Thinking of buying a Narrowboat!

[Thief Of Navarre]

Well here I am.

The housing market is rediculous and I cant really afford to live where I was born so after a decade of saving for a mortgage i've decided to buy a liveaboard. Can anyone advise me about the practicalities and unforseen expenses of living on a boat? I've done alot of research and spoken to a couple of people but they appear very tight lipped about it all. I would just like to know what most of you think of as 'essential' for living aboard as comfortably and (hopefully) environmentaly friendly as possible!

 

~ Sam

[Laurie Booth]

How much does it cost to rent a studio flat in your area?

[Thief Of Navarre]

675pm roughly.

[Graham Davis]

Define "living comfortably" and "environmentaly"?

[Traveller]

Unlike a house a boat will not appreciate in value, it will depreciate. Be very careful and very sure of what you are doing. Eyes wide open and all that!

[Grace and Favour]

Welcome to the Forum.....

 

I'm sure you'll get loads of advice, but let me start the (sometimes contentious) discussion with the following:

 

Generally speaking, living on a boat is NOT cheaper than living in bricks.

 

All manner of things may be cheaper, and a whole load are dearer.

We sold up and moved on board five years ago.

Since then:

Our (ex) house has appreciated by about £50k

Our boat has depreciated by, say, £40k.

 

(The boat will continue to depreciate too!).

Our food, clothes, entertainment, public transport costs, life insurance (etc etc) still cost as much

Our heating costs, Council Tax, are lower.

The boat's maintenance costs are higher than the house's were.

[John Williamson 1955]

With my tongue sort of in my cheek. for every item you can think of, double the cost and time you expect it to take. Light bulbs. Under a quid in a house, well over a quid in the chandlers or caravan shop.

 

You will not own your mooring, unless you spend a lot of money and buy one for about half the average house price in any given area, so that bit's like renting a run down flat. You will have very few protections against rent rises or being turfed off your mooring without warning or being given a reason. A boat you can move onto and live on varies from the £8k I paid to £108k and upwards, especially if you buy a widebeam. The boat will almost certainly decrease in value in the medium and long terms, and will, inevitably, eventually, reach a point where it will cost you money to dispose of it.

 

Maintenance will cost more than you might think. It's just cost me over £300 to buy the materials to rewire the 240 volt supply on my boat, for instance. Blacking every 3 years is a grand or so a time for a longish boat in London, and so on.

 

If you like central heating and instant *hot* water, that will cost more to run than a wood fired stove in the corner of the saloon burning scrap wood and a bit of smokeless fuel. A large 3D TV will cost more to run than in a house if you don't have a mains hookup. On the otherhand, you don't need a massive TV on a boat, as you're looking at it from much closer.

 

We joke about boat meaning Bring Out Another Thousand, but in too many cases it does, often on very short notice. Sometimes 3 or 4 thousand.

 

Cheaper than a house in the same area? yes. Cheaper than a flat of the same floor area in the same area? Maybe, depending.

 

It's not that we're deliberately tight lipped about how much it costs to run a boat when you're living on it, there are too many variables and I'd guess that a lot of liveaboard boaters are scared to work out the full costs, but just keep paying the bills as they come in and wonder why there's always a bit of month left over at the end of the money, just like everyone else.

 

It's worth the grief and expense though. In my undervalued opinion, anyway.

[Thief Of Navarre]

Im looking at saving hundreds of thousands of pounds of interest on buying a house (and I like engines and boats which is a bonus).

Really not thinking of dying a rich man since I dont have any children to pass it on to. I know bricks and mortar is cheaper in the long run but ill be a broken old man before I can truly appreciate it. My question: Is it worth buying a boat to live on?

 

*edit* Thanks for the replies! @ John ~ It's nice to know why people are tight lipped, I thought it some trade secret rather than the fact that nothing is that easy in real life

 

Still lots to think on. I looking between oxford and newbury at the moment because I currently live in didcot if that helps!

Edited September 8, 2014 by Thief Of Navarre

[John Williamson 1955]

Im looking at saving hundreds of thousands of pounds of interest on buying a house (and I like engines and boats which is a bonus).

Really not thinking of dying a rich man since I dont have any children to pass it on to. I know bricks and mortar is cheaper in the long run but ill be a broken old man before I can truly appreciate it. My question: Is it worth buying a boat to live on?

Financially or emotionally? You're asking the question on a forum where the vast majority of people including myself will give resounding YES! to the latter question.

 

If you're not sure, hire a boat for a month or two in the depths of Winter, say just after Christmas when the depression usually sets in, and if you can enjoy that, then you may well be cut out for the waterborne life.

 

I'm a coward. I bought a boat to move on to, but managed to keep my house for a bit of income and a plan "b" for when I get too infirm to cope with life on the water, but I'm rapidly pushing towards my 60s, and suffering the sore ankles and stuff that sometimes comes with that.

[PhilR]

Im looking at saving hundreds of thousands of pounds of interest on buying a house (and I like engines and boats which is a bonus).

Really not thinking of dying a rich man since I dont have any children to pass it on to. I know bricks and mortar is cheaper in the long run but ill be a broken old man before I can truly appreciate it. My question: Is it worth buying a boat to live on?

 

*edit* Thanks for the replies! @ John ~ It's nice to know why people are tight lipped, I thought it some trade secret rather than the fact that nothing is that easy in real life

 

Still lots to think on. I looking between oxford and newbury at the moment because I currently live in didcot if that helps!

 

 

The important thing you haven't mentioned is whether you want to do some boating or are just seeking a cheaper housing option - it sounds like you might want to do the latter?

If you are intending saving *hundreds of thousands of pounds of interest on buying a house* you will be able to afford a really good residential mooring. I'm sure people can advise you of residential moorings in your chosen locality. Good luck.

[Thief Of Navarre]

 

 

The important thing you haven't mentioned is whether you want to do some boating or are just seeking a cheaper housing option - it sounds like you might want to do the latter?

If you are intending saving *hundreds of thousands of pounds of interest on buying a house* you will be able to afford a really good residential mooring. I'm sure people can advise you of residential moorings in your chosen locality. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the input; I intend to do some boating as well as having a home! For a reltively young man I am fascinated by england's waterways and it was 'probabaly' one of my deciding factors above having a static home as a cost effecitve means of shelter. I'm feeling the general swing is towards brick built home if its affordable!

[Southern Star]

I've just bought a boat after twenty years of wanting to, and 18 months or so of very serious research. Advice I was given over and over again was that you have to want to do it for its own sake and not simply as a cheap housing option.

 

Having said that' and having been caught up in the house price downturn of the early 1990's, I personally do not see house prices appreciating over the next 5-10 years. House prices seem to me to be in exactly the same bubble now, propped up by ZIRP and HTB etc. It seems inevitable that interest rates will rise soon and I see that as the trigger for sharply falling property values- the only question is whether the current government keep the plates spinning until next year's general election.

 

I'm looking forward to a life spent largely afloat, I'm not expecting it to be cheap though. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[John Williamson 1955]

 

Thanks for the input; I intend to do some boating as well as having a home! For a reltively young man I am fascinated by england's waterways and it was 'probabaly' one of my deciding factors above having a static home as a cost effecitve means of shelter. I'm feeling the general swing is towards brick built home if its affordable!

If the only reason you want to live on a boat is because it's cheaper than bricks, you're probably not the right person to do it. By all means take a holiday on the water, but to live here, you really, really need to want to do it for its own sake. Reading some of the posts on various Facebook groups, many people are only here because it's cheap, and they're the ones that constantly complain about stuff going wrong, having to move every fortnight and trying to get others to fix things for "liquid payment".

 

There are both types on my moorings, the narrowboat folk, some of whom have fat boats, but enjoy going out on a trip, and the floating portakabins, who can't go for a trip, and put up with the wet stuff for the sake of having a cheaper flat than if they were on land. I'm pretty certain us boating types are happier. Except for the dogs and cats, they're all happy...

[Laurie Booth]

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/details/18244130#MFGjpjpF35KtIPzE.97

It's cheaper to rent in your area.

[Traveller]

 

 

Having said that' and having been caught up in the house price downturn of the early 1990's, I personally do not see house prices appreciating over the next 5-10 years. House prices seem to me to be in exactly the same bubble now, propped up by ZIRP and HTB etc. It seems inevitable that interest rates will rise soon and I see that as the trigger for sharply falling property values- the only question is whether the current government keep the plates spinning until next year's general election.

 

 

Well our house has now recovered in value plus a bit and we live in leafy Norfolk. There is no way imo that house prices cannot rise - inflation will see to that if nothing else. Add to that the ever increasing population and supply and demand will kick in as well. Everybody has an opinion and must make up their own mind, but imho there is no way a boat will ever be an appreciating asset whilst a house will be by far the safest bet, even allowing for peaks and troughs. I agree houses should be considered in the long term.

Of course if you really want a watery life then there is only one way to go. That is a lifestyle choice I can understand.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Traveller

[Thief Of Navarre]

I appreciate for all the help. I must admit that im probably no closer to finding out what I want to do but I have alot more answers now! thanks guys and girls.

[Arthur Brown]

The simple answer is that there is no answer, which is why people are tight lipped. You must take on the suggestions and make up your own mind.

Houses appreciate, boats devalue.

You rarely have the right to live permanently at one spot, you must navigate the system. You don't own the place you moor you licence it from (usually) CaRT who can move you on or even evict you.

 

If you really want to moor long term than rent a flat, it will be cheaper. If you really want to cruise the system and can afford the time and money then get a boat it's a great life.

[Erin42]

If you want a simple outdoorsy life then it *might* be cheaper! I don't currenly have a TV, or washing machine, or anything really besides lights that would guzzle electricity. But on top of the general rule that you should double any costs you can think of, I would say you should probably double the time you think it might take you to do anything. Due to (several) unforseen circumstances it took me two days to do a trip to the pump-out station that should have taken me four hours. However, this is partly due to me being a shambles.

[sashastedman]

Hi

 

Please re-direct me to the appropriate thread (I have been searching but now just need to post something). I need to move my boat from today-Thursday from Fenny Stratford to Bates Boatyard (Aylesbury arm GU). Are there any helpers for the locks? Stoke Hammond Lock, Soulbury Locks, Leighton Lock, Grove Lock, Church Lock, Slapton Lock, Horton Lock, Ivinghoe Locks, Seabrook Locks, Marsworth Two Locks and then the 11 locks from Marsworth junction down to Puttenham.

 

That is a lot of locks :/

 

Hope to arrive at Fenny this afternoon. So realistically there will be no locks before tomorrow.

I've seen people kindly offer others before and I am having to do this bit of the journey on my own. (Thief, I am testament to it being hard work and a lot of money. It's not fun the idea of moving by myself but it needs to be done. Ultimately it's living on a boat by the end of it that I'm looking forward to).

 

Thanks very much

[Alan de Enfield]

SASHASTEDMAN -

 

You may be better posting this request in General Boating - sub-section "Crew" as a new thread.

[bottle]

As Alan, here is the link http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showforum=49&st=&sort_key=last_post&sort_by=Z-A just start a new topic, select towards the top on the right

[Athy]

it took me two days to do a trip to the pump-out station that should have taken me four hours. However, this is partly due to me being a shambles.

No, it is due to your adjusting to the pace and rhythm of waterways life.

 

Mrs. Athy knows that if I say I'm walking from our mooring to the sanny station (about 400 yards) to fill water bottles or empty the pp, it may take anything up to an hour to do the round trip. I set out with good intentions, but even before I've reached the back end of the boat I've stopped to chat to somebody who is gawping into my engine room. Then I meet another moorer on the towpath, catch up with news and views, make a fuss of his dog. During this conversation a boat passes emitting I've-got-an-old-engine noises. Cue pause in conversation to gawp at engine and ask its owner about it. Having passed the village shop and stopped for chat with the owner (who is outside sniffing the air for traces of money), finally reach sanny station where spend several minutes chatting to boater who is watering up there and asks about local moorings/ pubs/ bus services (comedian)/ boatyards.

 

Perform allotted task (one minute).

 

Walk back to boat, more or less same tempo and pauses as the outward journey.

Total time, about 45 minutes, but can stretch to an hour if boat with old engine is moored at the sanny station and I have time for a really good gawp, and to listen to owner's account of how it used to power a pump at the sewage works, of how he spent two years rebuilding it on the kitchen table, and of the ramifications of his divorce.

 

So, Erin, you're on the way to getting it right. next time, plan a week for return trip to sanny station and you'll be getting really into the swing.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Athy

[sashastedman]

thank you!