the daydream fund challenge thread

Davesnave

rozeepozee wrote: »

Went to see the architect yesterday. I can't believe how far what I considered a tidy sum for renovations won't go.... Hmmmm.............

We're going to start speaking to our architect again.

When all the stuff blew-up in November with Mr Dog, I put the building side of things on hold, thinking that if we got lots of hassle, we'd be in 'Get Me Out Of Here' mode. i.e. quick tart-up and on the market at a realistic price. Life's too short for vendettas.

However, give him his due, Mr D went to his immediate neighbours, whom he likes, and asked if the dogs were causing nuisance. They, having been put on the spot, told the truth. Anyway, the result has been a virtual eradication of the problem in the last couple of months.

So, we feel like planning for the future again now. Yes, we still have a control-freak nutter for a neighbour, but we shall reward him by leaving the little area around his place undeveloped, planting some evergreens there and just reminding him gently with the sound of a chain saw should his behaviour slip!

rozeepozee

Davesnave wrote: »

We're going to start speaking to our architect again.

When all the stuff blew-up in November with Mr Dog, I put the building side of things on hold, thinking that if we got lots of hassle, we'd be in 'Get Me Out Of Here' mode. i.e. quick tart-up and on the market at a realistic price. Life's too short for vendettas.

However, give him his due, Mr D went to his immediate neighbours, whom he likes, and asked if the dogs were causing nuisance. They, having been put on the spot, told the truth. Anyway, the result has been a virtual eradication of the problem in the last couple of months.

So, we feel like planning for the future again now. Yes, we still have a control-freak nutter for a neighbour, but we shall reward him by leaving the little area around his place undeveloped, planting some evergreens there and just reminding him gently with the sound of a chain saw should his behaviour slip!

That's great news, Dave. It's so exciting, though scarey and we wish we had a bigger pot of cash, but that's always the way and if we had, we'd have done something different again, probably....

I'm driving myself to distraction with the decision of which architect in the first instance. It seems they're both about the same cost, give or take a grand or so. The architect is close to retirement, has worked in the area for years, a lovely personable chap who no one has a bad word to say about and who seems to be very highly regarded professionally. The other guy, a building engineer, has a team with different skill sets, is very busy and strikes me as someone who will get the job done and may be keener on budgets (he's based inland and does more work with the farmers). We may gain on the design side with the architect, although I've seen both of their works and I'd be happy to live with either.... There really isn't anything to choose from them, except the arhcitect is very chatty and I don't think he'll mind being mithered to death by us! We need to make a decision by Monday as unless we get someone else in to quote, (I don't think we have the stomach for it and don't know what we'd gain by it) we're just dithering.

Currently debating whether we can adapt the garage/utility area as a living space whilst the work is done or if we need to buy a static. That'll probably be another £5k.... We cuold probably live in the existing buildings for an inital outlay of a few hundred quid, but is that feasible with 3 small kids. Eeek! It's never like this on those property programmes!

lostinrates

Wow, that is great news about the dogs!

Davesnave

lostinrates wrote: »

Wow, that is great news about the dogs!

Yes, it is.

I didn't say anything earlier in case I jinxed things.

I'm not really bothered whether he's acted to please his neighbours, or because he fears what I might do next with a chain saw. All I want is what anyone would want in the circumstances; quiet enjoyment of my own place.

If I couldn't have peace, then staying wouldn't be an option, simple as that.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

hubby is now going to argri farm feed place on his travels and going to price up a humaine fox trap.... once caught the neighbour on the end of the road can shot it with his shot gun....

Sorry if this sounds heartless to people reading, but these are my chickens... and i am going to protect them to the best i can....

LIR we are on the end of a village so not a built up area....loads of people go rabbiting etc on the mountains by us...

Right off to do some work...

Itismehonest

Busy morning on here Will have to brush up my speed-reading

The trap & shotgun sounds like a much better option, CTC. An airgun isn't really up to the job for larger animals.

@ Rozee - Remember to at least double the initial cost of everything. There's always something somewhere that costs significantly more than was foreseen. If you're lucky it will only be one or two things but that's if you're lucky.
I'm out of touch with Business Rates v. Council Tax so can't advise on which of those would be better for the annexe. However, if you have a rental business already, you should be able to get VAT/tax taken into account on the annexe if it is treated as a rental business whereas that's not really the same case if it's part of your home. The property would be a combined premises - home on CT, annexe on BR ...... unless that's changed in the last 7 years, too.

@ Dave - Pleased to hear about Mr Dog :j :cool:

rozeepozee

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

hubby is now going to argri farm feed place on his travels and going to price up a humaine fox trap.... once caught the neighbour on the end of the road can shot it with his shot gun....

Sorry if this sounds heartless to people reading, but these are my chickens... and i am going to protect them to the best i can....

LIR we are on the end of a village so not a built up area....loads of people go rabbiting etc on the mountains by us...

Right off to do some work...

Hey, I am Miss Softie when it comes to animals, but it sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

choille

Dave - great bonfire & great news about the neighbour - the impactthese folks have is incredible really.

I'm debating moving my polytunnel frame which sits nearish the neighbours - can see their place from there & they can see me.....long story, but I think it would be better sited down the croft in any case - more & longer sunlight & relatively sheltered, but & it's a big but - it's down a heck of a slope - so thinking on the practicalities of humphing stuff up & down - oh for a quad again or possibly a llahma or two? Would love that but couldn't contemplate that in reality unless the lottery ticket comes in.
But it's cemented in...........

I must of summoned up the nutter next door as he's just been on the phone - lordy lordy.

CTC - You should ask the farmer to come with his rifle & lamp it IF he's uber- careful with lamping.
Yeh - once they find your hens they do come back as you know. Plus I always think that when it gets colder they do come around as it's easier pickings - again as you know. Really sorry - it's a sickener.

Reet off to phone someone about the nutter.............

rozeepozee

Feeling rather country as I helped deliver a lamb today

Davesnave

rozeepozee wrote: »

Feeling rather country as I helped deliver a lamb today

That's one more than me then!

I'm a little sorry the sheep have gone now. Pulling them out of the fences was no fun, but at least I wasn't breaking ice on the drinkers five times a day this 'winter.' Speaking of which, I saw arum lillies flowering in Crediton today....:eek:
Someone phoned this morning to ask if we'd make up a pub quiz team. Half way through the conversation they said, "Oh, there's some sheep in the lane....." Then, "Hang on, they're our sheep!"

Made me realise what I'm missing! :rotfl: