Owning your own home

At least a sign he was holding it at an angle.

I doubt that your house will fall down - mainly because at the very least there will be a soldier course of bricks above he window.

questions I'd want answered in your situation:

1. what happened to the large chunk of wall that appears to be missing (Bottom right hand corner)? How is this going to be made good?
   
2. Is that cementicious render behind the top coat of plaster (grey stuff)? It doesn't look like normal bonding plaster (It could be - depending on the age of house) could someone have tried to "fix" a damp problem previously? if so how is he going to make sure that the same issue does not re-occur?
   
3. Is the air brick that is visible on the outside of the wall going to be left clear and unobstructed?
   
   

Also if the wooden floor has been left in situ check it for damage before releasing the balance of payent as IMO a sheet of Tyvek is not sufficient protection. In that situation I would have a sheet of (clean) corex with 12mm ply on top with a dustsheet on that as well

Hmmm.

1. Well everything's been 'bricked up' in his words and is cemented(?) in. He's back tomorrow to skim it.
   
2. Yes he's suggested that someone has tried to effect a repair previously. He's also doing work on the exterior, so my hope is that what's going on outside will solve it. They are offering a 20 year warranty (whatever that's actually worth...)
   
3. Yes the existing air brick is unobstructed and he's putting an additional one in at our request for good measure.
   
   

The wood floor is a concern. We actually had the same issue this time last year when a builder allowed debris to get underneath the corex and scratch/dent the floor quite heavily at the other end of the room. Frustrating to say the least.

Thanks for your pointers!

So our offer was accepted. Paperwork starts tomorrow (I’ve not sold our flat yet which is a minor inconvenience). EA called me yesterday saying ‘I’m outside with a viewer - let me know when you’re home’ despite not having booked in a viewing with me, which was nice.

Anyway, I’m going to start planning unnecessary things - sheds. Lufgus hivemind - Tell me about sheds / garden offices.

I got sucked into the homemade shed thread, which was a bit too sheddy. The amazing one is nick Warner’s here: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/355704/ bit I don’t have the time or skills to do that.

Shed needs to be within permitted development, could be up to 5mx3m. Ideally partionable into 2 bits, insulated, powered, not ugly. It’s going to be work from home working space, and an occasional sleeping space* , mild storage for garden things, gin palace etc.

*yes, I know - not allowed but sister in law wants to occasionally come and stay and we don’t have enough space indoors.

Budget is probably £10k all in (base, purchase, installation, electrical, checks by qualified people. any pp required etc.).

Suggestions or inspiration please

Studio Bark do a nice DIY garden building called Ubuild.

sweet! the one in sydnmz or elsewhere?

Congrats!

You can swing by and gander at my shed if you like.

Saw one IRL just last week - CNC bits done in OSB rather than ply. Rough sawn cedar cladding was lovely - owner said was a nightmare to cut the herringbone pattern. Described the procurement process as 'beta'. Would be interested to know how it matches up cost wise to trad timber frame or SIPS.

That interesting- I like the concept and the builds id seen in photos had looked good. Be a while until I get around to that, so maybe it will be less beta by then or I go a different route...

You can order replacement 'water bars' from Amazon and a moulding for the front of the door, with a drip gap routed into the underside maybe called 'door bar'? I always just ask for the thing at the merchants!

.

I bought a "light hardwood" weather bar from Wickes (I think). I had the door off for painting and general fixing up and just glued it with exterior wood glue and clamped it. Seems a bit unwise now I think about it but it's still there at least 2 years later. Made loads of difference to keeping the bottom of the door and sill dry.

@Dammit Fancy a move to Lincoln? 5 bed 1960s house with a triple bay garage.. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/79086090

Wow. Almost worth moving to Lincoln for.

stunning. i have a real thing for gardens with brick/stone walls

Lincoln is lovely. I could get a job at that hospital....

The extension looks like a rightmove logo!

It's impressive but a bit much - like living in a fancy hotel or something.

Worse - a "boutique" hotel.

The whole place is boutiquey, down to the corporate lobby friendly art in the studio.

6000 ft tho

Isn't this the vibe with all fo these types of properties that an architect has designed and built? Nice to look at but who flippin' lives like that?

My house is strewn with bike parts, toys, dirty washing, half finished DIY, etc..

I liked this -like @swedeee the garden with its walls and sloped law as well as some of the design features really got me but then so much of the decor just clashes to me with the inspiration of the design. I’d have to spend a decent amount redoing it and that’s not what you want on a house costing that much in Lincoln

Barren folk with architecture as hobby

^Bit harsh

Brutal

Well, as someone with no kids and an interest in architecture I think the place looks nice but the sums don't add up, and at that price/in that sort of area I'd be buying land and having my own architectural folly thrust upon the world.

Also, again as someone with no kids, five bedrooms doesn't really matter to me - but space, flexibility within that space and ability to blur the line between inside and outside (so I can work on the car without freezing to death in winter, for e.g.) are more interesting than the traditional "if it's this large it has to have a million beds" view of things.