Sad changes to our 200 year old cottage. DIY Renovation
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
- Hi, we are Bec, Sam, Isabella & Euan. After selling our house in the UK & travelling Europe in a motorhome for 10 months, we have bought a derelict stone cottage in Ireland. We are keen to try and live an off grid life, free from debt whilst bringing the farm back to its former glory. We are doing this on a very tight budget and plan on doing the work ourselves.
Please follow along on our journey...we need all the support we can get!
This week, we have a tough decision to make.
Work with us: contact - theirishhomestead@hotmail.com
Write to us @
The Irish Homestead
Border Parcel Motel
11 Main St
Belcoo
Co Fermanagh
BT935FB
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We don't let our chickens out til 10am. Eggs always in coop. Then off they go for the day. Enough to do without egg hunting!!😢😊😊
That's probably the right thing to do. I feel so bad though as they just walk up and down the run and hold the eggs in til we let them out but maybe I need to just be strict on that. Thanks for the suggestion.
Yes you need to get them in the habit of laying them inside.. apart from not finding the eggs, once they are broody and know their eggs are disappearing from their outdoor nest , they will start another one and sit eventually on them there to hatch them. They and the eggs and chicks will be vulnerable to fixes and other predictors who very quickly learn when hens have moved into their area. Even if you have no rooster, the hens will still sit in unfertilized eggs forever until they go rotten. I used leave one egg with an X in pencil on it in a nest when a hen started to go broody... that way I could remove the eggs next day but leave at new fresh one with an X on it...to deter her going out and making a hidden nest.. I had a rooster soI would usually let her hatch out 2 chicks if one hen hen was really determined to be a mother!@@theirishhomestead
The brick fireplace didn't look right anyway Sam and Bec - you'll be able to build a beautiful stone replacement that's really safe. Will look like more like Bec's dream kitchen when done! x
It wasn't even brick in the first place, it was concrete painted to look like brick. I thought something looked off about it but I hadn't expected it to be all concrete. The bits behind the concrete were original though.
The stone part needed re-building. I would save those stones and maybe just try a recreate a beautiful fireplace that takes up less room as well. Similar to the original.
Yes it was just concrete painted red with chalk lines to make it look like brick. The original hearth was just an open grate I think. Looking forward to rebuilding it and hopefully facing it with some of the original stones.
It's so sad that the fireplace had to go, but it's better safe than sorry. Sam, you could probably build a better and safer fireplace. You must be so proud of your kids getting in and helping. I wish you all the best. Love from Australia ❤
That's the plan. We hope to face it with the original stone work if it's not too difficult. Hopefully it will still look amazing.
Hi don’t let out the hens so early that will help
Love Becs picture of her dream kitchen, go for it girl, it's beautiful !!
Just the way it fell to bits on the final leg just shows the correct decision was made. Bit sad, but, it has now opened up a huge space and there's still a great deal of 'history' left elsewhere in the build.👌👌👏👏
It wasso sad but yes we will rebuild it and face it in stone. Hopefully it will look in-keeping with the cottage and become it's new heart.
@@theirishhomesteadalso the history is retained but just in an adjusted format. All the stones you are keeping to make outside walls etc is still very much the history and heart of the building. Using up the original stones rather than getting rid of them is a beautiful example of recycling 😀
It was brilliant of Euan to provide that lighthearted moment with his little tractor, it lifted the sad mood beautifully.
The new fireplace will be so much better, it will be like building your own hearts into your new home.
Glad you enjoyed it. I left it in there to give a little light relief from what was a hard video to watch for many including myself.
The way that fireplace facade came down made me think that was not 200 years old, rather a more 'recent' home improvement!
Yes the concrete facade was definitely a more recent addition.
@@theirishhomestead...
I noticed the brick 'veneer'...
Count your blessings...
You're not making do with a fake one!
Better to be safe than sorry you’ve plenty of big stones build another later on
@@theirishhomestead and I spotted some beautiful stones that can be used to build a spectacular stone fireplace. Nothing will go to waste.
The progress you have made is amazing, onwards and upwards. I love the way your collie dog follows Toby around. As they say here in N. Ireland youse uns are brilliant, Anita x
Morning one and all, beautiful drone view of your mini kingdom and surrounding countryside. All the animals looked like enjoying life to the full, Nell on guard duty having doggie time with Toby to catch up on the gossip. Yes never nice to demolish a feature but when it is structurally unsafe it has to be done, rather than wait until full house build done, moved in and then chimney had to come out. With those stunning stones you recovered and kept safe certain you can and will build a stunning feature for the fireplace.
We will use all the stone again somehow
Such a shame about the fireplace. But safety is so important.
Lovely to see you again Bex.
Would just like to add that Toby is looking so much healthier now. All thanks to your TLC ❤.
Good job Sam. I know you are sad about losing the 200 year old fire place ,but it's opened up the living space massively.
Thanks for sharing.
Lotsaluv Michelle xx
😉
Wow what a difference, it really is a shame but sadly had to be done. I'm sure you'll make it wonderful Becs and I'm so with you on your perfect kitchen!! The changes are coming thick and fast now, very exciting x
👍
Love the intro so calming and seeing the animals. It's nice seeing Rebecca back ,with the fire place it's better to be safe than sorry and having the children help you pick up all the rubble ❤
Lovely that your son loves tractors too. You are creating lasting memories
Ahh, yes, Euan loves his tractor/trailer toys.
I always love your intros with your pets and I am looking forward to seeing who you foster. Regards the chimney it’s better to be safe than sorry!
First foster already underway as you will see tomorrow. 😉
Sam you are so tuned to Bec's feelings and it is so sad to see it go and as they say better safe than sorry. All the children coming to the fore to help dad with taking the rubble out from the remnants of the chimney to save mom from seeing it all, bless them. Your intro to todays vlog was lovely the aerial view of your little farm and all the animals safe, content and happy. Toby with his doggy friends, the rabbits and the hens scratching around and the rooster giving a good morning call. All those beautiful sounds of nature what more could a person want and I thank you and Bec for sharing and letting us have a glance to it all. Have a lovely day.
Thanks we feel so blessed having all these animals and beautiful land around us. My favourite thing is to head into the land in the morning with a brew after I've fed all the animals. Having them mill about around me is just lovely. ♥️
Space is enormous without the firebreast and progress is so obvious. Well done to all the family and welcome back Rebecca.
You’re right, it is sad to lose an old feature like the fireplace, but as you said, it didn’t look very sturdy to be resting new roof beams on. It’s hard to judge the ease of demolition through time-lapse videography, but the stones didn’t look like they were too solid And they came out quite easily. By the way, I absolutely love the image Becky has of what she wants her kitchen to look like! It really looks warm and cozy and cottage-y. 😊
I took one look at your fireplace months back and my gut said....'that needs to go'! It just looked as if the concrete facia was there to up hold a crumbling structure. I am sorry it is more expense and work but I am glad Sam, it just didn't look right. AND I am sure you will rebuild a wonderful fireplace and chimney with all that stone and all those new skills you have gathered. Onwards, upwards. Sending you all everything good. ❤
Thanks. We agree it had to go. It was a shame nonetheless, especially as it was more work. We would have covered the red fake brick concrete in stone anyway so I suppose nothing is lost.
Aye sad to see the chimneybreast go but a safe home is more important. Save the old " crane " for use outside, my Grandmother's home had one and got lots of use.
Awww it was sad to watch but you’re right it has to be safe. I know you’ll make the cottage amazing
Thank you. I have trust despite how bad it looks right now!
The fireplace wasn't beautiful imo. I think you could build another with the same stones, which are beautiful. The stonework on the walls covered up by render is really beautiful. Would look great pointed up with lime. Thick walls are very warm in winter and cool in summer (I live in a stone cottage with exposed walls).
Sadly they won't be exposed as its too wet here for that. But we plan on a feature wall using some of the stone.b
@@theirishhomestead well I also live in an incredibly wet area (Gloucestershire) and where I am windy (sideways rain) with my exposed stone house and it's fine. Stone is an incredible material and so long as you treat it right (lime pointing and plastering) and have good drainage around the house, it acts in the way I suggested. Obviously it's your choice, and there are other ways of doing things. If the stone house was a bit wrecked then yes, but your stones seem fine. It's just perhaps to think about options and not be working on assumptions that aren't the case.
Rebuild it to spec so it can fit over/around your oven! You got some amazing stone out of it!
That's the plan! Thanks.
What you replace it with will be so much nicer, not to mention stronger! The cement façade wasn't as beautiful as a nice stone one will be. You're playing a blinder, all of you. 🙂
Aww thanks v
Becca, the animals in the beginning was heartwarming. Glad you're home!! Don't fret about the fireplace, wasn't even real brick! I'm sure Sam will build you something more beautiful 😍
So true! He will I'm sure. ♥️
All the best from Wexford.. You and family are doing amazing job.
Perfect video of watching the family work together and then seeing Euan being just a youngster playing with a tractor. Priceless memories for you all. Have a great week, Laura 🌸🌸🌸
Thanks Laura 👍
It'w wonderful to see Rebecca back - welcome home! And thanks for showing the furry ones at the beginning once again. Hopefully your heart isn't broken too much on the loss of the fireplace, but what you'll produce now can be even better - it's still your lovely cottage that you're about to and continuing to transform! Thanks again for sharing.
Thank you! 😊
Try cooping the girls for a couple of days and pop a couple of golf balls in their nesting box so they know where to lay. Or don't if you enjoy a daily Easter egg hunt! 😂
The old timers had solid glass eggs to put in the nests for just that reason. They can sometimes still be found in rural antique shops.
Wow now the chimney has gone you have so much more useable space ❤️❤️❤️
I like this video so much, love to see the children working together with you and also playing so happy to see, you made good progress ❤
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you.
Nell is a working dog that needs to have a job - train her to sniff out eggs! She enjoys herding the chickens, she probably knows their hiding spots already. 😉😁☺️
Don’t let the chickens out until mid morning. You can make the fire a two way design.
👍👍👍 Another amazing episode. Thank you.
My brother inherited a 30 acre farm with a similar cottage in Co.Cork, also hundreds of years old.We had to dismantle the chimney from the top down as it was also unsafe.It was an extraordinary feeling doing this as we imagined those builders,(no doubt speaking in Irish), crafting the opening in an amazing spiral design.
In many ways it was a shame to have to remove it.When we got to floor level.we found that rats had burrowed from the outside,to within a foot or so of the hearth, out of sight, and built a nice and snug nest.How many generations of them we can't begin to guess
I renovated part of an old house after this.Your own journey brings back a lot of memories!
Go Raibh Maith Agaibh agus beir bua.
Gearoid.
Yes we thought a lot about the original builders...epic how they must have built this place!
@@theirishhomesteadMany years ago ,during a trip around Australia with my girlfriend,(now wife of 32 plus years).I worked with two stonemasons.One from Inish Oirr in the Aran Islands.The other from Essex.(An ex Australian soldier).Very different characters but great friends none the less.They told me their next job was a "Mud Brick House".I had to ask if they were serious and they said" just you wait and see!"The house was for a Swiss couple in Macclesfield South Australia, It was an amazing time in my life and I sometimes had to pinch myself as Padraig and I were speaking in Irish while the Swiss man was speaking in German to his wife and to his Austrian and German neighbours .I had to remember sometimes that I was on the other side of the world.We used to go for a few drinks to the Macclesfield hotel.The couple running the place said that when renovating the hotel ,they found an old water well in what was the dining room,It had been used by the cattle drovers on their way to Adelaide.This they made into a feature bay placing a thick plan of glass over it and had a light bulb which could be turned on with a switch and you could see all the way to down,20 feet or so to the water table.
No wonder that I still am interested in projects like yours.
The very best of luck
Ger
,
First time I’ve noticed the original fittings in the fireplace. Hope you’ll find a way to sympathetically reinstate them in the new fireplace 🤞🙏
There's a reason the hearth means heart of the home - hopefully you can take some of the stonework and rebuild it into your new fireplace.
Safety first though, no point doing all that work and having a problem in the middle of the cottage through sentiment.
Exactly. Thanks Gary.
Loving the whole family getting involved especially the young lad! Tremendous effort all round! Really enjoying this
Thanks that's great to hear. 👍
It might be sad to have to take it down but Sam you can always build another one for Rebecca
So sweet to see Ewan, your hard working lad, taking the time to put his tipper lorry(dump truck here in the USA) to good use. ❤️
He loves his toy digger/dumper. Sam wishes it was life size though 🤣
Loved the intro to this video - it’s sad about the fireplace but safety is a priority ❤
Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed it.
Such a shame.the removal of the feature fireplace.but the difference and space its developed is amazing and becky will get that cottagegy kitchen look when the major works are completed .great to see you back as a family again as all your team efforts will show great divedends in the end.i wish you well.keep the videos coming❤❤❤❤
We agree! Thanks Gary. It just looks bad right now! Hopefully like you people will see our vision and trust that it will come good in the end. The house needed a new heart that's all. ♥️
@@theirishhomestead its already got that withing you and becky xxxxx
@theirishhomestead - So true, the house needed a heart transplant!
And you are just the folks to do it right!
So sad watching that. ☹ But its done now . Onwards and upwards, can't wait to see the new fireplace. Loved the photo of Bec's dream ! X
Us too!
Better to take the fireplace down than worry about it crumbling years from now. 😊
Toby is looking in tip top condition, and is obviously good friends with the dog, the cats and the chickens...
It's totally understandable to have misgivings about taking it down, but on the plus side you have a blank canvas to design (redesign) the internal layout to suit your needs.
Bless yous - looks better without - a new hearth will come
Hi, Loved the wider, panoramic view of your home & the surrounding countryside. It's a beautiful setting! Your land is quite high up. Are you researching which shrubs & trees to plant along the perimeter to create windbreaks? It was the right decision to knock down the chimney, if expert advice was to do so. Becky, in the weeks & months to come, you may find that it was a blessing to have the original chimney knocked down. You'll have more options to design the interior of the cottage as Sam has plenty of raw materials (stone, wood) to build what you as a family all need & want in 2024. Congratulations on nearing thirty thousand subscribers. Best wishes to the family & menagerie.
Thanks so much. Really appreciate the words of support.
It may be a very sad dission but I am sure the new fire place that you rebuild will look amazing. X
Best choice to take the chimney out, more space, common sense. Carry On.
I was so afraid something happened to the animals...I noticed over time, that architects and engineers are rarely in agreement with our visions unfortunately!
Ahh no they are all good. Sorry if we worried you. 👍
Have you considered a suspended timber floor? They are much warmer, more traditional and easier on the back. I'm partial to them because I'm a carpenter/joiner. A new chimney with an Aga wood burning stove would tie the whole place together in my opinion, 👍💪🔨🇮🇪
We are definitely having a range.. an AGA may be out of the budget though. A stanley is an option.
The whole fireplace came down too easily. That tells me it wasn't safe at all. Then! The floor after its removal tells me it wasn't an original part of the cottage. All that, and the new brick; it was a more recent addition. But yeah, it gave a special feel to the overall look.
I’m glad you listen to your engineer I think will be able to put in some thing it doesn’t take up so much room and while you’re disappointed with having to demolish the old fireplace I know you’ll have a delightful cottage kitchen
Thanks Vicky
love the photo of becs dream kitchen
Sam and family , sorry you had to demolish the fire place Sam but there is some good stones that came out and you should be able to build a new fireplace for the stove to go in and it will be safe Becca will love you for it ❤
🎉you are really cracking on 🎉
You have many stones so you can build one again and have the pride of reusing the stones that large, better to be safe
You could always use some of the nicer stones you pulled down to perhaps a feature in the house to replace the fireplace.
I like this new view of the farm in the intro😊
Good to see the whole team pitching in and creating their new home.
I know you hatred to see the fireplace go
But now you get to put back what makes you you happy and everyone
Will be safe
Have a grand week 🤗
A sad but necessary task. Sorry Bec. ❤
I know. Still 💔 though.
Hard workers !!!!!!!!
Loved the intro. You have picked a fabulous spot. You never know, in time, one of your landowning neighbours may sell some more land to you. Toby is looking fabulous as are the chooks 😊
Hope so! I'd love to have more land.
I wish you all the very best of luck with your project. I've been watching from the start. I'm from Belfast. North from you.
Thanks Patrick. Really kind of you to continue watching & supporting us.
Welcome back Becca. Trojan work from all of you as usual. It’ll look worse before it gets better, but at the rate you are going you will have the cottage renovated and started on a Granny flat before Christmas!😊❤
Hmm if only! 🤣
So sorry! Build back better!
One step back ... 2 steps forward. It sure does open up the place without the chimney. Sam didn't find any leprechauns gold hidden in the chimney?. 😅
Sadly not or there would be a team of builders in right now lol
Sam you do realise you are going to have to build a big fireplace in the loung with the kettle holder from the old one it will look so nice christmas time
He knows lol!
Aww Becs, I get you feeling sad about the fireplace but you can rebuild it in the place you want it and have far more space. I love watching the progress and am with you every step. Chin up it will be amazing once it's all done, you guys are living the dream. Xx
Thanks Sandra
It's sad but necessary. Safety first.
How is Toby doeing,can he have a friend now? Or isn't he changed a bit?
I hope you can have a sanctuary for animals Becca.
That's the plan. Hopefully very soon. 🫏🤞
First time I’ve noticed the original fittings in the fireplace. Hope you’ll find a way to sympathetically reinstate them in the new fireplace 🤞🙏
That's the plan!
Well, no reason you can't build another fireplace. It's not like you are short of stone 😂😂😂 and now you can have your 'dream' fireplace.
Exactly! That's the plan, well at least as a facade.
You guys are an amazing team! Loving all your videos following all the work your doing, your making great progress. Sad to see that chimney being knocked! Are you going to rebuild the chimney?? You could do a lovely job with all the stone you have saved!
Yes that is the plan.👍
These old houses really love to throw spanners in the works! My little cottage is the exact same 🥲😂
Yes they do!
I'm sorry, Rebecca that you had to lose the original fireplace. That loss will lose it's sting as you and your family fill that space with your blood, sweat and tears and lovely memories of your own.
Thank you. I appreciate that. ♥️
Awwww what an amazing space without the fire place sure you can build a better one with some of the rockswell done children for helpiing youlovely to see all the animals Rebecca and so good to see you well done Sam safety first tc now all luv from the oldies xxxx🤗🤗🤗🤗💐
Thanks guys. Yes safety first bit it was so sad to see it fall.
It certainly came down very easily! Be nice to reuse the great pieces of stone in your new fireplace. Are you having a fireplace again on the other side? When you install new floors are you installing under floor heating or rayburn cooker with boiler and radiators? We had 4 reclaimed cast iron radiators when we lived in Normandy and I loved the look and the heat output for their size!
I don't think we will. I wanted one so we will see.
I knew when you first bought the house that the FP on the outside was not original. It didn't look right either. It would be lovely if you could rebuild it and face it with stone you have from demo on the cottage! I hope you keep the kitchen 'old time farm-house-y' and not go 'modern'. It's a shame to update old cottages and take out the old only to make them all modern in the inside. People who really love and want an old home try and keep the style and all features inside. If people want sleek and modern they should not buy an old home. Once those old houses are so-called 'remodeled', they are gone forever.
We plan on facing the new blockwork with stone. Hopefully bringing the place back to life utilising the original stone. 👍
I was a gas engineer for 23 years till my knees went, best rid of that dodgy chimney, it could kill you all whilst you all sleep, plus the sheer weight, you can chuck something up to a much higher and safer standard
Thanks. Yes you're right. Sad it's gone, especially Becs but we have to think of safety.
please save the fireplace crane ,that is part of the houses history .. good choice taking the fire place down you will sleep better
Yes it's saved don't worry. 👍
I'm sorry to hear about the fireplace! Can you build a new one?
Yes we will be doing. 👍
Being detached from your hearth, it's not a pity. It has opened up the possibilities for the space and will allow you to make your mark! Chins up. The future is bright! Regards, Stephen.
Well no amount of pointing was going to shore that crumble up that's for sure that was the right call unfortunatley. Maybe you could reuse some that stone in the outside garden and maybe make an outdoor fire place but I am sure you have many ideas for that stone too. Your kids are beautiful especially your boy with the truck and trailer that was nice to see. A new day and a new plan you will get there and as we say in Canada Come hell or high water we will get it done. :) :)
Thank you that's very kind. ♥️💪
Love all those giant building stones!!!
The bricks looked like an add on tbh. Not sure if the weight of them was tearing at the chimney! It'll be easier to sort the floors now and you can put a new chimney in later.
They weren't real bricks just a concrete facade painted red with chalk markings..looks pretty convincing though didn't it?!
Hi - understandable that the fireplace had to come down but maybe with all that lovely stone you could build a new one - not as big but with the feel you are looking for.
That's the plan.
I choked up seeing your kids working so hard as well. Bloody good on them. Bec, your dream kitchen is GORGEOUS and I hope it comes true.
I hope so too!
Fireplaces are very poor heat sources, you would do better to have a wood stove. I heat my colder climate Pennsylvania home with two gas stoves. There are awesome because heat is captured and in the room with you.
Your fireplace may have history but it is out of scale with your soon to be modern home.
Great point!
The brick front did not look right in my opinion a front put up at a later date coming down a good decision .
Might be worth a thought quite a few people I know have older homes also wanting to heat them cost effectively a double fronted cast iron wood burner with a modern guarded flue that would give you heating on both floors and would give much more room as well !!
Its sad to lose the feature but after seein how easy it came out you made the right decision plus theres alot of great lookin feature stones to make another fireplace in the house,lots of potential.Plus now the young fella got his own quarry to run his truck to haul stone lol
Very true, that little truck made life easier 🤣
I think this part of the project is the "trust the process" phase. Sad to see it go, but safety and structural integrity first!
Yes exactly. ♥️
That is a dream kitchen
Fantastic the family getting stuck into helping to get the renovations done
Looking forward to you rebuilding the chimney and seeing the stack protruding through the roof again. You will be a proficient stone mason by the time you have rebuilt that. Bec will have her dream kitchen and you will have your log burners to keep you warm a dry in the winter. Important to ward off the damp and means you won’t be reliant on electric or gas for your heating. You’ve created more work with the clock ticking but if you couldn’t have pointed like the rest of the walls as it had to be done for safety cel la vie❤
Yes that's the issue we just are struggling to get past the structural stuff. It's such a slow process. Once that's done Sam will be innhos comfort zone a bit more and things will hopefully fly.
Lads, a grand job in each and every video. With all the stones you have you can build something epic that will last another 200 years, in turn leaving your own legacy behind.
That's the plan! Thanks
It’s such a lovely fireplace. Internal steel frame?
What an adventure it is so amazing.
About your sanctuary dream you should watch “the Asher house” you will be flabbergasted😊😊😊😊. Keep the passion.
Safety first, I'm sure you will build a much better one.
Wise decision to remove Monstrosity fireplace
Safety first, and you can rebuild a fireplace that she would like better. One she can design.😊