I have always loved construction. Thank you so much for this series. I'm fascinated by the differences in construction - and attitudes. You are doing a fabulous job of getting your home built the way you want it to be. Kudos.
Wow!!! Huge progress. I appreciate the update, all the details, and all the photos.
2 questions: 1. Is the floor heat radiant heat with water lines heated by solar? Or? 2. How high is the living room ceiling. It looks like it could be 12 feet?! And the other rooms?
Yes the underfloor heating is by means of solar heated water. We hope to be about 80% independent for all electric services. The livingroom is 4 meters, most of the rest of the house is 3 meters
We have hydro radiant heat floors and love it. I wish we were on solar but we aren’t. What I love most about radiant heat is the silence! I detest forced air heating (noise/blowing) which is pretty much all there is here in the SF bay area. I much prefer the hearing systems I’ve experienced in Europe.
I had to look up meters to feet. Wow. Those high ceilings are going to be marvelous to live with. Such a feeling of spaciousness. How many square meters is your home? .
About 170 square meters (multiply by 1.1 for square feet) which I believe includes the downstairs courtyard. In addition the rooftop terrace is nearly 100 sweared meters.
Nancy, it looks fabulous indeed. Can't wait to see it when it is finished. A couple of questions:
1) Will the drop down ceiling make the living room and kitchen the same height? Will they also add insulation above that drywall for heat/cold and perhaps sound from the rooftop terrace?
2) I thought the front doors had to be all wood (Pombaline style) with no glass? Kind of like the fake "Pombaline Roof" from the street level view.
There is not insulation above the drop ceiling, instead it is put on the roof. If you look carefully at the photo you will see that the living room is 4 meters high and the rest of the house 3 meters high. The front door does have glass...there are also shutters on the inside for privacy.
We enjoyed Italy very much...so when are you visiting. We are heading to Solheim Cup in Spain (about 3 hours from our home)...you could go join this event and then come visit us...hint, hint.
It looks great and I am certain you’re believing the end is in sight! I’m impressed that they will deliver mail. We have a lovely box built into our outer wall, complete with a key for us to retrieve the mail from the inside of the wall...after a couple months of receiving no mail I inquired and discovered that the only way to receive mail in our village is to collect it at the town hall where they maintain a pile and sort through it when I go in once every couple weeks 🤷🏻♀️
How charming! No with approximately 11,000 residents we have a CTT office and home delivery. The mail person has even been kind enough to deliver mail to the workers who alert me to new deliveries when I stop by.
As we near the finish line things have become more hectic and “mistakes” are becoming more troubling. It can be done...but patience (something I am not known for) is required,
Hey Nancy - it’s looking great! We’re going to do a trip up to Porto to check out the shops you recommended. Did you look into auction houses at all - for other items?
No primarily because we were looking for a more modern, Scandi look and thought the auction houses would have the more traditional furniture. There is what we would call a “consignment” shop (sells second hand furniture) in Sintra…a friend furnished their entire apartment there. And for the ultimate “vintage” options, there is a place in Lisbon near the airport…3 floors of fabulous 50s-60s furniture and reproductions.
I have always loved construction. Thank you so much for this series. I'm fascinated by the differences in construction - and attitudes. You are doing a fabulous job of getting your home built the way you want it to be. Kudos.
Looking great! See you next year. You will be moved in, settled, calling it home.
it is looking wonderful...i would be insane from the process and you are handling it like a pro. cannot wait to see the finished home!
It was all worth it and the “ups and downs” of the process will be dinner table talk in your beautiful new abode a long time after 😉
Wow, really great to see the progress!
It looks beautiful!
Looking beautiful!
How exciting! Your dream is becoming reality!
Looks terrific! Fingers crossed for June!
Wow!!! Huge progress. I appreciate the update, all the details, and all the photos.
2 questions: 1. Is the floor heat radiant heat with water lines heated by solar? Or? 2. How high is the living room ceiling. It looks like it could be 12 feet?! And the other rooms?
Yes the underfloor heating is by means of solar heated water. We hope to be about 80% independent for all electric services. The livingroom is 4 meters, most of the rest of the house is 3 meters
We have hydro radiant heat floors and love it. I wish we were on solar but we aren’t. What I love most about radiant heat is the silence! I detest forced air heating (noise/blowing) which is pretty much all there is here in the SF bay area. I much prefer the hearing systems I’ve experienced in Europe.
I had to look up meters to feet. Wow. Those high ceilings are going to be marvelous to live with. Such a feeling of spaciousness. How many square meters is your home? .
About 170 square meters (multiply by 1.1 for square feet) which I believe includes the downstairs courtyard. In addition the rooftop terrace is nearly 100 sweared meters.
Hmmm....are you missing a zero? It looks like it’s 1830 square feet. Nice!
woo hoo. so exciting! cant wait to see it in june. Abracos!!
Can’t wait to see you both in June!
Nancy, it looks fabulous indeed. Can't wait to see it when it is finished. A couple of questions:
1) Will the drop down ceiling make the living room and kitchen the same height? Will they also add insulation above that drywall for heat/cold and perhaps sound from the rooftop terrace?
2) I thought the front doors had to be all wood (Pombaline style) with no glass? Kind of like the fake "Pombaline Roof" from the street level view.
There is not insulation above the drop ceiling, instead it is put on the roof. If you look carefully at the photo you will see that the living room is 4 meters high and the rest of the house 3 meters high. The front door does have glass...there are also shutters on the inside for privacy.
Wow. Your home is looking great. How was your trip to Italy?
We enjoyed Italy very much...so when are you visiting. We are heading to Solheim Cup in Spain (about 3 hours from our home)...you could go join this event and then come visit us...hint, hint.
Are you going with a group to the Solheim Cup?
No just on our own...meeting another couple from our club there on Friday
It looks great and I am certain you’re believing the end is in sight! I’m impressed that they will deliver mail. We have a lovely box built into our outer wall, complete with a key for us to retrieve the mail from the inside of the wall...after a couple months of receiving no mail I inquired and discovered that the only way to receive mail in our village is to collect it at the town hall where they maintain a pile and sort through it when I go in once every couple weeks 🤷🏻♀️
How charming! No with approximately 11,000 residents we have a CTT office and home delivery. The mail person has even been kind enough to deliver mail to the workers who alert me to new deliveries when I stop by.
Your place is looking great! Thx for the updates. Makes me think we can do this thing too with our Tavira remodel!
As we near the finish line things have become more hectic and “mistakes” are becoming more troubling. It can be done...but patience (something I am not known for) is required,
Hey Nancy - it’s looking great! We’re going to do a trip up to Porto to check out the shops you recommended. Did you look into auction houses at all - for other items?
No primarily because we were looking for a more modern, Scandi look and thought the auction houses would have the more traditional furniture. There is what we would call a “consignment” shop (sells second hand furniture) in Sintra…a friend furnished their entire apartment there. And for the ultimate “vintage” options, there is a place in Lisbon near the airport…3 floors of fabulous 50s-60s furniture and reproductions.