A bad workman...
Being the computer geek that I am, it was inevitable that technology would play a part in planning our mega renovation project. Take a peek at the tools we've been using to help us think about how we want the layout to be and how we might get the space to work for us.
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Searching for inspiration
We've (kind of) decided where we want the walls of this new and improved family home, but what about all the bits that go inside those walls (or outside for that matter)? Time for some inspiration to strike, methinks.
Piles of fun for everyone
"Made up ground" he said. What on earth is "made up ground", I said. "Expensive..." he replied. Turns out our foundation needs are 'non-standard'.
Plans are nothing; planning is everything
Clearly Eisenhower was intimately aware of the British local council system when he said 'Plans are nothing; planning is everything'. We have some great designs, but if the planners decide they don't like them (sorry, that they don't 'adhere to planning regulations') they won't make it any further than drawings on a piece of paper.
Designed for life
You hear the same thing all the time - finding great tradesman is the key to a successful build. Well, I'd posit, that without a great design, the best tradesman won't be able to produce a great finished product. You can, after all, execute even the worst designs well. Let's talk about architects.
How does your garden grow
An opportunity to purchase an additional strip of land behind our house, running up to the nature reserve, may present a perfect opportunity to extend the house without impacting the quite reasonably sized garden. It's unlikely to be that simple though, surely...
Size isn't everything - Part 2
Downstairs was easy (!), so coming up with a broad plan for upstairs should be a piece of cake, given that our requirements list is a good deal shorter. Hmmm, why do I get the feeling this isn't going to go smoothly...
Size isn't everything
Open-plan; broken-plan; islands; and log-burners. Getting some of our early ideas down on paper (virtual paper, realistically) is likely to be a great way to think about what we really want, and how we expect the space to work, before we engage the professionals.
I love it when a plan comes together!
The numbers make sense to extend our current property rather than look to move, but now what? We need to start thinking about plans and planning; builders and building control; layouts and landscaping. What we need, is a plan.
To build or to buy, that is the question.
Our wish-list is long; planning and building to achieve it is fraught with potential pitfalls; does buying elsewhere and upping sticks make more sense? Let's do some math and a bit of pro/con weighing to see.
Where did all the space go?
How much space can two adults and two children, both below the age of 6, take up? Well it's funny you should say that, but our 4-bed detached house is starting to burst at the seams, and we're increasibgly weighing up options as to how we might address our space and lifestyle 'issues'.