It's kind of fun to do the impossible

Sholly

MallyGirl wrote: »

My first instinct is to say I would do the things to keep me warm and comfy, but then I realise that each year we sit shivering in the front room saying that next year we will fit carpet over the bare floorboards (with big gaps). Maybe this year we will actually do it as we will be causing so much disruption elsewhere in the house. I think when it comes to leaks that could actually cause further damage then I would sort that. you can always stuff one of those balloon devices up the open chimney to buy a bit more time.

Hi MallyGirl, thanks for the message Warm and comfy sounds lovely! Last year I was all for putting on an extra jumper or six(!) just to try and reduce the extortionate cost of energy but a log-burner would take that away, and would look lovely and cosy, and just more comfortable. You're definitely right about the leaks, I need to get those sorted.

My Dad always had wooden floorboards, lovely to look at but freezing first thing in the morning! What else are you doing in the house, if you don't mind me asking?

Beckyy wrote: »

Do you have a breakdown for the quote for the stove?
Does it include chimney lining (if applicable), installation, fixing etc.?

I only ask as when we had one fitted the majority of the cost was the chimney lining etc. We paid just over £1800 for a 4.5KW with chimney lining, fitting etc.

If you can get free firewood then I might be more inclined to get teh stove first as not only will it stop a draught from the chimney but will ehat your house for free providing the wood is seaonsoned and ready to go. That will mean you can save up the money you would have spent on heating and put it towards the windows/door.

I'm also in a similar position in our current house that we need a new front door and maybe windows, but would also like to replace our open fire with a stove. We've opted to get the stove first as it has a backboiler and will heat our water/central heating, the door and windows can wait til after as I think we'll notice more benefit from doing it this way around.

Hi Becky, thanks for the message. I don't have a breakdown but the quote includes everything (the stove, fittings, the new lintel and the wooden lintel to go in front and the installation itself - this includes having to rebuild part of the chimney) but the liner. They don't think I'll need the liner but they're going to come and do a test before they begin any work to see if I need it. If I do, they said it'll be a few hundred pounds but I can have my deposit back if that'll make it too expensive and I don't want to go ahead.

I think I'll probably do all or nothing - it would be a case of doing it now or waiting until next winter. It's only going to put my debt-free date back by 1 or 2 months and I might as well do it before winter. Actually, I didn't think about the savings in heating that I'd make this year :idea: thanks Becky! Maybe it wouldn't but my debt-free date back by so much :T

My boyfriends friend has a backboiler and spends hardly anything on fuel - definitely worth it. I don't think I could do that with mine - lucky you!!

lamarsi wrote: »

Hi, i'm new to this board so can't really welcome you back but hello for the first time!
Just been reading your past posts ..well done!! as far as your last post, I'd say get yourself warm!! we have no idea how bad the winter will be but a couple of years ago my boiler broke and I was so unhappy sitting in the cold for a week in the middle of the snow spell that now i pay for boiler cover it costs £14 quid a month and I never use it but the peace of mind is priceless.. I really hate being cold!! That said last year my under floor heating in my bathroom stopped working and in winter I have the fastest showers in the world I have to jump over the floor tiles they're that cold but I'm just putting up with it for now!!

Thank you for the welcome back anyway Lamarsi! And welcome to my diary Yep I think you're right, warmth is such a luxury that we take for granted until something goes wrong. I can imagine they would be the fastest showers ever!! :rotfl: I don't have boiler cover and have never have the boiler in my flat serviced so I'm just praying that it lasts at least another few years (I bet I've jinxed it now!!) Good luck with pole-vaulting the tiles! Be careful!!

Hurdler

Have just returned to the thread after a long lay off - so looking forward to reading about your journey as I try to pick up mine again!

Sholly

Hurdler wrote: »

Have just returned to the thread after a long lay off - so looking forward to reading about your journey as I try to pick up mine again!

Hi Hurdler, thanks for your message. Sometimes it's hard to keep up on here isn't it! I'll have a look at your diary too - I hope it goes well for you

MallyGirl

Sholly wrote: »

Hi MallyGirl, thanks for the message Warm and comfy sounds lovely! Last year I was all for putting on an extra jumper or six(!) just to try and reduce the extortionate cost of energy but a log-burner would take that away, and would look lovely and cosy, and just more comfortable. You're definitely right about the leaks, I need to get those sorted.

My Dad always had wooden floorboards, lovely to look at but freezing first thing in the morning! What else are you doing in the house, if you don't mind me asking?

Ever since we bought this house nearly 8 years ago I have wanted a conservatory on the back of the kitchen. Its a lovely house, and big, but the kitchen is cramped once you put a table in it, plus it is quite hard to see the lovely garden. Over the years we have had several designs and quotes through conservatories and orangeries till we arrived at 'the one' which is more of an extension in the end. We are knocking through from the kitchen and adding a 6m x 4m room with 5m of folding sliding doors on the long wall and a 4m x 2m roof lantern. Big bucks! We are having to have a raised patio terrace round it as there is a level change from the kitchen to the garden just to make it more complicated. The house has very high ceilings so the extension will be about 10ft high at the edges and higher in the middle with the lantern. Add in underfloor heating, a new boiler to power said heating, lots of electrics and cat5, a new cooker because I hate the current one. Oh and we are getting a new puppy right in the middle of all this

Sholly

MallyGirl wrote: »

Ever since we bought this house nearly 8 years ago I have wanted a conservatory on the back of the kitchen. Its a lovely house, and big, but the kitchen is cramped once you put a table in it, plus it is quite hard to see the lovely garden. Over the years we have had several designs and quotes through conservatories and orangeries till we arrived at 'the one' which is more of an extension in the end. We are knocking through from the kitchen and adding a 6m x 4m room with 5m of folding sliding doors on the long wall and a 4m x 2m roof lantern. Big bucks! We are having to have a raised patio terrace round it as there is a level change from the kitchen to the garden just to make it more complicated. The house has very high ceilings so the extension will be about 10ft high at the edges and higher in the middle with the lantern. Add in underfloor heating, a new boiler to power said heating, lots of electrics and cat5, a new cooker because I hate the current one. Oh and we are getting a new puppy right in the middle of all this

Wow they are very big, very exciting plans! How long will you be upside-down for? Is the puppy the thing you're most excited about though? :j

LauraJo

I remember when we got our stove 2 winters ago... We have a FREEZING cold house and it is just lush that we can have one warm room! Made oh work out how to fit one tho coz I'm too tight to pay for someone! If you like me and get really cold then I say get one... I literally find it hard to function in the cold so it's made a big difference to my happiness!

MallyGirl

Sholly wrote: »

Wow they are very big, very exciting plans! How long will you be upside-down for? Is the puppy the thing you're most excited about though? :j

yes!

It should all be done by end of November, apart from some additional garden landscaping that we will leave till the spring. I can't even start to design that until the new terrace is in and I would like a bit of peace over the Christmas period to regroup.

Sholly

LauraJo wrote: »

I remember when we got our stove 2 winters ago... We have a FREEZING cold house and it is just lush that we can have one warm room! Made oh work out how to fit one tho coz I'm too tight to pay for someone! If you like me and get really cold then I say get one... I literally find it hard to function in the cold so it's made a big difference to my happiness!

LauraJo, I'm not good with the cold either. My boyf keeps trying to pursuade me to go snowboarding but it would be the most miserable week!! I wouldn't even know where to start fitting one myself - well done to your OH! Do you find that it only heats one room? I have an upper flat so I'm hoping it would give out enough heat to warm the whole place - is that a bit naive?

MallyGirl wrote: »

yes!

It should all be done by end of November, apart from some additional garden landscaping that we will leave till the spring. I can't even start to design that until the new terrace is in and I would like a bit of peace over the Christmas period to regroup.

Yes, gardening is definitely a spring activity! What kind of puppy are you getting? Does it have a name yet?

MallyGirl

He will be a black and white Alaskan Malamute with the working name of Mac (McCoy being the posh version in his kennel club name). He will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. We already have a wolf grey & sable Alaskan Malamute girl so he is coming to keep her company. I expect that I won't work from home for the rest of my life so she will need to have a friend during the day.
More fluff dust bunnies!

Sholly

I thought it was about time that I did a SOA. I think I've got things pretty much sorted but I'm always open to suggestions of anywhere I can save spondoolies. Here goes...

Outgoings:
Mortgage £452.96 (no equity so can't switch to another provider)
Credit card £750.00 (0% until December 2013 - will be cleared by then)
Gym £21.99 (I do use it)
Gas/electric £67.00 (in contract)
Council tax £74.00
Water £29.95
Lottery £13.00
TV Licence £12.18
Hair £10.00
Son's activites £74.00
Food £110.00
Petrol £110.00
Car (tax, ins, etc) £74.58 (I pay annually)
Phoneline, BB £10.00 (I get free broadband - I pay my line rental annually)
Home Insurance £20ish (I pay annually)

Total £1829.66

Incomings:
Pay £1835.53
Child benefit £87.96

Total £1923.49

So, it looks like I'm sailing pretty close to the wind there but I haven't been too worried as the bills that I pay annually will be due after my debt has gone so that will be £750.00 that I can use for those bills. Also, I rarely buy clothes etc so I don't budget for them - if I needed any I would use the money that was left over and buy whatever I needed. I would use the money left over every month for entertainment/going out/fun! I know the lottery looks a lot but I pay £1 per week to the national lottery and £2 per week to the work syndicates - I can't leave those because as soon as I do they would win and I'd be sitting in the office on my own crying into my cup-a-soup!

If any one can see anywhere that I can make any savings, please let me know!

Sholly x