Phase 1
Follow us on our journey through the phases of the build. From an old stone ruin to a modern 3 floor property - the house will have a basement level with garage, storage and utility area. First floor living space with large terrace to enjoy those fantastic views & sunsets. Upper loft space with more storage, bathroom facility and a sun deck with portico, again to take advantage of the unbroken views, listening to the sounds of nature all with a glass of Calabrian vino!!!
As per our client's request the build has been broken down into phases. Alessandro - the constructor, has identified safe and convenient points within the build schedule to take a pause.
The first and extremely important part of the preparation before any demolition takes place is to set up the worksite.
Ensuring that relevant Health & Safety regulations are followed the site has been fenced off around the boundry and a gate added. A work cabin, toilet facilities and water have been installed together with security lighting and CCTV.
An access road has been made to enter the plot using the stone from the existing ruin after demolition and no less that 20 lorry loads of rubble so far with still more required!!!
The plot is on an incline so excavation is taking place on the site where the actual property will be located and this will require a cement sub foundation, with aggregate and impermeable membrane.
With the cement sub-base completed it's time to start with preparation of the foundations. Our team have been busy fitting the steel reinforcement to the base and then the upright steel for the pillars. The steel has to be tested at various stages to ensure consistent strength.
Once the frame is in place along come the cement mixers and it gets poured into the frame of the base first. A vibration tool is used to aggitate and settle the cement before it gets levelled by hand. It is a specialised skill carried out by our team and overseen by Alessandro, our site foreman. Testing of the cement is also carried out from each lorry load to ensure consistency. Progression visits from Giuseppe, the geometra are also carried out!!
Next up will be the pillars and walls!!!
"After looking online for a home in Italy for three years, one lucky day I encountered a land for sale with an already approved construction permit for the land development. A dream 180° Mediterranean seaview surrounded by an olive grove on one side and a vineyard on the other, 10 minutes drive away from the seashore.
I purchased the land through the www.calabria-property-services.com represented by Yvonne. From the day I signed on the land to the current state of my building odyssey in Calabria, a year later, I am counting my blessings to have Yvonne by my side, who is an irreplaceable liaison between me and the crew of construction professionals - the builder, Alessandro and the geometra, Giuseppe. She introduced me to the crew. So far I have my peace of mind through a transparency and “three steps ahead” approach when making decisions, explained to me every step of the way. I see the construction site with the help of cameras, drones and communicate by remote meetings with the geometra Giuseppe and with Alessandro, the contractor. I don’t speak Italian, the construction crew don’t speak English. Yvonne is my voice and eyes on the project since I closed on the deal - I am building a home from afar and hired her to be the project manager.
Yvonne is a respected member of the local community, a reputable business woman. She is fluent in Italian and she translates all paperwork for me accurately. Yvonne is a British lady who is warm, kind, honest, very precise and hands on. She has been living in the area for a long time. She is level-headed and resourceful, personable and articulate, and detail oriented. Because of her skilled involvement in the project, my peace of mind has evolved from a worry of “what did I get myself into” to a smooth construction project ride. I was impressed by how much construction business is regulated in Italy, contrary to what we think of Italy, and how much it is being supervised by city engineers. If you wish to build in the area, regardless if you are local or building it from afar, consider hiring Yvonne to navigate the projects’ objectives and coordinate communications and management of it.
I can attest that modern communication technologies do wonders – it allows us to navigate the construction without the pressing need to be present at the site all the time. I am beyond being appreciative of her services. I am grateful for all her introductions – they are all a pleasure to work with by being pleasant people and giving out high quality work. So much to look forward to when the project will be over! Thank you, Yvonne!
Olga D., NYC, USA."
After the walls are completed it is important to add anti-humidity layers to the basement level as part of this level will be underground (semi-interrata), so a bitumen layer followed by an insulation layer have been applied and then compacted gravel and tubing for drainage!!!
A visit from the owner seeing it for the first time - she was extremely happy & you just have to have a glass of prosecco to celebrate!!! Coming next is the second phase of adding the ceiling to that level and foundation for the ground floor level....
