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- Last updated: Tuesday, 2 October
- Adoos Reference: 886377
- Location:
Berkshire
Description
We have been resident since 1985. The original house was built in 1935 and was virtually destroyed by fire (except the four external walls) in January 1987, and was rebuilt and reoccupied Feb. 1988. The new house was a good deal larger, (approx. twice as large as the original house). The construction is of brick with all internal walls (except en-suite bathroom) built with brick or Thermalite blocks. Great effort was made during building to have a well insulated house, which used the solid building techniques of the 1930’s combined with the better modern material and new building methods. For example sand and cement plastering was used to give solid walls (good sound insulation) rather than dry lining. The cavities were filled with Rockwool from the inside before the plastering was done, the floor had 2” of expanded polystyrene laid down after the floor screed was laid, followed by the hardwood (beech) flooring. Six inch moulded skirting board and moulded architrave was fitted. The Windows are aluminium double glazed units in mahogany hardwood frames (Varnished mahogany window boards internally). They are glazed with low emissivity glass (Low e glass gives a much higher insulating effect). The windows to the front of the property are diamond pattern leaded lights. A water softener has been installed since the house was rebuilt; therefore there should be no or very little fur build up in any of the plumbing. There are photos of the building in progress, if anyone would like to see them. ENTRANCE PORCH: (6’0” x 6’10”) (1.81m x 2.03m) Fully enclosed porch, affording protection and insulation for the main entrance to the house. Floor area is tiled with cream Italian style tiles. Access from the front drive via glazed main door (Georgian wired glass - lockable), access to the garage via 2hr. fire door (lockable), and access to the house via stained glass/ half glazed front door (five lever mortise lock). Trap door to garage loft area. There is also an emergency light with an integral battery which will supply light in the case of a power cut. HALL: (See floor plan for dimensions) ‘L’ shaped room, beech hardwood flooring, walls - decorated with light green emulsioned feather relief wallpaper, ceiling - white emulsioned relief wallpaper. Plain white coving all round. Staircase leads to the upstairs, consists of varnished hemlock turned balustrade, newel-posts etc. Two radiators keep the hall nice and warm. Two double 13amp sockets, the master switch for the electric towel rail in the cloak room, light switches to control drive lamppost, light at the gate, front flood lights, external porch light and internal porch light. Telephone socket and master control switch for heated towel rail in cloakroom. Control pad for setting the burglar alarm. STUDY: (11’6”x 10’1” ) ( 3.50m x 3.07m) Basically square room ideally suited as study (away from noise centre of the house) but could easily be used as playroom/ bedroom. Beech hardwood flooring. Decoration emulsion finish, white ceiling and cove, magnolia walls. three double 13amp sockets, T.V. aerial socket, double telephone sockets (two phone lines at present) and speaker sockets to connect to Hi-Fi in sitting room. There is also a wired network cable that runs up to Bedroom 5 (because our children had their computers up there). The router that I have at present also supplies a wireless network, and reception is good all over the house, so the solid wall offer no restriction to a wireless network. At present we use a 2Mb ISP which is fast enough for us, but you can get a faster connection if required. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. SITTING ROOM: (25’4”x 17’8”) ( 7.72m x 5.38m) - largest dimensions An L shaped room entered via Georgian glazed double doors, the space allows for two separate sitting areas if required (One to watch TV the other area to read / listen to music etc. There is an excellent multi fuel fire that can be used with the doors open or closed. Brick fireplace with Welsh slate hearth and mantle shelf, when it warms up a lot of hot air comes through the air vents (there is the option to bring fresh heated air direct from out side).We have used it for log burning as there is a plentiful supply from the garden (probably more than 3 years worth already stored). Beech hardwood flooring, Decoration embossed wall paper with a white and pale brown finish, ceiling has embossed wall paper with white emulsion finish and cove. Six double 13amp sockets, T.V. aerial socket, and speaker sockets to connect Hi-Fi to speakers in Study, Dining Room, Kitchen and points in the Sitting Room. Five wall lights, 2 ceiling fans and lights controlled by dimmer switch and two picture lights .Two radiators controlled by thermostatic radiator valves. Light switches to control security lights in back garden (also controlled from the kitchen). This room stays nice a warm in the Winter and is the coolest room in the house in the Summer, even on the hottest days it remain nice and cool, so there is very little need use the two room fans. Nice bright outlook onto the garden through large four panel patio doors, that opens directly onto the Bar-b-que area making it ideal for entertaining in the summer. CLOAK/SHOWER-ROOM: (7’11”x 6’8”) (2.41m x 1.84m) - largest dimensions Useful little room for the obvious reasons! However it has a useful store cupboard, that extends to the ceiling, and a shower cubicle (convenient if you want a shower after working outside). The toilet suite consists of ceramic toilet, basin and shower tray in ‘champagne’, and the décor is jasmine emulsioned walls with white coved ceiling, walls behind toilet and basin are tiled to ½ height and shower cubicle tiled to ceiling in light tan tiles with occasional picture tiles. Flooring is light brown marble effect vinyl flooring. The shower unit is a thermostatically controlled Aqualisa, operated on the low pressure gravity feed, giving a powerful spray of water (unlike the electrically heated ones – and no pump to go wrong). Electrically heated towel rail means the towels can stay warm and dry in the summer when the heating is off. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. DINING-ROOM: (13’0”x 11’7”) (3.97m x 3.52m) A rectangular room of the above dimensions decorated with a Magnolia emulsioned walls, white emulsioned and coved ceiling. A relatively cozy dinning room that will easily seat 8, but has the added advantage if you want to entertain a large number the adjoining double doors are on Parliament hinges (so they can be folded right back against the wall), and you can then put a large table into both rooms. Beech hardwood flooring. 3 double 13amp sockets, 4 wall and one pendant light controlled by dimmer switch. Speaker sockets to connect to Hi-Fi in sitting room. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve SMALL SITTING ROOM: (13’3”x 11’0”) (4.04m x 3.36m) A rectangular room of the above dimensions decorated with a Magnolia emulsioned walls, white emulsioned and coved ceiling. A cozy convenient sitting room if you don’t want to use the large sitting room. It could obviously be left as a large dining room through the adjoining doors of the Dinning Room if preferred. Beech hardwood flooring. three double 13amp sockets, 2 picture lights and one pendant light controlled by dimmer switch. TV aerial socket. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. One of the cordless phones used to control the front gate operation is normally situated here (as it is a good location so you can have a look and see who wants to come in) KITCHEN: (17’4”x 13’6”) (5.26m x 4.11m) - largest dimensions The kitchen was recently fitted (2003), there is a large amount of storage space in the units, especially the large larder unit in the corner, it is nice and bright kitchen with dual aspect. Being a very spacious kitchen it is ideally suited to take a dinning table around which 6 can eat with ease still leaving room to work in the kitchen. The unit door finish is a clean flush (easy clean) light beech wood effect, the work tops are a dark green mottled effect laminate, with the exception of the small work surface to the left of the cooker which is black granite (ideal for putting hot items on without doing any damage). The walls are emulsioned painted in a light green, and the ceilings are coved and painted white. The splash backs are tiled in a grey pattern. The flooring is a tiled effect vinyl floor covering renewed in April 06.Flying shelves fitted with low voltage down lighters are fitted above both windows and two main florescent lights are fitted centrally in the ceiling. The hood over the cooker ducts stale air directly outside. Ample power points round the work surfaces and for kitchen appliances consisting 6 Double and 2 single sockets, cooker master switch, a telephone point and a TV aerial outlet. The existing dishwasher was still working well when the kitchen was fitted so that is slotted in place (white finish) I do have the matching door panel and handle to fit a new dishwasher when this one gives up. The fridge is a large unit about 5 feet high and matches the rest of the units. You get an excellent view down the garden, be it to watch the children, dogs etc or just to admire the view. The back door is a hardwood stable door which allows you to open the top half but keep the bottom half closed, to keep dogs/children etc. in the garden or inside but have the extra ventilation (nice in the summer). 2 Radiators controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. UTILITY ROOM: (7’11”x 4’10”) (2.41m x 1.44m) Small but very useful, fitted with a nice deep white ceramic Belfast (Butler’s) sink, with good storage area consisting of shelves. Plumbing for washing machine, there is room for a tumble dryer on top of the washing machine, but we fitted a cat flap in the fan light of the window, so neighbour’s cats would not come in but out cat would. At the other end of the room to the washing machine, we have a full height fridge freezer and full height freezer. The room has two double power sockets, a single ceiling light and a small thermostatically controlled radiator. Décor white emulsion throughout. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. LANDING & AIRING CUPBD: (25’7”x 5’3”) (7.80m x 1.60m) - largest dimensions The stairwell is surrounded by varnished hemlock turned balustrade, newel-posts etc. The décor is the same as that for the hall, light green emulsioned feather relief wallpaper, ceiling - white emulsioned relief wallpaper The second of the cordless phones used to control the front gate operation is normally situated here (So if someone calls early in the morning or late at night when you tend to have the loops switched off, you can let them in) There are 2 Double sockets and the master switch for the electric towel rail in the main bathroom. By the Main bathroom there is the airing cupboard this is approx. 2’ (0.82m) square and contains the hotwater tank. This is larger than the normal tank and can easily cope with 3 hot baths. It does have its own immersion heater (for emergencies) controlled by a timer with the master switch in the kitchen, (e.g. If the boiler failed, or you ran out of oil). All of the main valves for the control of the water/central heating can be found in here. Good size shelves to air clothes above the hot water tank. Next to the airing cupboard is the controller for the upstairs heating circuit. The boiler energy manager also sits here but it looks after itself. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. BEDROOM 1 & EN-SUITE: (17’6”x 17’0”) (5.30m x 5.17m) - largest dimensions Large double bedroom with plenty of room for a king size double bed and dressing table. The best part of 20feet of wardrobe space, giving a dressing area between two of the Wardrobes. Décor is embossed slightly pink foliage/fleur de lyse pattern on the walls with embossed white wallpaper on the ceiling painted white. All wardrobes have integral lighting. There are 3 double sockets and a single for the TV point, a TV aerial outlet, a second controller for the Burglar alarm system (with an integral panic button) and a telephone connection. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. The ensuite bathroom has dimensions of (8’1”x 6’2”)(2.46m x 1.88m) the suite consists of light grey/blue ceramic toilet and basin and pressed steel bath. There is a thermostatically controlled Aqualisa shower, operated on the low pressure gravity feed, giving a powerful spray of water; there is also an electrically heated towel rail in addition to the radiator, for when the heating is off. Over the basin is a mirror and shaving light with shaving socket. Tiled in grey/blue tiles to ceiling around the bath/shower and to ½ height around the rest of the bathroom. Flooring a marbled grey/blue vinyl. Useful mirrored medicine cabinet. BEDROOM 2: (17’11”x 9’8”) (5.46m x 2.94m) This room in quite long and at the moment has a double bed and a settee (double) put you up, so it could take two double beds if wanted, or have a good deal of spare space. Large built in wardrobe again with integral light. 3 double sockets, TV aerial outlet, telephone socket. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. BEDROOM 3: (12’4”x 7’8”) (3.76m x 2.33m) This is the smallest of the bedrooms and is really considered a single room. It would however take a double but it wouldn’t leave much room for other furniture. At present it has a single bed, dressing table, 2 chest of drawers and a bedside table. Built in wardrobe again with integral light. 2 double sockets. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. BEDROOM 4: (12’0”x 11’10”) (3.66m x 3.60m) A good size double bedroom, and a large built in wardrobe again with integral light. 4 double sockets, TV aerial outlet, telephone socket, radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve BEDROOM 5: (13’5”x 11’1”) (4.10m x 3.37m) Again a good size double bedroom, this room does not have a built in wardrobe as it is/has been used as a study playroom. 4 double sockets, TV aerial outlet. Wired network cable connection from the study. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve MAIN BATHROOM: (7’11”x 7’11”) (2.41m x 2.41m) largest dimensions The suite consists of light grey/blue ceramic toilet and basin and pressed steel bath. There is a thermostatically controlled Aqualisa shower, operated on the low pressure gravity feed water system, giving a powerful spray of water; there is also an electrically heated towel rail in addition to the radiator, for when the heating is off. Over the basin is a mirror and shaving light with shaving socket. Radiator controlled by thermostatic radiator valve. Tiled in light brown tiles to ceiling around the bath/shower and to ½ height around the rest of the bathroom. Flooring a marbled light brown vinyl. Useful mirrored medicine cabinet. LOFT: Very spacious loft is accessed via loft ladder & trap door on the landing. The loft runs throughout the roof space. As the roof is a cut roof rather than a trussed roof, the useable area extends to where the rafters become too low. If a loft conversion was required there would be room for at least a further four good size rooms. The Loft is partially boarded throughout the centre of the house (L shape) with dimensions of the ‘ L’ approx.(35’0’’ x 18’0”) (10.70m x 2.80m) and width of ( 9’2”) (2.80m). The loft is insulated with 8” of fiberglass, and the plasterboard above the rooms below is ¾” foil backed giving excellent insulation. In the loft there are two large water tanks to feed the low pressure water system, these are raised on a platform to give good pressure to the showers in the bathrooms. A light switch by the trap door operates the lights, and there are two single sockets and 1 double. The amplifier for the TV sockets (to allow multiple TVs from one aerial) around the house is also up here WORKSHOP&BOILER HOUSE: (17’8”x 13’0”) (5.40m x 3.94m) Access from rear of the property via twin wooden garage doors, metal casement window to the front of the property and fluorescent lighting give excellent light to work in. There is a very comprehensive set of shelves and cabinets giving lots of storage for tools etc. 3 double sockets, and a telephone connection. A transformer is fitted, that gives 110volt socket to allow, 110v site tools or American appliances to be operated .There is a stainless steel sink with both hot and cold running water. There is access to a small loft space, this is insulated with fibre glass, so even though there is no direct heating, warmth from the boiler house and hot pipes maintains the workshop at a pleasant temperature in the winter. GARAGE: (20’1”x 18’3”) (6.11m x 5.56m) Access from the drive is via twin brown aluminium roll doors, these are electrically operated remote controlled doors. Two metal casement windows give good light into the garage. 2 double sockets and one single. A cold tap for car cleaning. Old kitchen units give extra storage, there is also a wooden frame in the ceiling (they were for previous garage doors) that makes an excellent storage area for ladders planks etc. They can obviously be removed if more room is required. The main consumer unit is housed here (where the circuit breakers for the power and lighting circuits are),over the consumer unit is an emergency light with an integral battery which will supply light in the case of a power cut. There is a door that gives access to the porch, allowing you to drive into the garage (using the remote control) and then into the house without getting wet when its raining. LOGSTORE: (11’2”x 4’7”) (3.40m x 1.40m) Useful storage area, for example garden furniture barbecue etc. This area contains the consumer unit for power supply to the back garden and patio area, protected by RCD for safety. It also contains vent for tumble drier (we kept the tumble drier here as the window we would have used in the utility room was used for the cat flap.)Has a double socket GARDEN: The garden is obviously large, but it is quite low maintenance. Cutting the grass takes approx. 2 ½ hours, but I use a 21” rotary lawn mower on most of the grass, and a cylinder mower on the croquet/putting green. If I had a ride on mower I am sure this would be reduced to an hour and a half. The hedges take 2 days to cut once a year, a lot of the neighbours have gardeners, but I enjoy the exercise doing the garden myself. Front: The front drive is block paved with parking for four cars plus, a drive lamp half way along the drive illuminates the drive at night. The front of the property is bounded by a holly hedge, which is separated by a large shrub border. A large lawn is bounded by a beech hedge on one side rhododendrons, standard roses, bush roses and azaleas. On the right-hand side there is a shed which I use to keep a trailer in (this makes it very accessible, and keeps it clean). Next to the trailer shed is the oil tank, this holds enough oil to heat the house and water for about a year. There is a side gate that gives access to the rear garden, at present it is only wide enough to take a wheelbarrow, if however a wider access is required the hedge could be cut down and replaced with a fence, this would give an access of minimum width of 8ft or 2.40m Rear: The rear garden is separated into 4 main areas, the first lawn area is mainly used as a football pitch, play area, dog run in other words an activity lawn, at the bottom of this is an area there is an area of mixed woodland (4 oak, 1 large 3small rowan, 3 sweet chestnuts, 1yew, 1 young horse chestnut and numerous silver birch trees). In this wooded area there is a 6’x8’ wooden shed I use for garden equipment. It has power and light. Also in the area is a tree house (that is actually on four legs – because there was not suitable tree) this is insulated and has power with sockets, light and a bar heater so it can be used all year round. These two areas if you have dogs is a great area for them to run around in. Further to the rear you gain access to the croquet/putting lawn through a gate to an area surrounded by 6’ chain link fence (this was originally erected to keep the deer away from the vegetables when it was a large productive vegetable plot). There are a selection of apple trees and a Victoria plum tree. A large cedar wood shed that I used to use for my bee keeping equipment, it is just used for storage at present. The croquet/putting lawn is a compromise as it not perfectly flat for croquet, but very adequate. It does have some undulations to make putting a little more challenging. The grass is a very fine strain and allows for close cutting, required for the above uses. The more course grass outside the putting area allows for chipping practice. Further towards the bottom of the garden you go through a further gate (that can be locked to prevent any access from the fields). This area is used for bonfires, compost heap, and in the summer the children used it as a camping area (feeling far enough away from home, but close enough if they wanted anything). There is a hosepipe that runs along the hedges (both front and rear) so water can be supplied to all areas. PATIO AREA & KENNEL: This area is concreted and allows for two areas for patio furniture, one outside the kitchen, where we often erect a gazebo in the summer. On the patio is a fully working well, which is very useful when there is a hosepipe ban, as with a submersible pump all the garden can be supplied with water. There is also what I can only describe as a flower stand that is used for hanging baskets. It used to be a netball ring but was converted when it was not used anymore. The other main area of patio is the walled area that is surrounded by seating, there is a power socket and lighting, and a bar-b-que area with chimney, we have never used this for cooking as we have tended to use a mobile gas bar-b-que. All the hanging baskets are supplied with an automatic watering system supplied from the green house. As part of the walled area is a doghouse (4’6”x6’6”) (2.00mx1.35m) this is heated and gives dogs shelter in the winter. If you don’t have dogs it can easily be converted to a wendy house. Behind the walled area is an insulated wooden shed that has power sockets and lights, and a good selection of shelves. Next to the shed are two heated coldframes. Next to these is a 6’x8’ green house that is partially glazed with double skinned polycarbonate sheets to maintain the heat, and reduce heating costs. The greenhouse has light, power, heating and mains water. SECURITY: The front of the property is bounded by a tall holly hedge and the sides by 8 foot beech hedging. Access to the front of the house is via the electrically remote controlled gates, along a block paved drive lit at night by a lamppost half way up the drive and flood and bulkhead lights on the gate pillars (controlled by light sensor and timer). As the house is approached a motion detector controls the two flood lights, one up the drive, and one over the hard standing. A further sensor controls the lights along the side path to the back garden. Access to the rear garden from the front is via a wrought iron gate (lockable) and a side walkway along side the workshop. The rear garden is completely fenced off, and is fenced into three parts, the part nearest the house has 8 foot beech hedging on either side and with the gate at the front is dog /child proof, then you get to the Putting/croquet Green & fruit area, this area is fenced with 6 foot chainlink fencing ( to prevent the deer getting in), as before the putting green was laid down the area was used as a vegetable garden .The gate from here to the bottom of the garden by the field can be locked shut if required preventing any access from the bottom of the garden. Two flood lights light up the back garden and are controlled by motion detectors covering the back of the house. The side walkway also has a courtesy light controlled by motion detector. There are also two flood lights on the tree house controlled by motion sensor. This gives good light if you are working in the garden shed area All doors to the house are 5 lever mortise locks, with the front door having an additional Yale deadbolt latchlock and security chain. All the windows are double glazed with the opening casements having double latches (top & bottom) and are lockable. The house is fitted with a burglar alarm, which was fitted (21.5.91) and is maintained by an ex Constant Security engineer, because they were bought out by ADT (for an annual fee at present, of £57 inc.VAT) The system is flexible and allows for different rooms or zones to be switched out of circuit. I am not giving full details of the system, as it rather defeats the object of going into print about a security system but if you have any questions regarding the system please ask. CENTRAL HEATING & INSULATION: The system is fired by a Trianco 20/25 pressure jet oil fired boiler (68-85,000 Btu/h) housed in its own boiler room and controlled by a Danfoss BEM 4000 (boiler energy manager), this supplies two independent heating circuits upstairs & downstairs, both with their own program controller. This pumped heating & hot water system supplies radiators in each room, individually controlled by thermostatically controlled radiator valves. The pumped hot water system allows the hot water to be controlled independently of the heating. When the house was rebuilt, great efforts were made to insulate it very well, the loft has 8ins. of fibre glass insulation, the walls are insulated with Rockwool and the inside skin of the external walls used Thermalite blocks, on top of the floor screed is 2in. expanded polystyrene on which the beech hardwood floors were laid. The windows are aluminium double glazed units, with a thermal break and glazed with Low ‘E’ glass (which has the thermal efficiency of triple glazing). One of the advantages of this is that the house stays warm after the period of heat in the morning. I have all the instruction booklets for things like boiler, controllers, pump, thermostats etc. The following figures are somewhat out of date, but it was a table I constructed to keep a track on oil consumption, the latest oil price was 32.95p per litre so the prices quoted are approx 3-4 times the figures below. To give you an idea of the cost of heating the house and supplying the hot water, the oil orders for the years 88-94 is shown below. 21.3.94 680litres £ 83.64 @12.30p per litre 24.1.94 2159litres £265.56 @12.30p per litre 11.3.93 2300litres £328.90 @14.30p per litre 27.4.92 2200litres £314.60 @14.30p per litre 20.8.91 2300litres £328.90 @14.30p per litre 02.5.90 2358litres £337.19 @14.30p per litre 12.4.89 2301litres £274.96 @11.95p per litre 14.9.88 2500litres £247.50 @ 9.90p per litre (i.e.) for a full years heating and hot water we consume on average 2,900 litres of oil @ 14.30p per litre (the most expensive oil has been) that would cost £414.70 at the latest price @ 12.30 it would be £356.70 We also keep the house at quite a high temp 22°C or 74°F downstairs with upstairs several degrees cooler. Maintenance and oil supply is done by Rawlings Fuels (01256) 761612 When the system was installed great efforts were made to ensure the system was flushed first with Furnox flushing liquid, and then when the system was filled Furnox inhibitor/lubricant was used. The benefit of this can be seen when a radiator is removed for decoration, the liquid out of the radiator is a clear (with a green tinge from the Furnox) colour with no evidence of corrosion (Black Sludge).