Build A New Life In The Country: 200-year-old CROATIAN FARM HOUSE | Reel Truth History Documentary

[@loriminnesota1870]

They did a great job finishing that on their own. I could never do that! Great job, you two!!! PS - Builders are like that everywhere, it seems. Whenever something better comes along that pays more, they leave you hanging.

[@VisionaryGardener]

They should change tactics and put in luxury tents or yurts each summer until they can build the cabins. At least that way they get some summer guests.

[@45ladybugs]

Absolutely! They can go up and come down. Ecofriendly.

[@VisionaryGardener]

@@45ladybugs yes! I'll bet their approvals would be much easier within a park for this, too. And the tents are much cheaper than cabins. They're are some really luxurious tents out there now. 😉👍

[@ruththomas1652]

Exactly my thoughts.

[@eddielloyd4070]

@@VisionaryGardener that can not be done as there are strict laws in croatia on any form of camping,even mobile homes are banned from parking up over night

[@andreaandrea6716]

I had EXACTLY the same thought (yurts) ... luxury tents are an even better idea!

[@tumbledon]

Would love to see an update on this.

[@fonhollohan2908]

absolutely

[@Electric-Lady]

Such lovely couple. Hope they made it.

[@bluebird5361]

I'm so glad the penny finally dropped that they could do it themselves, after wasting weeks sitting there waiting for builders that were never going to come. I was thinking of those two grandparents in Scotland who grafted after work and in the week ends. They were so amazing, and these two could do it too. Great work. Pity about the water.

[@vandalmeida.30.09]

What a hard project... congratulations to the couple... at the end, so beautiful finished...❤from 🇧🇷.

[@julianhastings1547]

Well done guys be happy in your hard work you deserve it !

[@tillykelp9744]

They should have gone to Slovenia. Beautiful country and honest people.

[@kathy2842]

oh my! there is great determination between those two.

[@fonhollohan2908]

Can't believe they didn't do the ground works first. What an achievement what a gorgeous home, I had builders rip me off as well when we had a huge addition added to our home. Its not an easy thing to have to deal with but today we own a beautiful home. Yah just have to persevere its that simple and in the end you get what you want and it builds character.

[@safevoyage]

I’m so glad this worked out. Congratulations

[@luciaralucingles3450]

This old way to find water with stick is made by northeast Brazilian who live in semi arid area. It was funny. Builders putting off the job is the same everywhere. They are hardworking and determined couple. Congratulations!

[@meg7915]

What a beautiful transformation 😍

[@Sherry-jn5zn]

These 2 went into this so completely unprepared in every way. I find it hard to believe he is/was a builder

[@williamjames9515]

There is something unbelievable about this!

[@Marilinaa]

What a lovely couple. I hope they made a go of it.

[@rochelerubin8227]

Indeed would be interesting what happened in those 15 years since then .Reel Truth History ?any idea?

[@kinggentishkoderaustria7851]

Wow ..... I am very impressed from this British couple,,,,,, Respect!!!! 💐💐💐💐

[@urbanirrigation]

What an eye-opener for me, and a disgrace of the architect and builder's team, even they had been treated so well by their customers, totally disgusting. And a thumb up for the owners.

[@vivalaleta]

Sadly many of us miss our life in the woods but if we all move to enjoy the woods guess what?

[@LadyIarConnacht]

Then we'd be spread out in tiny self-sufficient communities instead of crammed into giant overgrown concrete jungles?

[@MsVanorak]

well . . . . . they've moved from an overcrowded suburb to beautiful countryside and they're going to turn it into a crowded suburb but deny it because the cabins are wooden and ££!

[@vivalaleta]

@@LadyIarConnacht If you do it right

[@peterbrown9662]

George says to buy the property with no planning permission to build the guest accommodation shows a huge lack of experience, yet at the start the commenter said that Frank was a Builder, and if so he would have made sure he could get planning permission got the guest accommodation before he bought the property

[@mjinba07]

Really lovely house. But how do you run a retreat with a lodge and 6 log cabins, and no water source... Not to mention operating in a foreign country and you don't speak the language...

[@loriminnesota1870]

They already said they are having water shipped in. And most people who come to visit Croatia don't speak Croatian, either. I'm sure they are thrilled to find a retreat with English speaking owners.

[@rayerscarpensael2300]

They bought a pile of stones on land with no water and spent more than the cost of a remote castle in France. They are nice people and hope they are doing well since 2005 but money can t buy you all just because you have a strong currency.

[@SylviaRR]

This guy was a builder? My husband and I have built 2 or our homes, ground up , just us, in the US and remodeled another. Crazy the choices they made, especially if he was a builder!

[@ivansedlar5972]

In the eastern Croatia they could buy house for 25 000 euros, with central heating, water and piece of land

[@polenit6390]

14 years later. What happened are they still there. Are the cabins built. Does anyone know? . It would be interesting to see it now.

[@sharong8511]

I found a website with very little information. I doubt it panned out for them.

[@ivyjulieharvey3043]

@@sharong8511 I think this is the couple now living in Wales yes in a wooded area this is what I was told

[@VB-lz5cx]

Dont pay upfront. And get a fixer/interpreter when you go to a foreign country. He would have told you there is a radio station in English for that weather forecast.

[@mechanicgirlexpat945]

Dedicated couple

[@laurendaniel2636]

I'm guessing they didn't succeed, since I can't find this place anywhere online... An update would be great!

[@yellowranger2214]

What name did you search?

[@laurendaniel2636]

@@yellowranger2214 I think I tried several different searches- with key words like Croatia, farmhouse, mountains, nature retreat, their names, and even the nearest town name that they show/mention, etc. Nothing came up :(

[@IgorDellaPietra]

41:09 do you notice the word"ucka" on the wall? you can find the place on google searching for "ucka lodge"

[@susanharris5926]

@@IgorDellaPietra The website for this lodge cannot now be reached and so I conclude that they did fail after all.

[@mitjademitrijcernac9204]

Great plan: Overpaid the land and did no research on water, road access, permissions, no knowledge of language and then wonder why it is not working!!??

[@jos.4276]

That's a common thread among all of these restorations. Leap and then look.

[@yticivam]

Ah but look how far they've come still.

[@Jude74]

But it’s pretty.

[@donnaaranda7175]

Exactly

[@jimmymungai522]

In Tanzania, we do that to search for water using a similar tool made out from the branches of a guava tree. It usually works 3 out of 5 tries.

[@TheChicagoCourier]

what a gorgeous house! Anybody have an update? I could find anything about the Ucka Lodge.

[@monicdavis6150]

Those builders should be sued. It’s so unfair to the owners to leave them hanging like that.

[@greengreeneya2102]

They can not be sued if there is not contract.

[@seanmcguire7974]

You cant sue these kind of people. It happens in America too when you dont use licensed contractors. Happens alot too

[@VB-lz5cx]

@Foxy and Lucy They are all the same if you let them.

[@ivansedlar5972]

Try to sue someone in Croatia, it lasts forever... Best way to do some works od recommendetaion. If someone say to you that some guy is serious about his joj, but if you don t know anyone you ll be caught in the net of fraud

[@joanneganon7157]

What an amazing job well done! Wondering if you got reenberst after they took the flat fee and beat it? I'm glad you kept your dream alive👍 JO JO IN VT 💕 ☃😊🇺🇸

[@maheswari8415]

Wow fantastis beautiful

[@peterbrown9662]

The plot thickens even before it gets started.

[@midgie4410]

I don't see how they finished it themselves in just three months!

[@3monsters014]

They are told to say such and such. It's why things always looked more stressful financially then they are.

[@evelineeckert3989]

45 meters and they give up? My well is 180 meters deep.

[@tangocash342]

You must be very brave to buy and build anything in the Balkans. There is a complete mess in their property registers. Some times you could find more then 20 co-owners of 600 sqm building sitw. Half of them have been dead for years and other half live all-around the world. It takes forever to sort it out. When you finally got regiatrated as an owner then you have to bribe numerous local authorities to get necessary permission to get hooked on electrisity weather and other utilities. Getting a building permit you have to have a wisdom of great Sun Tzu and you have to live as a biblical Jeremiah. Ok there is shortcut, find someone to bribe. Building! That is also in domain of SF with elements of horror. 95% of contractors working only with cash with no paper trail of any transaction. You could have a deal and that could take some money from you but if they get a bigger opportunity you gonna wait till they finish better one.

[@VB-lz5cx]

Yawn.

[@tangocash342]

@wagner1va we had a property in Croatia. We had so many problems that a regular person can't even imagine. Finally we sold it last summer.

[@pa3ciac]

I live near this area, and I never heard of this place. I found out only that they manage to open a company with that name in 2018. I think I located the house, but there is nothing registered at that place. I really feel sorry for the people, cause Croatian burocracy is worst.

[@smellwhaticook1]

they messed up by not giving a bribe, would of been handled in a couple hours lol

[@SAMSUNGANTE]

where did u located the house im stuck at ucka vojak sight location on top of the mountain cant locate it :s

[@pa3ciac]

@@SAMSUNGANTE It is on Istrian part of Učka. On the road from Brest pod Učkom to Poklon. Near is crossroad that leads to some "Robinson house in Nature park" from that crossroad about 400m , stick to left side. There is only 3 houses in that area

[@sajonara5277]

@@pa3ciac ne znam zašto ali cijelu večer tražimo gdje su frank i alice, i po tvojim uputama smo našli na Google earth-u, a onda smo pogledali na katastru i našli da je vlasnik Učka koliba ugašena 2012. Tako da su vjerovatno odustali od svega. Ili je ova priča izmišljena

[@pa3ciac]

@@sajonara5277 Točno, ali je Učka lodge j.d.o.o osnovan 2018 godine i vlasnik je Frank Joseph Freestone imaš na Finiinfo. Učka koliba je isto što i Učka lodge. Tako da bi rekla da nisu odustali.

[@joannahampton3808]

Ty, ty, ty for a "new" episode 😁👍

[@Ramesoe]

They should have done some proper research about the country and the property they wanted to buy. Those builders are still laughing about all the money they earned in only one winter. They never earn that much again in such a short period

[@greengreeneya2102]

Not true. Building in Croatia is expensive. It still is. It is not cheap here.

[@a.d.7042]

@@greengreeneya2102 its expensive today! Back in 2006 Croatia has very cheap and the Tourist industry was jut at the beginning

[@greengreeneya2102]

@@a.d.7042 LOL Nope. Croatia is Tourist desetination for over 100 years ( even when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia). Tourist industry only stoped during the war in early 90's. By 2006. Tourist industry was strong again. Building in Croatia was never cheap. Especially not in mountains, far away from civilization and cities.

[@Xoda_]

Respect for the contractors, it's not a trivial task to rebuild a stone house and make it new again, especially getting statically solid build starting with old stone walls justing sitting in dirt as its used to be build hundreds of years ago. All in all, quality work inside out, contractor knows his stuff! I would just go with proper roof insulation instead of 'cheap' gypsum boards and mediocre wool insulation, but that's client choice ofc.

[@NC-ij9rb]

These people should’ve done more planning

[@sk13ppy]

There's a common thread with all of these episodes, they all bite off more than they can chew, then have to put in 120% to succeed. Kudos to those who do succeed in fulfilling their dream. Frank and Alice wasted a summer, they could have done things in smaller steps, such as letting campers pay to put up their tents and hike around the park, Frank and Alice could have made a bit of money that way for a season or however long it takes to get planning permission for the cabins. There's still a lot of campers who are willing to rough it in the wilderness. There's portable toilets and showers galore on sale these days too, so it wouldn't be ultra-rough. A bit more lateral thinking would make a difference!

[@ditornai-wright5177]

No-one moves to another country with a venture such as this in mind with so little preparation. No language, nor understanding of the system, without planning for project, no obvious research (hence the water situation). Just daft. Is it English arrogance, or plain naivety?

[@johnsarac1655]

I'm Croatian, living now in Canada. Would not touch this.

[@kristinebailey2804]

@chrismacsims Are you denying the majority of Brits are arrogant? That's just about the most ignorant statement I have ever heard too.

[@Jude74]

You would be surprised, I’m from America I know some pretty foolish people.

[@stephenobrien5909]

There is not IMO. an arrogant bone in either of those peoples bodies. Their problem is they judge other people by their standards.

[@greaselightning8645]

John, I am born Canadian and of Croatian descent. I am an engineer working for a municipality in Canada and I can see how Croatians hustle - no pay no permits

[@tanjasrensen3303]

Congratulations - dough it’s too expensive - you get so much more for the value in Italy, France, Greece etc.

[@ferwallace1903]

it.s nearly 20 years ago....wonder if they are still alive.............

[@andreaandrea6716]

That is insane; bringing the digger in AFTER all the work was done on the house. Was that on purpose, to dissuade people from building/moving to Croatia??? It seems perverse not to let people know this in advance. It would seem to me that someone knew and held their tongue.

[@danielamil2931]

Watching this video was extremely stressful

[@beckyluvstoscrapnsew]

After shelling out five grand to drill I would have kept drilling a bit deeper , nothing to lose to keep going a bit longer.....how would you be if years later you find out the water was just a few metres under where you stopped.

[@Xoda_]

It's not unusual to find water at 70meters depth, you just need to keep drilling till you find it, especially in places with higher altitude as there's more rocks till underwater level.

[@seanmcguire7974]

I thought it was strange that they quit without going deeper too

[@valeriesmith9639]

So what they only paid to go 48-49 meters or did they pay 5000 for water? Also where was the creek at approximately 26:46? Don't understand the issue with water, now

[@anthonychistoff9190]

So 5000 for 48 meters. Every meter costs a bit over 100 gbp. Would you go further for such price?

[@peterbrown9662]

When the builders stopped coming Frank should have started on the work himself without having to wait six weeks for the builders to return which they didn't do, after all Frank was working along side the builders when they were there so why did he stop just because they stopped coming.

[@ocanadastandinguard6840]

So sad when people dig holes this deep for themselves.

[@zanyzoo6767]

So you didnt like the countryside being built on in the UK, but then want to do it Croatia. LOL

[@atittayavollebregt8381]

Sometimes you wonder that people want to set up shop in a country they don't speak the language of. Big mistake because you will be taken for your money. The "water diviner" that charged £ 5,000 to look for water on a mountain.... yes found it at 48 meters on top of a mountain, who believes that? and pay that amount of money. I hoped they learned a lot and they do well now

[@ethankubic3140]

What is the name of the stone that is used on the exterior does anyone know?

[@imari2305]

That architect should be sued along with the builders. They took that money and ran. In the end they did a marvelous job of finishing and decorating the house.

[@meg7915]

They should include the contact info for the b&b

[@JustAnotherGoddess52]

I thought this kind of abandonment of workers only happened in Chile. What a frustrating situation. They did a great job, tho.

[@frederickbowdler1509]

What the people of that country need is praise for the building work you should have hired a money diviner!!!

[@lizsteeds6697]

Wonderful they actually finished the stone farmhouse but the choice of the many wavy chrome multi-bulb lightfittings circa 1998 strewn randomly about their fantastic double -height entry-way wall and the odd layout choice of variably sized pale grey textured floor tiles screamed chesp and fugly ... such bad taste . A shame because the place itself with its simple yet powerful visuals and functional stone farmhouse aesthetic could have looked more amazing inside... instead they transplanted their rather tired suburban English furniture and decor choices. However, what an incredible achievement to actually finish though ... despite all the gullible and naive decisions they made which had disasterous knock-on consequences, for example, the use of a water diviner rather than a geologist to locate an aquifier and £5000 later (makes you wonder if the drill owner worked in collaboration with the diviner!) Many comments point out below the other poor choices and lack of research too.

[@madgebishop5409]

this was from 2006 so everything will look dated, but agreed those lights looked terrible, as if they just threw them at the wall..

[@forex7769]

But what about the water man he said water there 🤣

[@forex7769]

What's a artitech?

[@angelrobertoarmas4607]

Lo de medir donde esta el manantial es muy sierto yo soy cubano y nosotros hacemos lo mismo para acabar un poco 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@kassduffy3087]

Agree with everyone, what we’re they thinking??

[@woohoo5473]

A case of “o’er vaulting ambition”?

[@vandalmeida.30.09]

It should have the 2° round to check out the rental houses 😁.

[@noregrets7469]

I would hate to have this host on my job site cause really who wants someone that make you feel like the skies falling.

[@lavrentichudakoff2519]

Should have staged his payments better. Keep them hungry for the green and they'll work.

[@RuthShultz47]

Those builders are not very honest. What a shoddy lot of people! But I think what Mitja Demitrij Cernac said is right also. I think Frank and Alice were very naive for the first year but I am glad it worked out for them.

[@gracenjuguna7292]

Crazy... Lodge with no water?

[@judiththacker9319]

Closed Caption please

[@luisv7117]

In a case like this you hird a lawyer

[@moneymarty1]

So, where did the running water come from?

[@JUST_ONE_ID10T]

they should sue the contractors, for the unfinished work.

[@Xoda_]

Idiots, you cant just go to another country without knowing the language or have a person employed to be your representative with skills and know how for all the delicate matters in question. it's not a marketplace where you just buy apples and oranges and work your way with hand gestures lol Also, just because you are construction worker in another country with different build codes in no way are you qualified to work with houses build with diff techniques etc. there's nothing worst than client knowing nothing about construction walking around the construction site getting in the way of workers and playing the boss. You guys did it all wrong, period.

[@donnaaranda7175]

I'd be stingy with that acreage. I would not want anyone at my back door let alone in my house. That's wishful thinking. Of course it's their money they can do whatever

[@davidbasaraba457]

It’s sad this ancient culture is being invaded by people who destroyed their own country!

[@forex7769]

Sorry to say they are dreaming like I never heard of a dream.

[@peterbrown9662]

What all up and running in 8 months!!!!!!!!! MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, get Tom Cruise on the phone right away, HeHe

[@frederickbowdler1509]

Frank what is your track record for projects and have you learned the language???? Yet.

[@matrix_x_]

You must deal with builders to pay them after job is done...

[@grahamburbage7686]

I thought frank was a builder

[@forex7769]

Come on would it be regarded as irresponsible to Starr building even buy the house without planning permission ? I think so .

[@seanmcguire7974]

Not a water finder lol

[@stephenobrien5909]

Glamping is cheaper and no planning needed.

[@modengoCHANNEL]

Nice couple but they got robbed on renovation.

[@stephenobrien5909]

I like George but sometimes he goes over the top stating the bleeding obvious.

[@taylorfausett8129]

In the US, we don't say "que".

[@asticou04]

Taylor Fausett Or know how to spell queue.

[@elizabethrandellswart2397]

If there is no one to do the job you do it yourself. Amazed at how lazy the owner is...After all he said he is a builder. It seems he just sat around smoking and complaining.

[@VB-lz5cx]

Have you seen the whole thing?

[@RenateMtV]

The language barrier is their own mistake. I don't want to be nasty, but if you move to another country, you should learn at least the basics of a language. Not everybody (wants) to speak English and they don't have to in their own country.

[@tbp.whiteraven]

They ruined an original rural-style building. Shame

[@mirko9583]

Beautiful but wrong country 😕

[@mandofan2616]

DON'T EVER LIVE IN CROATIA.

[@jankirschke7425]

My, my, what big teeth you have!

[@bosse641]

Statists disgusts me.

[@solortega4225]

Beautiful places i enjoy this videos so much, so glad people can take the time,life,dreams. and their money to bring to life this espectacular landmarks🤎❤to bad that irresponsible workers did this to this family.