We have carried out a number of large construction projects in our spare time. When we met, ten years ago, I had a 22 square metre apartment in the centre of Stockholm. It was too small for me, Peter and his two sons on a half-time basis... For exactly the same money (or even a little less), we got 76 square metres in Sundbyberg. What did that apartment look like? Well, it was a former warehouse on the ground floor ...
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ShareThe only thing we kept was the load-bearing wall.
The apartment was designed as a corridor with neighbouring rooms in dark blue, dark green and red, the floors were covered with plastic mats and the 'kitchen' consisted of a small trinket. Large ventilation drums sat in the ceilings, which were covered with those little square tiles that you can lift off. If we kept anything? Yes, the load-bearing wall ...
Bloody tooth - another apartment
After this first construction, we were hooked. When a neighbouring apartment (in the same condition as ours) came up for sale, we bought, renovated for two months and sold. With the money we earned, we travelled first to China on the Trans-Siberian Railway and then to New Zealand. And then we bought and renovated an additional apartmentbut it didn't do as well financially. After that?
And then ... a houseboat in need of renovation
We were starting to feel quite tired actually and thought we had enough of heavy physical work in the evenings and weekends. We decided to buy a small (preferably newly built) apartment and start travelling. But what happened? Well, a houseboat was advertised and we couldn't resist. So now we are back at work again. But after this building project, that's enough ...
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BP says:
From castle to boat...
But I understand that you are getting tired of all the construction jobs. On the other hand, you are so good at it - one would think that building is your biggest hobby. So I wonder...
09 July 2014 - 10:49
Ditte says:
Yes, you have put in many hours of hard work, in addition to your regular jobs. Admirable! But maybe as you say; that "after this building it will be enough" ... Or maybe no more total renovations.
Fun and interesting to hear about how you really "worked your way" with different apartments and now the boat.
I think it's fantastic and so do many others.
09 July 2014 - 10:51
Lennart says:
Project enthusiasm fades over the years!
I feel complete now and prefer to enjoy myself in the campervan!
But....
If I hadn't built a house in the 70s, we wouldn't have such a nice motorhome today!
09 July 2014 - 11:34
MariaUlrika says:
Exactly my point. My house in Tortosa is a result of the same idea. Now I just have to try to transfer the knowledge from Swedish conditions to Spanish... It´s a challenge, but I am convinced that it will work. There are no alternatives.
And how nice you got it! 🙂
//Ulrika
http://casaourika.wordpress.com
09 July 2014 - 13:48
Ama de casa says:
Oh my goodness, you're really GOOD!
🙂
09 July 2014 - 15:39
Ama de casa says:
sv: How cruel to fine you in the car park... Somewhere in between Spain's non-existent car park guards and Sweden's overzealous ones would perhaps be appropriate....
🙂
09 July 2014 - 15:40
admin says:
BP, a lot of people are probably wondering... but I don't think there will be any more major construction... (If we come up with that idea, tell us not to, please!).
😉
Ditte, you are always so encouraging! Yes, we had never imagined that it would be a houseboat, but we are happy to jump on interesting things that happen...
😉
Lennart, we can recognise ourselves in that. The enthusiasm for the project is starting to wane, but just like you, if we hadn't built and worked, we wouldn't have what we have...
MariaUlrika, you have a really interesting project going on! What is different about Spanish conditions?
Ama de casa, thanks for the praise! Needed now that we are tired, haha. Can probably agree about the car parks, something in between could work. I think there must be parking rules, but here they are ridiculously zealous ...
09 July 2014 - 23:00