If your roof needs repairing, there is still a great opportunity to install photovoltaic panels and make money! In fact Italy is the country where photovoltaic is still extremely convenient, due to the government financial incentives that pay €0,274 for each kw produced (for systems with power between 1-3 kw). And this is for 20 [...]
After a mild and very dry autumn and first part of winter, February started with a lot of snow in central Italy and especially here in Umbria. What is surprising is certainly the amount of snow, even at lower altitude, but also the persistency of this cold spell, which has been going on . In [...]
Now the restoration of this umbrian farmhouse is well under way, with the help of a surprisingly dry and sunny autumn. After the consolidation of the wall’s foundations, we are now rebuilding the first floor ceiling, partly in timber (main beams and planks in chestnut) and partly using the traditional ‘pianelle’ (terracotta thin brick) in [...]
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Since the previous post, when everything seemed to go backwards, with plenty of demolition and excavation work, we have now started to actually build something. The new extension – east wing – that will accomodate the new living room on the ground floor and the master bedroom on the first floor, is now under way. Due [...]
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A renovated farmhouse in Umbria or Tuscany is not complete without….a swimming pool! Whatever the size, location, style and….yes, budget, there is no better way to enjoy the umbrian summer than taking a refreshing dip in your own pool, or relax with a drink while your feet are dangling in the cool water. The pool [...]
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When starting a restoration project the first few days on site are rather puzzling: there is more demolition work than reconstruction and the house looks as if it is about to disappear bit by bit…But obviously there are weak, old walls and floors that cannot be salvaged and, in the light of new seismic regulations, [...]
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Remember the wooden house in Umbria? It is nearly completed now and I wanted to show you something that will not be seen again because it is buried under 5 cm of concrete screed. Instead of using the traditional (and inefficient) radiators, together with the client we decided to go for underfloor heating and therefore [...]
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From a small loft in Umbria to the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world!) in Dubai…everything is architecture! The contrast between the desert and the tall glass buildings is certainly striking, as well as the other many incongruous aspects of this amazing city, full of people from all over the world, living and [...]
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When restoring an old farmhouse or a barn in Umbria, one of the main concerns is how to make it light, given that most of these buildings have small windows and often dark interiors, with terracotta tiles on the floor and dark wooden beams and pianelle on the ceiling. The brief for the restoration of [...]
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Although Italy is often described as a sunny country, and it is, compared with most other European countries, our winters can be very cold…and quite long! Most house owners in Umbria and Tuscany have discovered this fact through huge gas bills, in their endeavour to try and keep their houses warm, especially those in the [...]
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Tuscany | Umbria Architect
Hi, I'm Marco Carlini an Architect based in Umbertide, Umbria. I specialize in the restoration & refurbishment of old farmhouses and villas in Umbria & Tuscany.
