MF by Christmas 2024 - let's do this!

Suffolk_lass

I always enjoy reading your updates. So organised and inspiring!

Coxy11

Time for another update:

• DD's bedroom - flooring beading finished and bookcase/room divider made up and installed (and subsequently filled). Still need to source tiles for vanity unit. DD would like leopard print… have seen some stickers to apply to plain tiles on big river site. Still deliberating.
• DS2's bedroom – New desk, chest of drawers and light fitting all bought, made up and fitted. Old chest of drawers, storage cubes, and desk to be listed on FBMP – hoping to do that this weekend. Just need wall hanging guitar hooks and some shelves to complete the room.
• Family bathroom – old manky radiator removed and taken to tip. DH has started on installing the new towel ladder but needs pipe covers first which should arrive today. DH to fill some cracks in the ceiling and walls, rub down and caulk then I can paint the ceiling, walls and woodwork. Bathroom is fully functional just looks a bit rough around the edges.
• Still to order aggregate for driveway – pondering a resin driveway – DS1 and DH work for a resin firm but would still cost around £15k eeek.
• Spent an afternoon digging out about a third of the legacy compost heap gifted by previous owners. Bagged up 25 70l sacks and there’s still loads to go. I’ve spent the last week cutting back, weeding and mulching the island beds and those around the house perimeter. There are about 6 bags of homemade compost left which we’ll use this weekend on a long border, then it’s back to the awful job of digging the heap again ☹ At least it’s cheaper than buying it in.
• Premium bonds for October netted us £375 – for once I received more than DH. Still waiting for the big win!
• I have a possible part-time role with one of my sisters’ friends. Waiting to have a cuppa with her to discuss it.
• Regular mortgage payment came out today and balance is hovering around the high £22k mark. Next overpayment will be in July 2026.

beanielou

Remind me, is thibs your forever home?

Coxy11

No @beanielou I think the large garden will get the better of us at some point. We are thinking 10 years probably then downsizing/bungalow time. 

beanielou

That’s a no then from me for the resin driveway! 

Coxy11

Yeah I know what you mean! Plus we are in a conservation area so I bet someone would complain!! 

Watty1

I am a huge fan of resin driveways - but - I ride past one.  Where I saw it go in I had driveway envy - but - it is in shade most of the day and honestly if I had spent 15K on something that looks like that 4 years in I would be so upset.   It is so "scruffy".  I can't describe it better because as horse and I go past we have to be on full alert for the blooming pig - but - it just doesn't look like a 15K driveway.

I still love "the look" but if I were to install one I would want to see ones that had been down 5 years + by the same company now.  

Coxy11

Interesting about the wear and tear of resin driveways - I honestly hadn't thought of that. Both DS1 and DH work for a resin flooring firm which is why we thought of doing it. The driveway is large (8 cars big) but we do have overhanging trees so maybe we will stick with the gravel. It's just this time of year when the leaves are falling - would be so much easier to sweep up on a hard surface!

Suffolk_lass

We use the heavy duty plastic gravel matting on top of water permeable, (heavy duty) weed suppressing membrane and we mix pea shingle with 20mm stone to aid the reduction of pea shingle trodden into the house from the tread of several pairs of shoes and wellies. We have improved things by laying paving slabs (FBMP acquired) as stepping stones where we walk. The gravel mats like these certainly stop the gravel walking into the road, and stop the rutting. Considerably cheaper than £15k! parking for 6 vehicles here

greent

We're looking at a resin driveway and have been quoted 15-18k for a 4/5 vehicle drive, so that seems OK to me! 😁 We can't really go for any 'loose' driveway as it slopes down to the road and also down at each side (and is a very weird shape). Our deeds state permeable is a must for the small extension of it we'd like (currently it is a one vehicle entry/exit to road and then balloons out in all directions... we'd like to widen it on both sides of the current entrance (the dropped kerb is already there hidden under lots of hedging) for ease - if anyone is blocking the entrance/exit we have to play car hokey-cokey - which is sometimes a right pain!

There is a house about 2-3 streets away that had its drive done in resin maybe 6/7 years ago and it still looks immaculate - I need to knock on their door and ask them who did it!