Man-Cave .. blokes need a safe space .. and “Toy” Box

[markc]

Finally got around to starting on the man-cave after almost a year living here. I really wanted to knock down and replace with a portal frame building but the planners are worried it would get converted into a bungalow even after I offered to have a covenant restricting its use to ancillary use.

So it’s going to be a messy refurb/restoration.

including a lot of stone wall rebuilding, some interesting steelwork to open up the interior, off-grid 3-phase power (local infrastructure would need an upgrade to be grid 3-phase even though it’s an old farm) with large batteries and a lot of PV, portal extension and timber cladding.

[Nickfromwales]

13 hours ago, markc said:

off-grid 3-phase power (local infrastructure would need an upgrade to be grid 3-phase even though it’s an old farm) with large batteries and a lot of PV

Is this just to run machinery? Would it not be simpler and cheaper to swap out to single phase stuff and be grid tied?

 

13 hours ago, markc said:

I really wanted to knock down and replace with a portal frame building but the planners are worried it would get converted into a bungalow even after I offered to have a covenant restricting its use to ancillary use.

Tossers. But, without the covenant you can convert it just to piss them off  

[Iceverge]

Excellent. 

 

Step 1: Accidentally burn it to the ground. 

 

[G and J]

Can you turn it to your advantage and save money by reusing lots, the money saved being channelled into your toy (ahem), I mean tool fund?
 

And maybe the pooliverse is looking after you, nudging you towards a more interesting place to do whatever than a simple barn type building, a building you’ll grow to love.   

[markc]

15 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Is this just to run machinery? Would it not be simpler and cheaper to swap out to single phase stuff and be grid tied?

the single phase feeding 6 properties when the old barns etc were converted is already struggling, I would need batteries anyway so might as well go the whole hog.