Here's the Plan

During the past few weeks, we have put together an outline of the work needed to get the house ready to use. We have been very fortunate to find a fantastic person locally to help us coordinate the renovation work. This has benefited us enormously, as she has already had the utilities connected and she knows the local tradesmen. Once we actually start work, I'm sure that we will find her invaluable.

So, here's the outline of what we will do over the next couple of months:

1. Replace the boiler for heat and hot water, re-plumb heating system and complete plumbing work required for the new kitchen and bathrooms.


2. Install a new circuit breaker and perform general remedial wiring work.


3. Strip out existing kitchen and bathrooms.


4. Replace and repair some roof tiles and install new guttering and downspouts.


5. Strip and refinish doors, window frames and woodwork and replace hardware where required.


6. Install new kitchen and main bathroom.


7. Redesign and expand ground floor bathroom to include a shower and room for a washing machine.


8. Strip and refinish floors.


9. Replace or restore if possible the iron gate to the road and install an electric opener.


10. Build a stone terrace and walkway in the garden.


11. Build a bookcase under the staircase.


12. Paint interior and exterior.

While the list seems extensive, it fortunately does not include major reconstruction work. The biggest jobs will be the bathrooms, where we will move a wall, do some re-plumbing and put in new stone tiles; the kitchen, which should be a pretty straightforward fitted-kitchen installation.

Bathroom that will be expanded to include a shower and space for the washing machine:

Main bathroom: everything must go!


A bookcase goes against the wall under the staircase. . .

We're going to Bagni di Lucca in two weeks to catch up on things locally and to pick out the fixtures for the kitchens and bathrooms. We can't wait!