Daydream thread continues.....

rhiwfield

Rozee, in your place I'd go down the same route of energy efficiencies, renewables but I think you are right in thinking that means a long haul to fully reap the rewards for the big items.

The solar we put in 3 years back is on course for a 9-10 year payback whereas thin film Triple Glazing had a payback in months! Having said that we dont know if we would get our capital back on the solar if we had to sell now.

Investing for the future may not bring the instant gratification that often seems to be the new norm, but it can bring long term satisfaction

ferretkeeper

WHAT A MORNING!!!

All I can say is CTC and her hubby saved it from being absolutely diabolical!

Went to fill my car up at the petrol station next to their place and when I'd finished my bloomin car wouldn't start. It's happened before, so I carry a big booster thingy but that didn't work this time. So I walk away from the pumps to make a call to breakdown people and who comes round the corner but CTC - with jump leads conveniently stashed in the car!!!

Her hubby arrives on the scene shortly after and I was back on the road again! ~decided to go straight to the nearby garage they recommended, a couple of hours and a hundred quid later I have a new battery and no more breakdown worries!!!

I was going to pick up pigs (mission now delayed) but I'm glad it happened on the way while empty, can imagine nothing worse than poor animals stuck in transit!

I really need to give the truck some attention, it's going to be getting a lot of use now....

Rozee - know how you feel about investing in a property, gone are the days when you'd see the equivalent increase in value/saleability. We've spent a fortune on this place and you can't see it, infact as I've said before overall it looks worse.

BUT we are also in it for the long haul now and indeed improvements will benefit us eventually and give peace of mind that WE'VE had the work done right, not by Bodge It And Leg It PLC who seem to have touched everything in this place at some point!

rozeepozee

rhiwfield wrote: »

Rozee, in your place I'd go down the same route of energy efficiencies, renewables but I think you are right in thinking that means a long haul to fully reap the rewards for the big items.

The solar we put in 3 years back is on course for a 9-10 year payback whereas thin film Triple Glazing had a payback in months! Having said that we dont know if we would get our capital back on the solar if we had to sell now.

Investing for the future may not bring the instant gratification that often seems to be the new norm, but it can bring long term satisfaction

Thanks, Rhiw. As you say, it'd be easy just to spend the money on making the place look nice (and there's plenty on the market that looks just like that, gorgeous, but all top show) but we are in it for the long haul. I'd rather have Solar PV than a fitted kitchen

Apparently, there is a new wood burner on the market that qualifies for the Feed In tariff. If I get any more info, I'll post here.

rozeepozee

ferretkeeper wrote: »

WHAT A MORNING!!!

All I can say is CTC and her hubby saved it from being absolutely diabolical!

Went to fill my car up at the petrol station next to their place and when I'd finished my bloomin car wouldn't start. It's happened before, so I carry a big booster thingy but that didn't work this time. So I walk away from the pumps to make a call to breakdown people and who comes round the corner but CTC - with jump leads conveniently stashed in the car!!!

Her hubby arrives on the scene shortly after and I was back on the road again! ~decided to go straight to the nearby garage they recommended, a couple of hours and a hundred quid later I have a new battery and no more breakdown worries!!!

I was going to pick up pigs (mission now delayed) but I'm glad it happened on the way while empty, can imagine nothing worse than poor animals stuck in transit!

I really need to give the truck some attention, it's going to be getting a lot of use now....

Rozee - know how you feel about investing in a property, gone are the days when you'd see the equivalent increase in value/saleability. We've spent a fortune on this place and you can't see it, infact as I've said before overall it looks worse.

BUT we are also in it for the long haul now and indeed improvements will benefit us eventually and give peace of mind that WE'VE had the work done right, not by Bodge It And Leg It PLC who seem to have touched everything in this place at some point!

CTC, you're a star. Hilarious!

FK, I've had a fair amount of experience with Bodge it and Leg it! The rental properties we own are in a converted very large victorian house. They look lovely, but the workmanship... We've spent the last three years, remedying bodge jobs. It is very expensive, but hopefully, as they are long term investments, worth it. Our tenants appreciate it, I hope. It's not just a means to earn money for us. We want to provide a good standard of living for the people who are good enough to allow us to live the life we do.

itsme I think what I didn't fully appreciate this time last year was how much the infrastructure work costs when you are combing a few fairly large projects: rewire, new heating, roof insulation, flooring, then chuck in some nice renewables.... Phew! Each job is all towards the double figures of thousands! It's been a steep and uncomfortable learning curve at times. Almost cheaper to knock the house down and start again!

Itismehonest

Yes,it may well have been cheaper to start again. I think that's often the case but it's all down to personal choice & whether planning will allow, of course.

I sent LIR a link to a newish 3 bed place which replaced an old timber bungalow. Expensive area, all the bells & whistles of renewables & eco-living etc. which has been used as a holiday cottage.
It's been on the market since 2009 (not long after it was built, I guess) initially at 750, reduced to 675. Just listed as sold for 500. That's probably about it's true value but I do wonder if they actually made anything on the venture given when they bought & what they must have spent on the clearance, build, maintenance & annual costs since then.

Long term thinking is definitely the best way.
Mind you, any new, expensive technology today will be either cheaper, obsolete or needing replacement in 20 years. You just have to think along the "Well we got the benefit of it while we were here" line of thought.

rozeepozee

This is the woodburner. £3000 plus £950 voucher, qualififes for some sort of FIT/RHI payment. yet to find out what

http://www.broseleyfires.com/Wood-Burning-Stoves/eVolution-26-Boiler_Wood-Burning-Stove.html#

Davesnave

Rozee, info received, but it will take some time to digest!:cool:

I will send ours to you tonight.

Well done CTC, being there for FK. :T

ferretkeeper

Well done Rozee :T on finding a woodburner that meets the standard - we'd been looking at pellet stove thingies that go in the utility room, costing a small fortune but still worth it!!!

The FIT for domestic had yet to be agreed on 100% last time I looked into it BUT it wasn't half as good as the FIT for commercial properties...good news is that if you have an office in your home that qualifies you for commercial FIT, as do holiday let properties.

The FIT is dependant on usage, a heat meter is installed, but the commercial tariff is payable for 20 years, and is index linked whereas the domestic tariff was for a much shorter period, barely getting payback. Also as I understood it any initial payment you receive on installation is deducted from future FIT money received, which I would usually say is fair enough but after what the amazon have been up to with grants....:eek:

And what good Karma you're sending out to your tenants :A

I felt the same when we did up our rental place, did it as I would like it, not using the cheapest nastiest stuff but still on a budget. Although it's now used for holiday letting, but I got 4 stars and all the positive comments have so it was worth it.

It would have been cheaper to knock down and start again (except mine was mid terrace LOL) but it's not easy to get such character back in new buildings.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Right off to have a barf... and then we are off, think we got everything, most importantly the beer:D and an extra huge fluffy warm blanket:D

FK hopefully see you on sunday...

sorry haven't read the post properly, as I am in a rush... will catch up when we get back

lostinrates

ferretkeeper wrote: »

Well done Rozee :T on finding a woodburner that meets the standard - we'd been looking at pellet stove thingies that go in the utility room, costing a small fortune but still worth it!!! .

Yeah, well.......or not worth it.

Never, ever again, Nope, no way. I'll freeze another year rather than go the pellet route again.