Build thread - Creating a multi-family home
Discussion
- Or adventures in madness. Not sure yet. We'll see how this goes.
So I grew up in this fantastic property. Huge house, huge garden, pasture out the back. Plenty of room to get into lots of trouble. Which my brothers and I did, a lot. Then I moved away, went to university, moved to the US, and generally got on with life. My siblings did the same, and then it was just Mum, Dad, and a couple of loopy dogs. They were rattling around a bit in the old place, but it was paid for, and they liked having the space for us all to come back and visit.
Five and half years ago, I got the phone call that would change the course of our lives dramatically. Sitting in my hire car in front of my company HQ outside LA, Dad told me he had a brain tumour. Six months, a year, two at best, but it was terminal. No doubt about it. The most devastating call of my life. The next day I was on a plane back to the UK, and I saw him before he went into surgery. That was in April. In May, we were all back again for a family wedding, and by the end of that trip, my wife and I had decided to move back to the UK so that our kids (then aged 4 and 2) could get to spend some time with their grandfather while they still could. By August, we were here. I got very lucky in that there was a position within my company in the UK open, and they ended up paying for about half of the move. We got just under a year with him before the end came. He missed meeting his third grandchild by two weeks.
Fast forward a couple of years, and both dogs are now gone too. Mum's rattling around the old place on her own, and not enjoying it. We live about half a mile up the road, and see her every day, since the house is right opposite the kids school. She's looking at other houses, but doesn't want to leave the village, since that's where all her friends live. She also doesn't want to leave her gardens, because she doesn't want to give up the chickens, orchard or vegetable patch. So we start talking about having us move in. Very quickly, we all agree that it wouldn't work to have us sharing the space. She likes to do things her way, my wife hers, and although they have a good relationship, they both know the limits.
So then we start talking about building an annex for Mum to live in, while we occupy the main house. Fast forward another 18 months, untold hours of planning, 2 architects, 2 legal agreements and such later, and we have builders on site.
The old kitchen is stripped out, and parts are re-used in the utility room as a temporary kitchen.
Today, they started demolishing the side porch and front door where the annex will go. Tomorrow the existing kitchen and sun room come down.
The first of many such skips, I suspect.
More to come as things happen. Thoughts, advice, words of wisdom, leftover xanax/Prozac/gin all gratefully received....
So I grew up in this fantastic property. Huge house, huge garden, pasture out the back. Plenty of room to get into lots of trouble. Which my brothers and I did, a lot. Then I moved away, went to university, moved to the US, and generally got on with life. My siblings did the same, and then it was just Mum, Dad, and a couple of loopy dogs. They were rattling around a bit in the old place, but it was paid for, and they liked having the space for us all to come back and visit.
Five and half years ago, I got the phone call that would change the course of our lives dramatically. Sitting in my hire car in front of my company HQ outside LA, Dad told me he had a brain tumour. Six months, a year, two at best, but it was terminal. No doubt about it. The most devastating call of my life. The next day I was on a plane back to the UK, and I saw him before he went into surgery. That was in April. In May, we were all back again for a family wedding, and by the end of that trip, my wife and I had decided to move back to the UK so that our kids (then aged 4 and 2) could get to spend some time with their grandfather while they still could. By August, we were here. I got very lucky in that there was a position within my company in the UK open, and they ended up paying for about half of the move. We got just under a year with him before the end came. He missed meeting his third grandchild by two weeks.
Fast forward a couple of years, and both dogs are now gone too. Mum's rattling around the old place on her own, and not enjoying it. We live about half a mile up the road, and see her every day, since the house is right opposite the kids school. She's looking at other houses, but doesn't want to leave the village, since that's where all her friends live. She also doesn't want to leave her gardens, because she doesn't want to give up the chickens, orchard or vegetable patch. So we start talking about having us move in. Very quickly, we all agree that it wouldn't work to have us sharing the space. She likes to do things her way, my wife hers, and although they have a good relationship, they both know the limits.
So then we start talking about building an annex for Mum to live in, while we occupy the main house. Fast forward another 18 months, untold hours of planning, 2 architects, 2 legal agreements and such later, and we have builders on site.
The old kitchen is stripped out, and parts are re-used in the utility room as a temporary kitchen.
Today, they started demolishing the side porch and front door where the annex will go. Tomorrow the existing kitchen and sun room come down.
The first of many such skips, I suspect.
More to come as things happen. Thoughts, advice, words of wisdom, leftover xanax/Prozac/gin all gratefully received....
A couple of updated pics. Demo work is about finished. They start digging foundations tomorrow. Unfortunately, due to a business trip, I had to miss the big moment when the current kitchen came down, but I'm assured it's well and truly gone.
Unfortunately, the words 'take many pics and often' mean a different thing to my beloved.
Unfortunately, the words 'take many pics and often' mean a different thing to my beloved.
I didn't see that (not much time to watch the box these days). Got a link?
Here's the plan and elevations. It's been tweaked a little in that we've added some details to the roof of the annex (a couple of small skylights to get light into the hallway and en suite), but this is the latest digital copy I have.
There's an extra large version here.
Here's the plan and elevations. It's been tweaked a little in that we've added some details to the roof of the annex (a couple of small skylights to get light into the hallway and en suite), but this is the latest digital copy I have.
There's an extra large version here.
singlecoil said:
Presumably the Rayburn is now boxed off but still running, hence the airgap at the bottom?
Correct. Had to do that, since it powers the downstairs heat. However, if you look closely, you'll see some pretty dodgy foundation work under it, courtesy of the original extension builder (who managed to tip his own JCB on top of himself on another project up the road, but that's another story). So now there are rumblings that we may need to take it out anyway. Which would not be a 'good thing'.Thanks. I think it will work out well. At the moment the house is sort of the ugly duckling of the street, both in looks and value. We're hoping to drag it up to the proper standards.
I know what you mean about the story. It's funny, for years we considered moving back, but it was always 'too difficult' or 'too expensive'. Then that call happened, and it became a complete no brainer (yes, that's now a family joke, he thought it was hilarious). It was a terrible and wonderful time.
5 years on, I keep waiting for these damn Chinese 'interesting times' to subside a bit, but am gradually coming to the conclusion that they won't. So be it.
I know what you mean about the story. It's funny, for years we considered moving back, but it was always 'too difficult' or 'too expensive'. Then that call happened, and it became a complete no brainer (yes, that's now a family joke, he thought it was hilarious). It was a terrible and wonderful time.
5 years on, I keep waiting for these damn Chinese 'interesting times' to subside a bit, but am gradually coming to the conclusion that they won't. So be it.
Thanks. That's good to hear. More than once, in the lead up to this, I've found myself at his grave at the end of the street, wondering what the hell I'm playing at. Like you say, it's no accident. It's thanks to him I'm able to carry it off.
Foundation trenches are mostly complete. Concrete trucks start arriving on Tuesday. Should be interesting to see how they pump it around to the main kitchen area.
Foundation trenches are mostly complete. Concrete trucks start arriving on Tuesday. Should be interesting to see how they pump it around to the main kitchen area.
Couple days away during daylight hours, so they've made some progress. Walls coming out of the ground for the annex as well now. Scaffolding arrives tomorrow.
Steels and concrete beams in on the main house kitchen side.
Several tons of aggregate was being delivered while I was there, to backfill the outside of the walls.
Steels and concrete beams in on the main house kitchen side.
Several tons of aggregate was being delivered while I was there, to backfill the outside of the walls.
Went to the US for 10 days on business. Lots of progress in the meantime. Here's where we are as of yesterday.
Entrance to the main house kitchen, looking back. Feels small now, although I know it isn't.
Walls for the main kitchen, and 1st lift of scaffold. Steels for the ceiling arrive tomorrow.
Lintels for the big door openings ready to go in tomorrow.
The front wall of the 'cottage'. Of all the things to cause contention, my mother is miffed that 'our' walls are higher than 'hers' at the moment. You can clearly see the T-section of the floor beams. Also our big container for storing furniture in the driveway. I'll be spending a lot of time loading that up this weekend.
Looking across the back from the corner of the cottage.
This resulted in a fun conversation between the builder and the scaffold crew this morning. Only entrance to the house, and they blocked it up. Nice work geniuses.
Entrance to the main house kitchen, looking back. Feels small now, although I know it isn't.
Walls for the main kitchen, and 1st lift of scaffold. Steels for the ceiling arrive tomorrow.
Lintels for the big door openings ready to go in tomorrow.
The front wall of the 'cottage'. Of all the things to cause contention, my mother is miffed that 'our' walls are higher than 'hers' at the moment. You can clearly see the T-section of the floor beams. Also our big container for storing furniture in the driveway. I'll be spending a lot of time loading that up this weekend.
Looking across the back from the corner of the cottage.
This resulted in a fun conversation between the builder and the scaffold crew this morning. Only entrance to the house, and they blocked it up. Nice work geniuses.
Plenty!
Which was part of the reason he got his foreman there toot sweet to fix it. It was the scaffolders crew that were the knuckleheads. All fixed up now.
Went looking at woodstoves this afternoon. We're thinking of putting an inset one in the current living room, and then a free-standing one in the cottage living room. They both need to be approved for smoke control zones. Time to do some more research, because I wasn't that impressed with what I saw in the showroom.
Which was part of the reason he got his foreman there toot sweet to fix it. It was the scaffolders crew that were the knuckleheads. All fixed up now.
Went looking at woodstoves this afternoon. We're thinking of putting an inset one in the current living room, and then a free-standing one in the cottage living room. They both need to be approved for smoke control zones. Time to do some more research, because I wasn't that impressed with what I saw in the showroom.
Living Fire Centre in Northallerton was where we started, mainly to educate the wimminfolk about stoves and the requirements (because nothing I say matters, but a bloke in a boiler suit in a shop obviously knows all). Didn't really like any of the ones they had in the shop, and the missus got sticker shock when she found out what the double skin flue system up the outside of the house was going to cost. Hence why we're now looking at inset stoves to go in the existing fireplace and chimney.
It rained a lot this week, which slowed things. Builder pissed me off a bit by sending guys round to do interior work that we weren't ready for yet, and not following our agreed procedure for things like that (coordinate with the architect, who is project managing for me). Still, yesterday and today have been good, so they have made some progress with the roof.
Hopefully it stays nice and I can get some better pics tomorrow when I'm there.
Hopefully it stays nice and I can get some better pics tomorrow when I'm there.
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