Red & BBs retirement home......

[British Red]

what about tea making

Loving the updates.

One thing though, have you been allowed to chamge the windows to double glazed? My house use to have single panes and once we changed to double glazing i was shocked at how much cosier it was and the saving on energy.

Nope - the listing does not permit it . We will probably go through the consentprocess when they need replacing though. For now, BB is hand making all the curtains with heavy thermal lining!

 

[smoggy]

Wood stoves for sure. Solar passive heating is a non starter on a listed building although we may use some PV panels to move to off grid electricity (probably with a wind turbine) as funds and time permit. We will also be moving off coal to propane based background heat...not completely green but better than existing coal or oil.

Red

Red since possing the question on green energy I've found out about a government grant scheme, and although I did not find any of the offers suitable for my situation there may be something in there which may be beneficial to your plans.........take a look here.....

http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/home/

and here...........

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy

Hope that's of use to it won't harm to take a peep, that's if you haven't already looked into it.

Smoggy.

 

[British Red]

Thanks Smoggy - I'll have a look

 

[John Fenna]

Looking GOOD!
The fireplace is a much improved feature....

 

[British Red]

Bit of an update since people have been kind enough to show an interest,

The Kitchen going in....just plain oak doors and worksurfaces - simple Belfast sink and old fashioned lever taps. Nothing flash or fancy - it wouldn't suit us or the house.

Need to get some oil onto those work surfaces as soon as possible! You can see we've wired the cooker sot for electric or calor gas so we have choices in the future (why not whilst your doing over...its going to be calor of course for now)

The gas on changeover valve

Just a few other images of ongoing work.....


Ceiling in and awaiting floor upstairs

The bathroom now with "down lights" fitted. Given the low ceilings we are using a lot of wall lights downstairs. The big oval job behind the bath is a shower rail that will enclose the whole bath

These are the natural stone wall tiles that will go in the bathroom. BB sealed 500 of the yesterday :shock:

A couple of pictures of wall lights going in

Living room

Hall

All the light switches etc. will be old brass as shown - just trying to keep as period a look as we can

The brass wall lights were one of our "economy" purchases - cheap as chips from B&Q, but the ceilings are so low in the downstairs that ceiling lights are a non starter really. Same with the bathroom - hence the downlighters in there too. The bathroom ones are fixed though.

I suspect candle wall sconces or lamps would have been originally what the house originally had, and wal lights seem to work now with the charcter. I was worried about it to be honest...but I'm coming round to it.


Red

 

[MartinK9]

Thanks for the update, loving this thread.

 

[BorderReiver]

Thank you for taking the time to post all the WIP pictures Red.

What a fantastic place you will have when it's finished.

 

[locum76]

I am completely jealous, a cottage like that with an acre would do me just fine. when are you hoping to move in?

 

[SiWhite]

Lovely thread Red, keep it coming!

Did I read you are getting a woodburning stove? If so, PLEASE consider buying a premium brand e.g clearview or charnwood. We have a clearview - has been installed for two years now and I've had to clean the glass maybe four times. Our neighbours bought a cheaper stove (about half the price of ours) and it needs the glass cleaning EVERY DAY! Buying a cheap stove is a false economy - I fully expect my children to inherit my Clearview - and I don't even have any yet!

 

[British Red]

Good advice Si,

We are considering an Esse for the woodburner......

We'll move in as soon as we can get finished Mike - still huge amounts to get done though

Red

 

[Firebringer]

Another voice from the gallery Red, keep up the posts. Nice to see someone with a positive approach to things.

In passing you got plans for the externals? An acre is a reasonable size bit of ground.

 

[Stingray]

Look into some LED lighting if you have limited space.Little heat,small fittings.You still have to hide the driver for the lamp but it's worth looking into for display or mood lighting.

 

[British Red]

Sorry Stingray - can't abide the things for this home - just totally out of character in a 1700s house.

I certainly will be using low energy lighting, but nothing with a "modern" look. we really are trying to be sympathetic to the character of the place. Not to lose out on modern comforts - but to enjoy the feeling of the history. Just our take on the approach

Firebringer, we have a decent sized paddock that we would like to make productive. Veg beds for certain, but also a small orchard - we already have some nice mature pear trees, damsons and sloes. I long to add some apples, but also some other things. BB has been bringing along a couple of figs. I want walnuts and mulberries, Desert cherries are a must. You can see how this is going to go

We very much want a fruit cage for raspberries, tayberryies, blueberries (we have raised 8 bushed in anticipation), cranberries, goosegogs etc.

Then of course the veg beds. Nearer the cottage, nice traditional herb beds, curving cottage garden and woodland plants.

Thats the general feel. We also have three good brick built barns as a future project, a well to re-instate, I fancy a wind turbine (good area for it) and PV off grid power system.....


And so on (blush)

Red

 

[johnboy]

The gas on changeover valve

Red

Red,

Those Clesse Autochangeover regulators are subject to a product recall currently..

See

http://www.clesse.co.uk/aco-recall
/register/

Might be worth getting it checked out.

Cheers

John

 

[British Red]

Good info - thanks John!!!!

 

[drewdunnrespect]

jealous me not at alll

looking good hugh keep up the good work and also in ragrds to a wind turbine why not its a mint idea

 

[johnboy]

Good info - thanks John!!!!

No Problem, you don't want your pride and joy burning down...

Adios

John

 

[British Red]

Ours is a new one and the serial number indicates its not a problem one - but thanks for letting us know John - glad to be sure

Red & BB

 

[British Red]

Well, we've had our problems! But things are progressing!

We've talked about lights a lot so I thought people might like to see what we've settled on. Of course we are using low energy bulbs etc. but have gone for something we felt looked in keeping with the character of the house

The bathroom

The kitchen

I was worried they might look fussy, but overall I think I'm pleased with the blend of period feel and modern low energy values.

...but what do you think?

Red

 

[korvin karbon]

i am expecting to see this feature in beautiful homes magazine

Place looks cracking.

Call me sad but i cant wait to see what you do with the paddock LOL