I am a retired insurance agent, when I first found Chateau renovation videos I thought who insures these properties but never commented because I assumed there must be specialty companies in France & England because of the large amount of buildings that are hundreds of years old. I worked for small family owned insurance agents in Chicago & older homes that weren’t completely updated were impossible to insure by standard companies. Glad to hear you were finally able to get insurance. By the way I pay over $2000 a year to insure a 2500 sq ft house in suburban Chicago.
Now that you have done so much and maybe when Sadie and Mo are living on the property you can get a better insurance rate. Love the windows you found in your office. I would not cover them back up with the shutters especially since the shutters are not original.
That part confused me also. They can't expect owners of commercial buildings to marry the property. Billy, if you have anyone living on site (Ryan temporarily?) would that help? I assumed they would ask that question and why they are requiring you to be there so much as the owner. Do they think vandals won't attempt to throw rocks at the stained glass if the owner was there? We've seen so many of the security measures you've made. It seems like they would take that into account, but failed to do so. Maybe even showing a lease contract for anyone living on the grounds would be more concrete evidence that the property is being watched and cared for.
You're actually getting that insurance really cheap. A rebuild quote of 6M+ euros for 6000 a year is about 1000 euros per million. Here in the US, I pay $1500 a year for a house valued at $300,000, which is now considered near a low end model.
That was interesting about the insurance Billy It must be hard and also cost a packet for people that are buying Chateaus that are completely derelict Loved watching. Have good weekend😘
Great advice if you're purchasing anything! I bought an old stone school house in rural Oklahoma, USA. I had a heck of a time insuring it. It was on a one acre plot in the middle of farm land I finally bought alot more acreage and insured it under a farm/ ranch plan. That was an expensive lesson to learn. But now I lease out the land for cattle and wheat and am making a bit back.
Thanks, Billy. That was so interesting and gives us a bit more understanding of what’s involved with owning such an historic building. Enjoy your weekend and we’ll see you Monday.
I can sympathize with you, as we are a small family farm, husband and son. We pay yearly over $12,000.00 plus for insurance. Yearly crop insurance is more than twice that amount. But I guess if you love what you do, you do it. Best to you Billy, the place is wonderful and getting better each time! What a great improvement to the town.
You don't have to have crop insurance. Just another government program. To many farmers in the system, only planting to collect insure and hope for a good crop. Do better, stop with the poor me.
@@KA-om9oz, what country are you referring to, and who are you talking to? Actually, it doesn't matter. No one is asking for pity other than the Sussexes. Please be kind.
Get rid of that cover. Get a curtain rod and put a dark curtain on it when needed.( for example when you need to have it covered when you are having an event in the covent) Make life easier. Love watching the convent progress. Looking beautiful ❤
You’ve done an awful lot to bring the building back up to safety and code. So glad you have a dedicated and reliable team working with you. Congratulations on getting insurance after so much searching and stress. Just keep cracking on!
Infinite hugs to you young, silly, intelligent, hard working, compassionate, artistic, gifted, talented, endearing and amazing people. Well done. Crack on. ⚜️💗⚜️
C'est vraiment extraordinaire de voir tous ces étrangers qui viennent faire revivre les demeures anciennes de notre pays , merci à eux et bon courage !
PG Tips Thanks for the lesson on insurance 🤣🤣🤣 feel for u and Gwendaline so much money nightmare !!! Cracking on like u said enjoy your weekend 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻👏
Billy just watched the vid mate cracking as usual 👍 have you thought about boxing the pipes in under the Chapel windows which would obviously hide the pipes but also you could have your light switch for the lights in the Chapel on the boxing instead of on the wall and save on sheaving the cables on the wall and as a retired plumber your right on the floor colour under the pan that's the original colour 😉 and just watching french farmhouse diaries advise Michael he has to get budo to make his windows they are a work of art keep em coming mate
If I struggled getting insurance, then had a company give me some cover even if it was expensive, I would stick with them for several years just as a way of saying thank you for trusting me and also because I know they are willing to provide me with cover I know they are good even with the restrictions and at the end of a year I'm sure they would reduce the price when I see how much has been done and how secure it is now. I stayed with a car insurance company for 6 years because they helped me out with a repair even though it wasn't an insurance claim, they offered to help cover the costs of the repair which was so nice of them.
Maybe when the apartments are done and there are people you trust living on site, it will help insurance companies feel it is a good risk. You all are doing a great job! Soon it will be time to tell the insurance companies to Crack On! (Only in a good way)
Insurance companies are the pits in the states USA they want crazy premiums on my old house and if something happens I would need a lawyer to get them pay!Internationally I guess they are the worst?!These old houses its expensive to get insurance and they wonder why nobody renovates.Notice the toilet is different then in USA the waste pipe is in floor not wall.Thanks for sharing very interesting!Much appreciated.
As the renovations/repairs continue I agree that in a year with all of the major issues addressed you will be paying alot less. Just keep cracking on! ☺️
Hopefully continuing to fix and clean everything and them taking a walk about they would clearly see how amazing works been done! Perhaps fire extinguishers in every large area's and hallways? With fire alarms... And just a bit more clearing out of the garden and the walls all around.. Billy they have got to see how much care and love you're doing... If they knew you! They would insure you in a heart beat 💓 With your OCD and how you work 💪 Seriously 🌟 yah 🥰👍👍👍
Considering how much you've done already to make it secure and safe, I'm surprised the insurance company haven't re-assessed their price. Amazing progress so far. So enjoying seeing the process of restoration. Thanks for the shows, which also act as a bit of a how-to re. diy!
To me it sounded like this was an insurance company that specialises in insuring high risk objects. So I can see why they don't do anything to lower their price, especially when it's a 1 year contract. They need that money to cover other objects where they have to pay out insurance.
Don't know if this will apply with building insurance but my Daughter was living in Belgium and it was cheeper to insure their car in Germany and yes they new where they were living. Also you was thinking of opening up the Gardens to locals be careful you may have to add this to your policy in case they trip and make a claim against you.
Yes, public liability insurance is very important. Also I wonder if Billy has a worker’s compensation scheme for his employees at the convent. If they injure themselves it could prove costly. (And of course, Billy would want to look out for them with the best possible medical care) Unless they are all classified as private contractors.
@@Rosarium2007 We have both here in Australia. Public health insurance and workers compensation. You cannot get public health insurance if you have a work related injury. The employer is liable for work related injuries and compensation for wages lost and any permanent disability or death. The employer can also get charged under Occupational Health and Safety legislation. Don’t know if same applies in France.
Sad to say, but very typical in the insurance industry. It's like that here in the states. Give it a year. , I'm sure a learning enlightening experience.. Just retired from that industry .. alot of carriers would say "go to Lloyd's" where the other carriers wouldn't want to touch it .. for all the reasons you mentioned and maybe more ..
You did it Billy you Just kept cracking on! and now you have insurance and a bit of peace of mind. Well done. I am sure as you go along repairing and updating it will get better and you will find willing insurers. You have brought a magnificent building back to life like the chateau. Have a great week-end Billy and the team.
I have so many questions, possibly to be answered in your next Q & A? - Was the leaky roof above the apartments a factor and what are the plans on having that repaired? - Will having tenants, especially family, make a difference? In particular, with the requirement of you being there so much. - The same question goes for having people, even if not family, working out of offices in the main building? - Does the security system make a difference? - Is the elevator a factor? - Are you going to be required to heat the entire thing and if so how is that going to be handled? - Are the old fireplaces an issue even if not in use?
Well, i don't know about the rest but i know about the fire places. The fire places that aren't used need to be blocked of, if not there need to be some things to ensure that they are not a big fire hazard, which they are in that condition...so yeah, they need to be secured or the chimneys need to be blocked off...
I know some say that it is none of people's business about how much you paid for this or that, but you sharing about the insurance is really insightful, keep up the hard work.
Your security cameras should help them see you are keeping eyes on the property. Hopefully once they see your upgrades it will get better. Also a friend of mine tried to buy a small chapel (in the US) and they couldn't get a mortgage for it because no one would insure it. Sigh...
Insurance companies are about making profits, not taking risks. In 2001 I sold a home, that had been originally built in 1932, added on to in 1972... My sons & I had re-roofed it (had been illegal) replaced all electric wiring & new box, new plumbing & I did the tuck & point work on both fireplace & chimney. The appraiser for the bank told me if we hadn't done all of that work, it would have been deemed uninsurable & that would have meant unsellable as well. Landscaped, by me, all new flooring, and paint, counters, exterior..the works. It paid off in the long run. Keep your eye on the prize: you've got this!
I work for a company called Floor Detectives. We investigate and solve all matters concerning floors. The floors in that room have not faded. They couldn’t have faded uniformly throughout the room to their current color. Thus under the toilet is not the original color.
I still can’t get my head around why Dan has chosen to do what he has. Billy has got a clear plan and finance in place plus a team of excellent workers.
Such a transformation! All I could think as you were opening your story about the insurance saga was how you couldn't even get into the part of the garden where you were standing because it was so overgrown.
Did you get an Engineering Report at the time of Purchase? This should detail all the works that have to be done to bring the buildings up to standard. If you have a budget for the works and a Timeframe for completion. There will ALWAYS BE AN OVERRUN. For Old Buildings of this size the insurance is Hard. When it comes to time of Review of Insurance All The Work You have Done should be taken into consideration. FOR SURE ITS A BRAVE PROJECT!!! You have a Very Positive Attitude, In time it will be a Wonderful Building. "Crack of" Good Wishes from Ireland ☘. 🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
This is probably one of the best response in regards to many of your vlogs about the convent and on the subject - the dreaded topic .. INSURANCE! Nobody ever thinks their going to have issues .. but this sad and very typical in the industry and it doesn't matter what country your in. Having just retired from that Industry of 48 years, there's ALOT of questions dealing with the unique, the historical, OLD, structures that aren't of typical single family type of home risks. Give it a year, with the added time with improvements, added security, etc .. the market might open up .. if you have events on the property open to public, etc or if you change the usage of the convent make sure you let your carriers know in advance .. as they may have to add additional riders, endorsements for protection if available.. Best of Luck Billy .. 👍 you and your team are doing awesome. **PS .. Email some of the different cheateau owners and see where they are able to get insurance with, Here in states, Chubb handles high end valued homes, but again you have a complete different type of structure .. now a converted convent. Alot of carriers might NOT have an appetite for this type of risk. Again, Lloyd's is always out there but again make sure you & they understand the coverages that you want & what they or any carrier will propose, sometimes it might not be as broad of coverage as you want. Also make sure to give them enough lead time to quote .. sometimes it might be a couple of weeks before the underwriting dept will have the information they need to give a proper proposal.. Love the vlogs .. and your attention to detail in all you do ..
Your an amazing person Billy you and Gwen, you didn’t panic you kept your calm, and look now! You have an amazing opportunity to turn the Convent into a money making business and I have no doubt that you eventually will, one of these days all insurance companies will want to insure you, young you may be Billy but your far from stupid, I wish you good luck in all you do, apart from being a thoroughly nice human being, you work as hard as those you employ, much love xxxxxxxxxxxx😘❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Good lessons to pass on. I had a similar concern on a much smaller scale when I purchased a 120 year old hand built cottage in the NW US that had a 70+ year old electric panel. The previous owners had not bothered to update the electrical. I knew this before I purchased the cottage and made certain that I could insure it, but it wasn’t easy. I had the place rewired and a new panel installed over 5 years ago. For those first 2 years, however, I lived in fear of an electrical fire starting. Had I been able to afford it I would have taken care of the electric and other matters from the get go. Ahhh… youth. 😊
Oh my gosh Billy. That was very interesting in a really sad sort of way. You’ve done so much to bring that building back. I certainly hope you get your money back in return. I know it’s not about the money, however that doesn’t hurt. You are a wise businessman so it is partially about the money. I just can’t believe how much you’ve gotten done in a short amount of time relatively speaking. Sending love from California💜🤟🏻😎🇺🇸 oh I do have to agree with Sean I think about the floor. Sorry🥴
We all have the utmost respect and admiration for you, your family, and workers. You all have purpose in life now, and you are making the world a better place…thank you. We all need to follow your example.
Ryans private throne!😂 Billy if he put his hand in there he would find Treasure. In Florida if no insurance company wants to ensure you. Florida has a insurance fund. The rates are higher than the insurance company’s, but it’s better than not being insured at all due to hurricanes and tornadoes. Happy Friday Billy and Ryan. Thank you and have a great weekend!
I am impressed with your progress at the Convent. Again everyone pulls their weight restoring such a beautiful place. I wish you and your team all the best with the restoration.
That was fantastic advice about property insurance. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were forums online, created by purchasers of abandoned properties, in their respective countries, with tips and advice on buying them.
We’ve moved cabinets, toilets, furniture, etc and have found that flooring underneath has a tendency to discolour when there is no air circulation to dissipate the chemical off gases that inevitably result.
Just love the pink toilet seal. LOL. Did you try asking whomever insures the chateau, if they would also insure the convent? Two big properties from one client can be profitable.
As you go through the process of updating the plumbing and electrical, it would be an excellent idea to hard wire smoke detectors and plumb in a sprinkler system. Our co-op apartment building saved a lot of money on insurance and it can save lives.
That’s why as you experience life you learn and grow. You are fortunate you had the resources to do everything required to bring it up to the standards required for insurance. You might be young but you worked it out. Be proud of that. Have a good weekend. Xx
Thank you for your informative video. Yes, insurance makes you jump through many hoops! Love watching you bring the convent back to life... keep cracking on! 👍
Billy glad your back. I enjoy your filming and professional enthusism, vision to get every job completed not to mention it's only a giant chateau and a humongous catholic facility
Billy, we are in the USA and live full time in our Class A Motorhome traveling around. We flat-tow a Jeep Wrangler. Our yearly insurance for the two vehicles is over $5,000. 😢😢😢
My wife and I were paying $10,000 for fire insurance from Lloyd’s of London in Northern California. They were the last insurance choice and were starting to cancel policies when we moved to New Mexico to escape the wildfires. 6,000 euro for insurance sounds about right for that size of convent.
How very interesting. I'm sure it has been frustrating, but you all have such great attitude and you know you can rely on each other. That's precious. I am sure you will achieve your dreams in due time. All of you chateau {convent} new settlers, seeking beauty and a new life in an old less-loved property in a new old land, bring enormous energy, drive and vision. You seem to have more appreciation for these places than those that have been living there around these lovely monuments.
I am a retired insurance agent, when I first found Chateau renovation videos I thought who insures these properties but never commented because I assumed there must be specialty companies in France & England because of the large amount of buildings that are hundreds of years old. I worked for small family owned insurance agents in Chicago & older homes that weren’t completely updated were impossible to insure by standard companies. Glad to hear you were finally able to get insurance. By the way I pay over $2000 a year to insure a 2500 sq ft house in suburban Chicago.
You are correct Billy! What’s under the toilet is the original color
I would agree there. That is definitely the case in my experience the obscured/ covered areas are closer to the original colour.
Very enlightening about insurance. Glad to see Ryan has a private throne and a drinks cooler. 🍸 funny guys. Hugs
Now that you have done so much and maybe when Sadie and Mo are living on the property you can get a better insurance rate. Love the windows you found in your office. I would not cover them back up with the shutters especially since the shutters are not original.
Thats a great idea! hopefully they can get the apartment finished soon.
That part confused me also. They can't expect owners of commercial buildings to marry the property. Billy, if you have anyone living on site (Ryan temporarily?) would that help? I assumed they would ask that question and why they are requiring you to be there so much as the owner. Do they think vandals won't attempt to throw rocks at the stained glass if the owner was there? We've seen so many of the security measures you've made. It seems like they would take that into account, but failed to do so. Maybe even showing a lease contract for anyone living on the grounds would be more concrete evidence that the property is being watched and cared for.
If this building was in New York City, you would spend 6 to 7 times that amount to insure it. You got a bargain for $6,000…!!!!
You're actually getting that insurance really cheap. A rebuild quote of 6M+ euros for 6000 a year is about 1000 euros per million. Here in the US, I pay $1500 a year for a house valued at $300,000, which is now considered near a low end model.
That was interesting about the insurance Billy It must be hard and also cost a packet for people that are buying Chateaus that are completely derelict Loved watching. Have good weekend😘
Thank you for the insurance story. One of the many issues attached to these big buildings. It is interesting ❤
A most interesting video. You really do hold your audience's attention and more than inform us of the pitfalls and how hard you work. Bravo !!
Great advice if you're purchasing anything! I bought an old stone school house in rural Oklahoma, USA. I had a heck of a time insuring it. It was on a one acre plot in the middle of farm land I finally bought alot more acreage and insured it under a farm/ ranch plan. That was an expensive lesson to learn. But now I lease out the land for cattle and wheat and am making a bit back.
Thanks, Billy. That was so interesting and gives us a bit more understanding of what’s involved with owning such an historic building. Enjoy your weekend and we’ll see you Monday.
That was interesting Billy. I never would have thought about the difficulty in getting insurance.
I can sympathize with you, as we are a small family farm, husband and son. We pay yearly over $12,000.00 plus for insurance. Yearly crop insurance is more than twice that amount. But I guess if you love what you do, you do it. Best to you Billy, the place is wonderful and getting better each time! What a great improvement to the town.
I think by US standards €6,000 a year is a good deal. That’s a big complex.
You don't have to have crop insurance. Just another government program. To many farmers in the system, only planting to collect insure and hope for a good crop. Do better, stop with the poor me.
@@KA-om9oz, what country are you referring to, and who are you talking to? Actually, it doesn't matter. No one is asking for pity other than the Sussexes. Please be kind.
I would like to see a detailed floor plan of the whole building! It would assist in following you guys moving the work site so much . Please !
Get rid of that cover. Get a curtain rod and put a dark curtain on it when needed.( for example when you need to have it covered when you are having an event in the covent) Make life easier. Love watching the convent progress. Looking beautiful ❤
vile insurance corruption.$$$$$$
you modernizing and updating the building is very important.
this vlog is very educational.
All your experience and wisdom can now help us!!! Thanks Billy!
You’ve done an awful lot to bring the building back up to safety and code. So glad you have a dedicated and reliable team working with you. Congratulations on getting insurance after so much searching and stress. Just keep cracking on!
Infinite hugs to you young, silly, intelligent, hard working, compassionate, artistic, gifted, talented, endearing and amazing people. Well done. Crack on.
⚜️💗⚜️
Everyone has to be young and silly, if not they will never become old and wise. It’s a learning process.
Informative discussion today, Billy!! Great post.
Billy, you live you learn, no shame in oversights or oopsies. Enjoy your weekend!🙏🏻❤️
Almost spat out my drink at 'who on earth would buy a floor that colour' 😂😂😂
Hope you all have a wonderful relaxing weekend. Thank you for sharing your week with us❤
Have a great weekend and thanks for sharing! Watching this made me think of Dan's new shell of a chateau!
"We're young and we're silly." Yes, but very courageous.
C'est vraiment extraordinaire de voir tous ces étrangers qui viennent faire revivre les demeures anciennes de notre pays , merci à eux et bon courage !
PG Tips Thanks for the lesson on insurance 🤣🤣🤣 feel for u and Gwendaline so much money nightmare !!! Cracking on like u said enjoy your weekend 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻👏
Intresting video thanks for the insight 🤗👍
Love Sue ❤❤❤🇬🇧❤❤❤
Billy ,your young and brave. Have a lovely weekend to you and family.
Next year you can always negotiate with your existing insurance company,after showing them all your improvements.
Billy just watched the vid mate cracking as usual 👍 have you thought about boxing the pipes in under the Chapel windows which would obviously hide the pipes but also you could have your light switch for the lights in the Chapel on the boxing instead of on the wall and save on sheaving the cables on the wall and as a retired plumber your right on the floor colour under the pan that's the original colour 😉 and just watching french farmhouse diaries advise Michael he has to get budo to make his windows they are a work of art keep em coming mate
If I struggled getting insurance, then had a company give me some cover even if it was expensive, I would stick with them for several years just as a way of saying thank you for trusting me and also because I know they are willing to provide me with cover I know they are good even with the restrictions and at the end of a year I'm sure they would reduce the price when I see how much has been done and how secure it is now. I stayed with a car insurance company for 6 years because they helped me out with a repair even though it wasn't an insurance claim, they offered to help cover the costs of the repair which was so nice of them.
Maybe when the apartments are done and there are people you trust living on site, it will help insurance companies feel it is a good risk. You all are doing a great job! Soon it will be time to tell the insurance companies to Crack On! (Only in a good way)
You’ve done such a lot in the building, hopefully insurance will be much better next year. GreAt vlog Billy, have a great weekend everyone xxx💕💕
When you mentioned letting the public into the garden, I cringed thinking about insurance.
So glad you have persistence! Bravo. Love watching your progress.
Oh man! Insurance is a B. my sincere blessings to all your endeavours Billy❤️🇨🇦
Insurance companies are the pits in the states USA they want crazy premiums on my old house and if something happens I would need a lawyer to get them pay!Internationally I guess they are the worst?!These old houses its expensive to get insurance and they wonder why nobody renovates.Notice the toilet is different then in USA the waste pipe is in floor not wall.Thanks for sharing very interesting!Much appreciated.
As the renovations/repairs continue I agree that in a year with all of the major issues addressed you will be paying alot less. Just keep cracking on! ☺️
Hopefully continuing to fix and clean
everything and them taking a walk
about they would clearly see how
amazing works been done!
Perhaps fire extinguishers in every
large area's and hallways?
With fire alarms...
And just a bit more clearing out of
the garden and the walls all around..
Billy they have got to see how much care and love you're doing...
If they knew you! They would insure you in a heart beat 💓
With your OCD and how you work 💪
Seriously 🌟 yah 🥰👍👍👍
Considering how much you've done already to make it secure and safe, I'm surprised the insurance company haven't re-assessed their price. Amazing progress so far. So enjoying seeing the process of restoration. Thanks for the shows, which also act as a bit of a how-to re. diy!
To me it sounded like this was an insurance company that specialises in insuring high risk objects. So I can see why they don't do anything to lower their price, especially when it's a 1 year contract. They need that money to cover other objects where they have to pay out insurance.
There is No Black and White today!
One should Not be surprised!
Evil Runs the show!
Don't know if this will apply with building insurance but my Daughter was living in Belgium and it was cheeper to insure their car in Germany and yes they new where they were living. Also you was thinking of opening up the Gardens to locals be careful you may have to add this to your policy in case they trip and make a claim against you.
Yes, public liability insurance is very important. Also I wonder if Billy has a worker’s compensation scheme for his employees at the convent. If they injure themselves it could prove costly. (And of course, Billy would want to look out for them with the best possible medical care) Unless they are all classified as private contractors.
@@jennifercampbell7698 it is France, so health care is provided by the government already.
@@Rosarium2007 We have both here in Australia. Public health insurance and workers compensation. You cannot get public health insurance if you have a work related injury. The employer is liable for work related injuries and compensation for wages lost and any permanent disability or death. The employer can also get charged under Occupational Health and Safety legislation. Don’t know if same applies in France.
Sad to say, but very typical in the insurance industry. It's like that here in the states. Give it a year. , I'm sure a learning enlightening experience..
Just retired from that industry .. alot of carriers would say "go to Lloyd's" where the other carriers wouldn't want to touch it .. for all the reasons you mentioned and maybe more ..
France is quite different insurance and compensation claims
Very enlightening information Billy! Thanks….😁
Great idea for Ryan's chair ... lol .. A nice black and white photo of an old chapel above the window to the chapel ...
"No leaks".. no onions ..no garlic!
😆 I'll remember this for sure..
Thanks and cheers 🍻 from Montreal Quebec Canada 🇨🇦
Great Advice 🎉 🙌🏻🙏
Thank you 🧐
Well, geez, Billy, if it was easy, there wouldn’t be any fun!!
You did it Billy you Just kept cracking on! and now you have insurance and a bit of peace of mind. Well done. I am sure as you go along repairing and updating it will get better and you will find willing insurers. You have brought a magnificent building back to life like the chateau. Have a great week-end Billy and the team.
I have so many questions, possibly to be answered in your next Q & A?
- Was the leaky roof above the apartments a factor and what are the plans on having that repaired?
- Will having tenants, especially family, make a difference? In particular, with the requirement of you being there so much.
- The same question goes for having people, even if not family, working out of offices in the main building? - Does the security system make a difference?
- Is the elevator a factor?
- Are you going to be required to heat the entire thing and if so how is that going to be handled?
- Are the old fireplaces an issue even if not in use?
Great questions!
Really good questions! 👍👍
Well, i don't know about the rest but i know about the fire places. The fire places that aren't used need to be blocked of, if not there need to be some things to ensure that they are not a big fire hazard, which they are in that condition...so yeah, they need to be secured or the chimneys need to be blocked off...
Fascinating! ❤🐨
I agree with the electrical. Plumbing for that matter.
You'll get the price down.
So glad to know the convent is now insured 😅
plant a 'pot plant' in the old toilet...
I know some say that it is none of people's business about how much you paid for this or that, but you sharing about the insurance is really insightful, keep up the hard work.
Your security cameras should help them see you are keeping eyes on the property. Hopefully once they see your upgrades it will get better.
Also a friend of mine tried to buy a small chapel (in the US) and they couldn't get a mortgage for it because no one would insure it. Sigh...
What a sad story about trying to get insurance at the Convent!! Glad you finally solved the problem. Have a great weekend!
Insurance companies are about making profits, not taking risks.
In 2001 I sold a home, that had been originally built in 1932, added on to in 1972...
My sons & I had re-roofed it (had been illegal) replaced all electric wiring & new box, new plumbing & I did the tuck & point work on both fireplace & chimney.
The appraiser for the bank told me if we hadn't done all of that work, it would have been deemed uninsurable & that would have meant unsellable as well. Landscaped, by me, all new flooring, and paint, counters, exterior..the works. It paid off in the long run.
Keep your eye on the prize: you've got this!
Great insurance advice. It will be helpful to so many. You must feel good knowing your efforts are giving new life to this convent💚
Thanks for the interesting video. Very educational.
Very useful information. Thank you 😊
I work for a company called Floor Detectives. We investigate and solve all matters concerning floors. The floors in that room have not faded. They couldn’t have faded uniformly throughout the room to their current color. Thus under the toilet is not the original color.
Oh Billy hoping you make them realize how beautiful that building is and how much work it has taken so you can get a lower insurance.
6,000 Euros seems like a good price. I pay 1,650 Euros for a 2,600 square foot house.
After all the work you've done and will continue to do, my gosh, you deserve to qualify for Insurance!
Thanks!
Can you image Dan the Man trying to get his chateau insured?😏
I was thinking the exact same thing! 😳
I still can’t get my head around why Dan has chosen to do what he has. Billy has got a clear plan and finance in place plus a team of excellent workers.
Such a transformation! All I could think as you were opening your story about the insurance saga was how you couldn't even get into the part of the garden where you were standing because it was so overgrown.
Did you get an Engineering Report at the time of Purchase? This should detail all the works that have to be done to bring the buildings up to standard. If you have a budget for the works and a Timeframe for completion. There will ALWAYS BE AN OVERRUN. For Old Buildings of this size the insurance is Hard. When it comes to time of Review of Insurance All The Work You have Done should be taken into consideration. FOR SURE ITS A BRAVE PROJECT!!! You have a Very Positive Attitude, In time it will be a Wonderful Building. "Crack of" Good Wishes from Ireland ☘. 🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
Thank you for sharing this video about insurance in France, ( I secretly want to move to France) now I'll be ready 🥰
TGIF nice one Billy have a great weekend 😀. See you Monday.
This is probably one of the best response in regards to many of your vlogs about the convent and on the subject - the dreaded topic .. INSURANCE!
Nobody ever thinks their going to have issues .. but this sad and very typical in the industry and it doesn't matter what country your in. Having just retired from that Industry of 48 years, there's ALOT of questions dealing with the unique, the historical, OLD, structures that aren't of typical single family type of home risks. Give it a year, with the added time with improvements, added security, etc .. the market might open up .. if you have events on the property open to public, etc or if you change the usage of the convent make sure you let your carriers know in advance .. as they may have to add additional riders, endorsements for protection if available..
Best of Luck Billy .. 👍 you and your team are doing awesome.
**PS .. Email some of the different cheateau owners and see where they are able to get insurance with, Here in states, Chubb handles high end valued homes, but again you have a complete different type of structure .. now a converted convent. Alot of carriers might NOT have an appetite for this type of risk. Again, Lloyd's is always out there but again make sure you & they understand the coverages that you want & what they or any carrier will propose, sometimes it might not be as broad of coverage as you want. Also make sure to give them enough lead time to quote .. sometimes it might be a couple of weeks before the underwriting dept will have the information they need to give a proper proposal..
Love the vlogs .. and your attention to detail in all you do ..
Your an amazing person Billy you and Gwen, you didn’t panic you kept your calm, and look now! You have an amazing opportunity to turn the Convent into a money making business and I have no doubt that you eventually will, one of these days all insurance companies will want to insure you, young you may be Billy but your far from stupid, I wish you good luck in all you do, apart from being a thoroughly nice human being, you work as hard as those you employ, much love xxxxxxxxxxxx😘❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Good lessons to pass on. I had a similar concern on a much smaller scale when I purchased a 120 year old hand built cottage in the NW US that had a 70+ year old electric panel. The previous owners had not bothered to update the electrical. I knew this before I purchased the cottage and made certain that I could insure it, but it wasn’t easy. I had the place rewired and a new panel installed over 5 years ago. For those first 2 years, however, I lived in fear of an electrical fire starting. Had I been able to afford it I would have taken care of the electric and other matters from the get go. Ahhh… youth. 😊
Oh my gosh Billy. That was very interesting in a really sad sort of way. You’ve done so much to bring that building back. I certainly hope you get your money back in return. I know it’s not about the money, however that doesn’t hurt. You are a wise businessman so it is partially about the money. I just can’t believe how much you’ve gotten done in a short amount of time relatively speaking. Sending love from California💜🤟🏻😎🇺🇸 oh I do have to agree with Sean I think about the floor. Sorry🥴
Really interesting and informative Billy. I hope that asap you can get a better price deal for your insurance as you continue to improve the building.
I really enjoy your videos and totally love your positive ‘can do’ attitude to every task.
We all have the utmost respect and admiration for you, your family, and workers. You all have purpose in life now, and you are making the world a better place…thank you. We all need to follow your example.
Ryans private throne!😂 Billy if he put his hand in there he would find Treasure. In Florida if no insurance company wants to ensure you. Florida has a insurance fund. The rates are higher than the insurance company’s, but it’s better than not being insured at all due to hurricanes and tornadoes. Happy Friday Billy and Ryan. Thank you and have a great weekend!
No shit!
I am impressed with your progress at the Convent. Again everyone pulls their weight restoring such a beautiful place.
I wish you and your team all the best with the restoration.
I love this building I am so happy your loving it again from Oshawa Ontario Canada 🇨🇦
Nothing you and Gwen can’t handle Billy!
Best security a big dog!!!Mean dog!That will deter crime!
That was fantastic advice about property insurance. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were forums online, created by purchasers of abandoned properties, in their respective countries, with tips and advice on buying them.
We’ve moved cabinets, toilets, furniture, etc and have found that flooring underneath has a tendency to discolour when there is no air circulation to dissipate the chemical off gases that inevitably result.
Just love the pink toilet seal. LOL. Did you try asking whomever insures the chateau, if they would also insure the convent? Two big properties from one client can be profitable.
As you go through the process of updating the plumbing and electrical, it would be an excellent idea to hard wire smoke detectors and plumb in a sprinkler system. Our co-op apartment building saved a lot of money on insurance and it can save lives.
Fascinating video, Billy. Thanks for covering this topic! CRACK ON!!
That’s why as you experience life you learn and grow. You are fortunate you had the resources to do everything required to bring it up to the standards required for insurance. You might be young but you worked it out. Be proud of that. Have a good weekend. Xx
Thank you for your informative video. Yes, insurance makes you jump through many hoops! Love watching you bring the convent back to life... keep cracking on! 👍
Billy glad your back. I enjoy your filming and professional enthusism, vision to get every job completed not to mention it's only a giant chateau and a humongous catholic facility
What a nightmare regarding the insurance. Hope all your improvements help in the reassessment. Love Ryan’s private throne 😂😂😂 Thanks for sharing 😍😘
Billy, we are in the USA and live full time in our Class A Motorhome traveling around. We flat-tow a Jeep Wrangler. Our yearly insurance for the two vehicles is over $5,000. 😢😢😢
Enjoyed. I have bought and restored historic homes all my early years and insurance issues were a headache. Blessings.
You still doing a Great job 👏 👍❤
Very good informative video.
Billy is there anything behind the wall with the view into the chapel. Just looks like the Brown wood may go further.
My wife and I were paying $10,000 for fire insurance from Lloyd’s of London in Northern California. They were the last insurance choice and were starting to cancel policies when we moved to New Mexico to escape the wildfires. 6,000 euro for insurance sounds about right for that size of convent.
Yoo, cheers from Sweden. Love the videos and you fellas are living the dream alot of people in this world wish they could! Blessed!
How very interesting. I'm sure it has been frustrating, but you all have such great attitude and you know you can rely on each other. That's precious. I am sure you will achieve your dreams in due time. All of you chateau {convent} new settlers, seeking beauty and a new life in an old less-loved property in a new old land, bring enormous energy, drive and vision. You seem to have more appreciation for these places than those that have been living there around these lovely monuments.
In the UK any new installation must be a metal consumer unit and all holes where cables enter have to be fire protected.