From Run-Down House to a Dream Home in Mallorca: Electrical Installations, Smart Home Technology and a Surprising Idea for an Old Cistern

Work on Dave’s finca in Mallorca is moving into another important phase. After previous chapters focused mainly on the building structure and the basic construction work, attention now turns to the technical installations.

Edwin and his team are responsible for a major part of this work, covering everything from electricity and fresh water to wastewater, air conditioning and heat pumps. At the same time, Dave is thinking about the details that will eventually make the house comfortable and practical to live in.

How should the technology work in everyday life? What possibilities does a smart home system offer? Could one of the old water cisterns be used for something completely different? And what happens when the main generator suddenly stops working in the middle of the construction phase?

Chapter 9 shows just how many different aspects come together during a major renovation – and how some of the most interesting ideas can emerge while the work is already underway.

Power and Network Connections Throughout the House

The installation plan aims to provide plenty of connection points throughout the property. Alongside conventional electrical outlets, network connections are also an important part of the project.

Dave wants LAN connections available in as many areas as possible – including the guest rooms and even some rather unusual locations.

Connections are also being prepared around the kitchen and the future kitchen island. Another practical feature is the use of floor outlets. These make it possible to connect devices around the dining table or kitchen island without having to run cables across the room to a wall socket.

The original plan actually included even more electrical outlets. However, after discussing the layout with the installation team, Dave was advised to reduce the number. The result is still a generous supply of connections without placing a socket practically every few centimetres.

Smart Technology Should Be Practical, Not Complicated

There is one thing Dave feels particularly strongly about: a smart home should make everyday life easier, not turn simple tasks into complicated routines.

A light switch should still work intuitively. Lights on, lights off – without unnecessary flashing displays or confusing controls.

One feature Dave is especially looking forward to is a central switch near the entrance. By pressing and holding it, several functions could be activated at once when leaving the house:

• All lights are switched off.
• The alarm system is activated.
• The air conditioning is set to 23 degrees in a reduced operating mode.
• The robot vacuum cleaner starts automatically.

All of this could happen with a single action.

Another major advantage is that the functions can be adjusted later. This allows the system to adapt to the residents‘ actual habits rather than requiring every detail to be decided permanently from the beginning.

As the installation work progresses, the team receives some additional support. Work has temporarily stopped at another construction site, and Dave is asked whether a few of the workers could help out on his project.

For Dave, this is an opportunity to get even more done.

However, with Mallorca’s summer temperatures, having enough workers is only part of the equation. Keeping everyone supplied with water and refreshments is just as important.

After already buying around 150 litres of water, Dave decides to organise an even larger supply this time: approximately 225 litres of water, along with soft drinks for the team.

During the hottest hours around midday, the workers also take breaks in the shade.

These may seem like small organisational details, but they make a real difference on a construction site, particularly during the summer months.

The Budget Has Already Been Significantly Exceeded

The question of the project’s final cost is considerably more difficult.

Dave openly admits that the renovation has become much more expensive than he originally expected and planned for. However, he cannot yet give a final figure.

Several invoices from the different trades are still outstanding. The windows also have to be installed, and the house still needs to be furnished.

Only once all these costs have been accounted for will it be possible to calculate the actual total.

Dave explains that he significantly underestimated the financial side of the project. As the costs continue to rise, he has naturally started questioning some of the decisions made along the way.

It is a reminder of how quickly the financial side of a major renovation can change. When numerous trades and different areas of work overlap, decisions made during construction can have a considerable impact on the overall budget.

Security is another subject Dave addresses in this episode. Because the finca is relatively secluded, he wants to make sure the property is properly equipped.

He deliberately avoids revealing the details of the planned security system. However, he confirms that a comprehensive setup is being planned and that he feels comfortable with the solution.

A nearby neighbour also has a security system that can detect people approaching the access road from several hundred metres away.

Dave takes the opportunity to thank viewers who have respected his earlier request not to visit the property without permission. Since he addressed the issue in a previous video, nobody has turned up unexpectedly at the site.

For him, this makes it much easier to continue working on the project and sharing its progress online.

Why Planning Before Construction Matters

One of the most interesting parts of this episode is Dave’s reflection on everything he has learned so far.

When asked what he would do differently, he has quite a long list of things in mind.

First, he says he would have researched the property more thoroughly before buying it. More importantly, he would have waited until the entire renovation plan was finalised before starting the work.

This would have included coordinating all the different trades and areas of the project:

• Structural and building work
• Electrical planning and the positioning of connections
• Water supply and wastewater systems
• Air conditioning and climate control
• Interior design and furnishing

Looking back, Dave believes that better coordination from the beginning could have saved a considerable amount of money.

He also feels that having an experienced person on the owner’s side – someone who could look at the entire project from a practical construction perspective – might have helped avoid some unnecessary costs and decisions.

Despite these lessons, he remains happy with the property, the companies involved and the work completed so far. Nevertheless, the experience has shown him just how important thorough preparation is before a major renovation begins.

Why Build a New Cistern?

Some viewers had asked why a new cistern was necessary when the property already had two older ones.

The main reason is uncertainty about whether the existing cisterns are watertight. One of them is located very close to the house and the planned terrace. Dave does not want to take the risk of water leaking from an old structure and seeping into the surrounding ground near the building.

The new cistern is therefore being positioned in a more central location on the property.

This could also prove useful in the future. If additional construction is approved after the current project has been completed and formally accepted, the new cistern could potentially supply both buildings.

For now, however, this remains a future possibility and would depend on the necessary planning permissions.

The Idea: A Platform Lift in the Centre

Dave’s concept is anything but ordinary. Instead of simply sealing the space and leaving it unused, he is considering turning it into an underground storage area.

His idea involves installing a platform in the centre of the cistern that can move up and down. He imagines a kind of goods lift operated by a winch and a pulley system.

Storage shelves could then be installed around the platform. By moving the platform vertically, it would be possible to reach the different storage levels.

According to Dave’s own calculations, approximately 17.5 cubic metres of storage space could remain available after allowing for the platform and its supporting structure.

That would create a surprisingly large amount of additional storage space in an area that might otherwise remain unused.

Bespoke Solutions for the Interior

The old cistern is not the only part of the house where Dave is looking for unusual solutions.

Inside the building, he is still exploring the idea of a large sliding wall that would allow certain rooms to be separated. Ideally, the wall would run continuously across the space while incorporating a door, so that people could still move between the rooms when the wall is closed.

Another idea involves a movable television unit. It would run along a track, move into a selected position and rotate through 360 degrees. When it is no longer needed there, it could simply be moved away again.

Both ideas require specialist expertise. Dave is therefore reaching out to companies that work with large sliding systems, movable TV modules or the conversion of old cisterns into usable underground spaces.

These individual features show that not every design challenge can be solved with standard products. Some ideas require specialists from different fields to work together and develop a solution from scratch.

Another subject that needs attention is drainage around the property.

Mallorca generally receives less frequent rainfall than many parts of Germany. However, when rain does arrive, it can be extremely heavy.

Parts of Dave’s property sit in a slight depression, with changes in the surrounding ground levels. He therefore wants to consider how rainwater could collect and where it should be directed.

Although some of the workers do not consider additional drainage necessary, Dave would prefer to install drainage channels in selected areas, particularly around the planned terrace. He also wants rain gutters to be included.

The exact solution will be discussed with the specialists. The aim is to take the characteristics of the plot into account and ensure that rainwater can be directed away from the house in a controlled way.

No Electricity Means No Water Either

Alongside all the progress, the week also brings a serious problem: the main diesel generator on the property stops working.

With a peak output of 24 kW, it is an essential part of the construction site. Since the finca does not yet have a regular electricity supply, many of the ongoing activities depend on this generator.

Dave contacts a company in Palma that previously installed the machine. After several attempts to find help, a mechanic finally arrives to inspect and repair it.

Unfortunately, the repair is unsuccessful.

The problem is not limited to the lack of electricity. The water supply is affected as well. The property’s well is approximately 70 to 80 metres deep, and the pump needs sufficient power to bring the water up to the surface.

Without a functioning generator, the pump cannot operate as required. This means there is no reliable water supply for the site, making it difficult to continue certain tasks.

The situation could also affect the planned concrete work for the pool and the new cistern.

At the end of the week, it is still uncertain whether these works will be able to go ahead as scheduled.

Chapter 9 once again demonstrates how many different elements are involved in a major renovation project.

The electrical installations are getting underway, and the smart home concept is becoming more concrete. At the same time, new possibilities are emerging for the outdoor areas and the use of the existing structures on the property.

The old cistern could potentially become an unusual underground storage space. The pool and new water cistern are moving closer to their next construction stages. Meanwhile, the financial challenges and lessons learned so far highlight just how important thorough planning and coordination are.

And then there are the things that simply cannot be planned for: a broken generator can suddenly bring important parts of the entire construction site to a standstill.

Step by step, Dave’s finca is taking shape – with practical solutions, individual ideas and plenty of challenges still ahead.

The journey from a run-down house to a dream home in Mallorca continues.

[WATCH CHAPTER 9 HERE]