(30) From UK to Sicily: The Brutal Reality of Off-Grid Living

#renovationproject #expatlife #restoration
Sicily villa renovation | Italy property investment | Off-grid living Sicily | Sicilian real estate | Abandoned property restoration | Sustainable living Italy | DIY renovation Sicily

Another epic week of hard graft, big wins, and real progress in my Sicily villa renovation journey! From major demolition to digging trenches for off-grid power, this episode dives deep into what it really takes to restore an abandoned property in rural Italy. If you’re into DIY renovation Sicily, Italy property investment, or dreaming about building your own off-grid homestead, you’re in the right place!

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This week starts with picking up Lewis from Palermo Airport and heading straight to Leroy Merlin for supplies. As soon as we're back at the villa, it's straight into the action. I wheel out the generator to the rear garden terrace and fire it up ready for the day’s work. 💥🔌

I take on the nuclear-grade metal bathtub in the bathroom — concreated in from all sides with stone, cement, and buried waste fittings! It took the angle grinder and some serious persistence, but the bath was removed and later repurposed as a rainwater overflow tank to support my off-grid water system. 💪💧

Inside, Lewis begins stripping the wall tiles and later tackles loose and cracked ceiling plaster, caused by long-term rusting of steel rebar. I continue installing air conditioning back boxes, securing them with concrete and foam where needed. We also chase in ducting ready for future installations. 🧱

Outside, the digger guy arrives to tackle huge tree stumps by the garden gates and digs a trench for the main electrical feed from the roadside to the house — essential for future off-grid living in Sicily. The tree stumps are so massive, they had to be rolled into the back garden to dry out before burning. 🔥🌳

I clean up the entire villa, wire brush all rusted ceiling rebar, and prepare for plastering. Lewis helps organise the space by assembling a new shelving unit from Leroy Merlin while I set up my new BS14 office chair from FlexiSpot, pairing perfectly with my E7 Pro standing desk. 🪑🧰

There’s even time for some gardening — pruning olive trees and shaping newly planted fruit trees so they grow tall and strong. This is Sicily real estate investment at its grittiest and most rewarding.

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My Chair is the BS14 from FlexiSpot – Use code KOLBS14 to get £50 off: https://bit.ly/3QW2v6v FlexiSpot Spring Sale – Save up to 40%: https://bit.ly/3FMuG5m

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📌 CHAPTERS:
00:00 – 00:43  Video Intro & Project Recap
00:43 – 01:33  Palermo Pickup & Leroy Merlin Supply Run
01:33 – 08:56  Bathroom Demolition & Nuclear Bathtub Removal 🛁
08:56 – 12:30  Turning Old Bath into Rainwater Tank 💧
12:30 – 13:55  Air Con Back Box Prep & Cement Mix
13:55 – 16:17  Huge Tree Stumps Removed with Digger 🌳
16:17 – 17:09  Trench Dug for Main Power Cable ⚡
17:09 – 18:43  Ceiling Plaster Issues & Rebar Explained
18:43 – 21:21  Hidden Tree Stump Discovery & More Plaster Removal
21:21 – 25:18  Rust Removal on Ceiling Rebar with Wire Brush 🧰
25:18 – 29:09  Lunch Break & Fruit Tree Pruning 🌿
29:09 – 31:30  Tree Root Cleanup & Garden Tidy-Up
31:30 – 34:12  Sweeping & Full House Clean-Up
34:12 – 37:33  Organising Tools & Assembling Shelving Unit
37:33 – 41:59  Unboxing & Setting Up FlexiSpot BS14 Chair 💺

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#SicilianRealEstate #DIYRenovationSicily #SicilyFarmhouseRenovation #SustainableLivingItaly #VillaTransformationItaly #RenovatingAbroad