Would you live on a house boat?

7 years ago

While walking along a canal and passing numerous house boats over the weekend, I wondered how many would welcome the transition from land to water long term.

While the stylish house boats on Houzz make a good case for the cause, I don't know if I would - space factors into it, but it'd be primarily due to unfortunate sea sickness!

Stylish House Boat · More Info

But - would you love or loathe to make a house boat your permanent home?

Have you ever lived on one? Has it just been a dream of yours? If you have ever lived or currently live on one - what have your experiences been of water vs. land? As always - vote and comment!

Yes - it's a dream of mine

No - they're not for me

Featured Answer

frances

7 years ago

I am reading the above comments and laughing! I live on a houseboat, that is actually bigger than my old three bedroomed semi, so no I didn't have to get rid of anything, I even have a walk in pantry complete with butler sink. The boat is insulated everywhere, so damp and condensation is certainly not a problem, we are so warm and cosy at the moment. I have onshore connected electric power, water direct from shore to boat and a proper path to the solid and handrailed gangplank, which providing it is kept clean does not get slippery (much like your front door steps). We have a compost toilet, which has a fan and actually smells less than most people's bathrooms. I even have those modern conveniences like a washing machine and dishwasher! Broadband and phone signal is not a problem and neither are rats. We don't even feel the tide coming and going. We have amazing views that change all day with the tides and seasons. There is a wonderful community spirit amongst us liveaboards.

Living on a boat doesn't mean constantly having to move, although there is a big problem with the amount of residential moorings available. There is also a big difference between a narrowboat and a barge or houseboat. Dry docking and bottom scraping is some thing happens every 10-15 years, so really not such an issue. I certainly love my lifestyle and would hate to live ashore again. It's not designer decorated, but it's home and I love it.

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Comments (15)

rosahalford
7 years ago
Lived on a wide-beam canal boat last year, for the summer on the London canal network - and it was fabulous! It makes you feel so chilled, like you're on holiday. You do have to de-clutter a bit but some of them are really quite spacious.

No sea-sickness - canals are very flat!! The main hassle is moving it every fortnight...
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
Yes! I've lived on a houseboat and loved every second, particularly whenever it lifted off the mud when the tide came in. A magical moment. I've stayed on a barge and loved that, too. Much bigger - a proper floating home. I loved the sense of community with fellow houseboaters or bargees and the feeling of escape every time I stepped on to the pontoon above the water.
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I'm not sure my wife would go for that ! too claustrophobic. We're not so much about the space inside, although, my wife would argue that our house is perfect for just the two of us now the kids have gone, although we see a lot of our grandkids and need the space for all their paraphernalia. Our house is a little over 2200 square feet and after 16 years here, we still have to frequently have a good old spring clean to get rid of stuff we don't want or use or we run out of storage. We do however, require quite a good deal of outside space, our plot is around 12000 square feet, we're outside country folk, so big garden, big workshop etc, outside all day long!
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For many years my partner and lived in an apartment in Central London; and a couple of years ago when we started house-hunting we discovered - unsurprisingly - that in houses with stairs and a decent sized landing, a significant percentage of living space was - in our view - wasted. Yes, some people like the drama of an open staircase - but I'd rather use the upstairs space as a study and the downstairs as an extension to the kitchen. And besides - vacuuming stairs is a pain. Eventually we bought a bungalow - and touch wood, haven't looked back. One friend quipped that we'd bought a flat with a garden but without upstairs neighbours; while for us there's an easy progression of rooms leading into rooms - the flow from kitchen to dining to drawing room makes for relaxed entertaining, and the early morning amble from bedroom to coffee machine can happily be made in the dark. For some, bungalow living occurs when stairs become a problem - but for us, it was always about space and style.
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tiredoldwoman
7 years ago
I'm a wee bit feart of rats and water but would like a houseboat in the middle of a field or something like that ! Someone's probably done that already - I would love to see your pictures !
Fiona Molloy
7 years ago
It is a fabulous way to live. my boat was on a residential mooring on a canal. So no sea sickness or moving. Just like a one bed flat with a roof terrace and canal bank to sit out at . Proper loo and bath. Watching the wildlife was amazing. The best bit was the community of others living nearby.
Isidora Markovic
Original Author
7 years ago
@rosahalford, @rosahalford, @Fiona Molloy - sounds idyllic!
PRO
KV Interiors and Design
7 years ago
I did think about but I was put off about the toilet issue. I went to stay at a friends boat for two nights and realised It has to be cleaned at some point either empty a tank, in that case the composto will be held inside the boat for while, or the cassette which I didn't like the smell.
peter_bond3
7 years ago
I've stayed on narrowboats and wide beams on the canals a number of times over the years but have never "lived" on one. I take my hat off to those who do. For many these days its not out of choice and can add many new problems to already busy lives.

For many the difficulty/cost of finding a residential mooring anywhere near jobs, shops, transport and family can stop the project dead. Finding a lovely boat is very much a secondary consideration. The alternative of "continuous cruising" doesn't work well for many since you have to move on every 2 weeks - the Canal & River Trust are getting tough on this point.

Comfortable living is much more of a weather related issue on a boat since the impact of cold, rain, muddy and very slippery towpaths as well as heat in mid-summer (you are living in a tin can) are all issues that don't affect bricks and mortar dwellers to anything like the same extent. In winter the canals can freeze over and canal maintenance is normally done then. Both can stop you from moving. If you can't move you can't easily fill up with water, fuel or empty the tank. Lugging heavy and smelly cans for a long distance is not fun.

The upsides for me are the closeness to wildlife, the feeling of freedom and fresh air, the people you meet and the gentle movement on a canal - I've seldom slept so well. Other boats do pass by and even if they do slow down the boat can rock enough to make you spill your tea.

Other points in favour are that you can move location for better/different views, most dogs love it even if they become muddier than you can imagine and you can moor at a canalside pub and not have to drive anywhere afterwards.

The downsides are the need to fill with water, gas and fuel and to pump out the waste tank or empty the toilet cassette - not always at convenient times or locations, and the congestion for mooring spots now that there are over 33,000 narrowboats on the system - many more than in their heyday of the industrial revolution. The canals can have dead spots for mobile phone and broadband coverage. Also consider that boats do go wrong - not much fun in winter if you can't get the heating going and that not everybody you meet is nice, thoughtful or helpful.

Best to try it first before you give up living on solid ground and move to a boat.
Bev Robson
7 years ago
Have lived in Stone , Staffordshire, for many years and see the narrowboats on the canal daily. I know people who have boats in and around here and they take extended trips on them, but always in the summer months. I also knew a couple that lived on a converted Thames barge in the Blackwater basin, Essex. after a couple of winters they were only too glad to move onto dry land. Cold and damp just don't appeal to me, nor the burden of dry docking and bottom scraping that seems to be part and parcel of on board life.
Stephen Edwards
7 years ago
I don't think I would now, I have four dogs and far too much stuff. I did live on a narrow boat for a few months when I was young, fortunately it was rented as the novelty wore off pretty quickly. Some of the large broad beam ones look stunning but not for me.
peter_bond3
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Frances, I bet you are laughing. It sounds idylic and you are living the houseboat life at the top end of those who choose to live on the water. You don't tell us if this is a marina or on-line but, being tidal, you're probably on a river, not a canal.

The security, connected power & water and composting toilets are all great advances saving much of the worries and drudgery of canal-side living. You'll probably have your post delivered and maybe even a little garden alongside to grow veggies and raise chickens. Because its a settled community of boats, you will have made friends with similar interests and will look after one another. I take it your mooring is near your job and family. Nirvana.

It would be helpful to get an idea of the costs of houseboat living like you're achieving for those planning such a wonderful escape.

Unfortunately, as you say there is a dearth of such lovely mooring facilities, competition is fierce and costs high for moorings near city centres where most people work. Have you been planning this a long time? How did you find your dream?
frances
7 years ago
Hi Peter, no we don't get our post delivered (our son's address is now our postal address) and we don't have a garden! I do however have an allotment. We are in an estuary and don't have a residential mooring as such, although we would love the security of one. We bought the barge as a hull only and have done all the work ourselves, living on a lot smaller yacht for a couple of years. Because we had always kept a yacht in the area, we were lucky enough to be in the right place when a suitable mooring came free.

We are approaching retirement, but still had a large mortgage with the prospect of a just a small pension, so needed to downsize our outgoings. We have always been sailors, so a barge was a perfect solution for us. Our outgoings are now 75% less than when we lived in a house. We do actually plan to go off and 'do' Europe for a few years, but we will keep our mooring so as we have somewhere to come back to.

i would say that it is very helpful if you know about boats, or certainly do a lot of research on the subject before even considering living on one. So many people jump in without due consideration. They think a boat looks 'pretty' or will have enough room, without considering things like insulation, heating, plumbing etc. Many houseboats have proper facilities but they come at a premium price (unless you do it yourself). Narrowboats often don't have the necessities for really comfortable living (especially as you get older) and people end up spending a lot of money putting boats 'right' or get fed up and move off.

Getting a mooring before the boat is absolutely essential. It is a shame that there are not more residential moorings as it could be a small step in the housing crisis, also extra income for local councils.

its a great life, but it has to be done properly.
Isidora Markovic
Original Author
7 years ago
@frances - what a kitchen! Thank you for sharing those with us.
Fiona Molloy
6 years ago
"residential" moorings don't necessarily mean security. On the canal in Chichester they are residential but come with an annual licence from the marina who the mooring fees are paid to. They are at liberty to not renew, therefore security only lasts for 12 months at a time.
Kundan Kumar
9 months ago
If you're intrigued by the idea of living on the water but not quite ready to commit to a permanent houseboat residence, why not consider renting a boat ? Renting a boat allows you to explore the stunning landscapes at your own pace and create unforgettable memories.

Would you live on a house boat?

frances

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