House Reno journey
Aj Terry
3 years ago
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Aj Terry
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Aging-Gracefully-In-Place: Tips for reno or new builds
Comments (34)Good morning to Dorset from Scotland! My husband had a birthday last week and is now saying we're 'pushing 60'. We're active and fit, lol, but sensible too-the day will come sooner rather than later when one or both of us is not able to claim to be spry. Because the little cottage is in such a sad cosmetic state it was listed at a rather amazing price and we locked ourselves into it too early thinking it was a perfect spot for us to grow old. Whoops, thanks to several posts here about doing a reno or new build with a mind to age-in-place we are having to admit that is not the house for us. Luckily the town is the 'gateway to the glens' and if we wanted to use it as a holiday let we could easily. It's also becoming a commuter town-the hardier type people from Dundee and Aberdeen are buying in to take advantage of the great mountain lifestyle whilst being able to easily commute to their 'day job'. We were not looking for an investment property-not especially keen on the idea but more and more we're thinking that's what we've got. We measured the borrowed wheel chair, and also took the measurements of the typical mobility devices available now (the ones that are adverted as being in-outdoors), and frankly held up against the kitchen and bath measurements, there is no way we can make the bathroom work. Up thread (I think it was Deborah Butler of Brickwood Builders) a wet-room was mentioned as being best to accommodate a roll-in shower but hard to do as a reno project. Looking at the floor-plan, home report, and our own measurements confirmed that on this wee cottage-there is no way to do that and no way a wheelchair or mobility device is going to be rolled in that cupboard size bathroom. The kitchen could be managed if we drop the pantry wall idea, but the bathroom we planned to make a shower room is not manageable at all, and there is no room to extend that space. We would have figured all this out but much further down Reno Road, lol, so this thread has been a huge help to us just on that! Because we're now doing a much simpler reno (dropping the wider doorways and sliders, the ramp, and a few other a-i-p doings), the cost to renovate that lovely wee home is much lower too. The only things we won't be able to do ourselves is the shower conversion and the rewiring. A huge savings that we're going to need to find the right place for us! We know now that we need to look for a home with room to enlarge bathroom and kitchen areas, and with a less tricky entry to incorporate a ramp. For starters:) We have to be out of our current home by 1st August when the new owners will be arriving from Australia. We've borrowed the use of a caravan from friends to live in whilst doing the cottage reno (now that's small space living!) and that's going to be a help but I sure wish I'd joined Houzz sooner! I would have started this thread BEFORE locking into a property too small for our needs. Too, rather than use it as a holiday let or sell it on, we may move into the cottage once the reno is complete but we do know now there is no way we'll be able to age-gracefully-in-place in it. Sigh. Oh well, our builder is happy-he wasn't keen on trying to fit those sliding doors:) Take-Away For the Day? Be sure the property has room to expand vital living spaces before making an offer that is sure to be accepted:(...See More9 months into reno - Unsure about kitchen layout. Extended Victorian
Comments (7)We are considering scrapping the idea of having an island with just worktops either side and wall cabinets where needed. We also thought of having the dining table in the conservatory and create a utility room and WC where the dining table is now but we really want opening living throughout and don't want to break the front room away from the rest of the space. Tryphic - Thanks for your suggestions. I will look at working out our needs. Steven - We were planning a down draft extractor to a filter for the hob. Gabby - Thanks for your suggestions. OnePlan - Thanks for your suggestions. I love the idea of coffee and tea in a unit! Plumbing on the island and left side are very difficult due to location of drains outside. Jonathan - Thanks for your suggestions. I love the plan you made. Unfortunately due to drainage, we can't have the sink on the left side. I will definitely have to consider the quiet appliances as you suggested....See MoreKitchen Reno - help - is there another possible layout?
Comments (25)@Janet Cogley Wouldn't be completely blocking up the existing FD just putting a window in the existing same width opening but yes blocking from below that new window. And opening up the lower portion of the existing dining room window to fit a new french door - we got a quote for all jobs plus the wall pushed down that don't seem too high. However it does require a building warrant, architect and Structural engineer that adds up too.. I am starting to think it might be a good idea to check the reverse as you are suggesting - would it be more or same or less expensive to do a replumbing for the sink, rewiring for the appliances etc if we were to flip the kitchen to the dining side hmmm, thank you....See MorePlease help with our layout for our Reno of our forever home
Comments (13)Hi! For this to be your forever home you really want to make sure you get this right! You're going to find the workshop that I'm running next week on Friday really useful to help you manage cost, time and quality. It's only £47 and 100% of profits go to homeless charity Coffee4Craig. During the live workshop there is time for Q&A so I'll answer as many questions during the session as I can. You can find out more and save your spot here: https://iarchitectlimited.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1145853 I hate to say this! For your floorplans I would really suggest that you start from scratch! If the interior space hasn't been considered and its just been a set of plans to look good at the front for the purposes of planning, then there is a high likelihood that they are not going to give you the high quality of life that you are probably hoping for from your forever home. It's easy to make a house look good once you've got the layout right, it's a lot harder to make it work well inside and feel like an enjoyable and easy space to live in when you just have a volume that looks good from the front. Best wishes with your home redesign! Jane award winning chartered architect eco-home and conservation area specialist www.i-architect.co.uk For helpful videos watch my YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@iarchitect...See MoreTania Scott
3 years agoOnePlan
3 years agoAj Terry
3 years agoTania Scott
3 years agominnie101
3 years agoAj Terry
3 years ago
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