The Boathouse : Project build thread
Discussion
Hi All
I've always absolutely loved reading the home build threads on here and now I finally get the chance to do one for mine
This will be a long process, but thought I'd get the thread started now, as I'm still at the very excited stage!
I'll update this thread as I go and would love to hear any design ideas / must have features etc
I originally trained as a marine engineer and have always wanted to live by the water.
Having recently taken early retirement, I've been after a project and this is certainly a project!
I first viewed this boathouse back in June 2023, when it was on the market for £600k, with no planning permission.
I loved it, but realised that getting planning to live there would very difficult.
It then was withdrawn for sale and came back on the market at a 'guide' price of £800k, but now with a certificate of lawful use as a dwelling.
Somehow a lady in her 80's had been living at the property for many years, with no toilet, or a shower.........
This certificate isn't panning permission, but helps hugely in the steps towards obtaining that.
It was then 'sold' a couple of times, but both sales fell through, the price was then dropped back to £600k, in April 2025
Previously owned by the Harwick Estate, who are in the process of transitioning to a charity and were now much keener to sell, as they needed the funds for that.
They decided to put it into auction in August 2025 where I was the highest bidder, at £520k, against a 'guide' price of £350k
The large damp shed, was now MY large damp shed, complete with ceiling mould!
My plan is to replace the building with a new boathouse, on the same footprint, but with 2-bed accomodation above.
There is a nearby school boathouse building which is 6.6M tall and this will probably dictate the height of the new boathouse
It's in a beautiful location, on a very long straight stretch of the Thames, Goring Heath, close to Pangbourne
See final pic below of a basic idea of what I'd like to builld...... Full plans to follow!
Will
[url]
|https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/17818/202509216883995[/url]
I've always absolutely loved reading the home build threads on here and now I finally get the chance to do one for mine
This will be a long process, but thought I'd get the thread started now, as I'm still at the very excited stage!
I'll update this thread as I go and would love to hear any design ideas / must have features etc
I originally trained as a marine engineer and have always wanted to live by the water.
Having recently taken early retirement, I've been after a project and this is certainly a project!
I first viewed this boathouse back in June 2023, when it was on the market for £600k, with no planning permission.
I loved it, but realised that getting planning to live there would very difficult.
It then was withdrawn for sale and came back on the market at a 'guide' price of £800k, but now with a certificate of lawful use as a dwelling.
Somehow a lady in her 80's had been living at the property for many years, with no toilet, or a shower.........
This certificate isn't panning permission, but helps hugely in the steps towards obtaining that.
It was then 'sold' a couple of times, but both sales fell through, the price was then dropped back to £600k, in April 2025
Previously owned by the Harwick Estate, who are in the process of transitioning to a charity and were now much keener to sell, as they needed the funds for that.
They decided to put it into auction in August 2025 where I was the highest bidder, at £520k, against a 'guide' price of £350k
The large damp shed, was now MY large damp shed, complete with ceiling mould!
My plan is to replace the building with a new boathouse, on the same footprint, but with 2-bed accomodation above.
There is a nearby school boathouse building which is 6.6M tall and this will probably dictate the height of the new boathouse
It's in a beautiful location, on a very long straight stretch of the Thames, Goring Heath, close to Pangbourne
See final pic below of a basic idea of what I'd like to builld...... Full plans to follow!
Will
[url]
|https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/17818/202509216883995[/url]
Edited by WillB on Sunday 21st September 20:12
Edited by WillB on Sunday 21st September 20:34
Bill said:
That looks epic!! Glass floor in the boat shed??!?
I'll pass that on to the architect! 
Simpo Two said:
Fabulous!
Have you got a boat?
Only a kayak so far! The plot comes with the 2 moorings either side of it and they are rented out currently.Have you got a boat?
Edited by WillB on Sunday 21st September 20:22
There was a converted boathouse for sale near me for a while; I secretly fancied it, but in this particular case I think the constant worry of flooding would have sent me to the funny farm. Nevertheless a wonderful thought to own such a thing.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/146923199
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/146923199
Thanks everyone!
Got sent these pics today, with its previous life as a motorbike workshop, very PistonHeads!
It's certainly not going to be an easy, cheap, or quick project, but I think its a unique opportunity, well for me anyway, I'm sure to many it's a crazy proposition.
The property access actually isn't too bad, it's at the end of a private single track lane, but it's fairly wide and well maintained by the Hardwick Estate
Had the bat survey done and thankfully no evidence of bats. The ecologist commented how well the building had been sealed. If you've been involved with planning before, you'll know having a clean bat report is a massive relief. See Ricky Gervais's 280 bats recently found in his riverside project in Marlow.....eeeek!
Edited by WillB on Monday 22 September 18:47
Looks like a great project, but I have to ask... What about flood risk ? I actually live about half a mile due south of your place, up the hill on the Berkshire side, and could probably see it if it weren't for the trees at the moment.
The lower bit of Purley on Thames and the meadows in Pangbourne are often well submerged. I guess you can put your accomodation up nice and high, but access and drainage might be tricky at times?
The lower bit of Purley on Thames and the meadows in Pangbourne are often well submerged. I guess you can put your accomodation up nice and high, but access and drainage might be tricky at times?
outnumbered said:
Looks like a great project, but I have to ask... What about flood risk ? I actually live about half a mile due south of your place, up the hill on the Berkshire side, and could probably see it if it weren't for the trees at the moment.
The lower bit of Purley on Thames and the meadows in Pangbourne are often well submerged. I guess you can put your accomodation up nice and high, but access and drainage might be tricky at times?
Yep, spot on! The replacement building will have accomodation on the upper half and the lower designed to survive the flooding. The Pangbourne/Purley side of the river does flood much worse that the Hardwick side though. The lower bit of Purley on Thames and the meadows in Pangbourne are often well submerged. I guess you can put your accomodation up nice and high, but access and drainage might be tricky at times?
The current boathouse building has been there pretty much as it is now since the early 1900s and survived, so correctly designed I think the new building should be ok, hopefully!
outnumbered said:
Looks like a great project, but I have to ask... What about flood risk ? I actually live about half a mile due south of your place, up the hill on the Berkshire side, and could probably see it if it weren't for the trees at the moment.
The lower bit of Purley on Thames and the meadows in Pangbourne are often well submerged. I guess you can put your accomodation up nice and high, but access and drainage might be tricky at times?
The accommodation could be raised up 10' on legs, with the boathouse section free to move up and down on integral columns as the river level changes.The lower bit of Purley on Thames and the meadows in Pangbourne are often well submerged. I guess you can put your accomodation up nice and high, but access and drainage might be tricky at times?
Shouldn't cost much
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