I won my case!

[JanieB]

I'm an accountant, I have a degree in business administration and I have been a cook in a previous existence, so have the necessary certificates. I am very aware of what is involved in running a B&B. I was also a farmer's wife for 25 years and am not afraid of hard work.

Due to B's death and the ensuing case with my step-children, I was forced to retire. I do not want to spend it with someone permanently residing in my home. I would like the rooms to be available for my family from time to time.

I have enough income to live on but insufficient to repay the loan required to do the works needed.

I have had a rethink as a result of the advice given on this forum. My priority was to do the kitchen first (the expensive bit), I've decided to just tart up what's there for the time being and do the rest of the house first, which is well within my budget. I can then use the income from B&B to rebuild the kitchen in the future.

What do I do with my Stanley cooker which has been waiting to be installed for 2 1/2 years. The heat output would be totally overwhelming in the kitchen the size it is at the mo :roll: .

 

[jocelyn plummer]

A problem shared is a problem halved, you sound more cheerful already.

I had a Stanley cooker in a fairly small kitchen and kept the temperature down to 50 all the time, simply firing it up to the required cooking temperatures as needed.

Probably install it only if you know exactly where you plan to have it in your updated kitchen when the time comes.

 

[alice]

It certainly sounds as if the best course for all (except the step-children) would be to do as little as necessary and take as long as possible.

Do you want the double glazing for the comfort of your guests or yourself? You've lived in the house for years and the fumes/noise from the traffic didn't bother you, so I'm assuming you think that since other B&B's have done it, you must too.

If the bedrooms to be let are facing the front, why don't you sleep in them a few nights and see if the traffic is really that noticable. If they face the back garden, you might not need to worry at all. As far as the sitting rooms go, I wonder how much the guests will use it. After all, they come to see the town and visit with friends and will be out and about for most of the time, not sitting in your lounge.

If you want to make your place marketable compared to other B&B's try thinking of adding value in cheaper ways that set your house apart. Can you add internet for the guests? A wireless system wouldn't cost much. A kennel? Concierge? Think of ways to set yourself apart that you can market and doesn't involve big remodeling bucks. I think you'll find that customers are more concerned about service than the windows.

I'm sure there is a local B&B business group of some sort. I would join that right away and go the meeting and pump the experienced owners for pearls of wisdom. It's a lot better to learn from other's mistakes and success than try to reinvent the wheel yourself. That's why I come to this board!

Good luck!

alice

 

[Nemesis]

I have had a rethink as a result of the advice given on this forum. My priority was to do the kitchen first (the expensive bit), I've decided to just tart up what's there for the time being and do the rest of the house first, which is well within my budget. I can then use the income from B&B to rebuild the kitchen in the future.

Seems to me to be a better bet than spending it all upfront, if it can be done that way.

If you can start small letting out one room that would be a help, put the cash into a kitchen fund, last time I looked into it no planning or other permissions were required for a small amount of B and B use, and I don't think fire regs either, although of course you need the place to be safe. You would need to delve further and your local tourist people will probably be able to point you in the right direction. The tax situation is favourable too.

Adding an en-suite will require building regs approval but shouldn't require the expense of planning approval which a whole new kitchen would bring. That could mean other things may have to be done to the house too. If you can tart it up (painted matchboarding , new kitchen doors, tiles and some nice accessories work wonders) then that would be good. As Joss says - the cooker can possibly still be installed, otherwise - sell it and buy another when the time comes.

If the noise is a major factor, do consider secondary glazing, which may not be pretty but is more effective than double glazing at noise reduction if done properly. My friend had his done by Everest - not cheap at about (I think) six hundred quid a large sash window, but he says it's transformed his ability to sleep.

There's also the possiblity of having the windows Ventrolla'd, which cuts down noise and draughts.

The noisy neighbour in the bathroom is a worry - it may be that a false wall will need to be built, but it's also possible noise is travelling in other ways.

Spend as much of the income on yourself as possible, don't overstretch yourself doing anything, and sod the stepchildren is my view!