We transformed battered old barge into a 4-bed floating home with panoramic views – now we're selling it for HUGE sum
A COUPLE have renovated their dated barge home into a luxurious houseboat - and it's now worth a pretty penny.
The barge - which was previously used to transport grain - has been transformed into a luxury water home.
9
The houseboat has been transformed into a £1.5m luxury vessel
Credit: Jam Press/River Homes
9
The lounge area includes a wood-burning stove perfect for cosy nights in
Credit: Jam Press/River Homes
9
The impressive barge boasts glorious views of The Thames
Credit: Jam Press/River Homes
9
Owner David is selling the renovated barge and heading off to the US
Credit: Jam Press/River Homes
The opulent vessel - which measures 131ft long and 19.6ft wide - is on the market for £1.5m.
David Karat and his partner - who spent more than they had intended upgrading the flat-bottomed water boat - said it was worth every penny.
Soon to be moving back to New York, they are hoping a buyer will
snap
it up and enjoy the perks of water-based life.
Read more
Currently moored at St Mary's Wandsworth Pier, London, the Spitz has a long lease of 116 years.
The 52-year-old owner told Luxury Boat News: "
"The fresh air, the sounds of the water, the wildlife and the community are special and provide a unique experience.
"It's an
oasis
with really easy access by Thames Clipper from the Wharf to anywhere in Central
London
.
Most read in Fabulous
"Or the train from Clapham Junction is a short walk away. It is special."
Much of the renovations had already been carried out by the previous owners, but it still proved a tough challenge for the duo.
David - who acquired the barge in August 2021, said: "The owners before us had done all the hard work of sourcing this amazing grain barge from Antwerp and creating the foundation that we built upon.
Hotel owner splashes £55k to build 'world's shortest' canal with locks in garden to float barge converted into a pool
"The layout and position of the boat were perfect for updating to the most modern and advanced systems and materials. In all, we spent more than we intended.
"Hundreds of thousands of pounds that would have been wasted on other things were funnelled this way instead."
He explained: "Originally built to carry grain, the Spitz barge has been transformed into a striking and highly liveable floating residence. Meticulously refurbished, the floating property boasts bespoke finishes and high-end insulation.
9
There are four beautifully decorated en-suite double bedrooms
Credit: Jam Press/River Homes
9
The large outer area includes a top-deck reception room and sun trap
Credit: Jam Press/River Homes
9
The bathroom has a free-standing bath and modern white features
Credit: Jam Press/River Homes
"It even has an automated waste pump-out system - ideal for year-round, comfortable living. The entrance welcomes those on board with a decked garden complete with panoramic views across the Thames.
"Inside, the layout provides a spacious open-plan kitchen and saloon, perfect for both entertaining and day-to-day living. The home has four en-suite double bedrooms, with the master suite being a standout feature."
David concluded: "I am heading back to the US to live, so I wish to leave it to someone else to enjoy."
The vessel has its own wood-burning stove, a walk-in wardrobe, a luxurious white-themed en-suite bathroom boasting a roll-top bath and a separate shower.
Below deck
is the main living room with rich wood panelling and a cosy wood-burning stove.
There's also a top-deck reception room and sun deck and a designated parking space.
The pier - located on the south bank of the Thames between Battersea and Wandsworth bridges - offers a 24-hour concierge service.
Plus it's close to local shops, restaurants and bars, and has easy access to
9
The barge is located on the south bank of the Thames between Battersea and Wandsworth
Credit: Jam Press/River Homes
9
The spacious open-plan kitchen lends itself to 'entertaining and day-to-day living'
Credit: Jam Press/River Homes
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The Irish Sun
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You make your bed(s) .....and compost too That's not a dig at David, hopefully? Nor is it a hint at lazy bed veg growing either: right now, the proof is in the eating, or the soon-to-be eaten produce from a large polytunnel, and from a series of raised beds, 12 in all, built inside tall concrete frames (not timber, so long, long-lasting) with salads, fruits, potatoes, tomatoes all coming on nicely as summer rolls out. Why would they not be happy in their David Blake beds, as he even makes his own compost — even typing the tasks undertaken here in just over two decades is tiring enough.... Suite dreams Now it's time to say stop? Or, at least, to slow down. The couple's two children are adult and have largely moved on and out, aren't interested in the business, and 'we have made the difficult decision to downsize but know that it's the right one for us, and David hopes to continue his business on a smaller scale,' says Deirdre who still has her own 35-minute commute to and from the Bons. They hope to stay in the wider Bandon area, given proximity of her family in the area. Both are from large families: David grew up with seven sisters 'so was always running off away from them to work in upholstery with his dad,' laughs son Peter. Christmases typically are meals and hospitality for 25 nearest and dearest and where, handily, there's never a shortage of chairs, seats, sofas, and otherwise soft sitting. Hardly a shortage of home-grown food from the freezer, either? Home comforts It's all fresh to market now with estate agent Mark Kelly of Hodnett Forde, who is selling the extensive and immaculate family home, plus showrooms/business base, on 2.5 groomed and productive acres, and who says the attention to detail and finish and comfort is at the top end of the scale, on all levels. It has four mid-level bedrooms, with a superb master suite all furnished by David, with dressing room/walk-in robes and private bathroom, while two of the other three bedroom have their own en suite bathrooms also, and the top floor has three attic rooms suitable for sleeping or studying: one room 'brings back Leaving Cert study nightmares', says Dublin-based son Peter, now working in the financial sector. The entry/ground level has a substantial hall, with large living room with bespoke walnut shelving with concealed lighting (home-made next door in the workrooms), a very big kitchen dining with large island, recently enhanced with a butcher's block-style enormous chopping block in beech, mahogany, and teak, and there' s also a sitting room, large utility room, guest WC, office, and play room; it all gets a B3 BER, with two wood-burning stoves able to churn out extra heat and use up some of the workshop's leftover timber bits and bobbins. Gym'll fix it 'Oh, I forgot to show you the basement,' remembers son Peter doing a dutiful son tour as David and Deirdre take a well-earned holiday break away after prepping the property mix for sale. This lower level, accessed from the rear, includes a series of stores, a plant room, a gym, and garages (one home to a veteran Massey Ferguson tractor Deirdre gave work-horse David for his 30th birthday back in the family's Crossmahon years) while another houses a ride-on mower which yields grass cuttings for mixing with other green waste for composting: the home does farm to fork, and fine fabrics to fabulous furniture. Hodnett Forde's Mark Kelly guides the entire here at €1.15m and adds 'that's well under build costs…' not to mind labour costs, which in this case came largely gratis of the man of the house. It's hoped to find a buyer looking to combine home life with a business, either manufacturing, display, storage, or other, as a walk-in job on both fronts, but a purchaser could prioritise the house and gardens and rent out the business unit as an option as it has its own drive, services, and parking. Given the build and insulation quality of the 8,880 sq ft two-storey commercial unit, with various heating options, it could even be a perfect buy for a serious collector of vintage and veteran vehicles, or a valuable collector's racier cars — there's enough space not only to park a fleet here, but also enough to move them about in. VERDICT: A niche buy, but could be the answer to someone's serious space needs for work, play, and day to day living, all within easy reach of Cork City, Bandon, Clonakilty, and the coast.
