Rapid acceleration

Panic has definitely set in as far as our contractors are concerned. Already past the July 7 deadline, when financial penalties technically set in, they are also staring down the barrel of Ferragosto. While only really a one-day holiday, just about everything shuts down during most of the month of August because people typically take a two-week minimum holiday to go to the beach. This means that our contractors are finally realizing that if they don't do it before August, then there will be no work done (and financial penalties!) for the space of an entire month. This probably doesn't look so great for them.

Today, we have electricians in the top two floors doing the finish wiring: switches and outlets. Light fixtures are considered furnishings and will likely be done later. We also have Luca continuing to paint away. He has completed the kitchen/dining room, and has been doing prep work for the living room and guest room. He has also moved upstairs to take care of the final painting there, to allow flooring installation starting tomorrow. Marco the plumber is installing toilets and other bathroom plumbing in the upstairs (once the hardwoods go in, the geometra doesn't want the workers traipsing through with dirty feet, with good reason). We also have Alessandro and side kick installing the interior steps (finally). Alviero (Enrico's side kick) made an appearance this morning.

Here are some current photos with notes:

Instead of teflon tape, Marco uses hemp
(see the pile of what looks like a wig just above the case?)
wrapped around the plumbing joints.

He gets some fibers, aligns them, and wraps the threads

A grease-based putty and it's ready to go! If there were any
water leak in the joint, the hemp would absorb it, swelling, and
this would plug the leak.

Sink mounts in the master bath

Toilets plumbed in kids' bath

The electricians run individual wires, not cables,
 through the previously-installed conduit

Color! We have the darker shade of blue (which is also seen
below, more true to life), then the lighter shade on the same
card in the small corridor, then the purple of the kids' bathroom

Interior steps going in!

It was not all happiness when they had to pull out the belt sander

They're putting in soundproofing
strips and doing a nice job wedging to prevent squeaks

Tongue-in-groove joinery between treads and risers

I realize I have no photos of the dining room/kitchen space finished; I'll take some tomorrow and post with an update on the flooring!

Love,

Alexandra