Prosperous soul, mortgage neutrality & creativity Year 2

KajiKita

When we bought here we only had a basic survey done as Mr KK is a chippy and knows what to look for. Tbh, between the expertise of both your sister and your handyman I think you could get away with a low level or a mid range survey. 

I appreciate that the car was a bit more than you planned, but £55 to find unexpectedly is a lot less than £275 or even the funds for a new car! 😊 Sounds like you’ve got a good mechanic too 👍

Glad you were able to snaffle some time off 😊

KK

jwil

Glad the MOT went well.

Hope you enjoy your time off.

Blackcats

I think the more thorough the survey, then the more items it will flag which might cause anxiety when the items are actually only minor.  My approach has been that something major would be picked up by any survey and I tend to go for a mid range which satisfies my Goldilocks' tendency of not too much and not too little but just right. 

EssexHebridean

We had a level 2 survey. Chances are the seller might say no to anything invasive anyway as otherwise they run the risk that if you were to pull out they'd have making good to do before remarketing. The level 2 is god, but needs reading with a degree of "yeah, right!" attitude attached. Expect lots of things telling you what "might" happen - and you then need to mentally grade the likelihood (probably slim, for the worst bits!) 

Ours mentioned various bits including a possibly damp joist in the roof needing replacement - having been up there now though we can't see any sign of that so at some stage we'll get it checked by a roofer but right now we're not too worried. As Blackcats says though - it's very easy to let a survey completely freak you out if you let yourself read it as a list of things that will need sorting...better to regard it as mostly being a list of possibilities of stuff that could be a problem....or not! 

savingholmes

Thanks KK. Yes grateful the car wasn't worse. My counsellor would be pleased too - as I have booked extra time off to meet my priorities in preference to work's - although it now looks like I need to work tomorrow. 

DD popped in briefly yesterday to pick up her washing and drop off more. I've put a load in the washing machine - mix of mine and hers - which will give me a head start ready for packing. I need to spray the suitcases tomorrow - to make sure the cat didn't leave any fleas there before I pack Friday. I also need to check the cat drop off times for Friday - to make sure I don't miss the morning slot. I need to email the cattery and check they supply the food.

The cleaner came today and tidied away all my art supplies from the mess I made in the kitchen (acrylic pouring). Put it this way - I need to paint over the black paint I got on the white utility door before any surveyor comes!! I had to go into work this afternoon and it was nice to come back to everything tidy again. I will miss my cleaner deeply when I move. I hope we'll be able to keep in touch.

Thanks EH, Blackcats and Jwil - you are right that knowing more could cause more stress. My main worry with the house is it's built into the side of a hill - and has downward terraced gardens - and I just want reassurance that there's nothing I need to be aware of regarding that. It would also be good to know if I am likely to be able to do future changes I'm considering like a change of wall position in one of the bedrooms and a potential wet room plus patio doors off that bedroom. They would be longer term things. I find it weird that there's no access to the understairs space and it would be good to know if it would be easy to resolve if I had spare cash. 

The Memo of Sale for this house arrived yesterday. I sent the first half of the legal forms back to solicitors last night and took the morning off and finished the others today. I've paid the first £100. They will review what I've sent and then set up the ID check. I will then be invoiced for another £350. Spoke to a new person at my EA. They wanted an update and the chance to sell me surveys. I will find out their prices for comparison but doubt it will be any cheaper.

My hair appointment went well yesterday. Did an hour's work after that. I lost track of time yesterday evening and began painting a more watercolour version of the acrylic seascape I did last week. When I looked up it was 3am!!! I am so proud of what I created though - I genuinely didn't know I was capable of it - and I was filled with an immense feeling that creative works (art and writing) was what I was supposed to be doing with my life rather than my day job. For now though, I will settle for carving out more of my free time for art and writing - not least during my time away in a cottage from Friday.

Tomorrow I was supposed to be off (booked yesterday) but I now need to complete an urgent task and put everything in place to enable me to write a further report on my first day back from leave. At least being officially 'off' means I can get up late if I want to - I'll get the time back as flexi so it's all swings and roundabouts. Then in late afternoon I have my counsellor appointment followed by the last of the four pre-booked art classes. I need to decide whether to book again - it's been totally worth doing as I feel I've unlocked a new confidence - it's just what class is the tutor running as he changes it regularly. He mentioned possibly doing oils and oil pastels but I don't fancy that. I had some supplies for that - but gave them away as part of the decluttering process and I'm not keen on re-buying stuff when I already have loads of acrylic art supplies, watercolour paints, gouache - and even unused alcohol inks. 

beanielou

Happy new hair.
The holiday countdown is on

badmemory

There may not be understairs access now but I am sure there must have been.  It must have been blocked off at some point so shouldn't be too difficult to sort hopefully.

savingholmes

Thanks Beanie and BM

I don't think the understairs access has ever been there as it was blocked in a neighbouring property I looked at as well.

I've just spent c£60 on the next art course to start after my return from holiday. Hopefully that will help keep me calm in this weird limbo period of house moving. Plus I may learn something and meet new people.

jwil

Well done on booking the course.

beanielou

Glad you booked the course.