Enjoying Retirement

Enjoying Retirement

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mart 63

2,070 posts

244 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
31c here yesterday and I was painting the lounge. Same again today and I'm painting the bar, getting it ready for the season. Got my son and his girlfriend over next week and the temps are dropping down to 20c. Will probably be ok for them coming from the UK.

skeeterm5

3,347 posts

188 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
I am dreaming of 21c, it did get up to 14c here yesterday but fallen back a bit. Currently around 6c and a little misty.

Today I have some plumbing to get on with. Having lifted the floor in the kitchen it turns out that water and heating pipes run underneath it. Normally not an issue but they run over the top of the original flagstone floor. So the kitchen is now currently one big trip hazard!

I need to move the pipes as we want to go back to the original floor level so that the floor is at the same height as the dining room and we can get rid of an annoying step.

Lots of YouTube last night and today I feel ready to give it a go. Have done quite a bit of diy water plumbing but never really tackled anything connected to the heating system…… but how hard can it be?

PositronicRay

27,010 posts

183 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
skeeterm5 said:
Lots of YouTube last night and today I feel ready to give it a go. Have done quite a bit of diy water plumbing but never really tackled anything connected to the heating system…… but how hard can it be?
My tip

Never do critical jobs at weekends.

RichB

51,567 posts

284 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
PositronicRay said:
skeeterm5 said:
Lots of YouTube last night and today I feel ready to give it a go. Have done quite a bit of diy water plumbing but never really tackled anything connected to the heating system…… but how hard can it be?
My tip
Never do critical jobs at weekends.
biglaugh

skeeterm5

3,347 posts

188 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
RichB said:
PositronicRay said:
skeeterm5 said:
Lots of YouTube last night and today I feel ready to give it a go. Have done quite a bit of diy water plumbing but never really tackled anything connected to the heating system…… but how hard can it be?
My tip
Never do critical jobs at weekends.
biglaugh
Although everyday is like the weekend when you are retired smile

PositronicRay

27,010 posts

183 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
skeeterm5 said:
RichB said:
PositronicRay said:
skeeterm5 said:
Lots of YouTube last night and today I feel ready to give it a go. Have done quite a bit of diy water plumbing but never really tackled anything connected to the heating system…… but how hard can it be?
My tip
Never do critical jobs at weekends.
biglaugh
Although everyday is like the weekend when you are retired smile
Exactly, best saved for tues-thurs.


OldSkoolRS

6,749 posts

179 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
My tip: Don't do anything to do with the heating if it's still cold outside. wink

Horrible wet day here today, so looking at cars will be a waste of time. This is where my music room comes in handy; might get out my keyboard and see if I can still play that as we might do some piano based songs in another band I'm hoping will get off the ground at some point. smile

skeeterm5

3,347 posts

188 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
OldSkoolRS said:
My tip: Don't do anything to do with the heating if it's still cold outside. wink

Horrible wet day here today, so looking at cars will be a waste of time. This is where my music room comes in handy; might get out my keyboard and see if I can still play that as we might do some piano based songs in another band I'm hoping will get off the ground at some point. smile
The risk in waiting for it to warm up means the job might be months away smile

We have log burners in the downstairs rooms and a couple of electric heaters upstairs if we need them,

And in my mind, once I have the right bits it will only take a couple of hours (famous last words).


PositronicRay

27,010 posts

183 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
skeeterm5 said:
OldSkoolRS said:
My tip: Don't do anything to do with the heating if it's still cold outside. wink

Horrible wet day here today, so looking at cars will be a waste of time. This is where my music room comes in handy; might get out my keyboard and see if I can still play that as we might do some piano based songs in another band I'm hoping will get off the ground at some point. smile
The risk in waiting for it to warm up means the job might be months away smile

We have log burners in the downstairs rooms and a couple of electric heaters upstairs if we need them,

And in my mind, once I have the right bits it will only take a couple of hours (famous last words).
hehe

RichB

51,567 posts

284 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
skeeterm5 said:
RichB said:
PositronicRay said:
skeeterm5 said:
Lots of YouTube last night and today I feel ready to give it a go. Have done quite a bit of diy water plumbing but never really tackled anything connected to the heating system…… but how hard can it be?
My tip
Never do critical jobs at weekends.
biglaugh
Although everyday is like the weekend when you are retired smile
Until you bugger something up and need a plumber or electrician to put right your mistakes. wink

OldSkoolRS

6,749 posts

179 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
That's good if you've got a log burner and electrical back up...we have neither, so I tend to leave replacing/moving radiators/flushing/replenishing Fernox until the spring/summer months. I've been caught out in the past on a Sunday afternoon in winter, then left myself with no heating and a cold house. paperbag

Sat here willing the 5 year bond rates to go up today before I commit, but I don't think it's working. biggrin Slightly suffering from analysis paralysis having poured over my plan for months while we waited to get Probate, but I think I just need to stick to it...then not look at the rates once I've fixed. smile

GT3Manthey

Original Poster:

4,518 posts

49 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
Have to say my DIY abilities are woeful but maybe with some time I can do the regular odd jobs and painting and leave the very technical stuff to someone else.

Anyway, had the EA come back to us y’day and didn’t give us the golden number we were after so we’re getting another agent over for a second opinion.

Very likely we have run away with what we think our place is worth and if that’s the case we’ll either lower our expectations on what we buy or go in hard when we view.

Is what it is as they say….

skeeterm5

3,347 posts

188 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
GT3Manthey said:
Have to say my DIY abilities are woeful but maybe with some time I can do the regular odd jobs and painting and leave the very technical stuff to someone else.
.
Since retiring I have become quite adept at all sorts of stuff that I have never tried before. I think the secret is having the time to do the job, I don’t need to rush and if I don’t finish today it generally only matters to the two of us.

It is amazing how much is available on you tube and google and I have found that local trades people that we have used are always willing to offer advice if you ask them.

Props to the wife though, she will also have a go at most things and doesn’t mind living with rooms looking like building sites.

PositronicRay

27,010 posts

183 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
skeeterm5 said:
GT3Manthey said:
Have to say my DIY abilities are woeful but maybe with some time I can do the regular odd jobs and painting and leave the very technical stuff to someone else.
.
Since retiring I have become quite adept at all sorts of stuff that I have never tried before. I think the secret is having the time to do the job, I don’t need to rush and if I don’t finish today it generally only matters to the two of us.

It is amazing how much is available on you tube and google and I have found that local trades people that we have used are always willing to offer advice if you ask them.

Props to the wife though, she will also have a go at most things and doesn’t mind living with rooms looking like building sites.
Instead of posting on PH, shouldn't you be cracking on? beer

OldSkoolRS

6,749 posts

179 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
GT3Manthey said:
Have to say my DIY abilities are woeful but maybe with some time I can do the regular odd jobs and painting and leave the very technical stuff to someone else.

Anyway, had the EA come back to us y’day and didn’t give us the golden number we were after so we’re getting another agent over for a second opinion.

Very likely we have run away with what we think our place is worth and if that’s the case we’ll either lower our expectations on what we buy or go in hard when we view.

Is what it is as they say….
Sorry to hear the EA didn't give you the news you hoped for. Maybe it'll balance out though as you say when viewing your next place.

I've always been handy, which I think is due to the Navy training as they gave us a wide general engineering training and it gave me the confidence to have a go at most things. While I've never been a high flyer in wages terms (at least by PH standards) I have saved a fortune over the years doing DIY and car maintenance.

My concern now is that I'll get to the stage where I can't DIY anymore, so I do appreciate that it's a worry having to get jobs done by trades and pay the higher cost. I've tried to get on top of as much as I can though, which this last 10+ months has helped me achieve. Not only that, I'm only 57 so I hope I've got plenty of years left that I'll be capable of wielding a spanner, or at least paintbrush. biggrin

The Leaper

4,953 posts

206 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
GT3Manthey said:
Have to say my DIY abilities are woeful but maybe with some time I can do the regular odd jobs and painting and leave the very technical stuff to someone else.

Anyway, had the EA come back to us y’day and didn’t give us the golden number we were after so we’re getting another agent over for a second opinion.

Very likely we have run away with what we think our place is worth and if that’s the case we’ll either lower our expectations on what we buy or go in hard when we view.

Is what it is as they say….
This from today's DM may not be good news for you, GT!


https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/...

GT3Manthey

Original Poster:

4,518 posts

49 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
The Leaper said:
This from today's DM may not be good news for you, GT!


https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/...
Yes spotted that Leaper .

All in the timing eh !

skeeterm5

3,347 posts

188 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
PositronicRay said:
Instead of posting on PH, shouldn't you be cracking on? beer
Yes indeed.

First part of the job done. Old radiator pipes that didn’t go anywhere successfully cut off and capped. Heating back on and all seems well.

I used a freeze kit for the first time, the water mark you can see is because the first pipe didn’t freeze, I don’t think I used enough stuff. The second pipe was frozen nicely.


Tomorrow I have two more pipes, a hot and cold feed to a sink to deal with but feeling confident with that.

OldSkoolRS

6,749 posts

179 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
Looking good Skeeterm5. Are you going to fill the hole where the capped off pipes are? If so then I think it's recommended that the pipes are wrapped so that any concrete doesn't come into direct contact with the copper pipe. I'm sure Google will help with ideas for materials as I might be out of date with that.

Horrible weather, so I got on taking photos and loading adverts for various bits of excess guitar gear I've been meaning to advertise. Savings rates definitely due to rise as I've set up a 5 year fixed bond this afternoon too. biggrin I've got a week to put the money in, so if anything changes in the next few days I could just leave it empty and start another one, but I think I'd better just bite the bullet and get things done.

Son and wife due to go out this evening, so I think I'll make a noise while they are both out. smile Should have been rehearsing with the band, but that's all gone sideways for now, so I'll just keep up the practice...



PositronicRay

27,010 posts

183 months

Friday 31st March 2023
quotequote all
skeeterm5 said:
PositronicRay said:
Instead of posting on PH, shouldn't you be cracking on? beer
Yes indeed.

First part of the job done. Old radiator pipes that didn’t go anywhere successfully cut off and capped. Heating back on and all seems well.

I used a freeze kit for the first time, the water mark you can see is because the first pipe didn’t freeze, I don’t think I used enough stuff. The second pipe was frozen nicely.


Tomorrow I have two more pipes, a hot and cold feed to a sink to deal with but feeling confident with that.
Well done. clap now time for beer