Stone Mason

Hi everyone, this is my first post. It's nice to read all of your friendly and helpful post.
I plan on buying a ruin or a restoration home in Abruzzo. I'm aware of the strict planning of the council. Does anyone know or can you maybe ask if the home can be reconstructed using a 2 by 6 framing method on concrete foundation, running electrical and plumbing through the studs, having an r-19 insulated wall, and using the reclaimed stone on the exterior. This way the home would have a high r value, be earthquake steady, and have its original appearance.

I would be doing 90% of the work myself as I'm a contractor and stone mason.

Thanks to all that reply.

Mathew

Stone Mason

Also.. Do any of you have a blog or link on your progress and journey? I did see a thread on cost per m2 to rebuild. Any info would be great. . .

modicasa

Building in wood is not common in Italy, mainly because of the very high price of timber. Its cheaper for me in Sicily to have something made in wrought iron than wood.....
Having said that, there is no reason why not - other than the preacariata of a timber building. Italians see wood as being temporary. Obviously since the Aquila earthquake the rules have changed alot, above all for foundations and your concrete foundations will have to be deeper than before. Forget about doing all the work yourself. You must, by law use professionals ie geologist, geometra and so on for the permissions. FOr the house they can insist that you use qualified and registered builders, electricians and so on or you wont get the certficiation necessary for 'abitabilità' and so on unless you know people ...

Not the most positive response I know, but good luck!

Caprihana

The one thing I would suggest is to find an area that you like and then visit the local Comune as each one has different 'rules', especially in Abruzzo.

Speak to the Sindico and ask what you would be allowed to do and what you won't, it saves a lot of heartache, and you may be suprised. You will need a Geometra, not that they are any use, just an additional expense. There are people in the area that have built wooden houses, and after the terramoto I don't blame them.

You've nothing to loose by asking questions, only if you buy somewhere and they say no

Good Luck.

Stone Mason

Thank you both. Great post.

So..Is it most common to restore the stone walls by repair where needed, or do builders do a full demolition and rebuild the walls? As for seismic upgrading these walls, what is the method? Is it X tension rod system?

linseed oil

how long is a piece of string there is no black and white in abruzzo as others have said you need to talk to the comune and put you case foward not just in one area but lots .near me is a comune that aproves house built of clay and wood casa di tera crudo , i also know of some one whois buildind whith straw bales . and somone building a nomads house cant remember what they are called a bit like a teepe if you need more details send my a pm

modicasa

Usually its a repair, unless you have a friable stone which necessitate a rebuild. For the antiseismic 'cordolo' the requirement vary from place to place, but in the south we have the requirement for a reinforced cement band round the top of the wall - raising the roof by 20 cm or so. In Tuscany they need to 2 or 3 of these I think at various heights, so its all depends where you are.

Ben.Barrett

Hi there just wondering if your still building your house as I live in abruzzo and I'm looking for work. I have construction experience. Let me know if you would like to see my CV. thanks. Ben.

jiminalpago

[QUOTE=Caprihana;9267263]
Speak to the Sindico and ask what you would be allowed to do and what you won't, it saves a lot of heartache, and you may be suprised.
QUOTE]

This is good advice. I would never have thought of doing so in UK but it works in Italy and is socially acceptable, in the sticks, obviously.

homeandgardens

Hi Mathew,
there all sorts of ways to do the project, and what you mention would seem fine if the comune allows you to modify the facades. These days more projects are using timber for conversions and restorations. I am doing just that in the mountains of Bergamo. But as many have written in this thread before me the legal aspects are quite binding, depending on comune and region.

1. You need to submit plans to the comune for any work that involves changing facades and structures. The plans need to be produced and signed by an architect or engineer or a geometra (this last profile can't sign for some types of structures). Unless it's of historical relevance most comuni let you do what you want inside the house, excluding the above mentioned structural parts.

2.After you submit for planning and receive approval the comune will give you a time limit for doing the work, usually 3-4 years, so consider well what you can do and what you can't do within that timeframe.

3. To work on any site (even your own house) you need to be legally registered as a builder and have a Health & Safety framework for yourself and the project. The work you are talking about doesn't seem to be a simple tiling of a bathroom or mending a stone wall. So bare in mind the time and money this might take.
I don't understand why in Italy self build is not allowed. I think it is a terrible thing for personal freedom and for sustainability.

Good luck with your search.
H&G

jiminalpago

[QUOTE=modicasa;9267090] FOr the house they can insist that you use qualified and registered builders, electricians and so on or you wont get the certficiation necessary for 'abitabilità' and so on unless you know people ...
QUOTE]

I am reluctant to quibble about the above, given MODICASA's background, but in this Commune it is common to see the expression "Lavoro in Economia Diretta" in the place of a builder's name on the obligatory notice board at the site. This indicates that the owner is using self/cousins/in-laws to carry out the work; I suspect that a geometra will have done the planning procedure and will do (is required to do) an inspection and sign-off at the end which will allow abitabilità to be given.
As an incomer you might not be given any "rope", particularly near Aquila but it might be worth while to trot out the phrase and see what the reaction is.

modicasa

Quibble away - I think it would be great if you could self build, as long as you take the legal responsibility for the work. Here you could until 2 years ago - now it all must be done by companies, invoices, H&S, letters after your name and so on - but Ive never found out why - I know the law has changed, but not sure how much, so I don't know whether its a planing law, a local law, a fiscal thing or so on - if somebody knows why you can no longer do work yourself it would be great to know

homeandgardens

I think things have changed since the introduction of a new health and safety law that requires a new figure (what in Britain is called CPD coordinator) which is responsible for the H&S of all workers on site, even if they are not working at the same time. As soon as more than one trade or company is involved you need to set up a PSC piano di sicurezza di cantiere, produced by an accredited professional + the worker needs to produce a DURC (Documento Unico di Regolarità Contributiva) a document that states that you are registered for pension and contributions, and have the right to work in construction. Construction workers also need to demonstrate they attended a H&S course, usually organised by the province or the syndicates. My interpretation is that you might be entitled, where permitted by the comune, to work on your own house as 'economia diretta', but if any other trade is involved other than yourself, which usually is the case, you are responsible both as partner and as client for the safety of others. I think that if you cover the Piano di sicurezza and register with a DURC you might have chance to work on your own house. All this is about european law about risks and legislation, which has been badly implemented in Italy, and I am not an expert yet on this matter so please do some research with your comune. I just hope I have not added to the confusion but tried to help understand why self-buid is almost impossible here. H&S madness is conquering the world!
Regards