Camarles, Catalonia 43894

La Finca del Carpintero was built by a Swiss carpenter and based the construction on the principle of the three P's: Planning, Precision, Perfection. Ernst, the carpenter, took the work of building his house in Catalonia very seriously. He brought the wood from his home country, oak, cedar and pressed pine, and set about building his dream house. The 40m2 open plan living area features precision ceiling panelling, oak floors, decorative window lintels, bespoke new-build kitchen, fitted wardrobes and, most importantly, a hermetically sealed and insulated house. The outside temperature may be 30 degrees, but inside the temperature is 10 degrees lower. The windows have a special 100 mm chamber, which means that the thermal properties of the house are impressive, while the windows themselves combine wood and aluminium in the frame. And as for heating, there is a very efficient wood-burning cooker that keeps the house warm during the cold winter months. In total, the property has 150 sqm of interior space, a covered terrace with barbecue and pizza oven and stunning sea views. We continue with the bedrooms. The master bedroom has a fully renovated en suite bathroom, and the other two share a second double bathroom. The sleeping capacity of the house is for 8 people. And while this beautifully crafted interior was executed with Rolex-like Swiss precision, it begs the question of where Ernst stored and worked the wood. We knew these were the two questions on the tip of his tongue, and both have an interesting answer. The carpenter built two huge workshops on an industrial scale. One is a 123 m2 hall and the other is a 76 m2 workshop equipped with all the saws and sanding machines that any woodworker could dream of. The two warehouses are spectacular, made of huge pine beams, doors hanging on metal rails that roll effortlessly backwards to open up to a woodworker's paradise. Here you feel you are in the countryside, surrounded by manicured gardens, but at the same time, there is an industrial and organised feel that fits perfectly into this rural setting. And this property offers so much more, such as a very large 76m2 garage with bathroom, ideal for parking vans, cars and jeeps. Then, as we move towards the pool area, we pass by the woodshed for storing firewood, before arriving at a large terrace made of Ulldecona stone, a 6x3.5m swimming pool and a lovely annexe chalet, tailor-made for a family home. There is also a vegetable garden and a chicken coop, both of which have been carefully designed. Surrounding the house we have 1.5 hectares of land completely enclosed with a 1.6 metre high galvanised fence. The property is connected to mains electricity, but also has a back-up generator. And as for the all-important consideration of water in the countryside, the estate has 110, 000 litres of water storage in three separate cisterns to benefit from the heavy rains when it rains in Catalonia. This is really the story of rain in this area. Either it rains a lot or it doesn't rain at all. So who is the ideal candidate for this estate? We think there are several possibilities. Perhaps someone who runs a business, and is keen to live in the countryside, with the necessary storage and workshop space to run their business in the tranquil surroundings of the countryside. Or someone interested in the idea of refurbishing the existing finca and converting the warehouses into spectacular accommodation for family and friends or even a centre for activities such as yoga or retreats. But whatever the reason, this finca built by the Swiss carpenter with the three P's is worth a visit.