Nice People Thread Part 9 - and so it continues

silvercar

Doozergirl wrote: »

*posh alert*

No, incapable of anything practical alert. The divets in the wall that mark our attempts to hang pictures before we called in the handyman are proof of that, also why the pictures are hanging slightly higher than might otherwise have been.

GDB2222

vivatifosi wrote: »

I may go to bed soon with a cup of cocoa and my new Countdown app.

A new Countdown app? :j:j:j:j:j

I must get that. Plus cocoa!

I'm an avid countdown fan, but I tape it so I can skip past the dull bits. I get through the programme in about 20 minutes that way. My kids say I should go on the show, but I'm only mediocre. I'd probably find myself up against one of those people who can get a score of 140, and I'd get nothing.

fc123

Gotta love NDG's parents house...I recall seeing pics before.

I love LIR's too and I could see how it will be when we visited......it's going to be truly luvv-er-ly.

The hard thing is living in a place during all the heavy works and having no escape. We can no longer use our suburban handkerchief garden as a lounge as it's too cold and wet and, ooops, it is now a totally churned up mud bath, Ginger is NOT impressed.

We thought we had the most cunning plan with Margate as we could do it up and not have to live in it ...except, doh(!) it is an hours drive away...and it's not a good idea to have it scaffolded whilst unoccupied. Being an 'up + coming area and all that.;) OH is leaving me in Feb 14 + renting down there for the duration. He'll come back for conjugal visits


My Dad did some growing this year but in true 82 YO person style, he only grew marrows and potatoes as couldn't think what else to plant and he has really let parts of his garden go overgrown too. I think it is 3/4 acre and he said it was to encourage the butterflies but, really, it's way too big for him to do now but he won't let anyone in to help (we offered) nor would he ever pay someone (+ yes, he can afford it) as he would see it a s a sign of 'getting old'.

When we were over recently he said would we like a marrow, we said 'yes please' and he disappeared and then we saw him walking up the path carrying a marrow the size of a small child. I made 3 meals from it and the last 10'' went off.:o

vivatifosi

GDB2222 wrote: »

A new Countdown app? :j:j:j:j:j

I must get that. Plus cocoa!

I'm an avid countdown fan, but I tape it so I can skip past the dull bits. I get through the programme in about 20 minutes that way. My kids say I should go on the show, but I'm only mediocre. I'd probably find myself up against one of those people who can get a score of 140, and I'd get nothing.

Well it is new to me. It is very good at doling out Zs and Js but not so generous with Es so don't be surprised if you struggle to get more than 5. Numbers rounds and conundrums are good though.

fc123

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Like LIR's above, don't quote:

My parents' house is timber-framed and plaster, but was covered on the outside with bricks in the 1550s to make it look nice and modern:

vivatifosi wrote: »

I wonder if part of the issue is that the rules change over time. My parents live in a house that is part of a Victorian terrace of fairly large houses. One end of the terrace was listed, but it stopped at their house. So in the 1980s they were allowed to do substantial renovations, not least of which was a lovely new roof. When next door renovated their house (also not listed), which had a new roof the same time as my parents, the rules had changed, so the new owners were made to change it back to the old tiles as part of the conditions of build.

The long and the short of what I'm saying is that the planning teams is far more precious about planning that it was 20-30 years ago and what happened then would never be got away with now, not least because building regs have changed too.

ETA: that's a lovely house NDG.

Or survey dated Margate at 1890 except when I got the deeds it was built in 1821 so late Georgian.

But she looks Victorian as she has render and bay windows, same as the 2 to her right. However, the one to her left is very Georgian looking with a flat front and brick fascia.
Inside she feels older as some parts are built for persons 5' 2'' or less.

My Margate picture book came through the other day and there she was, in the book in a picture dated 1860 and she was a small Georgian brick terrace. In early 1870's a large Tea Building (as in Tea Room/cafe ) was built at the end and someone must have decided to 'modernise' the facias of 3 of the houses....so they got bay windows and render.
Our bays do look 'tagged on' though and one really droops. Survey gave them a tick (but then he got the date wrong).

silvercar wrote: »

I have to find a home near me for my mother to buy. I try to tell her to rent first, but she considers that moving twice.

She has a long list of requirements, which are inflexible and contradictory (in terms of what builders build) and she would like to move now, immediately. Sighs!

The property that is most likely to fit the bill is new build, but any new builds are not likely to be ready immediately.

Good luck.

OH's mother is coming on our holiday with us next week....she'll be pleasant company but can't wait until I have OH all on his own somewhere hot

neverdespairgirl

PasturesNew wrote: »

I am highlighting this because it's the truth. People in London think everything's expensive in London. It's not.

There's only one equivalent thing which is more expensive: housing.

You also get access to expensive things not available elsewhere: e.g. expensive shows and expensive restaurants

But like-for-like most things are cheaper and certainly more readily available in London. Everything from chips and takeaways to food and household goods can be sourced cheaper in London with a little effort.

There's also heaps of free things to have, do, visit in London. So, the cost of living/doing things is cheaper. Not to mention these things actually exist.

Housing and therefore transport - because people often have to live quite a long way from where they work (housing costs) and to reduce those costs, have to pay more to travel.

However, it's certainly true that there are lots of free, and world-class, activities in London - we take Isaac to a museum at least once every weekend, and they are all free to enter.

michaels wrote: »

Not even battery operated devices?


Clarified for those of you with dirty minds: Like a torch or an electric fly swat

I don't regard either torches or electric fly swats as electronics. Electrical, yes.

chewmylegoff wrote: »

Not sure how much your OH sweats, but I wouldn't stay dry underneath for very long! Also by the time you finished faffing with putting waterproofs on and taking them off at the other end you probably wouldn't have saved more than a couple of minutes. Plus you have to carry them around with you every single day in case you get caught out on the way home. I need a chauffeur rather than waterproofs, unfortunately my euro millions numbers insist on not coming in.

He's pretty fit, he does mad things like 120 mile overnight bike rides, and triathalons. And the marathon, next year. But he also has breathable waterproofs, so doesn't get too hot and sweaty underneath.

lostinrates wrote: »

Not on mains gas......

LPG supply is always going to be the same issue as oil. Oil is going to be 'easier' in many ways for supply.

Still need new cylinder etc etc. plus replacement pipework( no one in cluding us wants to use pipe work that's been a court case in case it fails..too much risk of issue of responsibility should there be a problem again).

After their Kent experience, my mother says she wouldn't choose oil again, far too much hassle. It makes the boiler and Aga need services far more often than if it were gas.

neverdespairgirl

misskool wrote: »

all you lovely diy people are putting me to shame.

we have workmen in for everything except for putting up pictures

I started with enthusiasm but realised my skills and talents definitely lie elsewhere

My darling Mama said she realised a few weeks before their wedding that their marriage would only prosper if they employed people to do things such as painting for them. They were decorating their new flat, and my mother started doing it the way her father had taught her - washing down walls, sandpapering, carefully and slowly.

Dad didn't even take the curtains down before he started slapping paint on things.

My Mama does everything such as changing plugs, fuses and lightbulbs, putting up pictures, etc.

LydiaJ wrote: »

If you're thinking of public school, it will only get worse. Private day schools should be less than that once he's old enough not to need the childcare on top of the school fees.

I know - and boys' schools are still often more expensive than girls' schools. My brother went to Westminster, and their fees are horrifying.

lostinrates

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

After their Kent experience, my mother says she wouldn't choose oil again, far too much hassle. It makes the boiler and Aga need services far more often than if it were gas.

I don't have and don't want an aga

Having a less romantic view of such iconic things than many, the only thing I think they do better then anything ele is toast. We don't eat that much bread . They are a great and wonderful lifestyle thing, I'm not knocking them, they just aren't for me. ( I'm very familiar with them, its not a 'when you get used to them kind of thing...its quite the opposite in fact. )

I've never had a gas range though, and the oil ones have only ever been serviced annually, with the boiler, and when they get the annual clean . Solid fuel ones have been twice a year though.....i

IMO oil remains more popular than LPG for situations out here for a reason gas mains etc is not possible so not worth worrying about. If it were it would be the obvious backup, much cheaper than oil!

I'd rather have neither, but.....I've been down biomass and failed, been down biomass again and been let down by companies who've promise the moon on a stick and not been able to give us even a bit of earth of a string......so, back up from a traditional source is requisite whatever the future holds IMO.

The truth is most country homes aren't that warm all year round if they aren't small enough to run off one Rayburn's ( nope, would n't o there either by choice) rads or a woodburner. It IS expensive to heat them if they are poorly insulated. Things like interlined curtains start to make big difference, and sensible lifestyle choice, and just...keeping busy!

Its not just the fuel cost of course, its that its colder out side cities. Our garden here shocks me by being almost two weeks or so later than the villages either side of us......I have never noticed such a difference before outside the village rather than comparing to a it your big, big town. We must be in a particularly co,d spot is all I can think! Previously I've always had a nice nestling hill or something.

Most of the time I don't mind, but it became dramatically more painful having paid for heating, pinned hopes on it and then finding it didn't work! :rotfl:

vivatifosi

Lir, until you are sorted out, would some low cost storage heaters in key rooms and run off economy 7 or 10 at least give you some warmth, plus the option to be taken out later when the situation is resolved?

I have storage heaters where I live. Most of my heating is generated and stored overnight, but I also have ones with a convection element so I can boost the heat on the occasions where it is very cold. My total power bills for a 3 bed semi are not too bad and you can pick up storage heaters second hand.

It isn't ideal, but it would give you a way of getting through a couple more winters while the long term situation is being worked out. Being cold is miserable.

lostinrates

We're ok.

Not too cold now, we have a few plug in heaters, (dogs have one on now) and we're certainly decided to put some oil in as temporary whole provision and then be a back up if anything goes wrong with the rest longer term.

I'm looking forward to a bath in a month or so! .