What I didn’t tell you about my home...

I may have left some things out! Let's fill you in.
Start planning for your new year with Notion, get started for free: ntn.so/evanedinger
My FREE home design notion template: geni.us/EvansHomeTemplate
Vlog channel / evanedinger
Thank you so much for watching! Hope you enjoyed it!
If you're new to my channel and videos, hi! I'm Evan Edinger, and I make weekly "comedy" videos every Sunday evening. As an American living in London I love noticing the funny differences between the cultures and one of my most popular video series is my British VS American one. I'm also known for making terrible puns so sorry in advance. Hope to see you around, and I'll see you next Sunday! :)
If you want to know HOW I make my videos including gear, lighting, all the tiddly bits that connect it all together, (with cheaper alternatives and kit I used to use), I've listed each item, what it's great at, and why I use it on the gear section of my website here:
www.evanedinger.com/blog/my-gear
Otherwise: here's a quick list of some of my kit without descriptions from the above link:
Camera: Sony A7siii
geni.us/Evana7siii
Main Lens: Sony 24mm f/1.4 G-Master
geni.us/Evan24
Secondary Lens: Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G-Master
geni.us/Evan1635
Main Light: Aputure 120d mkii
geni.us/Evan120d
Shotgun Microphone: Sennheiser MKH-416
geni.us/Evan416
Really useful SSD: SanDisk Extreme Portable 2TB
geni.us/EvanPortSSD
The background music I use is all from Epidemic Sound! I highly recommend it: geni.us/EvanEpidemicSound
Store: (LUTs, Presets, & Prints) ► evanedinger.com/store
Patreon: / evanedinger
Second Channel: / evanedingertravel
Twitter: / evanedinger
Instagram: / evanedinger
Facebook: / evanedinger
Discord: / discord
Twitch:(4 days a week!) ► / evanedinger

[@evan]

Big thanks to notion for sponsoring today's vid and for helping keep me organised :) Start planning for your new year with Notion; get started for free: ntn.so/evanedinger

[@aleks-33]

Thank you so much, this was the push I needed to move to Notion. I'm so excited to get more organized in 2023. They even gave me $5 credit for moving all my Ev*rn*t* notes LOL. It's so customizable and I'm excited to learn how to use the databases. I've been keeping track of low-carb foods and what prices they have at which supermarket and I had it all as Todolists on todoist.... a mess. Notion will be much better for this.

[@evan]

@@aleks-33 I also just made my home design page into a FREE template :D geni.us/EvansHomeTemplate

[@aleks-33]

@@evan oh my gosh, yay! Thank you!

[@joepiekl]

One of the things that seems really unfair with shared ownership is how you might only own about 25% of the apartment, but you're expected to pay 100% of the maintenance costs. Like still having a landlord, but one with no responsibilities.

[@PendragonZed]

I bought mine as shared to begin with, because it was new there was a guarantee on most stuff for 1yr (I had a problem with the shower, they came and fixed it), and they covered buildings insurance. My plan was always to remortgage after 2 years and buy the rest (which I did last year yay!). But I don't think it is super great for long term ownership, too many rules they dictate.

[@Dragonshield2]

What kind of hellscape is that? Who would ever do that?

[@leporid257]

Was it cheaper to buy initially

[@joepiekl]

@@Dragonshield2 Because it's impossible for most people to buy in London nowadays, so this is their only option. A symptom of the awful property market.

[@Ed-wg8dn]

As bad as it is it’s good to have was essentially rent control plus what do you own a quarter of a property unless I’m missing something

[@violetskies14]

Smart homes are brilliant if for no other reason than they are so incredibly helpful for me as a disabled person. I want everyone to have them for the sole reason that the more people do the more reliable and good the tech gets. As a kid if my parents went to bed before me and I was in a lot of pain I'd have to spend the whole night with the light on. Nowadays for the price of a cheap smart bulb I never have to have that problem again. Every thing I can automate makes my life slightly easier.

[@doomedwit1010]

My problem is I don't want some things connected to the internet. If my lights turn off and on it's annoying. If someone turns on my stove when I'm gone, or my refrigerator turns off while I'm on vacation because of a service interruption due to a random patch being pushed out, I'll be out all my groceries. And I definitely don't want the locks on my door to be smart. I use smart bulbs though. They're neat.

[@TashyTilly]

@@doomedwit1010 The only smart fridge i know of is the samsung one but pretty sure all that does really is show what you have in the fridge or recipes - same with the stove, that's something i wouldn't ever have smart or think that's a thing people can afford! I'm disabled and have a smart air con unit, smart blinds & curtains, bulbs and plugs :-) Only thing is if internet goes, reconnects for us in 5 or so minutes so not long to wait fortunately.

[@janebaker966]

That's really good but be careful only there is a danger that if everything is connected up it could all go down. Try + have some independent back up in reserve. I'm not talking about sinister Chinese or Russian hackers either. It's possible the internet might crash someday,just when we've all become reliant on it,but I'll leave it at that.

[@Tricia_K]

The "smartest" thing in my home are my remote controlled plugs sockets - but honestly, I couldn't be without them!

[@PoisonSnowApple]

Smart bulbs changed my teenagers life for this exact reason! I agree that Smart tech is becoming very important and often life changing to those with disabilities. And hopefully it’s just gunna keep getting better

[@Beanjast]

As someone who just bought a home that's not new and is likely to incur substantial maintenance costs over the years. I'm 100% with you, maintaining it IS part of the joy of owning it. Spending money is always somewhat frustrating, but there's something so freeing in going "oh, this is broken, guess I'll get that fixed immediately" instead of having to jump through all the hoops to get the landlord to listen and then act and do it in their own time whilst you have to live with the problem. You get it fixed up the quality you want and at the speed you want to pay for, rather than the cheapest option available which is what every landlord I've ever had chose.

[@randomname572]

I'm very interested in all the smart home stuff, but simply don't know where and how to start. There is just so much stuff to look into

[@evan]

Hopefully my video will shed some light :)

[@DragonriderEpona]

I sent my sister the Banned Food in the UK/EU that are Legal in the US video and her reply to it was how much she likes your flat :D sent her your room tour video right after that. And I think she now enjoys watching your videos because she told me today that you are funny. So, you basically got two of the highest compliments you can get from her. You definitely deserve being proud of your work! ✨️

[@evan]

That is awesome!

[@BitsOfBen]

Even with maintenance costs vs calling the landlord may feel like things can cost more when you’re a homeowner, but given the fact that mortgage repayments can be much lower vs the rent you could pay, it balances itself out.

[@sillygoosegoose]

also taking into account that calling the landlord often isn't enough to get the problem fixed. we've all had landlords or property management companies who twiddle their thumbs and drag their feet while you're repeatedly ringing or emailing saying you have no hot water, or who refuse to believe an appliance needs replacing unless it's genuinely on fire. at least when you're arranging the maintenance yourself, you can do it with a sense of urgency and make sure it actually gets sorted within a reasonable timeframe.

[@briocheoleary5043]

I just bought my first flat in September and have found chatgpt very helpful… I had an issue with my boiler and fixed it chatting to an AI in Santa Francisco… it’s not like google, you van chat to it about your particular boiler etc. not soon or spam…. Luv the video as. Always Btw, only cos it’s in the video, but is bliss a tenant… luv the vid as always

[@imjustmethatsall]

The maintenance comment is wild because all 4 of my previous landlords didn’t even acknowledge there was a maintenance issue, let alone fix it 😂😂 when you own your own home you have the autonomy to get it done 👌🏻

[@lillienath2967]

Yes ! most landlords that rent in the UK don't even care if the property is liveable..

[@EricaGamet]

Saying that people only rent because they have to is also not accurate. I used to own a home (a brand new, custom built one)... but it wasn't for me. I didn't enjoy knowing that if something broke, I'd have to take the time or money to fix it. Also, I like to move around a lot and sometimes like to move fairly quickly... I didn't have that mobility with the house. It all comes down to what works best for your lifestyle. I don't own much (no house, no vehicle) and have very little debt... which frees me up to travel and just sort of do the things I want to. And I don't worry about my place when I'm not in town. I hear the old "throwing your money away on rent" and it's tiring, tbh. My response is, "Am I provided with a roof over my head and a place to keep my stuff and is it in a city that I love to get out and explore?" Yes... and to me that is key. I don't think owning or renting is inherently the better option... I think each person needs to live in a way that works for them. Being tied to a house with all of its responsibilities sounds suffocating to me, for me.

[@sarah8028]

Sure, you have to pay for repairs… but at least they actually get done, quickly and properly. When I was a renter, things just stayed permanently broken because the landlord was too lazy or cheap to fix them. Now that I own, my home is in great repair.

[@evan]

YUP

[@leporid257]

It's so interesting that the landlord will fix your washing machine. But then again our flats come empty, maybe you can buy some furniture from the renter before you.

[@jethro4453]

I think you misread that maintenance cost question. They were asking about extra cost of running a property, not renting one. Like, what unexpected costs have you had that would normally be covered by a landlord. I think you still answered the question, but maybe a little more sassy than if you hadn't misread it lol

[@charlotteinnocent8752]

Mortgage lenders only allow you to borrow so much because they realise that other expenses exist, maintenance being one of them. You can go for YEARS even on an older property spending NOTHING on it, and so when a bill does pop up, it usually isn't as big a deal as say your electric bill. It's really not much if taken over a lifetime, barely anything. I am nearing 50. I would say if I HAD to put a guess on it, and I didn't include white goods and we're just talking about the house itself and the garden (never owned a flat, I own a house), we're talking maybe 100 pounds a year? Maybe we've just been lucky. Also, Evan is in a new built. Those come with guarantees for 10 years if there are structural issues. His appliances seem new to my eyes. I doubt he'll have ANY out of pocket expenses for at the minimum 3 years and likely nothing for 5-7. Again, I have not owned a flat, and there are extra costs involved in a house. For example, I live in the countryside and we had to replace our well pump, which WAS expensive. That will now last a minimum of 25 years, more like 40. Boilers for example are similar. Expensive to put in, but once in last for the rest of the years you'd live there. BTW I just changed to 100 a year because I feel I was a little too soft on the cost of the new well pump. But I doubt Evan has a well!

[@joepiekl]

​@@charlotteinnocent8752 Yeah, I'm trying to think what I've made my landlords pay for in all of the flats I've been in. Maybe a tradesman call out once or twice a year for something minor. A new TV. Pest control one time. I think that's about it. In the grand scheme of things, it's really nothing. Having said that, a lot of first time buyers might be buying something that needs a lot of work doing to it, and when you get into the territory of new kitchens, bathrooms or central heating systems, which landlords have usually already sorted out, it get a bit more daunting. But the far bigger risk and potential costs are things rising interest rates suddenly massively increasing your repayments, or negative equity leaving you with a house you can't sell.

[@LiiMuRi]

Living in a city, a car is mostly useless. It's just an extra expense that sits parked most of the time, or is stuck in the traffic. Consider using a car sharing scheme, most big cities have one (and I think London has more than one).

[@jstringfellow1961]

YES...this!! I am living vicariously through you at this point. I will get my own place (finally) in a few months. My daughter is my current roommate, and though I love her, she's just still there making her messes and not taking the same pride I do in our space. I want to stay on top of things, paint, have newer nice things, where she's happy with the same ol' stuff. NOPE. i can't wait to leave.

[@patriciaoflynn7050]

Oh the cuteness of Evan in his dungerees with no tee shirt 😊

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

Clearly, as I suspected, you succeeded by being organised! The planning is crucial. Lots of lessons learnt from this video. Most particularly, a reminder of how demanding it is to paint a flat. I needed to hear that! I agree, leasehold is a rip-off. Thank you for the video. Have an amazing week!

[@harrymccullough1129]

Freehold/leasehold is a total scam - it doesn't exist in Scotland though, if you buy the property you always get the land that goes with it! Also in England mortgages are weird... the lender kinda owns the house till you pay off the mortgage but in Scotland you just borrow the money, buy the house and it's officially yours even though you're still paying off the loan

[@rclark7393]

really interesting to know - had no idea these were different in scotland! Yet another thing to be envious of :)

[@thedativecase9733]

So what happens if you default on the loan? Is the house still "yours"?

[@harrymccullough1129]

@@thedativecase9733 the security means the bank can to repossess the house and sell it to repay the loan - it's similar in effect to how it works in England but conceptually it's a lot easier to understand (for lawyers and lay people)

[@sophiagrace139]

When you’re late to Evan’s new video cuz you were already watching an Evan video

[@haveyoutakenyourmeds]

The thing with maintenance cost is its easier to tolerate a bit of DIY/make do and mend or just waiting to repair things if it's you paying for it. My kitchen is is currently 2 different types of flooring because I had to replace half of it after the lino was ruined. I can put up with this knowing that it was a temporary fix until we get out full reno next year. However if I was renting I would absolutely not put up with a landlord half doing the job or cutting corner to save money.

[@knownothing5518]

I love how you make stock video clip style video snippets of things you talk about! 😂

[@evan]

it's just b roll! haha I don't like using any footage I don't shoot myself

[@emilyhornberger5400]

You should find/take a really good quality photo of a fridge you like, print it out life size and put it on the cabinet of your fridge - Then you can put your certificate, magnets and such on an actual fridge lol

[@DeadDancers]

It blows my mind that people aren't entitled to structural blueprints when you buy a house. Especially these days. That issue with wires and pipes is crazy - and all professional trades Ive had out haven't bothered to use tools that (supposedly) detect them. They just make assumptions based on their experience and hope for the best and its insane.

[@anitapeludat256]

Evan, just found you (and your Mom). Which was the first video I watched. Your mom seems pretty cool, you seem to have a kopacetic relationship. Yeah, I'm older. I have 3 adult sons. You remind me of my oldest son, very interesting and intelligent. Im interested in your lifestyle in London. In the early 2000, I was lucky to create/ snag a job in Germany. I was near my middle son fighting in Iraq. I loved the whole moving to Getmany- taking a flying leap into a scary adventure. Stayed a few years, returned to the states, War is hell on every living being, including my son . Its a lot like a Hulk smash to everyone it touches. I still plan to visit the UK one day. Covid got in the way for awhile. I love meeting people from around the globe. My very best regards to you and yours.❤ 22:18

[@heliotropezzz333]

An important thing is to get good quality paint. I remember painting the kitchen ceiling and it took me 4 coats and still looked patchy (at least to my eyes). I hate doing ceilings too because it makes my arms ache.

[@charleneb5361]

First Duolingo and now Notion…you’re killing it with the suggestions. Thanks! I aspire to be as organized as you.

[@Bunnybananabunny]

Only 150 pounds a month for parking?!? In London?! What a steal! I pay 80 euros a month in the outermost suburbs, like 30 kilometers from Helsinki (capital of Finland). Also, buying the parking space for myself would cost 12 000 euros.

[@AntonoirJacques]

The only thing about Smart Homes that stops me from getting one is the overhearing information and then targeting ads. Also very scared of the dystopian future of governments and hackers hearing in on you and the like. I wonder how much you can actually lock it down.

[@NotThatOneThisOne]

Switched ours off after getting random people coming on talking.

[@evan]

That’s why I have an apple one and not an Amazon one. Siri is really stupid but that’s basically because it doesn’t store your info outside your home to machine learn or anything. Alexa and google are better at answering queries and such but the privacy is atrocious

[@gigglesmurf2004]

Yeah I’m super concerned about the privacy aspect. In terms of appliances if the computer breaks it’s not fixable. The machine might be fine but now you’re out hundreds of $ for a special repairman to tell you it can’t be fixed and then hundreds to thousands for a new one. I’ll stick with analog buttons and knobs thanks.

[@dawnhazell2697]

I love the recent youtube softlaunch of Bliss

[@toms5996]

Don't rent anything in the Nordics. Making changes can be costly - painting a wall can be €0-€20000. Also, usually in Europe you buy 'the space' not the apartment as such. The changes you can do are very limited and will be extremely costly.

[@lynnhamps7052]

I really enjoy the variety of your video's, every Sunday is a surprise ..😊👍🇬🇧

[@Micg51]

What I like about owning a house in a midsized US city is I no longer pay for parking. I love having a garage for my car and storage for a multitude of things, because like you, my house isn’t very big and doesn’t have a lot of closets (converted 1 closet into a pantry for example)

[@blackrosenuk]

Your planning and hard work has paid off beautifully! And I'm loving the b-roll footage; you just keep getting better :) Looking forward to your video on the smart home integration.

[@sjharte]

Someone may have already mentioned it but land tenure is very different in Scotland and so the leasehold issue doesn’t arise.

[@lukaszbien2904]

That synology next to washing machine is pure gold. As a homelab enthusiast it took me few iterations to find "solid" floor in my rented Victorian flat just to protect the drives from vibrations - here we have example of someone who doesn't care :). You made my day!

[@evan]

Can you believe I stupidly had it on the shelf above the washing machine for a month? God the lifespan... Now they're NEXT to it on a suspended shelf. My issue is I want it kept in that cupboard because it's got a direct wire to the gigabit ethernet and they wired my house so weird that when I put it in my studio and connect I can't seem to get more than 70mbps instead of 900. Maybe I've been using an awful switch...

[@lukaszbien2904]

​@@evan That slow speed (probably negotiated 100mbps) happens quite often on typical home switches. Try to force 1Gbit negotiation on relevant ports in admin panel of the switch (and confirm you have 1Gbit on Synology and on your laptop/PC too). BTW periodically I would suggest to look at S.M.A.R.T. data of each drive in Synology, just to see if you had any errors and drives might be failing.

[@susanmags7933]

"OI, FIX IT" had me wheezing. Thank you Evan - glad you are happy! House is truly lovely and very very you-esque ❤️ x

[@laceym314]

Love all your vids. It's been really interesting to see how your channel has evolved over time and how you get so passionate about things. I definitely want to know more about the smart home stuff as I know nothing! And your cooking video was lovely and would have thoroughly enjoyed that meal!

[@ericasarat1834]

Hey Evan, great video. I love how you approached all of these questions with an open mind. also, I love notion and use it almost daily, in a similar way to you. I'm so glad they are sponsoring you!

[@sunshinesarah346]

Been a subscriber for a while and I have to say I really enjoy your videos! I don't know why but they always make me smile/laugh! Especially when you're comparing the US & the UK! 😂 Also love your flat, it looks beautiful and I'm sure makes all the hard work in finally owning it that much better! 😊👍🏻 Looking forward to your next upload! Xo

[@heliotropezzz333]

Perhaps I'm a nerd but I get fascinated by how other people have solved certain problems or choices they've made for their homes. The house I live in has only 2 others like it in the street (both neighbouring) and when I visit I observe how they've dealt with x problem that I'm wondering about for my house. It's very interesting but we all have different styles in or houses which is interesting too. Another interest is computer problems and plumbing. My brother and I would talk on those subjects and share knowledge and experiences for some time without getting bored. I'm sure most people would be bored by such conversations though. I tend not to attempt this with friends.

[@rclark7393]

So pumped for the smart home video! Your flat tour really pushed me into wanting to tech out my home. You could tell how much time and effort you've obviously invested in it so interested to know more. watch lots of design videos on youtube but haven't read any books, any favourites to recommend?

[@Peter-jk1lt]

I have enjoyed your video Evan. Your flat looks very nice. Well done and enjoy.

[@TheKaurK]

Your smart home stuff is so cool! The auto temp increasing, the light changes throughout the day. It’s just so cool! Would absolutely love your smart home tour! Also - love your home and what you did with it. It’s so so so good- worthy of being featured everywhere on KZbin- and certainly very creatively inspiring for us :) And PS- love notion! I am transitioning my career into art and I use it to organize and track everything from my lesson plans to specific time management of every task. It’s super helpful- so great to see they sponsored you and I second that recommendation!

[@aleks-33]

I've wanted to kick Evernote to the curb for YEARS now. I remember briefly trying Notion and not using it again but its been years. Im gonna give them a try again. Thank you, Evan.

[@heidibiswas6388]

I would love to watch a video where you talk more about your interior design tips, books and KZbin video recommendations! Loved the house tour video, it was beautiful :)

[@krymsonuchiha14]

That Notion looks like it will help me so much with my ADD and everything I'm doing! Definitely trying it out!

[@MiriamWalcott]

Looking forward to your smart home video.

[@welovepies]

I love notion so much, one of the only things i've been advertised that makes my life better

[@BadNessie]

I second your recommendation on reading books about it and basically "surrounding yourself" with the topic because of the reasons you mentioned plus the big advantage of getting to know more options than you might have even thought of before. It raises the chances of making decisions that will be considered truly good ones on the long run. It may take longer and you may end up like the kid in the ice cream parlor, unable to decide which two or three flavours to pick from all the yummy options. But especially when it's not "just" a rental a well-informed decision is mostly better than a quick-and-dirty one. Also, finances will mostly rule out a few options - but more often than not there's some way of making one's own version of it! 👍

[@tracywoods3798]

First time my comment was ever used in a video of any kind. Kind of neat. I've watched you for a couple years. Love the content.

[@aurora6920]

The 'Notion' notes app looks really helpful, i'm always note taking on my 'Notes' that comes with my Mac, but i will try this!

[@pipedream690]

I bought a place a year ago and the previous owners didn't keep up maintenance. On viewing it looks fine and the same on the survey but they didn't do simple things like cover some holes properly, using wrong switches for lights, leaving exposed wires behind, cupboards, cleaning the insides of windows, proper shower cleaning. It can be a constant expense when you first start but once it's done it feels great.

[@charlottehollands9070]

I think you may have misread the maintenance question as the poster asked about the upkeep of "running" a property, not renting one, though you still answered it well. I think it is different if you own a flat compared to a house though as with a flat, you are more likely to be a leaseholder, whereas with a house, you are usually a freeholder and therefore responsible for the whole building. Obviously as you said though, age factors into this as well. My current house is a new build and 'touch wood' we haven't had any major costs crop up. However, my first house was a Victorian terrace and we did quite regularly get unexpected costs, the biggest of which was the leaking roof. We thought it was a simple case of redoing the lead flashing but it was actually a fair bit worse as when the roofers started, they found the party wall needed to be rebuilt (the whole line of bricks above the roofline would have fallen onto the footpath, potentially injuring anyone passing by, were it not for a metal, decorative hook holding them back) so we obviously had to fix that urgently, and it became a lot more expensive than we initially anticipated. If you're renting, this is quite rightly the landlords problem and cost to bear, but I know from personal experience when I was a renter, I did not appreciate how much these types of costs are until I became a homeowner, and I think it's the same for a lot of others.

[@bethsmith3421]

Fyi- They have a caulking tool. It works great and saves all the bloody fingers lol. Not sure I would term it a joy for maintenence costs, but owning your own home is definitely a plus. Big maintenence costs are kind of a bummer, though. That rent lease thing there sounds really crappy. I've always owned one family detached homes so don't even have a concept. Your home is beautiful, I hope it brings you great joy as long as you are there.

[@andreamossop5301]

I like your to do list that you share online today. I just write mine on scraps of paper. I'm going re look at the website that you link in it. I like the idea of being clutter free and not losing bits of paper with random notes on them. I love being organised and making a to do list. I like the idea of you doing a youtube video of your smart home. I'm not very technical mind but I look up the jargon words online on things that you talk about, and learn new things.

[@TheMissWin]

We've been in our house for nearly 2 months now and it feels so much more like home than anywhere we've rented. Despite our house being about 100 years old, it was a flip and so there is very little for us to do. However we are finding annoying cost reduction in places, for example the cupboard door hiding our boiler fell off the other week because instead of drilling into the wall they had used glue.... And we're both training to be architects so we have loads of ideas but no money left to do them!

[@SamSam-yb3ls]

YES to the Smart home gadgets. I'm contemplating those at the moment - Philips Hue/Nest etc...Thanks!

[@nandinos]

Really enjoyed this q&a! The little uke outro was a nice touch!

[@evan]

Glad you liked it!!

[@RobertClaeson]

In many other parts of Europe, flats come with a storage unit in the basement (sometimes at the very top of the building). I've been told by Australian friends that it's not uncommon there either. I really miss that in the UK. Having to store all those extras within the flat just takes up so much unnecessary space.

[@heliotropezzz333]

Some flats in the UK do have separate storage but perhaps not many. A council block in my road (many flats of which have been sold off to the residents now) have lockable storage on the ground level, which is just as well as it's 4 stories high with no lift and it would be a nightmare getting prams and pushchairs up and down 8 flights of stairs.

[@judithhope8970]

I like your hidden fridge. Your flat is lovely and you've created a really nice atmosphere there. It is so nice to own your property. A big plus to owning is it increases in value over time, so if you want a big house in the US ten years down the line, you can.

[@Jodie_May92]

I’m glad you commented on the leasehold thing. I sort of get it for apartment blocks since the land accommodates multiple homes and no one occupant owns the building, but after having owned a freehold house for a few years we bought a new place recently and it’s a leasehold even though it’s a detached house. I didn’t realise leasehold was applicable to anything other than apartment blocks until we looked into buying this place and honestly I don’t understand why it’s even allowed that someone can sell an entire building without also having to sell the land it sits on 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@Miss_Lexisaurus]

I fudging love Notion and I love seeing how other people use theirs so this was super fun!

[@evan]

I just made my home design page into a template! :D Waiting for notion to give me a special link to share

[@ehmjey7567]

oh my god, that living room is gorgeous!!!

[@ehmjey7567]

the bedroom too!!!! i really love how you designed and decorated your home!

[@id3389]

16:32 there's detectors for that (Bosch has a few). they can detect pipes, studs and live wires. they aren't inexpensive, but they take away the stress.

[@aleks-33]

never been this early! :) Love your videos, Evan!

[@qualitytraders5333]

Room mate. Yes, but temporary ones. Like "you can be here but you have to leave coming Wednesday". You know, before they get to be a nuisance, or close but not too close. After two weeks just do the same thing but in their home.

[@Idk-ys7rt]

Hi Evan!

[@randomness051]

Haha 'house it going?' wasn't expecting that cheeky pun at the end

[@MePeterNicholls]

I rent, but I own every appliance and furniture in it. Except water/heating boiler and stove. I have appliance insurance for my washer/dryer and they’ve rebuilt it 3 times 😂

[@StevenBanks123]

I was having trouble with the Centigrade system, but I just put an extra digital thermometer set to "C" in the bedroom. After a month I knew 18° was cool and 24° was a bit too warm.

[@alisonforrester4612]

I’m really looking forward to your Smart home video!

[@evan]

It’s a couple weeks delayed but it’s coming!

[@94HopeRemains]

Are there any interior design channels on YT which you would recommend? Never commented but big fan of how you did your place up.

[@RobertClaeson]

Evan - most interested in your smart home setup, especially since I live within walking distance (judging by the neighbourhood) so some of the concerns might be the same.

[@terryhayward7905]

For a DIY smart home system, I use Alexa and ESP32 modules, very simple to setup and they work perfectly.

[@DarkWolfseternalfire]

I'm an electrician, that's a good tip for the reference zones, I think plumbing zones are similar up and down the wall/horizontal along from am outlet, and 50mm around ceilings, floors, and corners. It is worth noting that is not the case for ceilings/floors, the pipes/cables should be drilled through the centre of the joists/clipped along the centre but sometimes that isn't possible.

[@kenhobbs8565]

Living in a smaller place really does make you creative with storage. Everyone should go through this stage.

[@christianrichert5197]

Love the touches of B-Roll! Really bumps up the percieved quality.

[@evan]

Much appreciated!

[@gailfoster8696]

Evan, do you have any Notion templates/examples that you could share? I started using it a few months ago to track my house reno as well but yours seems much better organized than mine 👌

[@earie5403]

Just gotta say this... When you first said Notion sponsored your video, I gasped so loud I'd be surprised if my neighbours didn't hear me 😂 love notion so much

[@Thawney]

ooh cool this is very exciting cant wait to see it all

[@kayelle8005]

Wow. Significant Other was such a common term in Australia in the 80s and 90s. Rarely heard it this century. Completely forgotten about it.

[@joshc-dev]

💛💛💛❤️🙏 Thanks for your words

[@janebaker966]

Well,that was really enjoyable. You've made your flat both comfortable and elegant. I didn't watch ALL the work on it videos but the end result is definitely worth it. The only thing I wouldn't like is the kitchen where all the appliances are hidden away like that. I would have to put labels on the doors to remember where they were. The sort of kitchen I like is the country style and where everything is separate and not clinical white. But it's not my kitchen so that's irrelevant. Maybe in a few years time you'll have a garden as well then you could grow fruit trees like apple and plum.

[@evan]

The DREAM

[@claire2088]

Oooooo smart home advice! YES PLEASE!! I've been thinking about getting some smart home stuff myself, it's jsut so overwhelming trying to pick a system, zigbee sounds easier than z wave to get sorted, but there's also some comments saying it will slow down the wifi, do you know if this is a major issue? (like switching lights on and off/motion sensors surely can't slow down an internet connection that much??) I'm also wondering if I get a hub that can deal with both if I can mix and match? (I already have a robovac that doesn't integrate particularly well with anything else 🙄 so I'm trying to figure out what I can get that will link with that, and be straightforward for the future *and* not spy on me)

[@jorees6020]

Leasehold isn’t a thing in Scotland (I’ve recently moved from renting in England to having bought a flat is Scotland). Instead there’s factors fees - they run the development if it’s a flat complex so all cleaning gardening etc for the communal spaces, maintenance for the lifts etc is sorted by them. But no ground rent! I now do not understand the English system at all

[@CamCamCamCamCamCamCamCamCammmm]

I mean there are pros and cons to owning vs renting, but also it doesn‘t always make sense to buy. Especially if you have work that means you might be moving around etc.

[@Irishharper]

Another awesome video. Your home is beautiful.

[@evan]

Thank you so much!

[@agentfancyyancey]

That sponsorship is fire. Will for sure check it out

[@BellatrixisaStar]

This is the first video of yours that I've watched in a while, for some reason they didn't pop up on my feed during the panini, and my gosh you sound so British now! I gotta go back to check if the difference is as big as I feel it is, but yeah, I'm pretty sure you didn't sound this British before

[@evan]

Welcome back! Hope you check out the stuff I've made in 2023 so far as I have been GRINDING FOR QUALITY

[@eloquentlyemma]

I never want to buy my own home again, I will always rent. I currently pay £500/m for a 2 bed flat overlooking a park and river with all repairs covered by the housing association who I can contact via a phone app. Also, the last repair I got them to do took 2 days to complete. When I owned my flat 20years ago I frequently spent £100…£300 on different repairs and other expenses and upgrades in addition to my £400-ish mortgage. Edit: edit to mention housing association and phone app. Edit 2: added info about the length of time they took for my repair.

[@evan]

Renting in my area is around £3000 a month sooooo I’m not too keen

[@eloquentlyemma]

@@evan Ouch! I can see why you would prefer to buy instead of rent at that price. If you ever get bored of London, you can always come up to the Highlands of Scotland for a complete change of pace, lots of lovely photogenic scenery and just a lovely time. I’d either suggest the Isle of Skye or Inverness and that area:-)

[@lynette.]

As I have nothing smart I will be very interested to see your set up.

[@john_smith1471]

Yes the leasehold system is awful, no longer uk wide they abolished it in Scotland and moved to common-hold.

[@vickywitton1008]

I have seen some flats that one with a storage space but you probably have to pay extra for jt!

[@andymcl92]

I don't think the comment about maintenance costs was meant as a "Landlords are saviours to us all" sorta comment. I think it was just a genuine observation that a lot of renters-turned-owners don't think about those extra costs. As a content creator, you're in the somewhat fortunate position where some of these bits of maintenance can turn into part of your job. You can make videos out of your home maintenance, which is great! You're also somebody who enjoys that sort of task as an opportunity to learn to fix a thing. But for others who don't enjoy that sort of thing, it can just be a drain on their resources, both mental and financial, to have to deal with it when they get home from work or even have to take time off specifically to deal with it. I generally enjoy DIY and I now enjoy gardening since I've got my own place. But there are definitely times when it's just a chore and something I simply don't have time for when I get in from work.

[@coasttocoast2011]

My offsiders landlord owns at least 10 houses in our town and is a shit landlord. She’s got windows that have been broken for years and when she had wiring issues (as in my offsider and her daughter were getting shocked, she lost appliances). The landlord said to the real estate well if it’s going to cost more than $3000, we need to talk. Like it shouldn’t be automatically fixed because it’s a safety issue

[@amyfiona1348]

Hey Evan, would you rather (in an ideal world) replace the ensuite with a walk in closet? I find two bathrooms in two bed flats strange (although they're becoming the norm for new builds)

[@evan]

Absolutely

[@nswinoz3302]

Evan, when you made the comment about who made that mess and who’s going to clean it up, well you’re now an adult! Then about sticking awards to the fridge, how old are you six? Painting reminded me I’m up for 4 times painting the inside of our home since construction. You’re right Alexa is the dumbest smart system, but does understand an Australian Accent! I had to convince a English U-Tuber I met up in Sydney that I grew up in England, I’ve lived here a long time! Good video by the way…..

[@jonathanwessner3456]

ok, i have to ask, where did you get that pot hanging shelf? I need one of those for my home

[@Ybalrid]

I have a (maybee slgithly more modern and or/higher end? it has a screen) Indesit washing machine, and I think I had issues exactly like you have had, last week... 😅

[@evan]

Indesit is awful

[@daphnexenakis579]

As someone who used to work in block management, just as an FYI - your service charge will shoot up soon if it's a new build. Developers subsidise the service charge and don't accurately anticipate the actual running costs of a development (a- because they don't know the true cost of managing buildings because they are developers not managing agents and b-because they want to make the service charge number attractive to prospective buyers to increase their sales). The first 5 years are the largest leaps in service charge costs as warranties run out and every cost needs to be accounted for. In the first 2 years post development, developers normally rely on warranties or send their internal people to sort problems out, keeping true costs artificially low. Please don't hate on your managing agent! They've been given a Trojan horse to manage and are just trying to get the budget to an accurate and useful operating point.

[@olgagomes2767]

Do you live near Pontoon Dock DLR Station by any chance? I do, and the views from your windows look a lot like the views from my windows. Just wondering.