An old Istrian stone house (kamena kuća) is one of the nicest things to own here, and one of the easiest to renovate badly. Thick walls laid in lime mortar, timber floors upstairs and a konoba below were built for another way of living. Making the house comfortable without trapping damp in its walls takes trades who know old stone.
That is how we work. You have one contact person, who speaks English and Italian and some German, and for each part of the job we bring in the right trade from our network: masons and plasterers who work with lime, qualified electricians, plumbers, tilers and painters.
What we do in stone houses
- Interior renovation. New bathrooms and kitchens, floors and finishes in rooms that have not changed for decades.
- New electrics and plumbing. Routes go through floors, linings and skirting rather than deep chases in rubble walls; the work is done by qualified electricians and plumbers.
- Lime plaster and repointing. Failing cement render comes off, joints are repointed and walls replastered with lime, by specialists who know the material.
- Damp. We find the source first: gutters, soil against the wall, a sealed floor or cement plaster. Then comes the fix, with specialists where needed. See damp in old stone walls.
- Stripping out. Old floors, plaster and fittings removed and the rubble taken away, also from narrow lanes. See demolition and waste removal.
Konoba conversions
The konoba is the stone ground floor once used for wine, oil, tools and often animals. Many owners want it as a kitchen, a living room or a guest apartment. That usually means a new floor build-up, dealing with damp and salts, more light and new services. Whether the change of use needs paperwork depends on the municipality and the building, so check with a licensed architect first. More in converting a konoba into living space.
Structure and roof: with an engineer
Cracks in the walls, removing a wall, new openings, a new floor or a roof that leaks or sags are not jobs for tradesmen alone. They need a licensed structural engineer, often an architect, and specialist masons and roofers. We bring the trades in from our network, coordinate the work with the engineer and say plainly when something should not be decided on site. See who does what: architect, engineer, site supervisor.
How it works when you live abroad
- Photos or a video on WhatsApp. Show us the rooms, the walls inside and out, any damp patches and the roof from inside. You get a rough price range before anyone drives out.
- Visit and written quote. A quote with VAT included, with anything that needs an engineer listed separately.
- Keys. You can leave the keys with us. We let the trades in and check the work.
- Photo updates. Regular photos while the work goes on; questions are sorted out on WhatsApp or in a video call.
What affects the price
A stone house hides a lot until plaster and floors come off, so we do not publish fixed prices. The main factors are how much cement plaster has to go, how damp the walls are, the state of the timber floors and roof, your materials and access: a house in a hill-town lane costs more to work on than one with a drive. For a first idea, try the renovation cost calculator.
Where we work
We work on stone houses all over Istria, for example in Motovun/Montona, Grožnjan/Grisignana, Oprtalj/Portole, Vižinada, Svetvinčenat, Bale/Valle, Vodnjan/Dignano, Labin and the villages around Poreč and Rovinj. Before you start, read our guide to renovating an Istrian stone house.
Send us photos of your stone house on WhatsApp: the rooms, the walls inside and out, any damp patches and the konoba. We will reply with an honest first view and a rough price range.
Frequently asked questions
Do you also do the roof and structural repairs?
Not on our own. Structural and roof work needs a licensed engineer and specialist masons or roofers. We bring them in from our network, work to the engineer's design and coordinate it with the rest of the renovation, so you still deal with one contact person.
Which languages do you speak?
Your contact person speaks English and Italian, and some German. Much of the job is arranged in writing on WhatsApp, with photos, so details are easy to check later.
Can the work go ahead while I am not in Croatia?
Yes. You can leave the keys with us, we let the trades in, check the work and send you regular photos. Decisions are made with you on WhatsApp or in a video call.
Can you give me a price from photos?
From photos and a short video we can usually give a rough range. For a stone house the written quote follows a visit, and it is wise to keep a contingency, because damp, rotten timber or loose stone often only show once plaster and floors come off.
Guides on this topic
Renovating an Istrian Stone House: What to Expect
Walls, roof, damp, lime plaster, windows and services: a practical guide to renovating an old stone house in Istria without ruining what makes it special.
Damp in Old Stone Walls: Causes and Sensible Fixes
Why old Istrian stone walls get damp, how salts and cement plaster make it worse, and the fixes that actually help: drainage, lime plaster, ventilation.
Buying a Ruin in Istria: A Renovation Reality Check
Thinking of buying a stone ruin in Istria? What to inspect, which costs hide behind a low price, and how long restoring it really takes.