When we started renovating our house in Puglia, I put together a long shopping list, entered the address into Google Maps and drove over 140 kilometres to Bari. An hour and a half on the road, only to find a new housing development where I had expected a DIY superstore. That was when I discovered that Castorama had pulled out of Italy well over a decade earlier. But that same day, I discovered something much more interesting.
Renovating a home in southern Italy is a completely different story from doing it in Poland.
Back home? Castorama, Leroy Merlin, OBI or Bricomarché are practically on your doorstep. If you run out of something, you jump in the car and return with your shopping a short while later. In Italy, things look very different. Large DIY stores do exist, but there are far fewer of them, and their ranges often seem surprisingly limited. Most shopping is done at small, local builders’ merchants. The trouble is that without knowing the language, it’s hard to find your way around — and even harder to find what you actually need.
I noticed something else, too. I get the impression that Italians renovate their homes far less often. The rule seems to be: as long as it works, leave it alone.
Mould on the wall? Rather than looking into drying out the building, people are more likely to buy yet another anti-mould treatment. The selection of these products here is certainly impressive.
And makeshift repairs? I have the impression that Italians have perfected the art. Sometimes I feel that if something can be fixed with tape, silicone or a piece of wire, why go straight for a full renovation? I’ve come across this many times myself.
After several rounds of renovating an Italian house, I reached one conclusion. If you are planning a major renovation in southern Italy, it is worth arriving with a well-prepared plan. And perhaps, above all, with your own team and some of the materials from Poland. It will spare you unnecessary stress and frustration.
Or perhaps I’m the only one who has had these experiences? I’d love to hear what renovating is like in other parts of Italy.
