Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 977113)

I have declined the offer of a new kitchen.
I had a whole month of hassle when my shower install (bathroom refurb) was done 2 years ago.

I couldn't survive a month without a kitchen. I know that people are being fed at communal homes during the work, but a month eating junk isn't me.

Besides that, the plaster dust mess they leave behind is an ordeal to clear up.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 977119)

Many thanks Margaret, was resigning myself for upheaval when they were doing mine, think they can leave it until I move house to that big website in the sky:D

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 977127)

I have heard that several people have declined the improvements.

It isn't so much that the end result is unsatisfactory, it is the upheaval that has to be endured, and the long time the work takes.

Not all elderly folk have the stamina it takes to get through it.

Originally Posted by Gremlin (Post 977130)

If a person refuses to have a new kitchen or bathroom fitted and then moves out would Hyndburn Homes come along and put them in for the new tennant?

Originally Posted by cashman (Post 977134)

I would advise anyone wi health issues to pass on this, our friend whilst delighted with finished job, went through hell whilst work was in progress,n she is recovering from a heart attack.:eek: I seem to recall once of a day the council used to re-house folk whilst big jobs were being done?

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 977141)

Jaysay - our estate was scheduled for this refurb three years ago but it didn't happen due to lack of funds.

The 'decent homes' deadline for the work passed last year. The work was required to be done in the terms of the 'Stock Transfer' and wasn't.

That is why there is this mad rush now to bring homes up to standard.

I could have coped with a kitchen refurb three years ago - but not now.

Originally Posted by wallop79 (Post 977153)

Friend of mine who's pregnant declined having the kitchen done, due to being in the club. She's glad she did as a neighbour is having both the kitchen & bathroom done at the same time & they are really spinning out the job, been going on for weeks, they pop in do a bit then sod off to the next job, its not fair on anyone.

Originally Posted by huncoatian (Post 977198)

had mine done 2 years ago - had new kitchen bathroom and full central heating installed was a nightmare took them 3 months altogether and probably took me another 3 months to clean up after them :-/

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 977203)

When the central heating was done at my flat, all the piping was surface mounted - at ceiling level it is 'boxed in' - down the walls it is in plastic trunking - at floor level, bare pipes.

They wouldn't get away with that sort of work for owner occupiers, but as 'council cave dwellers' we are expected just to be grateful we have a roof over our heads.:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by maxthecollie (Post 977590)

There are no proper apprentices with City and Guilds certificates. Theyare now NVQ'S which to me are not the same.

Originally Posted by huncoatian (Post 977572)

Haha the same applies to our central heating with the trunking and boxing in -all done by bramall sub contractors - glad mine is all done but at the time it was horrendous bad quailty workmanship throughout.it's a shame no one takes pride in anything they do nowadays!!

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 977679)

I really hate pipes in trunking like you describe. I think they look terrible.

You can see 2 pipes in my house and I hate them both and they don't really stand out.

I would like to re-pipe the whole system in my house. It was recently described as an evolution not an installation and that is a good description of it.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 977685)

It some properties piping is very hard to hide Neil, it would be very hard in my flat as both the floor and ceilings are solid and it wouldn't be viable to rip the plasterboard of even if they could, the only thing is if it has to be cased in it should be easy on the eye and not stick out like a carbuncle

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 977686)

I am on the first floor, so the boxing in at the ceiling level was unecessary - there is a loft above me. The ceiling boxing in is obtrusive in bathroom, kitchen, and hall. There would have been more of it if I hadn't been allowed to decide where the radiators were sited.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 977685)

It some properties piping is very hard to hide Neil, it would be very hard in my flat as both the floor and ceilings are solid and it wouldn't be viable to rip the plasterboard of even if they could, the only thing is if it has to be cased in it should be easy on the eye and not stick out like a carbuncle

Originally Posted by susie123 (Post 977697)

Most of the piping was done in trunking, partly for the reasons jaysay gives and partly to get the job done done quickly. The trunking is very unobtrusive and has been well done and probably created less mess than trying to go through walls and floors.

Originally Posted by susie123 (Post 977697)

Can't speak for Hyndburn Homes and their standards but I own an ex-council house on the Milnshaw estate which I rent to a relative. Last year United Utilities condemned the warm air boiler when they were replacing gas pipes in the area and I had to have a new full central heating system

The work was done by Derekgas and his company in less than a week. Most of the piping was done in trunking, partly for the reasons jaysay gives and partly to get the job done done quickly. The trunking is very unobtrusive and has been well done and probably created less mess than trying to go through walls and floors.

All in all I was very happy with the job - and they cleaned up after themselves!!

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 977769)

The warm air boiler system which was utilised in lots of homes belonging to HH and HBC before them, was to say the least hard to control and expensive to run, they change to radiators in our flats about 6 years ago and its been far better, especially with me being asthmatic

Originally Posted by susie123 (Post 977784)

She had to bow to the inevitable when it was condemned and now she thinks her radiators are the best thing since sliced bread!

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 977846)

Why was it condemned?

Originally Posted by susie123 (Post 977784)

Agree with you Jay, but my relative who had lived in council properties for umpteen years was used to it and wouldn't let me change it. She had to bow to the inevitable when it was condemned and now she thinks her radiators are the best thing since sliced bread!

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 977875)

To be fair to HBC, before the housing was taken over by HH, I was actually testing a special filter used on these blow heaters at the request of the works department management, and they actually seemed to work to an extent, then they replaced them with radiators which was ideal

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 978007)

I would have thought for asthma suffers the warm air system with a filter would be quite good. At least you would be circulating air and filtering out dust, pollen etc. My hayfever is always better when I am in work, all our air handling units are filtered.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 993821)

The refurbishment of the flat below me has begun.

They are in the demolition stage and my pictures are bouncing around on the 'cardboard' walls.

I see no good reason to have a radio blaring out pop music while they work - it just increases the decibels and annoyance.

After the first two hours of hammering and banging, a young man knocked to warn me that there would be really bad noise for the next hour whilst they removed tiling.

At least he seemed to have genuine concern for me.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 993821)

I see no good reason to have a radio blaring out pop music while they work - it just increases the decibels and annoyance.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 993827)

Demolition of bathroom and kitchen in the flat below, will be accompanied next wednesday by installation of a firewall in my loft above - so more noise and disruptive intrusion for this old biddy who just wants TO BE LEFT ALONE!

Originally Posted by maxthecollie (Post 994028)

I have some good ear defenders

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 997828)

Whilst hammering, drilling and banging go on in two of the four flats in this block, the big earth moving machinery clangs and scrapes on the building site opposite. Lorries deliver sand and soil top dressing, and their tailgates make a loud bang when they have finished unloading.

An emergency situation has arisen today as workmen punctured a gas supply pipe which supplies two of these four flats. Their electricity and gas is now off until the pipe is repaired, which involves replacing the pipe between flats and the main (under the back lawn!)

Should a gas main really be plastic?:eek:

The noise starts at 8.30am and persists without a break until 5pm (internal) and 7pm (on building site opposite)

There is also nightime noise and fumes from a deisel generator on the building site, and there were no stairwell lights on last night because the electricians had switched off the meter it uses.

The radio 1 noise is missing:) - replaced by a singing workman :( - so someone is happy :rolleyes:

I'm just feeling weary of it - I chose not to have a kitchen refurb but I am still having all the hassle, but without the rubble and dust.

It is enough to make a Zen master lose his cool.;)