We didn't want to keep you waiting too long as we know a cliff-hanger can be a killer. There is more to share and we'll have a further update hopefully by mid-week.. Please bear with us as the editing can take a while. It's fun though, and we do enjoy making these videos. There's a lot of talking in this one... let's call it therapy, lol! Thank you as always for watching. We appreciate your kindness and support very much. ❤🏡🌲
The Old House is screaming at you, I have been here all this time and the rain and storms that Ireland is famous for has never washed me away, test me I am still square. Praise the Lord your not knocking me down!
2nd the glass corridor idea. Also the corridor could allow expansion/contraction flexibility between the old and the new. Plus you could get clearer history of the house and two spaces that are distinctly different. You could make a H shape and have an almost internal courtyard that may keep wind off or add to an outdoor inside feel. Good luck with whatever you do!
I grew up in this kind of house. Built around 1824 - still going strong. The vast majority of these houses were built like that, so no need to worry. They're very robust because of the depth of the walls.
We have gone through exactly the same thing, a modern extension on a 200 year old building on footing that are only about 6 inches deep. We love our new space and has complemented the old building and we have had no issues between the two, happy to send pics of the build. The modern extension is a rammed earth construction. You are only a custodian of old buildings. Keep up the good work.
Ooh I’d love to see photos of your place it sounds amazing. Are you on Instagram? We have an account called @Surroundedbyspruce and maybe you could message me there? 😊
I was about to type the same and the thought of reading a few comments first. For me link really old to something new and modern with a glass wall way would be terrific. I’m from Ireland and I’m sure most of the house are built just like that one and maybe that 1st engineer really did know his stuff. The acclaimed architect Patrick Bradley is worth looking at and he took on his own personal project of building a living space with in a ruin of a house. Worth looking him up.
a wise decision to not knock the house down, it's built in a traditional way and will last a long time. We also have an old house of 1812 with a newer house attached and it still stands. I think you'll find a way to extend your dream house. We wish you all the best.
Yes, documenting the journey all the way through… the highs and the lows. Lovely to know our videos are reaching you at the other side of the world. Thanks for watching. 😊❤️
Oh no, what a bombshell. I am so glad you are keeping the original house. You will find a way to May old and new safely. Roll on the next instalment, cannot wait. Hope the stress levels have subsided.
Yes, I have another ready to upload probably tomorrow. These are mostly talking updates. I’m excited for Noel returning to Ireland which should be happening in a week or so. 😊
Yay! I am so glad you're keeping the cottage. The property just wouldn't be the same without the quaintness of that little stone cottage at the end of the lane. Praying that everything works out for you.
Will you put a new foundation in then? I don’t care how thick the walls are, or if it’s made of stone. If the house is sinking down into the ground, you won’t be able to live in it. Looking forward to see what the plan is for the foundation, you guys are gonna make it because of your loving souls and optimism❣️ awesome to see that these days
There’s no indication that the house is sinking down into the ground Muire, It’s been standing since the 1950s and we will be laying a new foundation throughout. Work should be starting soon now we have the go ahead from the council. 😃👍❤️
I'm no builder or expert but 100% with you guys on this. I also have little doubt that an engineer would come to my old cottage and say, "knock it down and build a whole new house, it would be cheaper." Sometimes it takes people from the outside to know the value of things that are taken for granted by people who've lived here their whole lives. You need to find people to do the work who understand and value the history of the dwelling the way you do.
I just stumbled across your channel. My parents have a thatched cottage in Clare that’s around 400 years old. I have done lots of work on it and it also has a modern (1960’s) extension that’s never had any issues. I also work on my own home which is similar construction as yours. I can see that your house has been “upgraded” with concrete paths and likely cement plaster in the outside and maybe inside. This is likely causing the damp. Remove as much concrete from the house as you can and replace the plaster with lime. Make sure the ground level on the outside is lower than the inside and put a French drain with gravel around the perimeter of the building and that all will help with the damp. Also dig up the inside floor and put down plastic, but I assume you had planned to do that anyway. Best of luck, you really need to love these buildings in order to live in them.
I love it when we get a comment like this. It’s always nice to hear from someone with some experience of a similar dwelling. Yes, the concrete skirt will be going and replaced with a French drain. We will be digging down inside to a certain depth to lay a new cement foundation then underfloor heating. Noel plans to tank and insulate on the inside. We’ll definitely be taking the tender off the outside and depending on the condition of the stone hopefully lime pointing rather than render. It’s an unknown at this stage but that’s what makes it an adventure. I’m so glad you ‘stumbled’ on us and hope you’ll stick around Frank as we value your support and advice as we move forward. 👍👍🙌🏠
Glad you're keeping the house. Could you make the addition "appear" to be attached to the old house although it technically isn't attached - just have a pergola style hall between the two or something along that line?
I'm so happy about your decision! That old house has so much character. Sometimes entreprenurs are just too pragmatic and "coldhearted " about things. I'm sure you will find a solution that works, and a way to combine the old with the new! 😊
There are ways to properly insulate/damp proof stone houses and it’s probably worth the time and money to do it right so it doesn’t impact the new part of the house. I’m happy you don’t have to knock it down. Houses in the US are so ‘young’ that quite often it is cheaper to start over and working with traditional building materials is becoming a lost art. Just need to find the right people. 😊
What about a sort of under pinning type of foundation block either side where you are going to open up the wall, with a couple of upright steel support beams to take the weight of the lintel and roof at that point ?
So pleased with your decision. You care for the house and you will save it and know that your decision was right. The video shows what caring people you are. Best wishes.
Good for you I have a house the exact same as it early 1800s and it was abandoned for 30 years a tree growing up through the roof I just renovated it last year and now it will be there for another 200 + years
@@tonygahan2171 the tree growing up through the roof reminded me of The Hidden House picture book I read from in Vlog 1. Well done on achieving a habitable dwelling. It must have been a lot of hard work. 👍
All the hard work was done by my best friend,he studded and drylined it all,he lives there.Im living in the states so I came back for the cosmetic finish. But now I have an Airbnb and a holiday home and kept my 200 year old family cottage alive.Im goat to see you are not gonna knock it.The architect probably just wanted extra money and didn’t care about the history. Im enjoying watching!!
We have a stone cottage in Wales with boulder foundations and a lot more crooked walls than yours. It’s fine! You need to know about lime and traditional building materials and the best mix of new and old. I have feelings of trepidation that the size and cost of this is going to get out of control. Just how much room do you need? That extension looks huge! Also find the builder that has a history of building what you want. It’s easier than trying to persuade a regular builder used to doing bungalows to build in character.
We already have experience with lime as we lime-rendered our previous house (250 year old cob and stone cottage) with lime. We plan to remove the render and point with lime if the stone is good enough. We’ve been careful to get quotes in advance before starting any of the work and Noel intends to do a lot of the work himself possibly using local labour, but not handing over to contractors. Please don’t worry too much on our behalf. 😊
@@TheHiddenHouseIreland thanks for replying. Yes I was worrying! There’s another missive from me also sent at an unearthly hour because I was thinking about all those Grand Designs I’ve seen where it’s a struggle.
@@MegJones7 We don’t have Grand Design budget but the extension is fully costed and more straightforward. Our previous cottage although cosy was a little too cramped for us all and we will appreciate the extra living space. 😊🏠
Can you cut down any trees in your forest to turn into lumber for construction of your addition? Are there alternative ways or primitive ways to make concrete?
My great aunt doll lived in tooting in London her house was built on mud had no foundation at all and there were never any problems with it no cracks in the walls nothing like that. Every house I've known with foundations always have cracking walls. Glad you're going to keep what's there it's a pretty cottage.
Underneath the surface, there is beautiful stone work unique to that house which can never be replicated. Knocking the house down is not an option, never was. I follow several folk on YT who are renovating similar Irish cottages and believe me your's is in far better condition than theirs. There is always a solution and I'm sure you'll find it.
Could you consider, underpinning the back wall? You know like digging down under existing wall / foundation, and make a concrete footing, would it a viable option? Or if you are taking down most of the back wall get like a plinth build at the points where the support beams end to give that part of the wall the support neede to carry the load. Im sure you will find a solution so you can keep the old farmhouse
That’s exactly what the engineer wants us to do if we keep the existing building. We have had a thought that may be a simpler solution. We’ll be sharing this in the next video. 😊❤️
Check out having the walls drilled and have a liquid damp proof membrane injected into them normally 12" above ground ,think highly insulated timber frame add on instead of heavy block work to day there are many ways to get around a building problems if not think underpinning research research research your down but your not out.
Can you not dig around the outside and inside and add concrete to reinforce the foundation stones that are there? It's not that unusual with old stone houses.
Have you looked into the vacant house refurbishment grant? I don’t know if it would work for you (as there are time limitations, and you would have to retain at least some of the original house.). There is up to €80,000 available if it’s suitable which although paid only after the work is done, could help you.
The cost of renovation vs new re build in England must take into consideration no vat on new build. If there is that benefit in Ireland your engineer might have been considering that too?
We don’t think that benefit applies I. Ireland, but not too sure bc we didn’t look into it. It’s not something we want to consider. I think our engineer has worked mainly with new builds and it is probably his preference.
So glad you're not knocking it down. Split the two buildings so the old isn't supporting the new in any way. Obviously, I'm not an expert, but there must be a way to have both.
Another British couple doing up an irish cottage 😊, i follow 3 on TH-cam already , four now 😊,, how many have moved to Ireland to live in cottage s, it seems like more and more each day 😊
Glad you put a smiley face at the end of that Leon, I thought you were being mean 🤣 It's a labour of love and we feel humbled and honoured to make our home here. 🏡
Do you have enough property to keep house as is? ... fix up existing footprint & use it as a guest house and build your new house on property.... you could live in it as you build your new dwelling and have a wonderful guest house....we have a small guest house on our property at our Canadian cottage and it makes for a better visit for both us & guests....my husband & I also use it for ourselves when we need alone time from each other as our cottage is small ❤
We have planning permission now and will be continuing with this build. To get permission to build on the field would be more difficult. As it is, with an existing footprint we’ve been granted permission. Hopefully we’ll build a timber cabin on the field to receive guests. 👍🙌🏠
I know people who flattened a 200 yr old house because someone told them it “had no foundations”. They also knocked an old stone granary. They hadn’t moved in two centuries and somehow between their engineer and themselves, they managed to not come to that conclusion. If we knocked every house that doesn’t meet best practices of today, we’re going to lose a lot of old buildings.
Have you seen the old Cary Grant, Myrna Loy movie , Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House? My husband and I built a house 30 years ago and this movie always makes us laugh. I highly recommend it.
Why can’t you have a small stone flagstone terrace between the old and the new and set it up like a sunroom with 2 glass(large) windows floor to ceiling…
Yes, our engineer said if we don’t knock it down he recommends underpinning. It can be expensive, and he was suggesting that it would be an equal cost to that if knocking it down and rebuilding. We doubt it though… especially since with amendments only a small area may need to be underpinned. 😊
you could still open the side of the house as long as the weight carried by the beam is evenly distributed back over the original footprint of the wall. i.e. installing a steel frame with a beam at the bottom as well as top? OR attempting to strengthen the existing foundation with a concrete ring beam of some type. OR just build your extension as a separate house with a separate footing and them make a semi flexible coupling between two buildings (only door sized not the whole wall) Lots of non standard construction options which will make your engineers eye twitch lol
You sound like a very knowledgeable builder… are you in the Kerry area by any chance lol. One of those options is exactly what we have decided on following a dream Noel had! Your advice is therefore a lovely confirmation. We’ll be talking about this more in the next video. Thanks for the positive advice… and for being on side! 😊👍🏠
@@TheHiddenHouseIreland not a builder, Professional researcher and PhD engineer (great at ideas terrible at practical details) best of luck with it though. My only advice is everything looks like a nail to a hammer, so find an engineer experienced in the solutions you are after :D
@@darkmind9244 Goodness, you certainly do know about buildings then. Noel will be speaking to the engineer soon with our amended plans (detailed more in next video). If he’s not in favour we would need to look for another engineer. Hopefully he can work with us and accommodate our needs. 😊
Theres never sny foundations under those houses. Look at the condition of the walls in terms of their stability. Structural engineers rarely have a idea on older buildings.
Phew. The character is what you chose it for. Change the structural engineer as he isn’t a good fit if all he can say is knock it down. You want someone who wants to conserve the heritage. ❤
With a lifetimes experience I'd knock it down, if you can afford it, remember the property will never be what you fell in love with so make it your own dream.
Breezeway between extension and old house? In China the Forbidden Palace is not affixed to footings or nailed together so it can move. Didn't fall down even in and earthquake. There is always a way.
Cottages don't have foundations just stone walls buit into the ground ,, mines like that, anyone builder would rather knock then fix up ,, but thousand s live in them or do then up 😊
it'll be there for another 100years or more! please don't demolish it! look into moving walls for inbetween the buildings, think it's a Japanese idea, it's a beautiful old cottage find someone who appreciates the old buildings & who can work around the foundations everyone wants to see the old girl renovated :)) please; you have lots of supporters i mean it's been standing all these years! thanx for sharing
I don't doubt that it would be cheaper to knock it all down and start over, but that totally ignores why you decided on buying this place to be your home. People who want to build a brand new house buy an empty plot of land, not a one hundred year old home that they want to save. I think your structural engineer is looking at it more clinically than you are. Take your time and get it done the way you want it to be done.
Exactly. We won’t be talked into something that doesn’t feel right … and the good news is we both intuitively have the same instinct about it: we know it will be OK. 😊🙌❤️
Agreed. Knock it down and start again. Cheaper and easier. I’ve been in your shoes and ignored that advice and it was costly beyond all preparedness. Problem after problem after problem. “Trying to put new wine into an old skin”.
@@kaycee625 Aaaaaahhhh! No way, Kay. I’m sorry you had a bad experience. We’re confident in our plans now. The cottage is dry and watertight. It will have a damp proof course and underfloor heating. A new foundation poured throughout and a new roof. The living quarters will be a new build. We did the costings and believe me it certainly would NOT be cheaper to knock it and start again. Estimate circa €309K - not happening! This may have been true once, but the cost of materials has spiralled recently. Sorry to hear that you have some regrets.
Apply for the €70 grand grant your get it but don’t touch the house until you get it Believe it or not you knock that down that will cost you more then you think we have done the same thing down south Get yourself a second opinion
Sorry to agree with your engineer, there's no foundation there, he has seen many houses like your one, i have also, it will never be like a new build and following your heart can empty your purse.
Every day i try to advise people in Ireland buying these Dumps its cheaper to purchase a green field site than saving a wreck Builders hate me they want suckers to milk for as much as they can get , knock it or flip it i advise poor foundations IF ANY no damp proof Membrane poor septic tanks IF ANY old led piping rotten roof timbers a toxic well dangerous wiring 80% of these places are grossly over priced need i go on always use a "young " engineer for advice please.
The Engineer is dead right! You would be throwing good money after bad ! It would be a lot cheaper and you would have a better insulated house and better foundation!
Sorry, just can’t agree that it would be cheaper. We’re keeping the roof just changing the tiles. Now the only expense is the extension with abbot of underpinning st the corridor join. With rising prices of materials knocking it down would risk we end up running out of money half way through and an unfinished building we can’t move into. Our decision isn’t just about the heart, it’s about finances. All the work on the existing house has been costed and Noel is doing a lot of the work himself. We let our engineer quote us on a rebuild and believe me it was eye watering and beyond the budget we initially instructed on. I could show you the figures but you’ll have to take my word for it. I’d lose too much sleep if we knocked it down!
Knock it down it's a piece of shite all you got is four walls with no foundation and no floor dept it's cheap to build the walls and you will have a nice house for not throw good after bad
We didn't want to keep you waiting too long as we know a cliff-hanger can be a killer. There is more to share and we'll have a further update hopefully by mid-week.. Please bear with us as the editing can take a while. It's fun though, and we do enjoy making these videos. There's a lot of talking in this one... let's call it therapy, lol! Thank you as always for watching. We appreciate your kindness and support very much. ❤🏡🌲
The Old House is screaming at you, I have been here all this time and the rain and storms that Ireland is famous for has never washed me away, test me I am still square. Praise the Lord your not knocking me down!
For sure. We are listening to the house! 🏠You’ll like the next video Carol… ❤️
Good for you guys following your heart…❤
That comment brought so much joy 'We're not gonna knock it down!' All the best on every decision you make ... So excited for you both! 🙏
Glad you're keeping the original house. You can never replace the elegance and character of that little old house. God bless your adventures.
I hope we’ll reveal more of its charm when we remove the render. We’ll see. 😊🙌❤️
2nd the glass corridor idea. Also the corridor could allow expansion/contraction flexibility between the old and the new.
Plus you could get clearer history of the house and two spaces that are distinctly different.
You could make a H shape and have an almost internal courtyard that may keep wind off or add to an outdoor inside feel.
Good luck with whatever you do!
Some great ideas here. Keep watching for the reveal. But you’re very warm… 😊👍🙌
I grew up in this kind of house. Built around 1824 - still going strong. The vast majority of these houses were built like that, so no need to worry. They're very robust because of the depth of the walls.
That’s our feeling. Always good to hear we’re not alone though. 🙌🏠
Yay you’re not going to knock it down. I have faith in you both as Noel has a good head on his shoulders
It's a lovely, charming cottage, glad yous are not knocking it down ❤
We have an old house that had an addition added on sometime around 1965. We have never had a problem between the old and the new.
That’s good to know. Thanks for sharing 😊❤️
We have gone through exactly the same thing, a modern extension on a 200 year old building on footing that are only about 6 inches deep. We love our new space and has complemented the old building and we have had no issues between the two, happy to send pics of the build. The modern extension is a rammed earth construction. You are only a custodian of old buildings.
Keep up the good work.
Ooh I’d love to see photos of your place it sounds amazing. Are you on Instagram? We have an account called @Surroundedbyspruce and maybe you could message me there? 😊
change the design? a seperate building joined by a glazed lightweight corridor?
You must be psychic! Wait for the next video. 🙌👍
That's a wonderful idea.
I was about to type the same and the thought of reading a few comments first. For me link really old to something new and modern with a glass wall way would be terrific. I’m from Ireland and I’m sure most of the house are built just like that one and maybe that 1st engineer really did know his stuff. The acclaimed architect Patrick Bradley is worth looking at and he took on his own personal project of building a living space with in a ruin of a house. Worth looking him up.
@@marcusd2380 Thanks for the vote of confidence Marcus, we really hope to save it. 😊🏠
Totally understand how you feel and I'm sure there's a way to manage the lack of footings. Keeping positive 🤞🏻
a wise decision to not knock the house down, it's built in a traditional way and will last a long time. We also have an old house of 1812 with a newer house attached and it still stands. I think you'll find a way to extend your dream house. We wish you all the best.
That’s reassuring. Thanks for sharing. 🏠❤️
I am so glad you are keeping the house .new houses just dont have the same feeling .
Love your Certainty! It's a powerful manifesting force. ❤
I am SO glad you are not knocking it down!!!!!!!!!!!
No way!
Glad to hear you're not going to demolish your hidden house!
Certainly not Joanne: we love its charm and character. 😊🏡❤️
Thanks for sharing your dilemma..You loved that little cottage from the beginning, like your dream.. Good on you…it’s a keeper ..Watching from Oz…
Yes, documenting the journey all the way through… the highs and the lows. Lovely to know our videos are reaching you at the other side of the world. Thanks for watching. 😊❤️
Oh no, what a bombshell. I am so glad you are keeping the original house. You will find a way to May old and new safely. Roll on the next instalment, cannot wait. Hope the stress levels have subsided.
Yes, I have another ready to upload probably tomorrow. These are mostly talking updates. I’m excited for Noel returning to Ireland which should be happening in a week or so. 😊
Our hearts were breaking thinking the house had to go so very glad you are sticking with it stay with your dreams love from the oldies 👍🙏🤗🤗🌷🌹🌺
Yay! I am so glad you're keeping the cottage. The property just wouldn't be the same without the quaintness of that little stone cottage at the end of the lane. Praying that everything works out for you.
Thank you, that means a lot. 🏠❤️
Will you put a new foundation in then? I don’t care how thick the walls are, or if it’s made of stone. If the house is sinking down into the ground, you won’t be able to live in it. Looking forward to see what the plan is for the foundation, you guys are gonna make it because of your loving souls and optimism❣️ awesome to see that these days
There’s no indication that the house is sinking down into the ground Muire, It’s been standing since the 1950s and we will be laying a new foundation throughout. Work should be starting soon now we have the go ahead from the council. 😃👍❤️
Woohoo, go for it , how exciting. Spring is soon here . Great to see the update . As you say it’s been there 100 plus years .
I'm no builder or expert but 100% with you guys on this.
I also have little doubt that an engineer would come to my old cottage and say, "knock it down and build a whole new house, it would be cheaper." Sometimes it takes people from the outside to know the value of things that are taken for granted by people who've lived here their whole lives. You need to find people to do the work who understand and value the history of the dwelling the way you do.
Don't worry what will be will be❤🎉
I just stumbled across your channel.
My parents have a thatched cottage in Clare that’s around 400 years old. I have done lots of work on it and it also has a modern (1960’s) extension that’s never had any issues.
I also work on my own home which is similar construction as yours.
I can see that your house has been “upgraded” with concrete paths and likely cement plaster in the outside and maybe inside.
This is likely causing the damp. Remove as much concrete from the house as you can and replace the plaster with lime.
Make sure the ground level on the outside is lower than the inside and put a French drain with gravel around the perimeter of the building and that all will help with the damp. Also dig up the inside floor and put down plastic, but I assume you had planned to do that anyway.
Best of luck, you really need to love these buildings in order to live in them.
I love it when we get a comment like this. It’s always nice to hear from someone with some experience of a similar dwelling. Yes, the concrete skirt will be going and replaced with a French drain. We will be digging down inside to a certain depth to lay a new cement foundation then underfloor heating. Noel plans to tank and insulate on the inside. We’ll definitely be taking the tender off the outside and depending on the condition of the stone hopefully lime pointing rather than render. It’s an unknown at this stage but that’s what makes it an adventure. I’m so glad you ‘stumbled’ on us and hope you’ll stick around Frank as we value your support and advice as we move forward. 👍👍🙌🏠
Glad you're keeping the house. Could you make the addition "appear" to be attached to the old house although it technically isn't attached - just have a pergola style hall between the two or something along that line?
Well done. I am happy for your decision.
I'm so happy about your decision!
That old house has so much character.
Sometimes entreprenurs are just too pragmatic and "coldhearted "
about things.
I'm sure you will find a solution that works, and a way to combine the old with the new! 😊
Yes, I hope so and we’re feeling more positive about it now. 😊🏠🙌
Wow, difficult considerations and decisions! Glad you went for keeping your poor old little gem.
We would have grieved for it, to be sure. 😊🏠❤️
There are ways to properly insulate/damp proof stone houses and it’s probably worth the time and money to do it right so it doesn’t impact the new part of the house. I’m happy you don’t have to knock it down. Houses in the US are so ‘young’ that quite often it is cheaper to start over and working with traditional building materials is becoming a lost art. Just need to find the right people. 😊
Bloomin good on ya, stand your ground !! 😊 I totally agree x
I'm with you and others. There is always a way xx
What about a sort of under pinning type of foundation block either side where you are going to open up the wall, with a couple of upright steel support beams to take the weight of the lintel and roof at that point ?
That was in the original plan. We’ve had a rethink since then due to the expense of underpinning.
Was just thinking of two separate blocks like pad stones purley for that opening.
You’re spot on! 😂❤
So pleased you are keeping it,, there will be a way round it. Keep smiling. ☺️☺️
So pleased with your decision. You care for the house and you will save it and know that your decision was right. The video shows what caring people you are. Best wishes.
Such a lovely thing to say… thank you for your kind comment Madeline. ❤️
Good for you I have a house the exact same as it early 1800s and it was abandoned for 30 years a tree growing up through the roof I just renovated it last year and now it will be there for another 200 + years
@@tonygahan2171 the tree growing up through the roof reminded me of The Hidden House picture book I read from in Vlog 1. Well done on achieving a habitable dwelling. It must have been a lot of hard work. 👍
All the hard work was done by my best friend,he studded and drylined it all,he lives there.Im living in the states so I came back for the cosmetic finish.
But now I have an Airbnb and a holiday home and kept my 200 year old family cottage alive.Im goat to see you are not gonna knock it.The architect probably just wanted extra money and didn’t care about the history.
Im enjoying watching!!
We have a stone cottage in Wales with boulder foundations and a lot more crooked walls than yours. It’s fine! You need to know about lime and traditional building materials and the best mix of new and old. I have feelings of trepidation that the size and cost of this is going to get out of control. Just how much room do you need? That extension looks huge! Also find the builder that has a history of building what you want. It’s easier than trying to persuade a regular builder used to doing bungalows to build in character.
We already have experience with lime as we lime-rendered our previous house (250 year old cob and stone cottage) with lime. We plan to remove the render and point with lime if the stone is good enough. We’ve been careful to get quotes in advance before starting any of the work and Noel intends to do a lot of the work himself possibly using local labour, but not handing over to contractors. Please don’t worry too much on our behalf. 😊
@@TheHiddenHouseIreland thanks for replying. Yes I was worrying! There’s another missive from me also sent at an unearthly hour because I was thinking about all those Grand Designs I’ve seen where it’s a struggle.
@@MegJones7 We don’t have Grand Design budget but the extension is fully costed and more straightforward. Our previous cottage although cosy was a little too cramped for us all and we will appreciate the extra living space. 😊🏠
❤❤❤❤❤ i enjoy watching you. I think you will make a good decision. After all, this is your journey taking us along.❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you Carolyn. ❤️
was wondering where yall were , the irish homestead is going to use a glass wall between two sections
Not quite but close.
Can you cut down any trees in your forest to turn into lumber for construction of your addition? Are there alternative ways or primitive ways to make concrete?
The forest doesn't belong to us Marlene, it's commercial plantation.
@@TheHiddenHouseIreland that's a bummer!!
My great aunt doll lived in tooting in London her house was built on mud had no foundation at all and there were never any problems with it no cracks in the walls nothing like that. Every house I've known with foundations always have cracking walls. Glad you're going to keep what's there it's a pretty cottage.
That’s interesting to know. We feel sure the house will support us. There were seventeen living in it previously and just three of us! 🤣
@@TheHiddenHouseIreland 17 in that small cottage my good lord Catholic I'm assuming lol I know you should never assume. Might just be cold there.
Underneath the surface, there is beautiful stone work unique to that house which can never be replicated. Knocking the house down is not an option, never was. I follow several folk on YT who are renovating similar Irish cottages and believe me your's is in far better condition than theirs. There is always a solution and I'm sure you'll find it.
I agree. We’re lucky in that it’s not derelict. It will be a joy to renovate it. 🏠❤️
Could you consider, underpinning the back wall? You know like digging down under existing wall / foundation, and make a concrete footing, would it a viable option? Or if you are taking down most of the back wall get like a plinth build at the points where the support beams end to give that part of the wall the support neede to carry the load. Im sure you will find a solution so you can keep the old farmhouse
That’s exactly what the engineer wants us to do if we keep the existing building. We have had a thought that may be a simpler solution. We’ll be sharing this in the next video. 😊❤️
Look up Geobear( think that's how it's spelled) inject concrete type substance underneath house.
Interesting. Noel said something about this. It could be useful. Thanks for the tip.
Have you thought about underpinning that load bearing back wall?
Yes, and there will be a slight revision on that too… 👍
Check out having the walls drilled and have a liquid damp proof membrane injected into them normally 12" above ground ,think highly insulated timber frame add on instead of heavy block work to day there are many ways to get around a building problems if not think underpinning research research research your down but your not out.
Can you not dig around the outside and inside and add concrete to reinforce the foundation stones that are there? It's not that unusual with old stone houses.
I believe there are ways and means if necessary. Noel will dig down outside and then inside the house to investigate.
Have you looked into the vacant house refurbishment grant? I don’t know if it would work for you (as there are time limitations, and you would have to retain at least some of the original house.). There is up to €80,000 available if it’s suitable which although paid only after the work is done, could help you.
Yes we have applied for it.50K max as our house isn't derelict. We're currently awaiting the initial inspection before starting work. 🤞
What does the local planning authority say? Will they give you a demolition permit?
Never heard of it and we don’t want one!!!😉
The cost of renovation vs new re build in England must take into consideration no vat on new build. If there is that benefit in Ireland your engineer might have been considering that too?
We don’t think that benefit applies I. Ireland, but not too sure bc we didn’t look into it. It’s not something we want to consider. I think our engineer has worked mainly with new builds and it is probably his preference.
So glad you're not knocking it down. Split the two buildings so the old isn't supporting the new in any way. Obviously, I'm not an expert, but there must be a way to have both.
That’s exactly what I thought… and it seems there is… 🙌❤️
Another British couple doing up an irish cottage 😊, i follow 3 on TH-cam already , four now 😊,, how many have moved to Ireland to live in cottage s, it seems like more and more each day 😊
Glad you put a smiley face at the end of that Leon, I thought you were being mean 🤣 It's a labour of love and we feel humbled and honoured to make our home here. 🏡
Do you have enough property to keep house as is? ... fix up existing footprint & use it as a guest house and build your new house on property.... you could live in it as you build your new dwelling and have a wonderful guest house....we have a small guest house on our property at our Canadian cottage and it makes for a better visit for both us & guests....my husband & I also use it for ourselves when we need alone time from each other as our cottage is small ❤
We have planning permission now and will be continuing with this build. To get permission to build on the field would be more difficult. As it is, with an existing footprint we’ve been granted permission. Hopefully we’ll build a timber cabin on the field to receive guests. 👍🙌🏠
I know people who flattened a 200 yr old house because someone told them it “had no foundations”. They also knocked an old stone granary.
They hadn’t moved in two centuries and somehow between their engineer and themselves, they managed to not come to that conclusion.
If we knocked every house that doesn’t meet best practices of today, we’re going to lose a lot of old buildings.
Very true… we’re definitely not going to add to that statistic, and thankfully our engineer has accepted our decision. 😊
Have you seen the old Cary Grant, Myrna Loy movie , Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House? My husband and I built a house 30 years ago and this movie always makes us laugh. I highly recommend it.
Why can’t you have a small stone flagstone terrace between the old and the new and set it up like a sunroom with 2 glass(large) windows floor to ceiling…
That does sound idyllic and something I’m now going to fantasise about 🤣
Engineer shold come up with a simple plan that works for all that saves the house
Your goal will come true
Is underpinning an option.
Yes, our engineer said if we don’t knock it down he recommends underpinning. It can be expensive, and he was suggesting that it would be an equal cost to that if knocking it down and rebuilding. We doubt it though… especially since with amendments only a small area may need to be underpinned. 😊
Yeah, no knock down.
you could still open the side of the house as long as the weight carried by the beam is evenly distributed back over the original footprint of the wall. i.e. installing a steel frame with a beam at the bottom as well as top? OR attempting to strengthen the existing foundation with a concrete ring beam of some type. OR just build your extension as a separate house with a separate footing and them make a semi flexible coupling between two buildings (only door sized not the whole wall) Lots of non standard construction options which will make your engineers eye twitch lol
You sound like a very knowledgeable builder… are you in the Kerry area by any chance lol. One of those options is exactly what we have decided on following a dream Noel had! Your advice is therefore a lovely confirmation. We’ll be talking about this more in the next video. Thanks for the positive advice… and for being on side! 😊👍🏠
@@TheHiddenHouseIreland not a builder, Professional researcher and PhD engineer (great at ideas terrible at practical details) best of luck with it though. My only advice is everything looks like a nail to a hammer, so find an engineer experienced in the solutions you are after :D
@@darkmind9244 Goodness, you certainly do know about buildings then. Noel will be speaking to the engineer soon with our amended plans (detailed more in next video). If he’s not in favour we would need to look for another engineer. Hopefully he can work with us and accommodate our needs. 😊
@@TheHiddenHouseIreland I'll have to subscribe to follow along! I always wanted to buy a bothy in Scotland so this could be a learning experience :D
Theres never sny foundations under those houses. Look at the condition of the walls in terms of their stability. Structural engineers rarely have a idea on older buildings.
Walls are good. Straight with now bowing and no cracks. 😊
Phew. The character is what you chose it for. Change the structural engineer as he isn’t a good fit if all he can say is knock it down. You want someone who wants to conserve the heritage. ❤
With a lifetimes experience I'd knock it down, if you can afford it, remember the property will never be what you fell in love with so make it your own dream.
You may have a point but our dream wouldn’t be a modern bungalow. I think our heart wouldn’t be in it. 😔
Breezeway between extension and old house? In China the Forbidden Palace is not affixed to footings or nailed together so it can move. Didn't fall down even in and earthquake. There is always a way.
Exactly… there IS always a way. Breeze away is very close to what we’re hoping to do. 😊
Cottages don't have foundations just stone walls buit into the ground ,, mines like that, anyone builder would rather knock then fix up ,, but thousand s live in them or do then up 😊
Yes, exactly. 👍 ❤
it'll be there for another 100years or more! please don't demolish it! look into moving walls for inbetween the buildings, think it's a Japanese idea, it's a beautiful old cottage
find someone who appreciates the old buildings & who can work around the foundations
everyone wants to see the old girl renovated :)) please; you have lots of supporters
i mean it's been standing all these years!
thanx for sharing
That’s what we say… almost 100 years and no sign of unstable foundations. Don’t worry - we’re too emotionally invested now…it’s staying put. 😊❤️🏠
You sure will ❤❤❤❤
Good decision
I don't doubt that it would be cheaper to knock it all down and start over, but that totally ignores why you decided on buying this place to be your home.
People who want to build a brand new house buy an empty plot of land, not a one hundred year old home that they want to save.
I think your structural engineer is looking at it more clinically than you are. Take your time and get it done the way you want it to be done.
Exactly. We won’t be talked into something that doesn’t feel right … and the good news is we both intuitively have the same instinct about it: we know it will be OK. 😊🙌❤️
Agreed. Knock it down and start again. Cheaper and easier. I’ve been in your shoes and ignored that advice and it was costly beyond all preparedness. Problem after problem after problem. “Trying to put new wine into an old skin”.
@@kaycee625 Aaaaaahhhh! No way, Kay. I’m sorry you had a bad experience. We’re confident in our plans now. The cottage is dry and watertight. It will have a damp proof course and underfloor heating. A new foundation poured throughout and a new roof. The living quarters will be a new build. We did the costings and believe me it certainly would NOT be cheaper to knock it and start again. Estimate circa €309K - not happening! This may have been true once, but the cost of materials has spiralled recently. Sorry to hear that you have some regrets.
Apply for the €70 grand grant your get it but don’t touch the house until you get it
Believe it or not you knock that down that will cost you more then you think we have done the same thing down south
Get yourself a second opinion
Sorry to agree with your engineer, there's no foundation there, he has seen many houses like your one, i have also, it will never be like a new build and following your heart can empty your purse.
Every day i try to advise people in Ireland buying these Dumps its cheaper to purchase a green field site than saving a wreck Builders hate me they want suckers to milk for as much as they can get , knock it or flip it i advise poor foundations IF ANY no damp proof Membrane poor septic tanks IF ANY old led piping rotten roof timbers a toxic well dangerous wiring 80% of these places are grossly over priced need i go on always use a "young " engineer for advice please.
The Engineer is dead right! You would be throwing good money after bad ! It would be a lot cheaper and you would have a better insulated house and better foundation!
Sorry, just can’t agree that it would be cheaper. We’re keeping the roof just changing the tiles. Now the only expense is the extension with abbot of underpinning st the corridor join. With rising prices of materials knocking it down would risk we end up running out of money half way through and an unfinished building we can’t move into. Our decision isn’t just about the heart, it’s about finances. All the work on the existing house has been costed and Noel is doing a lot of the work himself. We let our engineer quote us on a rebuild and believe me it was eye watering and beyond the budget we initially instructed on. I could show you the figures but you’ll have to take my word for it. I’d lose too much sleep if we knocked it down!
Knock it down it's a piece of shite all you got is four walls with no foundation and no floor dept it's cheap to build the walls and you will have a nice house for not throw good after bad