canalsiderenovation

We are really after some patio inspiration. We have been saving and are in a position where we should have enough money for the porcelain and materials and we have found someone who will lay it too and do any brick work and can work with my dad to prepare the ground etc. So here is a little video .... VID_20220814_204323.mp4 Now we love the idea of some kind of rendered brick planters around the patio like these - ignoring the steps (pinched from a random Facebook page). Our neighbour is a plasterer and has said he can render anything the same as the house. The issue is what to do with the left and right as we would love to have the patio enclosed but on the left the downspout is in the way and on both sides it wouldn't be wide enough for wall planters to be attached - and with the EWI I'm a bit apprehensive on anything fixed to the house. The patio needs building up as we have a drop at the moment and the grass area would likely be level as the ground needs raising in parts as it's all uneven and messy. Ideally we would like some kind of path then leading to the old septic tank paved area which we will extend and repave in porcelain and have some kind of pergola area. So, inspire me please! Any other ideas or suggestions?

Yes very much so, it is sheltered ans surrounded by trees. We compared a few and I believe Lifetime is better than Keter. It's this one https://www.wayfair.co.uk/garden/pdp/lifetime-7-ft-w-x-7-ft-d-garage-shed-liie1108.html We paid £382 as it was an error price but fought to get it honoured. It is surprising rigid and we are lining the floor with some 10mm ply we have left over so it won't be going anywhere. The amount of bolts and screws it has in it should keep it together!

We have spent the last week making up this plastic shed from Lifetime (like the worst version of IKEA). We have built it up onto a concrete base. There are options in each of the four corners inside to pop out a plastic circle and fix into the concrete pad. Probably wise but no fixings were included and I'm unsure what to use. Can anyone suggest anything please from Screwfix/Toolstation so I can get it bolted down. Thank you!

I think we would have to leave a complete gap for where we moor with no posts or rope as it makes it easier to access the piling as we chain the boat against it either end.

Ooh I didn't spot these on Kedel. This could work well if we can drill through them and thread rope and very cheap too and no maintenance. Hmmm, definitely worth considering.

We aren't towpath side so they would struggle unless they were hanging off them and pulled them in when they get stuck in our garden. An idea worth considering though! All the boats should have poles so why they can't just push themselves off is beyond me rather than jumping off into our garden and then getting stuck when they can't get back on the boat! Some idiot ripped off our duck ramp a few weeks ago (hire boat). The marina from the hire boat company replaced it though and made us a much nicer one just in time for the ducklings.

Cheers I've messaged them too. Re fixing, digging near the edge is fine but we are removing the hard standing flags as they have all lifted up and will probably just keep it grass I think. Hammer them into ground, could put a bit of concrete in if needed I guess.

We can't actually drill or fix anything into the piling as that's CRT property and they can be a bit funny with stuff attached on it.

I think this is the cheapest alternative to the website ones but if we can find something not wood that would make me happier!

Thank you, this may be an option. Last year we fitted 90 metres of retaining wall with motorway crash barriers so who knows road signs may work!

We aren't keeping the slabs and I think they are a bit ugly to be honest!

Thanks I've messaged them to get details and prices.

We are looking at putting in some posts and rope/chain in between where we moor our boat in the garden (boat currently at the marina so not in picture). One side would be around 10.5m and the other 16.5m. This is mainly as idiot hire boats occasionally get onto the wrong side and end up stood in our garden despite 'private' signs or mistake the flagged area for somewhere they can pull up (anyone that hires a narrowboat - take note you always stop or moor on the towpath side)!! We are removing the flags as we end up with boats getting stuck and revving their engine and flooding the flags so they have moved. The most logical option is just to turf the area where the flags are and either side of the boat looking at fence posts and rope/chain. My wife was considering wooden posts and rope and had seen a website https://richthepostman.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral#posts with the posts we can push straight into the garden. She had a quote for the cheap 45 degree angled with 18mm double rope and the cost on this website is about £870 😱 but I'm worried about them being wood, the proximity to the canal and likely them getting wet etc from boats and would prefer something more weatherproof. The posts need to be about 700/800mm in height with about 1.5/2m in between each post. I've seen some plastic posts and chain but I can't seem to find them in the height we want. Pics of the area from each side; Does anyone have any suggestions please? Thanks 👍

Nope but I have about 25+ tonnes of crushed concrete we did at the weekend . . . and I fractured my finger! VID_353500824_082317_248.mp4

The one dad had is the stuff you have a licence for (he gets it via his agricultural business) so definitely mentions Glyphosate and other % of stuff.

That's it, Glyphosate that's what I have put in there! Our neighbours suggested engine oil too but if I get time today I'll just keep drilling more holes and chuck more stuff in there. The plan is to cover them and then there will be membrane and some mot going down as we are putting something on there. Hopefully they won't grow through all that!

We are close to the railway embankment, completely the opposite end and not at all near the canal thankfully.

Bl00dy sycamere stumps. In the absence of a stump grinder and the sheer size of them we have cut down as far as we can go without knackering the chainsaw blade (there is soil inside the stumps as some of them are multiple trees that have created stumps merged together)! Started to drill lots and lots of deep holes, filling full of poison, oil and anything else in can put in them and then hopefully covering and burying them and. Hopefully they don't then sprout again.

It's canvas and I think it would rip! I do have one of those scratch map thingsy which I like. @SteamyTeaheres something to get your brain working https://worldle.teuteuf.fr/

Not my strength 😁 I love the map, it was from Ikea many years ago. I've resisted temptation to stick pins in it to mark the 75ish countries we have visited.

Just incase anyone missed it probably easier to link to this thread - here is the finished office and link to the previous thread. VID_20220515_165908.mp4.ac562247315873a15cd0716b64a81a3d.mp4

The worktop is laminate and Duropal vi Diy kitchens - we got an almost identical match the for the LVT flooring and they did a 4m length (one side is just over 3.6m so we needed a longer length). The worktops were a lot cheaper than anywhere else getting them from DIY kitchens.

So thought I'd update. We went for a slightly different worktop and the cornflower blue handleless doors ordered from DIY kitchens. We are happy with the quality but hell would freeze over before I ordered from them again. Ridiculous delivery charges and delivery arrangements and almost everything was damaged and had to be replaced including both the 2m and 4m worktops and not to mention items missing (still waiting on a replacement end panel). We had shelves that couldn't be lined up inside as holes had been drilled wonky and even feet put on the top of units rather than bottom! We have ample space for us both (from laptops) to work and oodles of storage which we really needed. The joiner was great and we managed to use remains of some damage doors for shelves (brackets purchased seperately). It wasn't cheap but we were able to get exactly what we wanted storage and workspace, something we would have struggled to get from stand alone furniture. VID_20220515_165908.mp4 Just waiting for some office chairs to be delivered which match our navy Luxaflex blind and we are still sorting through things. Hope this helps. VID_20220515_165908.mp4

I have two old chimney pots that must have spent 30 odd years half buried which I've cleaned up but want to paint them in anthracite grey. Can anyone suggest a good masonry paint. I borrowed some Sandex Vermont Grey from a neighbour but it's very pale and I want something darker. Does anyone have any suggestions of a decent paint.

There hasn't been any change, I think our fix must have been for longer as we seem to have stayed on the same one I signed up for last February and it now says it's fixed again until March next year which is a relief.