Owning your own home

Skinny, cough up and keep it moving.

I don't see a problem, just pay it and quit bitching about it!!!! 🤪

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I think this is a pretty good outcome. Lots of people (me included) take while to get to stuff around the house.

Also personally if it was my flat you wouldn't get to choose the tradesperson who did the work.

@Bainbridge Shark

Same here, massive 🐕 and Henry’s price seems well worth it. Plus there is a Turbo head for carpets if you feel like the normal one does not cut it (which tbh it does)

Anything else I should be looking at?

I bought the cheapest Hoover one that looked good and haven't regretted it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hoover-Lightweight-Cordless-HF18CPT-Turquoise/dp/B07DX35MRN/

But note: I don't have lots of carpet so whilst I've got 900 sq ft of space, and the battery lasts, it's not like I'm doing all of it to some super thorough standard.

Clement Brown fabricate all the John Lewis shutters.
We went direct to them. Pretty basic stuff, but did the job.

https://clementbrowne.co.uk/

Just had them in for a quote for shutters on our place.

The goals being:

• Light and heat reduction in the hottest weather
  
• Draft reduction and insulation benefit in the winter (single-glaze sash)
  
• Privacy in the kitchen as it looks directly onto a neighbours living room
  
  

Our flat (high ceilings, tall windows):

• Living Room = 3 window bay window + 1 window
  
• Kitchen = 2 windows
  
• Bedroom = 1 window
  
• Bathroom = 1 window
  
• Bike room = 1 window
  
  

Quotes are approx:

• Living + Kitchen = £3.5k for 6 windows (avg £583 per window)
  
• Living + Kitchen + Bed = £4.1k for 7 windows (avg £585 per window)
  
• Whole flat = £5k for 9 windows (avg £555 per window)
  
  

This is for full height shutters, hinged vertically in the middle, hidden mechanism, white, 76mm slats, split level control half height (aligned with sash overlap), stainless steel hinge + PVC in the bathroom for water proofing.

Having checked the cost of doing it cheaper from a few other places... it's not bad. London Shutter Co for Living + Kitchen + Bed came out around £2,850 inc VAT (avg £407 per window). But TBH I wasn't as convinced with them - materials, communication, etc... just felt off.

The hope here is that if I go with Clemente Brown then they know their own stuff and it should go flawlessly and the quality of the shutters and the install should mean it's just done and peace of mind.

Is it worth the premium? @amey how are yours?

How do slatted shutters reduce draughts?

Well they're hardly going to stop air flowing, it's draught reduction I'm going for.

I've got gaps I can presently fit my fingers into around the sash windows. Well-fitted shutters with fairly wide slats are going to reduce the overall space for draughts, and whilst I think some air will bleed through the space around the slats I also think it's going to take the existing draughts and soften them up and spread them out so they're not felt.

Right now one gap in particular lands right on where a chair is :D

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Extra-Thick-Draught-Seal-White---3-5m/p/161201 for gaps, or https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Pile-Tape-Draught-Seal-White---5m/p/161211 for small gaps, plus https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Seasonal-Secondary-Glazing-Film---6m2/p/210014 for the glazing will do more to keep the heat in than £5k of slatted shutters...

Quoting me nearly 50% more than my current cost!

There are no access issues or owt here - I assumed it'd be a straight yes.

Might write to ofgem?

We have a wiener...

@velocio this is the correct method of reducing draughts from sash windows.

Shutters will do a little bit but that pile tape actually seals it from coming in.

Once the cold sets in you really feel the difference - we had fairly bad sash windows for three years and it took me two years before I bought that pile tape and I kicked myself for not doing it sooner. Saves a hell of a lot in heating bills too.

Shutters lol great though so if you've got the ££££££ why not

For that price I'd get the windows refurbished which will cut the drafts out way better for cheaper and then get blinds for windows that you need the vision to be blocked.

It's already been granted permission. The only objection was from the owner who's now put the house on the market. I suspect it may have prompted the sale

Really? Darn...I find them ok. I’m done with chasing the cheapest.

Build a bigger extension than their's?!
I still think if you're worried now then you're putting yourself up for a fall.
I know it's easy for me to say keep looking though.

Ha, that will be kind of the plan.

We've made an offer that's a fair bit lower than the one we were going to make. If it's accepted it would probably mean we could do our own kitchen extension a few years earlier than planned.

Does anyone know of a good building/architectural design resource through the decades?
I want to get some new doors and windows for a 1959 ex local semi detached house.
Online preferably but I'm up for a London library visit too.

Retrovious & Lasco, for actual doors.

are you referring to the about the flimsy glass and aliminium doors with a basic single yale lock designed for a simpler, less burglary-ey time?

we stuck one in the skip about a year ago.

Well, that's we still have but want rid.
I was hoping to change for solid wood but still in keeping with the period.

Edit: Not that the period is exactly a good one, but it has it's looks.

Useful. Thank you.

aha.

we went to the london door company and got something like this.

That letterbox/window alignment is perfect