Beyond Blue Home Improvement Thread

[geoff]

Hi everyone. I'm Geoff and have been a dedicated Volunteer on the forums for 13 years. I am proud to have stopped some of the stigmas that are associated with mental health as well as doing my best to help others too

Before my health went south I was a builder in all aspects of home construction and renovation. If you don't have a handyman around I hope I can offer you some tips that may be of help. I have had many years of experience in home renovation and will do my best to help you out if you are stuck and need some advice

I hope my experience may be of help to the people on Beyond Blue and make their life a little bit better. Even if you need help with the most basic painting job or putting up a shelf I can help there too with some tips

I will do my best to get back to anyone that has a question when I can as this is social yet important thread

Geoff

[Guest_1643]

hey Rx! great to hear from you

i've been pretty warm and snug with the heater going 🙂 i also have a little fan heater that someties I double up with when i'm sitting on the couch... as well as the panel in my bedroom at the moment. It's a really nice heat. Like doesn't overwhelm you but sucks the chill out of the room. I've been slowly using it more and more but was intiially trying not to use too much so it could be that I'll soon get a really high bill, but my recent ones were not too out of the ordinary.

So the firewood doesn't warm as well, but is very pretty? I can undrstand it's a lot of work and yes pushing a button has that quick help. I'm realising now how down I get without being warm, so am now using the heaters a lot - and can see my mood lifting. You were right how important it was!

[Guest_1584]

Hiya sleepy , great minds eh just dropped in myself too. hardly been on the net this last wk or two , like many of us l've had crap going on too but bb l do find sort of far quieter to mind than other net things , sometimes it helps,

Great once you gt an idea of the bill isn't it and know what you can get away with. Actually think it was geoff that regionally said you've gotta be warm and except there is a bill , think l just agreed bc h got me thinking too, damn it l wanna be warm haha.

Was reading about the parties at your place , quite funny really would've loved that once but l def' get how intruding it can be too these days and really mess with your space, not to mention lockdowns right now. Hope they back off for ya.

[Guest_1643]

i know exactly! quite fun that i have such friendly neighbours and not the norm really - (how many people have constant street-wide parties in their backyard?!) it's a super friendly street. But it's weird that they're doing it now because it's not legal... argh.
Yes I remember Geoff said that and right now i'm just nodding exactly exactly and realising how right that was... i hope i still think that when my bill comes next month!!!

we are all a bit stressed here in melbourne... how's regional vic going?

[Guest_1584]

Street wide eh , now that would've been cool for sure , glad l'm not in it atm though it'd do my head in can imagine how you'd feel. .lt is a wonder they haven't been nabbed though isn't it. Thst's funny yeah l thought exactly the same , thanks geoff.

Wellllll , up here l really shouldn't say right now soooo, sorry but it's pretty well life as usual ,these days with masks though , The oceans looking beautiful and none the wiser , lucky ocean hey be a great time to be blissfully ignorant wouldn't it. Take care , rx

[blondguy]

Hi Hanna!

Im as handy as rubber shovel yet since Geoff works in the wee hours (after 4-5am) Ill try to help out

An air con unit window fit shouldnt be any more than $150-00....Maximum

my kindest always.....Paul 🙂

[Guest_1643]

Hey Rx - love to hear that it's life as normal in regional vic - people should enjoy it!!

True I sometimes think that my neighbours are a little non-self-consciously loud about their parties...they love a party lol. (I think they love wine).

Yes street wide! We have residents in our street who've lived there for 30/40 years and seem to watch out for the younger new comers in the street... its interesting and feels like from a different time.

I'm sitting here by my little fan heater which has just been cheering me up 🙂 our lockdowns here are a part of life, but yes I think it takes a big toll. We are mostly quite bored, I'd say. And hesitant to get too hopeful as we keep getting our hopes up and then getting disappointed.

I hope your panel heater is working sweetly. Do you have air cons? I wander if split systems are a good option too, i've never had an apartment with them and tend to live in older places without air con!!

[geoff]

Hello EM, RX, Hanna, Paul and Sleepy, is it possible to get back to you first thing in the morning, as there are answers you would like and some queries I'd like to ask.

I'm really sorry I didn't check this thread early this morning, but definitely will first time I lock on tomorrow.

Take care all of you.

Geoff.

[Guest_1643]

hey geoff!! thank you so much always good to hear from you and everyone here

I was wanting to ask you about double-glazed windows as well - not all properties have them - are they crucial in keeping heat in? Some properties advertise double glazed windows when you look at the rental... so i'm guessing its not compulsary for properties to have them. Do they help a lot with heat/cooling/insulation?

[Hanna3]

Hi Geoff, that's fine thank you so much!!! Don't rush mate...

[ecomama]

Hi Hanna3,

I know I'm not Geoff but you maybe able to have a search online about how to install one of the air cons you're talking about... not to DO it yourself but just so you're not ripped off lol.

The one thing I was pretty concerned about was you mentioning a "fibro asbestos" house.
I'd never knowingly drill into asbestos.

But about cost... I'm getting more and more work done and my trust is mmm not there about work people.

Firstly I work out the materials I need by asking people who know and searching online and seeing what was done on other properties - as you've done wisely.

Then I get a FIRM hourly rate from the person via text. Hopefully you have online access to people who do tasking. I had a Handy Man at $30 / hour this year but he was a bit wayward lol... doing what HE felt like and not quite what I asked.
Now I've found a retired Builder calling himself a Handyman, he KNOWS what he's doing and charges $35 / hour + lunch + snacks lol.
I ask to pay the hourly rate and materials on top but that I ask for receipts for all materials.

Before they come I make step by step directions for the person, show photos of how or what I want done. Just to be very clear.

Some people are happy to come and quote. Some won't because they're too busy and if they've come recommended, I've found these people to be great nonetheless.

Hope this helps!
EM