Four hundred days for two hands

I haven't been posting much lately but my fingers, instead of typing on the keyboard... they really had a lot of jobs done! I just realized that... Now follows a sequence of photos taken in about 400 days since we moved in here in Italy at the RawJah house and all demolition job was done by two hands (by the way if you like you can check out my video on how to count till 400 with 2 hands here). Few comments, pictures talk.

This is the beginning steps of the first stage of the interior renovation works in the old wing of a century+ year old building, along an ancient canal. It's been quite a discover journey so far, in the techniques and troubles of the old timers.

Ground floor door opening

Transforming a window into a door to the terrace

Both of the previous wall openings... were there from before! They had been closed with a brick wall and rendered with plaster and wall paint. When I realized this, it was quite a blast of connection and "understanding" with this building.

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The following (brick) wall was resting on top of the wooden decks of the first floor. It all needs to be straightened. It's just the beginning stages of a very articulated work plan.

Tearing down an inner wall _part 1)

Tearing down an inner wall _part 2)

Tearing down an inner wall _part 3)

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Underneath that wooden floor, the ceiling was made out of the traditional old style heavy layer of thickly plastered reeds called locally "grisiola". The reeds are bound straight as they are tightened to a metal wire nailed to the wooden posts.

Ceiling demolition ("grisiola")

Wooden posts still covered with dangling reeds

Debris. Estimate of total 1 ton of material

Posts cleared from the reeds

Pulling out rusty nails

Kilos of nails

This is the first step of cleaning the posts, pulling the nails out and undoing the wooden deck of the upper floor to straighten it all up. It's going to need also insulation, new electric wiring, new heating system and much more. Stay tuned and you'll see as it develops.