Everyday Ordinary Man Approaching Full Retirement at 59.

Katiehound

One of the best things I did a couple of years ago was to get rid of the carpet in the hall and front room. It was replaced with 'not Karndean'! That's what the local carpet shop calls it!- looks just like K but a lot cheaper- called Forest by TLC (I think) not as many choices as K.
It looks like planks of wood but is vinyl and warm and just needs a sweep / wipe over. Fairly non skid too for the dogs. Waterproof as long as puddles don't sit for a long time which would affect the water based glue.

Sitting room tatty carpet is going to be replaced next year with the same stuff and whilst I am on holiday as it it needs a scree as preparation before the glueing down. Best if me n hounds are awol when that happens!

In the front rom they laid it diagonally with a one plank border and 1-2 cm inlay strip at no extra charge. I don't often wax lyrical about flooring!!

bugslet

fatbeetle wrote: »

We're ever so lucky, we will live in semi-rural Cornwall, so walking is close and plentiful. In fact a footpath runs at the end of our garden, and then goes across three fields, and we end up here...





Tell us about it. We're currently stripping down our Aussie house in order to move back. It's amazing how many things which seemed "handy", "useful" or even "essential" at the time, are going in the bin or to charity. I'm ditching several hundred CDs to the Salvos.

Fatbeetle, if you need a housesitter, I'm very cheap. Make that free.:rotfl:

Funny thatkatiehound, one of my customers put me up at theirs a couple of weeks ago and I really liked their flooring, it was Karndean, but it definitely made me think that vinyl is next on the list.

Katiehound

bugslet wrote: »

Funny thatkatiehound, one of my customers put me up at theirs a couple of weeks ago and I really liked their flooring, it was Karndean, but it definitely made me think that vinyl is next on the list.

As I said mine is "not Karndean!" but it is so similar that my local shop thinks it must come from the same factory! K has a far far greater range, not only wood effects but stone etc.
Similar to mine has been fitted in several local independent shops so they expect it to be hard wearing.
It looks like real wood with a distinctive raised grain- made a huge difference to the hallway especially this past fortnight with dogs tramping in like drowned or snowed on rats!! Streets ahead of the pale teddybear coloured carpet that used to be there- and looked very sad!

crv1963

Katiehound wrote: »

As I said mine is "not Karndean!" but it is so similar that my local shop thinks it must come from the same factory! K has a far far greater range, not only wood effects but stone etc.
Similar to mine has been fitted in several local independent shops so they expect it to be hard wearing.
It looks like real wood with a distinctive raised grain- made a huge difference to the hallway especially this past fortnight with dogs tramping in like drowned or snowed on rats!! Streets ahead of the pale teddybear coloured carpet that used to be there- and looked very sad!

We had a problem with the Hall floor last year- a leak under it made it raise up in places, insurance paid to replace the Karndean flooring with a new Karndean floor, which although the original was 19 years old it remained unmarked so although expensive it is definitely a good investment.

moneyistooshorttomention

crv1963 wrote: »

We'll have to make a list of repairs and improvements to age proof the place, does anyone know how often to re-wire a house? Must be 30 years or more since our house was totally re-wired and if we succeed in living 30+ years it'll be decrepit by the time we're old(er)!

I gather "worse case analysis" length of time is 50 years.

That's said through gritted teeth - having bought a 1970s house and the surveyor didnt tell me it needed a complete rewire and nor did the electrician I had in just to do some amendments/additions and could see my age (ie 1970s house + 50 years = before I'm likely to pop my clogs).

In process of getting it as sorted out as I can now to cover my estimated 20 years remaining:mad::cool: (1970s plus 50 years coming to 2020's and I estimate my life will finish in the 2030's).

fatbeetle

Thanks for the tip off of Karndean folks! We're redoing our Cornish home and will be re-flooring throughout.

Katiehound

fatbeetle wrote: »

Thanks for the tip off of Karndean folks! We're redoing our Cornish home and will be re-flooring throughout.

While you're at it do check out the TLC Forest- local shop reckons it's quite as good but comes in a limited range rather than the all dancing Karndean!
Whichever- it looks like real wood, or real stone- whatever finish you chose and is warm to touch.

I must admit I wish I had in kitchen instead of the ceramic tiles - which are very cold and have chipped in places where hard objects have tried, unsuccessfully, to bounce!

System

I t has been quite a year for me and I have to say not a particularly good one. The deaths of my father and grandmother plus my mum's knee operation! One or two other events too haven't helped.


Now been retired nearly 6 months and to be honest still missing it. May investigate some work opportunities in the New Year.


However as a family we are looking forward to Christmas. We are all prepared and looking forward to being together.


Best wishes to all of you during the Christmas and New Year period. May it be happy. healthy and peaceful.


Hopefully this thread will continue to flourish in 2018.


Take care

blackcatsx2

De-lurking to wish those on this thread a wonderful Christmas and I hope the thread continues next year. 2018 starts my retirement countdown so I will enjoy reading and posting

bugslet

I hope next year brings you some pleasant surprises exelpaul and that you can settle into retirement a little more.

Have you identified what it is you miss? Social aspect, feeling valued, structure to your weeks?

Hello blackcatsx2 (from someone with blackdogsx2!), good luck for your retirement.