Scaffolding on the road Woes for reroofing

[FamilyWiggs]

It can be frustrating from the other side of the fence as well FW.:

Oh I agree.... Except we're very careful to explain where they're coming and what size van is more appropriate. It's those that ignore us or blunder on which are frustrating.

 

[MatthewC]

The best was when six bags of lime where deliverd on a large builders merchant crane lorry. It took them an hour and a visit from t'manager to manoeuvre past the scaffolding. I blame the drivers who blunder on and refuse to comply with "stop and phone us when you get to the end of the lane" instructions.

Then they blame you for living where we do.

We've been blackballed by the skip hire firm too....

Twenty years ago we lived at the end of a little close 120 yds long but with a right angle aroud the end of my front garden. Doing an extension, we deliberately chose the only local builders' merchant who admitted to having small lorry for deliveries. However, they used a brand new 30-odd tonner which reversed its way past and through the trees on the corner, and then when we spoke to them they blamed us for getting their new lorry scratched!!

I think that was a mutual blackballing.

 

[tycarregydwr]

mutual blackballing.

That just sounds wrong :lol:


Our house is right on a 'busy' road, with just enough space for the cars but no front garden. I was worried about the noise - which isn't that bad as 'busy' in this part of the world is quite tolerable by our standards. And in fact it's proven to be very useful for the parade of workmen and deliverymen - everything can get to us. And we are assured that the road is cleared and gritted by the county quickly. Fingers crossed!

 

[FamilyWiggs]

And we are assured that the road is cleared and gritted by the county quickly. Fingers crossed!

We live on one of the more remote lanes in the county, but for some historical reason (a number of doctors lived along it at one time apparently) it is one of the priority routes and gets ploughed and gritted three times a day. Handy as it hits a thousand feet just up,the road and is steep in every direction!

 

[Feltwell]

Whereas I live on a road with a Police station further down it, and the road never gets gritted! Even the Police struggle with it in bad weather - they've "parked" one of their patrol cars through a wall and into the garden of a house further up my road twice now, where they've come up to a T junction and failed to stop. No one apart from the Police have managed to do this!

 

[Flyfisher]

I blame the drivers who blunder on and refuse to comply with "stop and phone us when you get to the end of the lane" instructions.

Then they blame you for living where we do.

I've had that a few times, even when their delivery note specifically states to stop at the top of our lane and call my mobile number so that I can then drive up and collect the goods with my tractor and trailer. Perhaps they can't read! And you're so right about THEM getting all upset. :lol:

The other thing we've had a few times is delivery vans with a satnav map that doesn't include our lane. In that case our postcode takes them to the end of a footpath whereupon they can't find the house. One driver was obviously having a very bad day and got rather angry when I told him he'd have to turn around and drive another half a mile to get to us. I calmly pointed out that HE was the one who was lost and suggested he call back when he was ready to have a civil conversation before hanging up. 15 minutes later he turned up and quietly apologised. I felt sorry for the poor chap as I imagine they're under some time pressure, but shouting at the person giving directions is not a great strategy for success. :lol:

C'est la vie.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I can't imagine anyone arguing with you FF. I should think he did apologise, and was probably thoroughly surprised to find such a lovely, reasonable person, owning such an astonishing house! :lol:

At least we do get the deliveries. I live in fear that they might stop as our track gets worse and worse. I suppose at some point we'll have to do something about it; and fortunately it seems we now have a neighbouring landowner who seems willing to help - though perhaps not with the paying for hardcore, but certainly with the spreading and filling in of potholes. He has bought a field on which he plans to plant a large wood, how wonderful!

Sorry to agbagb and missus for drifting off, hopefully now the bubble wrap and duct tape curtains have been replaced with luscious velvet and silk :lol:

 

[Flyfisher]

That's very kind Joce. I'm going to print out your post (well, the first paragraph), pin it up on the wall and draw Mrs FF's attention to it during those, er, 'awkward' domestic moments. :lol:


Good news about your lane though. The thing about potholes is that they provide an 'edge' from which the road surface will quickly crumble with each passing wheel. It's a bit like breaking up concrete - very difficult from the middle of a slab but quite easy from the edge.

 

[agbagb]

Agbagb's Missus

You'll be pleased to hear that the blue plastic and duct tape have now been dispensed with. They've been replaced by PO's net curtains to try to avoid greasy nose marks :lol: . Not too effective when eating a meal at midnight (when it's convenient :roll: ) But we are gradually building up more privacy by coating said nets with various layers of soot, lime/brick/cement dust.

 

[agbagb]

Agb's Missus

Just a quick update,

Our scaffolding goes up on Monday, Finally :roll:

Our builder just called, finding Agb at home on a weekend ( i'm findin myself a weekend Whitby widow of late ). He starts the roof on Wednesday, so we can now start putting the cottage back together . Now all we need is a bathroom floor, flushing toilet, oh and a hand hewn beam to hold it all in place and we'll all be able to visit again!

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Hooorah, good news then, now all you need is some good weather!!!!

 

[agbagb]

Oh dear,

Andy took the hand hewn beams, on a bastardised trailor, (hope that's not too rude) expecting the builder being there. Lo and behold " No f&*^%$g scaffolding!!! :evil: Will update further when he's, finally, spoke to the builder

 

[LadyArowana]

Oh dear,

Andy took the hand hewn beams, on a bastardised trailor, (hope that's not too rude) expecting the builder being there. Lo and behold " No f&*^%$g scaffolding!!! :evil: Will update further when he's, finally, spoke to the builder

There wasn't scaffolding on a neighbours house was there? :lol: If there wasn't then I hope there is a good explanation and it's swiftly resolved, must be very frustrationg.

 

[agbagb]

Agb's Missus,

Well a big thanks to Mr. Local Authority, :evil: the builder has called to see Andy today and has told us he will be unable to "waterproof" the cottage until the weather is a little more temperate, pantiles get brittle when they're freezing and lime mortar wont set. So, here's hoping for a balmy February on the north east coast :roll:

 

[discobarry]

Same problems here in that we cant do the roofing till the weather is 'better', i mean the weather is lovely and sunny most of the time which we don't get even in summer but it is very cold all the time and more to the point being high up on a big pennine hill...very windy!

 

[agbagb]

Agb's missus

Good news, the scaffolding is up . My mum went and had a short break next door (Monday to Friday) and rang to tell us it was going up at the front. She then told me it was up at the back when they got there (but didn't tell me when she called to say they were there safe :roll: ). Unsure what the builders will be able to do in this weather but hey, it's a start!

 

[andrew gayton]

If I had seen this in November...............

.............. I would have advised - as the pantiles could have fallen off the roof etc etc - to get in touch with the building control section so they could have served a dangerous structures notice on you .............. this would have been the proverbial shove needed to get the scaffold erected much more quickly.............

 

[agbagb]

You're right there Andrew, we didn't go so far as contacting building control but I pointed out to Highways Manager the potential danager and it's delays from his end that could end up with a tile tile or a chimney pot on someones head.

It's now all up so nothing will fall too far. If they start whinging about it being up to long with no work being done (because of the weather) I'll point this out to him as well.

Photo at last:

The chimney pots have been giving the "V's" to the rest of Whitby for a few years

 

[jocelyn plummer]

You certainly had good snow up there! My mobile has been filled with lovely pics of Whitby sent by AG!!!!!
Hope the work starts soon!

 

[agbagb]

I took some for next years Christmas Card while I was up at chimney, the sun even broke through for few seconds. Glorious.
AG came for a visiting but I was out on yet another dump run.