Ferdinand

I'll watch this with great interest, as I have always been quite skeptical about Living Walls. I can see benefits such as increasing humidity, cooking ingredients, mint to drive insects away, or creating smells - but it seems like quite an overhead to keep it thriving. So, agreed on auto-watering. Looking forward to being convinced. Ferdinand

I thought this might of interest to Buildhubbers. I have been sent this as material to inform the redecoration / minor makeover of a student house in the summer. It is some pics of a recent 'Co-Living' (= HMO for Professionals) development designed by Comfort Lettings, one of the most forward thinking Lettings Agencies in Nottingham. It shows how these developments are evolving. It is a careful refurb of a largish terraced house roughly 15 minutes walk from Nottingham City Centre. There is nothing here that is particularly expensive to do, although some of the items are probably "dressing" for the (professional) photos. I do not see, for example, mini-cacti for the dining table / bathroom, or duvet covers, being supplied as part of even a Furnished Let. There is more information on the original page. Of note are: Greater variety of tones in the room design than 7-8 years ago. "Feature walls" incorporate materials with an 'industrial' feel. "Scaffold plank feature wall', for example. Textiles on walls. Good use of mirrors. All rooms Ensuite (this is interesting, as it is possible for "rooms with facilities" to be individual units taxable as "Band A" dwellings. That is just one of the complexities with which Landlords have to deal.) A " large leafy plant" (a bit different from a "French Widow") in every room. Everything inclusive, including Bills, Council Tax, and 300Mb broadband. Included fortnightly professional cleaner. An EPC number of D67 - a good move to manage those inclusive bills, and within a shower-waste-water-heat-recovery-device or two of getting a "C", as may be required for 2030. The basic fabric of a renovation such as this will last 15-25 years, even though redecorations, carpets etc may be redone after 5-7 years. All rooms are double bed, unless there is a very good reason not to do so. Typical rents are approx. £500-550 per room per calendar month, with the package described. It is interesting to see that they are already addressing the Tenant Fees Ban which comes in from June 2019. Whilst it is clear that this is done to a budget, it looks good. The main effort of design is in careful choice of unifying themes - here I make those common themes to be: Monochrome vs contrast. No longer 'soopa-doopa-white-and-pale-scandi' - for those who will admit to knowing their Abba, I'm tempted to call the new version an Annifrid-inspired palette rather than an Agnetha-inspired version. It's a bit more folksy-hipster. Industrial and 'natural'. Exposed materials .. eg bed frames, tables, basket chairs, wire shelves, textiles. Geometric patterns. Consistent use of these elements. Photos (from Comfort Lettings website): For me this is an interesting parallel to @puntloos' question about a "next level" vs a "finekitchen" design. The evolution of design feels similar - the finekitchen option seems like a "2010-ish" high-end HMO design, whilst the one featured here shows some similar features to the "next level" version.

Welcome.

15k 24mth interest free credit card? (Know your limits)

Hmmm. Sparklng water tap. Or 350 bottles of champagne & £3.50 change. Tricky.

I have tracked down one of the accessories that came with my sink ... a glass chopping board which sits along the sink inside the recessed area. Cost ..er .. £90. I use it for standing the TV box on to keep it dry just in case. I can't really see the logic unless it is a sink with a wdu. https://www.franke.com/gb/en/ks/products/accessories/accessory--sinks/112-0046-415_detail.html Ferdinand

Another part of my then employer was playing with technology for that in payphones, back in the early 1990s. I recall the publicity shots. Here is a trial that was done for railway crossings. Credit: http://www.samhallas.co.uk/railway/windmill.htm Ferdinand

To me it is unnecessary and the money should go on ‘fabric first’ rather than an unnecessary gadget. I bought a better quality, more robust, fridge and a nice giraffe that goes in the door. Even better is one that came with wine in it .. bonus if nice wine. Also my kettle filling device of choice. Ferdinand (Sorry ... carafe)

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Insulated kettle. What it says on the tin. Different Temperature settings. Bosch. Keep warm button. £58 ish. Rather intrusive bleep that can be dealt with by snipping the speaker wires. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-TWK8633-Styline-Collection-Cordless/dp/B003ZHVAJA/ Had one for 3-4 years. Recommended, as is the related toaster. To be fair, I would go for a Boiling Tap if I were putting a new kitchen in. Ferdinand

I have an insulated kettle. On chopping boards, I am far happier with a folio of chicken - meat - veg - fish boards for about a fiver in different colours, rather than combine them on a fixed area. if I went for something like a glass item, it would eventually blunt my nice expensive knives. My experience is that the harder a chopping board, the more likely you are to chop off a finger when it slips. Water hardness is variable, so check what it is in your area. Google for the place to look. My Franke sink came with a chopping board on little runners made of glass. F

May be of interest. (Assuming half to two-thirds is from residential development, this is 20k or so per new build house). Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/685301/Section_106_and_CIL_research_report.pdf

Difficult to know what they would do if it was over :-0. Get one of those James Bond helicopter buzz-saws things, and fly it full tilt round the corner to give a full-length Dutch Gable? Does anyone know of enforcement over roof height? I would think it would need to be 2ft too high before they did enforce, if it was already built. F

"Dear XYZ Thank you for your letter. Whilst I always enjoy visits from Council Officers, in this case I was simply maintaining an existing access into my field, for convenience and in order to prevent mud being spread onto the lane by vehicles - thus preventing a potential hazard. As it is a field entrance, I am entitiled (required?) to carry out such maintenance. I enclose a screenshot from Google Earth, and also a photograph taken this morning. You are, of course, welcome to visit in any case. Rgds etc Basil II, the Bulgar-Slayer, Founder - Varangian Guard"

One who did not want to talk directly, which is always understandable. We are on tenterhooks wrt neighbour relations - they may be too. Or someone who a) did not know the rules and wanted chapter and verse, or b) wanted to harass you. I had a case where complaints to the Council every year were used as a form of harassment. Difficult to deal with if there is no 'vexatious' filter; in place - "we have to respond". F

I think your explanation should be fine. It is a repair. There may be a clearer overhead view in bing.com - photography is sometimes clearer. But are those actually offences, since it is porous? This could just be for form as someone complained. There is also the case that if this is an entrance directly to a field from an unclassified road, you may have the right to create one anyway (or they may not have the right to stop you creating one, even if they do cry into their sarsaparilla). In which case even if it wasn't a repair (which it is) they are whistling in the wind anyway trying to enforce nothing. Perhaps ask what they would enforce on (if you need)? Ferdinand

That looks to be doable, but why are we not being charged for it? What happened?

I might have thought rent a LIDAR for that - it seems to be what the Archaeological TV programmes use now for their Whizz-Bang element , and should be relatively cheap. I like the 3d presentation of the stairs, though (on the subject of 3d visualisations) I see that Richard of Northampton had one of his head displayed in the Norwich Museum. I hope you are better now, after all those years in that car park . Ferdinand

Can you send a newsletter to say that the big noise is done?

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In that case you will be cleaning the walls, not just the Shattaf.

Thought for a minute we were going to have Dorset's answer to Rooster Cogburn on our hands... This subject is beginning to get interesting.

Why not do all of it in Eng. Bricks. They only cost about 20p extra each.

How easy are things like Silestone to work? eg This 30mm Silestone panel on Ebay at £45 - 555mm x 1085mm - is nearly the size I need, but would need 125 mm taking off the back and pipe holes etc drilling. It already has 3 sides polished. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Silestone-Quartz-Amazon-30mm-Ex-Display/273450425752?hash=item3faaea5d98:g:NTwAAOSwf2pbhAfe Is that simple to do for me or my plumber? Ferdinand

Corrected ? Room is about 15 x 19ft.