SimonD Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 I took on my own build, deciding, for good or bad, to do it all myself. Unsuprisingly it's taken longer than planned and Covid certainly hasn't helped. So by the time I get to go back to making a normal living, I'll have been out of my game for at least 3 years if not more. I'm not sure I want to go back to much of what I did and I'm finding myself distracted by how I'm going keep myself occupied when I finish. I'd like to have some sort of idea. As a result of my investigations into heat pumps, I'm nowcompleting a heating engineer qualification, which will help a bit, but I'm still unsure. What did you end up doing after taking on a self-build. Could you go back to what you did before and did it take you in different direction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 2 minutes ago, SimonD said: Could you go back to what you did before Definitely NO, then again I retired a little early to enable me to (help) with my self build. I am happy being retired and playing with my tractor, cutting hedges, gardening etc etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 The end of my build should coincide with retiring, so time to go and do all the things / visit all the places on the bucket list. and I might get round to trying to make my classic Landrover look a bit nicer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nod Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 I think I had withdrawal symptoms After rushing off to the build after work and every Friday Saturday and Sunday Two years on we are about to start the next ones ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnb Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 I have a couple of classic cars to restore and a garden to landscape. I am nowhere near old enough to retire so no plans for a change of day job right now. Thankfully there are still plenty of interesting things going on at work. It will be nice to not have to take all my annual leave for building. Not that I can do anything else with it right now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Just now, dnb said: I have a couple of classic cars to restore Oh do tell more, what do you have?, what work is required.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 It's never finished. I am ripping out a shower this weekend. Hated it from it was bought and put up with it for near 6 years but it's time is up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnb Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 18 minutes ago, joe90 said: Oh do tell more, what do you have?, what work is required.? Modern classics I suppose... A TVR Griffith 500 that needs partially rewiring, paintwork (fibreglass is star crazed all over the place) and new carpets etc. A Jaguar XKR that needs a fair bit of welding and making good. Plus a rear suspension rebuild. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Doing the garden mostly - all self build transitions from building to landscaping to plain old gardening. And like @Declan52, revisiting the odd compromise 5 years on and thinking 'Hmm, I finally have money again to do that properly'. Also just seen the Audi eTron GT though so it may put paid to that idea... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 47 minutes ago, Bitpipe said: Doing the garden mostly - all self build transitions from building to landscaping to plain old gardening. And like @Declan52, revisiting the odd compromise 5 years on and thinking 'Hmm, I finally have money again to do that properly'. Also just seen the Audi eTron GT though so it may put paid to that idea... I'm lifting a Mercedes a 45 tomorrow. Should be a fun drive home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 WHEN IM FINISHED. ??????????. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Write. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 13 hours ago, ToughButterCup said: Write. You have not finished yet?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Garden to do next but travelling is in the agenda. My son finishes his aerospace degree this year but with Covid he is not sure what he will do if he cannot get a job. He has worked on many houses with me since he was 10/11 and fancies doing properties up so may have to get him started (with the proviso that we work normal hours and the xbox is used sparingly) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 10 minutes ago, Pete said: You have not finished yet?? When this lockdown finishes - serious pub session ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonD Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 20 hours ago, joe90 said: Definitely NO, then again I retired a little early to enable me to (help) with my self build. I am happy being retired and playing with my tractor, cutting hedges, gardening etc etc? Ah, nice one, sounds good! 19 hours ago, ProDave said: The end of my build should coincide with retiring, so time to go and do all the things / visit all the places on the bucket list. and I might get round to trying to make my classic Landrover look a bit nicer. Bucket list and restoration would be good. I'm a good few years away from retirement and not sure I'll have the cash left over for the bucket list but I do have old race bike I've stored away for years that needs a load of work. Hmm, but then I'll have to build a workshop ?. So what should that be, timer frame, brick & block, or icf or maybe something experimental? ? OMG, that's just reminded me we got planning permission to build a 1.5 width garage half dug into the hill in front of our house but had, pardon the pun, buried the idea a few years ago due to budget. Permission still stands because it was part of our whole house planning. Oh no..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonD Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 19 hours ago, nod said: I think I had withdrawal symptoms After rushing off to the build after work and every Friday Saturday and Sunday Two years on we are about to start the next ones ? That is probably what I'm most scared about. I have to give myself a slap when we're out for a walk and I start looking at derelict properties or infill land, then while I'm working away on the house I find myself daydreaming about how to raise the capital for the next project while living in this house. I've been through a phase of properly hating this house, now I'm starting to really like it again and can't understand why I'm still thinking postively about the prospect of more! At least I'm not the only one. ? Yet I've still got months of work to go here.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonD Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 17 hours ago, dnb said: I have a couple of classic cars to restore and a garden to landscape. I am nowhere near old enough to retire so no plans for a change of day job right now. Thankfully there are still plenty of interesting things going on at work. It will be nice to not have to take all my annual leave for building. Not that I can do anything else with it right now... That is true, while difficult and unfortunate, in some ways I've found the lockdowns have helped not to lose focus on the building work, merely because there's nothing else to do. Oh,other than try to homeschool a couple of young boys...it's easier to build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonD Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 17 hours ago, Declan52 said: It's never finished. I am ripping out a shower this weekend. Hated it from it was bought and put up with it for near 6 years but it's time is up. That's what's scaring me a little, and my wife. Because our boys seem to have a tendency to destroy stuff, we're going for a 'family' fit out, i.e. not spending massive money on interior finish but making it simple and hard wearing. Budget is also getting really tight (I can't believe how much money has been sunk into the fabric, nor how much more everything has cost compared to initial budget) so I can already imagine that in a similar time to you I'm going to be redoing a load of stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nod Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 2 minutes ago, SimonD said: That is probably what I'm most scared about. I have to give myself a slap when we're out for a walk and I start looking at derelict properties or infill land, then while I'm working away on the house I find myself daydreaming about how to raise the capital for the next project while living in this house. I've been through a phase of properly hating this house, now I'm starting to really like it again and can't understand why I'm still thinking postively about the prospect of more! At least I'm not the only one. ? Yet I've still got months of work to I’m looking forward to doing the next one But in wanting to conclude the plot deal I agreed to buy the second plot and field behind So we will do this next one then make a division to do the second or let someone else have it From a financial point of view there seems little out there that’s a better investment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceverge Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 8 minutes ago, SimonD said: I'm still thinking postively about the prospect of more! Stockholm syndrome! I reckon I'll take 6 months off anything building related. Maybe rationalise the fleet of bangers as I hear scrap metal is making good money ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 18 minutes ago, SimonD said: OMG, that's just reminded me we got planning permission to build a 1.5 width garage half dug into the hill in front of our house Whatever size you build it, it will be too small very quickly. My workshop is 10m x 8m and it’s already full and wished I had built bigger ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonD Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 15 hours ago, Russell griffiths said: WHEN IM FINISHED. ??????????. Haha! A life's work eah! For once, I do actually want to finish something off, but maybe I'm just living in lalaland! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonD Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 14 hours ago, ToughButterCup said: Write. Now that is something I'd like to do. What are you writing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Before he departed I remember @Jeremy Harris saying “I am 90% finished, just 90% left to go”. It feels like that towards the end. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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