Debate House Prices


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Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer

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  • michaels
    michaels Posts: 28,004 Forumite
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    chris_m wrote: »
    Just picked the very first crop from my garden - that was of my own planting, the strawberries and raspberries were left by the previous owner.

    Back in July the garden centre had summer/autumn planting seed potatoes so, as I'd prepared the veggie patch but had nothing to go in it till next spring, I thought I'd give them a try. Bought a couple of packs (9 in each) and planted them on 25/07. They all came up and I gradually earthed them up,and up, and up - then left them to see how they'd do.

    Although they'd only recently started to flower, it's been rather windy lately and some of the plants had started to collapse. When I looked this morning a couple had completely fallen over and it looks like the foliage on the rest is starting to die back, so I dug up the two which had fallen to see what I'd got - about a pound each of Duke of Yorks and Pentland Javelin new spuds, yippee.

    The Dukes have gone in a cardboard box filled with dry compost to see how they store in that, whilst the Javelins are for cooking and eating tonight ;)

    I'm salivating just at the thought of eating spuds that fresh. Jealous much.
    I think....
  • chris_m
    chris_m Posts: 8,250 Forumite
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    michaels wrote: »
    I'm salivating just at the thought of eating spuds that fresh. Jealous much.

    If I'm not online tomorrow you'll know there was summat wrong with them ;)
  • chris_m
    chris_m Posts: 8,250 Forumite
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    PasturesNew wrote: »
    Random question.... if you wanted a small/single storey utility/loo extension how far from your house would you phone builders/designers?
    I'm struggling to find anybody to even phone that's close by.
    I did find one - but it's 2 days since and he's not called me back, so he's a dud.
    I've tried all sorts of websites to try to find people not far away - and that was a big fat fail.
    I've now got the Yellow Pages in my hand, but the type's small and the adverts are overwhelming.

    Don't think I'd even consider YP nowadays - I'd Google it, starting out with "builder anytown", then expanding if need be to "builder next-door town", etc. and look not just for companies but also any comments about them - with a suitable pinch of salt to allow for iffy "planted" reviews.

    Distance shouldn't really be a prime consideration, that's the builder's problem - if he's prepared to give an estimate/quote and do the job he'll factor the distance in if need be. Of more priority would be any recommendations (or otherwise) and you won't find those in YP.

    Of course, distance will depend on location too. It's possible that the nearest I could find might be 25-30 miles away where I am in the wilds f Cumbria - conversely, when I needed a plumber the one I found was actually only 50 yards away. Stll had to google him though, because all I'd caught from his van going past every day was the name.
  • Pyxis
    Pyxis Posts: 46,077 Forumite
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    PasturesNew wrote: »
    Random question.... if you wanted a small/single storey utility/loo extension how far from your house would you phone builders/designers?

    I'm struggling to find anybody to even phone that's close by.

    I did find one - but it's 2 days since and he's not called me back, so he's a dud.

    I've tried all sorts of websites to try to find people not far away - and that was a big fat fail.

    I've now got the Yellow Pages in my hand, but the type's small and the adverts are overwhelming.

    Another thing you could do is have a look around your area to spot any extensions that look very new, and knock and ask if they can recommend the builder.

    Not much point in asking where the extension is under construction as any faults/shoddy workmanship probably wouldn't be apparent to the owners.
    (I just lurve spiders!)
    INFJ(Turbulent).
    Her Greenliness Baroness Pyxis of the Alphabetty, Pinnacle of Peadom and Official Brainbox
    Founder Member: 'WIMPS ANONYMOUS' and 'VICTIMS of the RANDOM HEDGEHOG'
    I'm in a clique! It's a clique of one! It's a unique clique!
    I love :eek:



  • chris_m
    chris_m Posts: 8,250 Forumite
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    chris_m wrote: »
    I'm salivating just at the thought of eating spuds that fresh. Jealous much.
    If I'm not online tomorrow you'll know there was summat wrong with them ;)

    Well, they tasted absolutely delicious - and I'm still here thus far ;)
  • Pyxis
    Pyxis Posts: 46,077 Forumite
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    edited 15 September 2016 at 7:55PM
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    A couple of years ago, I bought some blue potatoes, Bleu d' quelque chose, and they were delicious, so I got some more, but didn't eat them straight away.

    Then I cooked those ones in a stew or something. One or two felt a bit soft.

    Anyway, I ate some, but one tasted horrible, so it got spat out. Then I looked at the uncooked ones, and one or two had gone very soft and yucky inside. As they were so blue, it wasn't obvious, and anyway, I was used to keeping potatoes a fair while, and hadn't had these long.

    Well, later that night I threw up repeatedly, and felt grotty until I had voided the contents of my stomach. Then I was ok, if a little weak.

    It was the first time I had been made physically aware that potatoes are part of the Nightshade family, and these potatoes in particular obviously didn't last as long as ordinary pots before they got a bit lethal!

    They are so delish though, that I did eat them again, but straight after buying them and only if they were very firm.




    Edit... Bleu d'Artois, that's them! They really are delicious, and the blue colouring contains antioxidants, (anthocyanins), so makes them more nutritious than your average pot.


    potato_blue.jpg
    (I just lurve spiders!)
    INFJ(Turbulent).
    Her Greenliness Baroness Pyxis of the Alphabetty, Pinnacle of Peadom and Official Brainbox
    Founder Member: 'WIMPS ANONYMOUS' and 'VICTIMS of the RANDOM HEDGEHOG'
    I'm in a clique! It's a clique of one! It's a unique clique!
    I love :eek:



  • Pyxis
    Pyxis Posts: 46,077 Forumite
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    edited 15 September 2016 at 8:04PM
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    PasturesNew wrote: »
    alerte chic :)

    I never thought people'd be SO posh I had to go bilingual in my shout outs! :)

    :rotfl: :rotfl:

    It was my little joke!

    I couldn't remember the whole name, just that it was Bleu de something!

    Then I googled it and found the name!
    :rotfl:

    Sorry if your Poshometer* went into overdrive! :rotfl:





    Edit. Actually, I don't mind being chic! :D




    Edit edit. Or should that be a *chicometre?
    Nope! It should be a chic-compteur! Or compteurdechic?





    Edit edit edit. I wonder how one would say Poshometer in Latin? :D
    (I just lurve spiders!)
    INFJ(Turbulent).
    Her Greenliness Baroness Pyxis of the Alphabetty, Pinnacle of Peadom and Official Brainbox
    Founder Member: 'WIMPS ANONYMOUS' and 'VICTIMS of the RANDOM HEDGEHOG'
    I'm in a clique! It's a clique of one! It's a unique clique!
    I love :eek:



  • michaels
    michaels Posts: 28,004 Forumite
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    Our local town is renowned for having a 'builders premium' - allegedly if you choose builders from several other local towns within about 10 miles you will pay 10-20% less.
    I think....
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 46,960 Ambassador
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    michaels wrote: »
    Our local town is renowned for having a 'builders premium' - allegedly if you choose builders from several other local towns within about 10 miles you will pay 10-20% less.

    Same round here. Say where you are and the price goes up, use the name of the town over the bridge and the price drops. According to the post office we are just a sub-district of the town over the bridge in any case, so I often say that place when asking for quotes over the phone.
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on The Coronavirus Boards as well as the housing, mortgages and student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
  • vivatifosi
    vivatifosi Posts: 18,746 Forumite
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    PasturesNew wrote: »
    Huge thunderstorm here. Already lost the electricity!
    :(

    Sometimes ... it sucks to be alone, in the dark, in the middle of the night ...

    I've got one of my solar spotlights here in case the leccy goes again and I've boiled the kettle/got a hot drink.

    Checking to see whether you are ok and have power now Pastures. It overhead here now. It's certainly a whopper. DH has just left for work. I don't like him driving in it.
    Please stay safe in the sun and learn the A-E of melanoma: A = asymmetry, B = irregular borders, C= different colours, D= diameter, larger than 6mm, E = evolving, is your mole changing? Most moles are not cancerous, any doubts, please check next time you visit your GP.
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