Ferdinand

@recoveringacademic For some reason I spent 10 minutes this morning on Gwynneth Paltrow's Goop website, and that has iots of suggestions. (*) Quite why someone would name their website after a word defined in the dictionary as "a stupid person" is baffling; perhaps she is an auto-Kalabarian? The Goop website says that if you walk around barefoot it will cure your insomnia, and arthritis, and inflammation, and depression (yes, it does) so why not try that? "Earthing therapy rests on the intuitive assumption that connecting to the energy of the planet is healthy for our souls and bodies. And while there’s a definite, if New-Age, appeal to the concept of energetically connecting with Mother Earth, there’s also a more scientific angle to the practice, which posits that access to the abundant supply of free electrons in the (subtly negatively charged) ground can help neutralize free radicals—if only we would take off our shoes and access them. Several people in our community (including GP) swear by earthing—also called grounding—for everything from inflammation and arthritis to insomnia and depression. " If you want to involve the boss, why not try one of those walkaround on your back massage things? Ferdinand (*) Think it was a BBC interview where she was pretending that her fake 'unevidenced scientifically' claims about how XYZ has medical benefits were not actually health claims. Most of the claims still seem to be there preceded by things like "it is said that". Breakfast TV, so the interview was as soft as a half boiled egg.

These people sell refurbished 1950s English Rose kitchens, which I think are entirely aluminium and stainless steel, and should survive unless there are rocks in the flood. They are powder coated. Very stylish, but I cannot vouch for budget. http://www.source-antiques.co.uk/index.php Made by the people who made Spirtfires iirc.

Vintage?

That's another thing that sounds like Emma wotsit in Harry Potter - presumably when being lunch monitor, and declaimed whilst waving a chopstick.

Could you use a product deigned for cement repair of roof tiles? I had one done recently for a chipped tile that would have required a while row to come off the front of a dormer, and i is invisible. Unsure of the name, however. Ferdinand

Since we are doing helpful comparisons, I can provide a useful costed Howdens data point. This is an example of a a midrange (ie a couple of levels above their cheapest, with extra money also targeted at the bits you notice ie sink, tap, worktop) Howdens kitchen in the Little Brown Bungalow. We also got a custom hall unit out of it. Includes (slightly ish): 1200 base unit. 600 drawers. 600 oven unit. 1200 corner cupboard. 600 wall unit. 600x600 wall corner unit. 1200 wall unit. 600 taller, deeper unit for boiler. 1 x 4m and 1 x 3m of 38mm worktop. Decent sink (ie 0.9mm not 0.7mm thick) Decent mixer tap. Sink and tap together were probably £200 to £250. Handles, hinges and mounting kits. Shaker Doors plus 3 x normal end panels, 1 x tall end panel, plus 2 x 1m high doors for broom cupboard to make tall door. Plinths, trims, and pelmets. No appliances. Came to around £2350 inc VAT in Dec 2017, which is just Trade Discount without special favours except a 1-2% round-down on the price iirc. My chap who did this, and is doing @Hecateh's kitchen, says that DIY Kitchens are higher quality, a little more built-up, and likes building them, but do not come with similar mounting kits. Next time I will get quotes from both for identical jobs. Taking a guess I would say that DIY may be about 20-25% more for a comparable, but that may well be worth it. Ferdinand

On slide and hide, I think the relveant things to think about are: 1 - Space. Less needed in a large kitchen, but a very significant benefit in eg a terrace galley kitchen. 2 - Lifting things in and out. Much easier for heavy items, or people who are short or with poor strength at full stretch, as they can get closer. I used one because it was a very small kitchen. Ferdinand

I agree with the keep-it-all-together principle. Occam would then perhaps imply washing machine and dryer in upstairs "utility", and have a drying facility in the bathroom or an ensuite perhaps in a large shower cubicle. Ferdinand

+1

Not good within sectional doors, clearly. Might be worth a look into the Secured by Design police project as it applies to Garage Doors. It is quite an old standard and I do not know how good that is in 2018 terms. The site includes a directory of suppliers. http://www.securedbydesign.com/?post_type=product&s=garage+door I do recall that some (electric?) shop roller shutters proved Rioter-proof in London in 2011. And some people would feel right at home ?

On the Neff, the best deals I can find for A Neff Slide and Hide (Grade A Catalytic Fan Oven) are for this one. The link is at £550 to B&Q of all places: https://diy.com/departments/neff-b44m42n5gb-stainless-steel-electric-slide-hide-single-oven/1409102_BQ.prd At B&Q you can nurdle.a bit more off with cash back etc .. perhaps £25 or a bit more if the pensioner or other discount applies and if you use a cash card. May be very slightly better deals on EBay outlets. I think that is the one I installed in the Little Brown Bungalow, and the previous tenants I signed out yesterday who are about to buy their first house were very happy with the t’oven. Better deals we’re available least year ... under £400 minus nurdles, so it may worth watching for Black Friday etc. Ferdinand

Just found @Vijay‘s new car. (*) My previous detached cottage would fire across that, at 6m by 4m outside dimensions (ish). On the door, I do not see the point of one next to the main door .. unless you plan to block up the garage doors with Classic cars being rebuilt etc, and you also have two other entrances for if the doors are stuck shut. I think I can see a strong argument.. if you still able to do so ... for making the garage/house door wider, as that may be a route in for carrying bulky goods or furniture, and the extra cost would be minimal. Ferdinand (*) I can talk ... a friend has got his Skoda Estate a bit earlier than me having had small people carriers for years. Wife remarked that it was sticking out at the front in the Tesco car park, and it turned out to be be sticking out at the back too.

All those people insisting on finishing the House so quickly. Totally scandalous ?? Given that DIY are round the corner, you have maximum flexibility.

I have not watched it (yet), but doesn’t working through the night imply inadequate Project Management, or a search for drama for the programme?

IMO 25k is a bit much for a secondhand one which is 11 years old, even it it was 250k originally ?. Suspect that some of those appliances would need replacing soon ... especially the Sub-Zero walk in fridge-freezer if that is what it is, as fridge efficiency science has moved on a long way since then. Offer 12k And let them keep the fridge ?. Ferdinand

What happens if it is structured as say a 25 year lease? Does the house just turn into a theoretical pumpkin in 25 years and revert to the landowner at zero value? There are all sorts of assignments of benefit and 1%:99% ownership arrangements that can be made, but I am not au fait with them enough to comment reliably. Ferdinand

That is roughly what my students have had for the last few years, ensuites excepted. Seems to work. Trust they get double beds too. Ferdinand

Quite often the numbers will be off a little. In these circs it can pay to phone around and have them count. Do Wickes have a location where their odds and ends get sent? I think for B&Q it is somewhere like Scunthorpe. If thee are 5 in Dartford it might be good for @Onoff. F

I think you are confusing "threads" (or conversations) with "posts" (contributions to the conversation). 507 is the number of posts across the threads, for which the titles are listed in 2 pages. If you go down and add up the posts in each thread, it will compute. Ferdinand

Since this is at he back, why not find a secondhand sectional door? There must be some around with people converting their former garages into accommodation or offices. If you go French, then check very carefully that your hinges are strong enough. I have a pair of I think 1m French Doors from my lounge -> conservatory and they feel distinctly on the limit. Would a pair of bifold doors be a good compromise ie ones with two flaps in each door? Ferdinand

Digging a little, I think it needs a means of egress for each room in addition to the protected stairway under B1 Section 2.4 of Approved Document B. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/485420/BR_PDF_AD_B1_2013.pdf

How many rads etc? The last time I looked at a powerflush (admittedly paying someone to do it) the extra to replace the pipes and rads was small enough that I just had the whole thing redone. But that was only a 6 rad system. Ferdinand

I think house or bungalow is relevant here.

I think an alternative MOE is only required above 1st Floor Level in a loft room. IMO it would be sensible to have one, however.

Further thought - shared ownership? What are the implications? The landowner could keep say 15-20% of the house, plus a pre-emptive right to First Option to buy the 80% at unencumbered market valuation should the builder choose to sell - written so as to be in perpetuity. Would that need to be applied both ways under Scottish Law? Ferdinand