kerb appeal sorted - I hope!

[jazzactivist]

Hi all, I have been taking advantage of the fantasically hot weather to get the front of my house spruced up and ready for market. I have got my planters painted and planted, and it is great to have passers by stop and comment and chat. My house opens right onto the pavement, but I would love even a small front garden just to be able to be out there tinkering with plants and chatting to people. Today I have been giving the front door its final coat of paint. I decided to take it right off its hinges and carry it out to the back garden where I could paint it flat across two chairs. Well, all the chatting about plants held me up so I only managed to finish the painting at 4pm. Luckily, it is so hot here that it is almost dry and I managed just about to drag it inside without smudging the paint, as I can't leave it out all night. However, it is now lying down in my dining room and I still have no front door. I wonder how long I will have to stay up tonight before it is dry enough to hang? At least people passing pop their head through the gap to see how I'm getting on, and the postie didn't notice that the door wasn't there and 'knocked' only to overbalance and end up in the hallway. Has anyone else been doing anything to their house these past few days?

[Crocus]

Hi Jazz, no not really to be quite honest. Tell me Jazz, did you take the door of on your own?! And how are you going to get it back on your own? Goodness me, don't hurt yourself in the process... xxx

[Pippa]

Gosh, Jazz, you are energetic, well done and hope the door dries. All I have done is open all the windows, the velux, all the doors and just let the breeze throughout the house, I love it, so summery.

[franbee]

On Wed OH and I spent most of the day pottering in the garden, some of you may recall we are having some major works done starting next week or so. We weeded all the beds and topped them up with topsoil from the 'waste' area. I cleaned the outside of front and back porches and OH cleaned all the wooden garden furniture.
My current challenge is to fill the 'garden waste' wheelie bin every fortnight, it was emptied on Wed, but is filling rapidly with trimmings and weeds.

[jazzactivist]

I did manage to take the door off and put it back by myself, crocus. It is quite a heavy wooden one, so involved a fair bit of thought about how to do it beforehand, but by a process of slowly unscrewing it, leaning it over, dragging it through the house using a piece of polythene, and then balancing it on a rolled up mat and my foot to put it back, I managed! Unfortunately, while it was almost dry some miserable cretin has come along and put a big finger mark right in the middle of the paintwork! The weird thing is that I live almost at the end of the village, so the only people who regularly pass my house are three couples whom we know pretty well...

[sheddie]

When I was involved in pine stripping we would go along to a house and they would have all the doors done at once so be left with no doors anywhere and it was such a rush to get them done and back before night and you're right Jazz they are heavy especially when they are still wet from the tank. X

[lily]

How is the house selling going Jazz? I hear today that something is to be done to help the housing market, as usual was listening with only half my attention whilst driving, so didn't get to find out what. Think it is to do with helping younger buyers get onto the ladder, hope it will make things easier for you when the effect ripples through.

[jazzactivist]

Thankfully lily, Scotland seems to be holding up well and the downturn hasn't affected us here yet. Our house will be going on the market next week, so fingers x'd. It is just that every time that I finish another small job, I spot another one. Maybe I am being too much of a perfectionist...

[Crocus]

Quite understandable Jazz if you take into account you want to sell your house. I'll probably be the same, would want to have everything as good as it can be. Best wishes anyway on the sale of the house, and fingers crossed for you get your asking price!

[dinger]

jazz what a girl you are I have been trying to picture you dragging that big door on your own . Your o h will wonder where you have got your muscles from when he sees you .Pleased you got it back ok in the end .

[JacquiMcR]

Do you mind me asking what colour you are painting your front door? I am asking because we have undergone major building work for the past six months and are almost ready to move into the new part of the house in order that the original cottage can be renovated. This includes replacing the front door. I quite fancy a shade of blue(undecided) as the cottage is white with blue/grey trim.

[jazzactivist]

Hi JacquiMcR, I did in the end opt for pale blue. The best one was a tub of Bluebell Blue one coat satin from Wickes. It is a nice light blue, lighter than bluebells, and goes very well with the grey with white trim. I think that a deep scarlet red would look nice too, but as it is summer and we are selling the house the blue seemed the safest option. Good luck with your choice.

[JacquiMcR]

Jazzactivist, thanks a million. Your house sounds lovely, have you had much interest? I notice that you also live in Scotland, are you staying in Scotland when you move?

[jazzactivist]

Hi JacquiMcR, thanks for the compliment for my house. I live in a village in the south west of Scotland. However, after 20 years in Scotland we are moving down to the Lake District as my partner has a new job there and I feel like a year off work to pursue my own interests (doesn't that make me sound rich and interesting!!!). It will be very strange to live in England, as although I have holidayed I have never actually lived there. I am looking forward to the cultural differences and different range of accents. Are you in the NBorth, Esat or West of Scotland?