Owning your own home

What are the brackets along the top of these roofs for? Functional or decorative? Never noticed them before. @amey do you have any idea? (as our local Victorian restoration expert)

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Gives the pigeons something nice to sit on.

I think it symbolises swingers.

Just decorative.

"Crested ridge tile" is a more specific name.

Ah thanks

Noticed some lovely sculpted roof tiles on some houses up in Stamford hill yesterday. Shame when they get re tiled they’re not kept and likely on things like these unless you use a sympathetic roofer

On a different note, what’s the forum approved sofa? Mines just bust.

Howard & Sons. Obvs. Preferably genuine 19th century.

My neighbour says he's getting his roof felt replaced with tyvek but keeping the original tiles and wants to know if I want to go in with him too. He reckons the felt is past it's lifespan because it's over 40 years old, but from the inside of my attic it looks...fine.

Anyone done anything like this? Better to sort it before I get some mad problem?

My wife found one that have been re-upholstered (beautifully) on Instagram, and enquired about the price.

£12,500.

We did not buy.

You on good terms and trust him? Would that mean the scaffolding he has to put up for his job means you now share the cost?
That said if yours actually does need doing it’s a good time to share the cost. Maybe get the roofers that are doing his to give you a show of what they think needs doing.

Yeah I trust him, plus he seems to know what he's talking about/has had more work done on his house and apparently the roofers will give us a discount. I guess if I don't do it, first I'll probably know about any problem will be a leak, so it might be worthwhile.

His house is on the market, so it's a bit strange that he's looking to get it sorted now rather than later.

Wise decision. Unless it has original fabric in good condition or a proven and exceptional provenance, I'd say £8-10k would be top money at the moment.

Disclaimer: There are two sofas in my house. One doesn't belong to me, and the other is from IKEA.

from the inside of my attic it looks...fine.

Looks can be deceptive. Roof felt has a finite lifespan, and at some point it'll need redoing. Worth taking professional advice, I'd say, albeit not necessarily from the prospective contractor, as they have skin in the game.

If you’re paying list price for a sofa you’re doing it wrong - got 30% off our Hay sofa and two cushions chucked in.

Reminds me of when we needed a new bed and my wife and I had a look at Savoir...started at £20k and you could have gone into 6 figures...

We went to Dreams.

Hooks on to a helicopter; for quick deportation

We bought a second hand leather sofa on Tower Bridge Rd ten years ago for £600 and it’s still going strong. We absolutely love it. We were looking at buying another one and were quite impressed with Old Boot. Made up North somewhere but with showrooms in London.

Pmd.

Our one that died is sofa workshop! Within warranty so let’s see what they say. Wasn’t golf club thread fodder though.

I need to bookmark that, cheers!

I thought my felt was fine and it was only loose ridge tiles and repointing. But looking at the old bitumen felt that came off, I'm surprised more water hadn't gotten through. The new stuff is more flexible, watertight and lasts longer. Bitumen felt roofs really only have a lifespan of 10 years (or at least that's what I keep reading, some obviously will get lucky and last longer). Get it re-done, along with a dry-ridge (as opposed to wet ridge - the former uses a fixing system and the latter uses mortar) and you will A) not have to worry about leaks for the next 15-20 years and B) add value/appeal to your property if you want to sell in the next 10 or so years.

Dry ridge is part of the quote so thanks for mentioning that. I think I'll do it, probably better to do than to not. Thanks all.

It wasn't originally on mine but my roofer is doing at no extra charge (as I've already given him some more work). I thought he was trying something on, but reading up about it convinced me.

https://www.roofingtoday.co.uk/wet-vs-dry-ridge-which-is-generally-best-for-a-property/

They are a requirement for new roofs, not on repairs for existing. But there are a few articles like the above (not just on websites trying to sell it to you) that say it is superior. It doesn't look as "nice", but I will live with the different appearance for the added peace of mind.

Even if you don't go for it/want it, check how long a guarantee/warranty the roofer is offering.

Also, try and get them in to have a look in your attic first so they don't spring some additional work on you once they have started the job (if you can do so in some kind of Covid secure way that you are comfortable with).

How old/how did it die?!

I've read carefully through all of the new EWS1 proposed advice from RICS. If it goes through in this way then my building would no longer need one and I'd be able to sell.

It'll be interesting to see if the banking institutions get on board with this one as they outright refused to listen to the govt when the govt announced that unclad buildings would no longer require an EWS1. I'm not that hopeful TBH until the govt agrees to underwrite either the cost of remediation (£15B), or the losses when a fire occurs (£? but much much lower).