My Country Cottage

Now I have the land at Glen Aplin, need a house for the land.

Before I bought the land, I researched moving a house to the land. Up on the northern side of Brisbane you will see there are companies that advertise Queenslander style home moving to your land. They have been around for a long time; I remember seeing them years gone by.

We all do our research online today this is how I discovered David Wright House Removalist.

Many of the houses are just the skeleton and are a complete rebuild. People moving a house to land normally look for the old-style country Queenslander homes. With my research I found house no 18 on their website. A 1950’s 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom open plan lounge, dining area, cottage with front veranda & bat wing doors. Kitchen has a new stove, cook top and dishwasher (they must have refurnished to sell)

When I looked online the house was still at Coorparoo in Brisbane and they did a video walk through to send to me.

Once the land was secure and new it was mine, my friend Janice came for a drive to Burpengary, North Brisbane to view the house with me. When we arrived, they offered us a bottle of water each and off we went to view the house no 18. It was about 1 hour later they called my mobile and asked, “have you left”, my reply I am still in looking at house no 18. I was making a BIG decision and investing my money into my future, so I had to know it was the right home for my country lifestyle.

It has been a 6-month project from buying the land, house and moved to the land. My plan was to have it for weekends and retire there in 7 years. With the current change in our lives with Covid19, and they affect it had on my Skin Studio, I decided it was time to close the business and leave for the country.

The list of what had to be done before the house is moved:

Soil test
Land surveyor
Fence boundaries of land
Transfer 3 lots into 1 lot
Electricity pole delivered and set up
Sewerage plans to council (this was done 3 times)
House plans to council (there is stage 1 & 2) of the house
Buy 3 water tanks 67,000 litres and delivered from Dalby
Get fences at back secure for Benji
The list does continue

Once house is on the land:

Walls and ceiling in the 3 bedrooms replaced
Re grout the bathroom tiles
Replace a few windows
Remove the paint from dining room windows
Front stairs built
House electricity connected and hoped not a full rewire
Sewerage done and connected to house
Plumbing connected to house
Paint interior of house (exterior is all good)
Tiled roof bedding and points done (does need a repaint later)
Cutting hope all is good (to be checked by plumber)

Council bond: When a house is moved to land there is a bond that is paid to council & refunded when house is all approved. Now this can be anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000, won’t share what mine was just it as a lot. Why does council have the bond payment? In the past many people moved a house and don’t complete the renovations or live in it without approval.

As I am a person is likes organisation, it has been a lot of fun and learning. As questions and they will be answered, and I become friends with many people at Southern Downs Council.

I look forward to sharing the before and after project with you. In 2022 take a drive to Glen Aplin and visit for a few days.

Self-love, self-care, and a little selfish mentor.

Debbie Majella

4 thoughts on “My Country Cottage”

Debbie 10/10/2021 at 2:55 pm

Great blog

Anne Delaney 03/07/2022 at 11:28 am

So happy for you Debbie, what a huge change you’ve made, it sounds like a wonderful adventure… enjoy every moment! I look forward to following your journey?

Ann McKellar 03/08/2022 at 6:46 am

Dear Debbie xxxooo,
What an exciting & amazing journey you have experienced. What you have endured is mind boggling. I can only imagine frustrations, excitement, not to mention the learning curves thrown at you from all departments. And yet, you have conquered them all with your endless supply of patience, dedication & tenacious capabilities. May I make mention of you endearing gracious manner, as well.
What you have achieved is truly inspirational & thank you for sharing. I totally understand your journey, as I have enjoyed my journey from the Gold Coast after 60 plus years! I’m now exceptionally ecstatic & love my new journey to tranquility & serenity on Bribie Island.
I ask myself why this has taken so long, when I look at my beautiful surroundings & my equally gorgeous community I now reside in. It was time to listen to our inner self & what we wanted & desired. Sounds selfish? Heck yeah! Leaving friends & family, assisting in my sons business etc was all pulling at heart strings. However I’m now living life MY way for a change. I feel so at peace with this undeniable contentment & harmony! Something we should all consider at this time of our lives. We have endured hard work, emotionally turmoil, disappointment, heartbreak, general highs & lows that life & family throw at us. When you sit down & consider this – it has a huge impacts on our physical & mental well-being! There just comes a time, to re-assess life & listen to our inner self. Be selfish, have fun, laugh, make new friends, enjoy new achievements & aspirations. It’s our time to shine now & I’m so pleased for you Debbie – for you to find your inner sanction & enjoy your fruits of you labor. Thankyou for taking me on your journey. I feel quiet privileged. Wishing you the very best in life, health & love ❤️.
Kindest regards
Ann

Ann McKellar 03/08/2022 at 6:46 am

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