Loft clearance...

The government are sponsoring a scheme to enable, particularly, the elderly population to insulate their homes better. However, when I was offered a free survey, I was still sceptical, you don't get something for nothing I said to the teenager (well that what she looked like to me) who knocked at the door. I might have been a bit intimidating with my scathing comments, as it seemed she couldn't get away fast enough. Anyway she left me with some information and I agreed someone could call me to discuss a visit. I didn't hear anything and promptly forgot about it.
Then to my surprise, a couple of weeks later, I got a call and booked a visit. The guy came on Thursday and although I could tell you this guy was what I call a smarmy salesman with his 'oh, this is terrible, I've never seen anything like this' I'll get to the crunch- because two member of the household are over 70 we get the work done absolutely free! Yes you did hear correctly I said FREE!! Then I thought about it and of course it's coming from taxes that I have paid over the years so it's not exactly free but good as!!!
All this guy's patter about the state of the current insulation was to no avail because as I pointed out, it doesn't matter, if it needs doing then that's what has to happen and it won't cost us a penny. He was clearly trying to paint a very bad picture to make me (had I been paying) feel compelled to have the work done, clearly what he does to those who do not get a full grant. The downside is the loft has to be completely cleared and they do not do this unless we pay some exorbitant fee. So I declined and said we would do it ourselves.
The conversation went something like this:

him "I can't do a proper survey with everything in the loft why don't you contact me again when it is clear". (me thinks "he is trying to wriggle out of this agreement, after all we would not be paying!)

me "how long before the work could be done"

him "Six week"

me "Six weeks, why that's plenty of time to clear everything out"

him "maybe you would like to discuss it with your husband and I will need the National Insurance number of one of the people who are over 70"

me interrupting him "my husband works better to a deadline~ and six weeks gives us plenty of time and don't worry about the NI number if I can't find it I can always ring my husband and get it (which I did in fact have to do)"

him (I felt a little reluctantly) "oh alright let's have another look and maybe I can manage to measure up for materials"

me "that sounds great" (smiling sweetly)

I was not impressed with the way he measured for material from the dimensions of the rooms below the loft. Sometimes the measure was hanging and in places he was going to ignore small areas of space ~ but I soon put him right!! I don't know about you but I get really mad when men assume woman know nothing (even when it's true~ which isn't often!)

Our kitchen has a separate loft area and that also needs to have the insulation replaced. Now one thing he did point out was that the original insulation had not been laid correctly between the joists. Now this was done when we first moved into the house nearly 22 years ago (prior to this no insulation and no dividing wall to the house next door!), and has not been effective for all that time~ no wonder our kitchen is always freezing!
The flat on the back of the house is fine as Embee replaced that roof insulation about four years ago, and is apparently the correct thickness.

With the six week deadline in mind......today we started the clearance~ below is one of the pictures I took from the top of the loft ladder. Most of the things you see in this picture belong to oldest daughter.
Below is the first carload we took to the rubbish dump!
Below is a suitcase belonging to Sam.........why am I showing this?
Well I want Sam to tell me if she can remember what interesting items are in this case and anyone else who fancies can also have a guess . I will show a picture of the contents tomorrow or maybe as part of my fun Monday post!!!

Beccy we haven't come to any of your things yet~ I know your teapots are up here somewhere!


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