Buffy's Savings Diary

There_Is_a_Light

Buffy, my head is spinning with all of the work you have found for yourself. I agree with INOD regarding finding out where the damp is coming from, it may just be down to inefficient ventilation which is quite common in bathrooms. A good scrub with bleach and some dampseal paint might just do the trick.

Give the grass seed a go as Pooky suggests. We did this on a lawn that looked beyond repair, takes a few mows in the new season but it is amazing how quickly it comes to life again.

I did the spare room on my own and quite enjoyed the achievement, I agree that high jobs such as stairs/landings are best left to professionals though.

There_Is_a_Light

Buffythedebtslayer wrote: »

Mum won't leave the window open to dry out the bathroom after a shower for long enough cos she gets cold. I hate writing that as she would be really hurt by me blaming her but for five minutes here and now I am fed up with managing her feelings over mine.

Cross posts. I think you can get extractor fans fitted for quite cheaply so that might be worth looking into?

Buffythedebtslayer

Pooky wrote: »

Chuck some lawn seed down in the next few weeks and that'll be the lawn sorted!

I don't have a problem decorating any room but the hall/stairs/landing has to be a decorator jobbie, they can do it all so much quicker and you can hole up in one room with the doglets whilst they're doing it. Why not get a quote to get your room done too and whilst your Mum is away you could de-camp into her room/spare room and get the entire lot done (and maybe the bathroom too). A lot of upheaval but probably not as expensive as you think.

My only issue with wet rooms is they inevitably cause issues in the room underneath and if the floor fails in one small area, you normally need to renew the entire thing. Great for bungalows/downstairs bathrooms though.

I might give that some thought re the decorators. The painting never got finished last summer, it stressed Mum out and I didn't feel I could keep doing it to her even tho it would only have been a few days.

She isn't going away till September tho...


In any case, Mum doesn't want a wet room. no reason given just a no. The bathroom is tiny and I have no idea how they will fit a square shower in - the size Mum wants is too wide for the space for the door. But I shall leave that to the plumber guy to explain to Mum.

I am out of patience this morning! Will have to think on this when I get clearer head.

Buffythedebtslayer

There_Is_a_Light wrote: »

Cross posts. I think you can get extractor fans fitted for quite cheaply so that might be worth looking into?

Yeah...........something else to put on the list.

Thing is with all this, I am fighting the rising tide of Mum's fear of change, which has always been there but is now becoming amplified by her age and health And I am TRYING to be patient but I really need her to go to Florida and for me not to be at work so I can sort it out. The bathroom especially is a real matter of urgency.

She is also upset about the car and the fact that I am back in an old banger again instead of my nice modern car (and I am upset about that too - I know rationally it doesn't matter but I am so tired of my stuff not mattering. And I can't be upset here at home cos that upsets Mum and I have to stay positive for her)

sorry, mass of self pity this morning! think I must be due on!

xx

Buffythedebtslayer

Plans - as I am back at work tomorrow and need to snap out of the self pity zone

(my own fault, asking her stuff about the house just causes her to panic and I was not in the right frame of mind last night)

1. order lawn seed (I might have to dig it up for the runs but if it grow in time it will save on the returfing)

2. Ponder extractor fan (mum doesn't like them so we don't have one)

3. Find the plumber's phone number.

4. Now I have car and ankle is much better plan the rest of the decluttering.

today is about marking and sorting this week's lessons. Can hardly bear the thought of the stress back again. I still feel ill - I have had the beginning of a cold for about a two weeks!

Going to drink tea and eat breakfast...........

thanks folks XXXXXXX

Sun_Addict

Hi Buffy - an extractor fan for the bathroom is a very good idea. I know you can have a ventilator put in the ceiling over the bath if you don't want one on the window. Your mum sounds a bit like Mr SA - he is always anti ideas I have about the house - especially if it means him doing something or getting workmen in. If I say I'll get someone in to do a job he gets all alpha male and says he can do it (but never does!).

Hope tomorrow isn't too bad for you.

please-let-me-be-lucky

As a smaller and perhaps more short term fix, you can get 'anti damp' boxes and crystals from places like BplusQ, which suck moisture out of the air and collect it in the bottom of the tub. When the crystals are all gone you tip out the water, put some fresh crystals in and off you go again. The box & a tub of crystals is about a tenner I think Xx

Buffythedebtslayer

I will try that Lucky...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/151-Products-Ltd-Interior-Dehumidifier/dp/B005MZ1EJE/ref=pd_sim_201_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=517DXePJUTL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1VW33A91Z8RRAZEY6XCM

Is that what you mean?

cos if so I will order them.

Pooky

We don't have an extractor but open the window (to safety catch) after showering/bathing and I have a dehumidifier on the landing that will kick in. I've got a "karcher" window vac thing too and use it to dry the tiles after showering. Works well.

Lawn seed - got some from the £1 store - worked fine. I dug up half the garden for raised beds a couple of years ago but when we decided to look at selling up i took the beds out, used the £1 seed and left it alone for a few months - you can't tell the difference now.

Maybe just don't tell your Mum about the things you have planned and just arrange it, she'll be pleased it's all done when she comes back.

Oh......and learn how to count!

Tut!!!

beanielou

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Pooky~~