If you were to build (/have built) your perfect home...

[briSk]

...what would it be like?

briSk: i'd go 'georgian inspired but new build to enable lots of groovy glass bits and uber insulation and heating and stuff:

kind of along these lines:
http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/your-projects/georgi...

with a bit more of this sort of 'garden room' action going on:
http://www.janeduncanarchitects.co.uk/pages/page.p...

with the 6 car garage underground in the front garden with a tunnel leading to the basement cinema..muhahhaha!

_________

although by the time i start and finish the upgrades of the place i bought in the summer it'll probably resemble something more like this:
http://www.janeduncanarchitects.co.uk/pages/page.p...

(see just like cars i like all sorts as long as they have something about them..!)

Edited by briSk on Thursday 25th February 13:23

[tomw2000]

I'd be very interested in this thread (and thanks for the link btw) as we might be about to embark on our own build on a 'dream' plot.

OT (and sorry to hijsck), if anyone has links to self build sites, that actually give examples of finished houses and what they cost to build - I'd appreciate it.

We currently live in a georgian place and like the proportions. But no decisions yet on what a new build might look like.

[briSk]

if you like that house you should check out homebuilding and renovating magazine (which goes with that site). it's a bit 'lifestyle' but it has good tips as well. it's a good thing for inspiration anyway.

also they have a show at NEC 18th to 21st march. we're going - never been before.

if you subscribe to (possible that magazine) or certainly it's sister magazine period homes you get free entry to the show. i know because my dad bought my step mother a subs to that to keep her occupied and gave us the tickets..! the point being if you fancy going to the show you can get 1/2 to a years subs to hb&r for free..

i fully expect there to be a lot of ecobks but i hope to be able to filter that out...!

[tomw2000]

Thanks for this, the homebuilding.co.uk site is just what I had in mind.

I'll get some details posted up as and when we start/progress....but we're months away from that yet

[Simpo Two]

Well that's a surprise - I just typed 'queen anne house' into Google images and someone (Americans) think it means Walt Disney with a touch of Victorian Gothic!

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&safe=o...

Ah, this appears to be the problem: http://www.oldhouseweb.net/architecture-and-design...

Edited by Simpo Two on Thursday 25th February 14:24

[anonymous-user]

I've been looking for a plot for 20 months now in Dorset. Getting desperate is an understatement!!!!!

I love contemporary architecture but with a twist - lot's of natural materials like oak, slate, exposed stone walls - so get modern with warmth!

[SwanJack]

I like the idea of these http://www.huf-haus.com/gb/intro.html not sure on the day to day practicalities though.

Edited by SwanJack on Thursday 25th February 15:03

[SLacKer]

tomw2000 said:

I'd be very interested in this thread (and thanks for the link btw) as we might be about to embark on our own build on a 'dream' plot.

OT (and sorry to hijsck), if anyone has links to self build sites, that actually give examples of finished houses and what they cost to build - I'd appreciate it.

We currently live in a georgian place and like the proportions. But no decisions yet on what a new build might look like.

Have you looked at Potton http://www.potton.co.uk/
They have a site with 3 houses built. Also their range is priced up



No connection with them just would like to build a Rectory style house one day (the middle one).

[Dibby]

Country cottage in the middle of the woods somewhere - not into gaudy crass overly flash and show-off fake style. Away from everyone, no neighbours, enough land to grow enough veggies to live off, chickens, ducks, apple trees, fruit bushes, poly tunnel at the bottom. A little stream and a pond full of fish.

No more than 3 bedrooms because the bigger the house the more cleaning and heating you have to do and I wouldn't trust a cleaner to do a good enough job.

Double garage, one side for the kit car, one for the mountain bikes, a couple of old out buildings to turn into workshops, beer brewery for crazy concoctions. Build myself a nice big BBQ in the garden to have some mates round in the summer.

[softtop]

Dibby said:

Country cottage in the middle of the woods somewhere - not into gaudy crass overly flash and show-off fake style. Away from everyone, no neighbours, enough land to grow enough veggies to live off, chickens, ducks, apple trees, fruit bushes, poly tunnel at the bottom. A little stream and a pond full of fish.

No more than 3 bedrooms because the bigger the house the more cleaning and heating you have to do and I wouldn't trust a cleaner to do a good enough job.

Double garage, one side for the kit car, one for the mountain bikes, a couple of old out buildings to turn into workshops, beer brewery for crazy concoctions. Build myself a nice big BBQ in the garden to have some mates round in the summer.

That should be a search criteria on rightmove to speed up the process of finding the right house!

[Dibby]

:tehe:

Not very specific at all is it! We're looking for a house right now, we want enough land but not too big a house with just the 2 of us. All the houses with lots of land have either had the garden sold off to developers or the house is massive.

Location's more important than the bricks and mortar. Peace and quiet is what it's about

[Streetrod]

SwanJack said:

I like the idea of these http://www.huf-haus.com/gb/intro.html not sure on the day to day practicalities though.

Edited by SwanJack on Thursday 25th February 15:03

When I started my self build project I was going to build a Huf-Haus and we got as far as confirming our design, but we ending up pulling out because the cost was getting silly and more and more were being built. They are a great concept and the technology is very good and easy to live with.

But we have now decided to go for a completely custom design. We have a three ache plot in Caterham on the Hill in Surrey and are currently thrashing out the details with the planners.

The basic spec is this:

Main house area 5400 sq ft
Garage and workshop 3500 sq ft
5 bedrooms each with an en-suite and balcony
1 bathroom downstairs
3 reception rooms
2 offices
1 boot room
Kitchen dinner
Sub terrainan cinema and play room
Plant room
Utility room
Inside/outside pool

The house will look a little like this and take its inspiration from aircraft design



Yes the house is going to be contempory but we have spent a great deal of time making sure it feels like a warm family home

Edited by Streetrod on Thursday 25th February 18:08

Edited by Streetrod on Thursday 25th February 18:10

[SwanJack]

Streetrod said:

SwanJack said:

I like the idea of these http://www.huf-haus.com/gb/intro.html not sure on the day to day practicalities though.

Edited by SwanJack on Thursday 25th February 15:03

When I started my self build project I was going to build a Huf-Haus and we got as far as confirming our design, but we ending up pulling out because the cost was getting silly and more and more were being built. They are a great concept and the technology is very good and easy to live with.

But we have now decided to go for a completely custom design. We have a three ache plot in Caterham on the Hill in Surrey and are currently thrashing out the details with the planners.

The basic spec is this:

Main house area 5400 sq ft
Garage and workshop 3500 sq ft
5 bedrooms each with an en-suite and balcony
1 bathroom downstairs
3 reception rooms
2 offices
1 boot room
Kitchen dinner
Sub terrainan cinema and play room
Plant room
Utility room
Inside/outside pool

The house will look a little like this and take its inspiration from aircraft design



Yes the house is going to be contempory but we have spent a great deal of time making sure it feels like a warm family home

Edited by Streetrod on Thursday 25th February 18:08

Edited by Streetrod on Thursday 25th February 18:10

BxxxxxD !!

[jaybkay]

Streetrod said:

SwanJack said:

I like the idea of these http://www.huf-haus.com/gb/intro.html not sure on the day to day practicalities though.

Edited by SwanJack on Thursday 25th February 15:03

When I started my self build project I was going to build a Huf-Haus and we got as far as confirming our design, but we ending up pulling out because the cost was getting silly and more and more were being built. They are a great concept and the technology is very good and easy to live with.

But we have now decided to go for a completely custom design. We have a three ache plot in Caterham on the Hill in Surrey and are currently thrashing out the details with the planners.

The basic spec is this:

Main house area 5400 sq ft
Garage and workshop 3500 sq ft
5 bedrooms each with an en-suite and balcony
1 bathroom downstairs
3 reception rooms
2 offices
1 boot room
Kitchen dinner
Sub terrainan cinema and play room
Plant room
Utility room
Inside/outside pool

The house will look a little like this and take its inspiration from aircraft design



Yes the house is going to be contempory but we have spent a great deal of time making sure it feels like a warm family home

Edited by Streetrod on Thursday 25th February 18:08

Edited by Streetrod on Thursday 25th February 18:10

Make sure you use at least a 100mm deep concrete slab and install water heating pipes. You can then use any source of energy for heating, heat pumps will probably be cheapest to run at the pre

[jaybkay]

Streetrod said:

SwanJack said:

I like the idea of these http://www.huf-haus.com/gb/intro.html not sure on the day to day practicalities though.

Edited by SwanJack on Thursday 25th February 15:03

When I started my self build project I was going to build a Huf-Haus and we got as far as confirming our design, but we ending up pulling out because the cost was getting silly and more and more were being built. They are a great concept and the technology is very good and easy to live with.

But we have now decided to go for a completely custom design. We have a three ache plot in Caterham on the Hill in Surrey and are currently thrashing out the details with the planners.

The basic spec is this:

Main house area 5400 sq ft
Garage and workshop 3500 sq ft
5 bedrooms each with an en-suite and balcony
1 bathroom downstairs
3 reception rooms
2 offices
1 boot room
Kitchen dinner
Sub terrainan cinema and play room
Plant room
Utility room
Inside/outside pool

The house will look a little like this and take its inspiration from aircraft design



Yes the house is going to be contempory but we have spent a great deal of time making sure it feels like a warm family home

Edited by Streetrod on Thursday 25th February 18:08

Edited by Streetrod on Thursday 25th February 18:10

Make sure you use at least a 100mm deep concrete slab and install water heating pipes. You can then use any source of energy for heating, heat pumps will probably be cheapest to run at the present time.

[briSk]

i was going to ask about this for my 'renovation'.

can i mix radiator and underfloor heating in one system? so i can do underfloor in the new bits and the bits we're redoing and gradually move toward total underfloor heating? then in a few years time where gas is a luxury good to ground source from my back garden and change the boiler for a pump..??

[BoRED S2upid]

Mine would be a big box, flat roof which would be used for solar pannels and partying inside would be very open plan, spiral staircase 4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms, maybe a showerroom in the garage. Garage would take up the whole of the ground floor/basement, think this would really suit being cut into an slpoed building plot oh and while digging out the plot for the garage a heat sink would be put in, walls would be very insulated and ofcourse it would be pretty much off grid.

[Dibby]

That would be the dream to get it as energy efficient as you can, a bloke round here has panels, turbines, ground source heat pump, fresh water spring, the only bills he pays is to have the cess pit emptied.

Not into the eco-hippy save the planet maaaan ideas, want to do it to not have to pay bills, don't mind an outlay up front but choosing energy suppliers, comparing prices websites can all be left behind

[briSk]

Dibby said:

That would be the dream to get it as energy efficient as you can, a bloke round here has panels, turbines, ground source heat pump, fresh water spring, the only bills he pays is to have the cess pit emptied.

Not into the eco-hippy save the planet maaaan ideas, want to do it to not have to pay bills, don't mind an outlay up front but choosing energy suppliers, comparing prices websites can all be left behind

that's my idea too. i'd almost deliberately build it all out of concrete to not be 'sustainable' ( ) - but have low future consumption.. i would never have a something that aimed to be 'eco' but i'd have something that aimed to be 'low consumption'... because spending money on boring stuff is boring.

[Dibby]

Too right, less money spent on the bills = more money to spend on cars