To hate people going on about how beautiful my house is

[DyslexicScientist]

When its absolutely freezing inside, costs a fortune to heat and its still not particularly warm or comfortable! This is for about half the year. I've done lots that I can do but it is listed.

I dream of building a modern but boring house. I've packed my suitcase and am staying in my friends modern house this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it.

Anyone else suffering in an old house and having to deal with people just commenting on how nice it looks despite bing very impractical?

Closing all your interior doors makes a huge difference to the temperature in each room I've discovered

YABU. If you want the look without the inconvenience, build something new that looks old.

You must at least provide photos of your beautiful cold house, including close-ups of the thermometer of course.

I grew up in an enormous house that was a listed building, the marble fireplace in my bedroom was so big we used to walk along it and then leap on to my bed and then bounce on to my sisters bed.

I had my own sitting room from about age 12. It was all very beautiful though shabby and freezing.

Would never choose to live in a large old house again.

It took us a year to adjust to our period house from the new build we lived in previously: no matter what we do, the ambient temperature here hovers around 16-17 degrees all year round.

I've now got to quite like it. We have wood burners or open fires in four rooms, we're working round the house installing heritage double glazing in all the windows, and for the rest it's knitwear and sheepskin onesies slipper boots. I find houses kept at 20 degrees stifling now, and just warn guests to bring extra layers when they visit

OP, the other trick (if you've not already done this) is curtains over doors. It's a game/changer and means you can light a fire in one room and keep it toasty even if your cup of tea ices over the moment you step beyond the curtain

YANBU OP

I hate it when people compliment me on my Ferrari Testa Rossa. It is so low slung that I've knackered my back getting in and out of it. The fuel bills are astronomical and you can scarcely fit a vintage Hermes Birkin in the boot.

I dream of owning a rusty Nissan Micra!

To hate people going on about how beautiful my house is

YABU for thinking the above is an obviously lighthearted thread. It's not.

Can we have some photos to have a look .

I love looking at other people's houses.

Compost>>>

see some photos

I grew up in a 200yr old stone house - not listed but still a money pit.
Difficult to heat and all the stuff that goes with that - unless you have an astronomical heating bill and that is just to keep from being freezing...never be toasty.
People rave about original sash windows - you spend a fortune to get them refurbished to stop them being draughty ...then you spent everyday mopping up condensation - or in winter scraping ice off the inside ....double glazing was invented for a reason ...and secondary glazing fine but ime never looks good from inside and just gives you double the amount of window that needs cleaning ...

Lovely tiled halls with massive ceilings are like walking through a fridge to get to another room - sanded floorboards - look lovely but unless you insulated underneath and meticulously fill in every gap are also freezing...fitted carpets were alos invented for a reason.
Everything is harder work and more expensive
Things like stone gutters - you have to get them relined every so often -it costs a fortune - all new plastic guttering is dirt cheap...
Lovely almost 2 ft thick stone walls meant even putting a tv aerial in was a battle (took my dad ages to manage to drill through the wall - even with an electric drill and to get a bit long enough -tbf modern sds drills would make it easier) And the walls inside (same thickness) block the WIFi signal - means you have to have boosters etc.
We had a bathroom leak - the plaster and lathe ceiling was damaged and that area had to be replaced - the mess created and time taken to cut out a section was unbelievable - plasterboard would have been easy ...

In the area I live now most of the houses are Victorian stone ones - they look lovely, have some lovely external features etc .... I avoided them and went for an ugly but moderner house...I want some where that is comfy and easy to maintain.
I think it is like a car - classic cars are nice if you have the money and time and get pleasure with faffing with it - but if you just want something that will get you from A to B easily and reliably you want a modern run-around...

ComposHatComesBack

I have an old Skoda if you are interested? It has Ambience, you can upcycle it or some shit and your sloaney mates will just love it Darling. *Kisses air.

We have just put solid wall insulation in and it's wonderful. Way more expensive than cavity but already paying for itself in energy costs.

Foil behind your radiators perhaps?

Lined curtains.

Draught excluders.

Quick bath or shower in the middle of the day.

My house is very draughty even though it was built in the sixties. I sometimes resort to baking or making rice puddings as an excuse to turn on the oven!

Get a stove - you'll love it.

Perhaps they think because you chose to like in an old and impractical house (assuming it doesn't come with your job) that you value character, space, garden size above comfort?

Or maybe they are just looking for a briht side whilst they shiver?

Finding it hard to feel sympathy tbh - the country is full of 2 and 3 bed semis where you can be walm - but you may sacrifice both charcter and space.

*Seriously, the OP should tape a sign to her bay window:

'THINK before you comment. What is beautiful to you may cause others great hardship. I can't get a Habitat three seater in here. Please show some sensitivity'.*

Perfect.

My last house was a Victorian terrace. I loved it but it was a bugger to heat. You had to keep the heating on constantly. I switched the gas fire in the lounge to a woodburner on the advice of the gas safety test chap. He said most of the energy went up the chimney with the pretty gas fire I had.

I must admit, switching to a woodburner in the depths of winter was far better, warmed the house up faster and although wood was around £200 more than my gas bill was it was well worth it because it threw out so much heat It warmed up the living room, the hallway and my bedroom above.

I now live in a 1950s semi. Cavity walls, recently tripled glazed and last Sept I chucked another layer of loft insulation in. It still gets cold in here but it warms up much faster. The concrete floors downstairs are my biggest nightmare. Doesn't matter how warm the house is the floors are always very cold. I have to pile rugs on them in the winter. In summer its a dream to lie on them

Stealth boast of the month . Large and draughty period home so beautiful everybody mentions it (how very common to notice one's surrounds). Is it Blenheim Palace?

Wizard

Haha at going outside to find it warmer than inside. I know that too well, at the moment for a change its warmer inside.

Agree with the woodburners, iv got one and my lounge is nice. I'm tempted to sleep on the sofa bed if it stays this cold. Could do with three more wood burners...

An incandescent dehumidifier has also made it a bit nicer, on constantly for a a day and sucks out most of the excess moisture.

"God, your house is a freezing shitheap! Can't think why you live here.."

Better?

In face why DO you live there?

I suspect none of us who live in so-called 'beautiful' Listed houses are going get any sympathy here.

However, I do always tell people that say how beautiful my house is they are free to buy it from me if they wish. Sick and tired of it. I would live in a 'beautiful' modern house tomorrow.

In fact, me and DW are planning to go into a sheltered accommodation flat as soon as the kids leave home which is just 5 years away and I will be 58. People are aghast when I say that but really a sheltered flat is just a warm, dry, secure place to live I don't have to bother looking after. Sounds fantastic!

Wizzard I've posted about a cold house, a filling, a bull and the Madonna this week. I'm as civilian as they come I'm afraid.