Aftermath chez Wol2 –moving forwards after the flood

Wol2

Happy Happy New year peeps :beer: – I’m back after a rather long duvet time and thought it time to start a new thread :eek:
As you know my house was flooded in July 2007 and due to the rather disastrous progress of the insurance claim (Plus ending up with my right hand in plaster for 8 weeks courtesy of one of the piggies in June 2008), I finally managed to move back into my home in August 2008.
So first of all I’d like to say a very very big thank you :T to all the lovely people I have found on here who have supported me through this awful time – both on the thread (especially Piglet, Bubbles, Gun Jack, Penguin, BOB, Chevalier, MOT and Ampersand and everyone on the Owls and Daily Chat threads :grouphug:) and to my great friends who have been a visiting over the last year helping me pack/unpack etc and listening ad nauseam to my “effing builders” rants on the phone– i.e. Smashed Booboo, PoorandinDenial, ZTD and Numpty Monkey :A :kisses3: :grouphug:
Unfortunately, the “re-instatement” works were ”sub-standard”:mad: (I am being polite – it has been devastating for me )and I am hoping to receive a quotation for rectification from another building firm next week which is estimated at a cost of £25,000 to put right the wonky and defective floors, orange peel plastering, peeling wallpaper, paintwork that looks like a herd of sheep hit it while still wet, water cascading in through the lounge window and various other little gems I have discovered on the way culminating last week in frozen pipes (which were meant to have been lagged) . Essentially most of the ground floor (hall, cloakroom, dining room, kitchen and utility) will need to be stripped out and redone

So where is Wol now? Frankly still in a bit of a pickle - Here are the highlights:
a) This last year has cost me approx £27k in lost earnings. My employment ended in March and I didn’t know where I’ll be living from one month to the next and kept being told I would be moving back imminently by the loss adjuster on a monthly basis. I went self employed but was unable to commit to full itme work owing ot hte itme requred to ensure the house reinstatment project wasn't delayed any further
b) Most of my savings have therefore gone – plus an additional £40k which had been draw down on the mortgage for the refurbishment (particularly the anti flood works which to date have cost £11k) and out of pocket expenses associated with this whole fiasco
c) Builders are claiming I owe them £20k for the additional work over and above the insurance claim (have paid £7kish of this up front) I am refusing to pay any more(backed by my surveyor) as they have overcharged/double counted and charged for work not done as part of this £20k. My surveyor will be seeking to offset the cost for rectification against a reduced bill to be calculated by surveyor. i.e. builders could end up owing me a substantial sum. Obviously they may decide to ither takeme to court or go bust in which case I have notified the insurance company of my intention to claim against them for rectification as my house should be restored to its previous standard before the flood (but I wont be able to claim for the rectification of any of the additional work I personally paid for, just the general decoration, kitchen and utility floor and strip out of hall and cloakroom as per the insurance work)
d) The loss adjusters acting on behalf of the insurance company still haven’t paid my contents claim (so owe me about £20k ish)
e) I have put formal complaint in to insurance company about the slow progress of the claim, the sub standard work and for additional out of pocket expenses incurred (storage boxes, travelling back to house, unpaid leave, professional help as a result of the nervous breakdown I had in Oct 2007 etc - about £13k) and asked them to propose a figure for mental distress and business interruption, loss of earnings etc
f) My current SOA based on my average monthly earning to date shows a £1000 deficit in income over expenditure per month so I need to get the business properly up and running (or get a full time job) and reduce expenditure drastically
g) I can’t do anything to the house ref rectification or even just tidying up some of the issues until the claim is sorted with the existing builders (will prob be another two months) so the house is not presentable to visitors or clients and in any case it makes sense not to attempt any stripping out until spring when the weather is warmer. (I may have to move out completely for two months while the work is done – yet more expense)
So what is the plan – well, I’m still pretty overwhelmed by the whole situation and have good days and bad days - but I need to set objectives each month to work my way out of it and maintain some kind of focus amidst the mayhem until I have restored my house, my health, my income and my confidence back to pre-flood!

So here are January’s objectives:
a) Drastically reduce expenditure. Food is the topic for this month. I am going through the freezer/storecupboards. I have analyzed previous bills and set a weekly and monthly shopping bill and am bulk cooking/freezing. Most of all, this month I have to cut out alcohol – no more vino.
b) Get the quotation for rectification finalized, and also the current claim with the builders so I know how much money I have to find in April for the rectification work.
c) Obtain an interim payment from the insurance company to cover outgoings in Feb in lieu of contents claim and complaint claim being settled this month
d) Spruce up my CV and get it out to both prospective employers and start touting my self employed business by making appointments to see potential clients and preparing marketing material
e) Download turbolister and start ebaying
f) Think about short term income – I shall be looking at small pet sitting, supermarket shifts and bar work

I'll keep you all updated on progress :cool:
I DO know there are other 2007 flood victims who are in similar situations to me or are still out of their homes and if they want to post on here for mutual support then please feel free.
And as for you my dear friends – without MSE and you, I would not have made it through the last 18 months– so my very grateful thanks to all of you for your time and support and I look forward to seeing you on this nice shiny new thread
Well it’s been rather a long first post (Sorry Numpty) and I’d like to thank you all for reading it. Hopefully we will have as many laughs on here in 2009 as we did last year and there really will be a humungous house warming party in July which is when I hope it will all be finally done and dusted.

Hugs to all
Much love
Wol2
xx

LilacPixie

!!!!!!! hell Wol. I kew the flood had fooked your home but I never realised how much.

Good luck with it all, keep strong and you can do whatever you set your mind too.

LP

Numpty_Monkey

I ain't codenseing that epic:p

Happy new thread:j:T

tealady

Keep your chin up Wol, after all that things can only get better!

Numpty_Monkey

And what were you doing up at silly oclock:p

Wol2

Numpty_Monkey wrote: »

I ain't codenseing that epic:p

Happy new thread:j:T

Awww NUmpty - give it a try........pretty please.....;)

xx

Wol2

Numpty_Monkey wrote: »

And what were you doing up at silly oclock:p

Distrubed sleep patterns courtesy of the pneumatic drill early sunday morning I think! Looks like you didn;'t fair much better last night either (sleep I mean, not the pneumatic drill!).

Found out today it is the gas people - remember I said I thought I smelt gas at New Year ?- looks like there's a pretty big problem as they are back again today digging up more.....

xxx

Snaggles

Here's my attempt:

Flood......ooooooh, house fooked, very soggy.

Naughty piggy, ouch poor hand.

Builders - ar$£holes - say no more :rolleyes:

Crappy insurance companies.......christ look at my bank balance :eek:

Here's to the future :beer:

Are you coming to Manchester Wol hon?

Gemmzie

Wol, you're back Onwards and upwards for 2009

redsquirrel80

Welcome back Wol - good luck with all your plans! x

Wol2

Hi Snaggles

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: - love the short version!

Top of the morning to you my dear and yes, I will be coming to Manchester....but driving back to Leeds that night I think...... Just trying to co-ordinate travel arrangements to pick up [STRIKE]a few reprobates [/STRIKE]aforesaid dear friends en route before posting

Hugs to you
xxx