We’ve signed our contracts and are moving into the next stage. We have a written guarantee from Smart Homes, that so long as we don’t delay our side then there will be no price increases. We’re basically happy with the plans. There are two changes needed but they will not alter the basic structure and therefore – more importantly – not alter the price. Here, for the benefit of Mr Kite, and of course your amusement, is the first gander at the main floor plan:
Smart seem to be barrelling along now – none of the lengthy delays without communication that we experienced with the last builder. We’ve already been contacted by the fabulously Yorkshirian Karen, who will guide us through our choices over the coming months. The old adage says that you can always tell a Yorkie – but you can’t tell them much. I’d speculate that her desire would be to keep our choices as standard as possible, and it’s definitely our desire to change a lot of the standard choices. I’m sure there’ll be some middle ground; Judith is such a diplomat.
We’ve already been sent an email outlining suggested preparation for the pre-start meeting. We’re way ahead obviously, tiles and carpets are chosen, bricks and mortar, ovens and rangehoods. It does seem like Smart are actually motivated to start the building process. But they do have 60 working days before they are compelled to put a slab down. That’s not 60 days from when the contract was signed. Oh no. That’s 60 days from when a whole bunch of conditions are met, the worst of them being “the Builder has received all necessary approvals from the relevant authorities”. However, they have exceeded our time expectations so far, and so we’re confident they will continue their great service.
There is one excuse for delays or poor quality of service that has become a global pandemic: Don’t blame it on the sunshine, don’t blame it on the moonlight, don’t blame it on good times… Blame it on the Covid. How many times are we hearing it these days? Yet Covid was a great time to stock up, train up, streamline processes and prepare for the ‘new normal’. So shouldn’t things be better post-lockdown? No-one seems to be putting forward this view, and everyone seems to be accepting crap as the new normal. No more so than government, be it local or federal. Government was the most informed of us all on when then new normal would arrive, and basically kept everyone employed during lockdown, all waiting for their Super. Yet in the new normal, processes that took days before covid are now taking months. Why is that? When do they envisage being able to provide the same service our taxes paid for before the great pause? I wonder when the ‘Ukraine war’ will overtake Covid as l’excuse de jour…
Where’s the bar Steve?
@Stripper: It’ll be outside in the patio, and lower than the current one. I want good heating outside, I’m thinking of a pot belly to complement ours.
You already have a pot belly
@Daz: A classic example of the pot calling the kettle black.
Looks good #Stevo. I’m counting the years!
@Christ: You and me both!
Beautifully written Steve, you should write a book.
Glad the house is moving alone.
Thanks Anne, that has been suggested before. Unfortunately, someone else did it, it now is the entire collection of screenplays from ‘One Foot in the Grave’ – I play Victor Meldrew. I don’t believe it!
Bedroom 4 isn’t looking good from my view the toilet flush in my room I’ll be shafted
Bedroom 2 please. 3 if I have too.
Xxx makes me think about the love
@scoffs: Bedroom 4 already been bagsied by Granny. She doesn’t mind the sound of running water, she used to be a Stoker in the Navy during World War 2. Unfortunately we have a waiting list for the other 2 guest bedrooms but please rest assured you are 12th in line for the laundry cupboard. XX