Renovating a House

 I'm 76, so am into the phase of life when you know, with absolute certainty, that "the end is nigh". I would quite like to retain my independence, so I need to "future proof" the next however many years. My current house isn't appropriate for me. So I'm moving.

The house I'm buying is a mid wars 30's semi. It has had very little done to it since it was built & it doesn't have cavity walling. So there are quite a few issues. I need to have quite a lot of structural work done. Most of the ground floor walls will be removed to make an open plan family room & kitchen. I will possibly extend out the full width of the rear for 1 - 2 meters. There is no insulation which is a big issue. The front & back gardens need to be cleared. A garage will have to be underpinned or demolished.....I care about climate change so I'd like the house to be as eco as possible without going to "passive house" standards.

Quite a few friends either think I'm mad or are horrified at the time, disruption & cost of what I'm proposing to do. I'm a bit peeved that the government has just pulled the plug on the Green Homes Grant scheme. But I'm actually quite enjoying having a project.

It's a bit like quicksilver though. Things change all the time - eg - I don't need any planning involvement -> I just need to comply with "permitted development" rules -> I do need planning consent. Or, I only need a structural engineer -> I actually need an architect. 

 

I'm on the computer researching for hours every day. Windows, doors, insulation, materials, flooring, heating, kitchens, bathrooms, electrics, smart homes......  It's a bit like travelling. Planning the journey is just as interesting as actually going away.

I notice things. I have high standards. So the quality of the work matters to me. A lot. The builder needs to be someone I can rely on & trust to do a good job. That means he has to use good sub contractors too. All the professionals need to be good - the surveyor, the structural engineer, the architect. 

I've done a lot of work on two previous homes, so I do know what I'm in for. But I managed to live in them whilst the work was going on. This time I have to rent which increases the cost. Effectively I'll be moving twice. 

I feel I'm jumping into a void. I don't know where I will live, what will happen, how much it will cost, how long it will take, whether my plans will work out. Yet strangely I just plod on, one day at a time. I assume it will all work out in the end.

Can't imagine why I'm so optimistic!