Housing dilemma

We desperately need more space and need quiet rooms to read, study and chill in. Further down the beach road, recently a large Victorian property came on the market, but needs much renovation. Hence its lower price and it's as close to the beach as we are, though its killer feature is a magnificent indoor heated swimming pool and a nice big library. Our children would love this old property. It's just that I distrust the boy racer neighbours.

If we sold our individual properties, we'd accrue far more than the Victorian property's market price, therefore having good funds to achieve what we'd want and save the rest.

On the other hand we have planning permission to merge our present individual properties. Either decision means building chaos. I'm wondering what to do.

If we merged our properties, then we could solve this problem in adding two extra bedrooms in the lofts and extend our kitchen so it becomes a comfy dining room. As the kitchen is known for being "the hub of the house", this makes sense as I have a massive Lacanche I don't want to lose if we sold up.

Our rear gardens have walnut and sweet chestnut trees, a big vegetable patch, a greenhouse and an orchard each. Protected from the elements, it's virtually gale-free with only light winds breezing around our veranda.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

We had a family pow wow where we let our kids contribute and they came up with some great ideas. Everyone unanimously agreed we keep our properties and have an architect design the merging.

Ooh, I'm glad you guys figured out a solution that everyone is happy with.

I think it would be hard to leave your current property, especially with the gardens! - but wow, an indoor swimming pool sounds so incredibly luxurious.

I'd be nervous about doing renovations on the new property though, since you never know what you're going to find when you start renovating, and things can add up quickly, plus be quite stressful.

(I am also absolutely TERRIBLE at renovations, so that would scare me away! But you may be more skilled at handling them!)

Good luck with merging your properties! I hope it goes smoothly!

Ah, thank you for your interest in this (and me). I've lived in this house for so many years I can barely remember, for my parents since passed lived here as did my partner's parents. My partner and I only recently got together from being neighbours, so we shared the cost and hired a chartered surveyor. His firm promised to do a very thorough buidings survey of both properties.

Fortunately, both our properties are as sturdy as the day they were built. Brilliant! Had the surveyor found damp rot or worse, dry rot or even woodworm or settlement fissures - then our circumstances would be far different! Our homes were built from tough engineering bricks and covered in a cement rendering before being painted in masonry paint, identical to that of a lighthouse. If our coastline gets a big gale, we draw the shutters down as these protect against flying pebbles. Also, shutters drown out wind noise.

Some property owners in this country go to extraordinary lengths building indoor pools which we believe they were inspired by the Swiss. Swiss ski lodges have these pools and likely parts of America, too. But having that indoor pool in that Victorian property seemed way out of place. On reflection we did the right thing, and our children thought long about it, and lovingly backed us up. How we love them.

Building renos are going to be so stressful as you have commented, so we plan to stay locally during the major building works. Both of us work long hours, so to stay at our home could cause us such stress we could make mistakes in our professional lives. And neither of us can afford that! We will be hiring good builders who have both references and high qualifications. We'll leave nothing to chance.

Thank you so much for your post.

I was going to suggest you meet with a designer as well. Very happy you've come to a consensus and it's nice you'll be staying at a place that has real personal value for both of you. Most folks don't get that opportunity. I wish you lots of good fortune in what will undoubtedly be a hectic time. All the best!

Ah, thanks for that, @bpcyclist But our architect is the best designer and he suggested the gap in-between our properties could have a turret design. That would stylize the property beautifully, and as engineering bricks are so expensive now, he suggested the 'industry standard' engineering brick - Flettons. Curious I looked them up and found a bunch of similar bricks, even Portland Stone, but that stone would cost a fortune. Providing cement covered them (I presume using a lath wire mesh), then the exterior can be painted in the same colour masonry paint. Our architect recommended Farrow&Ball because it's excellent properties are eco-friendly. I never thought of that.

Thank you very much for your suggestion.

Wow - your homes sound incredible! I'm not sure how much I followed correctly, as I don't know a lot about architecture/construction, but what a project! Do you have any idea how long it will take to complete?

And turrets - how magnificent! Will there be space/stairs inside to climb to the top and look out?

And... umm... it sure sounds like a castle (with the turrets and everything!) Please, please, please tell me you are turning your fabulous family homes in to a castle of some sort. (Living in a castle used to be a dream of mine - so I'm grinning just picturing it!)

Good luck with the renovations!

I've just had two patient cancellations so will have to be quick!

To have a castle style would be out of keeping with the general property layout along our coastline, so to give you an idea, here are some images which our architect approved.

Terracotta barrel tiles are hand made, and expensive, but highly robust from being baked in a furnace. Each is about 2.5 in thick. In the Algarve where they are manufactured, the tiles can withstand very large hail.

Ours wouldbe in keeping with the coastal properties either side of us, so the 'turret' design would not resemble a castle. Our architect also has planning permission to use these same tiles either side, so our property would have these tiles throughout and look lovely.

Down the road are similar tiled properties, but these are either glazed sea grean, or glazed pale blue. Very arractive, but only suiting the style of those properties, whereas our property has pale cream masonry paint that pleasingly matches the other coastline properties along our road.

Our main house would be tiled with those barrel tiles, but in the sping of 2020, so leaving the turret to be built this autumn and completed before winter. Our architect estimates 3 months, but that will depend on our coastal weather. Still, our renos will be less inconvenient now our tourist season is finished for the year.

Thank you so much for your interest.

Have a good day yourself.

Ooh... those do look lovely! Thanks for posting the pictures!

It sounds like a great idea. I loved the pictures.

Good choice. BTW I am also ex NHS, now retired early to care for my mother. Nice to meet you. I read on your profile you hope to become a partner - I'm sure you'll have plenty of choice, given the dearth of GPs.
We looked at a property with a pool but after doing some research, discovered what a faff they can be to clean and maintain. Staying put but renovating sounds much better, especially with such a splendid garden. Good luck and best wishes!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I quite agree about pool maintenance and its cost.

I'd like to become a medical partner, but this won't happen until our new medical centre is built. Then it can accomodate more doctors and Healthcare assistants and nurses, and my boss has already earmarked me to be awarded 'partner'. For the time being I'm happy because my colleagues are so supportive and my surgery room is just lovely, looking out on fields instead of buildings. Oh - and I have an expresso machine to have coffee on tap. We doctors all have our petty foibles.

Fortunately my partner and I are working throughout the day now our builders and building project manager have commenced preparations, such as excavations to build a firm foundation, so mud everywhere. Our kids are being homeschooled with a trusted neighbour and her kids just a few doors away, so they won't suffer noise and dust etc. By the time we finish work, most of the builders will be gone and we'll be reunited with our kids. They are so lovely, and best of all don't complain.

Only when the builders begin cutting door holes in both our properties will we need to move away. In town is a pleasant place for tourists and we'll have rented an apartment during the major building and renos. By then, all our furniture will be covered with tarps, but our Tvs and audio will be packed away as dust would be damaging. Our buildings project manager and architect will keep us updated throughout. Nevertheless, home life will be difficult., but our kids look forward to dining out.

There is a dearth of doctors, but it's not alarming because new doctorsare being trained and we are taking them on. What is alarming is Brexit. We are concerned that vital medicines may be limited in months to come, but that is another topic for a fortnight ahead.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful support.

Rosie

My last job was preparing as well as we could for the medicines issue (my background is pharma). Nightmare. So difficult. Don't get me started on Brexit! I am a second generation immigrant and don't like the attitudes the whole thing's revealed in society. I know your build will be busy and stressful but it will be absolutely wonderful when it's finished! Your family and patients are lucky to have you. Blessings from another seaside town!

Thank you @littlecat

By the time I came home the builders had gone and tidied up after them, which was considerate. The hours we do will keep us away during their work hours and our children enjoyed their new home schooling place. Now it's time to get dinner!