måndag 30 januari 2012

Visiting the Factory in Latvia


Modern houses are not built on-site – they are built in factories. Actually our house is built in Kalnciems, Jelgavas Rajons, Latvia. Haven’t heard of it ? Well check it out - that’s what we did.

End of July Ulf and Ivars (head of WWL) hosted a 2 day trip to Latvia where we (Anahi, Jade, my father and me) where able to see the factory and how walls and furniture’s where produced on top modern machines (This region gets the highest EU subsidies – so thanks to every EU citizens for your contribution !)
After the inspection that included a lot of questions from my father. . . we could head towards the beautiful beaches in Jurmala. We did not have the best weather but the place was a super nice. Thanks Uffe !

 
Back in Riga we could prepare for a overwhelming dinner together with Ulf and Ivars.
The next day we got a tour in the WWL Riga office where a number of project managers and architects works on the different projects. My father recognized a name on one of the drawings hanging on the wall. A known of him from Gjövik area was a customer and then even my father could feel comfort. . . . . 
We sent him home and Anahi, Jade and myself enjoyed one more day in beautiful Riga.
By Anders

Drawing a house

The house has technically been drawn from the eminent and carefully listening architect Peo Oskarsson, BUT before Peo came into the picture the house already existed in the head of . . . Anahi. She is the one who had a clear vision and she is the one who has directed the architect. Thanks also to our good friend Tine who is an interior designer, who ball planked with us under the process, and also came up whit good solutions for the final drawings.

Peo Oskarsson - vår arkitekt
By Anders

Buying a property



So after this very long sales process we could do what is more fun – we could take our equity and . . . buy. . . Over the last 3 years I think we have spent at least 20 weekends searching around different locations, and neighbourhood in the Stockholm area. Twice we have been very close buying in Rönninge (south of Sthlm). Spring 2010 we came over the property which half year later was ours.  Destination is Värmdö, sea view (at least from second floor we hope) a small beach 100 m down the road and a reservation at the pier for the boat we hopefully one day can afford. . .We where home ! – now the adventure could start. . .




By Anders


Selling an old house



People tell us how much stress and worries there is building a new house. Well it might be, but what is much worse is selling an old one. We moved into our house in Malarhöjden December 2002. An early 19th century house got hours for 3.1 mill SEK. The job began immediately and after 8 years with yearly renovations the house was ready to be sold. We decided us April 2010. We spent the summer for final renovations,
Then one month cleaning an throwing, before the final styling, then photo session (house shall look perfect!) and finally putting it out there – FOR SALE – then we where end of September . . .

One young couple fell in love with the house. The girl - a lawyer – did her homework and finalizing the contract took even one more month. Phu. . .we could move on. . .so we thought. Only one week after they took over the house in February 2011 they could sense some kind of odor coming from the bathroom. 4 round of tube-analyze specialists, 40’ SEK and 5 months later we could shake hands with the new owners now hoping everything would stay good – 15 months did it take. . . 














By Anders and Anahi

The journey


Its all about the journey – of course it will be great to see our house ready but the fun part is building – to see OUR house come from drawings to real – day by day - step by step – its simply going to cool . . .

So this blog is first of all a way for Anahi and me to document what we optimistically believe will be a unique lifetime experience. If you also can find this blog and our house journey inspiring – well then that’s great too. . .

By Anders