Firstly, thank you everyone who left a comment on my last post concerning the front door colour. We have asked for it to blue now. I wanted that in the first place, but was scared that everyone else has National Trust green.... Fingers crossed it looks good.
This house has damp. We have been sorting the roof, until the builders come to stop anything else coming through up stairs. We even have a favourite of the 1960's - concrete gutters at the front. Lots of problems there.
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On Wednesday last week we woke to rain pounding on the roof lights. This was punctuated with sloshing and slopping noises.
We went to investigate the noises outside in my PJ's and my wellies. Sure enough each drain pipe from the guttering was brimming over the top. Good thing this house is a bungalow.
We scooped out huge amounts moss and leaves from each one and called it good enough for now.
Roll on Saturday just gone. More of the above. Plus a weird gurgle and plopping noise that wasnt coming from the gutters.
The noise was coming from the drains... urgh. I didnt take a picture to show you. But a mental image of an inspection pit being about 3-4 feet deep absolutely full. And holy moly the smell. I do not know how anyone can work in the sewers. I was sick in a plant pot. Not my finest moment.
We have drain rods so Mr went for it. The noises. lol Slurping and rumbling. Weird.
We also have a jet wash. Thank goodness for the jet wash. After 4 hours, the blockage was gone.
Wow wee, not a good start to the bank holiday weekend. We gave up on the idea of looking for tiles on the Saturday. Whilst I was unpacking more boxes as I cant find the bin or the toaster, he carried on with more unblocking and tried the down pipe with the drain rods (they had been cleaned...). Nothing still blocked. Someone had concreted it into the patio, so it had to be cut off. Cue some comedy moments when we used an mixture of items to get the crude out...
Still more in there. It was full to above my head height. Looks like really good compost, not so good it was in a drain pipe.
When the man comes to replace the roof on the garage, I will ask him to move the drain pipe around the side of the house so you dont bash into it as you open the gate.
We have now ordered a 20m drain attachment and a gutter cleaner for the jet wash. Hopefully an every 3 months maintenance job, just to make sure all is well.
The To Do List, is huge. We have managed to buy wall lights for the lounge (John Lewis) and the ceiling light for the bathroom (some place on the internet).
Quotes are coming in now. Nearly choked when we had a quote for £18k for a new oil boiler and radiators. I think they forget this is a bungalow not a stately home.
The patio doors in the kitchen and the lounge are HUGE. Until we know what we are doing and if we are building an extension between the two, we are having french doors. then maybe later if they are still in fashion we can have bifold doors. I need to make the house warm before anything else.
Right then, I think that is enough words... Onwards to more boxes...
p.s. I want to try and do a car boot with me selling some bits. Please leave me lots of tips... Should I price things or just go with the flow. I do not want to bring anything home.
This house has damp. We have been sorting the roof, until the builders come to stop anything else coming through up stairs. We even have a favourite of the 1960's - concrete gutters at the front. Lots of problems there.
*******************************************************************
On Wednesday last week we woke to rain pounding on the roof lights. This was punctuated with sloshing and slopping noises.
We went to investigate the noises outside in my PJ's and my wellies. Sure enough each drain pipe from the guttering was brimming over the top. Good thing this house is a bungalow.
We scooped out huge amounts moss and leaves from each one and called it good enough for now.
Roll on Saturday just gone. More of the above. Plus a weird gurgle and plopping noise that wasnt coming from the gutters.
The noise was coming from the drains... urgh. I didnt take a picture to show you. But a mental image of an inspection pit being about 3-4 feet deep absolutely full. And holy moly the smell. I do not know how anyone can work in the sewers. I was sick in a plant pot. Not my finest moment.
We have drain rods so Mr went for it. The noises. lol Slurping and rumbling. Weird.
We also have a jet wash. Thank goodness for the jet wash. After 4 hours, the blockage was gone.
Wow wee, not a good start to the bank holiday weekend. We gave up on the idea of looking for tiles on the Saturday. Whilst I was unpacking more boxes as I cant find the bin or the toaster, he carried on with more unblocking and tried the down pipe with the drain rods (they had been cleaned...). Nothing still blocked. Someone had concreted it into the patio, so it had to be cut off. Cue some comedy moments when we used an mixture of items to get the crude out...
When the man comes to replace the roof on the garage, I will ask him to move the drain pipe around the side of the house so you dont bash into it as you open the gate.
We have now ordered a 20m drain attachment and a gutter cleaner for the jet wash. Hopefully an every 3 months maintenance job, just to make sure all is well.
The To Do List, is huge. We have managed to buy wall lights for the lounge (John Lewis) and the ceiling light for the bathroom (some place on the internet).
Quotes are coming in now. Nearly choked when we had a quote for £18k for a new oil boiler and radiators. I think they forget this is a bungalow not a stately home.
The patio doors in the kitchen and the lounge are HUGE. Until we know what we are doing and if we are building an extension between the two, we are having french doors. then maybe later if they are still in fashion we can have bifold doors. I need to make the house warm before anything else.
Right then, I think that is enough words... Onwards to more boxes...
p.s. I want to try and do a car boot with me selling some bits. Please leave me lots of tips... Should I price things or just go with the flow. I do not want to bring anything home.
12 comments:
By strange coincidence I did a post with a whole list of car boot tips just the other day - pop over and have a look. We did 2 boot sales in 3 days but still brought stuff home.
Good luck
Hey Sue, I will go over and read. I have toy soldiers that are still in the box. no age to them. Do you think I can sell them?
Yuk! As long as you're not having any regrets about the move. (You're not, are you?)
I don't envy you those jobs, be strong!
Ray, I have regrets in each house. We have no heating, no hot water. I have pans in the loft bedrooms to catch water. We had to have an emergency electrician come as we didnt have a proper earth in the house so the sockets were sparking.
If the wind blows, as it has been lately, trees down in the road here. The wind whistles around the patio doors and the windows.
Oh and the village idiot has frightened me, but that is a blog post in itself.
Yes I admit that there were some tears the other morning when no one was here.
It will work out in the end. it has to doesnt it. :)
Hey Toffeeapple, he did most of the work. I was just being sick every time I went near. awful but true. I shouted words of encouragement.
first off - love the idea of the blue door. secondly - am dying for the village idiot post!
thirdly - i actually had to look up "car boot" - bahahahah!
lastly - there are problems with every house - some can be expected and others are quite the surprise. you seem to be getting your fair share of surprises and that sucks. i understand your frustration and if you feel the need to cry in your coffee or tea - do it! i am sending warm wishes and thoughts your way. you are right - it WILL work out!
your friend,
kymber
Hey Kymber. Thanks for the comment. Yeah this is the biggest renovation we have taken on.
Tea and sympathy.
A car boot works better than an estate sale or garage sale. everyone goes to a farmers field or a car park, people who are selling and the people buying. With garage sales and estate sales you have to drive all over. Maybe you can start this over there?
that's actually a really good idea, Sol! i'm going to bring it up with our community members - thanks!
Hey Kymber. People sell all kinds of things at them. Seedlings, to unwanted books and house hold items. From what my friends say childrens toys go really well.
You pay a fee to the person who owns the field. I think Sue in Suffolk said it was £12 for the pitch. you have a table in front of your car and sell from there. Maybe the money from the pitch takings could be used for a community project.
Sorry about your drains - sounds horrific! Car boot advice - choose a day when the weather forecast is really good (so you'll get plenty of buyers out and about). I recommend not pricing anything, then you have more flexibility. Be prepared to negotiate on price - people to go boot sales because they want a bargain. Hope that helps, and that you've had a more enjoyable weekend than the last one! x
Thanks Caroline I have had some excellent advise. I think I will sell at what ever price I can get for them. I need the space. My brain is hurting with stuff all over. The old house had so much storage, I have hardly any here other than a few kitchen cabinets. It is driving me mad. I cant clean anything properly.
Does 10p a paperback sound about right?
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