From Ruins to Retreat in Croatia - Build A New Life in the Country - S02 EP8 - Real Estate

Frank and Alice embark on a bold journey to transform a dilapidated Croatian property into a nature retreat, facing harsh winters and planning hurdles. Their adventure is marked by the struggle to obtain permits, unexpected construction setbacks, and a race against time to establish their dream before their savings deplete.
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Embark on a life-changing journey with Build a New Life in the Country. Architect George Clarke guides families through a year-long transformation, converting old properties into dream homes. Experience the highs and lows as they navigate the emotional rollercoaster of building new lives in the countryside. Join these families on their challenging yet rewarding quest to create homes and futures in an idyllic rural setting.
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Welcome to Banijay Home & Garden, your go-to destination for all things DIY, gardening, and landscaping. 🏠🌲
Banijay Home & Garden features the best shows on home renovation, gardening tips, and stunning landscaping projects. Explore our collection of full episodes from popular series like Location, Location, Location, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and Portrait Artist of the Year. Join us on this exciting journey of transforming houses into dream homes and creating beautiful outdoor spaces.
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[@HollywoodCreeper]

I love how he was complaining about development in Cambridge, and so he moved to Croatia to start development.

[@donnaallgaier-lamberti3933]

I am continually amazed at the resilience and positivity of this couple....Amazing!

[@vikkih5184]

Amazing couple with incredible tenacity! Kudos to them both! Just beautiful home!!

[@lovelyskull3483]

Wow such an amazing home. Well done Frank and Alice.

[@suzannabradley3576]

Love Croatia 🇭🇷 beautiful country.

[@lb42]

Thank you, regards from Croatia 🇭🇷🤗

[@altergreenhorn]

It is a nice place but there is very inefficient bureaucracy with a deep pockets.

[@smaragd_]

Just like almost every other country. Nature is nature. Governments and people are different thing. As seen in this episode.

[@andronicemarinis1072]

That's how I found water on my land. I've had it since 1984. Greece, my Paradise!

[@gulliver7419]

Well done Frank and Alice for sticking through the rough times.

[@stephanierodriguez3828]

Crazy planning

[@miropribanic5581]

To be honest, they made sooo many mistakes, starting from not knowing one word of Croatian, underestimating the climate, totally misjudging the resources they would need for the project, ignoring the bureacracy and legal requirements. It's a miracle that after 12 months they have at least a house which they can live in. On the other hand, there are many famous business founders who made similar or worse mistakes. I wish them all the best.

[@tajulhudasarker6856]

Sir u.live Croatia..??

[@miropribanic5581]

@@tajulhudasarker6856 nope

[@robertrauter4984]

true that.and all the rest.....but still I love it and wish them the best......Croatia.....lets say shit happens and you go on......life in Croatie is like everywhere....full of troubles.....dont give up it is worth it...

[@sallygardiner7150]

This looks very similar to Portuguese stone barns/houses. Available with acres of land, and natural well water, cork and trees etc; and lovely weather. I know where I would prefer to buy. .... not a business venture, and much smaller house but check out "The Indie Projects".

[@scouser2010ify]

Funny you should say that half of the people who move to England don’t bother to learn our language either …

[@romanjakusz1991]

Such a gorgeous book - each shed is unique and inspiring, and I love all the tiny details Kotite features to help readers imagine how to create their own She Sheds kzbin.infoUgkxe9yi0sulKgsp0VJJCIrLWWkvVqcU7LFR . The feature on Dinah's Rustic Retreat is like something from a fairy tale. It's really inspiring to see how creative all these ordinary people are in making beautiful and useful spaces on a modest scale.

[@mihajlo9]

Solution to the problem of building a lodging cabins in National park, is to build cabins on wheels. That way it can be moved (but it will not be) so it doesn't need building permission. Nice people, Frank and Alice.

[@iskrakrznaric6005]

That is not a legal solution…

[@mrdron641]

i love small city delnice near by this pleace.it so quait place.love that snow and forest.in 20 minutes you are in opatija and swiming in amazing clear sea.heaven

[@28105wsking]

Just a tip: start attending local church to meet people and make friends. Word will get out that you are nice people and everyone will be glad to help you.

[@johnjackson3738]

Church goers are hypocrites. Have not met a single one who wasn't.

[@FigaroHey]

@@johnjackson3738 Church-goers are sinners in need of a savior, not plaster saint statues. Yeah many are hypocrites; so was Judas. It's the human experience: nobody lives up to the standards they aspire to, if they did, it would be normal, not aspirational. You be perfect and see how you do with that. But here's a clue: if it calls itself a Christian church and they all say that their leadership is perfect & they hide their faults and pretend to be sinless, it's a cult, not Christianity. I know an American lawyer when says that every lawyer he knows immediately doubles his retainer if a new client starts off bragging about being a 'Bible-believing Christian' or wears a 'What would Jesus do?' wrist-band. They double their retainer because the people who brag about being a 'believing Christian' never pay their bills, so you double the retainer because you get that up-front. You'll never collect a penny after that. The more they tell you how 'Christian' they are, the more they are not. The genuine ones are the ones who get on with treating you decently and caring about you, not waving a Bible and talking about it.

[@markomarjanovic3091]

Poor people, they seems very nice. I wish I could have helped you guys with few advices as I am from Croatia. It is nice to see that you guys finished the house and it looks great. I hope you will have a great life in your new house.. Good luck 🤞❤️

[@veronicianyveronica5290]

Love this couple strong people and good hearts

[@hutoxipatel3610]

V loving couple n v courageous. Hats off to u both for not loosing hope n build the remaining home all by yourself. God bless u both with health happiness n loooooooooong life

[@solobano570]

Oh it’s beautiful! And thank you for investing in Croatia! It killed me how the builders treated you. The government should encourage and protect people like you from scammers and lazy bags!! We need smart, creative and patient people like you! So sorry for that Balkanjero treatment! But you built a beautiful home and if no luck with tourists, you could start a proper building company!!! Shame on Nenad! Thumbs up for you!!! Best of luck! Sretno!

[@miropribanic5581]

you're getting ripped off by builders and agents if you're Croatian, let alone if you're from abroad.

[@johnjackson3738]

@@miropribanic5581 what goes around comes around.

[@glennwall552]

Cripes it normally British builders in Australia who do the ripping off and leaving jobs unfinished.

[@hollyhold562]

I love your comment, and really like the phrase "lazy bags"..perfect.

[@Sienna10Sunz]

I half expected a wife/close relation of one of the builders to bring him back to the site after finding out what they had done!

[@ljubicatomic1888]

It is sad but they did all mistakes possible. I am a local and into similar project but took 3 years for paperwork, construction, operating permits (and the land i bought was checked for all construction permits before i cashed out, so, played safe). Their plan was dilusional from every perspective and no, bringing pounds does not mean special treatment in admin sense, it only means local mafia can rip you off

[@miropribanic5581]

that's why there is reason to believe that the whole thing was staged for TV production

[@glennwall552]

Yep!

[@tebimazo3796]

Good luck beautiful people from England💖🤞

[@CroPETROforeverNBA]

I felt so sad for them, in pursuit of their dream... when she started to cry my eyes were also wet, glad everything went well, they're heroes, everyone of us should follow our dreams, but we say to ourselves it's impossible. Greets from Croatia

[@ivancapan5345]

With all due respect, they wanted to build a tourist house in the middle of the national park. What are the chances of getting a permit to build a commercial venture like this in, let's say Lake District in England?

[@trimerista]

say that is not possible to build apartments in national park... but is a problem to build in nature park :D ( answer to all is just to join HDZ-SDP party and anything is possible in communist country of Croruptia)

[@ivangoran4461]

@@trimerista Whole communist Yugoslavia with 23 million people was indebted 15 billion dollars with free education, free healthcare, free housing, free vacations... And today 15 million people living in the region, in what are now colonies and protectorates, are indebted more than 150 billion dollars and there is no more free healthcare, free housing, free vacations, free anything. There is no communism in Croatia. Imperial capitalism ate it, like the rest of Yugoslavia.

[@capercat9785]

@@trimerista OMG: You are so right!

[@trimerista]

@@granadacrain5219 that was theirs thinking also :D

[@trimerista]

@@ivangoran4461 Please what is Croatia? Who has power in it, communists and their children and grandchildren ... for them is a offence to call them communists , but that´s the naked truth.... If u look better all "ex communist" countries in eastern Europe, its all the same shit... normal people cannot live a normal life, not because there isn´t any resources but because of communist heritage .... awful regime same as nazi and fascism

[@veronicianyveronica5290]

Beautiful house , I love the stones work and the nice roof and interior!

[@nevino123]

LOVE THESE GUYS X ONE OF THE BEST EPISODES.

[@danijel7948]

Sorry for their bad experience but as many people said they did make a lot of mistakes. Now Učka is a nature park so first thing to do would be to check if the property falls within the boundaries of the park(if it does building permissions are really hard), knowing the language is important or at least to have a trusted person to represent them in any and all communication. Also as some mentioned the thing to do with any kind of workers is to pay as you go and after you inspect the work. As seen in the video Ucka has snow almost every year and it is obvious they were above the snow line. Also if i am not mistaken they mentioned they brought the workers from Zagreb which is a loong way away from Učka. There are great opportunities to be found in Croatia but at some level the old adage still stands .."If it looks to good to be true..."

[@passerineblue]

I cringed to watch these poor fools. Pretty arrogant to go to a hearing on their permits and complain that no one spoke English. They were very stupid not to have a translator present for every hearing. They were totally ripped off by the water diviner. $5,000 to drill for water? I bet a Croation would have been charged $1,000.

[@lb42]

I am so happy and proud that you've chosen my country as your home. 🏡❤️🇭🇷But I am also so sorry you've had such a bad experience with building process, unfortunately there are people like that. 🤔 Good luck&enjoy 🏡🇭🇷😊

[@josiplisica93]

I am Croatian from diaspora, I see no future here, I know it sounds ironic, Croatia calls me home, I hope to utilise my knowledge and start a business working for my self as a tradesman

[@DanijelaDany]

Ponosna Hrvatica✌🏻🇭🇷

[@annonymouswithnoname]

Mozes procitati moj post. Stvari se po meni tako ne rade 🤔 Takvi videi su prava stvar za prikazat kako kod nas nista nikad ne valja

[@DanijelaDany]

@@annonymouswithnoname Istina👍Jako puno neozbiljnih poslovodja,gradjevinara itd,itd.A tek zakoni,ljudi sa 2 fakulteta nemogu se snaci, kad udju u problem oko zemljistima,ostavstinom i npr bas ovakvim stvarima koje su jako ozbiljne. Novac je ogroman problem kod nas i sramota da bilo tko to dozivi,bili to ljudi iz svijeta ili nas narod😏

[@TheKres7787]

@@josiplisica93 hope you wont be needing our elite construction workers !

[@raynonabohrer5624]

That how I find my water! It works! Great video! God blessing to you all.

[@mariolosberg4257]

In my country, bureaucracy is very bad.. I'm glad they made it, and now they enjoy, they are lovely couple, whish them the best, cheers and greet's.. :)

[@tajulhudasarker6856]

Sir u live Croatia...??

[@mariolosberg4257]

@@tajulhudasarker6856 yes..

[@localman12]

Lovely couple and beautiful house and property.

[@ekatarinavi9761]

They could by whole house in Lika or gorski kotar,for 40 000 pounds,with few house around them,they are all alone there,i think its good to have neighbors..anyway good luck to them

[@UnexpectedJourney59Eng]

Is there any update on how they re doing? I am a former British Soldier living over the border in Bosnia, wht they set out to do without knowing the language is truly remarkable and inspiring, I hope they got permission to build the log cabins, do they have a website?

[@rogerhudson9732]

In Central Bosnia there is a lot of building going on, greetings from Fojnica.

[@nemanacemu2024]

@@rogerhudson9732 Are you English ? How long have you been living there ?

[@paulturner7829]

I would love to know where they are and contact details for their tours etc

[@TheKres7787]

Would really love to know what made you decide to come to these parts? Just out of curiosity, always fond of hearing foreigners experience of these parts, and even people coming to live "here". From Croatia myself. Ya the videos is an embarrassment, though a perfectly normal situation for Croatia when dealing with our construction workers/bums.

[@radmilalabus798]

I am really astonished. I am Croatian living in Germany for 32 years now. I could never, ever go to any country in the world, but a piece of unspoiled nature and decide to build a lodge. Of course you need to have permission. Even as Croatian I wouldn’t be allowed to do this. I also cannot just go and buy countryside in Cambridge with foreign nationality without checking a front the country laws. Anyway welcome to Croatia 🇭🇷

[@liveandletlive8264]

još kad bi nam političari bili pošteni, barem donekle , gdje bi nam bio kraj !

[@davids3282]

zivim isto u njemackoj, rodem sam ovdje a snam dacem se vratiti.

[@liveandletlive8264]

@Greg Gaming politika je najstariji zanat na svijetu, iz nje je nastao drugi najstariji zanat na svijetu (prostitucija)....ne vjerujem političarima ni u nanopostocima i toliko ih cijenim ....ipak ima i iznimaka vrlo rijetkih, osobno imam respekt prema bivšim predsjednicima Urugvaja (Jose Mujica) i Brasila (Ignatsio Lula da Silva), prvi je bio iznimno skroman i pošten čovjek a drugi iznimno sposoban koji je znatno smanjio siromaštvo svoje zemlje

[@ReviewBoard-uy5nv]

Well, I guess they were able to buy it because there was property on it already. They thought it would be better for foreigners to renovate the property than the state

[@johnjackson3738]

@@ReviewBoard-uy5nv that's not the point.

[@davidredmondnicholson3354]

Well done both of you fantastic wonderfull brillant ☺☺

[@earlenepeterson8065]

My dad divined wells with success every time.

[@FigaroHey]

Sarah Beeny had a diviner in and hit a gusher. My Dad's friend found water on his land, too. It can be done. Just don't be a gullible foreigner.

[@hassanashwas6719]

Good job. Impresive grit and vision

[@ValeriaVincentSancisi]

They did no research before jumping in.. I felt bad for them. They did an amazing job!

[@tbp.whiteraven]

No they didn't. They took a original istrian stone house and tured it into a mock-up.

[@ValeriaVincentSancisi]

@@tbp.whiteraven Beautiful result.. I meant research the water, infrastructure and permitting before thinking it is viable when you have fixed amount of money....

[@solobano570]

Oh c’monn otherwise it would just turn into garbage! If it wasn’t for foreigners and their love for old structures none of old houses in Istria would survive! U komunizmu niti su jednu popravili niti ijednu estetski lijepu sagradili. Puna nam je obala najružnijih kuća na Mediteranu! Odlično su to napravili. U Italiji, gradonačelnik bi spremio feštu, a ruševinu bi kupili za puno manje love. Umišljenost je loša osobina.

[@bg147]

It is a beautiful place a good value for the money. They could collect rain water and have a water purification system.

[@elizabethannekeith]

curious why they didn't bring in A. a translator and B. a geologist. flying them in from UK would be a lot cheaper than 5K gone south

[@ivangoran4461]

Greetings from Serbia. You`ve made a good choice moving to Balkans. Nature communicates more clearly than administration or people. Take your time to talk to nature. Let the business be your hobby, and enjoy real life there.

[@seo..]

At one point, the advertisement "Učka lodge" can be seen on the land rover. I searched records about companies in Croatia under that name and found " UČKA LODGE jdoo "owned by Frank Joseph Freestone. The status of the company says that it is active and the turnover in 2017-18 is zero. Source: www.fininfo.hr/Poduzece/Pregled/ucka-lodge/Detaljno/730369. On the tripadvisor website It is possible to find accommodation under the name "Ucka lodge" but there are only two photos of the environment but one is the famous towers from the video attachment. The address of the registered company is "Štrped 2/1, Buzet". However, no house can be seen at that location (which is not in the area of ​​the Učka Nature Park). It is not possible to rent wooden log cabins in the entire Učka Nature Park, from which I conclude that they did not succeed in their plan.

[@mukhezamukheza623]

I do not know for the life of me why people loove being so mean on in social media,yes they did some costly mistake you can point them out in a sympathetic way,no need for putting them down after what they went through,these are lovely couple with good intentions,they made some mistakes they paid for them,everyone makes mistakes,its not how you fall its how you get up that's what matters.For me, I love watching these videos cause they teach us the viewers quite an awful lot the do's and don't and most importantly shows us how hard work and resilience pays.Wonderful couple they will be alright.

[@anitabriski6750]

Gorgeous!

[@philtate1029]

Thanks

[@veronicianyveronica5290]

They have done a great job on their home 🏡

[@annonymouswithnoname]

Yea.. before people make their own conclusions, as someone who is coming from that region where they filmed here is couple of facts that I can read from that film: 1. They bought a house in the middle of nowhere and trying to rebuild it... nice but unnecessary expensive. 2. They have no water there, probably no electricity too. So I'm pretty sure that no one will bring you infrastructure just for you there because it's expensive. Will England do this for me if I move there? 3. Planing to do something without any permits or government contracts. You know we are maybe not the richest country with perfect system in the Europe... But we have some rules man. 4. Dowsing is not a science. So loosing money on it, that's your-own fault. 5. The guy who is promising you that if you bring infrastructure and than you will be able to build... Is he some civil servant??? I could promise you the same i think. 6. Breathing around people neck every day during constructions and with cameras... People in my region hate that. I warranty that. 7. There was a risk of collapsing of the wall and guy is standing on the door and around that same wall. Hmm... Who knows why workers disappeared? I needed to say this because films like this are making wrong picture about area where I live. If you want to come to live in Croatia and buy something, first ask right people about that what you want to do... lawyers, people from government, civil servants... Same like for any other country in the world.

[@drleon-vc7df]

bravo za komentar.

[@annonymouswithnoname]

Hvala.

[@MissNemota]

....first ask right people,...ma gdje su kod nas takvi right people? Pa ne moze Englez imat covjeka u vladi. Neka nam je tako kako je.

[@annonymouswithnoname]

@@MissNemota "right people", misli se na ljude opcenito koji su upoznati sa time sto taj covjek kupuje. Ne mozes kupit nesto 30 km od najblizeg grada i ocekivat da ti neko samo za tebe potrosi 5 milijuna kuna da bi ti dostavio infrastrukturu. To ni jedna drzava nebi napravila za nikoga. S tim parama koje je tamo ulupao mogao je kupit istu stvar, gotovu i na urbaniziranom terenu gdje ne bi imao takvih problema. Jednostavno zamisli sebe da kupis neki teren na sred Velebita u sumi gdje je nekad prije 1000 godina bila nekakava kuca... I onda predstavljas svijetu kako se kod nas nista nemoze i nista ne funkcionira... Oprosti, ali to tako jednostavno nigdje ne funkcionira... Lik je slusao obecanja ljudi koji su mu prodali to sto je kupio... Oni nisu "right people" za takva pitanja... vjerujem da su mu obecali da ce lako dobit struju, vodu, dozvole... itd... Ja ne znam za druge ali kad kupujem npr rabljeni auto uzimam sa sobom nekog ko se malo vise razumije u to, a ne slusam onog ko mi ga prodaje... Se mozemo slozit u tome?

[@stevebbuk]

The outdoor work should have been done first. I would have withheld money until my timetable was fulfilled, not the other way round.

[@marciabrilhante3184]

Bravo for surviving and not giving up. Moved to Morocco and got scammed out of my lifesaving...they have the home...I am living day to day in small apt in another village. Lessons learned late..but I am alive..dream is over. So,Bravo.

[@HladniSjeverniVjetar]

Ugh....that's a tough lesson.

[@ellahosokawa4663]

Nice 👍GODBLESS

[@sheiladickerson5198]

Love their fortitude! Beautiful dream!♥️

[@arceliacody5151]

Am from Saipan in the Northern Marianas Island next to Guam. I found this couples story intriguing. Thought what happened to us only happened here. But, nooooo!!!. About the workers, they learned a lot already. The business plans and how the place is going to be converted to. Their deaf about the owners not having money. Instead of them appreciating that they have jobs. It’s more like the owners should be begging them to work or pay them higher rate. This video is very educating to us innocent ones and hope fully the new ones will learn from it. Happy Dreams to the couples. Go for it!!!

[@suzannabradley3576]

Wish you guys all best 👍

[@28105wsking]

Your personal appearance also has to look professional. Nice, stylish haircuts, bit of makeup, trim facial hair. You'll look as wonderful as your house does! Don't let your appearance put people off. First impressions count. Our hippie days are long gone! If you are having hikers come thru and are going to connect to Croatia's National Trail, you need to have benches and hanging rails for backpacks, gear in the entryways and in the bedrooms. Showers will be needed and also provide toiletries for guests who may have run out of scrubbies. It will also be important to have washing machines and driers for hikers to wash their clothing and a big sink where they can wash their gear and scrub down their boots. Put up ceiling to floor drying racks for them to use to dry their stuff out. Just a few ideas from watching a lot of hiking videos!

[@nomchenikoloski7729]

❤

[@ElsieDreamWorld]

I lived a few years in Czech republic, found I couldn’t do a thing without knowing the language. Knowing about the country, the people, their way of life and the flora and fauna is paramount. Can’t imagine how they’re doing it.

[@Cozzera]

Wow they did it by themselves!

[@robertrauter4984]

GOOD VLOG.....have fun.good luck you guys....loved it!!!!!!

[@TheLuftiguz]

Such a strange approach to building by looking for the permits first. In Croatia, you build first then ask for permits :)

[@jksatte]

Lol, live and learn lol. Janice

[@kyrio5a]

Cambridge suburb is already crowded back in 2000s? Wait until he sees Mumbai lol

[@InesRadman]

This is normal in Croatia, the couple needed to live here for a year before making any decisions because and I say this because I moved back to Croatia 15 yrs ago and built a home after being here for 2 years; our culture here is not about timing and respect for other's time, it's just a normal thing to not show up and not even apologize for it. It's too bad for this couple but it is what it is. Also our government is full of bureaucracies that they need to lessen that load and make it easier for us to build and invest here.

[@cinnamongirl5410]

cool

[@djukabazuka8446]

Last Paradise in Europe!

[@mtl-ss1538]

Up Date to 2020 = Kiwi farmers record wheat crop.!!! New Zealand - World Record for the highest wheat yield with a crop producing 17.398 tonnes per hectare,= New wheat world record at - [ 258.8 Bu/Ac ] = (6.93 t/ac).;www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/122074530/kiwi-farmer-breaks-own-world-record-with-monster-wheat-crop . = Wheat is to be milled for flour, or goes into stock feed - 2020 Kiwi HARVEST- New Zealand kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKHOc2qjlr50aM0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jITWkHRqit2UmJo kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKrSd5mhlLaVbZY - Canterbury Kiwi-,Volgs - ..kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHnGmGqkiammrqc Thompsons - ://kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnibZqV5qqiKqck . Quigleys - ://kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGWToJp8p9irgs0 . GAVINS - :kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJy6hnVtqcR5gac Kiwi Fruit - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKSzf61nf8d6ldU

[@christopherjameslee3341]

I admire them for dreaming of a better life and taking the plunge and going for it, but it's clear to me that the pair of them didn't the faintest idea what they're doing and at times seem quite deluded. How they ended up with a finished house is beyond me, but good on them for achieving it.

[@Kenny-bj2zq]

I live in US and I can tell you that nothing will test you as much as having to deal with contractors/builders to build your house on time to your specs. It is so stressful so many details and we all know "The Devil Is In the Details" to buying land/lot to getting permits etc.........I could not fathom trying to do this in another country where I don't even speak the language.

[@bekabeka71]

Kenny 10 💯agree with you, I live in Ireland and I’ve built 2 houses back home in Georgia 🇬🇪 where I’m originally from. To be honest I work with builders as a labourer and I save every penny to buy something back home and it is tough for me not being able to be there physically telling the builders what to do etc

[@leahwalker9868]

Being it’s a national park and they’re all about it being a nature retreat, why not replace the log cabins with pitching a tent?

[@gklpang]

Good luck

[@TheKres7787]

Never call a repair man/construction worker in Croatia, they are trash. I am a Croat. It is always a tragedy. Do it yourself, whatever you can eh. We built a house in Croatia recently, it took a few years, exactly the same situation, they take on more work at some point and everything becomes a huge lag. Sorry about your situation but that's the default Croatia experience when dealing with construction workers and our bureaucracy. Glad that everything worked out in the end, and well, welcome to Balkans !

[@natfandaggy]

I am returning to Croatia and I will offer the best building service, learnt over 30 years in the UK, I am now a master carpenter and I know how work should be done and whether the person is skilled to do it!!!

[@HladniSjeverniVjetar]

I think like everything else you have know the person for stuff in Croatia. There are proper pros that do the work like it's childs play and they do it fast and good...they are simply always booked....and they are not common specially since new generations don't follow into their footsteps and there is no one to transfer the knowledge to. So....bleak future in that regard.

[@davnikco6369]

excellent

[@wernerdanler2742]

I do not understand why they paid all the money up front. Half down and half on completion or better yet do it in quarters. They got rebbed! Well at least they ended up with the house they wanted and they did a brilliant job of finishing it.

[@68xyfemale62]

Ich wusste , dass dieser gutgemeinte Ratschlag von einen DEUTSCHEN war🤣😂

[@wernerdanler2742]

@@68xyfemale62 Can you say that in English please? I lost my German when I came here to the U.S. when I was 7 years old. That was in 1956.

[@bearyngerrybearynterry5732]

What a mission. Born in Brazil, it’s a similar story. There is no justice. The people are opportunistic, perhaps because their culture has insured injustice in which EU or America cannot truly understand, as of late. Their great grandfather’s took what they could to keep his family fed. Taking from (invading) foreigners… easy peasy. The wife here, in this story, is whom I inspire to be. The husband, an inspiration as well. God be with you and thank you George for sharing this amazing dream with the world. Life is about living, not working. Life is about dreaming, not living lol. Who knows?

[@melb2086]

Wow this is near my town 🙂cool. They are on right place, we have two mountains(you can go skiing) very close to town,we have sea, also we have tourist place Opatija, Italy is Very close to us,the capital city is very close, national park Plitvice...the River town is right place to live, i recommend 😊. I hope this couple are still here.

[@majabogdan5332]

Its a heaven❤

[@tinat327]

River town? Are you serious?

[@melb2086]

@@tinat327 Rijeka (River town) and how else to explain in English??🤔🙄 I wonder...

[@tinat327]

@@melb2086 how about just Rijeka?? It's a name, you don't translate names!

[@kxf2610]

@@tinat327 River town hahahah....jao, umirem xD

[@RicoBanani]

wow this was even before Croatia joined the EU. which i imagine would be even worse regarding the bureaucracy amazing to see people go after their dreams and literally do it with their own hands at that.

[@spatrk6634]

nah, bureaucracy is pretty much the same now as before EU

[@laurenglass4514]

What i have watched online is creations work cheap and then walk off the job

[@dubravkafranjic3430]

Hello, I am delighted with the renovation of a rustic traditional stone house in Croatia from the time of its construction 200 years ago...Fantastic! What is the name of the place where the old stone house was renovated between the city of Rijeka and Gorski Kotar!? It would be interesting to see Your stone house again while there is snow wirh winter magic! Cordially! Greetings from Dalmatian Zagora (near National Park "Krka"), Croatia!

[@mellie4174]

Omg! So typical!

[@albertolorusso]

would love to know the name of the lodge and if is still up and running? I would really pay them a visit and see how far they got with their planning.....15 years later!!

[@jorgeleonardo1957]

Alberto Lorusso look for Ucka Lodge in Croatia. Even Condé Nast mentions their two bedroom lodge as a Green business; also in trip advisor. Very scant information available and their site is not working. No pictures of their lodge online. Not sure if they are still running. Strange...www.travelocity.com/Lupoglav-Hotels-Charming-Istrian-Stone-Villa-In-Ucka-Nature-Park.h19472817.Hotel-Information

[@haraldwrede9712]

@@jorgeleonardo1957 trieb to find their guesthouse, but ucka lodge finds no results . also ttied tripadvisor, without success

[@y.t.a180]

@@haraldwrede9712 pity as THIS was great free advertising!!

[@naturelover6520]

People like you are a blessing... restoring a dilapidated barn and bringing it back to life...you should be treated like royalty by countries. Putting obstacles to such amazing immigrants who move to a country to do nothing but good is heartbreaking. An update would be greatly appreciated.

[@cannabis2107]

Istra

[@suzannabradley3576]

When you guys ready for B &B .my sister lives in Splits Croatia 🇭🇷.

[@orangge386]

Did you mean in Split?

[@domagojbeno388]

orangge386 Aparantly smart phones are just to smart for them self 😂 Good old days of Nokia 1910

[@DanijelaDany]

Split is beatiful. I'm from Croatia😊🇭🇷✌

[@mtl-ss1538]

@@DanijelaDany Up Date to 2020 = Kiwi farmers record wheat crop.!!! New Zealand - World Record for the highest wheat yield with a crop producing 17.398 tonnes per hectare,= New wheat world record at - [ 258.8 Bu/Ac ] = (6.93 t/ac).;www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/122074530/kiwi-farmer-breaks-own-world-record-with-monster-wheat-crop . = Wheat is to be milled for flour, or goes into stock feed - 2020 Kiwi HARVEST- New Zealand kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKHOc2qjlr50aM0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jITWkHRqit2UmJo kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKrSd5mhlLaVbZY - Canterbury Kiwi-,Volgs - ..kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHnGmGqkiammrqc Thompsons - ://kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnibZqV5qqiKqck . Quigleys - ://kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGWToJp8p9irgs0 . GAVINS - :kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJy6hnVtqcR5gac Kiwi Fruit - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKSzf61nf8d6ldU

[@tajulhudasarker6856]

@@DanijelaDany I want to.talk u I'm looking Job in Croatia Dear u help me plzzzz I'm very helpless Plzzzz help me My WhatsApp number 01880207298

[@starnejme6902]

What about Yurts instead of log cabins?

[@user-zs1nj9oi6d]

🥰

[@bg147]

The first thing I thought about when they were building the walls was drainage and pitch.

[@panoreapan470]

if you want to find water you look at the landscape, look out for trees that survive on lots of water and also plants. thats where the water is.

[@doncressco]

Nenad and the construction crew are the lowest of low. It shames me as a Croatian. I'm happy that you were able to accomplish what you did. Any updates on your life in Croatia?

[@passerineblue]

The water diviner was of course a total rip off. These poor naive fools were had big time. I had some friends who tried to open a business in Genoa and they were totally ripped off by the Italians. Get a partner with skin in the game of the same nationality as the country you are investing in, otherwise prepare to be screwed.

[@marioshadjikyriacou3381]

20:55😂 tell that croat to change his job!!

[@user-yo2pj6yp9y]

❤️！

[@vickywatson2779]

I really want an update, are this lovely couple still in Croatia ? did they get permission for the cabins? and how gorgeous is Croatia? does anyone know or is there an updated episode anywhere? ...

[@darkoulmer6881]

House is for sale. No they didn't get permission, it is in nature park no one can get permission to build cabins :)

[@vickywatson2779]

@@darkoulmer6881 Thank you for the update, makes sense they didn't get permission, I think it is really important to protect the nature park. feel bad for them though.

[@donnadunjafenton3719]

Congratulations! In any other country, this job would have been 10 times easier, because of the support local governments would give. I am a Croatian by birth, but leave in Canada for many years. I am ashamed when I see what is going on in this beautiful country, a country that needs many injections into their economy, to be viable, and prosperous, a real star in the European Union. Many have tried to invest, many have taken their businesses elsewhere. Archaic methods, still used today, will never allow the country to blossom. I am well aware, and experienced also, the road- blocks that suddenly appear on otherwise smooth roads. My hats off to all those who were subborn, and succeed at the end. Your finished product is truly amazing. May you have many visitors who will love, preserve and respect the beauty of nature found in Croatia.

[@user-mu2ql5to3j]

They cant build in national park. The end.They didint get permition

[@glennwall552]

Sorry but you wouldn't get permits in my country Australia with out volumes of ecological studies and permits but even then your screwed because you can't build resorts in National Parks boundaries.

[@donnadunjafenton3719]

@@glennwall552 I agree with you totally. Permits protect national parks, and one cannot build anything on such land. However, these people DID GET "PERMITS" and BOUGHT THE LAND from someone, for the purpose intended. Who is the person that OWNED part of the NATIONAL PARK and was allowed to sale it? Who are the people that signed those permits? That is the shameful part. No person would buy or build anything without proper documentation, and especially someone coming from UK. I don't see anything but corruption on the part of authorities in that region.

[@Skorrigan]

How did they manage to do all the finishing works alone in 3 months? I just dont believe it. I just know how much time and effort it takes. C'mon, dont feed me a line. Electricity, plumbing, floor laying, not to mention they all of the sudden they had access to running water XD

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

The had plumbing and electrics in - plus plaster was done. All it needed was paint, flooring, and final fixings.

[@i.z4711]

I agree.

[@Nittanykzm]

So sad, but it's their own fault for not getting all permits, reference, etc. In advance.

[@doloressverko9887]

I agree. This law has hurt many Croats living abroad as well. In the 80s, you could still build and explore without anyone bothering you. But now all the rules are synced with the EU and they set examples of people. I know a bit about this because we have a home in Istria from my grandpa. I have friends from NY who are Croatian who emigrated from this ares. Many have moved back and made villas.

[@HollywoodCreeper]

Fuck you Karen.

[@fojnica2226]

anyway you are welcome to my croatia

[@plonkerification]

I'm so glad how the house looks like in the end. Well done. Lijepo.

[@tbp.whiteraven]

Ružno

[@irinaiacob8833]

How did they complete the job alone in 3 months? just the 2 of them... how?

[@Skorrigan]

I'm asking myself the same question and don't have a bloody clue.

[@rogerhudson9732]

Lots of wildlife around, have they seen a Poskok (European Hornrd Viper) yet?

[@beckywaytoomuch]

22:41 💙💙💙

[@Engelhafen]

I’d go with tents - they can’t block that

[@getin3949]

Sure they can if it isn't in their zoning regulations.

[@truusjenskens8485]

The house can crack and come down any minute and he's standing inside without a helmet waiting for something to happen.

[@MrHororfob]

This video is perfectly describe my country and people, corruption, administration problems, if they put some money in the pocket of local government, they will get paper's done in no time.

[@drleon-vc7df]

ti si idio.,osvrni se oko sebe nije sve tako crno

[@MrHororfob]

@@drleon-vc7df jel netko rekao da je crno ili loše

[@silverlining7112]

I tried finding the Ucka Lodge and the newest entry on their website is from 2006. It seems that they must not have made it or something had changed in the years since.

[@irinaiacob8833]

When was the name mentioned? i missed that part. or perhaps i didn't register the name of the place as being the name of the place. (i was also doing some other stuff while listening). Nevermind, i rewinded, and i heard it. ;)

[@silvijamatijascic3168]

yeah, i want to know what happened with the place in the end!

[@antebajlo9394]

I also want to know

[@perimund]

Search booking, "Stone Villa" Učka national park,... its the same still 3 rooms i think

[@gemmalou9389]

@@perimund thx for your information. I`ve googled it and the owner now is Nora. The Guest reviews are really nice. Frank and Alice started a fantastic thing, somebody else continues their dream.

[@RicoBanani]

how did they finish the groundworks though

[@SarahSmith-nr2wj]

If they don't get planning 4 the cabins, they should just put in yurts. There's always a way. Bugs me how these sorts of programmes use anguish and risk to build the story, I'd rather just have the facts.

[@nonaev06]

I live in Bosnia, grew up here and I must say that they paid waaaaay to much for this. 56000 for this, there is no way anybody from Croatia would have given more than 20000 for this. :/ sorry to see them waste that much money.

[@drleon-vc7df]

hehehe,....sa dobrim bukingom, u što ne sumnjam ,brzo će vratiti uloženo. nije ovo bosna.

[@rickyross4976]

Haha sta je to kroacija zadnja rupa na sviralu ko I bosna 🤣 da si reko italija pa ipak a kroacija siromasna jos dugo

[@HladniSjeverniVjetar]

@@rickyross4976 Zanimljiv komentar....

[@blazopecev5346]

Builders in all region of (yugoslavija)are same ! If you pay them up front forgate the progres on your project

[@RR98guy]

That way in Hungary also

[@natfandaggy]

Similar in UK, I only ask for a 50% deposit and everyone is happy👌

[@hubcap4KHDRgameplay]

How do people believe Croatia will remain a stable nation. It's history suggests something very different. Along with latest world trends.... I'd be sticking much closer to home.

[@mrall7486]

This is how it is in the whole Balkans. I'm sorry for these wonderful people, they first had to check everything in detail, then start working, they threw away too much money unnecessarily, they could have done two more log cabins for that. In any case, I wish them good luck.!!!!!!!