The ideal house thread

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The ideal house thread
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NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 17 10:53 pm Post subject:

Slim wrote:

For that money (less actually, considering the exchange rate) you can get a big fancy contemporary timber frame on 220 acres over here

https://vermont.craigslist.org/reb/d/definitive-vermont-view-mls/6278509958.html

*wistful sigh*

One day I might be able to afford the snail in picture 10

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 17 11:00 pm Post subject:

gythagirl wrote:

Love the first 'key feature' of that house - 'Fancy having your horses at home?' - !!! Well why wouldn't you!

When I went to look at the house I am apparently being brave (and insane) to think of buying, the estate agent went on and on about where I could build the stables, and so on. Even though I'd told him I didn't ride and don't have horses (dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle) and wanted to plant trees on the land.

I'm wondering about an earth sheltered house, except I can't find one I like (I like the idea, I just hate all the designs I've seen) and I really like the idea of a cash-neutral property. Although I don't know if it's feasible.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 17 11:30 pm Post subject:
Places to look for info might include the Centre for Alternative Technology, and there is also a miscanthus building doing the rounds on twitter from Aber. University https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09295cw

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16004

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 17 6:30 am Post subject:
The Primitive Methodist Chapel in our village was far more modest, and converted to only a sleeping mezzanine suitable for no more than a couple. The Mission Chapel in the next village has been converted to a shop downstairs and a hairdressers upstairs. Sadly, land is a lot more expensive in the UK Slim. Even woodland is going for £10k and acre plus for small woods.

Bebo

Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 12590
Location: East Sussex

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 17 3:52 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

Still commuting then?

Yup. Got involved in starting a new company last Autumn which involved me going back to working 5 days a week. Very tiresome.

Bebo

Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 12590
Location: East Sussex

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 17 4:01 pm Post subject:

john of wessex wrote:

And reinstatement of the connection to the railway to Tenterden is underway

I know. Absolutely pointless for commuters and really just some daft idea of the steam railway mob. They have planning consent but don't own the land, which they won't ever get unless there is some daft attempt to get it through the local authority by compulsory purchase. I'll be joining the protests against it if they try to do that.

Bebo

Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 12590
Location: East Sussex

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 17 4:06 pm Post subject:
This one has been on the market a while. Really like it, but could do with a little more land. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50115975.html

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16004

Posted: Tue Sep 05, 17 7:16 am Post subject:

There is a property near us that might be nice if we were willing to do really extensive work on the house, maybe even more than Dpack is doing. There is a house with 2 cottages at the front of the property, then about 1 acre of land behind the whole lot. Sadly as it has been left so long, and is very derelict, I rather suspect that it is going for building land at grossly inflated prices. Would be nice to live in the house and use the land for garden/storage and work area, and rent or sell the cottages. Although I can't see many of the locals being that keen on a woodyard there as they are mainly townspeople who have moved out for a 'quiet' life.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Sep 05, 17 3:11 pm Post subject:
A proper walled garden. Every house should have one.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16004

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 17 7:58 am Post subject:
That would be lovely. Would be possible to grow things against the walls and get ripening times advanced retarded, depending on which bit of the garden you use. Only problem is that it needs to be quite big otherwise the walls cast too much shadow.

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 17 9:42 am Post subject:
You could train some fruit trees along a wall. I think I'd like to add a cottage garden to mine as well.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6614
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 17 11:08 am Post subject:
A walled garden could really be an asset here where we get so cold. I'd look awfully fancy as the only home in the state with one (guessing), though I might draw a skeptical eye as neighbors began wondering what illegal thing I might be growing behind the wall...

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 17 10:48 pm Post subject:
I have often wondered about learning to lay brick, just so I could have one. They cost a fortune, but are fairly basic (if time consuming) to do, I'm told. One day, maybe.

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2573
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 17 1:37 am Post subject:
Consider building a serpentine brick wall. Not only pretty, but also practical. They can often be built of a single wythe of masonry, no piers or reinforcement, 4 inches thick and up to 4 feet 8 inches tall.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16004

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 17 6:24 am Post subject:
They look good in a garden too Jam Lady. Slim, the only problem you might have is that a walled garden might be a frost trap in extreme cold. That could be a problem for us being on a slope so would probably mean some holes in the downhill side to let out the cold.

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