# Watertight after 20 years



## Robbo60 (8 Feb 2021)

20 years ago I had a prefabricated garage built as couldn't afford a brick one. It had no guttering as not linked to drainage. Consequently the rain would run off roof and eventually find it's way between the base and wall onto the floor. The ground level at the back was also 18" higher so got water ingress there too. Didn't bother me too much as it was just for storing stuff but a few years ago I converted half of it to a workshop by putting a stud wall in. The water now bothered me even after putting a rubber covering on floor. 
So after 20 years I fitted guttering to both sides feeding into a separate 100ltr water butt for each side. They fill up overnight when we have rain so I have had to fit overflows and connect these to a drain 5m away via a garden hose. I also dug out at the back and put 150mm of concrete in.
Result is after 20 years I have a watertight garage. Probably a days work, so why has it taken me 20 years?? Asking for a Wife.
Antone else got jobs been outstanding for years?


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## Jameshow (8 Feb 2021)

We have a leaky porch only leaks during the heaviest downpours in one place. 

Haven't yet investigated how or where it's coming in... 5 years so far.....perhaps today.... Nah too cold! 

Cheers James


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## eribaMotters (8 Feb 2021)

When we moved into our second marital home I promised some nice built in period wardrobes. It didn't happen. Jump forward 15/20 years to marital home number three and it happened.

Colin


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## Sachakins (8 Feb 2021)

Why does a job take so long......
A) It's never urgent, until the problem affects what you need to do.
B) It's never urgent, until the problem damages something you need right now.
C) It's never urgent, until SWMBO goes nuclear over it.


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## Ozi (8 Feb 2021)

Robbo60 said:


> 20 years ago I had a prefabricated garage built as couldn't afford a brick one. It had no guttering as not linked to drainage. Consequently the rain would run off roof and eventually find it's way between the base and wall onto the floor. The ground level at the back was also 18" higher so got water ingress there too. Didn't bother me too much as it was just for storing stuff but a few years ago I converted half of it to a workshop by putting a stud wall in. The water now bothered me even after putting a rubber covering on floor.
> So after 20 years I fitted guttering to both sides feeding into a separate 100ltr water butt for each side. They fill up overnight when we have rain so I have had to fit overflows and connect these to a drain 5m away via a garden hose. I also dug out at the back and put 150mm of concrete in.
> Result is after 20 years I have a watertight garage. Probably a days work, so why has it taken me 20 years?? Asking for a Wife.
> Antone else got jobs been outstanding for years?


I feel your pain, jobs need to be carefully planned. I am blessed to have a father in law who started a conservatory and took 20 years to finish so can get away with any job under a decade in the making.


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## artie (8 Feb 2021)

In 1984 I purchased a brand new house, a chalet bungalow.
When we pulled in to the driveway I noticed that the plasterers had left a nail protruding from the wall where they had fixed a line.
Says I to her indoors, I'd need to pull out that nail in case one of the kids get snagged on it.

Fast forward to 1994 when we were moving out. After everything had been moved and the final check over done as we were reversing out of the drive to go hand over the keys, yip you guessed it. The nail was still there.


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## RichardG64 (8 Feb 2021)

3 Marriages?


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## paulrbarnard (8 Feb 2021)

We have stone mullion windows. The one in the kitchen leaks when we get heavy rain driven in by the wind. We get puddles on the window sill on bad days. I replaced the sill when we moved in as it was rotten. That should have been a clue...
As it only happens two or three times a year when the conditions align I keep forgetting to do anything about it. Of course every time the water comes in my wife is very quick to question why it is taking so long. Only five years so far...


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## artie (8 Feb 2021)

paulrbarnard said:


> Only five years so far...


If a man says he will do something, he will do it.

There's no need to remind him every five years.


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## Robbo60 (9 Feb 2021)

paulrbarnard said:


> We have stone mullion windows. The one in the kitchen leaks when we get heavy rain driven in by the wind. We get puddles on the window sill on bad days. I replaced the sill when we moved in as it was rotten. That should have been a clue...
> As it only happens two or three times a year when the conditions align I keep forgetting to do anything about it. Of course every time the water comes in my wife is very quick to question why it is taking so long. Only five years so far...


towel on the window sill - sorted


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## Robbo60 (9 Feb 2021)

paulrbarnard said:


> We have stone mullion windows. The one in the kitchen leaks when we get heavy rain driven in by the wind. We get puddles on the window sill on bad days. I replaced the sill when we moved in as it was rotten. That should have been a clue...
> As it only happens two or three times a year when the conditions align I keep forgetting to do anything about it. Of course every time the water comes in my wife is very quick to question why it is taking so long. Only five years so far...


towel on the window sill - sorted


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## gregmcateer (9 Feb 2021)

Dad built our kitchen in the 70's. Knocked through the tiny scullery into the main kitchen so a good sized kitchen diner.
Did a nice job. IIRC it was a Wrighton kitchen with Creda appliances? Pretty high quality - withstood 5 kids smashing the bejaysus out of them for decades. 
Obligatory built-in hob, stacked oven and grill, flyover worktop, pine panelling around back of the units on the flyover , racy patterned vinyl flooring... You get the picture.
Best of all - It all lasted 35 years - but when they finally moved out and we were helping clear cupboards etc - the flyover STILL wasn't bolted to the rest of the worktop .
(And at the back of the corner cupboard (with the early version of the swing out shelves, obvs), there were pickled walnuts in one of those tall sweet jars - and they had come from their previous house!! - Had to try them - bit gritty, tbh)


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## carpenteire2009 (9 Feb 2021)

We are living in our house 22 years this year. The partial brick front has always had very bad mortar snots and staining on it, which was a visual irritant for years and yet I did nothing about it! Until late October last year- I finally bought some brick cleaner and spend a full morning cleaning the lot- what an improvement and why did I wait for so long to do it? Who knows....


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## OldWood (9 Feb 2021)

Good thread- got a laugh or two. 

I've lived since 1975 in possibly mid 18th C build near Edinburgh and was originally a thatched plowman's cottage. You can see where It has been through at least 3 rebuilds over the years, mine being to bring it into 20th century living. 

I am now the sole occupier and look around at my work and see the one or two bits that I should really make a list of and tackle to proper completion. Giving my wife a decent kitchen after 20 years was probably the solution to the threats of divorce, which were possibly deserved where bringing up 3 kids and having to scrape the winter ice off the insides of the windows in the mornings was the norm. 
Rob


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## --Tom-- (9 Feb 2021)

Think I have more unfinished projects than finished ones!


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## Snettymakes (9 Feb 2021)

Started renovating the family bathroom when we first moved in to this house. It's 90% done and I've made no further progress on it in 2 years 

If the wife is sensible/remembers, she'll stipulate that work on the workshop cannot commence until it's done


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## Sandyn (9 Feb 2021)

I've been in my current house for 42 years and I still haven't got everything done. I've been through: dry rot, wet rot, woodworm, (the house, not me), complete re-wiring, central heating, burst mains riser, burst loft tank, storm damage (out on the roof at 10PM at night in winter in 50MPH winds, tied on the the ladder), refurbished every room in the house several times. Also replaced a large nail rotted leaky slate roof, complete build of an extension (except block-work), building an outdoor workshop, bringing up a family and I have to say for all the problems I have had, THE most satisfying thing is when you finally stop water coming in. I remember many nights laying in bed hearing dripping water (again, the house not me). The satisfaction when you finally stop water coming in is very comforting.

It's all been a great experience, but time to let someone else look after the place for a few years and time for me to find a modern, low maintenance place, with a very large heated workshop!
Everything I do in the house is signed and dated, sometimes with a brief note on what was happening in the world that day.


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## Jelly (9 Feb 2021)

Sandyn said:


> Everything I do in the house is signed and dated, sometimes with a brief note on what was happening in the world that day.



I like that!

When I was insulating the walls of my workshop, I wrote out all the measurements for the various bits I was cutting for the stud-work on the outer concrete walls in marker pen; as I came to put the insulation in prior to closing it all up, on the spur of the moment I signed and dated all the measurements; No idea why but just felt compelled to do so.


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## Sandyn (9 Feb 2021)

Jelly said:


> No idea why but just felt compelled to do so.


I like the thought of being cursed at in 100 years time. "Look what that ar5e did.....again!!!" It all started with a decorator friend who did some wallpapering. When he stripped the paper, he found one of his relatives name on the wall from 1936. I just thought is enhanced the history of the house a tiny bit. Then I started drawing the outline of my kids on the wall any time a room was stripped and decorated. After that, I just got into the habit of marking what I had done and when. I also buried a time capsule in the garden under one of the massive stones the clothes pole is anchored in. (watched too much Blue Peter when I was young!)


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## Robbo60 (10 Feb 2021)

carpenteire2009 said:


> We are living in our house 22 years this year. The partial brick front has always had very bad mortar snots and staining on it, which was a visual irritant for years and yet I did nothing about it! Until late October last year- I finally bought some brick cleaner and spend a full morning cleaning the lot- what an improvement and why did I wait for so long to do it? Who knows....


I know, I am very annoyed with myself for dicking about for 20 years


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