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Amazing, sounds like you’ve done a whole lot of planning for it and found an area that would tick all the boxes! Good luck in your search for the perfect spot! Feels like the kind of place a farmer may offer some old buildings they don’t us anymore for sale for you to renovate or something. Loads of good kit companies in Europe that you wouldn’t have to pay huge tax and fees on if they’re going to France which could be a good option if you find a good wee spot of land too. It’s probably different there with the climate, but I’m so glad we went for a new build rather than renovating as I feel it would have been a constant fight with old buildings to stop them being damp or cold.
Really excited to hear more about this as it progresses!!
We got cracking on again yesterday, 8mm ply nailed at 75mm centres (phew..) on the gable ends for rigidity. Then we started on the walls which are fermacell fire barrier board because of all the batteries and power electronics. Fitted all the full boards and started on corners yesterday and dad and I will do all the other bits today before they head off this afternoon.
We also fitted 18mm ply to the back wall for where all the inverters and batteries will be mounted.The joiner also finished the last run of cladding on the workshop!! Just needs to router a couple of the corners and then the flashings and solar panels should be going on on Monday which is pretty exciting, we’re getting close!!
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Creek_Tebsin
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Feels like the kind of place a farmer may offer some old buildings they don’t us anymore for sale for you to renovate or something.
Not to derail, but I'd look for somewhere with old farm buildings then put a new build on as the main accommodation. There are always plenty of old properties in France for sale due to the way inheritance is mandated and the fact that almost no young people want old houses.
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Amazing, sounds like you’ve done a whole lot of planning for it
Hehe. A lot of 'thinking about', not a huge amount of planning yet. It seems so far away, tbh, so at the moment I'm just compiling a list of 'stuff that needs to happen before I can even begin actual planning'. That said, I'm also thinking about stuff like how to treat rainwater to potentially use it in the beer, how I can treat the wastewater and what I could use it for and what I'm going to do with the spent grain/hops. In short, a bit scattergun at the moment.
hugo7
ketsbaia
Yep. Off to the Loire valley. Somewhere between Blois and Angers, but haven't worked out exactly where yet. Outskirts of Amboise or Saumur would be great, but I need to head out there for a proper recce.
Chosen for a few reasons. I worked there just after I finished school, it's not a million miles from my cousin, who lives in Brittany, and it's also not too far from some friends in the Vendée. I also want to age the beer I brew in wine barrels, of which there will be plenty in the region. And there should be plenty of farms from which to source ingredients locally (barley, fruit) - though I may have to grow my own hops. Plus it's not too far from Paris, meaning it'll be easy for the kids to visit via Eurostar/TGV.
I'll definitely bend your ear about energy generation/solutions once I'm out there and the build gets under way. Cheers for the offer of lived experience!