Badger's activity

Simplest thing is to get a couple of AIR to Air heaters installed. Make sure they are inverter type models as they are the best for COP, plus they will also cool if needed in the summer. Cost for 2 should be about 2K Euro.

Hi olivewood.Yes, I am still around. Give me some info into what you are looking to do. House size, rads or underfloor etc.

Try this site. Have put a link for the transport details, but you could always email them if you can't find what you want, as they are very helpfull.Look under Cani and then Trasportini e gabbie per caniwww.zooplus.it.

Please keep us updated.

Katie.Are the other houses you are linked to badly damaged?Please do not think on the negative side, as you will just keep worrying and it may be for no reason. The person you spoke to may just be jealous.Stay calm, have a glass of wine and hopefully tomorrow you will get some helpfull answers.

Hi Katie.Do you have a certificate stating the category of the damage to your house? If it is a low category, then I would not think you would have to move out for minor repairs.Here in Marche, ours was classed as a E-F, which meant we could not live in it, but we did have a temporary house delivered.If you only have some minor cracks or similar, then please do not worry too much, as sure they will not knock the house down and rebuild it. Many of the lightly damaged houses here are being repaired without people having to move out.Hope you get some clarification with the commune tomorrow.

Clombardelli.Some answers, may be better by a PM system, which is not available here. I would invite you to come over and see what is going on with the building here, but am not going to post open  address details on this site.You can contact me via the italy dot forumotion dot com site. I am under the name of geotherm on there. 

No problem about the questions.Our Geometre put in the initial plans for the siesmic improvements and approximate cost for the foundation works. When the geologists tested the soil depth they decided that it was far too complicated to strengthen the foundation with just concrete and stainless steel poles etc. We did have this costed in and a very long report regarding these facts. Costings for both the initial idea and the resin would be very similar from what I understand.The resin injection company, used the initial report on the situation and have given another detailed report, which actually includes injecting the resin all around the house and in the cantina areas which are only used for storage etc.. The rein injection does come with a guarantee and we have a 10 page report on what needs to be done.The roof on the house was completely renovated to seismic standards and there are no actual ceilings as we go to the roofline. This is why they are using the beams instead of trying to use steel bars.The floor that we live on was also virtually fully remade and reinforced as it has underfloor heating. I believe there is some talk of putting other internal walls inside the existing cantina area, plus using the new beams there as strengthening points as well. All very complicated!!!Crane is supposed to arrive tomorrow, as they did not want to destroy the ground around  the house with lorries while they take the badly damaged wall down to rebuild.If you have any other questions, there is no problem if I can answer them. 

Hi ClombardelliThings are moving forward very fast at the moment. Part of the interior has already been repaired, with the interior less damaged walls having seismic improvements, e.g seismic cement and strapping underneath.We do currently have some reinforcing added. There are a couple of bars visible externally due to it being a external part of the house, but they have tried where possible to hide strengthening plates inside the walls. We do have one metal bar across the main sitting room wall from back to front, but this will be fairly well disguised once the repaint is completed.They have used the main beams of the house to act for strength, so we have numerous U shaped steel brackets inside, with the star type external units.The geologist who came to check for the rock depth found that it was at 15 mtrs, so putting in concrete to reinforce would have been very difficult. Our geometre has found another company that will inject a resin into the clay at about 4m depth to harden it, therefore making a type of foundation. Cost is circa 30k, and at the moment just waiting to see if the insurance will authorise.Tomorrow, from what I understand, the most badly damaged walls will be coming down to be rebuilt and then they will look at more work in the cantina area, with internal wall strengthening.The house according to the plate in the wall was built circa 1759, so would not really want to completely knock it down as it would loose a lot of its character and charm. Will it resell, who knows, but at the moment with 2 dogs, we have not thought about it. To be honest if not for the dogs we would have gone to live in the Far East while things were sorted here.

I believe ours is also classed a category E as it is not classed as habitable. One corner of the house is badly damaged and has had to be strapped up to stop any more stone falling out, chimneys had to be taken down as well. Many more cracks on the outside and inside.Our insurance before was just under £400, but the renewal was just over £1000 for the building only.Because the insurance company are paying for the agreed repair cost, our geometre has already put the plans in to the commune and province, so that work can start next week.As fa as  am aware, there is authorisation for minor repairs from the Gov, but major ones are going to take quite some time.Sorry your quote was so high, but I think this will be the case after this tragic event.