Our new project House (and rock cave houses)
Discussion
Discendo Discimus said:
I'm from Kidderminster but didn't know we had cave houses, thought that was just a Kinver thing.
Plenty around the area - there are some in the pub car park in Wolverley which used to be open to explore when I was a kid. I remember going to the lawnmower repair man in Clent with my dad in the 1970s and that was in a cave in the cutting. More recently I noticed how many older houses in Bridgnorth seemed to have a cave in the garden or even as part of the house.None of those are as much fun as having your own caves in the garden. And a fabulous house. Nice work CTO; I nominate this as a legendary thread.
Congrats CTO on what is one of the most interesting, entertaining and well written threads on PH. It’s certainly been a journey and really appreciate that you’ve written about the highs and lows with good humour… even when it must have been driving you to despair! To say the house has come a long way is some understatement. Looking forward to more episodes and am intrigued to see what you’ll do with the rock caves.
Good spot Dhutch!
Those were indeed the old cupboard doors from the original kitchen, repurposed as roof painting trestles
To those of you querying whether to start your own threads. I have to say I would definitely recommend it.
There are times when I have found posting very therapeutic, and had some really great advice/constructive comments.
Honourable shout out to the poster that gave me very comprehensive details on how to repair and secure the rock house door.. back in the early days. Incredible effort!
There have been many more regulars as well who have kept an eye on proceedings. Some of whom gave free professional advice offline re the dodgy dealings of bumbling Bob the bungling builder, and how to approach not building him into the foundations
To all of you that have chipped in and contributed
There are also times when I have swerved posting for a few weeks, mainly when we have had a lot to deal with this end and I just needed time to get my head round it all….
Now it is done though, it’s a great memory book back to what a couple of noobs, with a vaguely considered plan, can achieve through determination, hard work, help from friends and strangers, bloody mindedness and almost every penny scraped together..
And onto the subject of Pennies…..
A poster a few pages back asked how we thought we had got on re the financials, and I did say we would total it up and come back with an approximation of where we thought we had ended up….
I have just consulted Mrs CTO who is sat at the other end of the table from me.
It’s a long table, helpful for having such discussions
Us at the moment be like..
Back of fag packets maths is that we are around 65% over our original budget.
I know that is not much use without sharing the original budget, but you lot are wise enough to work out what we probably had as the original ball park, and what another 65% over that might equate to.
Worth also noting that although the headline figure of 65% over sounds a bit spicy, it is largely due to the fiscally challenged Bob giving us a quote that was so unrealistically small that only the unseasoned and totally naive noobs would fail to see the gaping holes in it…
Noobs eh…
In other news, if anyone is interested, I am planning to continue updating this post as the next year unfolds ; Waving goodbye to the faithful Chorus, seeding the lawn, building the deck by the top cave etc.
I also need to build an access ramp to the top cave for the mower… no idea yet how that is gonna be achieved, although thinking ropes, pulleys and tractors pulling mini excavators up the slope..
What’s the worst that can happen
Cheers all
Those were indeed the old cupboard doors from the original kitchen, repurposed as roof painting trestles
To those of you querying whether to start your own threads. I have to say I would definitely recommend it.
There are times when I have found posting very therapeutic, and had some really great advice/constructive comments.
Honourable shout out to the poster that gave me very comprehensive details on how to repair and secure the rock house door.. back in the early days. Incredible effort!
There have been many more regulars as well who have kept an eye on proceedings. Some of whom gave free professional advice offline re the dodgy dealings of bumbling Bob the bungling builder, and how to approach not building him into the foundations
To all of you that have chipped in and contributed
There are also times when I have swerved posting for a few weeks, mainly when we have had a lot to deal with this end and I just needed time to get my head round it all….
Now it is done though, it’s a great memory book back to what a couple of noobs, with a vaguely considered plan, can achieve through determination, hard work, help from friends and strangers, bloody mindedness and almost every penny scraped together..
And onto the subject of Pennies…..
A poster a few pages back asked how we thought we had got on re the financials, and I did say we would total it up and come back with an approximation of where we thought we had ended up….
I have just consulted Mrs CTO who is sat at the other end of the table from me.
It’s a long table, helpful for having such discussions
Us at the moment be like..
Back of fag packets maths is that we are around 65% over our original budget.
I know that is not much use without sharing the original budget, but you lot are wise enough to work out what we probably had as the original ball park, and what another 65% over that might equate to.
Worth also noting that although the headline figure of 65% over sounds a bit spicy, it is largely due to the fiscally challenged Bob giving us a quote that was so unrealistically small that only the unseasoned and totally naive noobs would fail to see the gaping holes in it…
Noobs eh…
In other news, if anyone is interested, I am planning to continue updating this post as the next year unfolds ; Waving goodbye to the faithful Chorus, seeding the lawn, building the deck by the top cave etc.
I also need to build an access ramp to the top cave for the mower… no idea yet how that is gonna be achieved, although thinking ropes, pulleys and tractors pulling mini excavators up the slope..
What’s the worst that can happen
Cheers all
What a fabulous thread!
I second the call for this being hereby appointed to the Legendary Threads list
Enjoy your home…& do keep us updated with ongoing work, your loyal subjects are keen for more
I second the call for this being hereby appointed to the Legendary Threads list
Enjoy your home…& do keep us updated with ongoing work, your loyal subjects are keen for more
Austin_Metro said:
Keep going. We’re all still here.
You’ll need a funicular railway to the top cave.
Oooh, that makes perfect sense You’ll need a funicular railway to the top cave.
mikeiow said:
What a fabulous thread!
I second the call for this being hereby appointed to the Legendary Threads list
Enjoy your home…& do keep us updated with ongoing work, your loyal subjects are keen for more
Epic thread on a Pistonheader's funicular railway hereI second the call for this being hereby appointed to the Legendary Threads list
Enjoy your home…& do keep us updated with ongoing work, your loyal subjects are keen for more
Austin_Metro said:
Keep going. We’re all still here.
You’ll need a funicular railway to the top cave.
Oooh, that makes perfect sense You’ll need a funicular railway to the top cave.
CTO said:
o.
In other news, if anyone is interested, I am planning to continue updating this post as the next year unfolds ; Waving goodbye to the faithful Chorus, seeding the lawn, building the deck by the top cave etc.
I also need to build an access ramp to the top cave for the mower… no idea yet how that is gonna be achieved, although thinking ropes, pulleys and tractors pulling mini excavators up the slope..
What’s the worst that can happen
Cheers all
We had a digger in to do a ramp down in my dads garden, opposite problem to your in that it was in 1 1/2 acres. top third was flat with Bungalow, second third was gentle drop for the lawn, third 1/2 acre was a 12 foot drop to a flatish area below.In other news, if anyone is interested, I am planning to continue updating this post as the next year unfolds ; Waving goodbye to the faithful Chorus, seeding the lawn, building the deck by the top cave etc.
I also need to build an access ramp to the top cave for the mower… no idea yet how that is gonna be achieved, although thinking ropes, pulleys and tractors pulling mini excavators up the slope..
What’s the worst that can happen
Cheers all
We used a digger and driver to create a ramp down fro the tractor lawnmower, but he got stuck getting back up so used the bucket to pull himself back up, which we filled in again using spades
Cracking thread
I followed it all the way through.
Im starting my own new build at the moment and just been through a year of pre -planning,
Planning granted with conditions.
I feel like for trying to do everything right im just getting spanked at every opportunity with bulls
t and officialdom.
I've only just demolished the old building on site and about to start the groundwork's.
Im feeling run ragged and stressed already and its really not even started yet.
Im not computer savvy enough to start a thread
I take my hat of to you and what you went through while giving me some helpful tips on getting a kitchen etc
I look forward to reading your progress with the caves and garden
I followed it all the way through.
Im starting my own new build at the moment and just been through a year of pre -planning,
Planning granted with conditions.
I feel like for trying to do everything right im just getting spanked at every opportunity with bulls
t and officialdom.I've only just demolished the old building on site and about to start the groundwork's.
Im feeling run ragged and stressed already and its really not even started yet.
Im not computer savvy enough to start a thread
I take my hat of to you and what you went through while giving me some helpful tips on getting a kitchen etc
I look forward to reading your progress with the caves and garden
When we started out, there were some discussions about a death slide from the top rock house to the bottom, for beer runs.
Problem with that being
a) will still have to walk back up
b) will be very dangerous when spannered
c) am middle aged and out of shape for dangerous pursuits
The ramp will be helpful because I can drive the lawnmower down when pissed up, and fill the trailer with beer and snacks and drive it back up.
I can’t work out whether it is more dangerous to start at the bottom and start grading up, or start at the top and start filing the bottom..
It’s going to be quite tippy though going downwards.
In other news, the guest bathroom was finally finished today. A LOT of faffing for a room that will be used only by people who won’t really care/don’t really care/too hammered to care…
Not the most interesting of pics and is very bare at the moment so looks a bit sparse but ..
I also have a chap coming tomorrow to quote for porch building, and another chap coming to fit the mechanism for the electric gates… at some stage.
The latter seems to be a man of regional mystery. I don’t know when he may call, if he may call, when he may arrive, if he arrives at all….
Nevertheless, he is good with gates apparently and will fit the internet gateway to enable them to be opened via phone, or Apple Watch, when on the way down the lane to the house…
Cheers all
Problem with that being
a) will still have to walk back up
b) will be very dangerous when spannered
c) am middle aged and out of shape for dangerous pursuits
The ramp will be helpful because I can drive the lawnmower down when pissed up, and fill the trailer with beer and snacks and drive it back up.
I can’t work out whether it is more dangerous to start at the bottom and start grading up, or start at the top and start filing the bottom..
It’s going to be quite tippy though going downwards.
In other news, the guest bathroom was finally finished today. A LOT of faffing for a room that will be used only by people who won’t really care/don’t really care/too hammered to care…
Not the most interesting of pics and is very bare at the moment so looks a bit sparse but ..
I also have a chap coming tomorrow to quote for porch building, and another chap coming to fit the mechanism for the electric gates… at some stage.
The latter seems to be a man of regional mystery. I don’t know when he may call, if he may call, when he may arrive, if he arrives at all….
Nevertheless, he is good with gates apparently and will fit the internet gateway to enable them to be opened via phone, or Apple Watch, when on the way down the lane to the house…
Cheers all
Collectingbrass said:
mikeiow said:
What a fabulous thread!
I second the call for this being hereby appointed to the Legendary Threads list
Enjoy your home…& do keep us updated with ongoing work, your loyal subjects are keen for more
Epic thread on a Pistonheader's funicular railway hereI second the call for this being hereby appointed to the Legendary Threads list
Enjoy your home…& do keep us updated with ongoing work, your loyal subjects are keen for more
Austin_Metro said:
Keep going. We’re all still here.
You’ll need a funicular railway to the top cave.
Oooh, that makes perfect sense You’ll need a funicular railway to the top cave.
Edit found it. https://youtu.be/cUkoqppoFr8?si=3Th57v0darpMekxs
CTO said:
The latter seems to be a man of regional mystery. I don’t know when he may call, if he may call, when he may arrive, if he arrives at all….
I am familiar with the profound that is MoRM. You need to exercise caution with your expectations as I am sure they share properties with quantum physics in that if you think about them turning up, they never will, but if you keep them in your peripheral awareness but never actually focus on them, they rock up at a time that makes the first thing you exclaim.... 'I wasn't expecting you this soon!'....its a pavlovian response to a nice surprise.
edit....
If you have a water source at the top of the hill, you have an option for a massive feck off water slide with a long sheet of plastic?
Edited by TimmyMallett on Friday 27th October 09:16
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