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The subtitle to the book-“Learning to live with Avrio” was chosen deliberately and with feeling. Building your home in Greece requires capital, courage, commitment, patience and staying power. You need to undertake the maximum amount of research into the process of planning, financing and the laws governing building and taxation. This book contains an abundance of advice based on practical experience.
Finance
There are 116 A4 pages, the first chapters cover organizing finances and the project team, finding and buying a plot of land and avoiding pitfalls. The legal aspects of building in Greece are explained, together with granting power of attorney, acquiring a tax number and planning permission.
Design
We have included a chapter on designing the house, with details special to Greek property. Details to be considered when specifying the house design are discussed, such as the use of plastic or wood for windows, interior specifications especially plumbing, even the differences in traditional Greek window design such as inward-opening windows with no sills.
Construction
The construction method used by our architect was the widely used reinforced concrete with brick infill to conform to earthquake resistance regulations. The house is well insulated with foam sheets, warm in winter and cool in summer. The windows are double-glazed, an additional insulation aid. Similar construction methods are used for the frame when building new stone houses in Greece, and pre-cast concrete modular buildings are available.
Building
There is a chapter on building the house, with advice about dealing with Greek architects, builders and tradesmen. You will need to develop a different approach from the one you might use at home.
Running Costs
Chapters on running costs of a house in Greece, a list of potential letting requirements, safety issues are followed by annexes covering the architect’s technical proposal, the use of the ready reckoner which allows you to estimate the bottom line of your financial outlay, and a short “build your own Greek house” vocabulary of (clean) building terms in Greek.
Property Laws
The aim of the book is to give you support throughout the project and to guide you through the maze of Greek property laws.
But you will still need patience and staying power. The Greek way of life still moves at a slower pace than ours. That is what makes it so attractive and worth the effort.
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