slowing down yet?

[RITE TOUCH]

i have now started to really struggle with the economic climate and the way things have gone because i have had two jobs cancel on me that were booked in for january and am now left with nothing and the phone gone dead, stuck indoors drinking too much tea... is there any others feeling the crunch?

many thanks


matt

 

[BAILEY Tiling]

you and me mate, its not only tiling alot of my mates are out of work aswell or finding it hard. Plasters, plumbers, dry liners its crazy.

 

[brian c]

Its only the start of the year lads ,lets not get too down beat over this or we will all end up depressed.You know it happens in this game people cancel etc..sometimes people overspend at christmas and decide to delay house renovation etc.Hopefully soon we will all be back working again but DONT sit back and wait for it to happen,MAKE it happen. :yes:

 

[White Room]

Good words brianunk:

 

[davy_G]

Mmm, when im not too busy im renovating me farmhouse. Ripped out the fireplace and hearth over Chrimbo. Lined the flue with class 1 flexi liner, mounted the sanded and waxed antique oak beam secretly to the wall. Kango'd away all the old plaster and fixed with copious screws. Will get a pro to re-plaster before i fit the multifuel stove.
Removing all the skirtings & architraves the night, spark coming tomorrow to fit extra sockets and move switches etc. Keeps me busy....

 

[andy-p]

im off to a slow start , but phoned around all me contacts ( plumbers, bathroom fitters ,bulders etc) and the good news is they are all fairly busy , last year was my best yet so i dont forsee a total meltdown this year as some would have you believe..

 

[Spud]

the phone is still still ringing got to price up 3 jobs this week ,office refurb 100sqm, 50m2 floor and full house with floors and bathrooms .last january i was scratching my head with out too much on ,this time of year is normally quiet and with the cold weather it will be a slow start to the year
good luck to those who are not busy ,hope it picks up for you soon

 

[silver]

I have managed to draw level with last year figures just before Crimbo....so fortunately everythin till the end of march is a plus for me.....First job of the year went chips tho ! lab floor with porcelain.....water leak over crimbo water under floor (Badly done I might add)...freeze....and one third of floor suface all crazed and loose.....DOH !
Got other work in as agreed before 2009....but waiting on other tradesmen to complete first and I too dont expect the other domestics I have in to be ready either !......but what can you do. I have started to make my extra "curtesy phone call" to check all is ok on the over one month advanced bookings two weeks early, so as I am not turning work away on the back of what may have changed.....learnt the hard way this year and missed a few jobs this way !

 

[Deleted member 1779]

My next door neighbour is being evicted and I am thinking of borrowing money to buy it, and turning it round into a decent family home. Then selling it on.

Part of that will require modernising the bathroom - and tiling.

My point is that if I am thinking it - then so are others all over the country with access to cheap property and bank loans.

I know its a risky bet in this market to resell the house but at least the government has created the right vibes for me to take the risk. And I think in general that people will spend on projects. (I hope)

 

[kilty55]

i take it your not very friendly with your neighbour then:dizzy2:

 

[Deleted member 1779]

Ohhh no far from it. Its a terrible story. The bloke ran off six months ago having racked up debts over time against the house deliberately. Once the gig was up he left the wife and kids and is now being hunted by bailiffs. But he let the house go to ruins over years. Its in a right state. The wife and kids are being evicted and I think the building society will take an offer. Its really sad for the wife and kids because he's been a git to them. I've helped as much as I can with some money, food and general help when things go wrong at the home. For example I rodded their drains when they blocked. Yuk!

But I think that once the bailiffs come (and I cant stop them) then perhaps I can reverse the state of the house and make it habitable again.

 

[kilty55]

jeso,sorry i shouldnt have assumed,,good on ya 365unk:

 

[Deleted member 1779]

Yeah its a really bad time for them. But I know its a pattern being repeated all over the UK and that most of you will also know people losing homes.

Lets hope though that many more people (for whatever reason) will decide to refurbish their bathrooms be it:
1) to improve their own home
2) to improve their selling chances

Back to the current situation and on Wednesday 14th Jan 2009 at 6am the Police and the Baliffs are coming round. I live in a semi-d so I am kind of hoping that they know which one is supposed to be going.... Joking aside living so close to a forced eviction property is a sobering thought !

 

[DHTiling]

Why 6am FFS..she has kids....

 

[Deleted member 1779]

She got a standard letter from the Abbey National but the bailiffs were more specific with the details of what she must do on the 14th Jan and in the time before hand. Our local cab driver was a bailiff and has given some very helpful advice.

He's told me / her to get EVERYTHING out of the house before then. On the day she will only be allowed to take what she can carry. I've agreed that if it comes down to it and time runs out she can put anything heavy on my front garden (ovens, fridge) so they dont take them. But the letter says that at 6am if she is not peaceful then they will force entry. So I told her it is better to let them do their job and try to be out before next Wednesday. Yeah nightmare for the kids because they have school exams from the 12th to 15th.