Daydream thread... without the rose-tinted specs

alfie_1

There are somethings I would do differently, but I think its important to remember a couple of big things are likely to go wrong on a biggish project and to just try and be as serene as you can be after a weep and as steely as you can be while resolving, then LAUGH together with the team afterwards.

One of the important things about the big works last summer is I very much felt that 'good humour' and 'well meaning' was being built into the house with the bricks , mortar and insulation. Of course there were soMe tense days, it its somewhere we generally liked being.

,
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: ive done the serene,weep,and tense..... im still working on the LAUGH'IN bit with mr pratt...
ive laughed about him, but ive not laughed with him.....;) :rotfl:

ive got digger man coming to fit new starter motor on genny tomorow morning... hes a friend of postie
so hammer will be redundant hopefully then :j

weve not had heavy rain etc here...yet !:o just overcast and odd drizzle. when wind is SW i get hammered here. it comes from IOW needles ,across the big field then whizzes round my house..:eek:

im very excited at seeing / getting rhiwi's cookers decided im gonna give to good friend for crimble as she is and always has been good to me, above the call of duty..;)
she will love them. they are intended [well my intentions ! ]for going around an original old black range she has [doesnt use]on a shelf ..:D:D :j:j

alfie_1

i will say that LIR's home is one of those that i felt HOME'LY in every corner... she will say "oh its a muddle" but i get an instant feel for houses...or i dont !
i could spend all day just feeling and looking there. i love it.:D

at CTC's i just adore the textures and can see where it is heading. that too will be transformed with love and character..:D

well thats my 2 squats sorted if i get turfed out...;) :rotfl:

COOLTRIKERCHICK

alfie_1 wrote: »

i will say that LIR's home is one of those that i felt HOME'LY in every corner... she will say "oh its a muddle" but i get an instant feel for houses...or i dont !
i could spend all day just feeling and looking there. i love it.:D

at CTC's i just adore the textures and can see where it is heading. that too will be transformed with love and character..:D

well thats my 2 squats sorted if i get turfed out...;) :rotfl:

It will also be transformed with scrounged, given, and bought at auctions etc....


Alfie, I am looking for a vintage wire milk bottle carrier, the type you used to plonk outside for the milkman, also a couple of glass milk bottles..was thinking they would look fab with flowers in, in the kitchen...or just outside the front door..

alfie_1

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

It will also be transformed with scrounged, given, and bought at auctions etc....

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

its the only way cos every piece will have a story :D

Alfie, I am looking for a vintage wire milk bottle carrier, the type you used to plonk outside for the milkman, also a couple of glass milk bottles..was thinking they would look fab with flowers in, in the kitchen...or just outside the front door..

i may know where one is but if not i will keep my beedy eye open....

i have just aquired a steel cabinet. 1 door with 2 sliding out shelves and 3 drawers , thin,medium and larger. the sides are in a deep orangy red old paint and metal drawers/door. it needs to have a chopping wood top put on [which i can sort] but it is fab. old and shabby chic its aprox 3ft h x 3ft l x 2ft d. any good CTC ? i will post pic after my barf

the scrounging starts here gal...:rotfl::rotfl:


ooooo that went all wrong ! 1st line is for 1st bit u wrote

Davesnave

It finally rained at hen bedtime here, and then some, but the wind has dragged the temps in the Aga oven right down, so we're back on leccy for half the roast. They have their down-sides.

I swept the chimney this morning, but it really wasn't too bad. All we get is clinker, which isn't messy like soot, and most of that only starts at 4 rods up. Being a bungalow, I only have to go to 6 rods anyway.

Another £40 saved.

As regards building, I think we're able to accept that it won't be perfect and most parts will need to be plain. While I'm pleased with the plan we have, it would be simpler if it was just me doing it. I bought this place having fairly simple intentions, so I have a mental block when something that major is in front of me. It's a bit like the old, "Well, if I were going there, I wouldn't start from here!" :rotfl:

phoebe1989seb

CTC - hope your skin is feeling less irritated today......it looks really nasty, you poor thing Log-wise, we're also burning a mix of pallets (from our building work) and hardwood logs - although the latter were bought in as our own supply has run out for now - and the wood burner (a pretty large one) is getting through them at a rate of knots. We had a full truck load delivered on Tuesday and after the last couple of days - of which more later - they're dwindling fast

BD - pleased you're continuing to get settled in the new place.....choosing things to furnish and bring comfort is the fun part - enjoy choosing

LIR - know exactly what you mean regarding how to deal with the stresses of the build.....we went through what seemed like hell at the time last year when having the kitchen extension built. Nowhere nearly as bad as some of those here, such as yourself and Rozee, but nonetheless it wasn't much fun. Nearly six months without hot water/heating wasn't really an issue - especially in the Summer (albeit a bloomin' wet one ) - but that coupled with all the unnecessary issues that cropped up along the way were enough to make you weep, if it wasn't for the fact that both DH and I were also having to cope with the far more important concerns of having three parents with Dementia

Our architect - an acquaintance of DH's for almost 20 years - recommended his son - a joiner - to build our double height windows and to project manage the build......what a mistake that was......having paid him half upfront in the Spring when the build began, assuming he'd ordered the bespoke glass required (he assured us he had), it came to August (finally ready to fit the damned thing) and we discovered he'd instead pocketed the cash but not ordered the glass :mad: Then he managed to order the wrong size for the utility window and DH had to pay (a second time) and drive 50 miles to collect it himself as said son of architect had burgered off to Daddy's house in France as he'd had enough of customers hassling him

His (Polish) team of builders did do a fab job, but then he left us in the lurch again - having decided to move to France permanently after his GF's horse had a nasty accident - bless - without arranging for the rendering to be done, or indeed to complete his own part of the job, the windows :mad: Still, as I said, compared to what else we had on our plates that was nothing

Tbh, 2013 hasn't been much better for us (FIL passing in Feb got us off to a bad start) and I'm another who us looking forward to 2014......

On the plus side, we've just spent a lovely couple of days entertaining DS (24) and one of his mates (22) as house guests to give them a break from life in the big smoke. As I've mentioned previously DS has recently set up a furniture restoration co - although a Philosophy graduate - and this young guy was recently introduced to him by a friend and turns out not only to have much in common with DS (to the extent that DS has given him some work - he's just taken on some temporary office work helping out a friend in Brighton so needs a helping hand ), but also with me as he shares my love for all things Arts & Crafts/Art Nouveau

They are both *old heads on young shoulders* and to hear him talk about William Morris et al was a pleasure to my ears He was so full of genuine enthusiasm for all my *stuff* I took to him straightaway, lol :rotfl:

So, we had a really pleasant couple of days - they didn't do any work, just chilled (including a few hours in the hot tub and DH cooked some amazing food) which they were extremely grateful for.....and we even managed to get the shower rooms completed (well except for a couple of finishing touches) before their arrival

After they left at lunchtime we braved the Christmas rush for a few hours shopping in Salisbury and just made it home before the rain came......snuggled up now by the wood burner with a large glass of vino whilst DS catches up on a bit of listing on *the bay*

Enjoy the weekend guys & girls x

Blimey, I just previewed and realised I've written an essay.....sorry folks

alfie_1

just to be boring... turns out [unless its hiding] the mr pratt is not registered under the newish law to have installed the fuse box thingy here. which explains why he got cross when i asked to see certificate .... must check that out..

feel like im building an arsenal....

Davesnave

alfie_1 wrote: »

just to be boring... turns out [unless its hiding] the mr pratt is not registered under the newish law to have installed the fuse box thingy here. which explains why he got cross when i asked to see certificate .... must check that out..

feel like im building an arsenal....

Or covering your arsenal! :rotfl::rotfl:Pity he didn't cover his, eh?:p


"From April 2013 electrical work in a dwelling, or associated with its surroundings, is notifiable to a local building control body where the work includes:
• the installation of a new circuit, whether at low voltage (typically 230 V) or extra-low voltage); or
• the replacement of a consumer unit (fusebox) "


"If you use a registered electrician, you can expect to have safe electrical installation work done, as the work should meet the UK national standard, BS 7671 (Requirements for Electrical Installations). You will not have to deal with building control directly and when the work is finished you should receive:

• an Electrical Installation Certificate or, where applicable, a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate that confirms the work meets BS 7671; and

• a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate that confirms the work meets the Building Regulations."


Electrical Safety Council.

alfie_1

Davesnave wrote: »

Or covering your arsenal! Pity he didn't cover his, eh?:p


"From April 2013 electrical work in a dwelling, or associated with its surroundings, is notifiable to a local building control body where the work includes:
• the installation of a new circuit, whether at low voltage (typically 230 V) or extra-low voltage); or
• the replacement of a consumer unit (fusebox) "


"If you use a registered electrician, you can expect to have safe electrical installation work done, as the work should meet the UK national standard, BS 7671 (Requirements for Electrical Installations). You will not have to deal with building control directly and when the work is finished you should receive:

• an Electrical Installation Certificate or, where applicable, a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate that confirms the work meets BS 7671; and

• a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate that confirms the work meets the Building Regulations."


Electrical Safety Council.

just what i was gonna say...;) :rotfl:

alfie_1

mr pratt is not registered as "a competent person"... now theres a surprise :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

if you are not a reg CP you cannot cert works. you have to get 3rd party CP or council building chap to cert after work done.... [must inform building control prior to work commencing too ]

im loving this !!:j:j