ToughButterCup

Yes. and Bollocks

Nothing to lose, nobody is going to evict you are they? Just Bloody Do It

Yes. I struggled with the German way in Berlin in the 1980s... pain in the Botticelli. Principally because of the Wall. I enjoy dipping in to European-ness ( wife has Irish Citizenship) - several languages on the go most days. But German-ness is too 'heavy' to this-is-the-way-we-do-[anything] German-ness is all over the building sector in the UK - large bits of our house is German manufacturered or designed or owned.....

I love Windy. Especially the weather radar. Its a big help windy.com

Just been back to Berlin. Lots of interest in the build. Commonest question... "When's it going to end ?.... You've been at it for 10 years" Support came from surprising sources - two friends of friends who had built houses themselves - one a crook beam wattle and daub house in the Harz mountains... ( Both moaning like Hell about official paperwork) "Nie" (never) "Noch 10. Jahre" (10 more years) "When it's sold" Most of my family are in or have been in the construction sector in one way or another over there. Lots of head shaking, tooth sucking - and piss taking. One said "It's the way wives get ideas when they see what's been built...." Naturally his wife was chatting to someone else. When, hivemind, oh when will this end?

The tank needs draining. That'll preserve the seal.... Which reminds me 😐

Worse, chicken food sometimes contains Vitamin K; the antidote to rat poison. I find insomnia, windless evenings, a good thermal sight , and a German PCP air rifle makes the problem more interesting than annoying. Blocking most of the holes up and putting dry ice (from our lads food business) in all but one hole almost guarantees a stream of conveniently placed targets. We've stopped poisoning them because weakened rats are easy targets for our tomcats. They tended to vomit the remains by our bedside or on my (not her) pillow. Getting my own back as it were

New York city has taken to blocking up holes and popping dry ice in a couple of other holes. The resulting CO2 starves them of oxygen. There are many YT videos about the various rattling methods. Rats are really interesting animals. They provide me with late summer evening and autumnal sport .

Hello @Dee. Here's what I have written about them They are worthy opponents. Intelligent, calculating but sometimes stupid.

The apparent lack of care and the price indicate ..... the company doesn't want the work? It's a very useful indicator. Better you discover that lack of attention to detail now than later. You might try talking to other customers to see what their experience was ? Effort I know, but lack of care in paperwork isn't always a good indicator of high quality practical work. Why should a good builder be good at shuffling numbers, meeting dates, answering phones or assembling estimates on paper? Rant away BTW .... we enjoy others' rants, they do the rest of us all good. 😑

Change 'so maybe' to 'is definitely.' I was in the business.

We're all just too knackered.

Welcome Your budget is tight. Join the club. But budgets aren't just about money. How much time do you think you have? You might want to talk to relatives about that ..... especially, ermmm - yes her.

I mean look at what we all do for @Pocster what with his glazing, leaks and cracks. Poor lad. Such a nice man. (They say)

Yes I agree , words and the way they are applied matters.