Pay Off Before Lay Off!

Habibiboo

Tabatha_Kitten wrote: »

Hi Hbbb
Another gorgeous day again here and all action in my garden too.
DH and I filled both mine and my neighbours garden waste bins clearing all the dead stuff at weekend. I just work in the mornings so have spent the last couple of afternoons spreading bags of bark on the borders and re- freshing the slate chippings on the paths and patio. It certainly makes me feel much better being outside in the fresh air with Spring just around the corner. Just need to get him to sort the shed roof now and were just about done !

:wave:
Hi T*K, yes, the good weather makes such a difference and it's great to be able to get out there and get on. Let's hope the shed roof gets sorted before the April showers arrive!

Habibiboo

Alchemilla wrote: »

Great ebaying.

:wave:

Thanks A ~ lots of it is relisting of things which haven't sold each time around. By the time there's been a few free listing weekends these unsold ones build up and can be relisted pretty quickly. Some of them sit around for several weeks like that, then all of a sudden there's a bidding war on something completely innocuous and unexpected!

Two items with bids on at the mo and two to post. I won't succeed in making a living this way but I'll declutter the house one way or another, darn it!

Habibiboo

:wave:

Another busy one, but sunny one too which makes such a difference!

Today's MFW actions: NSD, small Tilly Tidy - full check on accounts due on Friday!

Today's grey cloud: Feeling stressed over front door business, glad for anyone's thoughts on this:

Company A: came, measured, dropped brochures back, quoted price which comes to about £1300 with VAT. Used this company before for bay windows, nice guys, clean and reliable but they have never produced the FENSA certificates and make excuses every time :mad:

Company B: we know these guys as they did work on back of house. Have been asking them since Xmas to drop brochure round and measure up. Brochure was put through door mid-Feb. Been phoning them since then to come and measure and give quote. No show, no phone calls back.

Company C: Highly recommended on check-a-trade and relevant industry sites. Man was a bit salesman-ish but certainly seemed to know his stuff. Commented on the curve of the doorway (it goes up to an arch and there's a small window panel above door). Said that this would add to the cost (which we knew from company A). I chose two options from brochure and asked him to quote for both.
He phoned back same afternoon and said that to get something to accommodate the curve of door frame etc would be a fully customised job costing £3,000 +. To which I said thanks but no thanks.

He phoned again same evening to say he'd researched more and it wasn't possible and that no double glazing company will be able to do the job. However, he said his neighbour and dad are joiners and could make a fully customised wooden door and frame. I asked him to pass on our number so they can phone to come around - nothing heard since (over a week ago).

Company D; Came when asked, with brochure as asked. I asked him to quote for same two doors types as company C (didn't know C were going to come back with what they did at that stage). The guy commented on the frame and said he'd supply quote based on the overall measurements but would come back and create a full template of the frame / arch if we were to order door, so that all measures curves etc will be exact, His quote came in today, just less than £1200, no VAT as not yet VAT registered.

So, is there a major problem with the doorway and company C are the only ones who realise it, or was he just trying to drum up trade for neighbour (possibly on commission) when he knew I wasn't going to pay £3,000 for the door?

If there is a major problem, wouldn't A or D have noticed? We're really tempted to go with D because he did comment on making a template for it to be exact which no one else has done, but don't want to be lured by cheaper quote and end up with something that can't be fitted properly. As a company they have a couple of good reviews, but have not been as long established locally.

I've been coming to and fro via back gate and door since weekend and I can't get front door to work at all from the outside now, so want to decide by the weekend, so I'm throwing it out there ... what would you do? Answers on a postcard please!

Today's silver lining: Uni lady phoned me to confirm I'm the person they want for their project. It's temp and part time but will fit in with the freelancing and will be a real boost to the MOP efforts (and off-set costs of the front door at same time)! Have to go and see her Fri to sign up on dotted line, so have to dust off CV and try to make my freelancing sound really interesting so she doesn't change her mind!

Daily declutter: Sorted dog bed covers as Seamus has ripped a few as he vigorously makes his bed every evening. Chucked out those beyond repair and replaced with older pillow cases / floor cushion covers! Total = 55 / 365.

Simple pleasures: Not having to wear a cardi for the entire day or light a fire (cardi went on at about 3 pm and OH is out training so retired to bed with hottie for warmth to avoid need for fire or CH)! All good!

Well, that was a long one, sorry about that. If anyone has any timely door advice I'd be glad to hear it, although partly it was useful just laying out what the situation is, so that we're clear about our possible decisions! If you got all the way through then thank you, you're a friend indeed! X

Alchemilla

Looks like D to me.

Tabatha_Kitten

Id be going with D too - especially as they have offered to template it first. That way it will either be right first time or they will come back to you and give you the options - which you can still run by A B & C if you choose to.

gallygirl

Yup, I'm with D as well

Habibiboo

:wave:

Many thanks Alchemilla, Tabatha and Gally Girl, both for taking the time to respond and for helping me come to the conclusion that company D is the right way to go!

In a slight twist to the tale though, the joiner neighbour of Company C man phoned this evening, so he's going to come round on Monday. I can listen to what he says and see if he can come up with anything else sensible and reasonable and if not, Company D are ready in the wings to come up on Thursday to measure for the template and take a deposit!

Today's MFW actions: OH has changed his direct debit into mortgage account and will now add in an extra £200 per month into the pot. Although this takes the pressure off my efforts a bit, I'd still like to keep going at the level I have been, so that his extra counts even more! Can't wait to get some free time to spend on my spreadsheet, to work out a potential new MF date. Yes, sad but true :P

Some cash-neutral "spending": I've now purchased the rest of the seeds and plants I need for the raised beds. Cost was £17 (included 2 asparagus crowns as treat to self) which came out of cash made from Fleabay sale end of the declutter. Personally, I want to count this as non-spend as it's cash neutral and no money actually left my purse or bank (unless you count PayPal) ... any adjudication on this in relation to still claiming a NSD?

Today's grey cloud: When I phoned company D to arrange to come and measure for template, I asked about paying with credit card (part of great stooze plan). Unhappily, there's a 2.5% surcharge for this, so I will have to do a few more sums and thinking about it all to work out the cheapest option for paying off the door.

Today's silver lining: Popped to uni to hand in my documents as required. They are gong to HR next week and I should hear something about a start date week after that (although the other person running the project is desperate for me to start sooner). The uni lady said that I could start doing some hours then just put them onto the time-sheet after my official start date, but I'm a bit hesitant about doing this before receiving a contract as I know the overall project has been caught up in uni red tape since the end of the last academic year!

Daily Declutter: Two parcels posted on way to uni, total = 57 / 365.

Simple pleasures:

1) Over 6,000 steps for the fourth time this week.
2) Smallest dog has started taking his favourite toy up to bed with him at night ... it's so adorable!
3) 10 bags of horse manure dumped by our back gate courtesy of horse-loving neigh-bours (geddit)? Have some serious gardening to do this weekend, although this will have to find its place amongst lots of work, the rugby and a visit from my mum who will be trying to find out about the secret birthday planning! Speaking of which, I have some cake ordering to do too! Might have to post a list tomorrow!

Hope everyone's had a good Friday and well done for reaching the weekend!

apple_muncher

Just a quickie: deffo an NSD. Claim it girl!

sleepygirl126

yes I'm in agreement....lovely NSD x

gallygirl

Nope. Not a NSD. If you hadn't spent it you'd have been £17 better off which you could have put into savings or mortgage OP and it wasn't something you had to buy.

Stop cheating

And AM & SG - stop encouraging her

GG :rotfl:.