Detached Victorian renovation, London.
Discussion
The Dictator said:
lrdisco said:
A tale from years ago-
We were building conservatories and fitting windows for a couple of Gentlemen one nicknamed Dodgy Carter. Not known on PH I hope. He sold mortgages to Right to buy tenants.
At work we had a widely used measurement that the bigger the tv (CRT at the time) the more chavvey the house would be.
Never let us down in Hull. Parrots flying loose and crapping everywhere to a very famous job in Scarborough.
Hi Duggie and Chris if you are on PH.
My main tv is a very classy 42 inch.
Good luck and each to their own but having a TV room?
When I was a Police Officer we had a phrase "the bigger the TV the bigger the problem" that was over 15 years ago now though, so the average TV size has increased substantially in that time :-)We were building conservatories and fitting windows for a couple of Gentlemen one nicknamed Dodgy Carter. Not known on PH I hope. He sold mortgages to Right to buy tenants.
At work we had a widely used measurement that the bigger the tv (CRT at the time) the more chavvey the house would be.
Never let us down in Hull. Parrots flying loose and crapping everywhere to a very famous job in Scarborough.
Hi Duggie and Chris if you are on PH.
My main tv is a very classy 42 inch.
Good luck and each to their own but having a TV room?
Once you get above a certain house size (and value) a dedicated tv space with a brilliant screen (and maybe a kaleidoscope system etc) becomes a desirable thing again. It’s not the same as sticking a 75 inch on the wall in a 3 bed terraced council house!
Edited by p1stonhead on Friday 16th August 13:10
Overgrown hedge will be trimmed back and neatened. I like it as shades the TV room and givea a green view out of the window when in there. Also adds greenery to a currently fairly barren driveway.
In terms of the new TV, it is brilliant. And I prefer a dedicated TV room: mine is nice and dark, has proper surround speakers etc. We have no televisions anywhere else in the house (apart from my old plasma, now sitting unplugged in a bedroom. One day it may get used for a family/kids' room upstairs).
The new screen would look absurd anywhere but in a dedicated space.
In terms of the new TV, it is brilliant. And I prefer a dedicated TV room: mine is nice and dark, has proper surround speakers etc. We have no televisions anywhere else in the house (apart from my old plasma, now sitting unplugged in a bedroom. One day it may get used for a family/kids' room upstairs).
The new screen would look absurd anywhere but in a dedicated space.
Edited by Harry Flashman on Friday 16th August 16:50
Roller shutter garage doors are an old tech and unattractive solution these days, unless you have internal clearance issues. A flush finish sectional door (with automatic operation) would look much neater and more contemporary that the narrow slats of a roller door. Given your spend to date, roughly £1,300 would get you a replacement that would transform the appearance of the front of your property.
I think once the surrounding wood is stained black, as all of the fences and posts etc will be, it will be less of an issue. Front needs a lot of work still, mostly to do with growing plants and gardening, which will take years.
Also, most of the time, a car is parked in front of that garage door so I barely notice it!
Also, most of the time, a car is parked in front of that garage door so I barely notice it!
An odd one, whilst on the subject of garage doors. The green garage door, to the left of the shot, is that graffiti I see on it?
Also, have you considered stepping stones around the perimeter of the front of the house, as a 'path' to the front door? I think that could look great, if you considered the stones carefully.
Also, have you considered stepping stones around the perimeter of the front of the house, as a 'path' to the front door? I think that could look great, if you considered the stones carefully.
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 16th August 22:45
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 16th August 22:45
Harry Flashman said:
I have to say that I have made an error there - should indeed have connected a path from car to gravel. I'll live with it and see how it goes.
I agree that it was an oversight, but isn't the time to rectify now? I realise the contractor has left site, but if he has to come back for snagging or is still local it might be worth getting him back to finish it nicely whilst you can get everything to match and before you've started other work in the garden. The danger of living with it is that you live with it forever! Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
An odd one, whilst on the subject of garage doors. The green garage door, to the left of the shot, is that graffiti I see on it?
Also, have you considered stepping stones around the perimeter of the front of the house, as a 'path' to the front door? I think that could look great, if you considered the stones carefully.
It is graffiti - welcome to saaaarf London! I have considered stepping stones. The issue with a path there is that we have laid land drains in front if the house to pull water away from the front. That said, a couple of days use and the gravel is fine. Nicely laid so no sinking, just a healthy crunch as you walk to the front door.Also, have you considered stepping stones around the perimeter of the front of the house, as a 'path' to the front door? I think that could look great, if you considered the stones carefully.
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 16th August 22:45
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 16th August 22:45
I have prioritised parking for three cars over flowerbeds, which is very PH but not aesthetically optimal.
CharlesdeGaulle said:
Harry Flashman said:
I have to say that I have made an error there - should indeed have connected a path from car to gravel. I'll live with it and see how it goes.
I agree that it was an oversight, but isn't the time to rectify now? I realise the contractor has left site, but if he has to come back for snagging or is still local it might be worth getting him back to finish it nicely whilst you can get everything to match and before you've started other work in the garden. The danger of living with it is that you live with it forever! healeyfan said:
Gravel migrates. Plays havoc with wooden floors. Also gets stuck under doors.
I'd give serious consideration to that path. At the very least get top quality doormats inside and out and get everyone to remove their shoes.
Pea gravel does, but this 30mm stuff doesn't. And most folk coming inside walk along the front door path.I'd give serious consideration to that path. At the very least get top quality doormats inside and out and get everyone to remove their shoes.
I'm moving onto planting as top soil and compost has been delivered. Front is west facing and sunny - lavender, allium, rosemary, olive, tall grasses. Mediterranean planting, basically. Lots of containers and planters to replace the flowerbeds I lost to drainage.
Edited by Harry Flashman on Saturday 17th August 08:23
CharlesdeGaulle said:
healeyfan said:
... get everyone to remove their shoes.
Please don't do this. Nothing worse than those who make guests remove their shoes. The previous owners of my house installed very light beige carpeting throughout the house, leaving only the hallway and kitchen.
Beige carpets do not react well to wet, dirty shoes so I'm afraid all guests, friends and trades alike get asked to remove shoes in the hall.
Aside from that, I've no idea where (and in what) they've stepped so better safe than sorry!
Strangely I do this automatically when visiting other people's houses, to me it just seems polite.
Entrance and drive-way look really neat now, enjoy! I hate gravel though, loads of them in my current house, the former owners/developers cover at least half of the garden with gravel.. It does attract loads of fox and stray cats to enjoy their wee time really. I have just removed all of it now, its been a nightmare, will be covered completely stone patio hopefully.
In terms of gravel migrate, my next door neighbour's house has been raided a few monhts ago by nearly 30 police officers. They arrested someone in the house, but the guy managed to escape to our garden and the police cought him there. They asked me to open my garden door, so that they would get through my kitchen and hallway to the main entrance to get this guy to the police car. Anyway, main point, when police left, my wooden floors were full of gravel, it took hours to clean them, a bit of wet weather and they got stuck on shoes/boot. No idea, what the hell happened to the uy who was arrested
I was hoping the police would send us some info or courtesy call but nothing.
In terms of gravel migrate, my next door neighbour's house has been raided a few monhts ago by nearly 30 police officers. They arrested someone in the house, but the guy managed to escape to our garden and the police cought him there. They asked me to open my garden door, so that they would get through my kitchen and hallway to the main entrance to get this guy to the police car. Anyway, main point, when police left, my wooden floors were full of gravel, it took hours to clean them, a bit of wet weather and they got stuck on shoes/boot. No idea, what the hell happened to the uy who was arrested
I was hoping the police would send us some info or courtesy call but nothing.K50 DEL said:
CharlesdeGaulle said:
healeyfan said:
... get everyone to remove their shoes.
Please don't do this. Nothing worse than those who make guests remove their shoes. The previous owners of my house installed very light beige carpeting throughout the house, leaving only the hallway and kitchen.
Beige carpets do not react well to wet, dirty shoes so I'm afraid all guests, friends and trades alike get asked to remove shoes in the hall.
Aside from that, I've no idea where (and in what) they've stepped so better safe than sorry!
Strangely I do this automatically when visiting other people's houses, to me it just seems polite.
Edit - of course I obviously do it at other people’s houses as default. It’s the safest option to assume.
Edited by p1stonhead on Sunday 18th August 15:04
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