We got through the first week of work, without too many headaches, and with some tangible results to boot. Can this be an omen of things to come? Did I just jinx it and it's downhill from here???? Only time will tell, so stay tuned...
The worker(s), was able to remove most of the crumbling plaster from the stone walls, and much to our relief, it appears that they are in fairly good condition. However as was pointed out by the contractor, they are more mud than stone :-(, but appear to be sturdy nonetheless. They will be reinforced with a steel mesh, and a concrete "crown" that will tie the walls together for added safety and quake proofing. Although the fact that they have been standing for the last 200+ years should be proof enough of their stability.
We also had our first encounters with public utilities these last 10 days. Namely the electric, water, and telephone companies. I have to confess my amazement on how smoothly (and gasp, even timely) things have gone. Especially if you consider that there is no street address to give them in order to locate the house. So we were able to get power hooked up, a new water meter installed and relocated, and the phone lines moved to prepare for the demolition of the first floor structure.
So now it is time to bring in some more serious machinery, in order to demolish the room on the first floor, as well as the ceiling of the guest room and bathroom. Hopefully without bringing down the other structures. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
* Just a quick note to avoid confusion: In Europe the ground floor is the ground floor, and NOT the first floor, as it is usually referred to in the States. The first floor refers to the first floor you reach as you go up the stairs, and NOT the second floor that the Americans know. I am sure this cleared things up!
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