Enough's enough!

The builders moved in to my bungalow last week, and oh has it been a long week, with at least another three to go. My sixty two year old home is in it's third and final stage of renovation on the inside.

Three rooms being gutted, removal of plaster and render, brickwork repaired and new ceilings. We found a local newpaper from 1990 padding out one of the old skirting boards and a load of that spray filler that expands in place of a brick or two. The place has been so bodged in the past.

Love the black and white floor tiles, 60's I think.

I'm not an early riser and I was woken this morning at 8am to the sound of hammer drills.......enough's enough! Anyone prepared to adopt me for a few weeks please?

 

You have my sympathy.

I can't match your story, but at least I can assure you that you're not alone in having builders cause you pain.

At my last house (rented) I'd been pestering the landlord for months to do something about the completely rotten window frame in our bathroom. Then one morning, there I was sat on the throne, when suddenly there was loads of banging at the window behind me. The window fitters were removing the window, while I was sat on the loo. I've never finished so fast in my life. I'm not bashful, but there are certain things that should not be seen by others, and a grown man with a nights worth of stale sweat sat on the throne is one of them.

 

Oh you have my sympathy
My late Mum and Dad, had to have a damp course fitted in the house one January, apart from injecting silicone into holes in the brick, the whole house on floor level had the walls stripped to the brick up to one metre high
The noise, dust and cold, was unreal
I did bring them up home to me, but they wanted to be back in THEIR HOME
It was a total nightmare

Well at least it is summer :-)

Jack McH

 

when we bought this house my husband refused to move in ! every single room needed to be gutted so he insisted that we rent as the builders in our case is ME ! and i am afraid when i start something i have a tendancy to forget to sleep and i assumed this would be no different ( hate to admit that he was right and it was nice going home to a clean house instead of the mess that ours was in )
just think how nice it will be it is finished

 

Thanks all, it's good to know I have support. Our lounge has been turned into a bedsit aswell as sleeping with the contents of two other rooms. It's my bedroom, hall and dining room that are being worked on.

My American daughter-in law to be, is coming to stay in three weeks, don't think I'll be straight by then.

 

Talking restoration anyone see this on tv, it is a 1930's pumping station complete with all the iron works like pumps railings etc and a couple brought it of southern water for £256,00 and spend £400,000 restoring it into a carbon efficiant 4 bedroom home.

They have no energy bills as they generate there own power and sell power back to the grid earning them £100 every two weeks in the summer months.

This was a restoration of mammoth proportions and is mind boggling what can be achived with these old buildings.

I have seen plenty of barn conversions but a pumping station that is quiet something else.

BBC iPlayer - Restoration Home: Nutbourne

 

I am a retired builder recalled back to work as my grandson has just bought a flat.I am fitting a new kitchen,bathroom and decorating the rest and he is having it rewired through out.
With having rheumatoid arthritis i seem to be slower than i used to be 10.30 night time finishes and 8.00 in the morning starts are having their toll.
What happened to kids moving into their first home and making do,everything will be new and matching so very different to our first home!

 

You have my sympathy Sheal.

Nothing so drastic has happened here, except that we had to have the all copper water pipes replaced which co-incided with house being re-wired. With no water and no electricity we decided to move out for a couple of days with Mr. F'smum getting here early to 'let the men in' - he arrived at 8.00 a.m. to find them on their second brew of the day, killing time until he arrived. Because they 'started late', (and we knew them) they decided to work later to make up the time, that cost me a very large, very expensive bouquet of flowers for my elderly neighbours who didn't appreciate channels being cut into walls at 9 at night!

 

That WOULD make you move...... in more ways than one!!!!

 

Building work is horrible, but at least if you have a team of people in to do the job, it's probably finite. We did everything ourselves, with just a bit of extra help here and there. It took years. Replacing the knackered slate roof was fun. The tiles were removed during a very hot, dry spell and for a few days we got lulled into a false sense of security. Then the torrent came and we had a tidal wave flooding down the stairs and fusing the electrics.

Our new neighbours are currently gutting their house and, being Polish, they start very early and finish very late. The worst of the channelling and sawing can set your teeth on edge, but at least it's purposeful noise made by people who actually care about their home. Having skanks next door who blast you with their horrible music at all hours is far worse. You know things will never get better and you are just waiting for the next problem.

 

We were looking at paint charts today for the bedroom. Now, most of you chaps aren't going to believe this...........my hubby has chosen a deep pink for one wall. Think he's in touch with his feminine side!

 

If only

If only I had £656k to spend on a home I would stay where I am employ a gardener and PARTY

Meanwhile I will try to survive on my £8k pension and leave the £120k house to my two kids to enjoy :-)

Jack McH

 

Jack McH,

BTW that pumping station home is now valued at over 1 million a nice profit and clearly they had the vision which is nice as these old buildings like barns, churches pumping stations etc make excellent home for someone with the time and money to do it and if I may say so are far better than 21st century homes.

Regards

 

I watched that with my husband and I hated what they did to it. It was an amazing project but there was nothing left of the old wonderful 1930s brick or structure. They might as well have knocked it down and started from scratch. And when it was finished it was echoey and souless like an office. But then I think I veer towards preservation of past not revamping it totally. And the garden outside was entirely gravel while their children played in a basement!