In the heart of the main square of Gavalochori is an impressive stone office building. It houses the Technical Office, which provides engineering services to those who own property or want to build or buy a house in the area. The business provides survey plans, building permits, energy certificates, and land-registry declarations. Sometimes, structures are built illegally on a property, and documents can be submitted through the Technical Office to legalize the property.
The business is owned by Katerina Bakatsaki and her husband Nikos Lionakis. She is an agricultural surveyor from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. and he is a civil engineer from Athens. Following their graduation in 1993, Katerina and Nikos moved to Gavalochori, and in 1998, they opened their office in the lower part of their house on the main square. They built an office building across the street from their home and moved the business there in 2007, which gave them more space and allowed them to grow. They enjoy their work because it allows them to meet new people, participate in the Gavalochori community, and spend time in nature. At times, the job is frustrating because of the Greek bureaucracy, which often results in delays in answers to questions or required paperwork.
Katerina and Nikos are happy that their two sons will join the business once they have finished their university training. Their older son Nikos will complete his studies in civil engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and will join the business in 2025. His brother Stelios is a few years behind him but intends to follow the same path. Katerina and Nikos are happy that their sons will be joining them soon because they will be able to expand their services and modernize their way of working. Because their sons are fluent in English, the business will also be able to serve English-speaking clients once they join the firm.
Even if you never have the occasion to use the services of the office, you are likely to see Katerina if you spend even a little time in Gavalochori. This is due in part to her position as president of Gavalochori, a position similar to a village manager, which has a renewable term of five years. As president of Gavalochori, she is also president of the Folklore Museum, and she often takes a shift working at the museum during the summer. But she does much more in the village than these positions require. She loves cooking, an interest she developed when she wanted to provide her family with a healthy and balanced diet, and she often prepares food for community events in Gavalochori. She can also be found organizing community events, serving food at celebrations and concerts, coordinating tour groups, and generally providing support for any activity that benefits Gavalochori. Because Katerina was born and raised in Gavalochori (and her parents still live in the village), she is very dedicated to Gavalochori and does everything she can to improve the quality of life in the village.
In the heart of the main square of Gavalochori is an impressive stone office building. It houses the Technical Office, which provides engineering services to those who own property or want to build or buy a house in the area. The business provides survey plans, building permits, energy certificates, and land-registry declarations. Sometimes, structures are built illegally on a property, and documents can be submitted through the Technical Office to legalize the property.
The business is owned by Katerina Bakatsaki and her husband Nikos Lionakis. She is an agricultural surveyor from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. and he is a civil engineer from Athens. Following their graduation in 1993, Katerina and Nikos moved to Gavalochori, and in 1998, they opened their office in the lower part of their house on the main square. They built an office building across the street from their home and moved the business there in 2007, which gave them more space and allowed them to grow. They enjoy their work because it allows them to meet new people, participate in the Gavalochori community, and spend time in nature. At times, the job is frustrating because of the Greek bureaucracy, which often results in delays in answers to questions or required paperwork.
Katerina and Nikos are happy that their two sons will join the business once they have finished their university training. Their older son Nikos will complete his studies in civil engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and will join the business in 2025. His brother Stelios is a few years behind him but intends to follow the same path. Katerina and Nikos are happy that their sons will be joining them soon because they will be able to expand their services and modernize their way of working. Because their sons are fluent in English, the business will also be able to serve English-speaking clients once they join the firm.
Even if you never have the occasion to use the services of the office, you are likely to see Katerina if you spend even a little time in Gavalochori. This is due in part to her position as president of Gavalochori, a position similar to a village manager, which has a renewable term of five years. As president of Gavalochori, she is also president of the Folklore Museum, and she often takes a shift working at the museum during the summer. But she does much more in the village than these positions require. She loves cooking, an interest she developed when she wanted to provide her family with a healthy and balanced diet, and she often prepares food for community events in Gavalochori. She can also be found organizing community events, serving food at celebrations and concerts, coordinating tour groups, and generally providing support for any activity that benefits Gavalochori. Because Katerina was born and raised in Gavalochori (and her parents still live in the village), she is very dedicated to Gavalochori and does everything she can to improve the quality of life in the village.
