Refurbishing your home in Italy:
If you cannot hire a general contractor, what can you do to avoid delays, misunderstandings, and disputes with the various suppliers?
Small firms and artisans in Italy are not used to signing a proper contract for any works. Most will provide a “preventivo” (work list and cost estimate) and ask for your approval, sometimes even without a formal signature. They begin work after receiving the initial deposit (anticipo), but unclear terms often lead to unpleasant disputes later.
Since it will be almost impossible to have them sign a proper contract, it is advisable to check whether at least ask and make sure that the “preventivo” for your refurbishing includes:
- Time and Schedule: If timing matters, set a clear completion deadline and reserve the right to withhold payment if deadlines are missed.
The best would be to provide for a penalty for each day/week/month of delay, but it is generally difficult that small artisans to accept it. The penalty can be a discount rather than a monetary disbursement; - Technical requirements: make sure that the preventivo lists the technical requirements and quality specifications. It is generally advisable to ask the assistance of an independent architect or geometra;
- Avoid conflict of interests: ensure architects/geometra don’t refer contractors to maintain independent advice.
Ideally, hire your own local technician to supervise the work, provide updates, and alert you to any issues:
- Payment terms: you will be asked to pay an initial deposit but you should subject the payment of other installments to the completion of specific targets/works and specify that you will have the right to put the payment on hold if targets are not met;
- Testing certificate: once the work is finished, request your supervisor to conduct tests, independently from the contractor, to verify all work meets agreed technical and quality standards;
- Certificate of compliance: upon completion of any works and before making the final payment, ask to have a “certificato di conformità”, eg a certificate confirming that all works were done in compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
Lastly, during refurbishment, the biggest challenge with small firms or solo artisans is that they can only handle part of the work, often relying on others like electricians or masons. One of their favorite sports is blaming each other when there are some issues, delays, etc. Well, for this I do not have any tips. From my experience, it’s mostly luck—you need to find at least one honest, professional contractor who can effectively coordinate all the work. Perhaps preliminary due diligence of the contractor’s local reputation and list of references can help to limit your risk of appointing the wrong person.
