newhome

I've been out and pulled up a load today. Wasn't possibly the best thing to do after knee surgery on Friday but hey ho they said to keep on my feet. I just know from the past 2 years that they just keep coming back and it's an endless task all summer.

I've no idea what he used in truth but I did see him lay it. Was that weedkiller you found in the garage any use do you think? Trouble is there are quite a few plants here too, and I don't really want to nuke those at the same time. The weeds mostly seem to grow in the gravel, on top of the fabric, not underneath it, apart from some of them like dock that are a b1tch to remove.

I decided to have the front garden laid with pea gravel to make maintenance supposedly easy. I had someone in to level it all, lay landscaping fabric and then put pea gravel on top. This was done apart from one small bit over one side as they ran out of gravel and the local quarry will only allow you to order several tonnes. For a variety of reasons the remainder was then left until I was ready to have the parking area sorted and then I got a different builder in to do the rest. So much for the landscaping fabric. The weeds grow like, well weeds. The only bit where the weeds seem to stay away is the bit that I had done by the second builder so I assume that the landscaping fabric that was used was better somehow. Wondering whether I can shift the pea gravel off the landscaping fabric and lay another layer, doing a bit at a time? Thoughts?

Just had a peruse of your blog! It's been quite a journey from the leap of faith in the early days and buying something a bit different where planning permission was never a given. Well done guys for persevering and creating something fabulous. Love it!

It's because they are often put in ridiculous places in offices. Where people need to walk, or right under tables where office chairs go so when someone leaves the lid up the chair gets rolled forward and rolls into the hole often breaking the lid and the sockets. They are in constant use in conference rooms with laptops and often network cables being plugged in and out constantly. Plus people having to scrabble about under the desk to find a damn socket. A much better idea to put sockets in a bank at the back of the desks in general I think.

At least he cleans up after himself

Contents of your knicker drawer there too!

Try telling people who live on the Isle of Dogs that they can’t get parcels because they live on an ‘island’

I have a Scotframe house. It is relatively old now (ordered 2009) but I don’t think the noise levels are any worse than living in brick and block houses, that I’ve always owned prior to this one. Heat efficiency I will pass on as I have had a ‘few issues’ with my heating let’s say . We went for Supawall from Scotframe which at the time was their top insulation but times change and they do a different version now that is no doubt a lot better. Go for the best insulation you can.

Looks great, and what a beautiful day to have chosen to move in! Enjoy.

+1. Different timber frame company but we upgraded the internal doors, and sourced the windows and external doors ourselves as we didn't want what they were offering and they couldn't supply the windows we wanted with integral blinds. Upgraded the skirting, the staircase and the insulation too. Best to run down the full list of materials and ensure that you are happy with what's being proposed, and then ensure that for any replacements the increase in cost is appropriate. Should just be the difference in cost between what you want and what they are removing, We managed to get the cost of the upgrades down a bit via a bit of negotiation. Despite a couple of niggles around the delivery the timber frame company we used was pretty good, and it was great having the whole kit and fittings for each stage arriving in one hit.

Needs a photo please

The regs are getting so crazy that in a minute the switches and sockets will be one unit as they will all be at the same height!

Oh I like the Knightsbridge ones! The BG ones not so much.

None of them work tho! I crapped myself for a month after doing the drive down to my brother’s house ‘at speed’ on Xmas Eve when the roads were clear. No tickets! Not even when I got flashed at the Dartford Crossing! And not by some dodgy bloke in a mac!

I think metal may date more quickly. I remember when shiny brass sockets were all the rage but they are a bit vintage now.

Nice car!

That’s why you had a £1200 insurance excess

I have white sockets and black in the granite splashback, but agree with @PeterStarck, it’s an individual choice so go with what you like.

And yes, sorry @pocster, but your window issues will be resolved, I can feel it in my bones

But is it @Ferdinand Marcos, husband of the shoe collector? And I don’t mean @PeterW

Er, the title of this one is OH F**K! Think we're in the right place!

That looks really good! Pity BB didn't ensure his guys were working hard all the time however that may have meant they got through the work on budget. Now focus on the next step of this journey xx

What were the pair of you up to in the transit for 3 hours?!

Anyway, surely 4 nights in a row counts as more than 1st date?