Learning to walk before I run

edinburgher

It's a DeeEffS sofa and there does not seem to be any "give" in the foam that would allow me to get the foam out, it's quite firm. I don't know how they stuff it in initially (mechanically)? and if I pull it out and can't pop it back in, the sofa will be goosed! This is why the "get removable covers" chat isn't particularly helpful, although I am sure that it was offered in a helpful fashion When I think of removable covers, it's normally from companies that make a virtue of this feature, such as IKeeeYa. Our mob don't seem as helpful.

We don't use litter trays @Suffolk_lass - although it is interesting to see why she has opted for the gap between the two cushions! Just a split second error where I locked the cat flap and then forgot to unlock it. Still, lazy !!!!!!, they'll climb out of the kitchen window for leisure purposes but not, apparently, to pee

Our Maine Coon is moulting fiercely at the moment, he is leaving clumps everywhere to the extend that we thought he'd been attacked! He was particularly fetching the other day when he rocked up wearing two ridiculous sidelocks that gave him the vibe of an old Orthodox Jew Ps. Note that they're only ridicuolous on the cat, no disrespect to the many Jewish people in my community.

The electrician was in yesterday - we now have 8 lovely downlights in the sitting room and a dimmer switch which is very necessary as it's now brighter than the sun in there! It is a funny room as it is blindingly bright until about 2 in the afternoon, then incredibly dull in the evening. The central light fitting that we had before only had 3 relatively low powered LED bulbs and it could be quite miserable in winter. I think we'll need to find the money for replacement high CRI bulbs with frequencies closer to natural daylight eventually, but it's a great improvement. He'd also done the initial wiring for the attic, loops of cable neatly pinned up around the different sections of the new room.

edinburgher

Builders have scuffed a freshly painted white wall in the kitchen to the extent it needs repainted and have knocked several small holes in a bedroom ceiling  Can someone please reassure me that fixing things like this is all in a day's work for builders and that they will do so with good humour?

greent

Yep - they should be fine to make good all bits like that right at the end (in case more stuff happens) - but I would check with them (preferably by email or text so there is a record) that that is going to be the case. 

edinburgher

Thanks @greent - they have confirmed they will make right. I'll be keeping a written record in any case, plus I realised that our home insurer needs to know that we're having work done, too

savingholmes

Definitely tell insurer about the work. 

I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end.

Cheery_Daff

Grrr to your pristine wall being ruined. Definitely keep a record - I know towards the end of our building work they were in a rush to get out (understandably in our case!) and all kinds of things that they were going to finish off, there suddenly wasn't time for 🙄 

greent

Glad they've confirmed it's OK already

Ah yes - I forgot to tell our insurers thay we were increasing the number of rooms when we had our loft done until renewal! - at which point I also found out that I needed to declare another child - not sure if you've notified them of DD2? - particularly relevant if you have accidental damage cover... (DS3 was born a few weeks after the loft conversion was almost fully finished- I am quite envious of you moving out - we had 5 of us here, including a heavily pregnant me --and we had it started during late Jan and had decent snowy weather (so was cold and no builders) when the loft was broken through. The stairs were running from built in wardrobe #3 I  our bedroom at the time, too (that room is now DD's and still has 2 large built in wardrobes...) so our room had holes in and piles of timber around. I was very glad DD and DS1 were at school during the day - meaning at least it was just me and DS2 for some of the time (3rd birthday a couple of weeks before it started so he was at playgroup 3 mornings a week for 2.5hours) I spent a lot of time in the kitchen- the builders commented that I seemed to be forever cleaning in there! - That's most definitely not something that people usually say about me! 🤣🤣)

edinburgher

@greent - that sounds hellish - although living with my in-laws is its own special sort of hell They are lovely people, but my goodness are we different.

Our house is now officially a total !!!!!! tip. They have covered the carpeted stairs from the hall to the first floor, but this is now torn and covered in a crunchy layer of dust, black brick dust (wot never washes out of anything) and rubble. In some ways it's a good thing we are getting new flooring. When I went in today they were beavering (maybe that should be buildering?) away at cutting out the new opening for the 1st-2nd floor staircase and framing the ceiling/floor around that. For want of a better description, they'd basically removed the entire ceiling and were waving down from the attic as I went to retrieve a DD1 toy like cheerful gargoyles

I think I will definitely find the money for a professional deep clean after they go!

In terms of money, we're not doing too badly. I have, however, taken out a second 0% CC as our continengency was somewhat blasted out of the water and I was getting nervous. Managed to get c. £9,000 @ 0% for 24 months, which takes the pressure off until we remortgage in 2024. I am wary of the fact that we will come off our fixed energy tariff in May 2023, so will be trying to pay any new borrowing off sooner, rather than later. I have been keeping up my Prolific studies and managed roughly £100 again this month. Y00gov continues, but very slowly.

Month end statement en route...

edinburgher

Month end round-up

Savings Rate - 24.57%

Nominal Net Worth - £716,599.77 (complicated, includes state and DB pensions)

Net Worth Change - +£1,060.52

Target - £958,401

Years to go (estimated on current SR) - 16.84

Percent FI - 74.77%

This month looks much less successful than it was financially. Our DC pensions recovered c. £6,000. High cash spend has brought down the positive trend (building works) and this will continue to be the case for the next 3 weeks. That said, once the attic conversion and associated works are completed, we will gain £40,000 in nominal equity. Will do for now

savingholmes

Your savings rate is great - even if not as great as previous months - as you say what you are doing is investing in your home in a very tangible form. Great news on your pension - my tiny DC pension hasn't recovered much.