Although he hasn’t actually started work yet, I have great faith in the latest tradesman to investigate some urgent jobs in my money-pit of a house. It appears that the leaking cistern in my office bathroom can easily be replaced until I’ve saved up for and chosen a new cloakroom suite and furniture and that I don’t need to have the entire floor dug up and drainage altered so that a new loo can be fitted. It’s taken three months and three tradesmen to get to this stage… The first charged for a quick fix that turned out to be unsuccessful, told me to call if it didn’t work and was subsequently busy for the next three months so couldn’t return. The two loos that were left in my porch by the last project manager (no I hadn’t ordered or even chosen them and yes it was the same one that decided in my absence to paint the kitchen walls bright yellow) are now outside awaiting collection.

Ken – in whom I hold much faith, was incredulous over the dodgy repair job by the first tradesman and that the second – seeing the job was something of an emergency with a bowl collecting drips from under the cistern, had done nothing to help despite having taken my keys with a view to sorting it out while I was away in August! My description of the subsequent messing around and vacating of the office so various employees could assess the situation and then come and do the work (not to turn up on two occasions without letting me know) - not to mention having  to drag two heavy loos up two steps and into my understairs cupboard for storage… well it left him scratching his head in disbelief.

Ken said he’s being inundated with requests from homeowners keen to have new kitchens and bathrooms fitted prior to the festive celebrations - and that while this is generally the case, this year is looking exceptionally good.

This echoes the opinion of Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association representatives working at the recent Grand Designs Live exhibition, whose Ruth Ward reports that there was a lot of interest in bathroom and bedroom renovations, kitchen extensions, islands and bi-fold doors. She says it’s apparent that people are choosing to improve rather than move.

With the latest reports indicating that the UK is finally coming out of the doldrums, things are clearly looking good for the KBB industry!

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Yours,

Jan Hobbs