Owning your own home

So the vendors have dropped their price, we've lowballed (but not by much) and now they're asking for more than the asking price even tho' we're the only interested party...

Gonna try and meet them halfway... We really, really like it...

We've just rebuild most of the ground storey of our house and we're on the lookout for some modular shelving.

I'd like, naturally, some Vitsoe, but can't afford it right now - appreciate the standard answer to this is to buy just a bit and add to it over the next 20 years... but that's not going to help me store my stuff right now.

Does anyone know of anything similar but, basically, cheaper?

I looked at the shelving options, including building them myself, I build furniture for a living and I couldn't find anything that worked like vitsoe for less money. I bought some and it exceeded my expectations, I will have to build up to a full system though. Second hand systems come up on the bay from time to time. The price for shelves and rails alone is not too bad, it's the cabinets that really add up.

From a furniture builder, that certainly sounds like a pretty solid recommendation for it. I've been googling for a while and I've been a bit surprised that there's relatively few options at a price point between cheaper Ikea like track shelves and Vitsoe / Royal systems.

Looking at it from a makers perspective what stands out is the cost of the paint finish. Even if I made the cabinets from aluminium and mdf, the cost of spraying them in small batches would be expensive. Their pricing is pretty reasonable for what they are providing, at least it equates to custom build pricing but of course it's manufactured in quantity which is their advantage.

If you keep looking into it you will end up wanting some and when you buy it you want more, it's that kind of product!

Where do you need the shelving/what do you need storing?

Had this quandary and whilst we have some string/vitsoe also had some other options

It's going into our living room, currently furnished with a couple of 60's replica sofas. It's going to hold TV, stereo, books, magazines, CDs - all the usual living room stuff.

It's quite high ceilings, so most of the shelving units don't go high enough not to look like they're just plonked in the corner. Shelving alone would do without units at this point.

Have you looked at Tylko?

Or String?

I had a look at Talk out of interest. It's a concept I was punting angel investors 15 years ago, they were quite into it but life got in the way and I was never completely sold on the compromises that this type of configurable furniture would suffer from.

Looking at the price you'd get a more versatile Vitsoe shelving system (i.e. different depth shelves) of 90cm wide for about £100-200 more than the Tylko. Taking in to account the resale value of Vitsoe I'd say it's still a good proposition.

On the other hand the Tylko is freestanding and configurable to larger sizes without the some of the constraints Vitsoe has. Personally I'm not a fan of the look of Tylko and would imagine that most carpenters could knock something like that up in short order, paint it yourself and you can get something sizeable on a budget.

I am literally switching 3 tabs atm Vitsoe, Tylko and String .. confused.com

I wanted Vitsoe but my alcoves were 2cm too narrow so went with String. perfectly happy with it, but doesn't please my nerdiness in quite the same way the vitsoe would. Don't get the appeal of Tylko at all.

@Amey Vitsoe all the way. Best piece of furniture I've bought.

Does it look better in person than online? It looks very library on the website.

Thanks all - the Tylko looks similar to the Cubbit stuff that you can design. I'm going to have access to a pretty decent workshop soonish and feel I could probably make something similar - although it's not quite the look I'm after. I like String as well - but it also suffers from the same problem that we have at the minute £££ :)

I think we're going to have to scratch the Vitsoe itch once we're over with the building work - and possibly in a smaller room :)
I can finish wood to a nice level with stuff I've got in the shed (I build guitars in there in my spare time) so we were thinking of putting some track / brackets up with decently finished hardwood shelves on them in a usable layout. Quite a step down but may do for now :)

Elfa? It looks a bit industrial bare, and not all that different to B&Q or whatever twin-slot shelving, but it's made in Sweden and from what I'd read a lot heavier-weight/better quality. Not as stylish as Vitsoe, but can look pretty decent - do a Google image/Pinterest search - and is about 20-25% of the cost...

You jokers better not move to Norfolk and make the prices go up (before I do)!

Thetford is a shit hole, cockneys dumped in a woods indeed. A lad I worked with walked back to Norwich one summer night, he was off his tits on pills after a rave, turned up to work a bit poorly. His breakfast on the road was an uncooked garage microwave burger.

I bailed on the house I was going to buy. Can't be bothered, don't need extra rooms to stand in. Thanks for all the advice folks.

Anyone sold an east London property recently...?

Planning to fairly imminently ..
What sort of rates are people getting from estate agents? Best we've been offered is 1.5%. Is it likely to be able to negotiate it down closer to 1%?

I negotiated a sliding scale, based on the to sale, and value of sale, of 1% to 3%

If you get them to agree a too-high asking price, you might sell at a price you want, for a fee that is relatively low.

Be aware of lock-on periods and VAT though.

Or just sell it yourself for a fraction of the cost.

based on the to sale, and value of sale, of 1% to 3%

time to sale?

Yeah...

What sort of rates are people getting from estate agents?

1% to 2.5% before negotiation

We got it down to 1%(+VAT) with one estate agent who was shit and was then happy to pay 1.5% (no VAT) to an agent who worked his balls off. Our solicitor's secretary still thought we were paying him an extortionate amount and queried it but even 1% of a London property is still a shit load of money.

we're gonna purple bricks it i reckon. the satanist who lives downstairs from us sold his place in a week and all the estate agents did was open the door and lock up when the punters were done, almost all of whom were pitching up in the early evening. i can fucken do that!