number of suggestions which have proved their worth. Now comes the problem of furniture. However I look forward to that as I have a big interest in interiors. maureenb

[Di]

Great Maureen,

I'm glad you are at the furniture stage, and if you would be kind enough to post some pics, here, we'd all love it. Need inspiration!

[Di]

Hi All,

I promised to record progress of our restoration in the hopes that it will either entertain or inform you. I have some pictures from Stuart and Janet to upload, so I will explain what you will see. Last we knew our restoration was waiting for our contractors to be free to begin and for our design changes to pass muster with the comune. So when we received the picture of the permit on our wall, it was good news. Also, the electricity and gas were installed. The electric installation you see is temporary, we are reassured. More to come soon, I hope.

As it turns out, very soon. I add some pictures sent to us by David. They are the beginning of enlargements of windows and the terrace doors. Wow. Hurts my wrists just to think of using that pick in the terrace photo.

[Di]

I'm in a picture lull (hoping for more from anyone who volunteers) so I thought I'd tell a short story about our Kitchen. After work and on weekends, Doug and I used to operate a small organic farm. We had a farm stand on the road. This was our major hobby. We like to be totally absorbed and working is our recreation, usually. Well, our professional workloads finally precluded doing a good job on the farm so we closed it. The point of this is that we were left with more time than we are used to. This we devoted to designing our Italian Kitchen from Oregon. We thought we were very smart and prepared. When we finally were able to deal with our dream Kitchen in Italy, we found the following: (not necessary true for everyone, I'm sure)
1) Italian kitchen suppliers do not like to hear about you
wanting a French cooker (kitchen stove, Americans),
2) The idea of using the floor tile to build the baseboards
around cabinets, not understood
3) Marble counters cheaper than tile
4) No ice cube makers in the refrigerators---and don't say you want an American refrigerator, would complicate the design and procurement---and you can't fit one in anyway--they are too big (and to my taste too ugly anyway--I like the Italian way of hiding it behind a wooden door)
5) We actually had a very fun time at the kitchen "place"--we learned Calabrese dialect for coffee (have no idea how it is spelled but it sounds like "golf") and they were frustrated with us and our pidgeon Italian in a very affable way. Doug was thrilled to talk about golf, but then realised it was about an espresso and gladly accepted the caffe.

I enclose the before kitchen picture and the drawing we got from the kitchen designer plus a pic of me appearing to converse with the kitchen designers. I'm sure I was saying buon giorno or va bene.

[elgian]

Buongiorno Di;

great to read your amusing follow-up! But now, for the questions.

Originally Posted by Di

1) Italian kitchen suppliers do not like to hear about you
wanting a French cooker (kitchen stove, Americans),

Not sure I understand this one. Do you mean they insist in installing "hob" and "under-counter oven" as separate items, instead of a whole unit containing both? If so, I'm sure you asked them why but, did you understand the reply?

Originally Posted by Di

2) The idea of using the floor tile to build the baseboards
around cabinets, not understood

Do you mean the "kick-plate" at the bottom of a cupboard run? Or, brickwork plus tile around cabinets? If the answer to the first question is "YES", clap the guys over the ears with a couple of tiles. I've seen that kind of stuff in kitchens since I was a kid. On the other hand, if the answer to the second question is "YES" then, take a look at the Benvenuto Mobili s.r.l. web site. They make almost exactly that: they call it "muratura". Admittedly it has no tiles but, adding those should not be a major obstacle. Unless they don't want the bother to cut tiles to size, find an appropriate adhesive and do the grouting.

Originally Posted by Di

3) Marble counters cheaper than tile

Huh!? Serious!? We're paying, on average, 100 Euros per msq for granite alone, down here! Try to find out their source of marble, PLEASE! Unless .... I can't find the links to the relevant web sites now but ... I have come across such a thing as "synthetic marble" (this is not melamine sheets coloured to a marble pattern, mind you). Could it be what they are planning to use for the counters?

Originally Posted by Di

No ice cube makers in the refrigerators

No way ... make them cough them up! Also, staying away from imported fridges will save you a bundle; I have to agree with them here.

Well, congrats anyway. Things are progressing!

ciao

[Di]

Gian,

Good to hear from you, I will be back learning Italian this fine settimana. Well, I'll try to answer, I can't always explain what we do, though...sometimes it passes understanding.

1) I mean I showed them a pic of a cooker that they would have had to order from Paris and they shook their heads in despair. Keep in mind, we were operating under a time and language barrier. When Doug (the cook) said it's OK, he really didn't need that fancy stove, they were very happy indeed. I'm sure if we were already living there, we could have found the time to get what we wanted, but our wants were not that strong.

2) Yes, the kickplate. I brought a piece of tile (sample) and put it up against the cabinets and they still didn't get it. We have done that sort of work here so we decided we could finish that up ourselves rather than hazard more blank looks.

3) Now this one is the hardest to explain. They had a box of marmo and granito samples. I picked verde guatemala--it could even be granite--geology is not a specialty of mine. And if it's fake, I guess it's the best fake I ever saw and thus don't care. My invoice went down 1,000.00 Euro when I made the change from piastrellato to the marble. Perhaps had picked an especially expensive tile....I dunno. I can't find the source, but i found a website on it: indian green marble You can also call the kitchen company : Tel 0985/920845.

[Doug]

Giancarlo e tutti,

I have to throw in the male view here. I wish I had a video camera for the dealings both with the Sarrubi family on kitchens, and the other store near Grisolia for the bath and flooring. Looking back, both are very funny.

At Sarrubi, the son Biagio and Di went round and round over things and we all were confused with translations. He flipped back and forth thru a catalog asking "questo, questo" and it did not compute with us as we already knew what we wanted, but it was the combination of things in the book--he expected us to stick with them. We then came back to the store to "tweak" our order and did not have Tony Hackett with us for interpretations! Eventually, it all worked out and I (innocent bystander) learned that Biag's problem with our lousy Italian was partly due to Calabrese dialect. I thought he wanted to play golf with me, but he was talking about espresso. I hope to take him for coffee when I return.

The bathroom and floor tile store was also interesting. There must have been 5 guys following Di around that store picking out toilets, shower stalls and plumbing fixtures. THEN we got into the floor tile for the whole house and we followed her for another 1/2 hour or more until she found the floor tiles that she liked. She kept asking us to take a coffee break but it didn't work. Of course, being Di, the tile was the most expensive possible flooring in all of Europe. The savings on the kitchen counter tops discussed earlier may cover the flooring cost.
My sweetie is a great landscape architect and also a great interior designer, but her choices don't come cheap--then again the place is nice and small. The local tradesmen will do a nice job, but Di will be the one to put the final touch to things as always. And I'll be there to do as needed!

Have a Nice Weekend, Doug

[elgian]

Hi folks;

Originally Posted by Doug

... it all worked out and I (innocent bystander) learned that Biag's problem with our lousy Italian was partly due to Calabrese dialect. I thought he wanted to play golf with me, but he was talking about espresso. I hope to take him for coffee when I return.

Yea, right! Take him for golf and have a nice game of espresso!

Originally Posted by Doug

... until she found the floor tiles that she liked.

yep. The most rewarding part of the "shopping experience"!

Originally Posted by Di

I mean I showed them a pic of a cooker that they would have had to order from Paris and they shook their heads in despair.

Humm! Angazi! As our Zulu friends would say. Maybe they're scared to be ripped off by the supplier: the minute it becomes clear that the destination of the goods is Italy, the price suddenly doubles. Happened to me before. Was the French cooker really that fancy? What's it got that others don't?

Originally Posted by Di

And if it's fake, I guess it's the best fake I ever saw and thus don't care. My invoice went down 1,000.00 Euro

Yah. I believe the synthetics are really good. "Synthetic marble" is a mix of polyester resins and fiberglass and handles like an extra-dense hardwood. "Cultured marble" is in the region of 70% marble powder mixed with resins and gels. These guys list quite a few Chinese exporters Synthetic marble Manufacturers & Suppliers.

Well, carry on having fun!

ciao

[Di]

Hi again.

I noticed that my diary has gone to the second page, but work is still being done on the restoration. I have some new pictures from Tony that I can add here although I have to admit I'm waiting for more. I'll put them in this message questo fine settimana.

Some new things we are learning that may help you (or not) if you are planning restorations:
There is a standing charge for mains gas of about 40
Euro every two months.
Don't forget downspouts.

Pics from left to right:
1. From the stairs looking at Balcony door
2. New Bathroom wall
3.Terrazzo Door opening
4. Portone, new little window for light in the laundry room
5. Kitchen window--or is it? It may be the entry window, what do you think?(check out the picture of the kitchen near the beginning of the thread (piano, piano post). The wall to the right doesn't look long enough and the light from the other room is coming from the wrong place. So here's the fun part of long-distance restoration!!!

[Italy4me]

Hi Di,
Gosh that standing charge seems expensive!
I believe that "town" gas is much cheaper than bombola but surely the standing charge makes it very much a close run thing? (dependent on usage I guess?)

Do you have any idea of the cost of mains gas - or does it vary?
Best wishes, Lesley

[Di]

Hi Lesley,

We pay the equivalent of 160 Euro a month for bottle gas here in Oregon including rental of the tank, but I don't know what the expenditure will be in SDT. Most likely about the same. Better climate but higher costs? Anyone out there on Mains Gas?

[Di]

Hello Everyone,

Well, it's getting to be the season when folks are coming and going in Scalea and SDT. If anyone is willing to take some pictures of our restoration progess in Santa Domenica Talao, send me a private message and I'll give you directions. My diary needs more progress pictures. Would very much appreciate it.

[Di]

Some more work is complete. It's starting to look like a casa. Check out the latest. The floor is next.

[elgian]

Hi Di;

things are getting exciting! I'll do my best to take a drive up to SDT, as soon as I manage to drag Elaine away from our buying spree (and myself away from watching the "soccer", better known as football).

ciao

Gian

[Italy4me]

Wow - great progress!

Keep us posted, fascinating to watch!

(apologies, I know we are just "up the road" but don't often get to SDT during daylight to take pics)

Lesley

[Di]

I'm spending the best days Rainshadow (name of our farm) have to offer right now. The gardens are bursting with bloom...the sun is warm and birds abundant, but when I take breaks from my work, I look at my few pictures of SDT and think about a new adventure there in July.

[Di]

Thanks to Tony and the Cohens, I have some more pictures to post. It's exciting (for us anyway). Check out the latest progress. The balcony and terrace now have wrought iron rails to code that really open up the view on the terrace and give a more historic look. The copper gutters can be seen stored in the bedroom and installed on the picture of the outside above the door. Also note the lovely new plaster on the outside. The other improvement is that the floors have been leveled a made ready for tile.