Renovating on Evia

Diary of a Renovator I | Diary of a Renovator II

16 November 2010

'Kaloriziko' (good roots/congratulations) said George, the lawyer. Last Easter Monday, when I was showing a client a farmhouse in Zarakes, a neighbour approached me and said he knew of another really good house for sale in the village, but the inheritors lived elsewhere. Several weeks later, having located the spokesperson (the eldest sister) I visited the house with her - and I had a flash of inspiration. For several years I have been showing properties to prospective clients, so I have a good understanding of what many people are looking for. I was just about to receive an unexpected, extra inheritance, so I decided to put my money where my mouth is and buy a small house to refurbish and sell on.

After agreeing on the price I then had to wait for the four inheritors to pay their inheritance tax and organise a topographico (survey/plan). New deeds and documents had to be drawn up, as there was no record of the original building permit (quite normal after the war) 'Siga siga' as the Greeks say and sure enough, seven months after first hearing about 'Hill House' it’s finally mine.

We have several properties in a similar price range on the website, but this house was perfect for me as I can see it from my verandah and walk to it (I don't drive) in just a few minutes to supervise the renovation work. Some people may want to tackle a renovation project themselves, but may find it too daunting a prospect and many can't afford a totally managed project from start to finish. I obviously know our team of workmen very well and I feel confident to project manage the work, with the full support of master builder, Nikko, although a mix of Greek, English and Albanian building terms may be 'lost in translation' on occasion.

As I'd waited so long to buy the house, I didn't want to waste any more time. I visited the house today, with Nikko, to discuss what needs doing. Work will start tomorrow on removing the external render, to expose the original stonework. Watch this space - I hope to have a completed 'Pretty Spiti' (as Sue in the UK office would say) by Easter 2011.

24 November 2010

Just one week after buying the house, work has progressed much faster than I expected. The front and one of the side walls have been taken back to the original stonework (we are leaving the back, north facing walls, as only the neighbours' hens can see them). We soon discovered that the building had once been two tiny houses with separate doors, which had been bricked up and that the current front door and back bedroom window had also been changed and filled around the edges with brick. However, the stonemasons were not fazed - Nikko found some old local stone to match and then they painstakingly removed all of the offending bricks and replaced them with hand-hewn blocks. They also re-concreted the ring beam (it had been left with bits of wire hanging out) and this will be rendered and painted the same pale cream colour as the pointing between the stones. Tomorrow the walls will be cleaned with a pressure washer.

The junior electrician visited on Saturday, checked the interior and took the topographic (plan). On Monday morning the chief electrician of the village arrived with the form and electrical plan for the Electricity Office so that Hill House could be re-connected. On Saturday evening the carpenters arrived to measure the kitchen and work out where to position the appliances. We also discussed the 3 new internal doors.

On Tuesday morning, friends took me to Aliveri where I collected the newly registered deeds of the house, which I took, along with my passport, tax number and the electrical plan to the Electricity Office. Then the fun and games started. I was asked for the previous bill, which of course I didn't have (the previous owners died 3 years ago). In Greece there always seems to be one piece of paper missing! Six phone calls later and with the intervention of the Head of Department, it was established that the account had been in the gentleman's second partner's name. As the owner of the local supermarket delicately put it, 'they lived without the stefonatas' (the white floral crown, worn in the Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony).

In the villages, in this part of Evia there are no street names or addresses, with all mail going to the Kafeneon. All the locals know who lives where but it is somewhat confusing for outsiders. After 90 minutes and the payment of 30 euros, I was told the power would be connected within 24 hours. Eureka!

8 December 2010

At the end of the second week, the work has really progressed. We've been extremely lucky with the weather - some of the best ever recorded for this time of year. The walls had to dry after the pressure washing and then they were beautifully pointed by one of the workmen, using what looked like a giant icing bag. The walls were finished off with small pieces of stone. The internal wall, either side of the fireplace in the living room, has also been taken back to the original stone, uncovering two icon/candle niches, which will make interesting features.

I have to report our first 'lost in translation' incident. I asked for the disgusting old kitchen to be removed, but I didn't mention the traditional built-in cupboard at the other end of the room. I didn't visit until the afternoon and discovered that it had also been ripped out! Never mind - the space will be plastered and 3 shelves made later. Not lost in translation, just lost, was the chimney. So engrossed was I in what I wanted done to the fireplace, that I hadn't noticed that there was no chimney stack. It was only when I was showing it to Sue and Martin, from the UK Office, that Martin pointed it out. Nikko said he can build one, no problem - but please could I have a plain one, not a stone clad one - of course, anything to keep the builders happy!

16 December 2010

"Anything to keep the builders happy" - this includes supplying the beers they drink with their packed lunches (or wine as it gets colder). They only like Amstel - not the cheap supermarket cans which "give them a headache"! This custom stems from when workers were paid daily, for seasonal agricultural work and were always fed at lunchtime - it's just a shame the garden soon became full of empty beer bottles. During the third week I asked a gardener to trim the almond, apricot and lemon trees and a couple of old fashioned rose bushes (still flowering in December), plus some 'German ivy' planted along the side fence. A skip was also organised and all the rubble etc removed. Work began on changing the inside walls, including moving the bathroom wall, to make the hall bigger and replacing the door into the living room with an archway - a traditional feature which makes the house feel bigger and brighter. The large bedroom, which forms the whole of the left hand side of the property will be divided into two; a double and a single, which will have 2 windows each. There was much debate, measuring and arm-waving to work out the position of the bedroom doors before the hall wall was knocked through, to create the extra opening. Then, after weeks of glorious weather, we had about 35cm of snow in one day and work ground to a halt for the weekend.

21 December 2010

A month into the renovation project and I’m really pleased with the progress so far. Despite the builders working on two other houses, plus building a stone, slate roofed bus shelter in Zarakes (for the re-elected 'Mayor' of the village) a great deal has been accomplished. The pointing on the stone wall in the living room is nearly finished - it took several days for the new cement to dry after the snow and rain. The new internal walls have been started, to form the bathroom and two bedrooms. I have decided not to open up the second window in the double bedroom after all, as it is light enough and the view from the existing window, over the village and beyond, is very attractive. We are now waiting for the second delivery of bricks to finish the walls - a national strike and on/off transport strikes have slowed things down somewhat. "Siga siga".

One lunchtime I met our local plumber, Thanassis, coming out of the village tavern. I suggested that he come and look at what was happening and of course, he had already been (no secrets in a Greek village!). We discussed the kitchen pipework (to be replaced with plastic), the hole for the extractor above the cooker and the cesspit, which was built 7 years ago. "Good, good, no problem". Next lunchtime Thanassis arrived and completed all the jobs. Another 100 euros and another job well done.

28 December 2010

Just in time for Father Christmas (or Aghios Vassili, we should say, as we are in Greece) the chimney stack was completed on the day before Christmas Eve. The original chimney must have been removed about 5 years ago when the previous owner had the roof replaced. As the open fireplace is currently flush with the floor, we now have to raise it and build a small stone hearth. The chimney breast must also be sealed around the edges with the stone wall and painted cream. It is currently painted bright red, with a brick effect created from masking tape - very strange! Most of the traditional houses have an open fireplace (once the only source of heat in the winter) and it is easy to collect driftwood or buy local logs, as the olive trees have to be trimmed after the olive harvest. There is nothing better at this time of year than sitting around a blazing fire with friends and some local red wine. On Christmas Eve morning I met Michali, one of the kitchen cabinet makers and chose the colours and finish - a textured 'café au lait' with a coffee coloured trim. Later that evening, several of us were in our local bar and as I was about to leave, a vodka and tonic appeared - from Michali. That's one of the nice things about doing business locally. Twelve of us had a terrific Christmas lunch at Lizzy and Paul's (the first people I sold a house to in Evia). On Boxing Day we walked the dogs on 'Golden Sands' beach at Aghios Dimitrios and fortified ourselves with a glass of mulled wine. Today some friends helped me choose the kitchen worktop. They couldn't believe how much has already been done to Hill House and how good it is looking, even at this early stage.

14 January 2011

Everyone had a break over the holidays but now work has started again and with a vengeance. Money is being paid out hand over fist - faster than I can draw it out from the bank. Last week Liz, Gill (a friend from Koskina who is my 'personal shopping advisor') and I went over to the mainland to Nea Makri, where Sid and Carol have a vintage furniture warehouse. I've known them for over 13 years, via the animal welfare car boot sales and Christmas Bazaars, but this was the first time I'd visited the warehouse. They are retiring and downsizing, so I found some great pieces and Hill House will be virtually fully furnished. Sid and Carol also have a house in Koskina (close to Zarakes) so they will bring everything over to Evia next month.

Nikko has nearly finished rebuilding the fireplace with fire bricks and the electricians have been working hard. They have practically re-wired the whole house, installed a new fuse box and added some more sockets, ready for re-plastering. In the meantime I had another 'lost in translation' moment. I was standing in the bathroom with Thanassis and Nikko, talking about new fixtures when Thanassis said "you'll need a new battery and telephone". What? In the bathroom? Then it clicked. Here they call taps 'batteries' and a showerhead a 'telephone'. Very logical.

Yesterday I went into Krieza with Thanassis and chose a new toilet cistern, hot water heater, taps and a 'telephone'. Gill then met me and we chose the floor tiles - a matt, mottled, sandy colour, 70 sq. mts, plus 3 sq mts of co-ordinating kitchen wall tiles. We then drove to Aliveri to buy another lamp and get more money from the bank, before going to the furniture workshop in Neochori to buy 4 taverna chairs. I casually asked if he had a metal bedstead and, hey presto, down in the basement stockroom we found a double, a single, mattresses and a 2 seater bronze coloured sofa with cushions - all at a special price, so 'in for a penny, in for a pound! They will all be delivered next month.

As Nikko said we're really up & running now so I've ordered the kitchen installation for the end of next week and confirmed the sizes and order for a cooker and fridge. Now, have I forgotten anything? Yes of course, a mirror/cabinet for the bathroom and a kitchen sink. I wanted to use the old marble sink but it’s not possible to get a watertight seal with the worktop - it will just have to go in my garden.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I will go into Aliveri with Nikko to buy paint - a 'linen white' for the ceilings to go with the pointing and a slightly darker colour for the walls. There are still a few things to sort out, including the front door, shutters, re-glazing, internal doors, the terrace and smaller items such as door furniture, but, dare I say it - we are on target to come in 'on budget' with an early completion date!

20 January 2011

The ceilings have been transformed. Apparently they were replaced around 10 years ago and coated in an unappealing, reddish-brown, gloss varnish, which had darkened with age and smoke. Before the roof was replaced, about 5 years ago, the wood had warped and buckled (or perhaps someone had walked on them in the loft!), so firstly the planks were re-aligned and the cornice re-fixed and replaced where necessary. Then the wood was sanded down and painted in a rather expensive undercoat to seal the wood, before painting a creamy-white colour. Now all of the rooms appear much larger and lighter.

Talking about the loft, one of the reasons that the electricians had to do so much re-wiring was that whilst the house had been unoccupied for 3 years, some little furry visitors had chewed through some of the electrical cables - although I don't think they would have been heavy footed enough to damage the ceiling! One of the young lads, Kleidi, has been down on his knees for hours, scraping the old lino off the floors. Hopefully it will be relatively easy to lay the new tiles on the exposed concrete floor, which appears to be in good condition. Nikko picked up the tiles early in the morning. I'd over-ordered as I'd taken the measurements from the topographico/plan. I should have remembered that the old stone houses are measured externally and, as the walls are so thick, the internal measurements are considerably smaller. Luckily the shop in Krieza said 'no problem', they would take the extra tiles back - another advantage of using local suppliers.

However, we've also had another 'lost in translation' incident. There had been so much discussion about laying tiles in straight lines or diagonally and what various clients want, that the first 7 sq mts of floor tiles were laid in the wrong way and had to be lifted and re-laid diagonally. It's certainly not all work and no play. Nick, who is renovating an old stone house in Almiropotamos, is out here for a week. He invited me to lunch and we sat outside a taverna overlooking the harbour for over 2 hours. We then retired to one of the little bars where we were joined by Nikko and his nephew, Kledi and then moved onto the local bar in Zarakes, which is owned by 2 beautiful sisters. Kledi informed me on Monday that he'd drunk 5 Tzonys (Johnnie Walkers) and 3 Tzaks (Jack Daniels). A good job it poured with rain on Sunday, so that nobody had to work. The sun has returned and work is cracking on. The next stage is to get the window shutter and front door installed.

28 January 2011

The window shutters and front door, plus the 3 internal doors have been ordered and the first 500 euros paid as a deposit. It was rather an ad hoc meeting with the carpenter and his son, as Nikko turned up with them, at short notice, and I was in my wellies and plastic apron, hosing down my courtyard. I'll just have to hope that the final result is actually what I ordered! However I was able to give them a picture of the front door I want, with a traditional frosted glass panel and a metal grille in a kind of art deco design. Nikko will paint them a local grey-blue colour. The current aluminium door is huge at 2.4m high - presumably to align the door lintel with the windows. Certainly the previous owners weren't particularly tall - the internal doors were less than 2m high. To reduce the height of the front door to a standard 2.2m the carpenters will insert a frosted glass panel at the top, which will have the added benefit of making the hall lighter. The doors and shutters have to be treated to make them weather-proof and they will be the most expensive items for the house as they have to be individually made - the windows are not the same size and we have to find a 'sitheros' or metal worker to make the fancy grilles. Fingers crossed.

The floor tiles have all been laid diagonally, to make the rooms look bigger and the walls have been painted. One wall in the living room needed 4 coats (or 'hands' as the Greeks say) to cover all of the imperfections (despite having been sanded down first) but the final result is really great. The pale, peachy colour co-ordinates perfectly with the pale sandy coral tone of the floor tiles, the tiles on the bathroom floor which are a darker shade and the fancy insert tiles on the bathroom walls. As the bathroom had obviously been decorated in the not too distant past I was able to retain the original wall tiles and I am more than pleased with the end result. The lads have tidied up and even cleaned the floors (it was rather a shock today when I arrived one day to find the terracotta coloured grout swilling around all over the floor and living room) so I felt another bottle of 'Tzonny Valker' was well deserved on Saturday. Remember the mantra 'keep the builders happy'. Talking of alcohol, Adoni, the electrician arrived one day with 1.5 litres of homemade red wine. Was this to say 'Thank you' for the 500 euros I'd paid him or to remind me that I still owe at least another 500 euros? The electricians still have some second fixing to do - including sockets, light fittings on the kitchen cupboards and switches on the fuse box, instead of hanging wires. The kitchen is 90% ready at the workshop. Thanassis, the plumber, has collected the sink from Krieza and I hadn't even asked him to do so - that's what's really good when everyone knows each other. The kitchen will be fitted next week. Amazing! Good job I've transferred more funds from the UK.

As we're doing so well I've put 'Hill House' on the website at 99,500 euros (see property ref 450). Completion date is towards the end of March. Marc, who is also doing up a village house in Zarakes, is here for a flying visit and we were in the local tavern with James & Tina (who moved out here last Autumn), looking at photos of Hill House. Nikko, the owner of the tavern came over and said 'Poli Orea' (very nice) - but it's too cheap for all the work that's been done. Shall I employ him as a publicist?

9 February 2011

The bad weather (& possibly sand and waste from the building work) caused a build-up of water to one side of the house, which flooded over to next door. The neighbour's son helped James to clear it out, so I think perhaps a box of chocs is in order. Also the basement filled up - when Nikko went down to pick up the wall tiles he slipped on some plastic, fell over and got completely soaked! This gave us a good excuse to light the fire, to dry off - a great success, with no smoke! James cleared a channel out of the storeroom and by the next day all of the water had drained away. There was also a drip above the chimney breast and through the extractor fan, as the wind was really strong. However, by the weekend, the sun was shining again and it was very warm for the time of year (over 17°C). James has put up all of the light shades and Nikko has sealed the leaks, finished the kitchen tiles and fitted the external grey, marble window ledges. One morning I went out on to my verandah and couldn't believe my eyes, as the window shutters had been fitted at the front of Hill House. By the time I got there Nikko has also arrived and we found the back shutters and 2 of the internal doors already in place. The carpenters were just fitting the final door and earning them another trip to the local tavern to say thank you. The front door will be delivered at the weekend. First the wood has to be treated and then painted (white internally and soft grey-blue on the outside). The kitchen door handles have been screwed on and the glass cupboard door fitted. Door handles have also been fitted to the internal doors - did I get a choice? No Are they OK? Yes - so another job well done. I invited the neighbour, Maria, in to have a look at the work in progress. She arrived with a plastic bottle of homemade wine and a plate of hot spinach pies which were very welcome. She, in turn, was very impressed with the renovations so far. Gill and I are off to Aliveri for more cash to pay for the kitchen appliances, which will hopefully be delivered next week. We will also have to look for a metal curtain pole and a wall light for the double bedroom. Could we finish even earlier than hoped?

12 February 2011

"Summer Breeze", recorded by the Isley Brothers has always been a long-time favourite song of mine but I never thought it would help me choose the colour of the external paint for Hill House. A couple of evenings ago Nikko came bursting through my gate waving a colour chart. We held it up against my stone walls and tried to make a decision but the light was fading and he had 4 of his lads waiting in the car. I rushed out clutching 2 sweaters, of the blue-ish shades I wanted and asked the 4 builders which colour I should pick. They obviously thought I was completely losing it - so I promised to make a decision in the morning. Looking at the chart later, I was trying to make out the names of the colours. I rang Karin an architect and asked what "R aff" meant - 'Royal Airforce'. I should have known this as my father was in the RAF. Airforce Blue was too dark for the shutters. The next morning, in daylight, I chose another couple of shades, one of which had a name which I couldn't quite work out, then I realised it was 'Avra' - but still I couldn't remember what it meant in English. My friend Lizzy came to the rescue with the translation; avra means 'breeze' - very fitting for Hill House and a perfect blue for the front door and shutters.

16 February 2011

One step forward, two steps back seems to be the theme recently. After the storms, we've had brilliant sunshine again, but the garden now looks like a jungle and so many trucks have been up and down that one section is just slippery mud tracks. When the kitchen cabinet makers arrived to fit the glass door, Theo took one look at the wall tiles around the electric sockets, under 'his' cupboards and exclaimed an 'M' word in Greek (and it wasn't 'Marvellous'). As the outer plastic rims had been fitted around the sockets before the tiles went on it was a rather untidy grouting finish, so the offending sockets and tiles have been taken off and re-done - much better.

Another hiccup, the extractor fan did not fit into the allotted space so Theo and Mike needed to shave 2cm off the trim at the edge of 2 kitchen cupboards. They liaised with Theo and he let himself in and fitted everything without me having to phone him - once again, the village grapevine was working well! The chimney breast has also been re-painted, the same colour as the walls, as the white stood out too much. The internal doors, however, have been painted white and they look great, although they are currently off their hinges, while the door frames are finished and painted. When Kledi was painting one of the doors, outside in the sunshine, it was so hot the midges were out - so guess where they've all got stuck. Also the fitting of the door frames has meant chipping at the walls, so the floors are once again covered in rubble and dust.

The front doors and shutters have also been painted 'Breeze Blue' and everyone loves the effect with the stone walls, but now of course I've got blue spots on the hall floor as well as white ones from the internal doors. No point in worrying until we do the final clean.

17 February 2011: The Final Instalment!

Three months from the day we started renovating, 'Hill House' is ready to show prospective buyers! Earlier this week, once the paint on the front door was completely dry, Sid & Carol came over on the ferry with their large, white van, bringing 'treasures' for Barbara & Roger, Lizzy & Paul and myself. Gill and I had a wonderful time 'playing house', once everyone else had done the hard work of lugging the furniture in. Once again we went to the local tavern to 'refresh' ourselves and Nikko picked up the wine bill, as he'd just been paid for another job. It was a long, late lunch and it was nearly dark when we got in, but it was also a farewell to Gill for 7 months, as she's off to the mainland, then Cyprus, then Lindos in Rhodes, where she is going to manage the Spa in a 5 star hotel. The next day everything was done in slow motion, except for Tina who was 'spring cleaning' Hill House with gusto (I was fiddling about with fancy bits like curtains). Nikko picked me up and we went to Styra for yet another cash withdrawal, but we also had to get away from everyone else to go through the final costings and wages bill. It wasn't as bad as I'd feared, so the house renovation will come in on budget, as well as faster than planned. I haven't been able to finish the terrace as part of the renovation, but it will give the buyer the opportunity to do it to their own taste. Yesterday evening the metal beds, sofa and chairs were delivered in rather a large truck. There were some hairy moments turning it around in the lane, but the owner and his son were very impressed when they finally carried the furniture in. They put up the beds for me, admired the stonework & fitted kitchen and asked lots of questions re' prices etc, before agreeing that it was a great spot and a very good selling price. That's what I like to hear. I was determined to do up the house and be able to sell it at just under 100,000 euros.

This morning I went into Aliveri with Tina and James (yes, another trip to the bank) and I popped into one of the supermarkets where a cream, woven throw caught my eye - perfect for the sofa. Whilst I was waiting at the bus station for the bus I heard 3 locals discussing a house that Under The Sun had sold and Hill House. They were avid for details and not at all embarrassed that I'd heard them. By the time I for back to Zarka, Tina & James had nearly finished cleaning up the terrace, trimming the vines and having a bonfire. James had brought his drill and put up my final pictures and mirrors for me. He told me that as they arrived a young man in blue overalls was just leaving - that would be Costaki, the junior electrician and yes, the globe light shade had been fitted in the bathroom, to hide some unsightly wires. The cooker is still not connected, but there was another bottle of homemade wine on my gatepost - rather a hint that the final payment is due!

I fell completely wiped out, but I'm sure a visit to the local tavern tonight will restore my spirits. Sue & Martin, from the UK office, arrive today and I can't wait to show them the finished project. Obviously we've got the final snagging list still to do and let's not forget the final get together in the local tavern. I couldn't have done it without Nikko and his team. Congratulations and a big Thank You to everyone involved! Now I just have to sell Hill House. But, hey team, now we've done it once, we can do it again. Watch the website!