Some Poles have fine houses

Probably too far gone but looking for something similar.

If you really want to go back a few years then you should pay a visit to here:

LUBLIN - OPEN AIR HOUSE MUSEUM

Me too :)


And here:
mwk.com.pl/spacer/index.html
Follow the green arrows, click on them and have a walk with your speakers turned on (the music is pleasant and fits the place, I think) :)

And here:

In London? You're not cold in winter? My wife is from West London and when visiting in January it was plenty cold with a space heater for heat. Summers are cool and rainy, so no you wouldn't be hot.

Traditional brick homes in the States do not have insulation in the walls. Usually brick exterior with two by four studs and plaster walls. Without central forced air and plenty of vent fans in bathroom and kitchen moisture forms on inside of walls and frost on windows in winter. Modern Masonry buildings have walls built with hollow concrete blocks with foam insulation inside and central forced air and vent fans so they eliminate the moisture problems but wood frame is still preferred do to ease of construction.


no they don't rot in place unless they're built wrong.

Most London houses, and 19th century British terraced chicken coops in general, don't count. They were built cheaply and quickly and it shows. But in PL and most other European countries - brick houses are cosy in winter and cool in summer. And yeah, having central heating does help! ;-)

Something we can agree on.

If you are considering having something built, make sure you check the builders previous projects.

One place I looked at had cold water at both taps but the toilets flushed with hot water. And yes, people lived in the house like that.

What an English estate agent might call a "feature".

Not only that, but check who the projects belong to - and investigate any potential family/business links.

It's very common in Poland for people to show off something that was actually done for a business partner/family member - and so done to a much higher quality than for a stranger.

I'd also stress that any building work should be accompanied with a schedule of works, and with very clear provisions to throw them off the site if needs be.

hell ya. and a budget. many times people have a budget but forget to include the cost of the works and materials in this--I do mean the interior fittings.

also organize a pay schedule where payment is made according to the schedules time line and completion of stages. I know it is common sense, but don't pay more than you have to. If necessary, you purchase materials yourself and have them delivered to the site so that you don't have any extra charges such as pick up and delivery fees and gas usage fees that your contractor may have made up.