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Hi Justine......as an architect the structural sound of the building is number 1 and the inside is second......I have been looking to buy a house in France and I am trying to be as thorough as possible and most of all not fall in love with heritage properties as for personal experience is a long and expensive process. Justine don't get sick please
In Australia if there is storm damage or an unexpected damage to your roof, we cover it with tarpaulins (large waterproof sheets) until the repair is made. It keeps the water out while you are waiting. I hope this information helps you, water damage in the walls can cause dangerous black mould to grow, which can make you very sick. Fingers crossed you are able to get it fixed sooner rather than later.
Black mold is serious. Years ago, it infected the building where I was working and we were laid off for months because it took a long time and a lot of work to get rid of it.
This reminds me of the film Under the Tuscan Sun - based on true story of a woman who buys a villa in Tuscany and all the challenges she comes up against, including getting things done with permits and other red tape. It’s really eye opening - the idyllic homes we see on film take a lot of work, money and patience to maintain! That said, I know if anyone can make it work it’s you Justine!
Having myself moved to Italy and renovated an old house, I can confirm that the stories are all true! 😄 Keeping my fingers crossed for your project, Justine!
You poor thing! Keep your courage and lovely smile. I completely understand with the challenges of restoration. We are on our 13th year of renovating a 400 year-old convent in central France. For many winters, we would have literal icicles in the house! That was not bad at all in comparison with other problems we faced. But, despite all, it is becoming gorgeous (and finally sort of warm enough) It is worth the wait and the inconveniences. Keep up the great work! I love your channel.
Yes, please! Videos from España would be appreciated. I love everything about that region - the food, the art, the architecture and especially the people. I would be delighted to learn about fashion ❤
Despite such frustrating event in your life, you manage to keep it cool and managed to storytell without any hint of bitterness. Such an amazing quality you have. That's pretty much admirable!
Hope your not dealing with mold now. Its terrible when we purchase property with unknown underlying issues. I am certain you will get the renovations done and that home in France will be magnificent. Staying tuned.
Dear Justine~Thank you for being so honest about your house situation! Most people just show how wonderful their lives are but you are always so true and logical!! You will get through this! I know you will 😊 ! Take care and good luck ❤
I'm so sorry this tragedy is happening to you! I'm wondering why these serious structural problems weren't disclosed prior to sale. The owners must have known about these and possibly other problems. In the US, a prospective home buyer can get the house inspected from roof to cellar prior to making an offer; so helpful. Good luck, dear Heart. I'm hoping everything goes well for you.
Yes in the UK also especially with a building of that age we would pay for a complete structural survey which would red flag issues. Sorry for all your trouble Justine!
In France too. I guess this young lady did a lot wrong… Now she is complaining but when you buy, you thoroughly check what you buy and most of all, you have to consider if you are capable of doing the renovation…
I’m so sorry you had to deal with that situation. It sounds so stressful and unfortunately it’s not over yet. Hoping your permits come through quickly and that the roof repair is affordable!
Justine, so very sorry about your renovation challenges. I also moved into a home that was virtually derelict but with a beautiful water and woods view and the house had good design. It has been totally worth all the challenges. Sending you support and applause. Also, would love to hear more about Valencia 🌹🌹🌹
Oh Justine, this is such frustrating news! Looking forward to whatever you want to share with us next - Spain, France, house, garden, fashion, food, festivals,... whatever you do will be interesting!
There's a great scene in the series 'Au service de la France' where the main characters are sitting around a table with a gigantic stack of forms that all need to be stamped. All you hear in a rhythmic chant is 'tamponne, tamponne, double tamponne'... I think this seems to highlight the love that France seems to have with forms! Best of luck with the renovations! I hope going forwards that any indoor water features are intentional and part of a design.
I feel your pain, Justine. It will be worth it in the end. I can't wait to see how this progresses. I feel sorry for you, Justine. Hang in there! I love Provence. It's gonna be manifique!
Much love Justine…sorry you’re going through so much . With you all the way it will get better you are strong. I’m 73 years young. Looking forward to Spanish fashion history. My mum family are Spanish. I married a Kiwi ( New Zealand er). Love your videos. 🌟💜🍒
My heart goes out to you, Justine. I recall your excitement when you first purchased the house, and I hope you are able to stick to it and return it to its former glory. I cannot wait to see what beauty you will bring to the space. It's nice to see that you have such good friends to take you in and see you make the most out a disheartening situation. Looking forward to seeing your inspiration from Spain and to the see the house become your home!
We had over 20 buckets (large) in our house when we moved in and mushrooms growing out of two walls as they were damp even in the summer .... roof fixed which was not straight forward as the slate tiles on the rear are an unusual size and took a while to source and no more rain. The house is mid 1400's has no heating and was as cold inside as outside in the winter. We put some sheepswool in the roof space and re lime plastered the walls. We wear more clothes when it's cold, heat one room and cooking keeps the kitchen warm. We accepted the house would be on the colder side but the joys of living in an old, unspoiled building, outweigh that inconvenience.
How wonderful is your resilience; inspiring. I rented a house in Aveyron for several years that was impossible to heat, no insulation, single pane windows. I used it as my photography studio but the near zero temperatures inside drove me out. Of course, I retired, left France, and now live in Morocco. Happiness.
Justine, I am so sorry for all the trouble you're finding to build your house in France. I really hope everything is solved and you can settle in as soon as possible. Best of luck to you! As a Spaniard myself, I am glad that you can counter that stress in this beautiful country and yes, I would LOVE to watch a video where you analyze the folk fashion of Valencia (as a side note, if you look at other traditional outfits in the north of Spain, you will see many similarities between them, but the southern flamenco dresses are the "typical spanish", but kind of exclusive of Andalusia 😉). In any case, I hope you have a nice staying in Spain and gather your strength and patience to deal with any obstacle. Cheers!
uuuf, this is one of the good things about the U.S. vs. Europe. While of course it varies from place to place, but overall, even with the post-pandemic supply and labor issues, I am currently building a brand new house plus a major renovation on an existing one in my state of Virginia and we are moving at a much faster pace. We also have a lot of permitting required, too, but it takes days or weeks, not months. Wishing you much progress and solutions, Justine! It will be stunning and fabulous once you get there. P.S. the roses at your front door are to die for!
Not in the Netherlands, we bought our house during pandemic and did not have any problems with labors and materials at all. We also completely renovated the house.
Justine, you don't need a permit to fix the leaks in the roof, only if you want to change the roof by, say, putting in a velux window. Get the roof fixed first, perhaps in a temporary way, just to make sure no more water gets in, and install the heating. Ask the neighbours what kind of heating is cheapest/most appropriate where you are. You don't need a permit to install heating either. Be VERY careful about Spain!! I was in Valencia too, and I thought it was so nice that I decided to move there. Once I had done that, I realised that making a living there is all but impossible, and, as that is the case, a lot of people there will do their very best to trick you into spending all your money and you may find yourself driving home with little more than the shirt on your back!! Sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear, but don't say you weren't warned.
So sorry this is happening to you, and so glad you're ok ... We're having our own challenges here with our house, and wondering if inspections are required there. We had one when we were looking at ours to make sure the important systems like plumbing and roof were up to code ... Holding for you ease and flow - and speedy renovations! ❤
Oh goodness the same reason I left Florida for saner parts north. The weather is very difficult for even the best-built structures. Water always finds a way in during the rainy season- bugs, mold, mildew follow, usually in places that are difficult to uncover. It’s the dirty little secret of “paradise”. You made a very rational decision.
Oh, Justine, I am so sorry that you have been through a tough time with the weather and renovations. I had a similar problem here in South Africa -- but the water was coming in through the floors and doors. The rain was bad enough, but the damp problem was far worse. As I am also a freelancer and did not have the budget to repair the dwelling (an old goat shed that I renovate from scratch), I left. Permanently. A lot of money lost (relatively speaking), but the experience itself was more damaging to me in terms of mental health. I wish you only good luck going into your spring and summer. Keep up your hard work!
Oh, Justine! I'm so sorry to hear about all the red tape and needless waiting around you had to do. Escaping to Spain sounds great, but you still had to face the issues when you returned. Oh well. I'm not sure if you're aware of the sail shades the Aussies came up with a number of years ago, but if you hang a few of them around in the summer, they'll reduce the heat build-up inside your home. Have fun with your reno!
Wow! And you survived! Congratulations! I missed you, so glad you are back. Thank you for your very helpful info on the technical aspects of the net, I found that very interesting. While you were away, I made an investment of an Aspinal handbag! I am so happy with it and the quality is absolutely superb. It has replaced a much loved Italian bag due to a serious mould growth, along with a favourite pair of Spanish boots😭. It was during all the rain we had here in Australia early last year, devastating. I now keep all my bags hanging on a hat stand so that they can air. I will put them all in bags if I 'rest' them in future. I am in the process of making felt bags for all my leather goods. Mould is a terrible thing!! Good luck with your next move...can't wait to hear!
Living (and reno'ing) in the U.S. I am sadly familiar with bureaucracy accompanied by the piles of permits one needs to move/add/subtract anything anywhere. I am sure the irony of an area (Provence) that so highly prized its architecture that planting a ceramic owl on your roof was forbidden, but trying to save said property with a new roof and insulation is bound up in red tape is probably not lost on anyone. Perhaps it is the expert editing, but Justine seems to be handling this situation with stamina and humor. YES I would LOVE to see the Spain vlogs!
I would love to see a full video with your footage from the Spanish festival! So sorry you've had to go through all this--best wishes for a favorable outcome!
The majority of people I know who have renovated homes in France were in the construction industry - with good reason! I notice in the comments the advice about putting up a tarpaulin which is a very good idea to prevent mould becoming established in the fabric of the building. Good luck with your project though and I am sure you will love and enjoy your home eventually. You many also discover a new avenue for your design skills through your struggle!
oh, gosh. As someone that (2 years ago) bought a small farm that needed drastic renovation, I feel your pain...... but, mine was so so much less (we managed to keep it warm enough although there were a few horrible incidents a month after we moved in). I feel so grateful now that my issues came in small doses rather than the giant ones you have had to conquer. 2 years in, we are still not complete (but everything is functioning decently, and the place is starting to show great signs of beauty)..... in my dad's words 'this too shall pass'. In the end, I've learned so very much (and learned how little I knew), and have the pride of the amazing compliments I get on the property. I will say a prayer for you that you may have even more success going forward and will continue to throw positive thoughts to you each time I make the smallest correction. btw, my farmhouse is designed to look (my version) French (I am Cajun - not 'real French', so it has more of a New Orleans flavor). Hang in there, Justine - you will continue to be an amazing success and I know your home will be as stunning and beautiful as you.
You can also get a very inexpensive but good quality Tarpaulin / Bâche de protection marque "Werckmann", 4 x 6 mètres for 12.99 euros at any "Action" store in the bricolage section; you can piece a few together if need be with a rolled over-fold and duct tape / ruban adhésif grey in the same aisle. I have seen people use old tires to hold them securely on the roof.
Oh goodness. You have certainly been through a stressful time. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you all the very best. Good luck with your lovely house in France, hope you can get the renovations completed. 🌺🌺
The first thing I did in our 1931 house was get the roof waterproofed and insulated. They took off all the old pantiles, replaced the broken ones, used new pantiles facing up, insulation, waterproof membrane. Permit cost 600€ and the chantier lasted two weeks with three men. In Comunidad Valenciana, Spain. France is a nightmare.
Same here in Belgium, that’s why you book the carpenter in advance so the permit and start of work is the same. Here around 6 months in total to start. And things that don’t require a permit you can already do of course
My parents in law bought in France I’m the early late 90s early 2000s… the whole place needed literally dug out, there wer potato’s growing in the house apparently. They got friends and family from U.K. to come over to stay / help renovate. Only getting French tradesmen as a last resort. Paperwork and everything was a nightmare but they got there after a few years. Now it’s wonderful but you still can’t go over until it heats up haha it’s sooo cold
One thing a lot of people forget is roofing is not permanent. My parents bought our house when I was was ten with a five year old roof. It was rated for thirty years and it made it to almost thirty five when it started leaking. It was $30,000 to replace the roof, but unfortunately that's one of the many costs to owning a house. It may be hard at first (and maintenance will continue to be a bugbear), but once you get over the initial flurry of repairs it will be worth it.
Oh Justine, I am sorry to hear about all your house drama and hope that it will solve during the next weeks and months, so you can enjoy your lovely house! All the best, much strength and endurance!!!
Justine, you are such a light. So many challenges and you tell us all the positives. Good luck with the roof, hopefully you won't have to run to another country by winter next year.
I don’t know how you manage to keep so calm, or at least it looks like you are. Hope you can make some progress, love to see it coming along. Stay positive and it will all work out!😁
I am so sorry to hear about the damage to you house and the repair work now required, as well as the renovations you had already planned. You are so well organised that you will get it done and the house will be perfect in a few months. Sending love for that.
We were all excited about your move and the house project, we all looked forward to seeing the evolution! So sorry that your house has gone this direction. In the Pacific NW, USA, if one cannot keep a cold, damp room heated, it will become a permanent mold zone, often resulting in floor and wall replacements: $$$. That French permit process can ruin a lot of houses that could have been salvageable if tended sooner. On a positive note, we look forward to your new place/new ideas design/lifestyle posts!
I was dealing with indoor temperatures as low as 6C in my workplace as we had no heating, I feel for you having to deal with that at home! I hope the next stages go more swimmingly for you.
Take care of yourself during these stressful times. Here in Canada, simple permits don't take too long, but if you need a structural engineer's report, then it definitely takes longer. Unless you are good at DIY, then finding skilled workers is difficult, and supplies are super expensive. Shortages of anything with electrical components mean at least a 6 month wait. We renovated our kitchen last year and it took about 10 weeks, but we did all of our shopping in advance and found a contractor 4 months prior to start date. We still had hiccups in the first week. However, we found out our friends' renovation is still ongoing 10 months later. Glad you are able to find shelter through this time. Crossing my fingers the cost estimate is within your budget and can be worked upon asap.
Merci, Justine! Sorry to hear about the leaking in your beautiful but ailing house. Sounds like getting away for a while was a wise decision. The thought of you sitting for extended periods in a freezing, damp stone house that converts to an oven in the extreme heat is alarming, to say the least. You will sort out the house eventually, & in the meantime, you're safeguarding your physical & mental health. Add to that all your wonderful plans, & your future in that house is full of promise. It's great to see that through all this, you're keeping your chin up! I'm intrigued by your Spanish inspiration & looking forward to hearing (& seeing?) more about that.
❤send you love and support! I wish that your permits will be issued quickly and smoothly; and that there will be as little additional works as possible. I’ve just finished renovation of my apartment and it was not even a large one, but it took me a year to finish it. I initially planned to just redo the finishing, and it should have been quick and financially manageable. But when we stripped the walls, we found mould which must be thoroughly eliminated. And then we started looking for the reason why mould was even there… and it led us to bad pipes, which needed to be replaced, and it meant that we should strip the whole place down to the bare concrete and break the floors to have access and replace pipes. So… It took me longer than I expected and was way more expensive. Thankfully, I had the place to live while all works were in progress.
I thought at the beginning of this video that you sold the house. What a huge problem and trouble this roof will be to fix, but I admit I was happy you did not sell it. It is a beautiful place. I truly mean that, spectacularly beautiful and worth waiting for - well, I imagine that was your judgement as it seems you are waiting. Bets of luck and I hope soon you will have it finished and ready to enjoy and revel in!
Interesting post! Thanks so much for sharing. Major ups on starting the RESCUE of the beautiful old home in France. When there’s that much to repair it’s no longer a reno. I brought a few beautiful 100- 120 yr old houses in Canada back to life… that was enough for me lol. It’s very exciting and gratifying. I don’t have children so I guess that will be my legacy. Doing an old home in Europe is a dream and the old gorgeous abandoned manors and country houses break my heart. Can’t even imagine the amount of money that would cost 💰💰💰but hey, I would feel good about putting money into the local economy 😊
Sorry to hear that, though i am glad that gave you a chance to visit a friend, get new source of inspiration and enjoy a new country. You look fabulous. Hope the permit comes through quicker.
Spain is wonderful! Studied in Madrid my junior year abroad and didn't want to go back home. I visit Spain now when I can, but mainly southern Spain (Jerez).
My mom had the same problem with her roof in Burgundy - she found a Compagnon du Devoir to fix her roof - it was done really quick, no architect needed, it was a complete "charpente" and, by USA standards, was really cheap.
Wow -- you've got SO MUCH going on there! Please please please keep mold in mind when fixing everything -- at least become aware of what to look out for, both in the house and in your body. We love you; take care!
My goodness, you haven't had the best luck! I have confidence that you will handle this challenge as you do others. I hope everything works out for your renovation plans more quickly and you can enjoy living in your home.❤
Oh goodness. I feel for you!! the storm damage looks heartbreaking. and That wait time is crazy! I'm guessing you need to know someone to move things along.
I’m an old house person too. We have the same kind of issue in the US. You can wait months for a carpenter-longer if you want a competent professional who doesn’t use drugs on the job-longer if you want someone who has experience and expertise with old houses. Forget it if you want wood. Everything here is plastic. We also have permitting requirements & fights with neighbors. I’ve ad horrible experiences with town employees who are high and have destroyed historic things outside my house. It’s a nightmare.
Your place will be a beauty, keep looking ahead when times are tough! it gets really tiring but one day, it will be done and you’ll be knackered but satisfied.
We were in Valencia for Fallas this year as well. We initially wsnted to move to France and after visiting Spain, we changed our trajectory. We plan to move to Valencia next spring. Renovations is Europe are definitely have more hoops to jump thru thsn here in the US. Great info
Oof, well I'm glad you didn't completely give up on it but that has to be devastating. I've been stuck with insane cooling standards in US mid/highrise apartment design, where the landlord waits way too long to change the air system from hot to cold in spring and turns it back to hot way too early in fall (and they are the ones in control of the temperature, my controls are "off" and "on"). Heat is not a problem, these buildings boil by default and I often have the windows open during winter. But it's very common to end up around 85F (30C) all day and only get it to drop a little with the windows open at night due to humidity. x.x
I would love to see videos from Spain and the things that inspired your next collections!! And so sorry about the delays on your house repairs and renovation!
Oh you scared me. I thought you ran away for good. The short clip about the costumes in Spain was amazing. I used to make my own clothes for my kids and me. Beautiful clothes. Lived in the Netherlands, where I’m from, and in Germany. Haven’t seen your videos in a while but I always loved them. Bon courage avec tout. Bises
Oh my goodness, Justine! How stressful for you, and amazing that it takes so long to get permission for repairs (not something aesthetic or an extension, but repairs)! As others have said I'm glad you were able to leave the house and go elsewhere, and I hope that those permits come quickly and that the repair bill is not too high!
WOW!!! House renos can be such a nightmare! I am a virtual bookkeeper and so I use a VPN anytime I'm not working from my home wi-fi. I've used it in several countries and it works like a charm!! Best wishes on fast permits and contractors and wood! 🙂Love hearing the updates!
Sorry to hear you are having problems with your house. I hope things get better. I do love your house. My son's family lived in France & when we were visiting they did complain on how slow the government is. 💖Pamela
You are an accomplished designer and fashion expert. Choosing a house that doesn’t leak is not your forte. Enjoy learning all about this field. Next year!!
Beautiful home! Plus,regarding wood - check Slavonian oak,it's perfect and you can import it from Croatia. Good luck with next project, I'm sure it will be something amazin as you are 🎉❤
