Property
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Property
Property
02-06-2009 5:48 AM
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Personally, I think they are pretty boring and very irresponsible.
Take the one on auctions for example. Usually it seems that there is money to be made. The new owners will revamp the whole house for a few bob and pocket thousands. In my experience it doesn't work like that. The figures quoted for things like rewiring and new bathrooms/kitchens are often very stupid. Even if they are doing it themselves, loss of earnings should be taken into account.
Often it is inferred that if the property is a 'rental machine' it doesn't matter about doing it up to any decent standard - doesn't seem to matter that the tenant will be paying good money for it. Also, they never seem to mention the possibility/risk of the tenants from hell who ransack the place.
Then there is the Grand Designs one where all these folk want to build a massive property (usually resembling a box) with 'lots of light' i.e. windows at every turn.
They then put very little in it and clatter about on wood or marble floors, blinded by the light, baking in the summer heat, freezing cold in the winter and forever cleaning windows! Very often they resemble an up market office block more than a home.
I remember one that was open plan, in the shape of a cross, with the kitchen in the middle. Dread to think what the place smelled like when they were cooking cabbage, sprouts, fish and the like.
As this forum is mainly occupied by men I am interested in opinions on them - if anyone will admit to watching!
Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 8:15 AM
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Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 8:50 AM
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Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 9:03 AM
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Customer / Moderator / If it helped click the thumb / If it fixed it click 'This fixed my problem'
Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 9:42 AM
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As for Grand Designs my favourite was the "watermill" built where there was no water, and the chap had to loose the balcony he wanted - and he had all the trouble with the planners - but he had to persist with it as he had put so much money into it. Mind you would not have liked to live in the place.

Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 9:54 AM
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It is astonishing how folk will spend thousands of pounds at an auction when they haven't even seen the property - seems a bit reckless.
A buyer will often say something like they have a budget of £5,000 and they are going to have the place rewired, new central heating, bathroom and kitchen. I just wish that I had the telephone numbers of their suppliers and tradesmen!
Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 10:06 AM
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Quote from: poppy A buyer will often say something like they have a budget of £5,000 and they are going to have the place rewired, new central heating, bathroom and kitchen. the telephone
Probably 2004 prices as they are old repeats shown again and again
Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 10:30 AM
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Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 10:33 AM
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Houses are for living in. Decorate them however you like. If you want to move, then maybe consider painting everything magnolia. You can have too much daylight.
I also don't understand why all the prospective buyers they show have no imagination - "I won't buy this house because I don't like the wallpaper", or how people with apparently ordinary jobs can afford to spend huge amounts of money creating these dream homes. Where do they get it?
Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 11:15 AM
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Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 11:25 AM
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I only query the prices because some things you can't legally do yourself, for instance rewiring (unless you are an electrician). Also, having had jobs done in my own property, I have some idea of costs. Also, while they are doing the work themselves, they are not in paid employment so that should be factored into the equation but never is.
Re: Property
Re: Property
02-06-2009 11:41 AM
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Re: Property
Re: Property
24-07-2009 8:58 AM
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Quote from: pierre_pierre only watch Grand Designs, liked the wood one in the middle of the forest, with the only family, cant sell clause ![]()
Was on again last night - I really like his way of life.
He was also in a different show in recent times too (possibly Countryfile)
Re: Property
Re: Property
24-07-2009 10:58 AM
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So I guess, the programmes are there because they're cheap to make, and bring in some revenue as well. If you watch the credits at the end (I must get out more!) I don't think the BBC actually makes any of them.
When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.

Re: Property
Re: Property
24-07-2009 12:04 PM
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I suspect that there is something not quite right or 'up front' about some of these programmes though.
The one that was on C4 last night involves an architect who is given large amounts of money to transform a property - it's really big stuff (loft conversions etc).
The folk in question had a typical family house (3 teenage children hence lots of clutter). They handed over £124,000 for a complete makeover including a loft conversion with balcony. So far so good. However, on the last shots the place bore no resemblance at all to their previous home. It looked as if it had been staged - all minimalism and cubic furniture. It was quite obvious that it just wasn't 'them' at all. I think that they should have put back their stuff (furniture etc), albeit less of it and then it would have been a true representation of the change.
Every house that he has transformed has been the same - large open plan spaces and modern, minimalist decor.
Bifold doors onto the patio are his 'thing' - very expensive and largely useless really because there are so few days in the year when they can be taken advantage of.
I can't believe that they have all wanted to live in such surroundings. Open plan is fine, but you have to be on top of the clutter and not really mind having little privacy. It's just not about real life IMO, but can be addictive viewing, alas.
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