2006.06 THE BIG BUILD

We've been enjoying some glorious weather recently. Sunny and dry every day (in fact it is too dry and gardeners all wishing for a downpour). I sought to take advantage of this gloriousness and build my new shed.

2004.26 PROJECT SHED IS ON

The day I've strived for and saved for for many many years is finally in front of me. I've ordered my shed. Some may scoff and roll their eyes - a shed? After all a shed is just a garden building for storage isn't it. Well I hope not. For years I've wanted a space I can look after my bikes, do little DIY jobs and maybe even escape too when life gets a bit too much.

2004.06 KEY WORK

So I've been back at work now for a week (6 days actually) and things are slowly returning to normal. Except its not. The new normal is different - the world has changed overnight and everything has become almost like a bad apocalypse movie. 

1607.13 LEAKY TOILET

At the weekend I received a frantic phone call from Morticia telling me that water was dripping from the kitchen ceiling. I was just finishing work so I rushed home (as fast as my legs would pedal). The water was coming from the inlet pipe from the cistern of the upstairs toilet. I isolated the water supply to the toilet so I could repair the leak in my next day off.

My day off was Monday so I put my DIY skills to good use.* I purchase a new inlet pipe and some O rings. It took me a couple of hours but it's now fixed, it flushes and doesn't leak. I was pretty proud of myself and please we hadn't had to call anyone out.

Add this almost disasterous event to the fact that our vacuum cleaner (our trusty old Dyson) started to smell of burning and I could see sparks coming from the motor. They say things come in threes, what's next?

Today we got a new Prime Minister and rather than pay tribute to the outgoing Mr Cameron I thought I'd talk about my toilet.

*My DIY skills are pretty poor, although I have done a fair bit of home plumbing.

1408.04 BUSY BUSY

I've been working hard over the last few weeks. I'm not good at decorating but I've stepped up to the mark in order to get my youngest daughter's new bedroom finished. We waited 2 years to give up our eldest daughter's bedroom to her sister but it wasn't fair that a larger room wasn't been used.

She's moved in now, it's been changed so it now no longer resembles her sister's room. She is so happy with her new surrounding and now has a room fit for the teenager she is about to become.

1403.04 FLOORED 2 GO

We are currently looking at redecorating our living room. The biggest job is to replace our ageing carpet with a laminate floor, something Morticia has been asking for since before the last carpet. We shopped around and found the perfect deal at the local 'Floors 2 Go' store. The staff were helpful and we paid for our new floor. We were told that the damp proofing membrane and edging strips would need to be ordered. That's when the issues began. All is explained in the email I sent to them... 

On 27th January I visited one of your stores in Rotherham and was pleased by the selection and the deal offered by sales staff. I purchased laminate flooring plus underlay and was told that a damp proofing membrane edging strips would be ordered and could be collected soon after. I paid for all the items. We were told that someone would telephone us when the items came into store.

After not hearing anything for 2 weeks I chased up my order. I was told it had yet to be delivered and someone would get back to me to let me know when i could expect delivery. No one called.

I tried to call back a number of times the following weekend where no one answered the phone.

I chased again a week later and was told the same and that I would be advised when it came into store. 

I left it for a couple of weeks and chased again. I was told that the damp proofing membrane was a rare item and not often available. I was asked why I specifically ordered this set up as there was a combined underlay and damp proofing available. I said that I was not offered this nor was I told that the separate membrane was difficult to source. I was offered a swap for the underlay I had for the combined underlay. I agreed and was told that the new underlay would be available by the end of the week and I would be phoned. 

Once again I received no phone call and it was left to me to chase. Yesterday I phoned and was told my items were available for collection. I went today to pick up the outstanding goods and was presented with the originally ordered damp proofing membrane (and the edging strips). I questioned this and why the membrane took so long to come. I was told that this item was like "rocking horse shit". I asked why I wasn't offered the other combined underlay to which I was told that it was much more expensive and that the system sometimes shows it in stock when it isn't. 

All in all its taken 6 weeks to fulfil my order. In that time I've been fobbed off, misinformed, never had my calls returned and been given in my opinion a very poor level of customer service. I had a friend lined up to help me fit the floor but now I have to wait for them to become available again. This episode has been a nightmare and what I thought was a good deal has turned out to be such a poor effort on your part.