Owning your own home

Maybe look at London bar and Birmingham bar to reinforce the frame rather than full on metal gate.

On the Gisby Harrison tip - has anybody dealt with Brenda D before? Martin is retiring soon, it would appear.

Situation is this. Own a 1 bed flat, have the deposit put away for my next place, and depending on how the numbers work out may keep and rent, or sell the flat, I'm not sure yet. I have been doing some minor DIY work, improving decoration, replacing faulty white goods etc. Is it worth continuing in this vein until I come to sell at the end of the year, or save the money on materials towards my next place?

Work I have in mind is mostly quite minor, redecorating and maybe a re-jig or the kitchen if I get around to it. Is this kind of work likely to add more value than the cost of materials?

Think Brenda helped with our last move briefly, which was uneventful but can't say if she was any good or not.

#csb

Basic redecorating will certainly not hinder a sale. I wouldn't replace anything unless it's obviously fucked.

Any white goods you buy you'll end up paying to have removed or you'll give them away for free with the flat.

Reccomendations for a builder/bathroom guy in East London?

Looking to knock my existing bathroom/wc into one room and extend it slightly, which includes new stud walls etc. Then fit it out as a new toilet/shower room.

Alright kids.

Here's a real noddy question on exchange dates: let's say I exchange on the 28th - that's presumably the date from which the mortgage will start.

Does that mean I'm locked into paying back on the 28th of each month? Or can you move monthly mortgage repayment dates around like any other form of direct debit?

@BleakRefs we got to choose when our payments went out.

We had to pay a little more on the first months mortgage payment to make up the difference in dates. Ask your lender. They can advise much better though.

Does that mean I'm locked into paying back on the 28th of each month?

No, you shouldn't be. I forget the exact process, but I have a feeling my solicitor asked us on our preferred monthly payment date - It'll probably default to the 1st of the month.

Whatever the process, just be prepared for a larger first month payment as the lender will request a monthly mortgage payment in arrears, as well as the days between completion and the first payment.

Completion (when you draw down the mortgage payment) is when it actually starts accruing interest... exchange and completion can be on the same day though (this is rare).

Don't forget as well that rent is paid in advance and mortgage is paid in arrears so you should have a month of no rent / mortgage payment.

A friend had their bathroom re-did recently and was happy with the chap they used, I'll ask if he'd still recommend and WhatsApp you his details if so.

We're happy with the work our builder has done but it has been painfully slow so not sure I'd recommend for a smaller job like this, plus @BQ had a less good experience than us.

What about getting Tao's dad to quote? Davey has his deets.

Wicked, thanks guys, this has put my mind at rest. Good point about rent being in advance and mortgage being in arrears too, thanks @soul. This might work out OK.

Don't forget as well that rent is paid in advance and mortgage is paid in arrears.

Gah - of course it is! Edited my post to make a bit more sense...

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/42951118?search_identifier=9e1726d6a7aa6eb1e4d39a7502e3b324#y8QRiel6r4jsgk4o.97

Time for a new project - now to convince the GF 😁😁😁

That's not far from me. My house was a bit like that when I bought it. Those original tiles in the hallway are worth thousands.

Hugh rear garden with paved area and sideway access

Fancy.

You could keep that chair in picture 15...

But burn everything else with fire

Apart from the tiles

That would be so much fun. Planning something similar (but not for a year or two)

We had to pay a little more on the first months mortgage payment to make up the difference in dates.

Yeah, worth remembering this may happen. Having completed on the 8th of the month, our first payment on the 1st of the following month was c.40% more than the usual one. We knew it was coming, but I do know people that have been caught out.

Anyone here familiar with laws around buying/selling in Scotland?

I just bought in Scotland (sold in Wales) so I might be able to help with a few things.

I've smashed a few doors in and a London bar and Birmingham bar properly fitted may it very, very difficult to get past the door, you're looking at using a proper big red key to open one

I'm actually looking at a place from an auction site. Wondering if home reports fall under the same rules/laws as any other method of selling. I've got one, but it's pretty old.

I think I may just skip on this place, to be fair....

For insurance purposes, where I need to provide a 'full rebuilding cost' can/should I use the figure from my property survey? Or is there going to be a more definitive figure somewhere else in the mountain of standard mortgage/purchase paperwork?