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

[Guest5643]

Went in upstairs roof this morning all was fine i wasnt scared or panicky. This arvo i went on tiled roof to put the loose tiles back in place and made things worse not better. I now have a tile completely off and its started to sprinkle. I am never ever attempting to get on a roof again. Housing maintenance is fixing it tomorrow. In the end i got stuck on roof with anxiety and very low blood pressure, i have to call firies to get me down. Its the first time ive ever called them and i hope to god its the last.

STUPID POSSUM.

[Guest_1584]

Brave move helium , couldn't help but chuckle though , sorry , firies , that wouldn't ended up a bit of an ordeal.

But the chuckle is from the exact same thing happening to me once, but no firies. l've always had a height problem but once l went up to paint the roof, normal house height so l would've been ok accept when l got up there l didn't realize the steep land behind the house would make the roof feel so much higher. We didn't have a ladder l climbed up the deck pole so when l had to get off in panic ladder and l was laying down couldn't get up. Wife raced to neighbours no ladder , then for cushions from inside but it'd got too much by then and l jumped off, youch, didn't break anything though.

[Guest_1584]

ps, then wife finally came racing out with a mattress off my daughters bed because she couldn't find big enough cushions, but she was a bit late.

btw geoff read your bit on making sude the ladder goes above the roof, l've got a ladder now haha. Great tip thanks for that.

rx

[geoff]

Hi Lynne, don't punish yourself, it's easier to get onto the roof because you are looking upwards, but to come down is so much harder simply because the worry of the ladder slipping and the distance seems to be so far away.

If the roof tiles are old, you have to be careful how you walk on them, otherwise, they'll break.

I'm sure the firies were more than grateful to help you down, just be careful.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[geoff]

Hi RX, to fall from the roof can cause horrific damage, you have to be so careful, I remember when I had to paint a double storey, I couldn't get up the ladder in fear that I'd fall, so I employed a painter who had no trouble flying up the ladder and doing the work for me.

The trouble is I've broken so many ladders, again you have to be careful, it's easier to say when you're on the ground that you won't have any trouble getting and down the ladder until you start to do it.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[Guest5643]

Holy crap randomx thankgod you were ok. I didn't realise geoff the tiles can break, thanks for the warning. Thats the first thing that set me off was the the tiles were making noises. I was crawling on them. My ladder was not an extension ladder, yes i know. Cheers lynne

[Music_Freak]

Reading these posts just reinforces my opinion that I will never climb up onto a roof, ever. I HATE heights so even a little amount bothers me more than a little, unless I have something to hold onto. I'm sure getting older doesn't help.

[Guest5643]

Never heard from housing. Didnt have money for handy man. Rained 2day. Very worried bout the rain thats got in and more that will get in so i put an add on gumtree for help. Got some sarcastic remarks so my adreniline was pumping so i cut the doors in half i had in my garage i am putting on cleanup tomorow. I put the ladder on top of doors which heightened it. I took 0 safety precautions because my adreline was flooding through and i got it done👍. Lynne

[Guest_1584]

Crikey well done lynne.

PS , hey geoff, once l cleaned out spouts for and older guy and my ladder wouldn't reach one section so l borrowed his. lt was brand new , l got up ok but coming down the damn thing buckled up and l had to jump from about half way down, made it ok. But the old guy was about twice my weight and with health problems so if that was him on it instead things would've been very very nasty. He bought this ladder a few days before to do the spouts himself but changed his mind last minute and called me , lucky l tell ya.

Best to all. rx

[geoff]

Hi Lynne, if you do happen to walk on the roof tiles, don't walk on the middle of the tile, walk where the above tile overlaps the bottom one, then it won't break.

You can manage to crawl onto the roof if you are using an 'A-frame', (the one you normally use to change a light globe) but to descend from the roof the A-frame ladder can be scary.

Best wishes.

Geoff.