The serious floor problems are being investigated and solutions proposed. It is all rather daunting, what with all the remedial work required, with the full extent of the damage yet to be determined, and therefore with no realistic estimate of the cost clear as yet. It seems likely that both arms and both legs will go.
However, needs must, and the main thing is to get it all done, and to gird my loins and grit my teeth for the difficult duration, and to put up with being without access to the kitchen, laundry, back door, etcetera, doubtless having dust and rubbish everywhere, not to mention hammering, noisy drills, and mess, mess, mess. Ideally I could go away, have some days at a beach far far away, leaving a competent and inexpensive overseer in charge, and come back to find it all finished and gorgeous, and costing much less than the estimate. Not that I have an estimate as yet. Just a wild imagination. Well, one can dream!
What with the hole in the floor, I thought perhaps I should leave it uncovered in the hope that it all dries out a bit, but then I bethought me that leaving a nice easy entry to any nearby rodents might be a really bad idea. The rat would invite all its friends and family and awful extirpations would be needed. So at night I will cover up the hole with the piece of marble, which originally came from Old Parliament House when something or other was being renovated, and which has been hanging around my house ever since waiting to be used as a pastry board, or the slab on which to pull humbugs. The marble slab is heavy enough to keep rats out.
As I do not wish to have to drive around Sydney looking at flooring places, getting lost and even more stressed, I think I must content myself with those in the vicinity. And I must just hope that I make the best decisions and manage to endure it all. I have not had to deal with many building matters in my life and it is all quite scary.
Yet another light globe has gone bung, and I cannot reach it. I think I might need to buy a bigger taller ladder, or maybe perhaps just to have an annual light globe changing event, presided over by Bruce, the very tall and helpful handyman. I have a nasty feeling that the bathroom light is so high and awkwardly placed that a ladder won't fit into the available space.
What with all these things to worry about, it has not been possible to worry about such major issues as the emissions trading scheme, or the alcohol fuelled violence at Kings Cross, let alone even contemplate the joys of the Olympic Games.
I called in at one of the local tile shops, and the manager came around and gave me his diagnosis and solutions. David has a lovely Scotttish accent and says thungs like 'a but duffucult' and rrrols his rrrs admirrably. The next day Fernando, recommended by friends, came around and had a thorough look at it all. Both these experts agreed that it was serious, that it should be fixed, and who knows what it will cost.
It all makes me feel worried, and very cross at the causes thereof, which are shoddy building work initially, failure to install drainage and to put in flashings, resulting in water flowing straight onto the bases of the tiles, and also a fairly shoddy tiling job, with cracked tiles abounding. I am also feeling very s****y with Dr P for not being prepared to get it all fixed, when it was patently obviously it was necessary. He did not want to spend the money, and, see, he didn't have to, because I will be spending it instead. This latter is a fairly pointless emotion, so I have told it to flit off and stop bothering me.
Today I went to several tile shops, and the first shop I'd been to David's, has some good tiles. Fernando thinks it would be lovely for me to have marble tiles. He knows just the place for them, which would give me a good deal, he says. I love marble too, but my preliminary investigations show that the desire for it must remain unsatisfied. Also, now that I have reached a significant birthday, it is important that I do not have slippery floors, in case I should fall over and remain cold, starving, helpless and undiscovered indefinitely. One must be provident and avoid disasters.
However, needs must, and the main thing is to get it all done, and to gird my loins and grit my teeth for the difficult duration, and to put up with being without access to the kitchen, laundry, back door, etcetera, doubtless having dust and rubbish everywhere, not to mention hammering, noisy drills, and mess, mess, mess. Ideally I could go away, have some days at a beach far far away, leaving a competent and inexpensive overseer in charge, and come back to find it all finished and gorgeous, and costing much less than the estimate. Not that I have an estimate as yet. Just a wild imagination. Well, one can dream!
What with the hole in the floor, I thought perhaps I should leave it uncovered in the hope that it all dries out a bit, but then I bethought me that leaving a nice easy entry to any nearby rodents might be a really bad idea. The rat would invite all its friends and family and awful extirpations would be needed. So at night I will cover up the hole with the piece of marble, which originally came from Old Parliament House when something or other was being renovated, and which has been hanging around my house ever since waiting to be used as a pastry board, or the slab on which to pull humbugs. The marble slab is heavy enough to keep rats out.
As I do not wish to have to drive around Sydney looking at flooring places, getting lost and even more stressed, I think I must content myself with those in the vicinity. And I must just hope that I make the best decisions and manage to endure it all. I have not had to deal with many building matters in my life and it is all quite scary.
Yet another light globe has gone bung, and I cannot reach it. I think I might need to buy a bigger taller ladder, or maybe perhaps just to have an annual light globe changing event, presided over by Bruce, the very tall and helpful handyman. I have a nasty feeling that the bathroom light is so high and awkwardly placed that a ladder won't fit into the available space.
What with all these things to worry about, it has not been possible to worry about such major issues as the emissions trading scheme, or the alcohol fuelled violence at Kings Cross, let alone even contemplate the joys of the Olympic Games.
3 comments:
Oh dear. I remember going through this with my parent's house. My father refused to pay good money to get anything done and as a result, in the end, we lost thousands of dollars (as in possibly 200k) when it came time to sell as neither my brother nor I lived in the same city and my mother, by then just wanted rid of the whole thing as quickly as possible.
Be provident and be glad with the new fresh outcome!
Maybe once the Olympics start, you can take yourself off to someplace public and watch the games while the workmen are messing up your kitchen. That is, if the time difference allows for that.
My sympathies! Ex husband ran things down considerably in time of separation and I was horrified when I went back for house inspection prior to auction. Made a comment to the agent and he said, "you should have seen it six weeks ago. It was a million times worse.." However a case of good position and good bones as is said, pushed price higher than I expected.
HAve think about making things easy on yourself before you land in the thick of things. Perhaps meals in freezer or some easy stuff to keep you going.
I too think about falling here by myself. I did slip last year as shower is over bath. I had been very careful but slipped, whacking ribs solidly on edge of bath and hitting my head on wall. I fell back into bath and considered for a few moments if I was still alive. After deciding I was, I managed to reach thick bathmat and haul it under my knees and very gingerly, I climbed out. Sore and bruised for over a week and then I thought about broken hips and not being found etc. Have now bought from Howards Storage a very substantial mat for base of bath.
I can't reach any bulbs. Fortunately my sons are all tall, two of them are nearly 6'6" and do light bulbs for me. I've moved a couple of changes of sheets down from a height to make it safer for me. They were in top shelf of wardrobe.
It sounds to me that you are independent and used to coping. As I was and still am. However, I'm making changes for safety before a fall happens.
I don't know how far is too far to look at tiles for you, but remembered there used to be one or two tile shops on Drummoyne end of Lyons Road. Over the road from fish shop, I think. Amber tiles is at junction of Parramatta Road and Great North Road down from Fivedock.
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