Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer

vivatifosi

PasturesNew wrote: »

I can't see sunsets from here. The sun disappears behind the big industrial unit about 6ish at best/mid summer. Today it was earlier.

I can't see sunsets from my house either, as it is oriented wrong. I saw them on the drive home. They were spectacular. I was quite tempted to go for a walk, but it was f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g and I'd already walked to the car leaving work.

vivatifosi

Spirit (from elsewhere), I haven't been the the Caribbean in June, but I have been to the Caribbean several times. May be worth asking here?

My favourite island is Grenada, but if you want sailing, the Grenadines are absolutely stunning.

Generali

We have rain!!! First time in three weeks. It's great.

kabayiri

Well, planning changes have come through for the house next door.

(Their garden runs to the side of our house, but it's still next door in a way).

It's massive. The house is going out one side by 6m, on the other side 4m including over the garage, at the back out by 3m by 15m. Half of the back will be these bifolding doors which are very much the fashion.

It sounds odd, but sometimes rooms can be too big. On reflection, our lounge could have been a bit smaller and we would have not lost out in any way.

Anyone else notice an obsession with putting the biggest house they can on a plot of land?

Spirit_2

vivatifosi wrote: »

Spirit (from elsewhere), I haven't been the the Caribbean in June, but I have been to the Caribbean several times. May be worth asking here?

My favourite island is Grenada, but if you want sailing, the Grenadines are absolutely stunning.

Thanks. We are not sailors, and my balance is not good enough to be afloat on a yacht, so just fancy the Caribbean. What do you like about Grenada?

OH had booked time off in June, however that has become moveable, so May may be better. I want warm-hot and some culture, white sand beaches and clear seas. We usually like very quiet places and self catering for a few meals, but being stuck at home so much I want a bit more life when we are away.We need OHs claustrophobia solution to kick in before we book.

He likes the sound of Guadeloupe and of St Kitts and Nevis. The only place I have had a desire to go to in the Caribbean is Cuba, but being sensible (and given that I have worried OH to breaking point recently) we need somewhere with fast access to first world hospital care should I need it. I think that means Barbados or the Bahamas.Not so long ago I would have though it ridiculous to plan hols with available emergency care in mind! OH has another work visit to Bahamas this year, so he may not want to go there for hols.

He is on the overnight Ferry to France tonight, I am feeling a bit left behind.

Spirit_2

kabayiri wrote: »

Anyone else notice an obsession with putting the biggest house they can on a plot of land?

We are planning a smallish extension . If however I fail to get a driving licence we will go to plan B, which is to build a bigger extension and sell up.

We have been told several times our house is undersized for the plot.
It is the smallest square feet in our row of cottages.

If we are staying here we do not need Big. If we sell however Bigger is better financially. It does not need to be oversized though.

SingleSue

PasturesNew wrote: »

What is annoying about my name, being odd .... is that it's pronounced in a particular way. Apart from anything else, everybody's name is pronounced the way THEY say it, whether that's the "usual" way, or their own.

Well, my way IS the usual way to say my name ... it's not like Mrs Hyacinth Bucket and her "Mrs Boo-Kay".

So, it's annoying when I say my name and somebody doesn't catch it - and I repeat it slowly that they then say "OH ... you mean ......" NO! No, I don't mean my name is something else. My name is exactly what I just told you ...... and you're not being "helpful" by telling me what my name is as if you've helped me as I've been getting it wrong forever!

It is, how I say it.

Now, I don't care how people say it - but don't go giving me that "OH, you mean ......" because that is SERIOUSLY patronising

When I was in High school I managed to catch a glance at some of the work my brother had done (he was 3 years ahead of me) and realised he had written our surname with the alternative (and more commonplace) spelling. When I asked him why, he told me that the teachers had told him he was spelling it incorrectly and that their way was the right way.

He was corrected by me...and so were his teachers (I was a right little madam at school :rotfl:)

cells

kabayiri wrote: »

Well, planning changes have come through for the house next door.

(Their garden runs to the side of our house, but it's still next door in a way).

It's massive. The house is going out one side by 6m, on the other side 4m including over the garage, at the back out by 3m by 15m. Half of the back will be these bifolding doors which are very much the fashion.

It sounds odd, but sometimes rooms can be too big. On reflection, our lounge could have been a bit smaller and we would have not lost out in any way.

Anyone else notice an obsession with putting the biggest house they can on a plot of land?

it might not get built.

plenty of people put in applications and when they get a detailed quote run when they see the cost. The 70sqm you suggest if single story only would probably be north of £100k. It even happens sometimes on planning applications for new builds.

Generali

cells wrote: »

it might not get built.

plenty of people put in applications and when they get a detailed quote run when they see the cost. The 70sqm you suggest if single story only would probably be north of £100k. It even happens sometimes on planning applications for new builds.

It's a good point. In Aus, where houses are not built to anything like the same standard as the UK, a new house costs about £1,000 per m^2 to build and refurb costs are more like £2,000 per m^2.

GDB2222

Spirit wrote: »

We are planning a smallish extension . If however I fail to get a driving licence we will go to plan B, which is to build a bigger extension and sell up.

We have been told several times our house is undersized for the plot.
It is the smallest square feet in our row of cottages.

If we are staying here we do not need Big. If we sell however Bigger is better financially. It does not need to be oversized though.

If selling, do you need to go through the stress of building? Is it enough to get the plans drawn up and planning permission?

We have the same dilemma with MIL's house. There's an obvious opportunity to incorporate the garage into the house as a third bedroom. Some of the estate agents are saying just sell it as it is, and the buyers can do the work if they wish. But estate agents work to a different agenda than their clients. They want stock to sell now, and they'll tailor their advice accordingly.