Channel 4OD 17th Century Bakehouse - Northamptonshire

[masochists-r-us]

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/help-my-house-is-falling-down/4od/player/3110717

I'd like to say we would not normally persuaded to watch a programme entitled 'Help my house is falling down', but as Mother called to tell me my house was on TV, we decided to watch.
Despite the billing it is about a 17th C Bake House not a 250 yr old one and there are many dramatic and chilling moments with Sarah Beeny as woodboring beetles may or may not be rampaging through the original roof timbers ! However, worth a watch to see how, why and what to do when an old well in the cellar is flooding, remedy for masonry bees, pointing external stonework and a rotten old floor although we weren't personally enamoured with its replacement nor the taste in decor. What was refreshing was that the couple didn't have a massive budget so the empasis was on doing it yourself.
Worth a watch if you can spare the time.

 

[robgil]

oh dear , ive just watched the first 5 minutes of this and i have to say , those poor people for listening to all that garbage being fed to them by that (in ms robgils words) 'bitch'.
your house is on the verge of collapse etc etc , 5k wont even touch the sides (now lets call in all these expensive experts who arnt really needed in the first place) , chronic this and chronic that blah blah blah.
and isnt this the chick who destroyed peoples homes in the 80's with her 'home improvement' ideas such as painting your toilet with a sponge to give it a marbled effect and cutting your hollow hardboard doors in half to give your 60's council house that country farm house look?

easy this one to sort out , fix the well , dry out the house , the woodworm will then bugger off , get shot of the bees and fix the pointing.
also , tell your daughter to stop doing cart wheels indoors as its a house and not a play ground. sorted , and probably for much less than 5k.

i am going to regret posting all this after i watch the rest of the program arnt i?

 

[Flyfisher]

You should send that post to C4 as a synopsis for a new 'fix-my-house' TV series. :lol:

 

[robgil]

do you think they would air my own show? how to fix your house in a very undramatic way , cheap as chips and minimum fuss.

 

[worms]

So, how many of us were shouting "Buy a pump!" as soon as we saw that well?

 

[Matt Green]

*mutter* *mutter*

"...and when 80% of your house is timber, it can soon be a serious problem."

Ah. Ms Beenie. You are falling into the age old trap of thinking that all timber is equally likley to be attacked by the nefarious 'woodworm'. Most of the 80% is heartwood and unless it's pretty constantly wet, it's not going to get attacked. It's certainly at a lot less risk. And that floor you helped to remove: it didn't look that wet did it? In fact, there's more than one shot of frass and dust poring through people's hands, so the solum looked pretty dry. Hardly an emergency- it's probably been like that for a while.

The inferred spraying for deathwatch beetle isn't great practice either. Pastes are more effective if you must chemically treat.

I have to say though- that programme got more thing right than wrong when it comes to wood-borers so credit where it's due. It's shame it had to be wrapped up in TV-friendly panic to sell the show.

M.

 

[Flyfisher]

. . . how to fix your house in a very undramatic way . . . . and minimum fuss.

Well, now you mention it, I don't think television 'does' undramatic and minimum fuss.

 

[EricD]

. . . how to fix your house in a very undramatic way . . . . and minimum fuss.

Well, now you mention it, I don't think television 'does' undramatic and minimum fuss.

wish it did, it would be more realistic and useful