'modern' cottage-can I make one?

[Nemesis]

I'm not sure that matters - there will be a market for 'alternative' houses.

 

[jess marley]

Let's put this thread out of it's misery shall we?

N.T, no, no danger of legal battle over possessory title, for dull legal reasons I'm not a good enough typist to list.

Nemesis, I'll build, you buy. Perfect.

 

[Nemesis]

Prob is - I have a rather nice house already, one I will have to be carried out of feet first probably, and I'm not a first time buyer!

Eco-houses, however, are starting to be very much a growing idea.

There's an interesting one at Brampton, Cumbria - not straw bale I agree, but unusual and occupied.

http://www.sustainablehomes.co.uk/case_studies/brampton2.htm

http://www.managenergy.net/products/R609.htm



And Kevin McLeod is very excited about straw bale!



http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/environment/sustainable/living/building.htm

 

[jess marley]

ta, Nemesis, the Cumbrian one seems to have done a lot of homework for me, v.useful.

 

[Nemesis]

Here's another interesting Cumbria one, same architect:

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/grand-designs/houses/C/cumbria.html

 

[jess marley]

Nah, I remember that one and it used tonnes of concrete- and was bloody expensive. Also, the glass frontage v.nice but the rooms behind terribly dark....great view tho'.

 

[Nemesis]

I think the Brampton house is a great little building - which would fit well in many locations.

 

[NT]

I'm not sure that matters - there will be a market for 'alternative' houses.

Thats not the point, theres a market for almost any house, the question is at what price.

NT

 

[Nemesis]

The Brampton house sold for £65,000.

That was around 2001.

Others following on would have the benefit now of a tried and tested design, and as the research has already been done, cost savings.

 

[Silas]

Jess

I think I would be tempted to build a 17thC style timber frame cottage with traditional features and material and a nice peg or pantile roof in the back garden then live in it myself, this would get you a great cottage away from the noisy busy road

As for the original house, I would convert that into a terrace of two or even three small properties for the first time buyers giving each a small yard and parking space at the rear. the advantages of this are clear.

A: You get a very marketable cottage with average garden/parking for yourself away from the road noise etc.

B: You make maximum profit from splitting the original property into a terrace and provide far more opportunity for 1st time buyers than you originally intended, winners all around. Of course I will expect my 10%
for the idea 8)

Clearly I have no idea if this is possible or even if your local authority would allow it, just me museing.

good luck whatever you do

Silas

 

[Nemesis]

I think that the local authority would be very much against that - the amount of intervention in a listed building would be rather too much.

 

[Silas]

Hi Nemesis

If you read my post you will see that you have just repeated and expanded the suggestion I made in the last sentence of the post, so I agree with you.

However it is also true to say that many listed buildings have been converted from one to two and back to a one again during there long life, clearly buildings are always adapted for purpose, listed or otherwise.

who are we to secound guess the logic of local authority, however government policy that wants thousands of sustainably developed new homes over the comming years preferably on brownfield and as infill development is asking local authority to find space for development.

If a local authority has a shortage of affordable housing and an individual offers an idea to increase the housing stock, then a simpathetic conversion of a listed property may be considered

 

[Nemesis]

In this case I doubt it. The existing building isn't in any sort of risk.

And I rather suspect the Geo Group wouldn't be too happy either. Lots of objections would be forthcoming I think.


(Can't see why a timber and peg pastiche would be a good thing either - hardly fits the local vernacular tradition!)

 

[Silas]

Hi Nemesis

I was simply making a suggestion, clearly in cornwall cobb (or straw bails) would be appropriate. My reply to Jess is a suggestion that would get her away from the road, which would be my preference as I hate traffic, given jess's particular circumstances that would be my choice, Jess will make up her own mind.

Last time I looked a building listed or in a conservation area dose not have to be at risk in order for work or even change of use to be sought, Barns, chaples, churses and pubs, are regularly converted to homes or shops and businesses, yes I am sure there could be as you say lots of objections there always are even when proposals are well intentioned. So I'm not sure of your point there.

There is a huge shortage of affordable property in Jess's part of the Island particularly housing for local people, thanks to all the selfish and greedy secound home brigade snapping up small cottages and financially bullying local people out of the market, a situation that should rightly provoke strong objection.

I applaud Jess for wanting to build a sustainable house, and my reply was just a suggested idea... Do you have any ideas Nemesis or just yet more nit picking.

 

[Nemesis]

I rather think I have a fair bit of idea about listed buildings, buildings in conservation areas, and conversion.

In this case - it may be easier for Jess to move. Anyhow - I think maybe she likes her period property. I'm sure she would not be too keen on spoiling it.

So I think you maybe haven't thought a great deal through before accusing me of nitpicking!

I've already made some suggestions re eco-friendly low-cost housing, and in the past we have all given suggestions about reduction of traffic noise to Jess.

I'm not sure the second homes issue is quite as simple either, but that's a whole new can of worms.

 

[Silas]

Nemesis

Sorry for the nit picking comment, that was rude, perhaps I just don't get your points surely surfice to say niether of us can secound guess any local authority. Protection of period property and traditional sypathetic restoration together with sustainable development is Im sure a common ground, Im sure you are bursting with idear's.

Silas

 

[Penners]

simple earth buildings are traditional and have lasted all over the world for centuries. I can't see why properly rendered straw bale can't either.

About 32 years ago my father built a straw bale loose box for my sister's horse. It was simply four walls made of stacked, interlocking straw bales, with a corrugated perspex pent roof screwed to a timber roof plate that was tied with baler twine to the top layer of bales. The door was framed and hung in a similar fashion. It was just built on the earth - no foundations whatsoever - and neither the interior nor exterior was rendered in any way.

It's still standing, and used as a garden store.

 

[biffvernon]

This must surely be the oldest strawbale building in the land. It should be listed.

 

[jess marley]

Calm down guys, and Silas, I muse a fair bit too. Which is how all this started.
In fact, re traffic noise, I think it's just taking me a while to get used to it, having moved from the east end of London. Having said that, it seems the council may be on the verge of rationalizing the situation here, but I'm not holding my breath.
And yes, Nemesis, I do indeed love my house. Moving here wasn't just about this particular house tho', it was about the best balance we could make at the time between various factors, as buying a house often is.We intend to make the best of it and do a bit of old fashioned counting of blessings.
Now, back to gutters...

 

[biffvernon]

Wooden gutters.