Things I Didn’t Like About Our Cottage

AND HOW WE PLAN TO IMPROVE COTTAGE LIFE

It’s unusual to title a post ‘Things I Didn’t Like About our Cottage’. It seems like it could be very negative to write about. But my purpose in this entry is to show you that no house is perfect. When you view a home with an eye to buy there will be things you want to change. THERE SHOULD BE! If there isn’t you’ve found a rare gem and should snap it up. As for me, I don’t care about aesthetics. I look past the things like paint and try to envisage how to get the look I want. It’s only after careful consideration of how we can achieve what we want and if a house will deliver that I choose to buy. So what didn’t I like about our cottage? Read on.

It Wasn’t Cared For

The biggest thing I did not like about our cottage was the fact it wasn’t cared for. From what I gather, the previous owner moved in during the 1980’s. He then proceeded to do no cleaning or maintenance for 40 years other than having the exterior painted. We had to get a skip bin to clean out his rubbish. And the toilet is still not clean. I refuse to go in there. I know there are many people who cannot, for whatever reason, care for their home but basic maintenance would have made our job so much easier. That being said, if the cottage had been in pristine condition the price would have been way higher!

Cottage Life should not be Cold and Drafty

Because the house is so old it was never insulated. Windows were broken. There were gaps under the doors and in the floors. I don’t like cold and I don’t want to waste money on heating if it’s not required. To remedy these problems and make cottage life bareable we fixed gaps in the walls and ceilings. (It took weeks.) We insulated the walls and ceiling space. Those things alone made a world of difference. Now I can be in the house without three thick layers of clothing on and seeing steam come from my mouth.

Lack of Double Glazing

I can’t stress enough the difference double glazing makes to a home. Our cottage had an energy efficiency rating of 0 when we took possession. It has gone up drastically since then. Double glazing is not only great for stopping cold air coming in windows and heat going out but it diffuses traffic noise. This is a big one. To fix the issue and thereby improve the quality of cottage life we could have double glazed windows made to look like the original windows. This is what we did at the farm.

However. . . that would mean taking out the original windows that are in good condition. The cost would also be huge.

To fix this problem we are using a multi pronged approach. First, I mended the windows an installed weather strips in the gaps. I had the broken panes replaced. Next, I plan to hang thick drapes. These will absorb some of the noise and stop heat loss. Finally, we are looking into secondary glazing on the windows. This will preserve the original character and stop heat loss.

The Storage Issues

I don’t normally complain about storage but the situation in our bedroom has me stumped. Old houses typically do not have built in storage. Spaces next to chimney breasts were used to house dressers and wardrobes. The problem with this house is the depth of the chimney breast is so shallow that built in wardrobes will protrude. It is not a good look. The second problem is I don’t really like built in’s on the side of a chimney. We ripped out every built in at the farm.

The plan, possibly, is to make very shallow built ins that have pull out hanging rails. I can visualise this but I’m not sure I can build it😂. The other option is to find free standing cupboards that fit the gaps and customise them inside. We can also introduce under bed storage for shoes etc and dressers next to the bed. Repurposing is key.

So, that’s about it. All the things I do not like about our home. All of them can be fixed. Some will take some creativity. If you have ideas let me know by leaving a comment.