OK, I will give you all another hint at my new house, still not tempting fate too much because there have been a couple of problems with the woman buying my flat (fingers crossed it works out), but all seems to sort of be ok now. Anyway, I will give you another taster of what I am buying.
You can see enough to know that the cottage is very small and the location is VERY rural, yet luckily it is still walking distance from shops: butcher, baker and small supermarket. What else could I need?
It needs tons of work, at least 2 new windows, front door, patio doors and that is just for starters. Not sure about the electrics (but my brother can deal with that) or the boiler, the kitchen is awful but I can live with it for as long as I need, same with the bathroom. I am good friends with a builder who is going to help me with the tough stuff for a very good mates rates sort of price, but even so, it will be a few years before I will be able to afford to complete everything - no worries, I am a patient man.
The one downer really is that I have just found out that it is in a smokeless zone and I had set my heart on having a wood burning stove. I have heard that you can get stoves that you are allowed in smokeless zones, but have to look much more into that (anyone know anything?). If not, it will have to be a gas fire - not my first choice but the one concession I will have to make.
When we moved into our bungalow we were told we could burn anthracite or wood but not coal. Most people around us burn wood (with the occasional coal which you can tell by its colour). I would double check what exactly they mean by 'smokeless' - you might still be okay.
ReplyDeleteKeep your eye on the local Freecycle web site for all your building material requirements, they crop up frequently. Doors, windows, whole fitted kitchens, greenhouses, sheds, you name it, it turns up on there eventually.
ReplyDeleteGood luck I still have my fingers crossed that you get the cottage.
You can buy 'smokeless' stuff to burn.
ReplyDeleteDefra's website gives loads of info all about it
http://smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk/fuels.php?country=e .
We looked into it because we have a chimney and eventually want an open fire. Hope this helps!
Yes, a wood burning stove would be perfect. Hope you get something sorted out.
ReplyDeleteSft x
Thanks for the info, looks like it still may be possible then to have stove. I will wait until i am in there and then look into what is accepted in my area and see how it works out.
ReplyDeleteLooks a lovely quiet area. Wish you loads of luck with sorting the burner problem. By the looks of things others have already put in some good advice. I`m sure you`ll get it all sorted, eventually.
ReplyDeleteIt looks amazing! I'm sure you'll find a way around that smokeless rule. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the rest of your paperwork stuff so you can move soon and we can all see a bit more of your dream home! best of luck :)
ReplyDeleteI live in a smokeless zone, and have looked into this. You can still have a woodburning stove, but you just need to buy a 'double burn' type stove, which essentially burns off the stuff that would otherwise create the wrong type of smoke. The downside is that these stoves are a bit more expensive, but the upside is that they are clean burn - so you get an attractive bright flame and don't have to clean the inside of the window - and they don't create as much pollution. All the main stove manufacturers have these in their ranges. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteJane
Thank you so much for the advice Jane, I have noticed that there are some 'exempt' stoves, and you have helped to clarify that and what it means, because I was wondering what the difference was. It is great news that I will still be able to have one!
ReplyDeleteDan