a week of progress
view from the studio space finished last week
In the last week the work has continued moving forward. Since the concrete pour for the final roof section was finished last week, the curing period was complete and the supports removed. Then the walls for the main bedroom all went up. These were the final exterior walls to be finished so the house is now practically the shape that it will be from now on.
This room is the most complicated room in the house, as it has multiple levels within it, and 2 loft areas. These will be done after the roof layers of waterproofing and insulation have been completed, and finally this area will start to come together in person and solidify more in my mind! Before the exterior walls were done with the window openings and door locations, I meticulously went over the space centimeter by centimeter, especially with the final layout of the bathroom. I’ve decided to have a built-in tub and walk-in shower made with the same plaster that will be on the floors and walls. This did allow for some flexibility in the size of both. We visited a couple of bathroom showrooms so I mainly could get an idea of tub sizes, plus then I sat in the tubs here at the house several times to measure the space around me. I’m not a fan of long tubs because I just tend to slip down too much if I can’t prop my feet against one end.
inspiration board for the master bathroom
So I’m going more for a mix of the Japanese soaking tub (not too long, but deeper), and the old-fashioned short English slipper tubs. Plus since I will probably be the only one really using this, I measured it to my height and angled it to the corner windows that will be on 2 wall sides of this tub looking out over the hillsides.
There have also been two meetings to finalize the impianto idraulico / electrico (plumbing and electricity). After listening to the pros and cons of various systems of water heaters, under floor heating options, solar panels (with or without a battery), a/c vs underfloor cooling, how much electricity is estimated that a house this size will need, I made the final decisions, mostly based on eco-friendly choices and the long-term savings. I also looked at options for the wall plugs and light switches which I’ve been very picky about from the beginning. Initially I’d said that I didn’t want anything plastic in the house, but although I’d found a few options for nice metal switches, none seem to have the capability for the options I wanted (multiple dimmers and switches in a small space, option to upgrade to a smart system in the future, and dimmer buttons instead of knobs). Also another important thing I’ve kept in mind with the design is to have as many elements come from Italy. So I decided on an Italian company with very streamlined discrete plates that are modern, have no curved edges (which for some reason I don’t like), and overall I’m happy with. It seems funny to be so excited about this decision, but I realized that it’s the first thing I have chosen and seen in person that will actually be on the final layer of this house - one of the things that you’ll actually see on the surface. And up to this point it’s all been things that are hidden.
They will be able to begin the underfloor heating work before the end of the month, and so I’m getting on with the other vendors that will need to start overlapping during this progress. One of those is the company who will be doing the final concrete floors. This has been a point of contention since the beginning - not about the aesthetics of the choice, but of the actual material and technique that will be used. No one seems to have a clear idea of how to do this, and who is able to tackle it. I didn’t know that saying I wanted polished concrete would be difficult - in fact I thought it was the easiest of choices, since it just meant finishing the floor that will already be there and skipping the step of adding another material. Even though it was my first choice design-wise it also seemed to be the most cost-effective as well. However, here this isn’t such a popular choice of domestic flooring in this area. “Yes you see it in warehouses and industrial buildings…but not houses” but I’ve said that I’ll take whatever they’re using in the warehouses! I’ve also said that I’m not married to the idea of polished concrete, but just the look of that effect.
So since industrial concrete pours are quite thick and this can affect the underfloor heating, they said “no I don’t think you want this”. But I’m only speaking of the overall look and will leave the technical specifications to the pros. Plus I know that concrete at some point will be on the floor already and I’d rather just use that. “Well, resin is an option - but it’s very expensive.” So then let’s find someone with the machine to polish and seal the existing floor instead. Then with talking with the company doing the underfloor heating, I asked if they are quoting also for the concrete pour on top of the pipes. They said they are, so I mentioned why not use a “massetto” (skreed) self-leveling concrete that’s already smoother, and then find a way to seal that and kill two birds with one stone.
This seemed to pique the interest of a few builders and although they keep harping on the possible cracks, etc. they just suggested I keep looking for a company who might deal with this. A friend in the area has these floors in her house but that company no longer does this. I’ve read so much information about how this is possible with a special “overlay” skreed self-leveling concrete (not the same as the underlay which is meant to have flooring put on top of it). I can only find info on this from US companies, and there seems to not be an equivalent distinction between the overlay and underlay here in Italy. But, we did find 2 companies who do resin, and I’m hoping they also might be able to handle this less-expensive technique as well. They are both coming to see the site this coming week. So I’m keeping my dita crossed.