Posted 08/03/2021
Tags Earl Kendrick | Alterations | Surveying | building surveying | building surveyor | Cotswolds
Having spent much of 2020 in lockdown of one kind or another, millions of us have got quite used to working from home. Some of us are asking ourselves whether we really need to go back to the office, even once the vaccination programme has made it much safer. A few have taken that thought one step further. If we’re not going to be heading into the office every day, do we really need to live in the same city, especially one as expensive as London? Or, when it comes down to it, do we have to live in a city at all?
Judging from the popularity of newspaper features about people moving to the country in an exodus from Britain’s cities, and London in particular, it seems many of us are fantasising about rural life, and substantial numbers are actually taking the plunge. EK Cotswolds – our very own country bolt hole – shares an office with a local estate agent and they confirm that business is booming.
Even those not in a position to move can dream. And they can take to Rightmove and Zoopla to drool over beautiful big homes with sprawling gardens for the price of a relatively modest terraced house in London. Of course, that’s still far from cheap. This is a phenomenon very much at the upper end of the market. But for those seriously pondering making the move, even if as a distant ambition rather than an immediate priority, there are a few things to consider that might not be immediately obvious.
Katie Thilthorpe, the director of EK Cotswolds, made her own move from London some 12 years ago, living first on the south coast before settling with her family in a lovely Cotswolds market town. She has no regrets, though if you miss the train from a smaller country station, you can be in for a long wait. It’s not like the Tube out there! Moreover, the fact that tiny village stations often boast massive car parks is a reminder that country dwellers are much more dependent on their cars for day-to-day getting around. Again, no regular buses like in the city.
It’s also worth thinking about what kinds of facilities you take for granted in the city that might not be so readily available. Although internet access might be just as good, it’s always worth checking. And of course the more remote you are, the fewer opportunities for basic human contact. Katie was glad to have access to medical and other support in local towns when she had her first baby; that’s not a time when most of us value splendid isolation – it can be lonely out there! So it’s important to think about all your and your family’s needs and how you’ll meet them in a more rural setting.
None of this is to dampen anyone’s excitement at the prospect of a new life in the country. EK Cotswolds provides a range of architectural and design services for renovations, remodelling and house extensions, and we’ve worked for some very happy new home owners. More space means more scope for redeveloping and customising your property. Home offices are of course especially popular with professionals fleeing the city, with private gyms, cinemas and even bars being popular additions too! And this being the country, you can even start with an old barn and convert the whole thing from scratch.
Another plus is that home ownership in the country usually means freehold – as rare as urban hen’s teeth in London – which means you don’t have to worry about licence to alter. Nevertheless, you do have to think about planning permission, building regulations and frequently listed building consent due to the number of historic buildings in the area. This is also something that the EK Cotswolds office are able to assist with. Bear in mind that listed buildings typically come with at least as many restrictions as any leasehold, so if heritage is your thing, you may have to be that bit more conservative with your plans.
For many, the thought of moving to the country will never be more than a pleasant daydream, but for increasing numbers, that dream is becoming a reality. If you’re thinking about making the move, we’re on hand with professional advice to help ensure it’s an equally pleasant reality.
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