u/TheCrowInPink

Hi everyone! Hope Monday is treating all of you well :)

Husband, doggo and I will be soon moving into our new, 1930s built home. I was wondering if there are any tips, pieces of advice or things you wish you’d learned earlier than you did about sustainable living?

We would definitely appreciate specifically the construction and renovation tips most!

Here are a few things we already do/will start doing:

• We are both plant based.
• We compost.
• We will start our own veggie garden (there is a dedicated space in the existing garden, including two greenhouses).
• There is a rainwater collection system already installed in the house.
• We will be preserving food, which wasn’t possible in a flat.
• Vendors are leaving most of the furniture for us, the rest will be sourced second hand with the exception of the white goods.
• We are on the journey of completely moving away from big tech - our phones are with Ecotalk and email domains with Tuta/Ecoweb Hosting, we source our tech refurbished.
• We don’t support fast fashion.
• The house will have to be insulated after we treat the bricks for moisture and install more ventilation.

Things we are looking into:

• Having a borehole drilled - any insight and advice will be greatly appreciated!
• Solar panels - when loft insulation and roof maintanance is done.
• We will be getting a heat pump… But for now we are stuck in catch 22 with loft plastic tanks that need getting rid of, old boiler, pipes that need replacing, and the only space where HP could be put being the garage, which in a few years time will be changed into an extension.
• Working with a garden company to design a garden that’s sustainable, wildlife-friendly, and possibly have a natural plounge pool/water feature.
• Working out if it would be possible to create a natural basement/pantry in the garden.
• Looking for some smaller solar batteries and into wind power.

Please give me your opinions! ☺️💚

Hi everyone! Hope Monday is treating all of you well :)

Husband, doggo and I will be soon moving into our new, 1930s built home. I was wondering if there are any tips, pieces of advice or things you wish you’d learned earlier than you did about sustainable living?

We would definitely appreciate specifically the construction and renovation tips most!

Here are a few things we already do/will start doing:

• We are both plant based.
• We compost.
• We will start our own veggie garden (there is a dedicated space in the existing garden, including two greenhouses).
• There is a rainwater collection system already installed in the house.
• We will be preserving food, which wasn’t possible in a flat.
• Vendors are leaving most of the furniture for us, the rest will be sourced second hand with the exception of the white goods.
• We are on the journey of completely moving away from big tech - our phones are with Ecotalk and email domains with Tuta/Ecoweb Hosting, we source our tech refurbished.
• We don’t support fast fashion.
• The house will have to be insulated after we treat the bricks for moisture and install more ventilation.

Things we are looking into:

• Having a borehole drilled - any insight and advice will be greatly appreciated!
• Solar panels - when loft insulation and roof maintanance is done.
• We will be getting a heat pump… But for now we are stuck in catch 22 with loft plastic tanks that need getting rid of, old boiler, pipes that need replacing, and the only space where HP could be put being the garage, which in a few years time will be changed into an extension.
• Working with a garden company to design a garden that’s sustainable, wildlife-friendly, and possibly have a natural plounge pool/water feature.
• Working out if it would be possible to create a natural basement/pantry in the garden.
• Looking for some smaller solar batteries and into wind power.

Please give me your opinions! ☺️💚

About to go insane and will be super grateful for advice.

Husband and I are buying our first house together, 1930s detached build.

It currently has a combined boiler with old, plastic water tanks in the loft. Our level 3 survey highlighted that in red as a high risk for bacteria.

I have a severe autoimmune disease and husband has asthma. We cannot afford any health risk.

We know we will want to install a heat pump but…

The only space in the house where this could be done is the garage, which will be turned into an extension in a few years time.

We also need to treat mortar (moisture) and insulate the house).

What is going to end up being cheaper and more manageable? Getting rid of the water tanks and installing a new boiler for the time being, which we were quoted £5k for? Or installing a heat pump (and applying for the grant) but then having to move it while the extension is being built, and then move it back into the extension?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

About to go insane and will be super grateful for advice.

Husband and I are buying our first house together, 1930s detached build.

It currently has a combined boiler with old, plastic water tanks in the loft. Our level 3 survey highlighted that in red as a high risk for bacteria.

I have a severe autoimmune disease and husband has asthma. We cannot afford any health risk.

We know we will want to install a heat pump but…

The only space in the house where this could be done is the garage, which will be turned into an extension in a few years time.

We also need to treat mortar (moisture) and insulate the house to ensure efficient energy usage.

What is going to end up being cheaper and more manageable? Getting rid of the water tanks and installing a new boiler for the time being, which we were quoted £5k for? Or installing a heat pump (and applying for the grant) but then having to move it while the extension is being built, and then move it back into the extension?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

About to go insane and will be super grateful for advice.

Husband and I are buying our first house together, 1930s detached build.

It currently has a combined boiler with old, plastic water tanks in the loft. Our level 3 survey highlighted that in red as a high risk for bacteria.

I have a severe autoimmune disease and husband has asthma. We cannot afford any health risk.

We know we will want to install a heat pump but…

The only space in the house where this could be done is the garage, which will be turned into an extension in a few years time.

We also need to treat mortar (moisture) and insulate the house).

What is going to end up being cheaper and more manageable? Getting rid of the water tanks and installing a new boiler for the time being, which we were quoted £5k for? Or installing a heat pump (and applying for the grant) but then having to move it while the extension is being built, and then move it back into the extension?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

About to go insane and will be super grateful for advice.

Husband and I are buying our first house together, 1930s detached build.

It currently has a combined boiler with old, plastic water tanks in the loft. Our level 3 survey highlighted that in red as a high risk for bacteria.

I have a severe autoimmune disease and husband has asthma. We cannot afford any health risk.

We know we will want to install a heat pump but…

The only space in the house where this could be done is the garage, which will be turned into an extension in a few years time.

We also need to treat mortar (moisture) and insulate the house).

What is going to end up being cheaper and more manageable? Getting rid of the water tanks and installing a new boiler for the time being, which we were quoted £5k for? Or installing a heat pump (and applying for the grant) but then having to move it while the extension is being built, and then move it back into the extension?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Hey everyone. I hope you are all keeping safe and flares avoid you as much as possible.

My beautiful spouse (he/they) was diagnosed with EM. Before that, they were told by doctors that his symptoms are Raynaud’s and anxiety. Because of my own history of misdiagnosis and medical mistreatment, they finally sought and found help from a doctor who knew what their stuff and cared about patients.

Now. I love them, I hate seeing them in pain. I know they feel the same with my lupus and CTD, and they’re always so supportive and caring, but we experience different symptoms. We are open in communication, but he is still learning it is okay to speak about his pain, ask for accommodations, self-advocate.

Are there any things your loved ones, especially partners, do that you find helpful and/or comforting? Is there anything you wish they did? Wish they did not do something?

Please do let me know in comments. I want to support him the best I can.

What I do now:

• Convinced him to try compression socks and gloves, they do help.

• Convinced him to use a walking stick, which massively helped with maintaining balance and alleviating pain.

• Minimise walking and manual works.

• Got mechanical massagers: hand glove, foot massager, my brother got us a massage gun.

• We try to maintain a healthy diet, we are both plant based and eat a ton of vegetables. He does not drink, nor smoke.

• I’m developing a gentle, pilate-focused exercise programme. We are also moving soon to an area with a swimming centre with a health programme for people with disabilities, developed for individual needs, that includes swimming.

• I advocate for him and help him find resources.

Any suggestions are very welcome.