Homes for crafters and makers

There's a bit of a loose connection between the properties I've picked to show you this week. That connection being sheds, or rather workshops. 
It was prompted by finding that one of Wreck's newest followers is someone with the tag 'Craft in Wood & Word', "dabbling in political noir fiction, primitive art & wood carving". Which sounded like a super cool combination. In our household, I'm definitely the word dabbler and hubby loves his wood.
Anyway, that got me thinking about the importance of outdoor spaces - the buildings and land extra to the house that deliver room for hobbies and creativity. Because often it's the possibilities of an old workshop or a painting shed that draws you to a wreck.
I'm going to start here, with this old-lady-gone cottage in the village of Ffostrasol (above and below), close to Llandysul, in Wales. It's not the prettiest of properties, and only two bedrooms, which may be why it's been sitting on my possibles list for much of the year. But this is a house built for fixing and making and growing - or for someone wanting to run a workshop business from home.
Detached, two rooms plus kitchen and a conservatory downstairs; two bedrooms plus bathroom upstairs.

To the front is a large off-road parking area with space for plenty of vehicles, and a large garden at the back. The main workshop is the converted former cow shed (asbestos?) but there are other sheds and buildings. Including something listed as a "detached bed sit" which is basically a plastic garden room, possible office. The workshop clearly hasn't been touched since the old chap left but he must have so loved it.
Despite all of the space and options, it's on the pricey side for west Wales at £245k but that's something you might talk to agents Morgan & Davies about. More on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
My next pick has more workshop possibilities than workshops (there's a big shed however). A large four bedroom semi with gardens to the rear and the sea to the front.

In the hamlet of Burnside, down from Craighouse on the island of Jura, this property is giving off abandoned holiday vibes. Two bedrooms have been squeezed into downstairs rooms (still leaving space for a large living/dining room and the kitchen) and two larger bedrooms plus the bathroom upstairs. You'll want to reconfigure that.

The A846 coastal road separates your house from the sea but not the gorgeous views and there's a drive to the side for off-road parking. The large shed is obviously not great but looks like it has power and you've got ample space to replace it with something solid and expandable. Also, think of the driftwood.
On the market through SBS at OIRO £185k. Details on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
Incidentally, I did originally have another property in Scotland to show you - one in the VERY popular Moray Coast village of Findhorn, a large end-terrace with a proper stone workshop and double garage just across the road. But I was like - how much??! (offers over £420k) and where's the pictures of said workshop and garage, plus the adjacent land and greenhouse mentioned? Honestly, some estate agents... #shrugsshoulders

Oxfordshire wrecks and projects

So, how this post came about is that one of my lovely readers sent me a link to a property they'd found, with the comment: "Yes! There really is a wreck left in... Oxfordshire!"
And the wreck Michca sent me was utterly splendid and, as she wrote: "It has loads of potential. I really hope that someone falls in love with it & does it up sympathetically." Amen to that. 
But obviously I also saw this as a bit of challenge because surely, surely, there are more wrecks to found in Oxfordshire? Plus, it was time I looked South again.
Anyway, I did find a couple of interesting ones to add into the mix but Michca's find is the star of this post. A six-bedroom detached house in the largish South Oxfordshire village of Benson, on the banks of the Thames.

Two reception rooms, a large kitchen plus a second kitchen/scullery downstairs, Four bedrooms plus a bathroom on the first floor, two further bedrooms in the loft. All good size rooms and plenty of space to add extra bathrooms or blend rooms.

Outside is a garden, gated drive, garage, and a brick workshop and store. Lots of space for all those tools and bags of plaster you're going to need.
There are mains services but the only potential heating comes from the Rayburn and the log burner you can see in the pictures.
It's clearly been empty a while (at least, I really hope it's been empty?) and is showing signs of roof/water damage. It is however surrounded by renovated and gussied-up neighbours and has the potential to be the grandest house on the street.
The Chestnuts is unlisted, which is a plus but not a reason to knock it down and replace it with one of those Grand Designs blackened-wood boxes.
On the market through Griffith & Partners with a guide price of £450k. Details and more pictures on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
My next pick is definitely not at the grandest house in the street end of the scale, it is however less than half the price of The Chestnuts.
A two-bedroom mid-terrace with a large garden in the pretty market town of Faringdon, around 17 miles from Oxford.

Downstairs is one open(-ish) living/dining/kitchen space, the main bedroom and bathroom on the first floor and another good size bedroom in the loft.

It's in a small row of similar houses, tucked away off the main street (and parking area) down a gated private path. The long garden is at the front and includes a greenhouse and garden buildings.

Lots of scope to create a very pretty cottage in a quiet area, but parking and access for trades and deliveries may be a bit of pain. 
On the market at offers over £180k via Waymark Property. More on the agent's website here and on Rightmove here.
My final property to show you is a bit of a curve ball. Less "wreck", more puzzle.

A former telephone exchange in the large village of Chinnor, close to the Chilterns. The property is one long, connected group of buildings, separated into rooms, with lovely open views.

It's clearly been lived in (and drunk in) but doesn't have planning permission for residential use - listed as "currently under commercial use". Perhaps telephone companies like staff to live on-site ...?
More concerning is the cash-only, offers over £300k price tag - pretty chunky given the lack of PP. Even if a standard detached home in Chinnor would cost double. 
On the market via Chancellors. Details and more pictures on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.

Two unfinished projects in beautiful locations

Apologies, bit of a busy holidays and parties and heavy DIY period going on over here so the 'weeks' (as in Wreck of the Week) are having to flex.  
Given we're also in that back to life, back to reality stage of the year, I also thought I'd concentrate today on unfinished projects under £200k.
I included an unfinished do-up in my Orkneys post a couple of weeks ago, but there does seem to be a lot more of these curtailed projects coming onto the market. A reflection, perhaps, of that point where grand design collides with family or budget realities. 
First up this property on the Isle of Skye's west coast. Big detached house sitting in half an acre of gorgeous lake views and countryside.
It sits partway up a hill, the main road tucked in behind and the views rolling down to the nearest town, Carbost, and Loch Harport.

That hill position may be part of the issue - there's some signs of water damage, but the layout may also be problematic for anyone looking for more than a one person/couple retreat. Three levels, each well-planned in terms of big open living, but just one bedroom and bathroom on the top floor. The rooms and the decking to the first floor living areas make the most of those views and, finished, this would be a pretty spectacular space to sip a whisky and watch the sun set.

There's still a fair bit of work to do and it's not clear why this is listed as unmortgageable. An unfinished project in itself can be mortgaged, particularly if there is a working kitchen and some services as seems to be the case here, but there is a reference to title deeds needing sorting and perhaps the build itself has yet to be signed off?
Anyway, this is 'Wreck of the Week' not 'New Build of the Week'; we feast on challenge (Grr. Argh).
On the market through Isle of Skye Estate Agency at offers over £190k. Details and more pictures on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.

My next pick is on Scotland's west coast, in the tucked away Highlands village of Glenelg scattered along the bay and with its own ferry to Skye.

This is a two-bedroom end terrace stripped back to its best bits and with good stuff added - windows replaced, new ones added, extra insulation etc. There's no bathroom yet (the plan is for that to be downstairs) and obviously no kitchen yet, walls and first fix to finish, and services aren't mentioned.

The garden is cute, pretty views and fairly established, and I like that the owner/developers planned in a reading room. My kind of vibe. It may not have the mountains and loch views of the first property I showed you, but Glenelg as a place has gorgeousness on every corner.

On the market through Isle of Skye agency at offers over £150k. More on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.

Oh my God, now I have an earworm. Passing it on...