Livy and Harry have very kindly agreed to hand over the reigns of Gwalia to the next generation but they are on-hand to provide guidance, words of wisdom and let us know their opinions on the changes we plan to make. This is of course appreciated and is very much in the spirit of the lifestyle we’re trying to create – maybe not communal but certainly reciprocal. We will be living more as next door neighbours, rather than all under one roof, with a shared space at the centre of the house. In the early days the farm was purchased with another couple and so it feels like a tip of the hat to the original idea of how the Chandlers came to live here. This does mean however that the living accommodation is at the top of the project list. The house lends itself quite nicely to being split in two but a new kitchen and bathrooms are required. We’re all very used to having our own space and so the initial 6 months could test the boundaries of the new partnership whilst we’re all settling into this new reality.
Check out the gallery of all our house renovation work to date:
The accommodation also requires a good bit of modernisation and some TLC. The Welsh weather can be harsh, in particular the high rainfall which has left some parts of the house with problems of damp and mould. Exterior drainage issues, ivy on the walls, a leaky chimney, single glazing in the old part of the house, lack of heating throughout have all contributed to a big house in need of being properly lived in again. The heating and hot water are powered from one large wood burning stove in the centre of the house and topped up with solar energy. Plumbing and electrics need to be considered in the house split as well so there is a good bit of “skill development” required along the way as we are trying to do as much of the work as possible ourselves. We’re anxious to get on with building the business but the we’ve all agreed that we need to get the house sorted first.