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MAY 2005 : The roof renovation was successfully completed, and, in order to take advantage of the presence of the scaffoldings, I also installed copper rain pipes, which were not originally planned.

As it can be seen in the photo herebelow, we took care to save as many as possible of the old hand-made roof tiles covered with musk, and the new ones replacing the broken ones were placed on the east side of the roof or on top of the tower, where they are not so visibel as in the southern side.

3 new hand-made brick chimneys matching the old style of the building were added .

January 2005

I just started a complete renovation of the roof, to avoid the risk that a heavy storm damages it or makes it fall down.

If this was to happen, all the old tiles would be lost and I would be forced to put new ones, which definitely would miss the beautiful time patina. Also the house would be exposed to rainfalls for a certain period, thus weakening the floors and walls.

The job will be as follows:

1. carefully dismantle completely the present roof

2. replace all beams and rafters with new ones in hard solid chessnut wood.

3. put back the ceiling tiles

4. cover them with a 4 cm-thick cement layer

5. cover the cement with a thermic insulation layer

6. put-back carefully all old roof tiles, and add some new ones --hand-made as the old- to replace the defective ones

7. build all-along the connection between the walls and the roof a re-inforced concrete trunk, in order to follow the modern  anti-earthquake directives.

 

In April I will execute the diversion of the internal small road to the edge of the property

we can see the brand new wood work and the

re-inforced concrete trunk running all around

the connection point between walls and roof  

brand new chessnut woodwork

the family room on the 1st Floor. 

We can see a corner of the large fireplace