Get a grip woman!

rtandon27

Oh my SL that is a heck of a lot! I was begrudging 300 a year for our little place - I shall be counting myself lucky now!

Suffolk_lass

It is, isn't it?! The meercat people sent me an email with their best quote that was £4.2k - err, we won't be pursuing that one. To be honest, it is something I consider when looking at whether we might move. 

On that subject, no word from the agent on Friday (or since). Just a single text message saying the photos I stored looked lovely. It appears that there are in fact, no hordes of people still wanting to move to the countryside and live in a chocolate box cottage. We don't want hordes. Just one.

Did anyone see the article in the Sunday Times Home supplement about people who moved in 2020-22 to the country and regret their loss of London pizazz? I found myself thinking, did you not have a full structural survey (on a listed house)? Quite near here in the overall scheme of things. I liked the story of one who has started a cinema club in her local community - for our tiny Village the licence costs preclude it unfortunately.

In money news, the felt on the roof of DH's 8x12 workshop has ripped and folded back. Today's job will be the pair of us trying to replace it without annoying 3 colonies of bees! He said at the start of winter that he really must look at the roof, and then with the detached retina it just has not happened. If we are doing the roof I would dearly like to treat the wood but that would need our bees to be moved and they are out gathering pollen so building up. We have left it too late really

Fortune_Smiles

We're late with a couple of things this year too SL.  You can only do what you can do.

I am sure you will find a buyer - your house sounds wonderful.  It will be the perfect home for someone out there.  It doesn't sound as though your agents are working very hard for you though - have you signed a contract with them yet?

Fortune x

Suffolk_lass

Fortune_Smiles said:

We're late with a couple of things this year too SL.  You can only do what you can do.

I am sure you will find a buyer - your house sounds wonderful.  It will be the perfect home for someone out there.  It doesn't sound as though your agents are working very hard for you though - have you signed a contract with them yet?

Fortune x

Aww thanks @Fortune_Smiles, we hope so. I think you are right about the agent. We did sign a contract with them (20 weeks) but it is for off-market marketing, with our choice whether we step up to full internet presence, so our neighbours don't see us on Rightmove (and only the three we have told, know anything about the possibility, assuming I have gauged correctly about potential jungle drums).

I think personally, that one of the issues is that quite literally, every time a thatch fire occurs, anywhere, it is reported upon as catastrophic. Whereas other house fires might warrant a mention, they rarely evoke such reports, in detail, of the catastrophic impact - and guess what? it puts people off. My friend burned down the loft, 1st floor and roof of his by using a hot air paint stripper in the roof-space, and setting fire to some cobwebs and paper up there. It really does depend what people are doing.

Our insurance conditions are more extensive but literally the only one that would not apply to a conventional build is the requirement to not have a bonfire within 50m. It isn't rocket science, as they say.

Even the agent was surprised we were an EPC rating of C. Anyone who lives in a thatched place knows that the insulation properties are excellent. Warm in winter, cool in summer. And the old rats in the thatch saying? - yes, in a straw thatch. Not sure about reed though. We have reed, waterproof membrane and fire boards up there too - blimey, listen to the defensive sales pitch!

Actually - do your research is what we say. Low ceilings? Only stepping through ancient doorways and under certain beams. We always sit tall people away from the beam in the dining room so they miss it when they stand up, and the sitting room is called that for a reason. Even DS's 6'7" friend can't reach the ceiling when he is sitting down... and it does make changing lightbulbs a whole lot easier! 

Fortune_Smiles

We are an old cow shed with beams everywhere.  We love old houses with character.  Others prefer a newer more modern build of course but each to their own.  There will be a buyer out there who your house is perfect for.  And, when they fall in love with the house, they'll do some proper research rather than reading the tabloids.

Fortune x

Watty1

I think older unusual houses are an issue.  Everyone knows what a modern box on a housing estate will look like and seemingly lots of people want them but for the single unique house you just need someone to look and fall in love and everyone falls in love with different ideas and properties (and even men!).    It has always seemed to me that the problem with the older ones is that each is so unique you have nothing to compare with so it is a heart decision. Yours sounds lovely and I am sure a buyer will snaffle it up.

enthusiasticsaver

Interesting you are going for solar panels as we had a company come round the other day.  Still waiting for a quote but given we are in a fairly well insulated modern detached 4 bed I think it will take too long to recoup the cost as we are early 60s now.  As you are selling anyway are you hoping the panels add value to the property? How do they even install them on a thatched roof? 

Good luck with the move and hope you find a buyer soon.  It sounds like a lovely property but obviously the insurance is  a tad expensive. 

Suffolk_lass

Nightmare... it turns out it isn't an 8x10' workshop. The wretched thing is 14x10 foot. 14 foot is over 4m (plus an overhang and overlaps). Back from the builders' merchants with 5 rolls of heavy duty roofing felt and one roll of Trade Torch (polyester waterproof backing) - and clout nails and adhesive. Of course it comes in 8m rolls and you need a length without a seam part way along, so one 4.5m length from each roll. The upshot is, even if we went side to side (12ft with the slop, without the ridge) it is still five rolls. So £317 later... Merciffuly the Village Hall shed needs doing too so I shall recoup some from that.  and I might do my little (6x4') toolshed too.

DH is removing nails now. We managed to prise the old felt off without it landing on the hives of very active bees. I am briefly indoors with yippee dog, who just wants to lay in front of the aga, but not without a person in attendance! I think this will be a two day job. The wind is 50km/hour at the moment. I have just pruned (decimated?) the rose on the side of the cart lodge and the mahoosive buddleja that didn't get pruned right down last year (we did what Monty does and ended up with a 25ft high tree!) Now at least there is no vegetation overhanging while DH is out there, on the roof of the adjacent workshop! 

I was going to quietly read my book club book today!

themadvix

I think you're very brave (or....something) trying to do it in these winds SL! 

Suffolk_lass

We only stripped it yesterday, the new strips need it to be fine and calm. Hopefully this afternoon as it has stopped raining.

In other news, when I brought DH's plate out to the kitchen last night I noticed three ant running around. Another thing to sort out...

I received the invoice for the first 25% of the solar installation yesterday so have paid that today. Credit card bill tomorrow, then the other 75% on Thursday. Then next week it will be settlement of the house insurance. March is always expensive, but with the workshop roof on top of the solar installation, particularly so this year. Thank goodness for emergency funds and TT savings pot!