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Post by Ann on Jun 17, 2015 17:25:59 GMT
Having ordered 19 packs of oak flooring due for delivery next week, I got a text message from the fitter, who'd already done work here saying he was inundated with work and couldn't lay it for me. I have nowhere to store so much flooring, so he's left me completely in the lurch. I strongly suspect my jobs are too small for him to want to be bothered with me, which is not a good way to do business, not least because I'll be warning everyone off him from now on. Two other companies are coming this week to give me estimates. I hope I'll be able to delay delivery if needs be.
I discovered the puddle of water in my paved back garden isn't due to a combination of the slabs subsiding and a lot of rain, I almost certainly have a leak from the mains pipe that runs through the garden. Northumbrian Water are coming tomorrow to run tests to establish exactly what the problem is. The diagnostics are free, but, if they find a problem, it's not clear yet if I'll have to pay for it to be fixed, as it's within my boundary, or if they'll take responsibility.
The freezer door of the new fridge freezer, which I bought in February hasn't sealed properly since the door was reversed a couple of weeks ago. I just established this morning that although the door is completely square, the metal/plastic on the body of the freezer isn't and that's why the seal isn't working. The gap is at the end where the hinges were previously, which is presumably why it didn't show up until the door was reversed. An engineer is coming out on Monday.
I have a new satellite receiver arriving tomorrow. Given what's already happened this week, I'm wondering what the odds are that it'll have a problem and I'll have to send it back!
I will be very glad when this week comes to an end!
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Post by SaffiandJasmin on Jun 20, 2015 17:46:27 GMT
Oh no! You've had yopur '3' so the satellite should be ok. Is the fridge freezer under warranty? Or is it just that something needs to be shifted to the other side? Have you got a nice friend with a garage you could put the flooring in?? (I would offer, but as I'm in London, it won't work!)As for the water pipe, fingers crossed. Hopefully things won't be as bad as you think, but sorting them out is a nightmare too!! Hope all goes well! xx
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Post by SaffiandJasmin on Jun 20, 2015 17:47:39 GMT
OOOps- just looked at the date on your post...you've probably had things done now....what happened? I have had builders in all week doing the ceiling and joists, so haven't really been 'with it' either! xx
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Post by Ann on Jun 20, 2015 22:36:54 GMT
Goodness, ceilings and joists sounds pretty drastic! Have you been living in chaos?
Yes, the fridge freezer is under warranty and a LEC engineer is coming on Monday to look at it. The problem is self evident, you just have to rest the edge of a metal ruler along the part of the fridge against which the seal should rest and you can see the gap.
The engineer from Northumbrian Water was here on Wednesday and it turned out the standing water wasn't from the mains after all, so he reckoned it was either poor drainage or an underground spring and it was my problem. He wasn't exactly the friendliest of souls, which is unusual in this part of the world. When I got up the following morning, I couldn't believe my eyes, all the water that had been lying there for weeks had magically vanished and the paving slabs were dry. Coincidence or what?!
The handyman, who's been doing some work here recommended a joiner he's known for years and who does a lot of flooring. He came over yesterday and I've agreed his estimate. He's going to ring me on Wednesday when the flooring is due to arrive, to set a date for coming over and laying it.
So far, so good with the satellite receiver, it's behaving itself and hasn't yet displayed any of the glitsches of the previous one. I still have a couple of tests to put it through though, so I don't want to count my chickens just yet.
I hope you're right and things will run smoothly from now on! I'm getting too old to cope with weeks as hectic as this last one!
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Post by Ann on Jun 21, 2015 11:49:57 GMT
Forgot to ask how the girls are coping with your building work! Are they running you ragged as they insist on investigating everything and "helping", or are they keeping well out of the way?
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Post by SaffiandJasmin on Jun 21, 2015 13:10:18 GMT
Sounds as if things are getting sorted out, Ann.....good! Can you not ask for a new fridge freezer instead of repair?
The girls are doing ok...they have been separated and 'penned' during building works to keep them safe and they are ok with that...in fact Shammi sits and waits by her pen after breakfast so she can go in and sleep....it's one of those fabric ones, about 1m in diameter, so she has some room.....I think she feels quite secure in there while all sorts of noises are going on in the house. Mickala is happy in the conservatory, so she's there. The hall / stairs and landing are being done at the moment, so it's good to keep them out of the way. Today is respite day - no workers for the first time in 2 weeks....we are enjoying a bit of space. I think they are aiming to finish on Thursday, then we will see what the girls make of it....!! I have a feeling Shammi might be in 'Madam Oui Oui' mode!!!! I'll have to watch her!
I have to say though, the builders have been fantastic....reliable, hardworking and polite...had them last year and will definitely use them again...they're on my 'list'!!! Hope all goes well! x
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Post by Ann on Jun 21, 2015 20:08:55 GMT
Glad The Girls are taking it all in their stride. It's sounds like a really major job. Must be a real relief to find builders you can trust with something as big as that.
I keep being treated to the sight of a black bottom vanishing into the middle distance as another workman arrives and Kotio heads off to a place of safety well out the way of strangers and anything they might be doing. The Boys would have been in the thick of everything! (I haven't actually told Kotio yet that the flooring might yet go down when he's still here.)
LEC have already mentioned on the phone about replacing the fridge/freezer, although of course the engineer will want to see it first, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. As the fault is on the body of it, not the door, it's hard to see how they would be able to put it right. It does mean I'll be back to square one with the doors being on the wrong side again though.
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Post by SaffiandJasmin on Jun 21, 2015 22:27:51 GMT
I think you can ask for the doors to be reversed before you have it delivered...then they can check it's ok before you get it! Would make more sense for them too in case you had the same problem! x
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Post by Ann on Jun 21, 2015 22:53:56 GMT
I asked them if it was possible when I ordered this one and they said it wasn't, but under the circumstances I'll definitely be mentioning it again! It was quite a job.
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Post by Vicki on Jun 25, 2015 21:29:42 GMT
Oh my. This is what happens when I go out of town. I hope by now everything is all back in place. I returned from my trip from West Virginia where I had a wonderful time to find A. My cable was down and B. Roxie was complaining up a storm. Guess which got my first and undivided attention.
Ann, what is it with contractors and their always being so busy. Two other people I know are having the same difficulties both in different states and you are in a different country. I think it is an international conspiracy.
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Post by Ann on Jun 25, 2015 23:29:06 GMT
I don't know what it is with contractors being so busy. You worry a bit these days when someone tells you they can do a job straight away as it makes you wonder if they're competent!
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Post by SaffiandJasmin on Jun 26, 2015 14:32:51 GMT
On the other hand, my builders have just finished and I can't praise them enough! They were great and have done a brilliant job! xx
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Post by Ann on Jun 27, 2015 10:15:45 GMT
You must be very relieved, that sounded like a massive job! It's wonderful when you find someone who does a good job and on whom you know you can rely in the future. One of the few good things about getting older is that the good guys are always younger than me, so I know they'll still be around when I need them! Half my problem has been that the people I've used in the past have all retired.
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