And what's your other job?

[Mikey P]

LarryTS/George,

Would certainly be interested on where to start! I've got 6 years (just less) of service left to think about this and me and the missus are both keen to do something to:

a. Build a home that is not only cheap to run but is efficient, using K-glass and solar power, etc, so that we can be smug and not gobble up valuable natural resources all of the time.

b. Attempt to have a slightly simpler and less materialistic lifestyle (attitude change!).

c. Have career change (me especially) to something both cereberal and practical. And nothing to do with guns/bombs/missiles.

Sounds idealistic really, doesn't it? Gotta have goals!

I've done a little bit of research into wooden houses and whils the houses themselves can seem good value, I have been absolutely shocked by the cost of land. Niaive perhaps? I don't know - maybe we need to look abroad.

Sorry - rambling now...

Are we going to continue this eco-build thread in the other forum?

 

[george]

Applecross? Lucky so and so, mind you last time I was there I was the only Scot in the pub at lunchtime! Last time I was near there, I was in a RIB out of Kyle, took us up to a wee bunch of Islands, where people could spend a week or so. Must check out the name of those islands and find out about costs....


Justin

Justin

You're possibly thinking about the island of Rona. There are a couple of cottages for rent there - no power, phones etc. great place. They've also got a little bunkhouse on the island that costs about a fiver a night to use.

Mind you if you're looking for a "remote" place to spend a couple of days then the bothy on Raasay is pretty good or if you look on the map to the mainland just to the north the bothy at Uags is great too, they're free too!

 

[Justin Time]

George,
You're spot on with Rona. I do fancy some time there but it looks like their boat only goes across from Portree once a week. I don't think I could persuade my daughter to spend a whole week on the Island, at 14 I think it would be a very cruel thing to do.... This year I managed to get her to go "wild camping" with me at Sandwood Bay, magical experience for both of us :-D

So I may look to the bunkhouse on Raasay, thanks for the hint.

Rona has a website for anyone who wants to know more: http://www.isleofrona.com

Cheers
Justin

 

[maddave]

Well I'm a Pooter Techie for Local Govt. Look after about 8000 PC's and the numpties that try and break em !! :-D

 

[jamesdevine]

Hello All,

I have had alot of different jobs since leaving school 10 years ago the most interesting ones being a Milk Man (professional cross country runner that deliveried dairy protects) That end with an injury.

Then as a labourer on several local restoration projects. i worked mainly with stone masons but also to some oppurtunity to work with thatcher's, blacksmiths etc. I really enjoyed it, but the pay was really bad so I went back to school for a year and started working for one of the large mulitnationals now here in Dublin.

Like a lot of people I would much prefer to be outdoors doing somthing worth while instead of making some one else rich. Who knows what the future will bring.

James

 

[Womble]

I'm a civil servant who works in central London (which is why places like this are such a godsend...)

 

[al]

i`ve already put what i do now but before that i was a baker making it all by hand, served in the royal marines for 7 years , was a baker again and now a security guard in a nuclear bunker that hosts websites, i love the job as the people are good people and i get loads of time off and i get 18 acres of land to play in , cheers al :-D

 

[Croc]

Well I’m a Herpetologist. A professional venomous snake handler, caring for the largest collection of venomous snakes in the UK (350 specimens / 50 species). I’m also the only person licensed to extract venom from snakes. I work for a Venom Research Group. Also provided snakes and wrangle them for the film industry.

 

[Tricky]

I'm a Tooling Engineer for a Printed Circuit Board Manufacturer , producing all the bits and pieces needed to make a PCB , its dull , its boring , its shiftwork , thank god for the little bit of woodland i can go strutting in just outside the factory when i've finished for the day.


one other bonus is that i am designing and building a LED flashlight for myself using the latest type LED (aparrently powerful enough to be used for home lighting) for under a tenner

 

[Treebeard]

Al,
Is that bunker near Ash?

 

[MagiKelly]

Hi

I hope to win the prize (if there is one) for jobs least like each other. I am the commercial manager for a building company (glorified Quantity Surveyor) and a Magician (as on conjouring not occult)

 

[EdS]

I'm a soil sample/ sludge technician for the local water company.

Not bad when the weather is good as I get to spend time walking fields. Was better when I had a company Landy, rather than the Ford Ranger I've got now - show it mud and it stops dead.

 

[Hjaltlander]

Hi all,

I've had many jobs over the last 20+ years since i left school, building sites, shops, offices, bouncer etc, etc.

For the last five years i've been a taxi driver, you'd be surprised the mileage you can do on a little island no longer than 75 miles, in the last 14 months i've done about 92,000 miles!

Starting to think of a serious career and location change, something woodcrafty, building log cabins or timber framed buildings or such like. Figured if i got into that, i'd have to leave here, because there are NO trees! lol

Cheers, Karl