£15,000 for hallway decorating?

[LadyArowana]

It sounds to me as though this place is never going to make you happy,

Homes are to make you happy, rental properties make you money. I am sure if I went to see our house I would have a fit. So I don't. I deal with the agent in a businesslike manner and I am happy when the dosh comes in. That's it.

I am sure your place in London is doing very nicely in terms of capital appreciation too Joce, selling it and putting the money into a less bullish market might not be the best plan.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

The best thing about bashing yourself over the head is the wonderful feeling when you stop.

Unless you can make a career in variety out of it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IbvVTXOIo

 

[plasticpigeon]

Give me the flat and forget about it!

 

[JoceAndChris]

You would be just as bad as me pp. Your fingers would start itching and up the hallway carpets would come to reveal the encaustic tiles with all their damaged but lovely potential, and everyone would fall out with you just as they have with me. :lol:

LadyA - I envy your ability to detach from it! I'd be hammering on the door demanding to inspect.

As for investment, yes, but it all seems so nebulous and unenriching currently. The tenants pay our mortgage on the flat and the agents' fees for finding the tenant, and the cost of upkeep, that's about it. One day the mortgage will be paid ( about another 20 yrs to go I think) and then the rent will be a pension. It can't be sold, as we will need that pension. If it appreciates a lot by the time we die then I won't personally be affected, and I have no children to leave it to.

 

[Penners]

It sounds to me as though this place is never going to make you happy,

Homes are to make you happy, rental properties make you money.

That's clearly not an attitude that Joce is able to take. She can only see a poor old building that needs a lot of TLC. Not the right commercial approach at all, of course, but I don't think she's able to change.

 

[Penners]

The best thing about bashing yourself over the head is the wonderful feeling when you stop.

Unless you can make a career in variety out of it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IbvVTXOIo

I still maintain that Bob must feel wonderful when he reaches the end of his act (apart from the recurring headaches and inflamed suprapatellar bursa).

 

[plasticpigeon]

You're probably right Joce, it would drive me mad. I am never happy in my house as the standard of workmanship here is out of my control, not down to the opposing views of neighbours, but because of tradesmen. For example now the kitchen floor is dry enough to walk on and I can inspect the latest plastering properly I am not so happy with it, so I am going to end up redoing every corner filling in a few voids and sorting out the messy ceiling as much as I can. The rectification might end up taking more time than if I did it myself from scratch which is in line with every single tradesman experience so far. It drives my girlfriend mad who just wants it "done" whatever that means. (We had a tatty but functioning kitchen before, and I can't see the point of spending a fair amount of money and a lot of work to get another tatty functioning kitchen). However having a flat in London that pays for itself would more than balance the frustration, especially if I wasn't living there!!

 

[JoceAndChris]

Good on you having for high standards and insisting on them, we are just the same. Paying for work that doesn't match what you asked for is absolutely galling. I'm sorry to hear you aren't happy with the plastering. We've had very few tradesmen out to BC as it just seems easier (and so much cheaper!) to DIY. Right now I'm really, really cross with the tree surgeon who promised to come a month ago: he came and did half the work then disappeared without even bothering to get paid!! I now have a couple of hundred pounds worth of fastigiate yews and sambucus I potted up to avoid the falling of the tree, and they must get out their pots by first frosts. I have the choice of waiting for the tree surgeon to come back to complete or getting someone else. Maddening behaviour! I've phoned and phoned and left so many voicemails and he never returns the call. So I do sympathise about how hard it is to get good work done.

The best thing about bashing yourself over the head is the wonderful feeling when you stop.

Unless you can make a career in variety out of it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IbvVTXOIo

I still maintain that Bob must feel wonderful when he reaches the end of his act (apart from the recurring headaches and inflamed suprapatellar bursa).

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Zebra]

Get someone else. He's ignoring you on purpose. I do it when I don't want to finish a job and will forfeit what they owe me!!

 

[JoceAndChris]

Ok, thanks, I will Zebra.

Out of interest, what kind of thing makes you want to abandon the job?

 

[Zebra]

For example, I've got a job which has been hanging around for months. It's a bit of a pain, it involves lots of digging, and although I said I would do it, so feel obliged to go back, to be honest I wish they would find someone else, because I'm making better money elsewhere now. They owe me for about half a day's work and perhaps £20 of parts, but in order to get that I'd have to put in a lot more, and I can't really be bothered. So I've been putting it off.

Tell you what, leave him one last message, and let him know, not impolitely, but just let him know not to worry any more, because you're getting someone else now. If he doesn't ring back within the hour, forget it and move on.

 

[eezageeza]

"...hundred pounds worth of fastigiate yews and sambucus I potted up to avoid the falling of the tree, and they must get out their pots by first frosts..."

The Sambucus probably wont be damaged if they have to spend the entire winter in their pots - deciduous shrubs are much tougher than you probably imagine. The yew would prefer to be in the ground, but won't suffer badly until you get prolonged sub zero weather, which will hopefully not be for some time (or even at all).

If you're still worried, you could sink the pots in the ground as a stop-gap solution - that would give the roots the same protection as if they were properly planted.

 

[LadyArowana]

For example, I've got a job which has been hanging around for months. It's a bit of a pain, it involves lots of digging, and although I said I would do it, so feel obliged to go back, to be honest I wish they would find someone else, because I'm making better money elsewhere now. They owe me for about half a day's work and perhaps £20 of parts, but in order to get that I'd have to put in a lot more, and I can't really be bothered. So I've been putting it off.

Oh, that's you is it, I did wonder when I saw the black and white stripey coveralls, but didn't like to ask. Don't worry, I have had someone else install the swimming pool now.

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol:

Thanks for explaining that Zebra - it's interesting to see it from the other side. Totally valid points, I'm sure you feel bad about it but at the end of the day you have to make a living. I'll do as you suggest.

And thank you for the advice Eezageezer, good to learn that.