Our House for Renovation
Posted: Monday, 19 March 2007 |
Well its now mid March 2007, our 5 bedroom victorian house in Margate is fully redecorated and on the market.....so all goes well we will be in the new house (Old House really) by June / July 2007.
On the 4 visits we completed last year after purchasing our croft house we have fresh running water, and electricity connected, oh and after 6 months BT got a line in.
The first job we need to complete will be re tile the roofing, and add new double glazing.........the bathroom is currently in the Kitchen there is a ruin to the right hand side of the property which I want to keep and turn into another room to make this a 3 bedroom property.
So If you are a roofer and are looking for work, give me a knock around August time? as I asked for 3 quotes 12 months ago and im still waiting.
Oh and an old Aga going free............but bring your own bodies with you?
Comments
do you not know any roofers/builders on the mainland who could come up and do the work for you?? It will obviously cost slightly more as they will want travelling and lodging expenses but you will at least get the work done. Even if you manage to get a quote here you will probably never hear from them again, they are all very busy with the new builds it seems. And no fc, i'm not having a go at the island way of life, i speak from much experience and much expense from having to do just what i have suggested. p.s if you manage to get someone to come up and do the work then i know of others who are in the same position and so said travelling builders/roofers could make a good amount of money from their long and inconvenient journey and stay.(hopefull :-) )
tanith from point
a l,000 welcomes to new blogger, Fred. Get yur Aga onto Ebay my friend, yur'll mak a fair few grand. Away to Vatersay now ter see crofterbill and bluebell's craic!! Ahhh Fred, I may have a customer for yur Aga, Crofterbill's teas gone cold and is gingernuts are limp and in need of crispin up. get back ter yur.
Long John Silver from Treasure Island
Hi there, we moved to Shapinsay Orkney a year and a half ago from Essex and are in the process of re roofing our property, we are not roofers but the challenge has its ups and downs might not be able to lend any muscle but advice we have plenty. Good luck in your new life its worth the upheaval.
Barebraes from Shapinsay
Tanith, Yes I have spoken to roofers in Inverness that will come to the I.O.L if I pay their B&B, thank you for that info. Long John, I have offered it free...lol I give you 1st refusal before Ebay.........have to think of the shipping cost on that!!! Bareraes, if I dont pull it off I will come knocking at your door....lol but advise is always welcome. Thanks for your comments.....Fred
Fred Blogs from Point
You have to visit barebraes' blog to see just what a good job they have made of it so far.....I'm guessing most of it's still there after the recent Northerly gales! It's alright tanith, I just leapt before I looked, previously! *mrrrrp*
Flying Cat from Cheshire Grin
welcome to the island fred i know you've purchased a property already and are keen to get started but why(after falling for these shores) did you not buy a house with a decent roof then you'd have no hassle?
the drifter from up on the roof
You are almost there! Geographically, if not renovation-wise.. Anyway, take Soaplady's experience to heart, and bring a spare door lock with you (unless you have 240 pounds PLUS VAT as spare change) when you come "for good." Oh, and about stocking up, i would not worry too much about that. First of all, I am sure the neighbors will extend a helping hand in extremis. Also, isn't there some seaweed in the neighborhood? Arnish (Lighthouse) has got various recipes. Any squirrel in Lewis? Cajun squirrel recipes freely available from fellow bloggers. Anyway, welcome, welcome (I noticed you did not mention cats, thank heavens!!).
mjc from NM,USA
There's plenty of time for that mjc, never fret!
Flying Cat from under a duvet feeling sore
Thanks Drifter, only teasing, I did buy this as a project too...........if it means I have to get my hands dirty no problem, as I run a property department looking after 221 retail units. MJC..........thanks for your comments, funny enough last October I trained as a locksmith to bring a trade with me, so if you ever need a lock it would never cost you that much again.
Fred from Point
A practical man! with reasonable prices. Hear that, Soaplady as well as all and sundry? A humdinger of a locksmith plus myriad of other skills. # Pray tell, Fred, you plan to have a dog? Yes? Good man.
mjc from NM,USA
Here I am, going to make a fool o myself again. The last time I did this I told someone they had a tup and no a yowe in their photo and there then followed a long blog-discussion re dangly bits, or lack thereof. (It may have been a Moo blog.) But I will get to the point. Are you sure your Aga is an Aga? It looks kindo like a Doric or a Raeburn to me.
Ruthodanort from Unst
p.s. Velkommen fra Unst til islandblogging.
Ruthodanort from Unst
Oh well, if the name is Khan, may as well be an Aga. Anyway, I thought that Raeburns and Agas are made by the same company. What do you use on the islands to keep your Agas (no, not the one who took a shine for Rita Hayworth) going? Gas of some sort or other, peat, floatsam and jetsam?
mjc from NM
Looks very good, Fred. When it is quite ready to move in, send me an email via Anne of IBHQ so I can take possession. Make sure to install BOTH an Aga AND a Raeburn in the renovated kitchen (set up the Doric in the spring kitchen, or should it be outdoor kitchen by the spring?) - for when I am busy with them squirrels, coons and filet de moose (the big, Maine type, moose - if you please), western isles scallops etc.
mjc from NM,USA
I think you're right about the stove, ruthodanort, but maybe FredBlog was using the term like 'Hoover' for vacuum cleaner......mind you, only someone coming from the Deep South would use 'Aga' as the generic term....they cost an arm, a leg and all the other body parts too! And I sooooo want one....
Flying Cat from a different kitchen
MJC....oh yes we have a border collie X, and 2 cats? Ruthodanort............Good point? I dont know lol, but I will check when I arrive....but its very old I would not expect anymoney for it really just need it out the way, but thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Fred from Point
Hey Fred, you' re not giving away my RAEBURN are you?
Sarah from Point
What I want to know is how (and why) the Drifter ended up on the roof? On the look out for invading hordes ... of English pirates, or plugging holes with sea weed? Pray tell, Drifter. # Anyone needing help from Barebraes must come through her commission agent (i.e. yours truly). 10% is all I take, and I don't bother with VAT. Line up (I mean, queue up), folks!!
mjc from NM,USA
Flying cat you got it, yes I was using the name generic.....but as you can see my wife put it right. MJC, did you come from I.O.L
Fred from Point
I.O.L? The truth about LOL has been revealed to me, but IOL? Would the abbreviation mavens out there help me?
mjc from NM,USA
MJC.....I.O.L (isle of Lewis) lol
Fred from Point
I think he means Isle of Lewis, lol :-)
Barebraes from Shapinsay
I was just beginning to think it might be Island of Loonies, so it's a relief to have it explained...
Flying Cat from Cheshire Grin
FC: the Island of Loonies is the common name; the Isle of Lewis is the official one(why not Lewis and Clark?! Flows better on the tongue - the American one anyway -than Lewis and Harris). Now you know ...
mjc from NM,USA
maybe they heard we were arriving and changed the name in our honour ;-)
sarah from Point
Sarah: don't flatter yourself. The inhabitants of IOL have been notorious for centuries for the strangest behavior (at least that's what my pal who lives over the border - thankfully, he says- in Harris tells me). Something in the drinking water does it ... Even the neeps that grow there have the same effect, more marked on incomers (of course, a case may be made there for "predisposition"?), at least the first year.
mjc from NM,USA
Now I've read more of your blogs, I'll swop the lorry for the Aga! Locksmithing is a good trade, I'm a plumber, but I'm fixing a roof next week. If you get stuck for changing your tiles anne has forwarded my email address already. Leave plenty of time for ordering you're materials though as JIT doesn't work up here. I've twenty tiles to replace, for somebody the tiles cost me twenty pounds, getting them here from glasgow is costing sixty pounds, and I'm only doing it that way and not waiting as somebody is moving into the house next week! Nothing is fast here except the cloak and dagger folk from SSE, they sure dance a pretty talk.
Mark from Gravir
Mark, Anne only forwarded the comments not the emails addresses to protect you. When I get over hopefully we will touch base and I will give you my email address.
Fred from Point
Fred i just stumbled on your blog, very strange as i opened up the page and realised that i had been in your house a few years ago. I was looking for a property to buy for myself and saw yours come on the market. i took a builder with me. I could give you his name and number if you like. indeed it was a rayburn i think that needed a lot of tlc if maybe a rebuild. Some general issues... Damp obviously, upstairs floor, we reckoned that it should be replaced but may postpone by strengthening. it will need damp proof membrane and this will raise floor level and your windows, then i was envisioning having the bathroom built in the "ruin" which would be not to difficult, just make sure you put a door from the kitchen and then another on the bathroom as i think you have to have 2 doors between . Anyway it was too much for my pocket, good luck... ps all you others please stop slagging off the outer Hebrides, i came here 4 years ago and so i'm an incomer too and love it and the people. so quit moaning if you havent been....
Toby from North Tolsta
The Journey to our new live on the Isle of Lewis
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