Nice people thread part 7 - a thread in its prime

misskool

Doozergirl wrote: »

So can I ask a question in the name of research? It might be a little close to being on topic so maybe I will also post a picture of Twoozer dog as a sort of antidote. Seeing as several of you have already extended your homes and some are considering making changes at some point...
What sort of things do you/would you worry about before you start? I keep reading the same old articles about adding value and the cost of moving versus improving but there must be more practical, or even heartfelt questions that go through people's minds once they've decided it's something they want to do?

It's always cost for us. But we don't need any extra space. We save a bit, get a bit of work done. Not going to overpay mortgage as much as we did for the first 2 years and use the money for works. Don't see interest rates going anywhere for a while so it's a safe bet. (but that's dangerously close to board topic).

Spirit_2

Doozergirl wrote: »

What sort of things do you/would you worry about before you start? I keep reading the same old articles about adding value and the cost of moving versus improving but there must be more practical, or even heartfelt questions that go through people's minds once they've decided it's something they want to do?

I can tell you what goes through the minds of people who need to extend but don't get around to it.

Inability to imagine or visualise what is possible

Then the lack of vision paralyses you into not doing anything.:(

Then the years tick by, extension still needed but pensions and retirement thoughts start to preoccupy you.

Nikkster

The house I went to look at last week has just gone under offer. So I can stop boosting the rightmove index of page views!

Looking at zoopla/ the property pages of the local papers can go back to being a light relief from other stuff

Nikkster

Doozergirl wrote: »

Dog pictures

Doozerdog

That looks like great fun!

lostinrates

misskool wrote: »

I found that free books aren't great

One-click is great for reading prolific authors as it remembers them in sequence.

Wish I could have time to read that many books! what a luxury.

I am a really fast reader, but I retain very little o the information. I can read all these again next week and they will be almost like new:rotfl: I haven't been reading as much (bath issues) but with the library habit was reading six a week, that's bath and bed time. When my eyes started struggling last year they said no reading lying down, so that kind of threw everything as I like to read lying down in the bath or in bed. Sitting to read seem some how very formal.

It really is a tremendous luxury though. One i am extremely grateful for. My fil says the joy of his job is he gets paid to read books he would want to read anyway. Not all academics have it tough with work life balance eh?

michaels

Doozergirl wrote: »

So can I ask a question in the name of research? It might be a little close to being on topic so maybe I will also post a picture of Twoozer dog as a sort of antidote. Seeing as several of you have already extended your homes and some are considering making changes at some point...
What sort of things do you/would you worry about before you start? I keep reading the same old articles about adding value and the cost of moving versus improving but there must be more practical, or even heartfelt questions that go through people's minds once they've decided it's something they want to do?

I'm going to answer for me but i suspect i may not be typical.

Firstly we chose the property with extension in mind. This was for two reasons - it was a much cheaper way to achieve what we wanted and we could also design our own rather than have someone else's design that would not work for us. When we purchased we borrowed extra funds to finance the extension (although the bank didn't know this), with an offset we could put the money back in to the mortgage and use it when we needed to.

We had had a previous extension plus some considerable DIY improvements and despite the extension being a nightmare due to builder problems we had been extremely pleased with the final results. Also in growing up my parents had always been remodelling/adding so I was very used to living round building works.

I had also done my own research around what was possible with regards to planning and building regs and in fact had done a fairly detailed set of plans but still went with an architect who from a search of the LA website had several similar plans passed as an investment in making sure there were no planning hitches especially as I was looking to go beyond what was normally permitted.

We were quite trepidatious when it came to choosing builders but insisted on having a large completion payment and looking at more than 1 completed project but we were also not willing (able) to pay top dollar although I suspect being willing to do so would have made things even easier.

We wanted to be involved in sourcing all internal fixtures and fittings but were happy to go with the builder sourcing building materials and windows etc.

There was some difficulty in resisting asking the builder to do extras along the way and in the end we did have them prepare the loft for a potential conversion (we were having the roof redone anyway and a few bits of finishing/internal alteration that we were planning to have done later anyway but this was quite easy to restrict as we were not wanting to spend any more money.

We were fairly strict on maximising what was done before the knock through (as much as possible) but I think this is the 'killer' period so trying to ensure minimum mess, immediate clean up and rapid completion after this time would make the job as painless as possible - perhaps arranging for the client to be away or in a hotel for a week might be a real winner but this obviously requires everything being on schedule and all the trades being available at the key time.

I think our builder suffered because of the complexity of plumbing in our bathrooms and the fact that our internet ordered fixtures were not always standard fittings and we were actually lucky they did not try and ask for extra payment when for example they fitted a wall hung toilet bowl then found it leaked from a hidden crack...

PasturesNew

vivatifosi wrote: »

Just got off the phone from HMRC.

To recap, I put a figure in the tax underpaid box which represented the amount of tax I had underpaid. It instead paid me this.

When I made the amendment they suggested to the form, it told me to pay back a different amount, not the far bigger sum they had chucked in my bank account.

So called up, very nice woman so not blaming her, just the system. Apparently I did owe back all the money (no s**t Sherlock), but the system is not capable of realising this. What a load of rubbish... GRRRRR!!!!!!!!

Sorry for the vent... (deep breathes... and relax...)

You can now look forward to 3-4 statements arriving randomly over the next 12 months - all different and none bearing any relation to the figures you already know/filled in/etc. That's why I never open the envelopes I just log on once a year and do the tax return and pay what they say at the end and leave it at that. If they think I owe them money they phone and I pay by debit card over the phone. That's my system.... it's worked so far.

PasturesNew

... so, earlier today ... there I was in a field. Didn't expect to be in a field, I don't recall anybody saying anything about going for a walk, or going for a walk in a muddy field. So ... you're walking round this field and up a rise ... and I spot them ... "There's a bunch of animals over there.... they've got antlers .... some bigguns...... they're looking at us." Exit field "in case"

These were some of the beasties: http://newforestaccommodation.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Burley-Manor-Hotel-Deer.jpg

michaels

So was it a date?!

PasturesNew

michaels wrote: »

So was it a date?!

No. It was an afternoon out with a friend.
Are you worried/jealous?


Maybe I should have said "Yes ... and he was charming", to keep you trying/on your toes