Singer Antti Railio has to move out of his dream home with his family of nine.
Vocalist Antti at Railio has an exceptionally difficult year behind it. For him and Siiri-wife found out over the spring and summer that the 250-square-meter dream home they bought three years ago in Seinäjoki is in such bad condition that they shouldn’t start repairing it themselves.
– This has been mentally extremely heavy and terrible. I let out a devilish cry when the inspectors visited us and told us that it is not worth repairing the house ourselves anymore. The sale is now the only option, Antti Railio tells Iltalehte.
According to him, there has been a discussion with the seller of the house through a lawyer, and luckily we will probably reach an agreement on the sale.
– This did not go as well as in Strömsö, because the repair costs are the same as the price of a smaller detached house. That makes no sense.
The purchase decision was made in the summer of 2020 with lightning speed and they thought it would be perfect for a family of nine and pets. On a large plot of land, the singer built with his own hands impressive studio facilities in an 80-square-meter courtyard building, which he has been proud of.
– We immediately went to see the house on Friday and the deals were made on Monday. It had just been renovated within a year and there were, among other things, new appliances. It was a must get, Railio described to Iltalehte in 2020.
The mold problems were revealed to the family through an incredible coincidence.
Visible mold on the walls
Antti and Siiri Railiohan had planned a romantic vacation at the beginning of the year, which would allow them to gather additional strength and get the year off to a good start. Then things started escalating one after the other like in a tragicomedy.
The family’s soon-to-be three-year-old daughter Island had blocked the toilet sink with cat food and toilet paper, which started to flood. The resulting water damage was covered by home insurance, but when the toilets were renovated, it was revealed that this was not all.
– In that context, we decided to renovate the utility room at the same time, because with the toilet renovation, the floor heating in the utility room, which was in the same cable, broke. While demolishing the floor of the utility room, large-scale water damage was revealed. The premises were wet and full of mold up to a meter high, Railio describes.
– All the concrete had to be cleaned and the house lifted from one corner with jacks. The moldy parts of the house have already been renovated in the spring, but the fear that not everything has been found still exists. Spring went by in spades for me too.
The couple began to suspect that the health inspector who evaluated the house hadn’t noticed everything during his inspection. They ordered, among other things, an expert from an engineering office and an electrical inspector.
– There was new bad news all the time, and this started to seem like an endless quagmire. It turned out that the electricity was done incorrectly. The frame of the house had visible mold on the exterior walls when they were opened.
– The sewers were made incorrectly, there were no pours at all. The roof was absolutely hellish. I was under the belief that the new tin roof was done well, but no, the water got from the roof into the structures, the singer lists a catastrophic situation.
In the end, in a difficult situation, there is only one option left for the singer and his spouse.
– Now that such extensive repairs have been revealed, it makes no sense to dismantle the store. We are still waiting for the investigation report.
Antti and Siiri Railio are now looking for a new rental home for their family in the Seinäjoki area. It’s not exactly easy to find one for a family of nine, with seven children and pets. Everyday life has to be functional, and that limits the possibilities due to the location, when the children’s transportation to school has to be taken into account.
– It’s terribly sad, because this is a dream home in a dream location. I remember sitting on the backyard terrace after shopping, thinking that I finally have my own dream home. Now it feels like everything was in vain, he says honestly.
The singer believes that the next “end-of-life home” will be built to meet their needs.
He thanks his family and friends from the bottom of his heart, with whom the extended family has been able to wash, when the washing facilities in their own home have been under renovation for seven months. Help and support has been available throughout the year in such a way that it is still moving.
Light up the mess
Despite the difficult times, Railio has not lost his bright outlook on life. These lessons will not be forgotten in an instant.
– Many cakes are beautiful on the outside. Now I know more about building a house than before.
– If your own children ever buy a house, you can’t trust the word of the health inspector, you have to hire a builder to inspect the house. We also trusted in vain – everything essential had to be in order.
Health will also be fixed, because the biggest concert tour of Antti Railio’s career is coming up at the end of the year. Railio has had strange throat pains, about which he has booked a doctor’s appointment for next week.
– This sore throat has been bothering me for a long time, since last fall. Some days it’s really bad. As a singer, of course, I strain my throat all the time during voice work, and it can also be muscle-based pain. I’m starting to think that there’s no cancer in my throat! The fact that I am a mold-exposed person can cause these symptoms, he reflects.
He thanks the close connection with his Siiri spouse: in moments of despair, both of them have been allowed to show their weakness and be who they are. The whole family has managed to be flexible.
Antti Railio has had a difficult year behind him, but he has not lost his bright outlook on life. Mikko Huisko
An invitation helps
Now the situation is starting to get better and it shows in every way. Antti Railio, who turned 39 years old on Sunday, published a long post on Instagram, where he shared his news and revealed his ambitious plans for the future.
– I have an extremely loving and wonderful family. Today, on my birthday, I woke up to a song and received a gift of boxers. I think that if it’s hard and the walls are falling down around you, love will make you endure. My focus is to remain a good father and true to myself.
New songs have been created quickly and they have been released recently Strong hearts – single, through which he wanted to direct people’s attention to the sickness of children and young people.
– For me, music has always been a therapeutic thing and this has become a calling profession. I want to help people. We must invest in the well-being of young people and children here and now!
In November, Railio will go on the biggest concert hall tour of his career, which he has planned with inspiration.
– I feel good about my career, I know what I’m doing and plans have been made for a couple of years ahead. Big things are still to come, he promises.
There are also new dreams, ones that haven’t been shared much with others yet. Few people know, for example, that Railio dreams of having “his own life Vesa-Matti Loiri” and that he also works as an actor.
– In 2012, I participated in the Dance of the Vampires play at Seinäjoki City Theatre, and it was super popular. Acting has always interested me. If a large charismatic man is needed for the roles, here would be one viable option. The house is starting to collapse, now you need some work, he laughs.
At the end of the year, Railio will go on a concert tour. Mikko Huisko