Owning your own home

A shredder would have helped hugely with my garden clearance a few years ago. I probably ended up filling 30 garden waste sacks (our binmen would take 3 per week max) and about another 200 bags worth in a number of trips to the tip in the car.

I think I got rid of 20ft of ivy from a fence and 7 or 8 trees, the highest of which was a 20ft fir.

I didn't need to buy one to keep, and renting one was going to be more expensive as I'd need it for many weekends. The closest I came was a friend of a friend who said he could loan me one but never seemed to be available for me to collect it. If I had known he was going to be so flakey I would have bought one (ideally second hand), used it, and then sold it on again. I'd have still needed to do some trips to the tip as some of the trunks were getting on for 12" diameter.

Once that was all done it was a case of paying £150 for Stumpbusters to come and do their thing (~20 stumps of various sizes). It wasn't much difference to the price of renting one from HSS and I'd have probably ended up removing one or both of my feet with it if I tried to do it myself. It was also a bit cheaper as they were already coming out to do a huge stump (40" diameter) in the bit of the garden belonging to the downstairs flat.

Something amazingly satisfying about garden clearances, it's just a shame it all grows back (and unruly) so quickly if you don't keep on top of it.

I've used this on the edges of our fibreglass roof

https://www.screwfix.com/p/cementone-roof-repair-compound-grey-1kg/10990?tc=XT2&ds_kid=92700058024392901&ds_rl=1249407&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1245250&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1pyCBhCtARIsAHaY_5fmAbA10RDbCmPqRq0grkLCyM1coqmNgJIOIaek96YLC8j8aY2184caAqWKEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

bought one (ideally second hand), used it, and then sold it on

This is what I did. Have run out of stuff to destroy now and need to start putting things back.

Was the stump grinder a massive thing? I have no access to my garden other than through the house and I'm pretty sure there's one lurking where my shed base needs to go. Might be very old so I'm hoping it's nice and rotted.

& @villa-ru

thanks, will try a repair for now

There are satisfying and calming stump-burning videos on youtube.

Got a bit more done. The rose hip was slow going as every single fucking twig wanted to rip my arm off. Still a good bit more of the already cleared stuff to go, but I need to go pick up mini_com. Filled my bin and about half of a small yard type sack.

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I can very highly recommend leather gardening gauntlets - long length thorn-proof gloves. They really are the business for clearing roses, brambles etc. Especially roses that give that extra painful stab for some reason.

Was the stump grinder a massive thing?

This is the one I was going to rent:-

https://www.hss.com/hire/p/portable-stump-chipper

With two people you'd easily be able to carry it through a house.

Depends on the size of the stump though. That one does 25cm above ground and 23cm below ground. (The diameter of the stump isn't particular relevant, it just takes longer to work through it all.) A bigger stump chipper is going to be bigger and heavier...

After the rose hip, the brambles are like little fluffy clouds. As I was getting the knack of the shredder, while doing the Holly, it was whipping around like a bastard and I had my sleeves rolled up.

I hope you've left enough rosehip to harvest some for making rosehip tea?

Have we had this yet? Seems like having your own built in church organ is fast becoming the big trend of 2021

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-56291578

yes, that's the gaff user @bobble has bought

Shit, the same one? I've already taken out a window out to fit the Wurlitzer that's coming tomorrow. Bloke said it would add 20k to resale.

@Silly_Savage yes https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property/76533279 and someone pointed out the laughing cavalier in the drawing room and the blurred out vendor the other picture. Found the article quite humorous

@cozey I wish haha!

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Bastard neighbours thread don't know how easy they have it

More smokers room work. Radiator before and after. Got a bit of a knack to painting them now so may do more in the house

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^Nice - what's the knack to painting them?

Mostly brush work to get all the books and crannies but then following with a sponge roller to smooth the high spots/flat faces. Finish each "valley" with one long brush stroke so at least the lines there are running the full length so are less noticeable. There are still some visible marks elsewhere from the previous owners attempts. Their decorating style even on the walls was one coat, heavy, brush only.

If you have a little bit of money you could also replace them for not a lot of money. Rads now all have side panels and that they look a bit better imo.

I spray paint radiators. Fairly trivial to mask around them and much simpler/smoother.

Any experts on party wall law here? I have a slightly niche case:

I'm re-rendering my side elevation which is also a party wall - runs along the back of the adjacent houses' gardens. Bastard neighbor landlady is throwing her toys out about which type of render goes on - she's concerned about algae growth on the K-rend and would rather I do it with regular sand/cement. The wall is pictured below, so not sure how she can suddenly claim to be so concerned about how it might look in 5 years time. I've assured her that I will cleaned on a 2-yearly basis.

Now, obviously she's a psychopath of Dammit's neighbour proportions, but do I need to care about her opinion given it's half her wall? Should I tell her if she wants to have a say in what goes on there she can pay for half of it, or just to politely 'get in the sea', and crack on?

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or failing that can anyone recommend a party wall solicitor?

Put her in the wall, like Fred West did

I do actually - Chris Bennett from here

https://heathsideconsultancy.wordpress.com/

One of the best people I dealt with through our whole build and very reasonably priced.

Thanks will give them a call tomorrow.