DAVIDE Fionda had dreamt of having a home in Italy since visiting the village where his mother grew up.
His dream came true when he bought a run-down property to renovate – but it turned into a nightmare and he is still working on it 25 years later.
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Davide, from Boston, US, seized his chance after an earthquake struck the quaint village of Schito-Case Duca in the Le Marche region in 1997.
He bought a damaged a barn owned by his mother’s family to turn into a dream home.
“The goal was simple,” Davide told The Local.
“I would acquire the barn from my mom, renovate it and move in for the summers, as I’m a college teacher and can spend time in Italy.”
He hired an architect to plan out an elegant home with bedrooms on the ground floor and massive windows facing the nearby mountains.
When he went to check on the progress in 2004, however, his dreams of a beautiful summer home in his mother’s village were shot down.
Instead of a single-storey home with floor-to-ceiling windows the builders had turned it into a three-storey construction.
He says the upstairs bedrooms had such low ceilings they broke Italian building regulations, and a bathroom in the front blocked the mountain views.
After giving up on renovations for a few years, Davide decided to begin construction again this year, but his challenges have mounted.
After a series of earthquakes struck the region in 2016, the Italian government began an initiative to assist in funding to rebuild homes.
Davide was delighted to find out he was eligible for a tax discount to begin reconstruction – but his nightmare isn’t over.
”Finding general contractors has been very challenging. Finding masons is almost impossible.
“After almost a year, I still haven’t finalised contracts with them.
“I have identified a series of subcontractors and have hired a project manager to oversee the project since I work in the US.”
Construction on the property is set to begin again in January, and Davide hopes it will be finished by April.
But he said he would be happy if it’s finished by the time he goes on holiday next July.
Waiting is the hardest part of the 25-year process, Davide said.
He said: ”Patience. As a five-time entrepreneur, this doesn’t come easily.
“You learn that setting deadlines is a complete waste of time.
“You have to accept that the process will take what it takes and there is very little you can do about it.”
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The Sun
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