Reply to: Recession Row

[Bob Dalek]

All the craze now are coachhouses. This is a flat above a set of garages as far as I can tell.

Having rented just such a place, I can reveal that the noise from all one's neighbours' cars DOES, in fact, reverberate through the entire building and each morning, when the early birds warm-up their cars in winter, with clouds of exhaust filling the relatively static courtyard, one is within a lungful, or two, of carbon monoxide poisoning. Never again.

[DimPrawn]

I love the way they reinvented the 'townhouse' so they could squeeze a 3/4 bed onto a 2 bed plot, I just don't understand why people buy these when they could get a larger and better built house in an established area for the same money.

All the craze now are coachhouses. This is a flat above a set of garages as far as I can tell.

[gingerjedi]

I love the way they reinvented the 'townhouse' so they could squeeze a 3/4 bed onto a 2 bed plot, I just don't understand why people buy these when they could get a larger and better built house in an established area for the same money.

[expat]

I guess you're right but I don't understand why a new 3 bed cost the same or in some cases more than my house when mine was built in the 20's on a hill with nice views as opposed to a former landfill on a flood plane, did they really pay top dollar for these sites?

Yes. And then some, if they had to clean it up. Government policy is to force building on brownfield sites, to
a) get developers to clean up environmental mess
b) keep houses off greenbelt so that we don't think the place is overcrowded, because it's going to have to get a lot more crowded with their cunning plan to cover future pension liability
c) make new houses expensive so as to avoid undercutting present house prices, our only source of (the feeling of) wealth. And a source of government income.

[gingerjedi]

It's the land cost. They need to sell that at a high price as they paid a fortune for the land. And then the huge bribes to get the planning through.

I guess you're right but I don't understand why a new 3 bed cost the same or in some cases more than my house when mine was built in the 20's on a hill with nice views as opposed to a former landfill on a flood plane, did they really pay top dollar for these sites?

[OwlHoot]

Actually, yes. You need to look at the real rate of inflation, not the government bollox. IIRC raw building materials have risen at an even higher rate for a good few years now.

Absolutely, and over the last 10 years the Government have introduced new taxes like the Aggregate Levy. (I'm sure there are lots more, but can't think of any offhand.)

Also, planning enquiries for an estate like that cost a fortune these days, and so does all the work required for laying in amenities such as roads, water, gas, electricity, sewage etc.

Edit: If it was a brownfield site, they'd also have had to pay to demolish and possibly decontaminate the previous occupation and landscape the area.

[DimPrawn]

10 years ago you could have bought a new 3 bed semi for an average of £60k, how come they can’t knock em’ out at a profit now? Just because house prices are significantly higher surely the cost of actually putting the thing up hasn’t changed to the same degree?

It's the land cost. They need to sell that at a high price as they paid a fortune for the land. And then the huge bribes to get the planning through.

[DimPrawn]

I do wish the DAily Mail covered this story - I want to know what the houses are worth......

Daily Mail solution to recession:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...s-holiday.html

[Purple Dalek]

10 years ago you could have bought a new 3 bed semi for an average of £60k, how come they can’t knock em’ out at a profit now? Just because house prices are significantly higher surely the cost of actually putting the thing up hasn’t changed to the same degree?

Actually, yes. You need to look at the real rate of inflation, not the government bollox. IIRC raw building materials have risen at an even higher rate for a good few years now.

[BrilloPad]

10 years ago you could have bought a new 3 bed semi for an average of £60k, how come they can’t knock em’ out at a profit now? Just because house prices are significantly higher surely the cost of actually putting the thing up hasn’t changed to the same degree?

Does anyone want them at any price?

[gingerjedi]

10 years ago you could have bought a new 3 bed semi for an average of £60k, how come they can’t knock em’ out at a profit now? Just because house prices are significantly higher surely the cost of actually putting the thing up hasn’t changed to the same degree?

[BrilloPad]

I do wish the DAily Mail covered this story - I want to know what the houses are worth......

[Sockpuppet]

http://www.insidearburypark.org.uk/R...3/Default.aspx

[Platypus]

Here you go

Wow I didn't know Cambridge was THAT bad !

[Clippy]

Wot no pics?

Here you go