Renovation with Google Translate as the only link

In connection with the roof being replaced, an old crack in the facade was to be repaired. After that, it was necessary to plaster the repair, so we took the opportunity to have them plaster the entire facade towards the garden. We have had different ideas and absolutely do not want it to be too good.

It must be lime plaster and above all – it must not be perfect.

However, lime plaster is completely self-evident for Fabio and Marco.

In our WhatsApp chat he suddenly wrote "Quello è quello che è rimasto da fare" with pictures of the corner where we absolutely do not want it plastered. Quickly using Google Translate, I write "Non si dovrebbe fare niente lì". "Come vuoi te," he replies immediately. Great. Now this must dry and then be painted with chalk paint. When we come down on Monday, we'll see that it's the right shade before they start painting.

Having contact with the builders via WhatsApp works well. They write and send pictures and we copy the text, paste into Google Translate, write answers, copy and paste into WhatsApp. Sometimes it gets difficult with technical terms - Google Translate doesn't always know what you mean. Fortunately, we have a very good relationship with Fabio and his gang, despite the language barrier, and he likes us. They are skilled craftsmen who have done similar work in the area.

Today, the furniture and furnishings in the house have also been cleaned. Mauro Saluzzo has helped us with two guys who take everything we sorted out to drive to the tip. Tip cost free but we pay the guys for the work. They took old toilet seats, bidets, sinks, clothes, shoes, cupboards, rubbish...

But then a day goes by and in the morning the following pictures appear in our chat. We quickly note that it is plastered in the place where we explicitly, or well, wrote "Non si dovrebbe fare niente lì". We blame Google Translate and think, wow - that was probably just as well. It holds the whole house together and the only place where we have visible stones is in the arcade and the room under the terrace and Armando's. All iron fittings in the facade must be cleaned and painted black.

Fun with the skylight in the doorway. Completely crooked. Kind of charming but... how are we going to solve it?

It feels good to go down on Monday and see for myself. Sad that Catharina can't come along...