Nice People Thread Part 9 - and so it continues

Nikkster

PasturesNew wrote: »

I've searched all flats up to my top budget, thoroughly, in the two areas I'd most be interested in moving to - both for different reasons.

Service charges are usually too high, parking's often inadequate. The trouble is "that London lot" with their bottomless pockets..... in my price range the adverts often target 2nd home owners and BTLers.

I definitely had to rethink my criteria. My (:)) house isn't in either of the areas I really wanted, though is about 5-10 mins walk from the top of the list area. Its also on a main road (though there is a bit of garden in front), and has a bus stop directly outside. Both of which were on my list of no-nos. Not far from a crossroad either so there is often a bit of traffic sat outside. The double glazing is pretty crap and I need to get some muslin or similar for the front windows, but other than that the traffic isn't as bad as I thought. Walk through my first choice area on the way into the town centre and I'm glad I didn't push the budget for there. Street parking is a nightmare, and I've got a whole lot more house (incl. the luxury of an upstairs bathroom) and garden for the same money (or perhaps a tiny bit less). This house was advertised at well over budget, got it for more than I'd planned on spending, but enough under the asking price. If I hadn't been round the other houses I'd been around I'd not have decided that the prices of those terraces were getting silly and I definitely wouldn't have got fed up one day and taken all my area and price filters off - which was when I spotted my house.

lostinrates

I need to find out about planning permission for a bat house soon. Maybe for next winter.

Our bats aren't content with little bat boxes, oh no, ours want deep attic space that is south facing. (I sympathise with them, lol).

I don't think we'll be allowed to but I want to propose our 'wildflower patch' which borders the far side of our drive. Aesthetically I think it would provide balance to the property, and I would build it like an old grain store,

http://t1.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/03/82/52/400_F_3825278_GrpkAQx2cShQbQkZVM5G9oILxDNegAXm.jpg

But taller, and narrower.

I think we'll get refused on the basis it will be much closer to the road than any other building here. That sounds like a sort of argument planning would use. Historically, like in the 17th or 18th century, there was a grain store or something of that nature there, IIRC, it was on the maps and plans.

PasturesNew

Still looking at flats.... found one that might be OK, but no floorplan .... but it has got a pool.

Service charge £1200 .... so a bit pricier than I'd like ... then the deal breaker: Council tax band E £1800. pfft

Flats look cheaper than houses, but they've a huge annual cost.

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

I need to find out about planning permission for a bat house soon. Maybe for next winter.

Our bats aren't content with little bat boxes, oh no, ours want deep attic space that is south facing. (I sympathise with them, lol).

I don't think we'll be allowed to but I want to propose our 'wildflower patch' which borders the far side of our drive. Aesthetically I think it would provide balance to the property, and I would build it like an old grain store,

http://t1.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/03/82/52/400_F_3825278_GrpkAQx2cShQbQkZVM5G9oILxDNegAXm.jpg

But taller, and narrower.

I think we'll get refused on the basis it will be much closer to the road than any other building here. That sounds like a sort of argument planning would use. Historically, like in the 17th or 18th century, there was a grain store or something of that nature there, IIRC, it was on the maps and plans.

I could live in something that size

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

I could live in something that size

Should be easy to find a house then :rotfl:

I'm thinking about half that floor space, but twice as tall, like a little tower. The creatures want 2 meters plus head space and if we are building something I'd like to use the base space for something useful. Maybe a goose house. It would also need to be taller to get lots of south sun, as heat is really important and there are trees behind there, to the south, so it needs to have the bat bit above the heat.

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

Should be easy to find a house then :rotfl:

I'm thinking about half that floor space, but twice as tall, like a little tower. The creatures want 2 meters plus head space and if we are building something I'd like to use the base space for something useful. Maybe a goose house. It would also need to be taller to get lots of south sun, as heat is really important and there are trees behind there, to the south, so it needs to have the bat bit above the heat.

I almost give up with flats. Running costs are ridiculously high .... I could get a caravan and pull onto your land.

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

I almost give up with flats. Running costs are ridiculously high .... I could get a caravan and pull onto your land.

No sea view. (Thank god, I'd hate to live by the sea).


We've got quite high winds now, much worse than last week. Wouldn't be surprise pd if we have a powercut soon.

Nikkster

I've just worked out how to use my boiler properly.

Noticed the radiators were slightly warm this morning, not much but a little. I now know how to set the timer (opposite of what I thought - I would go for snippets in = on) and that the override (i.e. heating on regardless of timer) is in the middle of the clock - not where I thought it was (which worked because the clock was set to 'on' for pretty much all the day - but the boiler was set to only provide hot water it's not that the radiators have been on for 3 weeks).

Phew!
Not I just need to work out how to use the timer override without breaking a nail

Edit: and thank goodness for manuals being easy to find on the internet. Which reminds me, I really should get thinking about getting proper internet sorted out...

zagubov

Nikkster wrote: »

I've just worked out how to use my boiler properly.

Noticed the radiators were slightly warm this morning, not much but a little. I now know how to set the timer (opposite of what I thought - I would go for snippets in = on) and that the override (i.e. heating on regardless of timer) is in the middle of the clock - not where I thought it was (which worked because the clock was set to 'on' for pretty much all the day - but the boiler was set to only provide hot water it's not that the radiators have been on for 3 weeks).

Phew!
Not I just need to work out how to use the timer override without breaking a nail

Edit: and thank goodness for manuals being easy to find on the internet. Which reminds me, I really should get thinking about getting proper internet sorted out...

This has been one of the greatest uses for the internet for me. it used to be that opnly professional tradesmen had spare instruction manuals for items like that that they could sell for a premium.

Now the stuff's all downloadable. But what we need are websites that tell you where the nearest passport photo booths are or which pillar box has the last collection time. Just thought for a moment and realised that the internet will probably make these obsolete eventually.

BertieUK

Nikkster wrote: »

I've just worked out how to use my boiler properly.

My OH has been going through the settings of our Glow.worm Ultracom 30cxi as I am pretty hopeless at reading and understanding the instructions of most Manuals, so great minds think alike. We have to take into consideration that we also have a Wood Burner which I think is about 5K. We have booked a Chimney Sweep to call and clean the chimney after the fire was recited so required to be smoke tested etc.. It will be quite a change to be able to burn logs although it will require work in keeping it clean etc..