Frump to Fab 2018 - Fabulous Dahhhhlings

maman

Hope you're feeling well enough to get away for the weekend sugarbaby.:)


You're right about often having to wait for the busiest and the best trades LL. We're currently waiting on a plumber. He's a personal recommendation from a friend but he's been unwell.:(


That being said, some do try to take the p*ss. The guy we had to do the exterior painting and hall/stairs/landing etc. last year was dreadful. We got his name from Checkatrade. He was meant to start while we were away, didn't turn up, left no messages of apology and when we tried to contact him he tried to pretend there was something wrong with his phone. His own work was pretty good but because he was behind with the job he drafted in, what I think were, unskilled mates to help him finish in a hurry. Of course we got him back to finish the job properly but I wasn't impressed.


Really pleased with my hair at the moment. I haven't had highlights for about 6 months. That's pretty usual over the summer as it always gets bleached in Turkey but I've helped it along with some of the John Frieda spray and the colour is lovely but also the condition. I styled it this morning and it's really shiny.


That's very mse:money: shopping in Sainsbury's humpty. I went there myself as wine is 25% off.:D I know it would be cheaper if I didn't buy any but it does save a lot.;)


I thought today was going to be dull but the sun came out and it's been lovely again. I think the weekend going to be fine too but cold. Football tomorrow so will need to wrap up warm for the first time this season.:)

humptydumptybits

I found a good electrician, I found his name by chance in an emergency and he was great so I have used him a few times for my own house and my BTLs. I have a good plumber who is a friend of my sons but I can't find a good plasterer, they seem incredibly rare.


Maman glad you got your wine, I'm not a drinker but I did wonder about getting some for Christmas. My SIL likes a glass of wine and so do a couple of my sons. I could make it part of their Christmas presents, the only problem is that it is a lucky dip as I haven't a clue. I might ask one of my sons for suggestions for a wine with Christmas dinner, I always get a couple of bottles for them, and then I'd know what he likes. Sneaky eh.

lessonlearned

MAman ...thanks for the heads up on the wine offer. I'll do a bit of a stock up.

Polly. What colour sofa did you go for. I must admit it's lovely to see that colour is back on trend for interiors. I love that dark blue that's around. I am going to find a way of adding a splash of it here and there.

Will we see the return of avocado bathroom suites. :rotfl:

A friend of mine bought a house recently which was built in the 70s and it hardly been touched since. I must admit I rather liked the burgundy coloured bathroom suite but she ripped it out. :rotfl:

Right I'm starving. Got a nice curry with my name on it......:D

moneyistooshorttomention

I've had that before too - ie a decorator I booked turned up and expected me to accept his mate (though I'd booked him). That was back in my home city. I refused to accept a swop....

If I have to wait then I have to wait for a tradesperson - but I do get upset when I've fixed a date for them to come and then I find they're unreliable and don't turn up when we've agreed they will do so.

The other thing being if they're low standard - I found my decorator 2nd time of trying back in my home city and would just book him each time (the first attempt at one resulted in him doing the job okay - but he'd upset me trying to put in a substitute). I've gone through 4 here and haven't found one that seemed to realise preparation is a large part of what one employs a decorator for - and I found they had done little (if any) of that. I've had a recommendation from a "local" here now of the one he uses every time and he detailed off what he did in the way of preparation in his house. So - hopefully it will be 5th time lucky on that front.

EDIT; Yep...the plasterer I had wasn't much good. The electrician was bad. The bathroom fitters left an awful lot to be desired. There were a couple of problems with the newly-fitted kitchen. I think LL has probably deduced from that that if I say a sofa firm is okay (2 orders from them later and a 3rd order en route) that they WILL be okay LOL.

Other people often think my standards are "high". Me - I think they're "normal" LOL.

Toni'sfriend

I must have been lucky. We needed the whole house redecorating a few years ago. I didn't know anyone and phoned someone I found on the internet. What a star. He plastered the walls, skimmed an awful artexed ceiling, took up carpets that were going to be replaced. He even put up a light for me. The list goes on and on. When my sister in law was looking for someone I recommended him. She was going on holiday and gave him a key. When she came back he had done a great job and he moved all her furniture back to where it should be for her and the house was spotless. Since then he has been recommended to so many people by us.
A good workman is worth his weight in gold.

seven-day-weekend

I must admit I thought Money's post about tradesmen a little bit like 'let's show the local yokels how real sophisticated people do things' as though they are hicks from the sticks who don't know anything. I can't quite fathom why she has moved to Wales as she doesn't like people speaking the language, and now doesn't think the tradespeople know how to behave. Oh well, takes all sorts I suppose.

When we had our bungalow renovated, we used a builder recommended by other local people and he organised all the other trades, apart from the plumber who is a personal friend who we have known all his life. We would have no hesitation using him again. We have since found out that there is a gas fitter who lives just round the corner, he has been to one of our parties, so we are well fixed up for tradespeople other than an electrician - the one we used originally has emigrated.

silvasava

My son is a tiler and many of his friends are tradesman. DS doesn't advertise as he works by recommendation and so do a lot of his mates. Generally if they are good at what they do they have a waiting list.........I want some tiling done and I may get it done towards the end of next month and I get preferential treatment lol!

lessonlearned

Gosh it's cold tonight. Whatever will I do in January. Let's hope I get the house a bit more snug and cosy by then. I think my blood must be getting thinner with age. Or maybe I've just gone soft. When I think back to the house I was brought up in.......:eek:

Maybe I should just swan off back to South America again this winter. DILs sister is off to Argentina in January. Wonder if she needs a chaperone. :rotfl:

Loving the stories about decorators.

I have to say I still don't think I'll be letting my handyman do the decorating, other than painting the rather high beamed ceilings. I know I sound like a cheapskate but I do rather object to paying someone to slosh a bit of emulsion around. As long as I can do that myself I will. But then as you all know I'm such a control freak. :rotfl:

Anyway it's my Ikigai......the Japanese secret to long and happy life - doing what you love. I love decorating so I'll carry on till I cant do it any more.

When I had a really stressful job (before I had a family) I would go home and get the paint rollers and brushes out and work off the stress of the day. I just find painting and gardening extremely relaxing. Total and absolute "mindfulness" - just losing myself in the task at hand.

Did anyone see the report in the press today about the centenarian (102) who got stuck on his roof for a couple of days after he'd gone up to fix his TV aerial. . Bless him. He is lucky to be alive. A game old bird I'll say that for him. I had to stop my dad from climbing ladders when he was 88.

At least I bought a bungalow.......:rotfl:

lessonlearned

Acupuncture doctor gave me a bit of a ticking off today,

He felt my shins and then my knees and said that my knees were too cold, said it was time for thermals, :rotfl:

chanie

We have been lucky with the trades folk we have used in our home. OH has a relative in the trades and he recommended some people to us and they in turn also knew people. It was difficult to find that initial contact, but once we did,it became much easier to find other trades folk.

Ll I just googled ikigai and I love it as a concept. I am going to incorporate it into my goals for 2019.