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Had another full day at the barn today. Cleared all the small branches that we had piled into a bonfire (it was looking a bit of a mess, and we couldn't have burnt it before next spring anyway). Broke and bagged the smaller bits, put the bigger bits in the trailer. Three trips to the local recycling centre and a fourth load brought back to Warwick. It means we can now see the amount of land we have with the barn - a reasonable garden, but not much more than that. Will need some clever landscaping to get the best from it, as it rises quite a bit above the level of the barn.
Also got our second letter - a consignment note from Fibretech telling us where they'd taken the asbestos.
Misan says she's got aches in muscles where she didn't know she had muscles. I had a bath as soon as we got home, which helped - almost as much as the cold beer.
Met the planning officer today. Tried to explain how our layout with the kitchen in the extension was beneficial 'cos it meant we could maintain the open aspect within the remainder of the barn ... it didn't wash. He still could not support it.
So then our architect played his master stroke - he produced the plan he had drawn late last night and we discussed what was acceptable from that, which was most of it. We'd need to put the third bedroom up on the first floor near bedroom 2. In fact, with the galleried landing and the double-height open centre to the barn, the planner was getting quite excited. And he actually suggested the lean-to utility could be in traditional red brick, which is cheaper than stone, to distinguish it from the original barn.
So we might have a way forward. The architect went away (with our Barn Conversions book tagged on the pages containing features we like) and will draw up Scheme 6. Then it goes back to the Planning Officer for him to discuss with the Conservation Officer ....
Got our solicitor's bill a few days ago. His estimate had been £750 for the barn and £500 for the extra land. The bill was over £2000 for the barn (OK. he did have to sort out the boundary dispute) and £400 for the land (which is wasted money since that deal faltered). Double!
We thought the architect had given us some joy, producing a sketch that I sent off to the planners today ahead of our meeting with them tomorrow. We got an instant response from the planners that they 'could not support' our proposal to put the kitchen where the block lean-to is at the moment. So that looks like it's back to square one. The architect will try to come up with an alternative layout tonight, but it seems like we've come full circle back to a layout like the original approved plan.
Then I got a puncture last night, so got home even later than normal, and today had to replace the 2 rear tyres on the Audi (they were close to the limit) costing £265.
Something good has to happen soon.
Had a brief chat with the architect yesterday - he likes one of our 'gallery' layouts and will look at it over this weekend. We'll then go and consult the planners next week.
Despite the weather forecast, we trotted off to the barn today, trailer in tow. We managed to get two loads of scrap metal and some rubble off to the local recycling centre. Also used the newly-sharpened chainsaw to cut the remaining parts of the willow tree (some over a foot in diameter) into log-length chunks, which Misan barrowed down to the barn. Then the rain came in.
Of course we had to keep to our barn land - no rights to cross part of the paddock any more. Noticed our paddock neighbour surveying his land, but he didn't come close enough to chat and we didn't particularly have anything to discuss with him. He's taken out the pegs that marked what he had agreed to sell to us before his last change of mind, and he collected up the string we had used round his pegs and left it on our fence. That was generous of him - don't think we could have completed our project without that string!
Round the Barn looks a lot tidier now, although there's plenty still to do.
Spoke to a fencing contractor today. He's going to visit the barn to see the ground conditions before giving us a new quote for the reduced length of fencing. He suggests a four rail fence - sounds nicer than pig netting and barbed wire. We'll see what his quote looks like; if its OK, we'll get it done soonest so that all those arounbd us will see we're serious (and not bothered about the failure of the land negotiations).
Also spoke to Nu-Heat about heat pumps. They might still be able to do ground source with the land we have, otherwise it could be air source (cheaper capital cost, slightly higher running costs than ground source - but still cheaper than calor gas, and much cheaper and cleaner than oil-fired heating).
So we're taking little steps forward. Must get on to the architect/planners tomorrow, need to get that moving.
They've pulled the plug on the land deal. Didn't like the fact that we want to do things properly, not the country way, so they've got the hump again and are 'closing their file'.
At least we know where we stand now, and this whole sorry saga is over. It's the 3rd or 4th time they've changed their minds. Who knows, they might even come back again in future. Whatever.
So we'll just carry on with what we have got. Have already requested a revised quote for the shorter length of fencing (might get it all done by a contractor now), enquired about what's possible on ground source heating with a smaller area of land, and sent some ideas to the architect with a single staircase and long galleried landing. Need to get them drawn up so that we can put them in front of the planners.
We'll be down at the barn this weekend. Don't know how I'm going to react when I see the 'paddock' neighbour. With pity, I think, 'cos he must be really struggling with his conscience.
Just when we thought we were closing in on the land - our solicitor gets a letter from theirs threatening to withdraw from the deal unless we accept their stupid conditions in the transfer document immediately (they're trying to pass the bodge up about the rogue fence in the paddock onto us through the transfer - we don't want to accept that).
That letter arrived last night; we saw it at 8am today. This is after we've been waiting 2 weeks for the draft transfer, which only arrived late Friday afternoon.
Then we see in the transfer to one of our other neighbours that they intend to erect a close boarded fence half way up the paddock right across our view down the valley!
We spent over an hour with our solicitor trying to sort this mess out, and his charges are £200/hr!
We're getting really fed up with this.
So we've asked our solicitor to try and sort it 'amicably', but if it carries on like this they can keep the land and we'll make do with what we've got.
Hope they paint the boards a nice colour!
Our solicitor received a proposed transfer document for the land today. It's a bit confusing - of course because of the incorrectly positioned fences - so we're seeing him tomorrow morning to clarify things.
All being well. we should have the land sorted in the next few days (hope I'm not tempting fate here).
Might be able to order our fencing materials later this week. Who's ready for some hard work?
Had a busy time at the barn today. Checked out the remains of the asbestos animal pen - all gone, even the concrete sill that the asbestos was set in. Fibretech have done a good job.
Misan had a go at removing the ivy from the front gable. When you're doing such dangerous work you need protection ...
We also removed the remainder of the willow tree, and felled the 2 elder trees from against the barn wall. The second one proved troublesome, trapping the chainsaw as the wind blew and threatened to drop it onto the barn roof. After an anxious few minutes we managed to get a string over it to lever it back, rescue the chainsaw then pull it the way we wanted it to fall.
We dropped a set of gate keys off with our neighbour that owns the paddock - he has a right of access through our 2 gates - and he explained rather sheepishly that the land deal still hasn't gone through because his solicitor has dilly-dallied. He expects it to happen on Tuesday now. We'll see.
Most surprising event of the day was receiving our first letter at this address - an invoice from Fibretech that was delivered to the farmhouse next door! Better get a mailbox installed at the barn - and an official address from the Street Naming and Numbering Authority (yes, they really exist - for us it's the local council!). Also managed to get a decent picture of our Green Man:
At last a sketch arrived from the architect today. Not bad, 3 en-suite bedrooms, 2 staircases, and the kitchen in the front extension. A few tweaks, and that might be a basis for discussions with the planners next week.
But still no news on the land. Who knows what's happening. Our solicitor called on Mon & Weds, but no developments.
Want to go to the barn tomorrow to see it without the pig pen and (storms permitting) to take out the rest of the trees.
Called the estate agents today to ask them to take down their board. Looking for their phone number on the net brought me across this ...
http://www.fishergerman.co.uk/file/3590/most-successful-local-auction-in-two-years.html
Fibretech came this morning to take away the asbestos animal pen and some loose bits of corrugated sheet that have been laying around the barn for some time.
We met them on site at 8.15am. It was a cold, damp morning - ideal for asbestos removal 'cos it keeps the dust down. Once they started donning their white overalls and protective gear we left them to it. They should have finished today, so when we go back on Saturday it should look quite different, and we'll be able to take out the remaining bits of the willow tree. Might get to have a go with my own chainsaw this time!
Our neighbour's scaffolding has gone, and his stone house looks really smart. Shows our barn up a bit - have to get that ivy off and tidy up the road gable as soon as we can (assuming that wall isn't one that has to come down).
Still no news on the land - maybe the winds blowing from the east this week.
We're planning how to do our fencing now. Anyone want some exercise (cheaper than the gym, and far more satisfying)?
Had our first proper day as owners today. Took a car load of tools, a trailer load of equipment, and the assistance of Michael & Nicola, so that we could do some serious tidying up.
Mike liked the chainsaw, so he took out the big willow tree and one of the elder trees that has grown against the south wall. I fixed the front gate, put a lock on the barn door, had the odd go on the chainsaw and loaded the newly-cut logs into the old lean-to. Misan, Mike & Nicola used the smaller branches to build a bonfire for later.
Part way through our neighbour dropped in to sheepishly ask whether we'd pay his solicitors bill for the sale of part of the paddock to us. I couldn't answer. Misan can decide that one; I've had enough.
By the time Shaki and David joined us it was dark and we'd got the charcoal going for a BBQ. They spent about an hour with Michael arguing about the best way to get the bonfire going, but little success. We cracked open the champagne around the little fire we had, then all got smoked out by the BBQ 'till our bangers & burgers were cooked. We also saw most of the village firework display from our barn.
The barns starting to look better already. Just gotta let that wood dry out so we can have a proper bonfire.
Solicitor called this afternoon to say he's completed the transfer on the barn - whoa-hoa, it's ours at last!
Asbestos can now be removed; fortunately they did't turn up today - they're coming next Weds.
Now we can get on with the design; met the Architect there this morning and turned his ideas completely on their head. He's gone away to think about our latest suggestions - kitchen at the road end in an L-shaped extension, en-suite bedroom above the dining, large double height lounge, 2 en-suite bedrooms (1 up, 1 down) at the paddock end - and 2 separate staircases. Get those drawn up, then its back to the planners to see if they might accept it. Keep your fingers crossed.
We're gonna have a little toast with a tipple of champers tomorrow. Shaki, David & Michael (and Nicola & maybe even Lord Marley) are due to join us round a bonfire to celebrate our acquisition. Might even set off a rocket. Wheeeeee ... !
Can't upset the neighbours yet, though. Still got a land deal to close out.
Nuffins happenin'. Contract isn't signed. Opposition want some change to the indemnity. Can't be done before tomorrow.
So the asbestos guys can't come in yet - except that I couldn't contact them to defer them again, so they'll be turning up at 8am tomorrow. We'll be there to turn them away, just before we meet the architect!
And there's no news on the extra land. Not surprising really, but it would be nice to hear that things are progressing.
It better not carry like this; takes the fun out of it.
Managed to catch the architect at 8.30am today. Discussed a few of our ideas for overcoming the low headroom issue, and agreed to meet him at the barn at 8am on Friday - another early start.
Then at lunchtime our solicitor called to say he'd managed to negotiate a higher abatement from the sellers, which is good news, but that they require him to draft an indemnity saying we won't pursue them any further if we do get into a tussle with our neighbour about the fence position. So completion didn't happen today; we think it'll happen tomorrow.
That meant putting off the asbestos contractor, so he's rescheduled to Friday too.
Could be an interesting morning at our barn that day! Wonder if we'll have some extra land by then, too?
... so far! We signed the contract for the barn at our solicitor's office at 8am this morning. Not a bad start time for a Monday. It's now gone off to the seller's solicitor, accompanied by a response about the abatement for the encroached fence. They haven't yet come back on that, so completion tomorrow looks doubtful.
We haven't heard any more about the extra bit of land, so completion on that tomorrow seems an impossibility.
And I keep trying to contact the architect but to no avail. They weren't picking up the phone last Thurs or Friday, then when I eventually got to speak to someone at 5pm today, our man was busy and, despite leaving a message for him to call me back, he didn't. Might be time to read our new yellow pages starting at A ...
At least the banks have come good. Our account looked really healthy over the weekend after the mortgage arrived on Friday, but most of it has gone to our solicitor now ready for completion - tomorrow? Do hope so, otherwise I'll have to postpone the asbestos gang as they're lined up to come in 1st thing Weds!
I even managed to apply for a discount card today for use at builder's merchants like Jewson. And checked out prices of sheds and requested another fencing quotation.
We're pulling out all the stops to be on top of things; just wish others would do their Jewson bit.
