The House Projects Thread

[Jobbo]

If you're selling with the tenant remaining in place, that's worth a fair bit as well because you avoid any void periods.

[Carlos]

The market value element is my main concern Jobbo. 2 other, "smaller size plots with the same house" have sold on the street almost immediately after going on sale (according to the neighbours), both to families from North London who, thanks to Covid, are working from home (apparently), no longer need to have direct access to London so are escaping to the country.

Market Value is likely to be in or around £275k so there isn't massive scope for over asking price , even if there's a bit of a bidding war I'm' not going to make fortunes. If they were to offer Asking Price and maybe put down a non refundable deposit... well, a bird in the hand and all that.

It's a rental property so we're going to have to cover both costs till it's sold (~ £750/month) so a quick sale saves us in the long run - Add in the lack of agents fees etc and it starts to become more appealing.

I guess it all depends on their budget and the up to date valuation .

I've been involved in a number of private sales and bought my own house as one. As Jobbo mentions as long as you are confident you are getting fair value the only other issue to check is that the buyer is good for the funding whether that be savings or mortgage. I've never had an issue but my wifes business partner just waited 3 months for a private sale to go through before his buyer came clean and said he couldn't get the required mortgage !

[McSwede]

Took advantage of Amazon prime day and bought a Drayton wiser smart thermostat and two smart trv's. Even happier that I got it for £86

https://wiser.draytoncontrols.co.uk/?gc ... jYQAvD_BwE

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075GRPZQ1/ ... JFbSGZ0VQV

Fitted them yesterday. Despite being a bit of a spastic when it come to electrics I managed to get it fitted ok. Set up was pretty easy as was the scheduling. It is now working a treat.

I'm really pleased with it and would happily recommend.

[jamcg]

The only problem for me as an installer with these systems is so many are only single channel, so only suitable for either combi boilers or you have to have a separate control for the hot water cylinder. Nest are great for that, but annoyingly don’t offer a TRV option

[McSwede]

The only problem for me as an installer with these systems is so many are only single channel, so only suitable for either combi boilers or you have to have a separate control for the hot water cylinder. Nest are great for that, but annoyingly don’t offer a TRV option

Agreed. This Drayton one offers multizone iirc.

[Jobbo]

I got the Wiser when it came out. Had so many connectivity issues that I returned it and bought a full Evohome system. I suspect Wiser has been improved but I’m happy with Evohome; it’s been thoroughly reliable.

[GG.]

Pretty much finished with the renovation of the garden (well, outside space - it is central London after all). Grouting was done today - few bits and pieces left to do but mainly around the edges. Paving will be cleaned and then sealed next year when the weather is nicer. Mrs GG put together some pretty dramatic before and after collages. The Pavers are unfilled travertine so actually more textured in real life than is apparent from the photos:





Will look even better once we've got garden furniture, plants, etc.

[integrale_evo]

My mum has agreed to buy part of my grandads old farm off her brother, with the view of turning it into a weekend / holiday home for the family to use.

Not strictly my project, but as I work 5 mins down the road I’ll be overseeing most of it.

The plot is approx 3/4 and acre and is a Victorian brick barn with small courtyard, 1960s garage block and a hay loft. The brick section will have a snug in the front section, hallway, kitchen and living area in the open area facing the courtyard and the garage block will have four bedrooms.

Pictures will be a bit of a jumble, but show the site as it is roughly at the moment, plus a few how it was a couple of years ago.








The garage used to contain a sunbeam


And my uncles, now my, fiat 850


And was where he used to park his car until he got to about 85 and couldn’t be bothered walking over to get it out and put it back all the time.

The brick bit and courtyard contained various farming detritus

[mr_jon]

My suggestion would be, don't fall out with your mum.

[dinny_g]

And I would recommend agreeing what Family Use actually means before you start.

Agendas and priorities have a habit of cropping up and causing issues...

Based on experience...

[McSwede]

Pretty much finished with the renovation of the garden (well, outside space - it is central London after all). Grouting was done today - few bits and pieces left to do but mainly around the edges. Paving will be cleaned and then sealed next year when the weather is nicer. Mrs GG put together some pretty dramatic before and after collages. The Pavers are unfilled travertine so actually more textured in real life than is apparent from the photos:





Will look even better once we've got garden furniture, plants, etc.

Nice job

[integrale_evo]

And I would recommend agreeing what Family Use actually means before you start.

Agendas and priorities have a habit of cropping up and causing issues...

Based on experience...

Should be ok hopefully, my parents will have a set of keys, I’ll have a set of keys and my sister will have a set. Everyone already has their own homes and all live roughly the same distance away.

It got class q planning last year, which over spring / summer was converted to full residential planning with the existing access being for our bit, and a new access for the farm being created on the far side of the other building.

Plans for building regs have been done and it’s currently out to tender for quotes for the work.

The plan is a sympathetic rebuild / restore, leaving as many original features and timbers as possible and to do it to a decent standard without going silly. There will be a parking area where the hay loft is, and the grey building will be timber clad to make it look like less of a carbuncle.

We need some sort of temporary storage while work is being done for stuff we want to keep and the lawn mower etc and not really sure the best way to do it, wondering if buying / renting a shipping container would be easiest and most cost effective. Don’t really want to erect any sheds or outbuildings until the main building is done and we can decide what we want where.

[GG.]

The plot is approx 3/4 and acre and is a Victorian brick barn with small courtyard, 1960s garage block and a hay loft. The brick section will have a snug in the front section, hallway, kitchen and living area in the open area facing the courtyard and the garage block will have four bedrooms.

Looks like you've got a sizeable project there!

May want to do something about the access road as well - surprised you got in and out in the compact!

[dinny_g]

And I would recommend agreeing what Family Use actually means before you start.

Agendas and priorities have a habit of cropping up and causing issues...

Based on experience...

Should be ok hopefully, my parents will have a set of keys, I’ll have a set of keys and my sister will have a set. Everyone already has their own homes and all live roughly the same distance away.

Let’s hope you all don’t agree to contribute to a fund for furnishings, then find your sister has gone behind your back to your mum, kitted out her preferred room, and then decree this as her room from now on - complete with her stuff left in the wardrobe and her toothbrush in the (only) on-suite other than your Mum’s



If you can imagine such a thing ...

[integrale_evo]

May want to do something about the access road as well - surprised you got in and out in the compact!

It’s not too bad now to be honest, it was just where it had had so little traffic for so long and the grass had pulled the mud through. After a long dry summer it’s back to the hardcore / gravel it always used to be.

But yeah, at one point back then I did nearly get stuck when the compact buried itself up to the rear suspension arms trying to get into the garage

[V8Granite]

That space looks fantastic Harry

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/to ... &mid=22655

This thread may have some ideas, the guy doing the work was doing only sympathetic work, it’s a very interesting read.

Dave!

[Jobbo]

Harry, that's fab - doesn't look in too bad condition either. I spy quite a few of your cars poking into the photos

GG, nice job. Does your garden include some of next door's garden too? What's the smaller gated and fenced section for; storage?

[mik]

I look forward the the spinoff YouTube channel : The Other Harry’s Garage.

[Jobbo]

I look forward the the spinoff YouTube channel : The Other Harry’s Garage.

And the spin-off from the spin-off, The Other Harry's Farm

[Mito Man]

That would make a lovely house and or investment. Depending on family though it could end up being a total shitshow.