First-time house renovation

jimbugalee

oh wow at that shed!!! love it!!

ukmaggie45

Here's the before and after pictures where OH took out the fir tree. Hope it works! Click to see bigger image.





And here's OH with the pine tree!



And this is the view from the bathroom window - the shed will be going at the far right hand end of the garden, facing the house, so facing roughly south west. The door is on the right, so opens onto a path.

TomsMom

Latecomer Oh dear, it's not getting much better is it. I'd have completely lost it by now!

Maggie Lovely shed. Well done to John on removing the fir tree. Your garden is looking good already, you've done a lot of work on it.

We are now in our third week of really lovely weather, just need a jumper as it's been a bit cold but I've been out most afternoons getting pots and planters ready for veggies, weeding the borders and we've got seeds successfully growing in the sun room - tomatoes, red peppers, lupins, dwarf sunflowers, penstemmons and some gorgeous poppies. The old back's been playing up a bit but it's all done now so tomorrow I'm having a rest!

We've had four people out about the blinds. Mr "I talk twaddle" quoted £1,400 for 9 verticals in the sun room plus rollers on the 3 Velux windows :eek:. But that did include filling in the little holes left from the bracket screws on the original blinds, he said he would use white silicone and tippex :rotfl: . Roller blinds in the two bedrooms and loft would have taken it to £2,000!

Man number 2 quoted for Perfect Fit type pleated blinds like this, on all windows and velux's in the sun room for £600. Rollers for the bedrooms we're still waiting for a price but shouldn't be more than £200. We need something in the bedrooms as like the sun room they get the sun all day so need to protect the furniture and carpets.

Man number 3 quoted for pleated blinds on sun room windows and rollers on velux's plus rollers in bedrooms £1,200.

Sandersons quoted just for the sun room and including the velux's he came in at £2,100 including a free garden furniture set. We didn't want one (don't have room really, plus we have a little table and chairs set bought for us last year which is perfect for the size of the garden) so he dropped the price to £1,995 (not exactly free then is it?). He was new to the job so not very experienced in being a pushy salesman, plus he wanted to get back home for the rugby!

We're having a day out tomorrow and will call in at a couple of showrooms and there is one more coming to the house at the weekend. Man number 2 is the forerunner at the moment, he had a nice quality product, 90% of his business comes from recommendation and he wasn't at all pushy, in fact most apologetic that pleated blinds were more expensive than rollers. Plus he was the only one who took his shoes off as soon as he walked in the door :T.

The wardrobe for the main bedroom is being delivered on Friday, we'll make sure the packaging is taken off before it goes upstairs this time, don't want to have to repaint the walls again - they should take more care if there's no packaging.

Apart from that it's very quiet here. TD is continuing to improve and is gradually regaining his strength. He was up the ladder cleaning the three velux windows today - mind you he was shattered afterwards but he couldn't have done that a month ago!

latecomer

Thanks folks!

@littlerose - very jealous of your progress

@jimbugalee - wish we had door frames to paint or even a garden we could access to do stuff in!

@ukmaggie - how much asbestos are you having removed? If our builders do leave the job then we'll need to get some quotes and dont really have anything to compare it with at the moment.

@TM - I had no idea that blinds cost that much! Glad to hear TD still improving.


Our builders phoned this morning to say that they needed a little longer to decide on the plan. Not quite sure what he meant by plan but we've arranged to meet at 7:30am tomorrow to discuss things. OH is worried that they might be seeking legal advice but I couldn't care less. Our original agreement stated that all work had to be completed to an acceptable level - I can clearing demonstrate that it hasn't been and therefor they are not due payment.

Will see what happens and report back tomorrow

ukmaggie45

latecomer wrote: »

@ukmaggie - how much asbestos are you having removed? If our builders do leave the job then we'll need to get some quotes and dont really have anything to compare it with at the moment.

John just checked the area. It's about 35 sq metres - the front and back living rooms, the hall, and under the stairs. The quote was £350 +VAT. John says everyone he's mentioned it to has commented on how cheap that was. But we haven't had the invoice yet. Will let you know when we do. (the chap at the council who suggested them said they were "very reasonable")

latecomer

Thanks for that. We were quoted about 500+ vat for the removal of the soffits and while I dont know the exact area I would estimate it around 5 sq metres max. Admittedly there are minor access issues to some areas at the front of the house.

ukmaggie45

latecomer wrote: »

Thanks for that. We were quoted about 500+ vat for the removal of the soffits and while I dont know the exact area I would estimate it around 5 sq metres max. Admittedly there are minor access issues to some areas at the front of the house.

Our stuff was thermoplastic tiles on the floor, so no ladder work.

I imagine anything from near roof would be more expensive, so the 500+vat doesn't sound too bad to me. But I know nothing. I know I was surprised they only quoted 350+vat to us, but as I say, we haven't had the invoice yet.

Actually saw the floor yesterday evening, looks a mess (was expecting that) but tiles all safely gone.

Better go get bath as meeting builder in about an hour!

littlerose12345

Morning All

Hopefully productive weekend planned for this weekend! Goint to make a start on the living room and need to

Fit skirting
Undercoat walls
Undercoat and gloss skirting

Bought our wallpaper for the feature wall the other day, it's beautiful! Laura Ashley - bit pricy but I'm sure it'll look fab!

ukmaggie45

Arrived house about 11am, took photos of spring flowers etc (and the sprouting garlic in containers in the front garden. :j )

Did raking moss from grass.

Met builder.

Did more raking moss from grass while John went round house with builder.

Had long talk with John and builder.

Did a quick more rake of moss from grass when went out to fetch rake to put away.

Locked up back of house and went to hairdresser, managed to negotiate could go for soup of the day and garlic bread next door before haircut.

Haircut.

Pub.

Home, to bed with G&T.

Visit from hugely (twins) large daughter. Every time I see her I think she can't get much bigger, but she does. Poor love, she's finding stairs difficult, so I am very happy she made the effort to get up them to say hello to me. :j

Moral of this story? Don't rake moss out of grass for too long at a time! It leaves you knackerrrred!

stolt

hello everyone, been absent from this thread since christmas I think, been busy doing loads to our house... spent all weekend doing the garden and changing some switches and sockets, electrocuted myself and then about 7 tonight i angle grinded my finger..... wanna see a pic?? i lost my blog, it currupted and i didnt back it up, so ive been busy starting to a new one.....
http://stirlingjob.blogspot.com/
need to read through the last few pages to catch up on how you are all doing.