Renovating at 67 & 76 years old

im sorry the photos are just not loading.

Here is the lane to the house. Im thinking maybe if
I make a youtube video and put a link on here. Admin have said thats ok

Yes for sure Serendipity22.
We will get through it ! I have found a customs broker who is going beyond to help so once he has all my sworn statements and stamped a hundred times by the notary we should be dandy . lol

Wow! I was a girl when Woolies was around, so I dont remember light bulbs but what a fiasco to get your stuff sent to you !

BUT you will get through it, some things at first appear to be an absolute toil of a job, but we always manage to wade our way through.

Next week we are dealing with customs imports. Our boxes of things are coming back from Canada. As we hav residency here we would get it customs free BUT first we must transfer our goods to our local customs office - that would cost 1000 lev.(about £430) So we decided just pay the tax which is 600lv.(about £260). BUT first you need to go to the notary and swear that the goods are my own personal stuff... Then by courier send this to the customs broker !!! Then copies of passports residency and and and ... They do love their official stamps here. Do any of you remember when you went into Woolies in the old days the staff would test all the light bulbs before you bought them ? Thats what its like here every piece of electrical equipment is tested before you pay lol

pascal30

well done Nanz, I was 65 when I took on a renovation on my own. I ended up with a house exactly to my taste that I love. Go for it ....

Well done to you pascal30. We are only as old as we tell ourselves

well done Nanz, I was 65 when I took on a renovation on my own. I ended up with a house exactly to my taste that I love. Go for it ....

Nanz thank you for the photos, you will have it looking ship shape and Bristol fashion soon and how proud you will be.

I am working on a blog when it rains .
There are so many hurdles to overcome.
Which makes every day different.
Today we have found our water source . which is a spring up on the hill you can see in the second photo. We are still using bottled water until its tested even though we are told it's a spring we wont use it till the tests come back.

Sounds exciting and I would love to see photos. Well done you, I think so many of us get stuck in a rut, although some for reasons they cannot help- ill health etc, but would be very tempted myself if I could.

whoops .. dont know why "until 'is in there lol

The houses came with an aircon until whoppeee doo. .. A working indoor toilet too .. What luxury lol .

The houses . We are connecting the two in the spring. We have a friend who is qualified so will do the plans. But its easy ozzy here so we dont have to wait for the plans we can just get going

the garden :D

I am making a blog today but one last try to send a photos x

How wonderful! Can’t wait to hear how it all goes

Ohhhhh yes please post the renovations as they progress and WELL DONE TO YOU BOTH FOR HAVING THIS GOAL IN YOUR LIVES.... make it happen..

You only live once.... life's for living ? ? ?.

Well done and more power to your elbow. Thought I did very well gutting my house room to room when I was over 80. Took me two years with very little structural work but you put my zchievements well in the shade. I only hope you have as much satisfaction with the process as I did. I'm still revelling in the results.......

Renovated an old house in Brittany when my husband was over 70...he LOVED working all day (and most of the night !) I insisted we had certified and registered artisans for electrics, a new roof and a new boiler, but otherwise he tiled all around the garden, borrowed a tractor to dig up the veggie patch and lay lawns 1 built patio and fountain at the bottom of the garden...paved all round the house, built a 'coffee corner' to resemble the one he built when we had a new villa which he built, in Menorca some years earlier ...in that, he couldn't wait for the Spanish workmen so he even did some electrics in that one ! tiled all round the pool, built frames for grapes all round it .....never stopped ! I painted all the inside and did whatever I could but now I am at the age he was then and there is no way I could do all that !!!! you will Enjoy it, but make sure it is not all work and no play !

You’re only as old as you feel! Good for you, I’m envious!

If it makes you happy why not? Go for it.

Blog sounds like a wonderful idea if you can sort it. Would love to watch your progress as it’s the sort of tv programme I love. Good luck, and of course you’re not too old. You’re as young as you feel!

MerylStreep

Nanz
I had a completely different encounter with an electricity worker.
I was told that I had to have my meter moved outside. Ok.
I asked when this was going to happen. Sunday afternoon ?
I asked the cost. 120 leva. Ok.
I told my neighbour what was happening and how much he paid. Nothing.
He was very angry and told me to call him when the electrician had finished.
It got very nasty. Obviously I couldn’t understand what was said but he physically got hold of him and threw him off my property.

Wow thats awful. Years ago in our last place we had the electric people cut down trees at 11 at night... So yes they do very strange things lol ... But This guy works for the electric board but he was doing this in his own time.

Good for you, go for it and remember "Rome wasn't built in a day"

I wish you all the luck in the world with your project.

It sounds wonderful, and I'm jealous!

You certainly aren't too old. My daughter bought an old house, last year, that needed almost complete renovation. To save money we all rallied round to 'gut' the house before the builders moved in. At the age of 82 I was knocking plaster off the walls and ceilings, ripping out kitchen units and wheelbarrowing and hurling loads of debris into the skip. Then we started on the overgrown garden, hacking and hauling.

I had the time of my life! There's something very satisfying about demolition! ?
Good luck with your renovations.