Minimum Size For Apartments Reduced

MarkAnthony

On parking: Viking Harbour - D8, assigned parking with less spaces than apartments + 3 guest spaces. Never more than 70% full. My tenants didnt want the space and agreed a reduction in rent. It took me 3 months and 2 reductions in asking prices to get a single enquiry. I eventually let it for €50 per month as others were going in the area for similar money.

So if you need a parking space within easy walking distance of either the CCJ or four courts...

Muahahaha

kceire wrote: »

There was a consultation process about this months ago where they invited submissions. Many people actually agreed that smaller units would be feasible within the city centre limits.

Me, I'm in the fence.

I don't suppose you know where theres a link to the public consultation? I can't seem to see it on environ.ie then today the Info reported

In his rush to publish during this month, Mr Kelly omitted to provide for any prior public consultation and may be in breach of the Aarhus Convention, which states that governments "shall endeavour to provide opportunities for public participation in the preparation of policies relating to the environment including housing".
Clearly, there has been ample construction industry consultation, but that is only one side of the story. Build shoeboxes and nobody will buy them.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/bowing-to-the-building-lobby-will-backfire-on-minister-when-buyers-shun-shoeboxes-34323034.html

DoozerT6

Am I the only one who isn't crazy about the concept of communal laundry facilities in apartment blocks? I know it seems ideal, having a laundrette in the building and therefore extra space in the kitchen, but realistically, unless you stand over the machine while your clothes are washing or drying and take them out immediately, what's to stop someone else stealing your stuff, or damaging it if they're that way inclined? ....They could be in and out in a flash while you nipped upstairs to your apartment to get something, and I'm sure there's no laundry attendant to keep an eye on things...Not to mention not everyone likes others seeing their smalls. I know it works elsewhere, but I personally wouldn't be too keen on the idea.

White goods were included, including a washer/drier, when I bought my apartment, but washer/driers are sh!te in general, so I bought a separate condenser tumble drier, which sits in the corner of my dining area. The washing machine I can stand listening to, even through the spin cycle, but the drier is another matter. El Noise-o! I simply have to leave the room, so I only put it on when I'm going to bed or leaving the apartment (yes I know you're not meant to do that either, but there ya go.)

I think a much better idea (in an ideal world!) would be compact utility rooms in each apartment, enough room for a washing machine (with a drier stacked on top if desired), and room to store a folded ironing board and hoover, and coat-hooks on the back of the door

Marcusm

DoozerT6 wrote: »

Am I the only one who isn't crazy about the concept of communal laundry facilities in apartment blocks? I know it seems ideal, having a laundrette in the building and therefore extra space in the kitchen, but realistically, unless you stand over the machine while your clothes are washing or drying and take them out immediately, what's to stop someone else stealing your stuff, or damaging it if they're that way inclined? ....They could be in and out in a flash while you nipped upstairs to your apartment to get something, and I'm sure there's no laundry attendant to keep an eye on things...Not to mention not everyone likes others seeing their smalls. I know it works elsewhere, but I personally wouldn't be too keen on the idea.

White goods were included, including a washer/drier, when I bought my apartment, but washer/driers are sh!te in general, so I bought a separate condenser tumble drier, which sits in the corner of my dining area. The washing machine I can stand listening to, even through the spin cycle, but the drier is another matter. El Noise-o! I simply have to leave the room, so I only put it on when I'm going to bed or leaving the apartment (yes I know you're not meant to do that either, but there ya go.)

I think a much better idea (in an ideal world!) would be compact utility rooms in each apartment, enough room for a washing machine (with a drier stacked on top if desired), and room to store a folded ironing board and hoover, and coat-hooks on the back of the door

Culturally, I think it will be very difficult for Irish people to accept communal laundry rooms. Mini utility rooms have become more common in newer built flats. I have certainly experienced them in Kilmainham Sq, Gasworks and Bushy Park house developments. I think they can be an ideal way of dealing with both laundry and domestic cleaning equipment. In reality, not much more than a big cupboard. Anyone changing boiler over to a combi boiler could get rid of the hot press and convert it into a compact laundry - the pipe work would already be there (apart from the waste pipe).

DoozerT6

Yeah, my hot press would certainly be big enough for a machine, plus the hoover and ironing board stacked beside it...there would even be ample room for shelves over the washing machine, if you weren't stacking a drier on top. You would still hear the noise of course, (although I guess you could try and soundproof it if you were going to the bother of converting it), but not as much as if it was in the same room as you.

The only thing is, the hot press is useful for storage as it is....most of my clothes are in there, plus it's handy for bulky things like bath towels and sheets/duvet covers etc.

It's funny, watching American tv growing up I always thought it was weird to have to leave your apartment and go to a separate room in the same building to do your laundry - who wants to watch Mr Heckles from upstairs loading his dirty undies into a washing machine? :D

syklops

I cant even fit the hoover into my hotpress, never mind the washing machine.

I think the general theme of the last few posts is: we need more storage in apartments. Before I was living in this 2-bed apartment, I was in a 3-bedroom house in Westmeath paying half the amount in rent. We didn't even use the 3rd bedroom for storage that was a real spare room we could use for visitors. Trying to squeeze our stuff into the apartment was a real challenge. Its a daily challenge to be honest.

DoozerT6

syklops wrote: »

I cant even fit the hoover into my hotpress, never mind the washing machine.

Could you fit the hoover in if you got rid of the tank, ie converted it to a small utility space?

cerastes

a bit outside the idea of what most people are thinking, but having individual heating systems in each apartment is more than likely, more inefficient and an additional waste of a space that could be used for something else, ie storage/some appliance.

Apartment buildings would be much better off with, improved insulation, CHP/a building heating system that produces heat more efficiently and air supply/extraction systems, with integrated fire protection. Unfortunately this requires more input and concern over quality (but I think not considerably more), drying facilities could be integrated into the buildings as a building only laundrette or even as a local business using the CHP/any heat/power developed with significantly beneficial rates/priority for residents.

I think it requires thinking outside normal views such as making returns on square metres and more on creating a building with the quality of living considered by the residents, not simply boxes to exist in.

MarkAnthony

There's an 'eco town' being built outside Bicester in Oxfordshire where the entire estates heating is actually centrally generated. I have to agree that out of the box thinking is needed but I find the Irish more than most,very resistant to change,

syklops

DoozerT6 wrote: »

Could you fit the hoover in if you got rid of the tank, ie converted it to a small utility space?

Probably but Im only a tenant.

Mrs OBumble

DoozerT6 wrote: »

Am I the only one who isn't crazy about the concept of communal laundry facilities in apartment blocks? I know it seems ideal, having a laundrette in the building and therefore extra space in the kitchen, but realistically, unless you stand over the machine while your clothes are washing or drying and take them out immediately, what's to stop someone else stealing your stuff, or damaging it if they're that way inclined? ....They could be in and out in a flash while you nipped upstairs to your apartment to get something, and I'm sure there's no laundry attendant to keep an eye on things...Not to mention not everyone likes others seeing their smalls.

The reality is that people don't steal / damage your wet washing. And really no one cares what your undies look like - that's just being paranoid.

There are some social housing developments that have shared laundries. Tend to be a pain in the a*** because it's Mr Nobody's job to keep the place looked after, and to ensure that a service-person is called when needed, gets a good description of what's wrong and is let in. And even if one person calls, how do the others know that the call has been made, etc. And it's also a pain if everyone else wants to do their washing at the same time you do.