Living on an Island

[EsabSteelblue]

Well first off I guess we should introduce ourselves as its our first post on these boards. I am Andy and my wife is Liz (waves). I am a Welder/Fabricator/Steel Erector/And all things related to that sort of stuff and Liz is a Senior Sister at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. We currently live in a run of the mill semi detached property in Stratford upon Avon and have been looking at moving away to a more remote (quieter) area. We have spent several years talking and half heartedly looking at properties and finally took the plunge last September and put a silly offer in for a place on the Island of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides. And it was accepted

It was built in the mid 1800s and stands in an acre of ground. It was owned by the church but due to some reason or another it has been stood empty the last few years.
Last weekend we were able to collect the keys and spend a few days there. It took several months to finalize everything due to a discrepancy on the plot of land that needed sorting.
We were well aware that it was going to need some work and it was really a visit to get in and have a proper look around. We had obviously already viewed the place but hadn't delved beneath floorboards and behind the walls so to speak. We knew there had been some water damage as some tiles had been damaged during the years it was empty and also in the recent bad winter they had just had. Tiles had been repaired but not before some water had crept in and damaged a couple of the ceilings in the bedrooms.
Also the ground floor was joists built directly on top of the soil below so was expecting some problems there.
What I wasn't expecting though and now I have read more on the subject of old houses I realize its common is no insulation...at all...not a bit anywhere. Now to be honest in general the house is perfectly livable in and is not showing any great signs of damp. But obviously the location of it in the northern part of the UK and the size of it mean that heating costs are going to be significantly affected by the fact its not insulated so ideally we are going to want to sort it out. Also the heating is going to need to be upgraded and possibly rewiring wont be a bad idea.
To be honest it is quite overwhelming so trying to look at it as a series of small projects rather than one massive one.
I wont bore you with anymore photos but will no doubt be asking advice and posting more on here as time goes on. Its going to be a long project because currently its 600 miles away and can only go up on an infrequent basis for a while.

Until later......

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Welcome to the website EsabSteelblue, and whichever forums you visit, I hope receive the help that is requirered for you to progress with your project/new home.

Happy new home!

 

[Burnerman]

Wow and welcome!
10 chimney pots
John

 

[gregers]

wish i had the gonads to do what you have done.look a lovely place to live and relax.

 

[EsabSteelblue]

Thank you!
Yes 10 chimney pots!...all expect two of them have starling nests in it seems and are going to need sorting out at some point. Most of the fireplaces in the house have been covered over.
There is an awful lot to start doing to the place although it is perfectly livable in as it is.
Starting with some insulation!

And yes....I must admit it took a few big breaths for me to say 'yes lets go for it' ...and caused me to falter a little when they accepted our ridiculously low offer for it which caught us both out a little. Liz is nuts though and treats life as one big adventure and is loving it.

Andy

 

[big-all]

as an aside the cost off materials remoteness and availability can mean jobs can cost several times more than you think

 

[Perry1980]

Excellent stuff, i would love a project like that. Keep us up to date and show pics as you go along. Best of luck to you both!

 

[longdogs]

What a fantastic looking house.

 

[mattylad]

Wow, what a wonderful escape from it all.

 

[EsabSteelblue]

Again thank you.
The cost of materials was something I was concerned about and have considered. We have a trailer that we will be taking various stuff in when we travel up which we will be doing as often as we can until we finally move in.
There is actually quite a good infrastructure on the Island for building materials but will be sourcing a lot of stuff on the mainland so to speak as and when needed especially if cheaper and taking with us. I know the cost of taking the ferry with the trailer and all other costs like fuel etc involved probably negate any savings to a certain point but to be honest it was something we accepted when we decided to go for it.
As I previously said we got it for considerably less than they were asking so that helps a little. We knew that there was going to be a lot of work needed doing purely to the age of the place and that it wouldn't be cheap. Fortunately we are able to do the majority of the work ourselves and as we all know its often the labour cost that increases the price on everything massively.
One of the first priorities is starting on the insulation in some way because as I previously mentioned there is none whatsoever yet and have already made a post in a different thread in that regard.
Here below is the basic layout of the rooms. And a shot looking down the stairs from the top floor

Also here is a couple of shots of the top floor rooms which we will most likely be removing altogether so as to be able to start sorting out various issues in regards to insulation and also changing the existing velux roof windows for bigger ones and sorting out some vents from bathroom/shower below. Eventually it will look the same again but figured it would be easier to strip them out and start afresh ( reusing studding etc if possible) than trying to work around them. The rafters and joists seem ok on the top floor but will be a good time to check everything out properly.

Thanks
Andy and LIz

 

[big-all]

worth getting friendly with the locals bottle off wine bottle off whisky to say heeelllooo and find out how things work

also worth building up a relationship with who ever supplies the island whether on the island or mainland and get a discount on the promise off all the main materials for the full job

i would love the lifestyle far away from the very materialistic rat race in many places
well done and good luck i don't think you will need it islanders tend to be very friendly and helpful

 

[Burnerman]

An interesting layout, and a beautiful stair!
I was wondering why there were two soil pipes out front
Having been involved in a project on the Mull of Kintyre a good while ago, I found that the material issue wasn't so bad, but getting hold of ' the man with a digger' was....booked months in advance, he'd appear next day without warning
Keep the updates coming!
John

 

[EsabSteelblue]

i would love the lifestyle far away from the very materialistic rat race in many places

That just about sums it all up. It has been a big decision but we have given it a lot of thought. So many people have said and keep saying to me 'why?'
It does not matter how often I try to explain they still don't get it and you can see it in their faces. Below is where I was born and lived until I was 21 years old. It was then sold and I never really appreciated it properly until several years later.

And this is where we live now and have done for over 20 years.

There really is no comparison and I know which I prefer. Yes its a long way away but in all honesty we never could have afforded to have bought a similar property anywhere near here. I grew up with no local shops no takeaways and not a garage open within 50 miles on a Sunday. Snowed in for often a week or more during the winter and often without electricity for several days at a time as well.
Maybe we are a little old fashioned (he says sat typing this on here.....) but the world has become sadly a very selfish place these days it seems and is only getting worse. Its still like it was 30 years ago where we are going. Yes it is changing but it will be some years before it reached what we have here now. And by then to be honest we (well me especially because Liz is much younger and healthier!) will be too old to care

Anyway...wandered off the topic a bit I guess but hope it explains just 'why' we are doing what we are !

Andy and Liz

 

[big-all]

in the early 80s i moved into a 3 bed terrace it was quite a stretch to afford the mortgage
i made the house as i liked it in the last 30 years i have gone through 2 marriages and have a son i share a house my son and have never been happier both partners where materialistic and very self centered i am not materialistic love sharing and giving and off course i am still in the same terraced house
i don't envy people killing them selves to get a better house better to work less spend more time with your family and live longer in the process

ooo and in that time the house has increased from £26k to around £280k
so i may just join you lol

 

[d000hg]

Blimey, this is an exciting project.

Have you considered signing up to Grand Designs?!