Dacia Duster.

[camallison]

PS - the £1,400 included new joists and a obviously a new OSB "skin" before the fibreglass was done.

Colin

[Retired]

Hi,

I don't blame you for still doing jobs Gary wherever possible and I can fully understand you wanting to cut down on maintenance if possible which is what I'm also doing. A home though needs constant maintenance especially the exterior because if left alone for only a few years the weather wreaks havoc.

It's about 25 years ago Bron and I installed a brand new roof both to the main bungalow and over the two roomed rear extension. The bungalow was roofed using top quality Marley Wessex tiles but the extension had a flat felted roof with shallow incline to run water off. The flat roof was ripped off to the rafters and 3/4" plywood substrate firmly nailed into place; the ply was then covered with sheet Nuralite spot bonded with special adhesive; the Nuralite came in sheets so the joints were covered with Nuralite strips about 4" wide both fully bedded in the adhesive and to make sure of a good job the strips were further secured with clout nails. About a year later Bron and I returned home after only being away for an hour to find the once perfectly Nuralited roof now to be bright silver?

A local roofer had sent his idiots to paint a flat roof silver and trust our bad luck they painted the wrong roof so I ended up replacing the Nuralite. This Nuralite was guaranteed 25 year if a professional roofer had installed it but now 25 years later it is still doing a good job although I've just been checking and find Nuralite has been upgraded so if it's better than the old Nuralite it must be brilliant roofing material?

http://www.nuralite.co.nz/Nuraply3P.aspx

I used to see cottage stone flagged roofs fiber-glassed and it used to make my toes curl because not only did it ruin the roof it prevented the roof from breathing?

In 1973 I was employed as a glass fiber laminator spending over a year doing this job; the money was good because I've always been a grafter and was on a bonus scheme but decided to pack it in after my hands started to be troubled with dermatitis. It would be interesting to see how roofers apply glass fiber; the largest things I used to lay up was 16' square floor sections but we had full access at ground level using tools on long poles so we never had to walk on what we were laying up.

I would never ever consider using chipboard for domestic roofing substrate; I always regard chipboard as Weetabix the way it laps up moisture and I would never use the old style felt and chippings either given their short life span; our Marley tiles are guaranteed 50 years. I went onto the roof a couple of years ago and blasted the tiles with a pressure washer bringing the roof up like new once again. One point worth noting regarding ridge tiles; Marley staff told us to install the half round profile not the modern profile because the half round ridge tiles withstand high wind much better?

Good point John about having the loan car in that it's not a liability to us? Our Aygo though was only three years old (this August) with 19,990 miles on its clock so major repairs would still be some way off although I read that the early Aygo's suffered worn out clutches at 30,000 miles so on later models the clutch was upgraded.

Yesterday afternoon when I washed the Roomster I had to really stretch to reach the center of its roof with the result I think I've pulled something given the pain in my chest; next time I'll use a step ladder; its a tall vehicle.

Will next week see a new Fabia Monte Carlo sitting on our driveway?

Kind regards, Col.

[Radio Fixer]

They couldn't have done the mineral felt very well Colin as that normally has a 20 year guarantee but a lot depends on who fits it. The chaps who did our extension were very through and it is multiple layers with no chippings.

The extension designer said they used to fail 'cos chipboard was used and that sweated away underneath the felt. Now it is all a ply , water resistant and then felt.

Our current felt on the garage is about 15 years old and is still water tight but there are cracks in the chipboard.

I think next year I will get it all changed as like you I would rather have the hassle now. It will mean empting the garage and that's no small job being a workshop as most are.

Gary

[camallison]

They couldn't have done the mineral felt very well Colin as that normally has a 20 year guarantee but a lot depends on who fits it. The chaps who did our extension were very through and it is multiple layers with no chippings.

The extension designer said they used to fail 'cos chipboard was used and that sweated away underneath the felt. Now it is all a ply , water resistant and then felt.

Our current felt on the garage is about 15 years old and is still water tight but there are cracks in the chipboard.

I think next year I will get it all changed as like you I would rather have the hassle now. It will mean empting the garage and that's no small job being a workshop as most are.

Gary

The work was done for the previous owner who managed to get ripped off several times on work on the house. An old lady of 80+ who was taken for a ride by cowboys (who were subsequently jailed). We bought the bungalow from her estate when she passed away. I managed to spot all, if not most, of the faults in the house that would cost to put right. The price we paid was therefore adjusted downwards and, as a cash buyer, the beneficiaries of the estate didn't haggle.

I am working away, with my favourite builder who I trust, to get the place in long-term order to last us during retirement.

Colin

[Retired]

Hi,

How true Gary, it takes longer to get things ready than to do the actual job on many occasions; re-roofing a garage is a big enough job in its own right but what a pain it is moving everything to gain access; I don't mind decorating but it's the upheaval which annoys. Good luck though Gary with the roof.

I've been retired (joke) since 2000 Colin and I'm still getting our bungalow and gardens ready for retirement; it's never ending; sort one job out and another two jobs crop up. I've done jobs from the sewer to replacing the chimney and stack and I'm still at it with no sign of let up. The dire weather is my main problem; I can be painting outside on a rare glorious summer day and as soon as the last brush-full of gloss is applied down comes the torrential rain; I'll never get used to this climate.

Stick with it though Gary and Colin but don't expect to retire having an easy life?

Back to the plot; Bron and I are to collect our new Skoda Fabia hatchback 1.2 TSI 105 Monte Carlo in red and black next Tuesday morning which we eagerly look forward to. The Monte has been held up at the docks reason unknown but the dealer DM Keith's here in Huddersfield have treated us well in loaning us a new Skoda Roomster Scout until the Monte is ready.

At first we were not too keen on the Roomster but over the last three weeks we've come to like it a great deal and will be very sorry to hand it back. Tomorrow is Rufforth Auto Jumble day and I'm in trouble because I'm going in the Roomster which just begs to return home with a full load of goodies?

Bron and I never ever considered buying a Skoda given the old jokes about Skoda's but these days Skoda are a top company and each time we go out we see no end of Skoda's of all models unlike Dacia's which we see few off and over the last two months I've only seen a handful of Dusters; I'm sure we've made the right choice buying the Monte even if it does cost a lot more than a Dacia?

The sun is shining and its not raining so I'd better get off my backside to make the most of it whilst it lasts?

Kind regards, Col.