First-time house renovation

latecomer

Its complicated and I dont really want to go into details. The guy is in custody until the trial and presumably for some time afterwards which is a good thing in all respects

andrew-b

So sorry to hear about your house "invasion" latecomer...agree with stolt about not being too hasty. Sure your space has been invaded and you'll have got mental scars from it at least for a while but don't let the scum take away your home as well as your possessions and the damage they've done...especially after the efforts you went to get so far and the builder's you've got through. If you were intending to upsize anyway then fair enough.. a good a time as any and at least you will have actually got something to show for your efforts as i'm sure you must have added value to the property.
Though the sad truth is the scum are everywhere and you could end up moving to an area that worse if you don't your homework carefully!

At the end of the day it's bricks and mortars and possessions which can be put back together again and replaced..your family are safe which is the important bit.

I would say return to the house when you can..secure it as best as you can then live there and see how it goes..you'll probably be freaked out by every sound for a few weeks so don't expect too much but it'll get easier hopefully..if it doesn't then i'd up sticks and cash-in on your original investment.

Not quite in the same league of criminality but someone tried to steal my car off my driveway about a decade ago...i was up late and disturbed them...i went running out with a kitchen knife...of course they were gone in seconds..left me with a few hundred quid of damage and lots of sleepless nights after as i became sensitive to the slightest sound outside. Much to my surprise the police arrived within seconds of my call ...i had to pocket the knife quick knowing the police wouldn't take too kindly even though i was defending my property. The police dogs came out but never caught the scum so i ended up footing the repair bill and I bought a steering wheel lock! Took a while before i could sleep easy again.

At least they have caught the culprit and hopefully they will throw the book at him rather than a wrap over the knuckles. He deserves nothing less than being hung drawn and quartered...after we've beaten the crap out of him of course...not that i'm a violent sort usually!! Sure we've got enough tools between us to do a hell of alot more damage to their house and kneecaps!

Anyway yes i was just dropping by for an update as i've not had much time for forums recently! We're getting on fine with baby Oliver. Though last Saturday night we had to take him to see out-of-our doctor at the hospital as he had conjunctivitis in both eyes. His a month old today already so time is flying. Nights aren't too bad though we've had one or two where either of us have been up for more than 2 hours at a time. On the whole his a good sleeper and just wakes for feeds and nappy changes. The dog is brilliant with baby..if baby cries dog goes over to him has a look and then wanders over to whoever is nearest to get them to sort baby out! I haven't forgotten pics ...so much demand from family and friends i'm going to have to put them online in an invite-only album i think (though facebookers are already priveledged on the photo front).

On the house...well not much happening there...beyond new fixed baby gates (wide enough to allow me to wheel baby from room to room in his buggy rather than risking life and limb if i go falling over!). On the garden...whenever i've got a moment thats where i've been. I've fenced off vegetable patch for a massive £2.19 for a pack of galvanised wire staples...used wire mesh and fencing stakes that were already around. I need to build a wooden gate between shed and fence. Also intending to get on with laying paver bricks to create a slope..though i need help with that to carry about bags of sand and need to beg/steal/borrow suitable brick cutter unless i go for the old-fashioned hammer and chisel approach!

andrew-b

Realised i could send a link to my fb album so have sent it onto a few of the regulars here via PM...anyone i forgot (wasn't sure who would or wouldn't want!) drop me a PM.

latecomer

@andyb - Absolutely gorgeous. You must be very happy

LLC had a big weekend - crawled forwards for the first time (had done backwards and a little sidewards so until now), went swimming for the first time, slept from 12 to 7am last night and also had his first real fruit - whole strawberries which he sucked and nibbled into oblivion

Regarding the house - the damage itself isn't too bad but there is another element to it which is going to make it very difficult to ever be comfortable there again, particularly with LLC. we were always going to be moving in the longer term and this has just brought the possibility forwards. Got specialist cleaners coming in this week and then hopefully we can get other trades in for quoting on the repair work. Then of course we've got to deal with teh insurance (well loss adjuster) regarding all the stuff thats going to be thrown out, and OH is going back to work too so its going to be a couple of stressful weeks.

aliasojo

Aw bless. There will be no stopping him now! Cover the video or dvd slots straight away otherwise you'll be finding allsorts pushed in there now he's got the idea he can move.

Wish you strength for the coming weeks.

latecomer

Not a problem on that front - LLC is living at the in laws for the foreseeable future

stolt

evening all weather been amazing down south, some neighbours went to spain and they come back looking no browner than me!!! bet they had more fun though.

managed to get the wiring in the downstairs bathroom, and i've dot and dabbed one wall where the radiator will go, the one wall will have boxing on it with a wall hung sink and toilet. the other will be tiled directly on the wall.

after plastering sat in the garden for twenty mins to take some photos, squirrels and a blackbird nesting, managed to sneak a look in her nest when knew she was taking 5 mins to herself. only one chick which is unusual as they normally have 4/5 chicks.

latecomer

@stolt - love the outdoor pics - birds and mushrooms in particular

makes me even more determined to get a replacement DSLR asap. Cleaners in tomorrow which should give us a good ideda how things are going to progress. Hoping if nothing else I can get back in relatively soon to start getting things progressed. Least I'll get time to strip the rest of the woodwork and not have to worry about the carpets

typeractive

Good stuff stolt & maggie. (Maggie each time I look at your gas fire I keep thinking it's a tank with some lizards or such inside! lol)

Just made a post on my blog, which may be of use to some people when picking double glazing - ya never know? There's a lengthy write up, but if you can't be bothered with that there's some pics of my new windows and doors

http://house31.wordpress.com/

Cheers
:beer:

arroli

typeractive wrote: »

Just made a post on my blog, which may be of use to some people when picking double glazing - ya never know? There's a lengthy write up, but if you can't be bothered with that there's some pics of my new windows and doors

http://house31.wordpress.com/

:beer:

Typeractive, enjoyed reading your post on blog...we too are having serious worries in choosing windows and doors for our renovation project, so know exactly where you are! Ours is an old stone cottage, currently has Everest aluminium windows, and finding something sympathetic with age and style of cottage, yet practical and reasonably priced is so difficult..
My biggest problem is the 2 huge picture windows at front of house..i would ideally like something that looks "cottagey" but because of size it will need 3 mock sash windows together...lots of upvc in line of view...or alternative is 70s style casement windows, which we dont really want...I feel as if I too am plaguing the local window company!!:)