Originally Posted by ann m (Post 5199798)

Thanks for all the replies folks - especially the relevant ones :p

It can no harm in getting some ideas and a quote, at least. I'll let you know how I get on and what my impressions are in due course !!

Originally Posted by Souvenir (Post 5198642)

Yes honey.

If there are two more useful words in a man's vocabulary, I have yet to find them.

Originally Posted by ann m (Post 5199798)

Thanks for all the replies folks - especially the relevant ones :p

Originally Posted by Piff Poff (Post 5199758)

Hmmmm - every word from my previous post has been written from experience. For example we renovated our kitchen in the UK - we started knocking down walls in July - hubby promised me it would be ready for crimbo so we could have people for crimbo rather than having to drive all over the country visiting rellies. In November we got a man in to finish the plastering and put the cabinets up and put the work top on. 2 Days before crimbo we boarded a flight to Florida (I didn't want to drive all over the country visiting rellies). We eventually got the tiles up and grouting done and painting done for the house to go on the market in Feb - he flew out here to start work end of march. Kitchen and living room still needed skirting boards and new floors when we sold the place.

So forgive me my wifely comments if I don't want my en-suite to take 8 months to do (especially as he thinks we should do 2 bathrooms at once:eek:).

I am actually very patient, hence why we have so many cars in various states of repair. When we moved in this house last May, hubby promised that the en-suite would be done that winter. At least one bathroom will be done this winter - even if it is a tradesman that comes to do the stuff I can't - i.e. plumbing and knocking down walls and lighting - i'll do the rest. Let me remind you how bad it is.........No No I can't subject you all to that hideous sight again:p

Originally Posted by Atlantic Xpat (Post 5199007)

In a similar fashion "yes dear". For me it becomes an automatic response. Similar to 'that can be dangerous' as an auto-response to Mrs AX's 'I've been thinking."

Originally Posted by Tuppence (Post 5202130)

I think you and my husband must have been to the same training school! He rolls out those exact phrases all the time :curse::D

Originally Posted by Atlantic Xpat (Post 5202179)

I did used to vary 'that can be dangerous' with 'I thought I could smell burning' as a response to 'Ive been thinking', but the pain became too much.:ohmy:

Originally Posted by Tuppence (Post 5202357)

You must have been on the receiving end of the 'scowl of death' that we women use on such occasions! (or perhaps the good old 'kick in the bollocks' :ohmy:)

Originally Posted by Tuppence (Post 5202357)

You must have been on the receiving end of the 'scowl of death' that we women use on such occasions! (or perhaps the good old 'kick in the bollocks' :ohmy:)

Originally Posted by Judy in Calgary (Post 5200495)

Ann, one piece of advice.

Get it in writing!


Edited to add link to CMHC's advice about hiring a contractor. You ignore these recommendations at your peril.

For what it's worth, we hired a tiler through Home Depot, and he was excellent.

Originally Posted by Souvenir (Post 5202622)

The scowl of death. A woman's weapon of first resort.

I'm still nursing the radiation burns from my last little faux pas.

Woman gets in from works and demands her glass of wine. We're out of the usual plonk so I graciously open a bottle of my beloved St Emilion. Two minutes later I find a bottle of plonk in a cupboard.

Mutters: "shit; I've just given you the good stuff".

Two photon torpedoes straight in the head.

Originally Posted by Piff Poff (Post 5202971)

Well deserved if you are silly enough to mutter in supersonic earshot:eek::rofl: