the daydream fund challenge thread

Davesnave

lostinrates wrote: »

Davesnave, I don't know how much you've budgeted for a remodel.

£100k max, which doesn't get us much.:( I'd prefer spending less money than that, though. Well, who wouldn't? :rotfl:

The bungalow's been extended a couple of times already, so even if we had the dosh, the powers that be might not wear more, though around here.....;);):)

Davesnave

Sorry to hear about your hen, lir.

In the village someone came home to find no hens in the garden, just two legs. She feared the worst, but it was actually the neighbour's hen, and it was the neighbour's dog that had chased it through the hedge, killed it and eaten it.

The lady's hens returned in due course, but they'd obviously been traumatised.

Last time I saw them they were in the little kiddies play area. Don't know what the H&S police would say about that!!!:rotfl:

alfie_1

LIR..... i am SOOOO sorry re yr favourite special chook.:( what is it with "specials"....i still miss georgie my cat.

well today i went and fetched my previous generater that was at a local boat engineer works [in storage as such after a dismal report on it and getting a new one instead 2yrs ago] the Co. owner had "verbally" said i owed about £300 for the examination and report etc. now i dont want this to sound cold hearted but said owner ...died 3 months ago... so after an appropriate time i reclaimed my genny minus the "verbal" debt....:o will be handy for spares?? i would like to rebuild it and then have a back up....will take me a while but WILL SEE IF I CAN CRACK IT ONE DAY

the weather is a bit overcast but dry so far. tends to rain at night at the mo.

Davesnave

alfie_1 wrote: »

tends to rain at night at the mo.

That's news to those living to the west of you!:p

I've just remembered, one of our Australorps laid its first egg today. Though not quite in the Faberge league, that's one very expensive egg ATM ! :eek:

lostinrates

choille wrote: »

Animals such a thing reminds us how near the wild pets are sometimes..

you know, that has really helped A LOT. I have to admit to feeling very infuriated with big dog because she really is a tin short of a six pack. But she is a dear thing and I wish I were a better home for her.

Alfie, one of the things I find really hard about all of this is, rather than the ''specials'' the fact that I feel bad that big dog isn't to me, one of those, and she really deserves to be.

TBH, I think with the restrictions this summer over exercise we've got off pretty lightly and tomorrow I think I might take big dog out alone for a run. dog dog will go nuts :eek::eek:. Managing issues this year has been a bind. But I have to step up to the plate and admit that they both must be bored on such reduced exercise and that's the worst thing a bored dog. Add thick to it, and big, then...its not a good combo!


Cuckoo did find last winter gruesome, I'm sad, as she's spent the last three and a half weeks sititng on eggs that didn't hatch and I wish she'd just kept her futile vigil a few days longer! but these things happen.

alfie_1

i have just trawled the interNOT trying to find the cheapest way/possibilities of elec here...nothing,zip,nil....:mad:
there is not anything [well i cant find it!:o] come on you lot.....HELP !!:D

COOLTRIKERCHICK

[QUOTE=Davesnave;47032883

With apologies to those living in Wales, you are in a similar position to us. Properties aren't moving well and prices are falling. Maybe it will turn around at some point, but I don't see much prospect of that for some while. So would I go and throw hundreds of thousands at a property in West Wales right now? Of course I would, but only if I was 100% cast iron certain that it was exactly what I was looking for! [/QUOTE]

no need to apologies to me, as for me personally this will give me a little bit of hope that maybe one day i could be able to afford a place, but for people in wales now, who bought at the heigth of the price boom, and now want to move, it is a totally diff story..

rhiwfield

alfie_1 wrote: »

i have just trawled the interNOT trying to find the cheapest way/possibilities of elec here...nothing,zip,nil....:mad:
there is not anything [well i cant find it!:o] come on you lot.....HELP !!:D

Racked my brains on this before as I think you have a long run from the nearest mains supply and you will also have to meet National Park rules and presumably get other landowner permissions to cross their land with poles or underground cabling. I recall you had a quote from your leccy supplier at well over £16k, though cant remember exact figure.

As I understand several companies will quote for new connections, not just your own supplier. Google new electricity connections or go to C E Electric or perhaps R&D Network Design to get competitive quotes. Trouble is connection is very expensive so not sure you'll get it done any cheaper than your initial quote.

Then you could go for off grid renewable energy BUT National Park rules may make this impractical. I'd doubt whether a wind turbine would be either allowed or that you have sufficient average wind speed anyway (latter needs to be measured for a year if you want to assess potential after checking desktop calcs). I dont think you have hydroelectric possibility which leaves solar pv with back up batteries and a genny for supplementary supply. But again NP rules may stop or restrict you so its well worth a chat with them to see just what is possible. (Call 01590 646600. The New Forest National Park Authority is the Planning Authority for the National Park area. Planning advisors will be happy to discuss possible renewable energy schemes with you)

The new advantage of renewables are FITs giving a payback of 8-15% pa. To some people pv panels are unsightly and they are unlikley to be allowed to detract from visibility of listed or conservation area buildings. So they either have to be tucked away out of sight or seamlessly blend in to building:

Out of sight: if you have adjacent land consider a mini solar farm, ground mounted, with hedging to preserve Park visual amenity, linked by underground cable to your leccy system and battery back-up. I'd guess this would be your best pv option.

Blend in: Options include roof tile solar pv or the emerging thin film pv that can be applied to windows (I think). Costs of this approach are probably prohibitive and technology more on the edge.

Recall that you dont have a large leccy load so frugal approaches (e.g. root cellar for storage etc) are probably in place.

lostinrates

I can't see pv working for Alfie at ground level.....she's got loads of trees, she's in a beautiful little clearing. Its chook paradise, but wretched for ground panels I'd have thought!

alfie, I think that oits worth trying to get a quote from anyone and everyone who might deliver electric to yours is the first step. Then perhaps wroite to your MP telling him the situation/details of the situation of the house.

I would point out that with power your property would become very, very desirable, in a way that might not be welcome.

Davesnave

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

no need to apologies to me, as for me personally this will give me a little bit of hope that maybe one day i could be able to afford a place, but for people in wales now, who bought at the heigth of the price boom, and now want to move, it is a totally diff story..

If we'd purchased there in 2009, it's likely that we'd have spent about £50k more than we'd need to now for the same thing. The house that was in competition with this one when we decided to buy needed work too, but the guy was originally asking £335k for it.:eek: When we viewed, it was at £295k, I think. Nethouseprices tells me it went 6 months later for £240k

The gravy train stalling like this may be good for Wales in the end. As an example, my friend from uni bought a cottage in a Brechfa Forest village in the year 2000. By the time he moved on for the delights of the Gower in 2007, his wife and one old guy were about the only Welsh people left in the village! :rotfl: