Guy's House Project

Author
Discussion

E36GUY

Original Poster:

5,906 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Finally!

Having left London in 2009 for life in the country, we've been searching and renting for six years. In hindsight this was a good thing as our London flat failed to sell three years ago and in November, sold for considerably more than it had been advertised at previously opening the doors to a decent house for us now.

As cash buyers, we were in a reasonably strong position and ended up making a cheeky offer on a house in South Cambs on the basis we could complete before Christmas and didn't need to wait around for mortgage. We were accepted! Fast forward to today and we've exchanged contracts albeit with a completion of 11th Jan so I'm absolutely delighted that finally we can a, live in our own house again and b, it's project time. Can't move in as it is. Current owners have been there since 1968 so you can imagine it's tired. Aside from having been extended in the 80s I don't think it's actually been redecorated since then either!

Anyway, for those of you that like these threads, the house requires pretty much a full renovation. Not doing anything extensive upstairs aside from a facelift and the addition of bathroom to the master bed so here are my outline plans that I have done myself and I already have an architect on the case and submitted a pre-planning advice document so that we know what we need to do when we submit the planning. We're inside the village's development framework and outside of the conservation area. We're going to extend the first floor only so I don't envisage any particular objections in terms of planning but here we are! The visuals are more for illustrative purposes as the lighting software I've used to build the rooms has it's limits. The layout may well change but I've dropped in furniture to be able to get a good idea in scale on what would fit but I am happy with the layout and instructed the architect accordingly. Tried to maximise space throughout and the result is four good reception rooms giving personal space for everyone. I'm partularly looking forward to the grown up child's room cinema and to doing my own lighting project for a change after years of doing everyone elses!





I now expect this thread to fall silent my end while we wait for completion and the planning phase but I shall update. If anyone cares me too!

Edited by E36GUY on Friday 7th December 10:46

Harry Flashman

19,283 posts

241 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
You did what I wanted to do - best of luck!

We stayed in London, as Lady F needs her friends around her: a life putting up with just me was not appealing, apparently. Cant say I blame her.

LivingTheDream

1,753 posts

178 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Please do keep it updated! Always interested in these threads.

Only a few miles up the road from me too.

Dibs

95 posts

167 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Just up the road from me too - I'm in SM.

E36GUY

Original Poster:

5,906 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Harry Flashman said:
You did what I wanted to do - best of luck!

We stayed in London, as Lady F needs her friends around her: a life putting up with just me was not appealing, apparently. Cant say I blame her.
Most of ours have left and scattered so we didn't have the same draw

E36GUY

Original Poster:

5,906 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Dibs said:
Just up the road from me too - I'm in SM.
Great news. I know no-one! We've put eldest lad down for SM school.

NorthDave

2,355 posts

231 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Looks like a great project. Keep the thread updated as they are a great read.

I'm interested to see how the layout develops as there a couple of bits I would do differently!

E36GUY

Original Poster:

5,906 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
NorthDave said:
Looks like a great project. Keep the thread updated as they are a great read.

I'm interested to see how the layout develops as there a couple of bits I would do differently!
Go on then. I'm never adverse to suggestions and it's far from too late.

NorthDave

2,355 posts

231 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
E36GUY said:
Go on then. I'm never adverse to suggestions and it's far from too late.
First off the house looks great. You may prefer the design as is so I hope you dont mind me expressing my thoughts!

I just think the office to living/kitchen/dining proportion looks wrong and this might mean you could rejig the utility boot room to eat less of master lounge.
It looks like the main bathroom is shower room only. I'd steal some of the ensuite and put a bath in the shower room. Reason being people with small kids need to use a bath and if the only one is in your ensuite then they will end up using that.

The above might not bother you but jumped out at me although I appreciate you will know your way round plans too.

Venom

1,853 posts

258 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
GM is a very nice part of the world. The local planning office is under resourced presently, so plan in plenty of time and prepared to be patient for your scheme to work its way through the system.

Looks like you've got a great plot there. When thinking about the upper floor, just be careful about location of windows, the sense of being overlooked is one of those things that people get very funny about.

Rangeroverover

1,522 posts

110 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
How near Great Chishill are you?

baxb

421 posts

191 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Well done Guy & good luck with the move. I moved last Thursday into a new house, previous (now late) owners bought it brand new in 1939 & looks like they decorated for the last time in about 1959 !

E36GUY

Original Poster:

5,906 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
NorthDave said:
I hope you dont mind me expressing my thoughts!

  • *
The above might not bother you but jumped out at me although I appreciate you will know your way round plans too.
Thanks. Not at all Dave. All fair advice but if you look at the existing kitchen/utility you'll see we're extending the utility but keeping the internal walls. There will also be a new side door in so that's our access with dirty boots/scooters, shopping bags et al so I wanted the room to be of decent size. Mrs also wanted her office somewhat remote from any main rooms but to look out to the garden hence its location.

We've discussed the bathroom. Actually Mrs' idea to only have a shower. One is already there so can fit but it's a small space but given we have two boys at 5 & 3 we think they're more likely to want showers rather than baths as they get older. I think guests would rarely have more than a shower so seems to make sense. They can use our bath while they are still little. I've also considered the idea of what you said about stealing a bit from master bath but there's a window immediately the other side of the wall which would need shifting so when you look at budget priorities, moving the wall is very low on the list.

E36GUY

Original Poster:

5,906 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Venom said:
GM is a very nice part of the world. The local planning office is under resourced presently, so plan in plenty of time and prepared to be patient for your scheme to work its way through the system.
Good info thanks. It is a very nice plot benefitting from the big square at the bottom that was acquired and added in the 80s and it's plenty room for the urchins to charge about in. Needs some clearing mind!

Venom said:
Looks like you've got a great plot there. When thinking about the upper floor, just be careful about location of windows, the sense of being overlooked is one of those things that people get very funny about.
We're not doing anything to the upper floor, just facelifting the internals so windows and such shall stay much as they are.

Edited by E36GUY on Tuesday 22 December 17:19

E36GUY

Original Poster:

5,906 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Rangeroverover said:
How near Great Chishill are you?
13.2 miles apparently. Not far.

E36GUY

Original Poster:

5,906 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
baxb said:
Well done Guy & good luck with the move. I moved last Thursday into a new house, previous (now late) owners bought it brand new in 1939 & looks like they decorated for the last time in about 1959 !
Cheers Brendan. Now I know you don't do domestic lighting so I'll be looking forward to your instruction smile

CoolHands

18,498 posts

194 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
Wow I looked up the area and what you can get, and frankly I'm flabbergasted. Currently have property in NW London but that place is unbelievable. Is the area alright? ie no gypoes . Looks decent enough from streetview etc.

A detached house with garage......

E36GUY

Original Poster:

5,906 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
CoolHands said:
Wow I looked up the area and what you can get, and frankly I'm flabbergasted. Currently have property in NW London but that place is unbelievable. Is the area alright? ie no gypoes . Looks decent enough from streetview etc.

A detached house with garage......
It's interesting for sure and I have good feedback from what I know of people that live there via my Sis that lives nearby. If you look at the house prices the other side of the A505 in Therfield, Sandon etc they're quite a bit more expensive. Think this area is a little gem that will go up in due course. Station a mile away that is 38 mins to London so whilst that matters not to me, it's a reasonably simple commute.

BigBen

11,610 posts

229 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
CoolHands said:
Wow I looked up the area and what you can get, and frankly I'm flabbergasted. Currently have property in NW London but that place is unbelievable. Is the area alright? ie no gypoes . Looks decent enough from streetview etc.

A detached house with garage......
Pretty nice area. I ride past the OP's new house on my summer long route home cycle.

Ben

LivingTheDream

1,753 posts

178 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
quotequote all
CoolHands said:
Wow I looked up the area and what you can get, and frankly I'm flabbergasted. Currently have property in NW London but that place is unbelievable. Is the area alright? ie no gypoes . Looks decent enough from streetview etc.

A detached house with garage......
Nope ! It's horrible! The whole area is really awful! Not somewhere anyone would want to live at all, ever!

wink