Restoring a farmhouse in Italy

Restoring a property in the centre of rural Italy can be huge fun - and it's certainly something we have enjoyed immensely. But if you decide to take on a project like this, never kid yourselves that it will be easy!

We were very lucky, because by the time we came to renovate this house - La Villetta - we were already living in Italy - less than a kilometre away. This meant that we were available to be on site every single day, and we were able to make all the quick decisions that seem to be essential, no matter how rigorous the planning phase.

There is really no comparison between this type of restoration and the renovation of a tired but habitable semi detached house in suburbia. For a start, it is very likely that the downstairs of the house has never been inhabited - by humans, at least! Almost without exception you will find that the downstairs rooms of these types of properties were used as stalls for animals, with the family living upstairs - hence the outside staircases which are so common on this type of building. And so the rooms may not interconnect with each other (each stall having its own external door) and there is every possibility that supporting walls will not be where you want them to be.


And then, there is the issue of the very strict Italian planning laws. Personally, I believe these laws are on the whole entirely sound. Properties have to be restored to look almost identical to the way they were originally. There is rarely an opportunity to put in anything inappropriate like a sliding patio door - which would look slightly ridiculous here. But this means that you may have windows of odd shapes and sizes and rooms that don't conform to your ideals. But what you end up with is a unique property, full of charm and quirkiness - if, and only if, you find the right builder.

There are many things to consider, and over the next few weeks this blog is going to focus on some of the issues relating to restoring a property in Italy - from an overview of the costs and legal aspects to how to choose your builder. But one thing which you must bear in mind is the language barrier - something that many people underestimate. Either you must speak pretty fluent Italian (including builders' vocabulary - which will often include speaking in local dialect) or you need a project manager who can speak both languages. You may think you will be able to get by - but any 'mistakes' made by the builder will inevitably be attributed to your lack of understanding of what he told you in the first place!


But getting the language right is just the start of it. For me, restoring property is a passion, and I love it. So this blog doesn't attempt to put anybody off - but just outlines some of the cold hard facts that have to be considered.

The next blog will cover some of the legal and financial aspects, followed by suggestions for what to look for in a builder - but as La Villetta is now for sale,  see more images by visiting the site - Property for sale, Le Marche, Italy.