Here’s the last comment from the good Ripper regards the post featuring problems with homes called new builds. I had to pause awhile thinking how best to explain common sense and critical thinking to any younger readers but gave up after a sleepless night.
Anyhoo, happy, cool, overcast high summer Sunday and over to Ripper and who knew fixing a staircase banister had become so complicated and regulation reliant these days, eh? Got me thinking wot paperwork, that I’m not aware of, should be completer prior to changing a light bulb. Or do you just call an amp-tramp to do it for you these daze?
Shocking indeed, but not to me. Your video makes my problems with the renovation pale into insignificance, but the reason I don't find it shocking or surprising is that I've been on a steep learning curve since this began, I've consulted many tradesmen, looked in on DIY forums, watched YouTube self help videos, and I've come across all these things along the way. I count my blessings that I'm an engineer by trade, so capable of common sense and critical thinking.
Before taking on any particular task I've consulted building regs to make sure I'm getting it right, and learned a lot in the process - for example, you might consider screwing a new stair handrail to the wall to be a simple task - and it is, except that there are regulations. The rail has to be between 34 and 38 inches up from the nose of each step, and return to the wall at both ends. The rail must be one continuous run on each wall. A staircase is defined as having 3 steps or more and any staircase over 1m wide has to have a rail. Bet you didn't know that - and none of the tradesmen who work on these new builds will either.
Like any trade, my own included, there will always be the bodgers who lied their way into a job for money. Their antics can be really entertaining and there's a series on YouTube called 'On The Tools - Not MY Job'. These are videos from the tradesmen themselves and I've passed many an hour rolling with laughter watching this. So to give you a 10min laugh rather than just a smile, here's an example (caution, many naughty words).
Its also handy, if you do ever employ tradesmen, to know who you are talking to. Although this video is also meant to be humorous, it is also true to life, if any of those who I spoke to before deciding to tackle the job myself are anything to go by. There were a couple of the chancer type who's work I had to rectify after, but this is not necessarily a bad thing - I got the main job, that I didn't have the skills for done and the cost was cheap. The rectification is nothing really. Just don't let these guys anywhere near a critical job.
I see Nourishing Obscurity featured music out o’ Africa yesterday so no further excuse required as a way to end with this bit o’ movement to music again. As before, don’t try this at home unless there’s a proficient first aider and a chiropodist close by, okay?
"If you think your boss is stupid, remember; you wouldn't have a job if he was any smarter."