My name is Drew, I have over a 600 years of Scottish family history in Inverness, i am dual Swiss and British national, 48, single and have no children...
I was born and raised in Switzerland, of a Brazilian Mother and a South African father, an architect, both of Scot or Irish blood.
Former rugby player, captain and coach ... got knocked on the head wayyy to many times...
As you can figure out, I am EXTREMELY attached to my highland roots and have recently decided to come home, after 3 generations.
I have worked since I was 16, hard, never been unemployed, I have travelled a little and speak a couple of languages... I wish to spend my retirement fund, my money, my work, I am a cook, on a piece of land on which to build the house I hope to die in...
I have travelled recently to Inverness and my soul found my little piece of Scotland...
My offer for the land has been accepted but for some weird reason, my solicitor in Inverness tells me the owner does not want a planning permission clause in the sale contract... funny isn’t it ...
Anyhow, We worked quite a bit over the Xmas break, my first in over 20 years, sketching our home...
I sent it to the architect I chose by despair, as he had had a previous project approved on this site, in the night of the 31st December to 1st of January ... guess how happy my partner was ...
Actually quite proud of our effort (my partner & I ...) even if I understand very very very well I cook and kannot design a house ??... even less a home ... I kleen and kook
Unfortunately, my first professional endeavour in what I like to call my country, has turned sour and the architect I chose in despair,
I do not like been taken for a £1'700.00 pound ride, which I do not enjoy.
I will have the decency not to share his name, and where he works, and will certainly not insult you buy showing you his "works"...
I am also Swiss and therefore very very very attached to recycling, especially building materials, but also respect of the environment and topography as well as history and location, and therefore DO NOT AND CANNOT EITHER UNDERSTAND OR ACCEPT that a professional tells me that :
... although re-use of building materials is a worthy objective, the technical requirements of building regulations demand levels of thermal insulation that second-hand windows cannot provide.
I would to find a real architect or two, that would have said :
Kool, let's try to find a solution...
As I do not have any direct family or close friends in the Inverness region (York is the closest), I find myself quite alone (despite my 187cm and 100kg ??) and would need help finding the right people to give me an honest helping hand and point me in the right direction. I will do the hard work, but please help me do the rightest thing possible first time around.
Would you know of a professional architect or two, who may have lost some of marbles along the way, are reasonable dreamers, solution finders and maybe modern environmentalists with original, traditional, artistic and aesthetic sense for building MY home, not his/hers ... ? And does not cost an arm and a leg as I will need them and I intend to work everyday on the site... and I have ... TIME ... and some money I have worked really really hard for ... not lottery or inheritance money ... did not steal... not yet anyhow... either...
I am happy to pay good money for good hard honest work... that is my Swiss upbringing...
But i am no millionaire, a cook but not a fool...
I will be in Inverness for 10 days at the end of January. I am planning to complete a pre-planning form for the council and trying to get a meeting with them in order to find out what the law will authorise me to build... is this a good idea ?
I only want to use stone, timber, slate and traditional methods... could this be an issue ?
Thinking you in advance for any advice you may give me.
May 2018 bring you peace, joy, happiness, serenity, health and success...
Thank you
Andrew
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