Sounds like your dad is leading you down the right path. Just cleaning up and making the house livable will be a huge accomplishment. Everything else will flow because you’re able to see each stage, one stage at a time. Bite size chunks!!! Oh, and absolutely keep the minimalist theme! You’ll have a lot of space so don’t be tempted for fill it with stuff. I’m trying to get my wife on board with minimalism. She’s not feeling it…LOL!!! Best of luck!!!
Very interesting updates, looking forward to keeping up with what you guys do :) just take your time and make sure you do what you want, don't worry about others judgements. Your dad sounds like he's really helping to keep the project focused on priorities which is great 👍 👌
I love that your Dad is helping you so much. I love that you're truly considering each and every step you need to take. Old windows are not the worst thing and new windows are mostly framed in plastic and/or composite materials. They cost a lot more if they're framed in wood. That says something about using wood and it makes it worth replacing windows in your old wood frames if they're still in good shape. It's a lot of fun seeing all your projects and how you're prioritizing them. I'm going to fully enjoy watching you terrace your yard. It will be a lot of work but so worth it.
I love your videos so much and I'm so excited I get to see this transformation from the beginning. Your vision is incredible!! This will be amazing to look back on 5 years from now. I'm actually excited that this won't be a rapid process. It's like slow living for me but for consuming content. Please keep it going! You also do a great job giving enough detail, but keeping your videos so digestible too. love, love love!!
Hi! You did a Great job, finding this concrete house! Making it your Home - isn’t a challenge (just content for youtube & money of course), because if you feel some butterflies inside when thinking “It’s Our house!” - it is the best thing ever! I wish you less more problems with restoring! I found youtube and started watching it many years ago from the one video interested me - where one couple moved from USA to Italy and renovated the house like you 😁 + the rooftop and all was made by themselves! As for the hot water: try to use the ☀️ sun! Put the barrel (100-200 L) or big container where the sun is all the time, fulfill it with cold water & in a day - you’ll have it warm (to wash yourself and stuff in the evening) 🤗 I WISH TO BE ON YOUR PLACE! Your house is beautiful! The terrace - wonderful! 🌺🌼🌸🌻🌸🌼🌞
You are definitely "playing the long game", and as long as you have the good health and energy to make it through the next few years (and funds!), it will be so admirable to have done it sustainably. I'm so impressed and pleased.
First, thanks for sharing your journey and being extremely honest and transparent with both the goods and the bads. Second, we're just so very impressed with your compassion for sustainability in the renovation. That always takes more time, creativity, and certainly taxes your nerves! We look forward to more content and wish you the best!
I love your approach to living in this house and I’m looking forward to follow along no matter how long the proces will be♻️ Also I really like the different decades footprint in the bathroom, kitchen etc.
Renovations will test you, that's for sure. Mostly your patience will be tested, along with your strength, your stamina, your relationship, and your sanity! Good thing your have a cat to stroke to help decrease your stress levels. 🥰 You have a lot of work ahead of you, but with your dad's guidance, your ambition, and vision for your home as a couple, will see you through any difficulties that may arise. I'm curious, when you say there is "concrete" on the walls, do you mean plaster? Or maybe, stucco?
Thank you 🥰 We're so lucky we have Chris! He loves watching as we're working in the garden, it's the cutest thing! Some of the older walls have stucco, but yes, surprisingly enough they've covered some of the inner and outer walls with concrete...!
I am very confident you and your husband will get your new house in renovated, it's just going to take time. You did an amazing job renovating your bus into to a beautiful home, this is just a larger project. I am so happy and excited for you and look forward to your future videos.
I just found your channel, and I'm watching as much as I can to catch up. I follow all of the RU-vid channels I can find about living in Italy, as I plan to move there in the next 3-5 years. Born and raised in the USA, I'm just learning the Italian language (B1 level now). I'm loving your channel because of your honesty, transparency, and interest in sustainability. I'll confess that I do not live a minimalist life and only linger on the edge of sustainability, but I find it very interesting. And I'd love my eventual move to Italy to incorporate more of this. Anywho.....I'm super interested in your journey, how you build this new life, make your home ready for living and then renovating. Thanks for sharing your journey!
Agreed, you can caulk them well to avoid drafts. You're playing the long game and prioritizing what is essential right now. Plus I have found the longer I'm in my house, my plans get more refined. I'm glad I didn't act on my earlier ideas.
Saga you seem to have a good approach it has to be the basic structure first before you can really complete the fixtures and decorations. Take each day at a time and have some time off. I so wish you all the best with this exciting project.🏡🏡
So exciting!!! 🩵🩷🩵 What a beautiful and amazing journey! I can't wait to hear your neighbor's secret gardening tips!! The older generations often have the best suggestions! My grandma always used to tell me to use the cold coffee to water my house plants and they do love it! PS - My Italian sister-in-law from California, USA is touring France right now. She is 70 years old and stayed in Colmar, France last night - heading to a few 12th and 13th Century Chateaus today. (They look like castles to me!!) 😊
Good luck with the house. I am interested in the gardening part. Mainly because our renovation is ongoing for the 5th year. Our electric system is pre-WWII. Dishwasher, washing machine and kettle are fine, unless 2 of the 3 are running at the same time. Last month half of the wires with switch box were upgraded and it feels nice (to know the copper wire is 2.5mm and no longer 1mm wrapped in cloth). Otherwise we are lucky that upper floor was live-able as is. Ground floor not at all.
Thank you so much! And great to hear :) Oh wow, yes, 5th year is a lot! How cool with the appliances! Ours only came with a washing machine but it doesn't work. I can't wait to upgrade our wires!
@@SagaJohanna there is probably a misunderstanding. Our house came with some furniture, lot of crap and hoarding from past owners. But working appliances, as I listed above, were our own (we moved it from our previous home)
Your Ideas reminds me of Ala and Sergi channel Dreaming of Chateau.They renovate Villa in Lake Como with limited budget to mostly do it themselves. Like you said the made their villa Habitable and they started working on gardens. They have beautiful garden
Defenetly a great approach, and very interesting to follow along. Have you considered to keep the original single glass windows? Renovate the wood where its needed, and set up double glased thermo windows on the inside? Im from DK and the original single glass windows on old buildings is made of very high quality wood, that can last for hundreds of years, with the right maintinanse. On historic buildings its often prefered to keep the original windows to preserve the originality of the building, and add thermowindows on the inside ("forsatsruder"), to get it up to mordern standards. Just a thought😊
Oh that’s so interesting - thank you! My dad did suggest something like this. Well for now we’re keeping the single glass windows, and we will evaluate in winter before we make a decision. Unfortunately they haven’t been painted so they’ve been out here in the weather and the wood isn’t wind tight itself, and some termit damage. If we can save them - and not freeze in winter - I think this would be best!
That is so interesting!! I can't wait to see more. I will be renovating an apartment soon and that gives me a lot of hope and reassurance, that I'm not alone, because it seems sooo so scary at first!
Luv your attitude! That is what that old house needs. Your energy and youth will get you through and when it gets too much take a day or a week off and have some fun. It will still be there when you return. Your dad & the locals have your back honey. It’s ok not to know stuff. We learn along the way. Spoken by a 75 year old granny who is excited about her own Reno’s. Luv from Queensland🤗 0:15
YES - at 0:35 second time mark you say that you hope anyone is interested and I, for one, am interested. There are 3-4 YT channels I watch about buying, renovating, and living in Italy as it is our plan in the next few years to also move to Italy. Because things are built so different and construction is different in Italy (compared to the USA), I love watching your channel and learning. Renovations are tough - we have renovated three homes and none of them was ever intended to be our "forever home". The one in Italy will be our forever home - fingers crossed. GREAT FIND on the kitchen! It will get you through the time you need to use it - and truth told, it looks pretty nice for the money and although it may not be your dream cucina, you guys found a great deal! May I ask where your home is? (Which region?) I am curious how you found the home because we would like to find a home within walking distance to a train station that has good connections to major cities, but is not so expensive. So it made me wonder which region you are in.
Yay! Oh this makes me so happy thank you 🙏 I wish you all the luck on your journey - and if you need any advice feel free to message me on Instagram :) We’re in Liguria which technically is one of the more expensive regions, but because we’re a bit in the mountains it’s a bit cheaper. But it all depends on your budget. I believe you can find great houses here in the city and be connected by train, it’s all about what you need. ❤️
Renovations... 0) Gain access (at all, the road, unblock whatever is blocked) 1) Avoid further damage 2) Create the minimal functions (water, warmth (Roof, windows, holes and leaks), electricity) 3) Then start with one room making your home and extend from there.
Im not telling you what to do, my dad is telling you ehat to do." xD Girl you're hilarious. Thank you for the update, always nice seeing an upload from you. Good luck with house, and congrats for being a house owner and a productive member of society 👏👏😂
@@hibernace My one question would be is if Saga Johanna and her husband have their own fireplace in their new house! That might be somewhat cozy!!!! 🔥 ☺
If your plumbing is from the 50s , then it's 75yrs old. You will need all new plumbing and electricy 👍👍. That'd expected with age of plumbing and electricy.
Thanks Saga, congratulations on your new house, you are sweet in explaining the whole process. We are Medical specialists planning to buy a small house in country side . Would you help us in doing so
Your ideas are amazing but you're right waterproof water electricity will make winter a little more bearable Could your dad come and help your ideas come to life
Your house is so amazing! Thanks for sharing it with us. It’s good to go SLOW. The tiles are so pretty and your view is stunning. We lived in the UK for 14 years and I would say that Italian houses look much better built. Why not go through the winter without adding insulation and pop a wood burner or pellet stove in your fireplace? If you’re concerned about the CO2, from burning wood, it’s different carbon accounting because it’s biogenic accounting. There are very efficient wood burners that can also heat your water. That may be a way to avoid a boiler in the basement? There are many eco ideas. One Italian family who have a channel and retrofitted their home in Piemonte, is @leaveeverythingandwander or @leaw. They are in Sicily now but still have their home in the North. They may have some tips for you? All the best from Canada 🇨🇦
Thank you so much for all the tips! Yes the plan for winter is to go without any heating (again my dad’s advice) and see what WE actually need va don’t need. My biggest problem with pellet stoves is I’ve stayed in a few houses here with them and because of the thick stone walls they leave the bathrooms freezing - unless you install radiators! So we will see! And thanks so much ❤️
We bought an old house in Puglia in 2020❤ and it needed a bit of love 😊 we’re so happy here! It’s difficult going through renovations but once it’s done you feel you’re at home 🏠
