LIFESTYLE
Would You Trade Your Current Lifestyle To Live On A Houseboat?
Find out why a houseboat isn’t just a quirky home, it’s a lifestyle.
Ever pictured yourself drifting down a river in your own permanent home? Many people like the idea of living on the water and in recent years we’ve seen an increase of more of living this lifestyle… especially amongst young professionals, in bigger cities, looking for something more relaxed.
That being said, owning a houseboat is not just a way to enjoy sunrise yoga or soak up the sunshine on the deck in the afternoon. Floating homes come with a lot of upkeep and financial factors to consider.
Of course, the first question that comes to mind:
How much does one cost?
Depending on the size, houseboat prices can vary from roughly £200,000 to £450,000. Although there are some narrowboats for £50,000 or on the other end of the spectrum for those in search of a floating mansion, then they can easily be up in the millions.
Purchasing costs aside, you’ll also need to consider the additional costs such as the mooring, redecorating and general upkeep maintenance costs.
Mooring costs are often determined by the length of the boat but also the location. As for redecorating, you’ll need to have the houseboat placed into the dry dock every 7–10 years to be repainted which is certainly something to reconsider if you don’t want to move out all of your belongings each time.
The driving factor here is that, unlike a traditional home, you usually don’t have to pay property taxes on a houseboat.
How about luxury living?
“Isn’t it freezing?”
“How do you shower?”
“How can you do the washing?”
“Can you stand up without bumping your head?”
So many questions, and very few answers. It may seem that luxuries don’t exist but there are many comforts of a regular house available. Some houseboats have washing machines, central heating systems and also a bathtub! You don’t have to give up all of the things you love about being on land.
Can I live there all year round?
Houseboats can certainly be lived year-round. To get through the winter months, most houseboats will either connect to the mains of the mooring site to power the heating system, where others have solar panels installed. Depending on where you live, it is possible to stay there all year… although if based in Canada I personally wouldn’t fancy being quite literally being frozen during the winter months.
Boat life isn’t cheap or easy, but it gives you so much freedom.
If you love the water and enjoy being surrounded by nature then buying a houseboat could be the alternative lifestyle that you’ve been looking for.
Marina communities are renowned for their hospitality, you’ll feel welcomed from the get-go. Another thing to remember is that you would be the landlord and therefore have the freedom to decorate without fear of a deposit being deducted.
You can easily escape into nature albeit a daily urban landscape. You will also have the ease of waking up tomorrow and relocating to somewhere new yet be able to take everything that you own, including your home, with you. And so, you never really lose the sense of security that comes with owning a real home.
So what do you think, is this lifestyle for you?
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