NEWCOMO

Hi,

I am in need of a good builder/electrician/plumber in the como area.

Anyone knows ? Please let me know. I have been looking for a while and seem to be getting nowhere fast.

Thanks

NEWCOMO

Q. Anyone knows about electricity plugs in an old Italian House? Should I get an electrician to upgrade to a consumer unit etc or does ENEL do this? I seem to have old everything... but it works but is it dangerous??

Isakat

I would change the lot. You probably have the old rigid wires. If the wires are in Bakelite tubes( as ours were), an electrician can pull them out and put the new wires in. If they are 'murati' or simply plastered over, then you need to dig in the walls and put plastic tubes for the new wires for which you will need a builder and it will cost you more.
You will need to change the plugs and possibly the electric box-quadro.

linseed oil

the therry in Italy is if it don't smoke or spark its ok . but get it checked out spec the earth wire if there are any .but don't do as most English do rip it out and renue all the wires . the electrician will love you lots of money for and lots and lots of brick rubble for you and a house you cant live in for a mounth
by the way I love lago di como spent our honey moon there , in the hotel Victoria exelsia at chenobia ,
in our bathroom , 2ft abovethe bath so you could change the bulb or swich it on and of while in the bath . I screemed at my wife don't tuch that wile she was in the bath
how maney people have died in that bath over the years lord knows
sorry above the bath was an old fashioned brass light fitting , the type you press the butten on to swich on and of the light , no cord

JD1963

If you have some basic electrical skills you could do much of it yourself i.e chasing walls and installing flexible conduit for new socket points. If you have MCBs and RCDs at your fuse board then you can save a little more on the cost. You could even swap old for new wiring if you have clear conduit runs.
Earthing and cross bonding doesn't seem to be a big thing here, too much dependance on RCDs.

mikethomo

This use of flexible conduit is a pain, if you have to do any retro rewiring I think if I were to wire my house I would be inclined to use 25mm solid plastic conduit. As said ensure you have an rcd

homeandgardens

Get it done by registered electrician. You can get up to 65% of the cost back if certified, asking for agevolazioni fiscali per ristrutturazioni.
H&G

mikethomo

Never heard of that. We have done two reconstructions over the years all via registered geometer's and local planning permission's, cost a fortune for the electrician I could have done it myself for a tenth of the price including having time off my then job in the UK. same for the plumbing.

homeandgardens

Mike,
actually I've got the numbers wrong. If you do a ristrutturazione, renovation with proper planning permission (like your case), you can get up to 50% (with a limit of 96000 euros per year) of the cost through agevolazioni fiscali. From 2016 the percentage goes down to 36% (with a limit of 48000 euros per year). For ristrutturazioni you can also get IVA at 10% instead of 22% by presenting a letter for reduction to the trade. Till last year you could get back up to 65%, the reason of this incredibly high percentage is to be found in the very high level of tax evasion in the building industry, that only such an incentive would persuade people to declare the cost and transaction.
The best i to look at the site of the agenzia delle entrate (in italian only):
http://www.uil.it/documents/Guida_ri...nnaio+2014.pdf

Regards
H&G

Isakat

All of this is relevant if you pay tax in this country, otherwise it makes no difference as you can not claim anything back.

mikethomo

I thought there would be sting in the tail. I would most likely be to late anyway as the reconstruction was done 7 years ago I think it was signed off 5 years ago. We did pay 10% Iva on the house but 20% ish on the pool if memory serves.

homeandgardens

Isakat and Mike, you are both right. Deductions apply only to those who pay taxes here (a desperate lot I am part of) and pools pay full 22% IVA. . Although I read an article on the newspaper sole 24ore that states the contrary... I've tried to ask the pool company I am working with, but they categorically refuse 10% IVA. Their industry is a powerful lobby and commissioned a special legal study to demonstrate that pools are not subject to reductions. Don't ask me why...
Regards

NEWCOMO

Keep Them coming ! This is all very good advice ! I am in a panic... got Satellite Internet (SKY DSL) to avoid TIM / WIND ETC and need a satellite guy to install it but Italians in a time of crisis don't want to do it... what is wrong unless they seem to get a deal (one guy who was recommended by SKY DSL) wants to sell me another service despite being their partner.... Funny Times !!... Anyone knows of a good satellite installer (either in Como area) or Italia (It is getting desperate!!)...