The electricity and water have been connected to Casa Debbio and it is very close to completion. I have gone back to the start to show you the pile of rocks we started with……and the beautiful stone house we now have.
The original stone house
We called it “Our pile of rocks”
The house was too far gone to repair. One of the main walls had a huge crack in it.
the cracked wall
We were determined to save and replace the volcanic stone doorway in the new house.
Volcanic stone doorway
The old house was pulled down in early 2010. The volcanic stones from the doorway were kept and waited patiently to be installed in the new house.
the dismantled door waiting to be rebuilt
The old house looked a bit forlorn. We have kept the walls of the old house to form the back of the terrace beside the new house.
The walls of the old house
We had to wait for our permits to be processed, so nothing much happened in 2010. Building began on 7th March 2011.
the hard won building permit
I think it should go here
The hansdome fellow above is our builder Leonardo. I liked him from the start and he has done a great job. The new house has been built in a slightly different position on the land to give us a bigger terrace in front of the house.
the internal walls grew quickly
the top of a window frame goes in
hard at work
Building the external stone walls was the next step. The stones were mostly gathered from the site. Because we had no electricity to the site the yellow bobcat thingy below was everything….a grader, digger, cement mixer, fork lift and mini crane. The attatchment on the front could be removed and the required part added.
a hive of activity
taking shape
new stone wall
I persuaded our handsome builders to take their shirts off one hot dayin May last year…to good effect I think.
what lovely smiles
It was a milestone when the stone doorway went in.
the doorway is replaced
The next big step was when the roof went on in June 2011.
the roof beams
at work on the roof
Gigi and Adriano on the roof
the Italian flag on the roof
I sent copies of the photos of the shirtless builders to them from Australia…..I think they liked them.
Once the external parts of the house were finished, the plumbing and electrical work began….not terribly photogenic, but the house was looking good.
Work carried on inside through the winter of 2011/2012.
We have underfloor heating on the ground floor. I love the ceilings on the top floor.
The beautiful double glazed chestnut windows went in.
The handmade terra-cotta tiles arrived for the ground floor.
The staircases went in.
And the front door. There will be chestnut shutters on all the windows and glass doors, for security and insulation.
The kitchen takes shape.
The bathrooms were tiled.
The chestnut door was built for the stone doorway.
The furniture starts to arrive in Eliseo’s tractor/trailor.
The builders take a break for lunch.
The house is almost ready.
The electricity has been connected, it had to come across the mountain from the village. The water from our own mountain spring is connected to the house and the finishing touches are happening right now.
It will be ready for its first visitors soon. Let me know if you are visiting Tuscany and want a gorgeous stone house in the mountains.
The view from the house is stunning. It is on 10,000 square metres of land in the middle of a national park. and only 10 minutes walk, or a 2 minute drive to the lovely village of Vergemoli. It faces south and has sun all day. The only sound you can hear is birds chirping.
If you will be in nothern Tuscany in September come to the house warming party…..send me an email…..debrakolkka@gmail.com