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
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.
Skyedriver said:
Was trying to work out the location, initially I thought Harrapool/Broadford but you said an older persons place. The one I was thinking of the guy had an old red Landy with a V6.
We were on the road down to Armadale.
No red Landy but you’re close with the location! I don’t want to name it in the public domain as the house is sitting empty, even if it is Skye. We were on the road down to Armadale.
A bit further East along the coast from Broadford. thepawbroon said:
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.
Thanks!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.
I’m practically a local. I’ve visited this village since before I was born as it was where my Mum grew up. These days my Mum has moved back, my brother built his house there, an Uncle has moved back and six cousins have all moved to the area although none of them grew up there. My stock response is that it’ll be a holiday house until I can afford to retire, which is pretty close to the truth!
Luckily the local community see it as belonging to a local rather than an “incomer”.
The house sits on a large plot which runs to the shoreline so there’s every chance if it had gone on the market it might have been bought by a developer, demolished and 2 new houses built.
I’d say the community in South Skye are fairly tolerant towards this type of thing, many use tourism as a second income themselves. The tourist market has always been part of Skye, although it has gone a bit bonkers over the past few years and I know many locals enjoyed the peace during lockdown.
I do see what you’re saying though about reducing housing stock. I’m not sure many folk would have taken on this house though, half the trades I use think I’m bonkers.
Skyedriver said:
OK agree about giving the location away.
Know a few folk down where that is although some have probably moved away now.
Have some happy and some not so happy memories of Skye, We bought our place in 2004 after we married, went into semi retirement, had a son, then in 2009 I decided I needed a proper job rather than Midgie feeder and Weatherman (it's raining again) and relocated. Hung onto the place until three year ago as a holiday home but sold eventually and now in Oban.
Wife's family live near Sunderland, we lived in North Yorkshire from 2009 to 2018 and know the travel times well. Folk don't realise how BIG Scotland is and once past Glasgow it's single carriageway.
Sleat is a lovely part of Skye, and usually has the best weather so you picked a good place to live even if it didn’t suit in the long term.Know a few folk down where that is although some have probably moved away now.
Have some happy and some not so happy memories of Skye, We bought our place in 2004 after we married, went into semi retirement, had a son, then in 2009 I decided I needed a proper job rather than Midgie feeder and Weatherman (it's raining again) and relocated. Hung onto the place until three year ago as a holiday home but sold eventually and now in Oban.
Wife's family live near Sunderland, we lived in North Yorkshire from 2009 to 2018 and know the travel times well. Folk don't realise how BIG Scotland is and once past Glasgow it's single carriageway.
Travel to Skye from where I stay is only 200 odd miles. Folk don’t always understand why it takes me 5 hours!
That does include a stop for the dog and being stuck behind many caravans and campers.J6542 said:
Look forward to reading this. Seeing how you get on finding tradesmen and materials.
Tradesmen! Where to start?I initially approached a builder who lives 3 houses away and has completed a few renovations to a good standard. His “rough estimate” gave me heart palpitations as it was the same price that the house had cost, and there was still the unknown factor once they started ripping the house to shreds.
I decided that I could do this myself. Employ separate trades and cut out the “fee” for a project manager. I mean how hard could it be to organise a few trades?
I struck gold with my joiner. I’m not even sure how I found him. He had built a luxury cabin which his wife let as holiday accommodation and when I saw the standard of work knew he would be good. Luckily we seemed to have a good rapport and he seemed on side.
Plumbers, I managed to get 3 quotes and went with the one from the guy 4 houses along. Good, steady Welshman who has lived on Skye for about 25 years. He did keep shaking his head and asking me why I was putting myself through this torment.
He lives in an old croft house so knows the problems they throw at you, his used to flood when there was a high tide!Electricians, called 3, they turned up but only 1 gave any price. Why turn up but never give a price?
Anyway the one who did price was pretty reasonable.Roofers. I knew the flat roof needed attention although most of the tile area was ok. I don’t really want to talk about roofers, they are a law to themselves. Had 3 turn up, 2 kept telling me they were busy but would give me a price ... despite chasing they never did. The other just disappeared. I then got a company from the Central Belt who were doing work on Skye to give me a price. They seemed eager to do the work but the weather was against them in Winter and by the time it got better they were locked down in the Central Belt! The roof is the bane of my life! Luckily it’s not exactly leaking, just not right and needs fixed. A story for another day!
Anyway the result of various trades visiting was that the inside of the house pretty much needed destroyed. The plasterboard was either spongy with damp or had condensation running down it, there was no insulation, everyone seemed keen to see the state the stone walls were in. So this happened!
Demolishing seems fun to begin with ...
After taking off the living room plasterboard I discovered the walls had some sort of render over the stone. Some was rock solid, other bits crumbling so I got myself a powertool! A hammer drill.
The kitchen held less surprises but the rubbish was piling up.
Time for a big skip!
And a few bonfires.
After taking off the living room plasterboard I discovered the walls had some sort of render over the stone. Some was rock solid, other bits crumbling so I got myself a powertool! A hammer drill.
The kitchen held less surprises but the rubbish was piling up.
Time for a big skip!
And a few bonfires.
moorx said:
What a stunning setting. Congrats!
Thanks! Thought I’d post more boring pictures of demolition. No-one wants to see these because they’re dismal.
With the help of a few others my wee house was getting back to it’s bones. Another surprise upstairs when the plasterboard was taken off was that it had been attached to the original tongue and groove boards that so many of these cottages had back in the 30s/40s.
Time for another powertool! A reticulating saw.
I’d have liked to have kept some of the tongue and groove but it was riddled with woodworm ... which adds another story to this renovation!
Chucked out the window.
More bonfires!
ChocolateFrog said:
Great project and location.
Those dormers do ruin the look and profile of the building, IMO ofcourse.
They’re not very pretty. However I have several relations, my Mum being one, who have the usual dormer thing going on and actually applaud the box dormer. Those dormers do ruin the look and profile of the building, IMO ofcourse.
My Mum’s house, very similar, has coombed ceilings and you need to duck if over 6’ on her landing. On my landing you can walk about happily at 6’.
It’s not my preferred taste but it is what it is.
Strange coincidence but I uncovered this signature from the year the house was elevated and the dormer added, turned out it’s the Uncle of the joiner who’ll be working on the house over 50 years on.
At the beginning of 2020 the house was back to the wooden, internal frame. Some which was saved, some needed replaced. I visited mid January and, knowing the Scottish weather might stop travel plans, I left bits of paper stuck where I wanted radiators and electrician plans for each room.
The plumber and electrician came and did first fix. No photos of this, it was only wires but exciting to know the house was on the way to getting central heating and updated wiring.
No photos because this was the last time I saw my wee house until travel restrictions were lifted after lockdown.
However a couple of pics of the house cleared and ready to get rebuilt again.
At the beginning of 2020 the house was back to the wooden, internal frame. Some which was saved, some needed replaced. I visited mid January and, knowing the Scottish weather might stop travel plans, I left bits of paper stuck where I wanted radiators and electrician plans for each room.
The plumber and electrician came and did first fix. No photos of this, it was only wires but exciting to know the house was on the way to getting central heating and updated wiring.
No photos because this was the last time I saw my wee house until travel restrictions were lifted after lockdown.
However a couple of pics of the house cleared and ready to get rebuilt again.
cat220 said:
Small world! Good to see things going well for you. Take care!
Thanks! Car forums are often small worlds! You take care too.As of today I’m in Tier 3 in Scotland so once again not meant to visit the Highlands.
Remember Monday the 23rd of March and a speech from Boris Johnson? That was the day my windows were being installed. After BJ’s speech I got a text from the window fitter saying “ We started doing your windows but the boss says we have to stop right now and head back to Inverness.”
WTAF!!!
It was followed by another text saying “We’re staying in a local hotel and have had too many beers to drive anywhere. Can finish the job in the morning if you’re ok with that?”
YES!
Never so happy to have inebriated workmen.So the windows went in. And yes they are upvc. I know ...
On Skye weather is a huge concern. My Mum and brother have wooden windows and they’re just high maintenance so I went with the easier, and cheaper option.
Photo from my helpful window fitter because I couldn’t be there.
Thought about changing the door but it’s kind of cute so refurb in order, sometime.
Darkslider said:
Any plans to hack the render off the outside back to the original stone? I read of so many houses like these which are permanently damp due to being cased in a cement render skin, getting shot and having the stone sandblasted and pointed with lime mortar seems to cure it for most people?
The original stone isn’t dressed stone so would look pretty awful. I’ve read about the problems with stone render but every croft house on Skye has it, they probably also have damp issues they don’t know about! A cottage along the road got renovated a few years ago and they chipped off all the render and took it back to the stone. It ended up being damper than it had been in the first place so they ended up having to render it again.
Mine has some issues with damp but only on the gable walls and, after many discussions with various trades, we reckon it may have to do with the chimneys. Hoping to get these done soon, just trying to find the right person for the job is proving tricky.
dmsims said:
If it's no too late you can get shower doors that will fit eaves:
Thanks for that and useful to know.Unfortunately the new pipework upstairs has to be boxed in to allow the right drop, or so my plumber tells me. This means the space in that room is even less, so squeezing in a shower really would be too much of a squeeze sadly.
Just before lockdown the flat roof threw a few problems as can be seen in the photo below. After lots of local roofers coming to look but few ever getting back to me I ended up getting a company from the Central Belt lined up to do the work. Even taking into account their accommodation expenses they came in price wise much the same as a local. Unfortunately lockdown happened and they couldn’t travel to do the work.
This is where things went a bit pear-shaped!
Someone suggested a guy from the North end of Skye, he came across well in emails and phone calls so I decided to roll with it. A GRP (fibreglass) roofing system was suggested and he said he’d measure up and order the materials.
Turned out the trade supplier he used on Skye were still closed but due to open in a fortnight. They opened he ordered the supplies, this was around the end of May. Then it turned out the manufacturer of the materials were shut and when they did open they had a huge backlog.
Skipping to 8 weeks later when the materials did eventually turn up ...
By the end of June I, ever so slightly, broke lockdown rules and headed to Skye. The materials were there but he hadn’t ordered the correct amount, far too little. He blamed the trade supplier, they blamed him, I lost the rag with them both! A few days later the rest of the materials turned up. Then he had to wait for a break in the weather so 2 weeks later the roof eventually got completed.
Unfortunately it leaked!
He came back, redid the area that was leaking and it all seems to be ok to date. Except that in an area it doesn’t run into the gutter it cascades down the fascia ... still waiting to get that fixed. It has been a painful experience and I’d urge anyone thinking about getting “Finishing Touches” from someone in Portree to think again!
Tl;dr - Getting a new flat roof was a nightmare!
This is where things went a bit pear-shaped!
Someone suggested a guy from the North end of Skye, he came across well in emails and phone calls so I decided to roll with it. A GRP (fibreglass) roofing system was suggested and he said he’d measure up and order the materials.
Turned out the trade supplier he used on Skye were still closed but due to open in a fortnight. They opened he ordered the supplies, this was around the end of May. Then it turned out the manufacturer of the materials were shut and when they did open they had a huge backlog.
Skipping to 8 weeks later when the materials did eventually turn up ...
By the end of June I, ever so slightly, broke lockdown rules and headed to Skye. The materials were there but he hadn’t ordered the correct amount, far too little. He blamed the trade supplier, they blamed him, I lost the rag with them both! A few days later the rest of the materials turned up. Then he had to wait for a break in the weather so 2 weeks later the roof eventually got completed.
Unfortunately it leaked!
He came back, redid the area that was leaking and it all seems to be ok to date. Except that in an area it doesn’t run into the gutter it cascades down the fascia ... still waiting to get that fixed. It has been a painful experience and I’d urge anyone thinking about getting “Finishing Touches” from someone in Portree to think again!
Tl;dr - Getting a new flat roof was a nightmare!
Skyedriver said:
Skye time
Yup, Skye time. A term even my tradesmen use!I used to think of the term fondly, until I decided to renovate a house!
Not sure about Martin but Avril’s still at Jewsons. Her ex changed some of my wooden lintels, which were rotting, to concrete lintels. Forgot about that bit of work and don’t think I took any photos anyway.
moles said:
So are handymen/ general builders in demand on Skye then?, I always thought there was enough trades up there for the population?.
There are trades, like the jack-of-all-trades I got to do my flat roof but if you want good trades then you often have to join a waiting list. There’s a lot of new build work and trades do seem to prefer that type of work to working on a wonky 150 year old house. There’s certainly no shortage of work for those that provide a high standard. When I, initially, contacted a few of the larger building firms I was told they couldn’t start work for at least a year. I’ve had to share my joiner with two new builds he was working on. Lockdown and my joiner stopped work and furloughed the lad who worked for him. However by the end of May he was getting cabin fever and thoroughly fed up of trying to home school his four boys.
As my property was empty it was the ideal place for him to hide from his family work. So some work started downstairs, he was reluctant to do any upstairs until the flat roof was sorted (bane of my life!) Some sorting with the rotten bits of framework, insulation and some plasterboard started being put on. I can’t imagine it’s easy plasterboarding a ceiling by yourself but the wee house was beginning to get put back together.
He also put his hand to a bit of roofing/ Velux installing!
The old “velux”.
The new Velux. The plumber also came and put the upstairs waste pipe through the wall. Not an easy feat when the walls are over half a metre thick! And yes, I know I have a bit of a patchwork roof but it doesn’t leak and there’s no money in the budget to change it. I am hoping to get it reroofed in a couple of years time.
Not too shabby a view from the Velux.
As my property was empty it was the ideal place for him to
He also put his hand to a bit of roofing/ Velux installing!
The old “velux”.
The new Velux. The plumber also came and put the upstairs waste pipe through the wall. Not an easy feat when the walls are over half a metre thick! And yes, I know I have a bit of a patchwork roof but it doesn’t leak and there’s no money in the budget to change it. I am hoping to get it reroofed in a couple of years time.
Not too shabby a view from the Velux.
On a roll with posts today.
Lockdown ended!
Being able to see family was amazing! My wee house had moved on a bit but there wasn’t much I could do except tidy up the garden a bit, and have more bonfires.
Unfortunately my joiner was pulled to finish working on the two new builds where progress had stopped so not a lot to report during July and August. I did get the roof finished, less said about that the better! Pre lockdown I’d had a woodworm survey which showed moderate woodworm in the rafters so Mr. Woodworm Sorter came and sprayed some chemicals and gave me a certificate.
No photos of this fascinating woodworm treatment so here are a couple of pics of a high Summer tide from the bottom of the garden.
Lockdown ended!
Being able to see family was amazing! My wee house had moved on a bit but there wasn’t much I could do except tidy up the garden a bit, and have more bonfires.
Unfortunately my joiner was pulled to finish working on the two new builds where progress had stopped so not a lot to report during July and August. I did get the roof finished, less said about that the better! Pre lockdown I’d had a woodworm survey which showed moderate woodworm in the rafters so Mr. Woodworm Sorter came and sprayed some chemicals and gave me a certificate.
No photos of this fascinating woodworm treatment so here are a couple of pics of a high Summer tide from the bottom of the garden.
Thanks for the replies, glad folk are enjoying the photos and updates.
She’s a Flatcoat Retriever so not too slobbery but always in water!
Work on the soil pipe isn’t finished but I’ll speak to my plumber about that.
jet_noise said:
Trades are just as difficult to come by on the mainland west coast (Lochcarron).
A bit nearer to 'ness but I've still to get a roofer to actually turn up to look!
It’s hard work isn’t it? I knew it would be but wasn’t prepared for the roof nonsense. It appears local roofers are only interested if it’s the full works.A bit nearer to 'ness but I've still to get a roofer to actually turn up to look!
gareth h said:
Is that a Newfoundland, if it is I’d get the ceilings artexed so you can’t see the slobber!
She’s a Flatcoat Retriever so not too slobbery but always in water! bobtail4x4 said:
the soil pipe needs moving or capping with an air admittance valve,
it will stink the house out when the velux is open,
Thanks for the info! Don’t want a stinky house.it will stink the house out when the velux is open,
Work on the soil pipe isn’t finished but I’ll speak to my plumber about that.
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