there's no address - the road has no name.....
it's not even a road...it seems like it's in
the middle of nowhere....
it's not even a road...it seems like it's in
the middle of nowhere....
Click on photos below to enlarge
2015 - May
2016 - April - May - June
Insulation - Trying something new
I was lucky to purchase thick deep foam boards from a local builders merchants that had been destined to be thrown away due to water staining, all in as new condition but due to the stains would not be re saleable.. I would use these cut down to fit snug in-between the wood inner frame of the Shed both in the walls and beams of the ceiling.
I also purchased a large roll of bubble wrap silver one side reflective foil with the idea that I wood cover all the inner walls with the silver foil facing outwards so that it would reflect the outside heat rays from the sun...then inner boards fixed on top of the bubble wrap...painting the wood boards white to finish. This was a great move as during many summer weeks when temperatures peaked 38c the Shed stayed cool, but more so during the night and early mornings when the Olive Shed felt like an ice box. The fact that the wood, unlike concrete, doesn't hold the daily heat and the silver foil worked together to keep the interior cool...... 2017 - June - July
2018 - February
2018 - April - June
2019 - March - April
2020 - April - Covid-19 Cancels Flight
Splash Pool - Trail and error project
After arriving on Crete on the 21st of July after having to cancel 4 flights due to Covid-19 I got straight into planning what I would do over the next few weeks, not knowing how long my trip would last. I had to clear the land from old wood, re work the wood that had been the base for the old decking so instead of making more fences from the reclaimed wood I decided to carry out a splash pool for two project. I used reclaimed wood for the base of the splash pool which would then be filled with broken up breeze blocks, filled with ready mixed concrete prior to laying thick lengths of wood that would make the base of the slash pool with 18mm marine ply onto of the base and sides that would be the flat level surface that I would tile on. I had never made a splash pool before, but then again I had never built a wooden cabin alone. No one would be peering over my shoulder as while building The Olive Shed, so I was confident that any mistakes made along the way could easily be rectified without someones knowledge of my mistake....which as time went on there were a few. This project would be one that took me 9 weeks in stages coming back to it while planting, carrying out interior painting, roof painting, tiling the shower and tiling the floor in the bathroom. It was a case of don't rush this project as I was also prone to getting annoyed when I did something wrong and for me the best thing was always go do something else and come back to it with a clear fresh head. Flight was booked into Chania for April 18th, I would after recovering from my knee replacement in the later December 2019 embark on about 3 weeks of selling my furniture, I had planned to start selling the last week of March and two weeks into April. On past sales the sales would raise around £2000 which would be enough to get the final jobs carried out on the shed, an estimate spend of around £1200 which would cover the cost of tiles to finish the shower, paint for both the decking and roof, electrical wiring for the outdoor areas and general landscaping, re stoning the back and front area and more trees to the bee hive side and plants for the pots for the decking. I was so looking forward to returning and completing a task that started five years ago.
But Caronavirus struck and slowly slowly everything started to shut down with Greece announcing that the borders were closed to visitors the last week of March. Uncertain of when they would re open the Ryanair flight for April 18th was cancelled and I was able to re book on the next planned available flight, May 9th. Fingers are all crossed so that the flight goes as planned and I am able to feed my soul on the island of Crete after a period of nearly 9 months of heartache, my mother being ill, being in hospital, taken to a home, passing away, a funeral, a knee replacement and then the covid-19 eating into not being able to raise finances and the plans to complete my project. But there are people who will loose their jobs and will struggle paying the heavy bills we have to endure in the UK. It was for this reason why I wanted to build an off-the-grid home, it would cost me maximum around 200 euros a year to run, as long as I had food I could live here with very little overheads....Its one of the reasons this type of living amongst nature and off the grid has become so popular over the past 6 years. Many people have become self sufficient and no longer a slave to banks and the rat race that is taking over so many people.... Record Breaking Rain and Wind Storms
February - March 2019 February 2019 and record breaking rain fall and winds swept through the western area of Crete, destroying bridges, roads and coastal resorts. My anxious return to Crete at the end of March was to expect some storm damage to the Olive Shed, it was a relief to see zero damage to the Olive Shed, including zero water leaks into the interior considering the amount of non-stop rainfall over the past two months.
The only problem I faced was getting close enough to the Shed by car due to the water logged secluded roads leading up to the Shed. It would be 4 weeks before the off road roads would be dry enough for me to drive directly onto the olive grove. Water connections to the off grid water heater was completed and the Olive Shed was finally a home in its own right, power, lighting and now hot water on tap, fed by the irrigation water supply that at most would cost around 40 euros per year for the supply. Built to harmoniously connect to its natural environment. The Cost of Living the dream
The cost to buy the land, the cost of materials, hauling reclaimed materials from England to Crete and the cost of living on Crete while self building the Olive Shed is split into three sections.
The biggest saving by far was labour costs, I paid out only £900 to cover the cost of flying two friends to help me erect the wall frames and ply board roof for 5 days back in the spring of 2015 and to have 3 doors made (spring 2016) by a local carpenter as I did not have the necessary equipment to produce the front 3 doors. The remaining build 90% was carried out by myself with only the use of power tools during 2018, prior to that all boards for the outside, inside and all interior furniture was cut using a saw completely by hand, most of the boards were nailed and screwed using a power driver donated by my son Max, I guess Max wanted his old man to get this build completed sooner than later so that he could enjoy it... Cost of Land, Materials, Solar equipment etc 24000.00 Overland hauling of reclaimed wood and glass from England to Crete 1800.00 Living costs, food, airline tickets, accommodation and car rental 16000.00 To fund this build would be through the purchase of two containers of garden furniture and selling it in England over 3 months every year. Returning for 4 to 8 weeks at a time to continue the build. No doubt the living cost could have been greatly reduced by around 9000.00 if a lump sum was available to invest into the project and to carry out the build over 10 months back to back in one year, but finances would not make this possible and banks would not finance such a life changing plan. This build, once completed would keep yearly running costs to a minimum due to its off grid set up. Water costs averaging out to 45 euros per year, the gas bottle refills for the year around 90 euros and the power from the sun completely free, except for the cost of replacing the light bulbs, around 30 euros per year. You hear people say there isn't such a thing as good luck, well in my experience there is when it comes to bad luck, but good luck isn't just made by ones self, you hear but believe me sometimes you need good luck, to help things along and in my case, helping a neighbour with many things around her house over a number of years with just a glass of wine or a cup of tea with Joan was my luck. Joan an interesting recluse, some called her a witch would be my luck. One year later after her passing from cancer she had decided to leave me 12500.00 in her will, with this no flashy car, holidays etc was my desire, but to buy a piece of land on Crete to just pitch a tent up and enjoy the wilderness, the sun, the beach, the food and be friending the lovely Cretans that live on this beautiful island. 10500.00 of her generous gift would be used to purchase the land, with the remaining amount towards hiring a van to haul my tools, reclaimed wood and glass over to Crete. I purchased the olive grove without seeing it in person and my adventure began, and Joan will always be in my heart. Planting and Fencing With the replacement of the original reclaimed wood decking with treated boards, the remnants of the old boards were used for fence panels at the front and side of the olive shed. Broken by hand into various lengths the fence in between the olive trees took on a staggered look and privacy that works well in this natural surroundings. Lemon trees and further yucca plants were planted to the side and rear of the Olive Shed, I plan to plant further trees and glasses on my return in the spring of 2020 to complete the landscaping. Trial by error regarding the choice of plants purchased over the past few years has shown what type of plant is best knowing it will thrive hen I am away for months on end..
Bees and Beehives
Arriving to the Olive Shed in February 2018 and being welcomed by 90 beehives sitting close to the left of the Olive Shed. The land to the side had for the past 3 years been completely covered by bramble that had overgrown throughout the area of 2000+ square metres. The land had been on my radar to buy, but various enquiries drew a blank regarding contacting the owner of this land. I was not sure if the land had been sold to the bee keepers and they had cleared the land of the bramble, or was it the owner who had placed the bee hives so close to the Olive Shed. There was a lot of old boys shaking their heads in dis belief that someone would place 90 bee hives so close to my land and the Olive Shed, as the general law is no bee hives within 1000 meters of a dwelling, these were just 10 meters away. Fast forward 4 months and on my second visit to Crete of that year there was 2 signs, written in Greek together with a telephone number, attached to my fence and also close to one of the beehives. On getting them translated it turned out that someone had alerted the land owner of the beehives and that the land had been cleared of the brambles and the owner was asking via his sign that the owner of the beehives should make contact to explain the situation. I took one of the signs to Elizabeth, my agent, and she contacted the owner direct. |
The Olive Shed is located on the island of Crete.
Placed among a grove of olive trees, Its location is high above 1000s of olive and orange trees that slope away into the valley on all four sides of the the plot. So secluded but yet just a ten minute drive to the local beach and 25 minutes to the wonderful town of Chania. Stunning views of the white mountains to the south and the sea to the north make this hill top secluded holiday home a special place. Openings are incorporated into the deck structure to accommodate the existing olive trees that surround the build on all sides. The goal to design and build a low cost holiday home and writers retreat. The build The build should be of very low impact on the landscape, it would be kept to a low budget, with 60% to 75% of the materials for the build and interior furniture being reclaimed Its subsequent maintenance should be kept to a minimum. No machinery was used when constructing this build. With 85% of cuts and fixing performed by hand. One level, with a sloping roof, and built completely out of wood, the texture and color will be in harmony with the surrounding trees, and with large narrow panes of glass to enable full integration with the landscape and, in turn, reflecting it. Shadows of the olive trees reflected on all sides of the build. The complementary functions (double shower, outdoor shower, storage and water tank) will be gathered in a vertical wood prism tower. The solar panels placed on the top of the tower will be the only source of power via a battery bank to the Olive Shed with a self composting toilet completing this total eco build. Build Schedule The building took 11 months in total but over a period of 4 years, due to financial restraints and the need to return to England to sell furniture to finance the on-going build together with living costs and car rental while on Crete. 2015 - May - 4 weeks 2015 - September - October - 5 weeks 2016 - April - May 4 weeks 2016 - June - July - 5 weeks 2016 - September - October - 4 weeks 2016 - November - December - 4 weeks 2017 - June - July - 5 weeks 2017 - October - November - 4 weeks 2018 - February - 3 weeks 2018 - April - June - 6 weeks 2018 - September - November - 5 weeks 2019 - April - May - 4 weeks 2019 - September - October - 4 weeks 2020 - April - Covid-19 4 Flights Cancelled 2020 - July - October - 12 weeks 2021 - March - May - 5 weeks 2021 - June - July - 4 weeks 2021 - July - August - 5 weeks 2015 - September October
2016 -
September - October - November Interiors
To break off from the Shed build I would take on the task of building my own furniture, collecting an array of well seasoned reclaimed wood I would clean the timbers up, hand sanding many before cutting to size, slapping on some paint before re sanding to achieve the look Ive become known for in past projects....then finishing the look through applying coats of beeswax and then polishing. I made doors, a double bed, the wardrobe, using reclaimed thrown away shutters, the kitchen units, the sofa prior to hand upholstering, units to house my record and dvd collection, a writers table and so on.....this continued my task to complete this build with as much reclaimed wood as possible, which today stands at around 90% of interior fittings. 2017 - October - November 2018 - September - November
Car Rental 2015-2018
I have for the past 4 years rented a car, which was a necessity in both getting to the olive grove and transporting over 75% of the timber, concrete etc from the builders merchants some 2 miles away. The increasing cost of the car rental, 4600.00 euros to date, was an expense I had to eliminate now the build was coming to its completion. So on the 20th of March 2019 I drove from the UK in a 2004 VW Touran which I had purchased on eBay in January for £1250.00, the same car and spec on the island of Crete would cost around 5000.00 euros, yes second hand cars are expensive on the island. I would at some point in the near future have to register this car to obtain Greek plates at a cost of around 1800.00 euros. 2019 - September - October
Rats and complete rebuilding of decking.
September 2019 Coming back at the end of September to continue work on the Olive Shed was an eye opener. I knew I had a problem with a rat getting in through a small opening back in May of 2018, some poison and a few changes to the area where the rat entered and the problem was solved, or so I thought. I had returned and stayed in the Shed that same year some 6 months later and all was fine, no droppings no sign of non paying airbnbers. On my return to the Shed in March April 2019 all again seemed peaceful, no intruders. But on my return at the end of September 2019 and opening the doors for the first time on my return I was shocked to find a total destruction of space on entering through the doors, an hour or two later more destruction in both rooms and the bathroom. It was an upsetting day for me, with tears....one word came to mind...ransacked...I guess nature was there before I decided to turn up so a task of stripping back exterior boards and filling every single gap with wire wool, expanding foam, metal in some areas (to a minimum) and then re fitting exterior with new thicker wood in all running corner and upright joins. Also stripping back exterior stud walls, taking down all interior ceiling boards to eliminate any hiding voids for rats to continue there stay without my knowledge. Note. The bedroom space had no voids in the ceiling from day one and never shown any signs of problems regarding rats and in a way by not having any covered voids it also alerted me to any leeks from the roof due to heavy rain fall. Electric cables both solar set up and new fridge where chewed through....every single framed Mozi net, 8 in total, where all chewed through, rat droppings and rat urine stains everywhere...magazines taken from book area and chewed to shreds to make nesting areas. on removing the ceiling boards, 5 live rats fell to the floor and escaped through the open door, 3 more dead rats from poisoning where found in the stud bathroom wall, there entry point chewed through a removed knot in one of the boards, 2 more rat where found poisoned in the wardrobe. The whole process of removing, repairing repainting took two weeks, but the cosmetic finishing of the interior area will have to wait until my return in the spring of 2020. 2020 - July - October
Decking - Replacement
Due to the record breaking rain fall throughout March and April 2019, the exterior reclaimed boards that made up the outside decking had twisted and in some areas due to unforeseen knots had split badly, it was decided that I would pull all these boards up, they would not be wasted as I would reuse them as fencing around the olive trees. I had back in April made a new sun bathing decking area using treated decking boards which I painted so I changed the bases for the decking at the side and front, at the same time changing the space area and replaced the old boards with the same treated decking boards I had used that Spring, which I would paint again on my return in the Spring of 2020. Interior - October 2019
It was great to get the interior back to a livable state after the destruction caused by the rats over the summer of 2019... Hopefully the rats will not return...... Water supply The only water supply to the shed was via plastic piping via a hydrant supply system that serviced around 12 olive groves of around 2000 olive trees. The two large water irrigation tanks are situated high above the olive groves some half a mile away. When I purchased the olive grove there was a supply via the plastic pipes but the connecting water meter was missing so a new one was purchased and fitted for 80.00 euros. The plastic piping which ran from the hydrant to the olive grove consisted of 500 meters of pipe and stopped short of the olive grove. Extra pipe was purchased. Some two years later and about 3 repairs due to neighbouring tractors running over the pipes and pulling them apart it was decided to completely replace the length of pipe from the hydrant direct to the newly built water tower behind the shed. Manolis the water man presented a quote to supply a wider thick gauge pipe and have it buried all the way 1 metre down into the earth. A JCB would be on hand to dig the earth some 600 meters. The total cost for this would be 300 euros. The only draw back to this would be that the unmade road would be softened and liable to being water logged in winter months which would make access to the shed sometimes impossible. A planned part re-concreting of the road would be planned for Spring 2020. With the water supply cost being only 40 euro per year the cost was well worth it to have a more efficient protected water supply direct to the shed, both for bathing and irrigation of the olive, lemon and orange trees. I first came across he Eccotemp L5 tankless water heater on YouTube when researching stand alone on demand water heaters, the Ecotemp L5 ended up having the best reviews based on many off grid cabin owners throughout Canana and America. At £169.00 its well priced so time will tell how it would perform over the years at the Olive Shed.
The Ecotemp L5 is a tankless water heater, meaning there is no hot water tank; the water is heated instantly, on-demand. You could shower all day and never run out of hot water! (well, that’s until you run out of propane or water, which can happen up here) This type of heater is becoming quite common in Europe as it is more efficient than a “traditional” water heater with tank. Indeed, maintaining a tank of water at high-temperature all day is not efficient; moreover, the tank is often located far away from the appliance and there is considerable amount of energy lost through the pipes and water wasted waiting for the water to get hot. It normally is set up via hose type water supply, but after some trails decided to plumb it in with permanent cooper pipes but still allowing the water heater to be un-hooked from the pipes to store the system box inside over winter. |
June/July 2016
The first week of work in June was productive but then the high temperatures set in, most days reaching an average of 35c-42c with little wind mid to late afternoon so the hours spent working dropped to 2-3 a day. Decided that I could not work or complete what was planned and will return in the cooler months, mid September October..... |
most encouraging outcome of this wooden self build was the inside temperature of the Shed, during the night and early morning daylight hours the Shed was ice cool. The wood frame not holding the heat like concrete builds, the silver insulation on both the walls and floor, silver facing out, had kept the Shed cool without the need of air con. The polystyrene ceiling insulation also kept the heat at bay.. The experiment of using the silver foil had proved successful.
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December 2016
Autumn and especially December was a time of record breaking events throughout Crete. A cyclone, on the last day of October whipped in through Crete, causing severe flooding backed by strong winds. December was filled with further severe winds, thunder and lightening storms that continued for two weeks finally turning into snow not only on the lower mountain areas, but also in Chania. Children were on the streets as they had never witnessed snow settling in and around them, temperatures dropped to record breaking lows. The amount of water that fell in an afternoon around the Olive Shed was a sight to remember, rivers of water flowing fast down the slopes that surrounded the Olive Shed. |
The position of the build was the right choice to keep water from filling around the concrete pads that the framework rested on. The rubber roofing paint also proved that it had done what it was supposed to do at a low cost application, the interior after days of driving heavy rainfall was completely dry, no leaks any where to be seen. Days later the roof would be covered with over two inches of snow. I left that same day for England, but my key holder from the local village confirmed that there was no water marks in the interior after the snow had melted away. Due to the heavy rain fall December was a month of completing the interior, floor painting and on going general decorating. |