(45) Sicily Heatwave WRECKS My Garden! DIY Fixes in Italy Begin!

#investmentproperty #offgrid #sicily
Sicily Villa Renovation | Off-Grid Living Sicily | Italy Property Investment | DIY Renovation Sicily | Operation Sicily

🎬 THIS WEEK’S EPISODE
Welcome back to the off-grid villa renovation in Sicily! This week’s DIY renovation episode is packed with hard work, problem-solving and unexpected challenges. I start by setting up my laser level to mark out electrical ducting runs through the lounge and up the tower wall, preparing for future lighting and switches both at the base and top of the tower. Using an angle grinder and SDS hammer drill, I cut and chisel ducting channels into the old villa walls and drill through from the lounge to the tower.

I then tackle the kitchen electrics, marking out ducting for an extractor fan and tidying the workspace before sanding and priming internal doors and door frames.

One of the biggest jobs this week was trying to trace and fix a blocked kitchen drain. After cutting up the hallway floor with my grinder and SDS chisel, I finally locate the kitchen drain and work to clear it using water and a hose. It’s a dusty, exhausting job, but essential before I can move forward with plumbing.

Later, I return from a short trip to the UK and am heartbroken to find that many of my fruit trees have suffered in the extreme Sicilian heat. Some are likely dead, but I do everything I can to save the rest, re-potting, watering, inspecting bark, pruning dead branches and building soil mounds for better water retention. I also refresh the fly traps and mulch all trees using wood chippings from my earlier tree removals.

This episode is all about persistence, whether it's restoring the villa’s systems or saving the orchard I’ve put so much care into.

Want to reach out about the renovation, collaborations, or questions?
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I love hearing from viewers, sponsors, and fellow renovators - let’s connect and share ideas.

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 - 03:07 Laser Level Setup for Tower Lighting
03:07 - 03:52 Drilling Through Wall for Ducting
03:52 - 06:52 Cutting & Chiselling Ducting Channels
06:52 - 07:12 Feeding the Stray Cat
07:12 - 07:49 Kitchen Ducting for Extractor Fan
07:49 - 10:01 Priming Internal Doors for Painting
10:01 - 11:45 Sanding All Interior Door Frames
11:45 - 12:58 Painting Metal Primer on Door Frames
12:58 - 15:49 Chasing the Mystery of the Kitchen Drain
15:49 - 16:07 Attempting to Unblock Drain Pipe
16:07 - 20:06 Confirming Kitchen Drain Route in Floor
20:06 - 24:54 Fruit Trees Suffer After 40°C Heatwave
24:54 - 28:26 Reviving Potted Fruit Trees with Water & Care
28:26 - 29:05 Refilling All Garden Fly Traps
29:05 - 29:46 Clearing Dead Growth from Garden Trees
29:46 - 33:28 Building Soil Mounds Around Fruit Trees
33:28 - 36:46 Laying Mulch to Preserve Moisture

WELCOME TO OPERATION SICILY
Join me as I transform an abandoned villa in rural Sicily into a sustainable off-grid homestead - one stone at a time. No big crews, no endless budgets - just raw DIY work, real financial insights, and a passion for restoring something beautiful.

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DISCLAIMER
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