My wee Isle of Skye renovation
Discussion
I bought this wee house in 2019 with the intention of renovating it early 2020 and then renting it out as holiday accommodation in the Summer/ Autumn of 2020. What a year!
Obviously lock down stopped any progress, even after lockdown building supplies were depleted and in demand. I knew renovating my wee house would be tricky but I never imagined a pandemic in the mix!
The house was originally a single story croft house, built around 150 years ago, but got an “update” around 50 years ago where they heightened the walls and added the box dormer. Much as I dislike the box dormer from outside it does allow a lot of head height inside.
I bought the property about a year after the elderly gentleman who lived there had passed away so obviously it was in need of repair. No heating and damp were a problem!
Anyway I shall persevere! Some of this post will be retrospective as some work actually got completed during lockdown.
I’m actually hoping this post gives me the push to get this finished!!!
Edit ... I should probably add that I live about 5 hours drive from the property which doesn’t help matters. It certainly didn’t help when I was only allowed to drive 5 miles from my home from March till July!
Obviously lock down stopped any progress, even after lockdown building supplies were depleted and in demand. I knew renovating my wee house would be tricky but I never imagined a pandemic in the mix!
The house was originally a single story croft house, built around 150 years ago, but got an “update” around 50 years ago where they heightened the walls and added the box dormer. Much as I dislike the box dormer from outside it does allow a lot of head height inside.
I bought the property about a year after the elderly gentleman who lived there had passed away so obviously it was in need of repair. No heating and damp were a problem!
Anyway I shall persevere! Some of this post will be retrospective as some work actually got completed during lockdown.
I’m actually hoping this post gives me the push to get this finished!!!
Edit ... I should probably add that I live about 5 hours drive from the property which doesn’t help matters. It certainly didn’t help when I was only allowed to drive 5 miles from my home from March till July!
Edited by Catz on Sunday 25th October 03:48
PositronicRay said:
Saleen836 said:
I often wonder (depending on what the front view is) why they didn't build it 90deg anti clockwise to take advantage of the water view!
Looks a nice retreat for a no hassle get-away though
Weather protection? Looks a nice retreat for a no hassle get-away though
The earliest houses in the township all have the back wall facing West where the worst of the weather hits. Later houses were built facing the water, this means facing North so a lovely view but darker rooms.
In an ideal world I’d have loved to knock through the rear wall and add an extension but I’m working with a tight budget!
RammyMP said:
Looks like an interesting project. How about a few more photos?
Some photos from inside before any work started. The house was owned by an elderly gentleman who had very little done to it after he bought it in the 1980s, he preferred to spend his money on his boats! At the bottom of the garden is a large metal boat shed which you can just see in the first photo I posted at the beginning of the thread.I bought the house as it stood, sold under probate, so the first big job was a house clearance!
Edited by Catz on Sunday 25th October 10:51
Catz said:
PositronicRay said:
Saleen836 said:
I often wonder (depending on what the front view is) why they didn't build it 90deg anti clockwise to take advantage of the water view!
Looks a nice retreat for a no hassle get-away though
Weather protection? Looks a nice retreat for a no hassle get-away though
The earliest houses in the township all have the back wall facing West where the worst of the weather hits. Later houses were built facing the water, this means facing North so a lovely view but darker rooms.
In an ideal world I’d have loved to knock through the rear wall and add an extension but I’m working with a tight budget!
interstellar said:
Wow, must be hard going through his stuff. His shoes are still under the table quite literally.
Nice pic on the kitchen wall, was that him in the war?
It was my late Uncle’s house, he was a bachelor and died without a will. The house was to be sold as part of his estate so I took a gamble and bought it! It was emotionally pretty hard going through his belongings and emptying the house. Luckily I have a brother who loves a skip clear out. Nice pic on the kitchen wall, was that him in the war?
The picture on the wall isn’t of him but of his grandfather. (Some things got kept but don’t let my brother know.)
Riley Blue said:
Looks like a tidier version of my Dad's house when he died, everything he needed within reach of his favourite arm chair.
If the bathroom's upstairs, put me on your booking list; I can't be doing with stairs to make nocturnal bathroom visits.
The bathroom is downstairs however there’s a small box room upstairs, which wasn’t much use for anything other than storing stuff, so it’s to become a WC with toilet, basin and some storage cupboards. I can’t be doing with stairs in the night either! If the bathroom's upstairs, put me on your booking list; I can't be doing with stairs to make nocturnal bathroom visits.
Unfortunately, due to the sloping ceilings, there just wasn’t enough space to fit a shower in so it will need to stay in the downstairs bathroom. The joys of coombed ceilings in old cottages!
This is the proposed WC room.
Hi,
Good luck with the project.
I was wondering if you had met any resistance or ill-feeling from anyone in the community about a “residential” house becoming a “holiday” house, therefore reducing the available housing stock for locals?
I’ve heard of it elsewhere. Just wondering, not being judgemental or anything!
Cheers.
Good luck with the project.
I was wondering if you had met any resistance or ill-feeling from anyone in the community about a “residential” house becoming a “holiday” house, therefore reducing the available housing stock for locals?
I’ve heard of it elsewhere. Just wondering, not being judgemental or anything!
Cheers.
We're across the valley and tucked behind a small hill and still the rain comes in from the window lintels when the 2ft thick stone and rubble walls fill with water.Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff