½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Many moons ago I listened to the radio on the PC on a dialup modem - maybe even a 14kbps, (but I can't promise that)! It is very undemanding about speed - a download of an hour long prog takes about 50 secs on 56K - more like 10 secs on broadband. Streaming live TV does need speed - but audio (especially whatever coding the BBC uses) is incredibly economical. Give it a try!

Unusually, I simply replied to the question in your post, instead of my usual interrogation as to why you feel a need to source this (relatively unusual) material! So - here come the questions. Do you intend to install this stuff yourself - perhaps to clad a rough looking concrete or metal flue? What are you going to fix it to? The default ½ûÂþÌìÌà solution might involve using forati, plastered conventionally, and the thickness of such a cladding could be as little as 8cm. Yes, it would mean a bit of mess, or maybe you don't fancy laying thin forati (not very easy) but it would be cheaper and bombproof. Another masonry alternative would be lightweight concrete blocks (Ytong, 5cm) which are simple to glue together, and would only require a very light skim over with an easy to control plaster. Maybe you need something for a slightly different purpose (filling in above a system fireplace, for example) and the Fireboard would be ideal, but just in case you don't actually need to pay the money for the stuff...!

No, as far as I can see, you are free of any plusvalenza considerations on a prima or seconda casa after five years ownership, irrespective of domicile. 

Not wishing to escalate this one - I enjoy The Archers on my smartphone - it does confuse visiting Brits if I'm using the free wi-fi in a restaurant, and I up the volume for the signature tune  There's a BBC Radio app, Android and Apple - works well (not geoblocked anymore) and covers all the local UK BBC Radio stations as well as the national ones. It doesn't do play it again, like the iplayer on the computer, but hopefully they'll make that happen soon.

Probably the most easily found product will be Knauf Fireboard. Unfortunately, the trova rivenditore page on the Knauf site isn't ready yet! Being a board product, you may find it held in stock by a large timber merchant, alternatively a specialist engineering type supplier (I don't know if you have Mericat anywhere nearer than Perugia).

Certainly in my area, (assuming that your patio is not catastally considered a 'room'), you would need a full planning permission for this, as you would effectively be enlarging the house. There may be considerations which could mean a permission would not be granted. The fees payable to the comune will not be small, and you may come up against some (superable) difficulties with insulation levels or heating provision. I'd speak to your geometra about whether you need a permission, whether they'll give you one, (or whether he thinks you could do it in the black as it were) and get a preventivo from him covering his fees, the comune fees, and any other potential fees payable for heating engineers and thermal certificates and other bollocks. Good luck with it.

I know - horses for courses - and the pleasure is to travel and not necessarialy to arrive! I often did Hull/Zeebrugge (though Rotterdam was almost as good, maybe 15 min extra) and, given travelling on a Sunday, Zebrugge to Perugia was 12 or 13 hours. Perugia to northern Calabria is max 7 hours - so, if you wanted to do this journey (stopping only for fuel/coffee/sandwich) it could take less than 21 hours. (Zeebrugge to Grottole). If you have two drivers, and are determined, this is your timescale. If you like languid lunches, this is not for you! But, it is doable

If you buy your 2013 vignette in December this year, it lasts from Dec 1 2012 until Jan 31 2014 - so it would cover your trip (and the one next year, if you are planning one!)

I haven't come in on this thread before, because sagraisolar and badger know what they are talking about. I just have one question, and one observation. The question (for badger) is that I used to have a house served by an artesian well, the water source fed an underground cistern - no more than 15mc capacity - and an educated friend asked why we didn't use this as a source for a heat pump. Having been asked this question, I do wonder whether an existing 'system' (such as a well) couldn't eliminate the need for all these relativelly deep trenches dug over an extensive area. The observation is simply that using electricity as a 'top up' fuel (or as principal fuel in an infrequently occupied house) can work out as a very cheap option - ammortize the installation costs of any other 'central' boiler/radiator solution and tell me I am wrong! I would always come down on the side of a woodburning Jotul - whatever the circumstances - it is just what you add to that little star performer...note my (unpaid!!) rec for that one manufacturer.

You've had some good responses here, I hope you make this work! I suspect most of your clients are going to be the British, and maybe Americans or Northen Europeans (I guess most pet loving ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs are going to have family near by). It is going to be very important for you to have a good reputation, for reliability and honesty - you already have some people who you can use as references, but it will need a bit of thought as to how you advertise your services. If I was going to engage a house/pet sitter I'd want to speak to them, preferably on a landline telephone, or (if local) maybe meet for a coffee in a bar. (From your point of view, this could leave you open to meeting some weirdos if you haven't also checked their credentials.) Eventually - especially if you manage to meet other ex-pats in your area on a social basis - you may be able to rely on word of mouth, but in the early days you are going to have to make 'outside' contacts, and this forum seems to be a good start. Talking to the local vets would also be a good idea, because they are likely to be the sort of people potential clients will ask about pet sitters. Don't get too excited, because one major snag is that loads of people are going to want their pets looked after over Christmas, for example, but few will be away from their ½ûÂþÌìÌà homes in May: and of course if you do want to venture into Umbria or Tuscany it almost certainly means you can't have any pets of your own at home.