Our new project House (and rock cave houses)

[AstonZagato]

Living in a listed building and having done a few projects, I'd be inclined to flatten and rebuild. I love old buildings but the stuff that you find - rot, foundations (or lack of them) that won't comply with building regs, compromises forced on you by the building - and the costs they incur probably aren't worth it.

[CTO]

TheJimi said:

Can someone explain to me why renovation incurs VAT, yet a new build wouldn't?

Knowing nothing about such things, the concept has just blown my mind.

I also know not much, but (I think) it has to do with housing supply and making property usable again

Empty for two years prior to purchase: 5%VAT
Building a new one 0%Vat

Possibly the same reason that in Oct next year we start paying 400% council tax per month if it isn’t habitable… a cosy £1000 a month… because it has been empty so long..

[dhutch]

AstonZagato said:

I love old buildings but the stuff that you find - rot, foundations (or lack of them) that won't comply with building regs, compromises forced on you by the building - and the costs they incur probably aren't worth it.

But on the other hand, most new builds, including bespoke builds, are heartless boxes of mediocrity.

It must be possible to build a new house that doesn't look like a pile of ste, but even if you extend a one up one down into a four bed house, and do a back to brick renovation on the insides of old bit. You get curved top windows that look nice, bricks that you've matched with the old rather than what was going cheap, interesting little features you copy over.

Who knows. We're currently 11 months into trying to get someone to repair the plaster of our hall stairs and landing, and there's certainly times I would love it to be finished, but a don't think a building project would be any easier than a renovation and don't actually any major problems that stem from the majority of the house being over 100 years old, beyond the normal issues of tradesmens saying one thing, and then doing.... ...not turning up.

Daniel

[Some Gump]

Op, it's your house, obvs do what you want..

But imo, as valueless as it is: I think it would be a real shame to buy something cool and historic and replace it with something modern, wasn't the appeal it's old charm? OK you have some sick caves but if you were aiming to market them as quirky holiday lets would a modern house right next door devalue that charm / appeal?

[CTO]

Evening all,

So, an update

Last week, this happened


Planning permission granted in full, with a few basic caveats…. Timeliness etc.

Also, we have decided to keep the frontage and original house and extend backwards, and to lose the cladding in the initial plans and instead render the rear sympathetically to match the houses in the background when viewed from the top of the back garden.

See here


Our change of house name was also approved, and we celebrated by having the house sign made..



The plan is to have this installed as our “topping off ceremony” along with our personalised wrought iron weather cock yes, that really is a thing… the blacksmith by my parents made it for us

To celebrate all of that; I climbed the rock house in the back garden and struck a pirate pose…


Then I turned my attention to the ivy

Seen here,


Grabbed hold of it with the builder that came to give us a quote and the OH and gave it a tug…

And this happened:


Yes, that is a big mat of ivy that came off the wall, and is now lying in front of the house. I now need to get the chainsaw out of hibernation and cut it up because it is too heavy to move in one piece…

Next steps,

Get technical drawings done (meeting the people who are doing that at the house, this Friday, and then start digging out the areas to both sides of the house.

Cheers all

[Fermit]

Your wife looks familiar. Was she in The Emoji Movie by any chance?

[CTO]

She was Fermit, yes.

I can get her autograph for you, if you like?

£1000 English pounds, by PayPal to “CTO’s money pit fund”.

Ta

[Fermit]

Brill, I'll have three, a few for the nephews. Joking aside, great news on you getting the PP.

[CTO]

Fermit said:

Brill, I'll have three, a few for the nephews. Joking aside, great news on you getting the PP.

Thanks Fermit, appreciated

[Mikebentley]

Project is coming along nicely. With regards to the Weather Cock couldn’t you just get the blacksmith to make you one that looks like a male chicken.

[CTO]

I hadn’t spotted that typo …

A Weather Cock though… what a thing

[Mikebentley]

If the wind changed direction you would be accused of dicking around.

[dhutch]

Good update and news on the rock cottage.

Why are you rendering/cladding the extension rather than matching the bricks?

[Siko]

Congrats - can't wait to see this one come alive

[CTO]

dhutch said:

Good update and news on the rock cottage.

Why are you rendering/cladding the extension rather than matching the bricks?

Because I don't want to stand at the top of the garden and look at a big brick house against the backdrop.

think it is probably best contextualised in the pic above, taken from the top of the garden

[CTO]

Evening all,

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and a not too dreary Crimbo Limbo as we wait for yet more Covid based madness…

Currently we are awaiting the technical drawings for the project house, following some reflections and taking on board some of the collective views from builders/family/PH we made some fairly considered changes to the rear aspect to tie it all together and make it a bit more cohesive. Will post when they arrive..

In the meantime, some advice/suggestions please.

Where I have brushcuttered and flail mowered the rear garden to remove the forest of brambles… the grass is now trying to grow (mainly weeds and some moss) but is being choked by the sheer density of the crap that I have cut down..

Probs easiest illustrated below;



You can see the mat of brambles hanging over the stone retaining wall and this then extends up the garden..

Could anyone give me the name/suggest an implement that I could attach to the Landy and drag round the lawn to clear it. A big heavy duty weighty rakey type thing is what I need….

Also, in other news, for those of you that have followed the thread….

We have decided to round our busy year off. So far we have sold two houses, moved house twice and now living in our third since June, bought a project house, bought a smoky old Landy, uncovered some rock houses and got engaged…

We figured we weren’t busy enough. So, tomorrow we are off to North Wales and our new 11 week old French Bulldog puppy is arriving…

Wish us luck

Cheers all,

[moorx]

CTO said:

Could anyone give me the name/suggest an implement that I could attach to the Landy and drag round the lawn to clear it. A big heavy duty weighty rakey type thing is what I need….

A chain harrow?

[CTO]

That's the kind of thing.

I have the knackered 7.50 wheels and tyres from the Landrover, thinking I could fashion something medieval using those and drag it about.....

[Evoluzione]

I wouldn't worry about anything not wanting to grow. Trust me, next Spring onwards you'll wish it wasn't and be asking about weedkillers as it tries to make itself look like it did before.

[buy_cheap_pay_later]

I can’t answer any of your questions I’m afraid, but having just read this whole thread from the start I felt compelled to comment.

What a fantastic property with some real character. You’ll have your work cut out for the rest of your life with that acreage. Fortunately you’ll undertake it all with a grin on your face because the Landy is the perfect tool for every job!

Having some idea of the commitment of a ‘big’ house and garden (not by PH standards, mind), I am definitely more envious of the vehicle than the property, but very much enjoying seeing your adventures in both.

I’ll be back for more.