At the exhibition Moscow Boat Show, which took place in Moscow in early March, CEO of the Russian-Danish company Houseboat Alexander Klimchuk spoke about the plans to build floating settlements in the Moscow region and honestly answered questions about the real cost of houseboat maintenance. We recorded all the important things.
All over the world doing it.
Homeland of the house on water are considered to be the United States, where in the beginning of XX century in California the culture to inhabit water spaces was born. Now, according to various statistics, the number of water properties in the United States reaches a million units.
Virginia even has a bank on the water, and Alaska has a post office.
In the Arab Emirates love everything the most, the most. Therefore, one of the most anticipated projects - the island of St. Petersburg bulk archipelago «of the world». The island in the shape of a heart will be surrounded by pier with floating houses.
Futuristic villas will be surrounded by corals, and the bedroom will have a view of the underwater world.
Europe also does not lag behind. Only in Great Britain already about 15 thousand people have chosen buildings on water as a place of constant residing. Whole floating villages with hotels, restaurants and bars will soon appear in the water area of London's royal docks and the capital of Scotland.
Germany is famous for its integration of high technology in water houses. And Amsterdam is a city of canals and the most beautiful and expensive Hausboths. There are about 2,500 of them. And you can meet as the most incredible houses - literally buried in flowers, as in fairy tales, and very modest, but no less cute housing economy class.
The house on the water is beautiful not only with its view from the window. It is also a way to save money. Renting water space is much more profitable than buying a land plot. Moreover, in many countries, such as France, such housing is not subject to taxation.
The harsh climate is not a hindrance.
Russia - a country with rich water resources - the fashion for the Hausboths is just beginning to come.
At the moment, according to various experts, there are about 50 buildings in the form of houses, villas or baths on the water. And most of them are home-made, collected «from what was».
The first argument for such unpopularity is the short season and the severity of our weather. However, Alexander Klimchuk proved the opposite by the example of his family. The second year he constantly lives in his houseboat with his wife and two small children. The youngest of the children came to the house on water directly from the maternity hospital.
An unusual dwelling combines the comfort of a country house with the latest engineering technologies. Five duplicating heating systems that create a comfortable microclimate all year round, and purified delicious water right from the Moscow River.
200 square meters of modern designer interior with beautiful views. All systems of a smart home are controlled with one tablet. We have already written in detail about the technical excellence and engineering systems of this movable property.
An innovative house on the water with a helicopter parked on it seems to be something that only the chosen ones can afford. Like an expensive yacht with a fabulous amount of annual service.
It was found out that the exotics, which causes associations about cost-rich, is equated to the cost of a three-room apartment, and not even in the heart of Moscow.
Yes, it is necessary to be a little courageous and not to search for stability in a life «as at all». But it is absolutely not necessary to have and super resources to afford a dacha in the center of Moscow and the daily view from the window on the water.
How much is it worth to build a house
The price of the houseboat begins with 15-17 million for 80-100 square meters. The same costs an apartment of this size in the bedroom area of the capital. That's just a communal at the autonomous house on the water comes out to 2-3 thousand rubles a month against 10-15 thousand in a typical Moscow apartment. Imagine, how much now the earth at water costs, also with possibility to stand almost in the center of Moscow in step availability from park and the underground.
Of course, this is the most economical option of absolutely full-fledged year-round housing for extraordinary personalities. Price Hausbot, capable of accommodating many vagaries, reaches 80 million rubles, with an increase in area to 300 square meters.
But fishing from the living room balcony is available in any package. As, however, the parking lot of the helicopter, which becomes the main transport outside the Moscow Ring Road.
«A helicopter parking in an airclub will cost 60-70 thousand rubles a month, - says the recent CEO of "Aerosoyuz". - And here - for free and always at hand. Twenty minutes to the Moscow Ring Road, and you are already in the sky!»
What about service?
Hausbot is as mobile as a good yacht, even if it is quiet. It is capable of speeds of 8-10 km/h to pass 1500 km on one filling station.
Maneuverability - according to Alexander - «like in a tank: on the course put up and went to drink tea, and turns the house almost on the spot».
At the same time the «yacht» is not fluffy at all: 40-70 tons of weight are well resisted to water disturbances. Neither tractors with wakers nor ships with high displacement will interfere with a wave of quiet tea drinking. The Hausbot - a river-lake» class «vessel - holds the wave for up to one and a half meters.
In the conference hall every word of Alexander was listened to with all the attention, and then filled with questions. Most of all the listeners were concerned with engineering nuances.
Being an experienced houseowner, one of the guests gave an example of their expenses for home service: «To serve two filtering columns costs 30 000, to serve the boiler - 5000 rubles per year. How much does it really cost to service the houseboat?»
«A LOT OF GUESTS STILL DON'T BELIEVE US," SMILES ALEXANDRE, WHO WAS CLEARLY EXPECTING A QUESTION. - SERVICING TWO DOUBLE is cheaper than Ruble 1000. We give him two SIZES in a year. PLUS ONCE A YEAR WILL HAVE TO SPEND ON FILTERS FROM 10 TO 20 THOUSAND RUBLES.»
It still has to pay for a specialist call, but with trained people, the company promises to provide.
«We work with the Italians. Their new water treatment systems have been maintenance-free for 30 years»," says the company's director.
Russian production of European quality
After all the calculations, the Russian-Danish company decided to move the construction to Russia. Which turned out to be 70% cheaper. Savings go both on taxes and transportation, as well as on human resources. Some panels are manufactured near Kaluga, the main assembly is carried out at the newly built shipyard at the Khimki shipyard in Dolgoprudny. As a result, the Russian side is responsible for assembly and promotion, while the Danish partners have taken over the design and engineering systems.
The company takes three to six months to produce the house from the moment the order is approved, signing a contract with the specified price and high penalties. By making an advance payment, you can safely plan to move to the designated date.
The service life promises to be like that of any vessel: 30-50 years, if not followed at all.
Not everyone can live on the water. Someone is not ready for the noise from boats, someone is afraid that due to high humidity things will spoil faster than in an ordinary house. Someone is looking for privacy, and to such an exotic dwelling, a line of friends will line up instantly. Those who want «to hang» out by the window will not be kicked out.
«We even stopped watching TV. Now we look out the window»," says Alexander.
My address is neither home nor street.
Hausbott is legally equivalent to a small vessel. Therefore, he can stand anywhere where it is not prohibited and does not interfere with navigation. Overlooking the Red Square, of course, you can not live, and 15 minutes from her by taxi - easy.
About 35 yacht clubs are already ready to accept floating houses. We will have to spend from 30 to 60 thousand rubles a month for the berth. But the club's entire infrastructure, including 24-hour security, will be at your disposal.
However, you can moor for free and outside the marinas, the main thing is to think in advance how you will get with the packages from the store. This was the biggest minus that the CEO of Houseboat was able to give an example of the shortcomings of living on the water.
As a small ship, the Hausbot will bring you the cost of transportation tax in exchange for real estate tax. And for now, unlike in European practice, you will not have a postal address, and thus the opportunity to register in a new home.
In the near future, the FGBU Moscow» «Channel promises to support the creation of the first water settlements in Russia. They are planned to be located in the Klyazma, Pest and Khimki reservoirs of the Moscow Canal.
Parking there promises to be cheaper, and the infrastructure is adapted for comfortable permanent residence.
There's already room for the first settlement. «Hausbot» started its active promotion in early 2018. And at the moment, there are already three houses under construction and three more are being designed by prepayment. For such an innovation in our reality it is a good start!
