Help calm me, house buying and selling stress part 2

There are so many aids for using baths. I really need to have a bath available as soaking in hot water is one of the best ways of dealing with a blockage in my ostomy. When looking at flats to buy, I was not interested in any that did not have a bath as well as a shower cubicle (for everyday use). The flat I have moved into has a bathroom and a separate, very nice en-suite with a good sized shower unit.
Unfortunately, the bath is too small, so I am having to get that sorted out next year.
It is known that - for houses - not having a bath does lower the selling price. When looking at flats, a lot had taken out the bath and replaced with large shower - very nice, but not for me.

I'm not convinced about the lack of a bath lowering the selling price as there must be 50% of the population who never take a bath. I would prefer a wet room any day than a bath. When we moved in 3 months ago we were going to convert the loft and put in an ensuite shower, then we thought we would put a shower in the garage/utility area but now we have decided to build an extension out from our bedroom. Just shows you need to live in a place for a while before you decide what to do.

I have been reading a fair bit lately about bathing for the elderly. Nothing seems to be 100% safe, the raising/lowering mechanisms, even the chair type, need body balance and an ability to lift legs over the bath. I need nothing yet and am just forward planning. A couple of things for me this morning when I washed my hair in shower while standing in the bath: the suction container-holding devices come today and I need to put them towards the centre of the bath and not next to the shower. The concertina screen will concertina inwards and I was easily able to have one hand on the tall thin shelving unit I put up for my towel stacks. It is wood and strong. All good. Cleaning was no messing, just a spray with method shower cleaner. I am liking and preferring the boiler fed hot water, it has better pressure. The electric one has to cope with colder and colder water as winter progresses so its pressure is reducing

A wet room is superb but on a ground floor unless you can be 1000% certain that there will never be any leaks. My ex neighbour looked into one and decided against after being advised by the plumber. A simple safety device is non slip vinyl flooring. I have it and it it works. My neighbour did not have it and he fell

Franbern yes you must have a bath in your flat. Have you looked at the walk in baths with a door?

All in all for the future, in several years time I will be taking the bath out and replacing with a good walk in shower in the bathroom. That is my safety net and I won`t need to follow it up as long as I can safely get over the bath edge

Yes, I did look at the walk in baths. Had I purchased a flat with just one bathroom, that was an option I was considering. However, have seen them on the web, BUT no prices attached to any of them. As it is do not need that. As I will only need to use the bath occasionally, will just be a normal bath,. As I have said previously, may consider having a lowering/lifting thingie installed.
All the water in my flat, kitchen, shower, en-suite, bathroom comes from the combi boiler. It is very fast, very little cold water to run off. I will have a shower over the bath, when it fitted next year (for guests), not sure if that will need to be an electric one (as it was in my house), but as it will only used very occasionally, not a problem.
Interestingly, note that there is now talk about combi boilers being phased out and all future property being electric only.
Mw Thinking of you this morning - hope all is going well.

He's late!

I hope he/she is here by now mosaics, this waiting malarky, it just makes the heart beat faster

I am waiting for guests for a cuppa, they live in my old village and I will catch up on how people are faring. None of the 6 properties have sold oraresstc, most have been on sale for well over a year and have changed estate agents. One on sale since may 2018 at a reasonable price, is a beautiful non-listed semi, its gorgeous but 2 sales have fallen through. I`ll find out why today

Hope the surveyor turned up Mosaicwarts and that they were kind to you.

My saga with Pickfords continues. They have offered me £250 to replace the mirror and stand and the boxes which were broken. They will not pay for a new mattress as I am using it. It's the only mattress I have got . They won't pay compensation for marking my carpets or refusing to put my furniture back together which they should. Not excepting the money. Next step furniture ombudsman removals department. Have spoken to them and my daughter with deal with it. She is fuming. But also laughter as they admitted negligence in several emails. So we have it in writing. Watch this space.

Hope you are enjoying your catch up Craftyone.

Hi all, very nice surveyor turned up - late. I was very impressed he asked if my cat was allowed out as he has come across many who aren't. Overalls on, spirit level, torch - lots of banging and crashing from upstairs earlier, I heard the shower being switched on. He's downstairs now, in the Annexe. Has accepted two cups of tea, offered him a sandwich but he has brought his lunch with him. He said he'd be here all day. I want to flake ou on the sofa now, I noted your advice and had some jobs to do and have done them all now. Could start wrapping xmas gifts but the dog goes mad at the sellotape noise, he can't stand it. I don't feel real today. Will the results change my future or not? Where's Mystic Meg? !!

Whiff, he came in as I was writing and I forgot to say I am terribly sorry Pickfords are treating you so badly. Big hugs, it's absolutely appalling - who can afford to keep the heating on for 24 hours to dry out a wet mattress, really. I hope your daughter gets some satisfaction for you

small claims court for pickfords soon. Sounds daunting but can be done. My husband did it 9 years ago ref shoddy workmanship on pv panels. He did the whole claim for us and an identical one for our neighbour. The base was a very full file of evidence and photos. I think pickfords will pay out in full as soon as they get notice of that. You don`t even have to go to court whiff. We claimed for everything including loss of income, energy etc and they were ordered to pay out in full

Mosaics at least he sounds like a very nice person. I hope you get positivity very soon now

My friends didn`t come, I phoned up at 2, was meant to be tomorrow we had the wires crossed but one has a shocking cold so they are kindly staying away

Oh Whiff top marks for your perseverance and keep at it! That's not an acceptable amount in the way of compensation. Pickfords have let several of us down big time so I for one am behind you all the way.
Hope that surveyor is nearly finished mw. Keep those cups of tea coming!

I want to recommend the new generation of stick on holders, provided they are going onto tiles. I put the last of them up just now and as long as the tiles are clean then they stay up indefinitely. I got 3 types altogether, the easiest ones are called umbra flex gel, they stick via suction. Lovely good quality. Next are by hoomtaook, these use a paste on the back and then you leave them for 48 hours. They are perfect if you have bottles, electric toothbrush etc. Mine are corner ones and are holding a good weight, soaps, bottles and so on. Then there is the type with 3M pads on the back eg by aikzik and I have just put another toilet roll holder up that way. Gosh we are so lucky these days. Many bathrooms are tiled and it makes such an easy job of installing a £10 item that looks good. No workman needed

Whiff There is nothing as furious as a daughter fighting for her wronged mother!! Hope you get some satisfaction soon.

Thank you all for your continued understanding and support. It means a lot to me having you all to talk to and hope I can return the favour. X

I have purchased a stick on to tiles kitchen tool holder. Suction type, was rather suspicious, but reviews were mainly very positive. Put it up at the weekend and it does seem very firm at present with seven items hanging from it. Will see how it goes.
I have kept trying to find some details about window cleaners used in these flats, and have discovered the reason why there are none. Evidently we have self-cleaning windows. Very useful. When I moved in we noticed how gleaming most of the windows appeared to be except the big windows/patio door to the balcony - which were filthy. Researched SC windows today and found out they work with day/sunlight and rain. There is a large overhang on my balcony which completely shields those windows from the rain, which is why they were so dirty. Do get a lot of sun there (in fact today, this afternoon, had to open the patio door during the afternoon as it was so warm). But will get into the habit of spraying them with some water every week.

good about the sc windows franbern. I might have them here, I have only cleaned them once in 7 months and they look fine. That would be so good

Evening all, thank heavens today is over.

About 4.30 pm the surveyor came downstairs and asked for a hoover and a dustpan and brush - apparently when he opened the loft hatch above my bed all debris fell down. I said not to worry, as he still had another loft to look in, and he finally finished and left at 5.15 pm. I had to rush off to collect my daughter from the 5.37 train and when we got back went upstairs immediately - an unbelievable amount of rubble and bits all over my bed and the floor , all over my dressing gown that I'd hidden under the bed, on my bedside table too. What a day, I've cleared it all up, but feel exhausted after a 7 hour day of investigation. He must be exhausted too, the buyer certainly got value for money today, he was into absolutely everything.

The bad news is when he left he said my water tank is leaking on the joint - more blimin money to fork out. I've emailed the plumbing company I always use, fingers crossed they can help me before the whole lot gushes out.

Well after much thought, a second viewing, many discussions and more thought we have decided against buying the house we saw on Saturday. I still love it but the second viewing revealed various things that would not work for us or would cost a lot to make work for us. The over riding thing for me though was the size of the property and how impractical it would be for us.

Having spent several days thinking of little else and not being able to decide, after the second viewing my mind was made up and since we have made the decision I've not thought about it. To me that is a sign that I'm comfortable with the decision and it is the right one.

So, it's back to the drawing board for us I'm afraid.

Mosaicwarts sorry you had a mess to clean up. But that was good of him to tell you about the leak. I know it means paying out more money but it is better to know if there is a problem..

Craftyone that's good about your windows. Didn't realise there was such a thing as self clean windows. It's because I haven't look at that sort of thing. It's only since I moved I looked into all the things you can get for the home.

SueH49 second viewing are always a good idea. Glad you are happy with your decision. Good hunting for your new home. Are you feeling any better? Hope the mouth ulcers aren't to painful.

Off to play with vacuum cleaners today I need a new one. Seen a lot online I like but need to feel them as I can't have anything to heavy.

Have a good day everyone.

Sorry just realised it was Franbern who mention self clean windows . Must take better note of who says what.

whiff I bought a shark duoclean cordless. Its as light as a feather and does a sterling job. It comes apart so that I can do the stairs and it has a battery so there is no trailing cord. I saw lots of good reviews and recommendations about it

Sue that is called the sensible head and yes you are right, now that you are not thinging about it again tells you something. At least that is one possible location in case some other property appears.

Morning all, stupidly had an alarm set for 7.15 am, have woken up to a very bleak foggy morning.

I'm glad you have made your decision SueH49, and hope you are continuing to get better.

Whiff, my 82 year old aunt loves her 'Gtech'. She has a frozen shoulder and finds it really light and easy to use. She doesn't have stairs, but uses the tiny hand held one for her sofa. Lots of good Black Friday deals around but I'm scared to spend at the moment, I would love a cordless vaccum.
Self cleaning windows, what a dream! The spiders build their webs outside the kitchen windows - and the wrens pinch their catch!

I'm hoping to start feeling a bit better mentally this week now the survey is over. Such a pointless exercise, the buyer did tell the EA he would withdraw if the survey was bad, which it will be. Joiner has just phoned, scaffolders due before 9 am, better get dressed!

Have a good day

Mosaic - I think all surveys are bad. My house is in pretty good condition for an older house but the surveyor brought up a host of issues, none of which were unexpected and did not stop my purchase. The one I sold had things needing doing but it was priced to allow for that. I had to agree to a small price cut then but if your house is fairly priced, it allows for the renovations..

mosaics that could just be pressurising talk from the buyer ie to scare you beforehand so that if he offers a lower price then you would accept because by that time you would be ground down. Psychological tactics

Agree about the GTech. Last Xmas this was given to me (on my request) by my children. Upright and hand held one. Finally, I had the vacuum cleaner I had always wanted. Powerful, light, easy to empty, etc. Upright one has handle that can be lowered if keeping in a small cupboard and hand one is wonderful for car, and to use on worktops, etc. They are easy to charge. Would happily recommend it to anyone.
Mw - did the surveyor tell you how long it will take him to get his report to his client? At least if he did you will know when to follow it up with your EA's.
Of course, any surveyor has to fill his report up -I was re-reading the one I had done when I purchased my last house. Loads of pages, did not really tell me very much.