Nearly 3 months after our construction was supposed to be "contractually" completed, we are reminded of the mantra "It takes as long as it takes."
04 July 2022
Photo: The new air conditioning/heating system in the ceiling of the Foyer/Great Room area.
About a month ago, my mom asked me if I had recently watched the rather-corny, millenium-era Diane Lane film "Under the Tuscan Sun." I honestly had not (and don't get me wrong, I do like a corny American-turned-European themed film as much as any). She put the thought in my head, so of course, the next night, I was re-watching the flick for the first time since it premiered. My mom had a reason for asking me about this movie whereby an American divorcee buys a crumbling farmhouse in Tuscany. All of it felt so very familiar: the legal documents being tossed to another day, expressed as "normale!" The rock walls caving in under the contractors. The building systems of the home continually failing. The contractors on such a very different pace. And yet, she became entranced with her spectacular surroundings, and integrated herself into the Italian campagna lifestyle.
Not that we are quite on the pace of Diane Lane just yet, but we are certainly feeling the stress of a renovation going on much longer than projected - month, after month, after month.
I went to Portugal in early June to check up on things. I hadn't seen an image or received a real status report since my last visit 5 weeks prior. So, when I first pulled up to the house, I was quite dismayed. I could see from afar that the exterior of the house hadn't changed since I last saw it: all the windows and doors still desperately needing a carpenter to repair and replace the rotting frames. Even as I quickly paced the first floor, the house still very much resembled the demolition site I had been seeing for months.
Photo: The house exterior upon approach in early June--largely untouched in 5 week's time.
But, on my second pass, I took a slower, more contemplative look at the house: All those channels being hand-drilled into the masonry partition walls were nearly complete. And, to my surprise, all the wiring was in those channels! And in the bathrooms and kitchens, those channels had hot and cold water pipes! There were sewer lines underneath the floors! And, in the ceilings, the central air conditioning/heating system units had been installed! Hallelujah!
Photos: Guest Bathroom plumbing; Under floor sewer connections; Wiring channels; connections for the Guest Bathroom toilet and shower; wiring conduit in the Bedroom; Kitchen plumbing.
It took me another day to process what I had seen: a fairly significant leap in the project's status. All of the systems were well on their way to being installed. And those are the things that take time. Finishing work was nearly ready to begin.
Indeed, boxes of pretty Portuguese tiles were already piled in the basement. Faucets and fixtures were also starting to appear in the store areas. And this week, the architect and I discussed tile patterning, and the layouts began, along with the plaster work!
More reason for hope was the long-delayed submission of swimming pool drawings for zoning approval. The architect brought forth the (rather brilliant) idea of incorporating the espigueiro (stone corn silo, or Greek temple as I think of it) into the pool. I think this will be a spectacular moment on the property!
Photos: Sketches of the swimming pool, attached to the Espigueiro; a photo of the Espigueiro in winter
Now, I won't get too ahead of myself. I was at the house for three (week)days, only one of which I saw workers actually executing work. And that was the day I met with the architect and project manager. When I was told the house interior would be complete by mid-July, I thought of another mantra: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!" I must be letting Diane Lane's more European mode rub off on me a bit. Or at least, I am coming to expect the way of life around here. And learning to slow down my very-American expectations.
Photos: Portuguese tiles for the Master shower; tile layout for the Kitchen; tiles for the upstairs verandah; air conditioning unit attached to the roof; cleaned-up exterior stairway; Great Room with a supporting column where the partition wall was once located.
Comments