Can’t wait to follow your journey! My one suggestion is that everything doesn’t need to be smooth and new, it would be stunning to leave the ceiling paintings half exposed; and repair the damaged areas around them.
Hi Scott, That could either look terrible or fabulous! I'm not sure that I am a good enough plasterer or painter to make it look good, but I'll bear it in mind when I get back out there in a couple of weeks. Thank you so much for the comments!
Really well done. I enjoy doing this work in the US but it is obviously much different with this type of project! I'm learning a lot from you - please keep it up.
Hi, just found your video and subscribed. Love what you are doing and will be following for the next few months. It is slightly what I am doing in Norfolk U.K. My late husband passed away a year ago now and he brought an old school house built in 1855 and started to renovate it, when I met him he lost enthusiasm and stopped but with my excitement and imagination I got him on the go again. I have been working on it on my own now for 6 months and trying to keep to a very low budget so I am recycling things when I can. I am hoping to put a mezzanine floor up soon and complete the bedrooms so I can move in properly. I am doing in memory of Albert who I know is still with me every day. After completion I am considering selling it and buy a small place in Italy or France to live so I was very interested in you video of the process you went through in buying thank you. I am having a day off today so I am researching porperties that are for sale and what a nice discovery to find your video's.
Hi Angela, you are very brave, I am sure Albert is very proud of you. Working on a low budget is hard, and often takes more time, but can be very rewarding, I'm sure you'll get there. Perhaps you could rent it out, rather than selling it, and buy a small place in France of Italy anyway, there are lots of places out there that cost only a few thousand euros. Good luck to you, thank you for watching and stay safe!
@@NotUselessYet thank you for your reply. I keep looking on right move, could I just ask you did you use a website to find your house? Some days go better that others but I have had many problems to over come, I have nearly 5 rooms completed and I am working on the outside as well on the cooler days. I am thoroughly enjoying the renovation and I do make sure I have a few days off in between to recoup, make sure you do too as it can be a big task to take on. I love renovation blogs and videos I can learn so much, thank you again for sharing your journey.
Hi, my wife and I have just watched your first three vlogs on you tube. We wanted to wish you every success and admire your courage and commitment with this project, particularly after you mentioned your new baby . Looking forward to seeing more episodes. Good luck.
So glad I stumbled across you channel!! Very excited to follow your progress! The vaulted ceiling is gorgeous and the view from your terrace is just stunning
Congratulations on your adventure! I did this exact thing three years ago,wintertime and all. I encourage any one thinking about doing this to go for it!!! Life is short and to experience the food,wine and the warmth of the Italian people is something I will never regret doing.Good luck!
Hi Bob, absolutely! It's just a matter of taking the plunge, and even if everything doesn't go as planned, there is always, as you say, the wine, the food and the people! Thank you!
I was referred to your channel by another TH-camr I have followed for the past year. I just watched this first episode. Similar to you, I just bought an 18th century townhouse in southern France and will be relocating from the US. I look forward to following and comparing notes. Cheers-
What a fabulous house, great find!! Looking forward to watching your progress on your adventure. I see some binging in my future 😂 Worth a subscribe, good luck on your journey!
Great that youtube took me to your channel while I'm thinking of buying the property in Sicily. You gave good insight and hope it'll go well and the very best on your journey.
I've begun my real estate investing ventures here in Texas. One of my goals is to remodel a few homes in Europe and your channel has given me tons of motivation. Thank you.
This would be a dream for me, I've done masonry as a job before so I'm familiar with a lot of what I'd need to do already... These old italian homes do seem to be almost all stone and plaster work for the most part, I gotta get on this lol..
Good luck, a wonderful adventure ahead. Thank you for you excellent articulation, and easy explanations. I am looking forward to seeing your restoration.
My husband faced forty with similar trepidation and I got him a relatively inexpensive sports car. Turns out it was a bit rare - one of only eleven produced that year. It’s as well I indulged him, as he died much younger than either of us expected. Life is short so enjoy it now.
First thing about old houses is the roof. If there is wall damage by watter, look up for problems in the roof, a cracked tile or just green moss can make water go into the home and cause damage over time. No point in repair and repaint the interior, just to see water return at the next rainfall to destroy your property.
Hi José, Excellent advice! One of the first things I checked before even making an offer was the state of the roof structure and tiles, I even flew across the whole area with a drone. Luckily, the roof here was repaired and maintained, but because the house was empty, the plaster and paint inside was never redone. What we really need to address before winter is the guttering which is in terrible condition and causing some minor seepage through the front wall into the cellar. Thank you for your advice, and thank you for watching.
@@NotUselessYet building "foam" on the interior if your roof is fixed will not help with restoring the plaster, right? look into XYPEX products like Xypex Mega Mix 2- research on their website, repairs with GFRC- Glas fiber reinforced concrete in areas where masonry deterioration is an issue is also useful. but consult people at limes.us/products/natural-hydraulic-lime-nhl/ for interior masonry and exterior masonry
@@NotUselessYet As someone who ended up paying $8,000 when the tenant failed to clean gutters as promised, I second this motion. I have since made the gutters dummy proof.
Just started watching, will follow. Well done for getting out there and doing this! Strange we have these desires perhaps drives or needs to prove we’re not old and useless! Embarking on a similar project similar.
Hi, thanks for watching! It’s something that balances out sitting in an office all day. There will probably be plenty of occasions during the projects where I prove myself to be very useless, but you know what they say, the journey is the destination. Good luck for your project!
@@NotUselessYet Thank you, "The journey is the destination!" - amazing! Reminds me of something a great friend told me a long time ago, "if you aren't enjoying it, just stop!" enjoying the journey! thank you for sharing the videos!
Hey old mate, ive been doing the same here in Italy for 15 years (south of Canelli), if you get the time, go on you tube and learn about Lime mortar, its not easy to use but its flexible, it moves with the building its what is needed on these old stone houses. Malta di calce. Apologies if you already knew this.
@@NotUselessYet It's not exactly rocket science. 1 part of lime, 3 parts of sand (roughly by volume), mix dry, add water. The plaster is very sticky and easy to keep on the wall. If you're using limewash you can paint straight away, otherwise wait at least a few weeks until the surface of the plaster has cured. Lime (and cement) plaster doesn't simply dry, it's a chemical reaction that slowly turns the caustic plaster neutral as it absorbs CO2 from the air.
Love this vids, this will be a great project when finished, great progress so far hope Covid will be out of the way soon so you can progress. Good luck!
Hi Nigel, sure, here is the tour of the house th-cam.com/video/uGQw4niZrlE/w-d-xo.html in the walkaround of the village, you can see the outside! Thanks for watching!
Hi Casper, thank you, it's all a bit difficult at the moment, I can't get to the house at all with the lockdown, but I hope to be able to get on with some work as soon as the restrictions are lifted. Stay safe.
Good luck! Lovely dream coming true. Please, try learning italian and buy from locals as much as possible; in other words, make an effort to blend in. You might need your neighbours one day.
Hi Elisa, Thank you, I am trying very hard to learn Italian, and am regularly interrupted by neighbours popping by to see how it's getting on! I also make a point of going to the village aperitivo as often as possible! Watch my going back to Italy video for my take on the whole thing.
How are you doing? I am thinking of doing something similar but definitely can’t do it on my own. I imagine you had no idea what was before you and I hope you have been well and you seem like a flexible kind of guy. You are absolutely not old! I am 77 and refuse to go that route! We deserve to live fully no matter what the limitations appear to be!
I have been binge watching and started with the last one first, I wanted to ask you what advice you'd give your self now before starting this project ... You do beautiful work and Thank you for sharing your journey
This is going to be quite a project! I adore the house and situation. It's a pity you couldn't have saved just one little cameo of the wall painting. (Just one tip, it may be an idea to point camera to the view or a feature while you talk, now we know what you look like ;)
Hi Avia, It is a challenge. I am sure that we are keeping so much of the house's original charm that, although sad, we will make up for not having been able to keep the ceilings. This was my first ever video, so I am sorry you see too much of me, but it gets better, I promise!
So how does purchasing in Italy work, in otherwords, if property costs 10,000 EURO's are outsiders required to pay the entire sum to get the keys and Deed or does Italy finance to outsiders?
Hi Lily, As with everywhere it's a question of collateral. If you need a mortgage from an Italian bank, you will need to provide some sort of guarantee. Basically you have to pay the purchase price plus the taxes on the day of sale and then the property is yours. Where that money comes from, cash, bank, private loan etc is up to you and the lenders. Thanks for watching!
Amazing house congratulations)) May i ask how much was it? I am also planning to go for similar house hunting in italy and wish ti have an idea of such house approx cost. Thank you in advance and good luck with your project
Hi Tim, council tax is based on the fiscal vlue of the house and the commune. Pontremoli is quite reasonable, we pay a few hundred euros per year but this has been commuted for q2 because of the virus. Any estate agent should be able to tell you what council tax will be for a property. I am not sure, but do not think council tax is affected by non residency but water and electricity rates are increased for non residents. Hope that helps a bit, but your estate agent will give you a full breakdown for toue area. Thanks for watching!
I shall enjoy following your progress. By the way, what about steam extraction from that little bathroom? You probably have a plan but didn't mention it.
The thing with old furnature it is so strong and some pieces are very elegant for old houses get some paint stripper those beds are just fantastic strip them re paint them new matress save you lots of money i stayed with my motherinlaw in sicily i just love the food but i divorced her son a few years later please save that lovely bedroom furnature
Hi Patricia, I will save a lot of the furniture, and make sure the rest goes to good homes, but there is soooo much of it. Watch the house tour and cellar tour and you will see!
Great project! What’s the history of the house? Who was living there? And why there was some of the furniture left? Here in America when you buy a place it usually is clean and empty. We don’t have those 100s of year old homes. But I’d love to purchase one.
Hi Harold, The oldest part of the house, which is the cellar under the entrance hall is from the late 13c, since then it’s been built up and into adjoining buildings. Once I get back I will do a walk around and share what I know. The house stood empty since the mid 90s, but other family members live in the village and aired the house daily and dealt with the basic upkeep. As to the furniture, generally houses are sold empty in Europe too, but as none of the children (in their 80s !) wanted anything, I agreed that it could be left there. It’s as good a time as any, perhaps even a better time than most to take the plunge and fall in love with a piece of history, in Italy or elsewhere. My wishes to you in America, difficult times currently, but sure you will come out stronger and wiser.
Not Useless Yet , wow! Amazing! I’m in Miami and my home is considered “old”. It was built in 1947. I’ve spent a few summers in Italy. Mainly Rome. Love the country, the culture, and the people. I also speak the language. Which is a big plus. I can see myself buying a summer villa somewhere in Italy. My wife might not agree with the idea lol She loves Italy too. Thank you for the response. I can’t wait to see the rest of the property.
say, do you have a background in construction..? i was quite surprised to see you use construction foam on the ceiling :) (i've done that myself in a pinch, but i thought i was probably doing a terrible job)
Hi Alice, if it isn't painfully obvious, no background in construction, but I did see a chap on TH-cam squirt foam in a hole! I did it only once in the bathroom, and it seemed to work, but elsewhere I've been using different plasters, more than anything, to not damage the old paint on the ceilings.
Love your videos! I've been looking at properties in Italy for a while and am gearing up to start seeing them. I know you don't want to reveal what you paid, but you mentioned you gave them a very low offer - how much lower than asking did you offer? Maybe percentage-wise?
Hi Shawn, go for it, with the crisis it's an excellent time to buy. We offered about 40% below asking, and then settled around 32% below. Don't forget the additional costs, the estate agent can tell you what the will be while you are considering making an offer. Good luck!
@@NotUselessYet Thanks for the answer! Another question if it's not too much - if you financed the house rather than bought it outright, were you required to finance it with an Italian bank? If so, was there a required down payment percentage for a non-resident of Italy? (I've read conflicting reports, some saying you can only borrow 40% of the value as a non-resident)
How is everything going with the renovation? We are looking to do something similar but worried about the restrictions on doing your own renovations... what has your experience been? Would love to hear more and thanks for the videos!
Hi Marnie, we paid about the price of a nice car for the house, the furniture and everything else was left here, if you watch the tour you'll see. The house is amazing, as is some of the furniture! Thanks for watching!
@@NotUselessYet I'm hooked! I don't know how I stumbled upon your channel but I did and I am ever so happy that I did!! I am going to follow you and follow your progress and we will probably meet in person sometime soon! I want to do what you were doing I'm ready to make a change! I would like to purchase in Italy or Spain but seeing how economical it is where you're at I think I'll do it! I'm a classically trained Chef I'd like to make a lot of friend and live a nice peaceful second half of my life I'm sure we'll be great friends!!
I'd love to know what you paid for it. I'd eventually like to do the same thing but It'd be nice to know what kinda price to expect. of you'd rather not say I understand. Good luck on the renovation and I look forward to your videos
I have been watching a bunch of these videos and no one gives an itemized breakdown of the various costs to replace or repair stuff like plumbing, electrical, roofs, windows and doors. I realize foundation and structure work is never the same. I know plumbers in the US will let you string new wiring and pex plumbing and they finish off the connections and this can save tons of money on a plumbing and electrical job. I wonder if they would allow that in Italy.
Haha, no one has ever said to me that I talk slowly, but if you can watch on fast forward, that's fine. I bet my voice gets a bit high pitched. Thanks for watching and encouraging!
Hi Cos, unfortunately not yet, the virus lockdown means I can't get to the house to get on with the restoration. As soon as I get there, I'll do more vids, I promise
I know you probably don't have much choice when you are cold but it might be worth bearing in mind that the combustion of kerosene produces, - Kerosene produces 5 pints of water for every 4 pints of kerosene burnt, worth noting for future use.
I heard about a earthquake in Italy, It was so intense than some of the roofs may have structural damage, one of the cracks in the video seems strange, you better check twice with a civil engineer to make sure everything is ok, I live in Mexico city which is a earthquake zone and is something we care about when we buy a house
Hi Armando, thank you for the advice, I had someone look at the house before we bought it, and most of the cracks appear to come from water infiltration, but I will be keeping an eye on them!
A man applies for a job as handyman and the interviewer asks, can you plaster, NO, can you lay bricks, NO, can you do plumbing, NO, can you decorate, NO, well how come you have applied for the job of handyman, he replied, I only live round the corner so I am really handy. Can't beat a bit of Destroy-It-Yourself.
Hello, we have just bought a rural property up from Pontremoli towards Pracchiola. We would love to share a beer and exchange notes. We are literally here now and trying to find our feet. Is there a way to message you? David & Cameo
Hi David and Cameo, I'm in Innsbruck at the moment, and with the shutdown in South Tirol it looks complicated to get back down to Pontremoli. Congratulations on your house, and I'll look forward to a beer when I'm next out. There's a link to my email in the channel description. Good luck!
Hi, just found your video and subscribed. Love what you are doing and will be following for the next few months.
I'll watch from the beginning. 👍👍♥️
Can’t wait to follow your journey! My one suggestion is that everything doesn’t need to be smooth and new, it would be stunning to leave the ceiling paintings half exposed; and repair the damaged areas around them.
Hi Scott, That could either look terrible or fabulous! I'm not sure that I am a good enough plasterer or painter to make it look good, but I'll bear it in mind when I get back out there in a couple of weeks. Thank you so much for the comments!
Horrible to see how respectless that ceiling with the painted decorations was treated. History destroyed by an amateur using foam and plaster.
Really well done. I enjoy doing this work in the US but it is obviously much different with this type of project! I'm learning a lot from you - please keep it up.
I love the house . You have come so far. Well done
Fabulous and so interesting. Thanks for this 🤗
Congratulations on the purchase of your house. I hope it goes well
BEST of luck to you ! Italy is a beautiful country,
Hi, just found your video and subscribed. Love what you are doing and will be following for the next few months. It is slightly what I am doing in Norfolk U.K. My late husband passed away a year ago now and he brought an old school house built in 1855 and started to renovate it, when I met him he lost enthusiasm and stopped but with my excitement and imagination I got him on the go again. I have been working on it on my own now for 6 months and trying to keep to a very low budget so I am recycling things when I can. I am hoping to put a mezzanine floor up soon and complete the bedrooms so I can move in properly. I am doing in memory of Albert who I know is still with me every day. After completion I am considering selling it and buy a small place in Italy or France to live so I was very interested in you video of the process you went through in buying thank you. I am having a day off today so I am researching porperties that are for sale and what a nice discovery to find your video's.
Hi Angela, you are very brave, I am sure Albert is very proud of you. Working on a low budget is hard, and often takes more time, but can be very rewarding, I'm sure you'll get there. Perhaps you could rent it out, rather than selling it, and buy a small place in France of Italy anyway, there are lots of places out there that cost only a few thousand euros. Good luck to you, thank you for watching and stay safe!
@@NotUselessYet thank you for your reply. I keep looking on right move, could I just ask you did you use a website to find your house? Some days go better that others but I have had many problems to over come, I have nearly 5 rooms completed and I am working on the outside as well on the cooler days. I am thoroughly enjoying the renovation and I do make sure I have a few days off in between to recoup, make sure you do too as it can be a big task to take on. I love renovation blogs and videos I can learn so much, thank you again for sharing your journey.
Hi, my wife and I have just watched your first three vlogs on you tube.
We wanted to wish you every success and admire your courage and commitment with this project, particularly after you mentioned your new baby .
Looking forward to seeing more episodes. Good luck.
Thank you so much 🙂
So glad I stumbled across you channel!! Very excited to follow your progress! The vaulted ceiling is gorgeous and the view from your terrace is just stunning
Hi Colecole! Thank you so much! Stay tuned, more coming very soon...
Congratulations on your adventure! I did this exact thing three years ago,wintertime and all. I encourage any one thinking about doing this to go for it!!! Life is short and to experience the food,wine and the warmth of the Italian people is something I will never regret doing.Good luck!
Hi Bob, absolutely! It's just a matter of taking the plunge, and even if everything doesn't go as planned, there is always, as you say, the wine, the food and the people! Thank you!
A one man power house! Wow! What a challenge! The very best of luck.
Thank you Vaun!
I was referred to your channel by another TH-camr I have followed for the past year. I just watched this first episode. Similar to you, I just bought an 18th century townhouse in southern France and will be relocating from the US. I look forward to following and comparing notes. Cheers-
I am so in love with your house. I also love the furniture😍
Fabulous and so interesting. That painting underneath woah. Thanks for this 🤗
It's hard to know which layer was the prettiest!
Looking forward to seeing you working on this beautiful home good luck
Thank you!
What a fabulous house, great find!! Looking forward to watching your progress on your adventure. I see some binging in my future 😂 Worth a subscribe, good luck on your journey!
Oh love that I’ve found this, will really enjoy following your adventure
Awesome, thank you!
Love this vid, this will be a great project when finished Good luck!
I am excited to watch every step of your renovation! Grazie for sharing..ciao!❤
Thank you Carolyn, thank you for watching!
Hi! I'm going to love tkong this adventure with you! Good luck wirh it all!
Hi Patricia, Thank you!
That bed and wardrobes are very good condition
Hi Patricia, watch the house tour to see just how much furniture was left in the house!
Great that youtube took me to your channel while I'm thinking of buying the property in Sicily. You gave good insight and hope it'll go well and the very best on your journey.
Hi Hang, Thank you! Good luck to you on finding your perfect house in Sicily!
I’ve just found your channel . Hello from Brisbane Australia.
I’ve stumbled upon your channel and can’t wait to see more of your journey! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Hopefully you won't have to wait long!
I’m hooked. Looking forward to your future videos. Good luck!
Awesome! Thank you!
I've begun my real estate investing ventures here in Texas. One of my goals is to remodel a few homes in Europe and your channel has given me tons of motivation. Thank you.
Hi Jonathan, good luck! There are a lot of fabulous projects just waiting for you here!
@@NotUselessYet Thank you!
Hi I'm starting from the beginning watching your blog.
Well done so far.
💂♂️👍
Hi Gloria, great, thank you, sorry about the camerawork, but it does get (slightly) better as I go along!
This would be a dream for me, I've done masonry as a job before so I'm familiar with a lot of what I'd need to do already... These old italian homes do seem to be almost all stone and plaster work for the most part, I gotta get on this lol..
Hi Rathernot, time to make your dream come true!
I’m just enjoying as a new subscriber. You look very much like my son.
I admire your spirit. Well done.
You know that you can have a partial mural? It's a lovely, designer look.
Same with stucco, etc.
You are where I'm hoping to be in ten or fifteen years. Good luck, brother.
Thank you! Good luck!
Can’t wait to see how it turns out!!
Good luck, a wonderful adventure ahead. Thank you for you excellent articulation, and easy explanations. I am looking forward to seeing your restoration.
Hi Kerrie, thank you for the encouragement!
My husband faced forty with similar trepidation and I got him a relatively inexpensive sports car. Turns out it was a bit rare - one of only eleven produced that year. It’s as well I indulged him, as he died much younger than either of us expected. Life is short so enjoy it now.
It's going to be lovely! In bocca al lupo!
First thing about old houses is the roof. If there is wall damage by watter, look up for problems in the roof, a cracked tile or just green moss can make water go into the home and cause damage over time. No point in repair and repaint the interior, just to see water return at the next rainfall to destroy your property.
Hi José, Excellent advice! One of the first things I checked before even making an offer was the state of the roof structure and tiles, I even flew across the whole area with a drone. Luckily, the roof here was repaired and maintained, but because the house was empty, the plaster and paint inside was never redone. What we really need to address before winter is the guttering which is in terrible condition and causing some minor seepage through the front wall into the cellar. Thank you for your advice, and thank you for watching.
@@NotUselessYet building "foam" on the interior if your roof is fixed will not help with restoring the plaster, right?
look into XYPEX products like Xypex Mega Mix 2- research on their website, repairs with GFRC- Glas fiber reinforced concrete in areas where masonry deterioration is an issue is also useful. but consult people at limes.us/products/natural-hydraulic-lime-nhl/ for interior masonry and exterior masonry
@@NotUselessYet As someone who ended up paying $8,000 when the tenant failed to clean gutters as promised, I second this motion. I have since made the gutters dummy proof.
Dude, you will become proffetional on your Journey
New subscriber, looking forward to following you. Sending best wishes from the UK 😊 x
Awesome! Thank you!
Just started watching, will follow. Well done for getting out there and doing this! Strange we have these desires perhaps drives or needs to prove we’re not old and useless! Embarking on a similar project similar.
Hi, thanks for watching! It’s something that balances out sitting in an office all day. There will probably be plenty of occasions during the projects where I prove myself to be very useless, but you know what they say, the journey is the destination. Good luck for your project!
@@NotUselessYet Thank you, "The journey is the destination!" - amazing! Reminds me of something a great friend told me a long time ago, "if you aren't enjoying it, just stop!" enjoying the journey! thank you for sharing the videos!
Hey old mate, ive been doing the same here in Italy for 15 years (south of Canelli), if you get the time, go on you tube and learn about Lime mortar, its not easy to use but its flexible, it moves with the building its what is needed on these old stone houses. Malta di calce. Apologies if you already knew this.
Hi Norma, I will do as soon as I have a bit of spare time, thank you for the tip!
@@NotUselessYet It's not exactly rocket science. 1 part of lime, 3 parts of sand (roughly by volume), mix dry, add water. The plaster is very sticky and easy to keep on the wall. If you're using limewash you can paint straight away, otherwise wait at least a few weeks until the surface of the plaster has cured. Lime (and cement) plaster doesn't simply dry, it's a chemical reaction that slowly turns the caustic plaster neutral as it absorbs CO2 from the air.
Love this vids, this will be a great project when finished, great progress so far hope Covid will be out of the way soon so you can progress. Good luck!
Thank you, I hope that I can get back to it soon!
Hi. Love what you're doing to the lovely house. Have you considered having murals painted on the ceiling/walls again?
HI Ocanada, not yet, but maybe one day, I would have to find a proper Michelangelo to do it! Thanks for watching!
I agree with leaving some of the painting on the ceiling. It would give it a more romantic feeling and a subject for conversation.
Hi Gloria, there is damp, lead and various layers, so not really possible, but I do get the idea! Thanks for following!
Hi it would be great if you could post a video showing all of the house so everyone can see all of the property.
Hi Nigel, sure, here is the tour of the house th-cam.com/video/uGQw4niZrlE/w-d-xo.html in the walkaround of the village, you can see the outside! Thanks for watching!
Watching from Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It'll be great to follow on your journey.
Hi David, I had to look that up on the map! What a lovely place to be! Holidays or resident?
Not Useless Yet here at the air base for another year. Yes, it’s a beautiful corner of the world.
Buon lavoro e buon coraggio!🪚🔨
Grazie Sandrine!
My parents are interior designers, and we love watching your series. Keep up the great work.
Hi Casper, thank you, it's all a bit difficult at the moment, I can't get to the house at all with the lockdown, but I hope to be able to get on with some work as soon as the restrictions are lifted. Stay safe.
not sure how I found you but here we are :) so far all I know is you're neighbor has a fixer upper :) - watching episode 1 now....
Una molto bellisimo casa wow.
Thank you Patricia, I think so too!
Interesting! Try to preserve antique furnitures. Keep up the good work!
Thank you! Will do!
Just found your channel 😀 thought I should start at the beginning I’ll see at present day soon 👍 by the way glad I found you 💕🇦🇺💕
P.S New Subscriber
Good luck! Lovely dream coming true. Please, try learning italian and buy from locals as much as possible; in other words, make an effort to blend in. You might need your neighbours one day.
Hi Elisa, Thank you, I am trying very hard to learn Italian, and am regularly interrupted by neighbours popping by to see how it's getting on! I also make a point of going to the village aperitivo as often as possible! Watch my going back to Italy video for my take on the whole thing.
Did you have a record of the paintings in the house. I am asking because I was a tole painter and took many ideas from old home decoration /paintings.
How are you doing? I am thinking of doing something similar but definitely can’t do it on my own. I imagine you had no idea what was before you and I hope you have been well and you seem like a flexible kind of guy. You are absolutely not old! I am 77 and refuse to go that route! We deserve to live fully no matter what the limitations appear to be!
Good job don’t worry about perfect , this is the old house .Perfect will be boring.Good lack.🤗🇵🇱🇺🇸🍀
Hi Grazyna, Thank you!
I have been binge watching and started with the last one first, I wanted to ask you what advice you'd give your self now before starting this project ... You do beautiful work and Thank you for sharing your journey
Enjoyed
Thanks!
Can you share the plans of the layout of the house?
Hi Lach, sure just watch the guided tour here th-cam.com/video/uGQw4niZrlE/w-d-xo.html
Omg I love it
Thank you Mary!
Can give us a tour of your new place thanks
Hi Suzy, sure it's in the new uploads!
Wish I was forty again that was thirty years ago.
Life is a journey, and I know more today than I did yesterday, so with 30 years head start, you will be able to do anything!
Ok
This is going to be quite a project! I adore the house and situation. It's a pity you couldn't have saved just one little cameo of the wall painting. (Just one tip, it may be an idea to point camera to the view or a feature while you talk, now we know what you look like ;)
Hi Avia, It is a challenge. I am sure that we are keeping so much of the house's original charm that, although sad, we will make up for not having been able to keep the ceilings. This was my first ever video, so I am sorry you see too much of me, but it gets better, I promise!
So how does purchasing in Italy work, in otherwords, if property costs 10,000 EURO's are outsiders required to pay the entire sum to get the keys and Deed or does Italy finance to outsiders?
Hi Lily, As with everywhere it's a question of collateral. If you need a mortgage from an Italian bank, you will need to provide some sort of guarantee. Basically you have to pay the purchase price plus the taxes on the day of sale and then the property is yours. Where that money comes from, cash, bank, private loan etc is up to you and the lenders. Thanks for watching!
Did you mention in video what your purchase was? If not, if I may ask, how much did you pay for said property.
@@lilyrosell9992 Hi Lily, I didn't mention the price, but it was about the price of a mid range Mercedes here in Europe...
Good luck!
Thanks!
Amazing house congratulations)) May i ask how much was it? I am also planning to go for similar house hunting in italy and wish ti have an idea of such house approx cost. Thank you in advance and good luck with your project
Can you share how much you would need to pay in council tax? Does the Italian law take into account properties owned abroad?
Hi Tim, council tax is based on the fiscal vlue of the house and the commune. Pontremoli is quite reasonable, we pay a few hundred euros per year but this has been commuted for q2 because of the virus. Any estate agent should be able to tell you what council tax will be for a property. I am not sure, but do not think council tax is affected by non residency but water and electricity rates are increased for non residents. Hope that helps a bit, but your estate agent will give you a full breakdown for toue area. Thanks for watching!
Tuscany I love😍....Florence
Hi Colun! Tuscany is a truly unique and special place, and Florence is a wonderful town!
what website did you look at. I want to look also!!
I shall enjoy following your progress. By the way, what about steam extraction from that little bathroom? You probably have a plan but didn't mention it.
Hi Caro, I added an extractor fan, but it was a bit of an afterthought! Well spotted!
The thing with old furnature it is so strong and some pieces are very elegant for old houses get some paint stripper those beds are just fantastic strip them re paint them new matress save you lots of money i stayed with my motherinlaw in sicily i just love the food but i divorced her son a few years later please save that lovely bedroom furnature
Hi Patricia, I will save a lot of the furniture, and make sure the rest goes to good homes, but there is soooo much of it. Watch the house tour and cellar tour and you will see!
Hello!Вы только одну комнату отремонтировали? Другие комнаты в каком состоянии? Покажите всю планировку Дома! Pleaze..
Hi, I have just started renovating. Watch th-cam.com/video/uGQw4niZrlE/w-d-xo.html for the tour and the plans! Thanks for watching!
Great project! What’s the history of the house? Who was living there? And why there was some of the furniture left? Here in America when you buy a place it usually is clean and empty. We don’t have those 100s of year old homes. But I’d love to purchase one.
Hi Harold, The oldest part of the house, which is the cellar under the entrance hall is from the late 13c, since then it’s been built up and into adjoining buildings. Once I get back I will do a walk around and share what I know. The house stood empty since the mid 90s, but other family members live in the village and aired the house daily and dealt with the basic upkeep. As to the furniture, generally houses are sold empty in Europe too, but as none of the children (in their 80s !) wanted anything, I agreed that it could be left there. It’s as good a time as any, perhaps even a better time than most to take the plunge and fall in love with a piece of history, in Italy or elsewhere. My wishes to you in America, difficult times currently, but sure you will come out stronger and wiser.
Not Useless Yet , wow! Amazing! I’m in Miami and my home is considered “old”. It was built in 1947. I’ve spent a few summers in Italy. Mainly Rome. Love the country, the culture, and the people. I also speak the language. Which is a big plus.
I can see myself buying a summer villa somewhere in Italy. My wife might not agree with the idea lol
She loves Italy too.
Thank you for the response. I can’t wait to see the rest of the property.
Che bello 😍
Grazie!
Molto bene! How old is the home?
say, do you have a background in construction..? i was quite surprised to see you use construction foam on the ceiling :) (i've done that myself in a pinch, but i thought i was probably doing a terrible job)
Hi Alice, if it isn't painfully obvious, no background in construction, but I did see a chap on TH-cam squirt foam in a hole! I did it only once in the bathroom, and it seemed to work, but elsewhere I've been using different plasters, more than anything, to not damage the old paint on the ceilings.
I have this lil wishful thinking hoping that I could retire in Italy.
Is this a part from the 1 euro program?
Hi Wolfern, no, unfortunately not!
Love your videos! I've been looking at properties in Italy for a while and am gearing up to start seeing them.
I know you don't want to reveal what you paid, but you mentioned you gave them a very low offer - how much lower than asking did you offer? Maybe percentage-wise?
Hi Shawn, go for it, with the crisis it's an excellent time to buy. We offered about 40% below asking, and then settled around 32% below. Don't forget the additional costs, the estate agent can tell you what the will be while you are considering making an offer. Good luck!
@@NotUselessYet Thanks for the answer! Another question if it's not too much - if you financed the house rather than bought it outright, were you required to finance it with an Italian bank? If so, was there a required down payment percentage for a non-resident of Italy? (I've read conflicting reports, some saying you can only borrow 40% of the value as a non-resident)
Hi mate!! Have you bought a house in Lunigiana? If so, where exactly?
How is everything going with the renovation? We are looking to do something similar but worried about the restrictions on doing your own renovations... what has your experience been? Would love to hear more and thanks for the videos!
how much you payed for the house? the furniture is also yours? it's beautiful!!!
Hi Marnie, we paid about the price of a nice car for the house, the furniture and everything else was left here, if you watch the tour you'll see. The house is amazing, as is some of the furniture! Thanks for watching!
What did you pay for the house?
Hi Gloria, I don't really want to publish that, but it was well below asking!
@@NotUselessYet I'm hooked! I don't know how I stumbled upon your channel but I did and I am ever so happy that I did!! I am going to follow you and follow your progress and we will probably meet in person sometime soon! I want to do what you were doing I'm ready to make a change! I would like to purchase in Italy or Spain but seeing how economical it is where you're at I think I'll do it! I'm a classically trained Chef I'd like to make a lot of friend and live a nice peaceful second half of my life I'm sure we'll be great friends!!
I'd love to know what you paid for it. I'd eventually like to do the same thing but It'd be nice to know what kinda price to expect. of you'd rather not say I understand. Good luck on the renovation and I look forward to your videos
Hi Billy, we paid what a mid range Mercedes would cost new in Germany... Thanks for watching!
I have been watching a bunch of these videos and no one gives an itemized breakdown of the various costs to replace or repair stuff like plumbing, electrical, roofs, windows and doors. I realize foundation and structure work is never the same. I know plumbers in the US will let you string new wiring and pex plumbing and they finish off the connections and this can save tons of money on a plumbing and electrical job. I wonder if they would allow that in Italy.
exciting!!!😁😁😁
It's getting there!
That view! 😀 This is going to be cool.
And I'm 🇺🇸 and no you don't talk slow. 🤣
Haha, no one has ever said to me that I talk slowly, but if you can watch on fast forward, that's fine. I bet my voice gets a bit high pitched. Thanks for watching and encouraging!
Excellent vid. Did you continue this job?
Hi Cos, unfortunately not yet, the virus lockdown means I can't get to the house to get on with the restoration. As soon as I get there, I'll do more vids, I promise
@@NotUselessYet Looking forward to it brother. Be safe
Brother in arms...I will be doing exactly the same after this shit is over. Looks like I am in the same area too
I know you probably don't have much choice when you are cold but it might be worth bearing in mind that the combustion of kerosene produces, - Kerosene produces 5 pints of water for every 4 pints of kerosene burnt, worth noting for future use.
I heard about a earthquake in Italy, It was so intense than some of the roofs may have structural damage, one of the cracks in the video seems strange, you better check twice with a civil engineer to make sure everything is ok, I live in Mexico city which is a earthquake zone and is something we care about when we buy a house
Hi Armando, thank you for the advice, I had someone look at the house before we bought it, and most of the cracks appear to come from water infiltration, but I will be keeping an eye on them!
Super
Thanks
Brave man!
You missed a crack though - at 8 m 24 s. Difficult for you to spot as it was behind you!
very funny!
Too funny 😃
sharp eye!!! lol!
A man applies for a job as handyman and the interviewer asks, can you plaster, NO, can you lay bricks, NO, can you do plumbing, NO, can you decorate, NO, well how come you have applied for the job of handyman, he replied, I only live round the corner so I am really handy. Can't beat a bit of Destroy-It-Yourself.
What a shame about the paintings. Great video. Just subscribed!
"I don't think I'm useless yet." Lol
Emphasis on the yet! Happy new Year Pat!
Most important thing to remember... 40 is NOT OLD!!! From a 66 year old still at it!!
Hi Susan, not old and not useless, at least not yet! Thanks for watching!
In italia il problema è la burocrazia per fare qualcosa
Hello, we have just bought a rural property up from Pontremoli towards Pracchiola. We would love to share a beer and exchange notes. We are literally here now and trying to find our feet.
Is there a way to message you?
David & Cameo
Hi David and Cameo, I'm in Innsbruck at the moment, and with the shutdown in South Tirol it looks complicated to get back down to Pontremoli. Congratulations on your house, and I'll look forward to a beer when I'm next out. There's a link to my email in the channel description. Good luck!