kevinjohnsonmbe

Very envious!!

Insurance (after the scrutiny of the claim, the voice tone analysing and the mealy mouthed wrangling and wriggling of the insurance company) is just a cheque in the post (if you get one!). It doesn't necessarily account for the worry (before any potential failure), the disruption and upheaval of possibly having to move out whilst repairs are effected and the potential for personal injury. I know that all sounds very dramatic and is an example of worse case scenario. But frankly, I'd be surprised if the mortgage and insurance companies didn't require a fairly extensive report prior to underwriting and then periodically thereafter. So there's an enduring cost which as a stand alone consideration is likely to cause the prospective purchaser to consider removal.

There's the voice of reason! Yes, it would be a great pity, but here is a situation that can only get worse as the tree matures. Nice tree, poor situation. Do what you can to mitigate the loss by replanting something more suited to the built up environment.

"If you don't like it buy another house" is a fairly abrupt and (perhaps) a little rash without knowing all the reasons that might make this house attractive to the potential purchaser. Looking to the positive, here's a proactive approach from what appears to be a rational and considerate (regarding trees) person. The next one along might just say "hey, that's the house for me, get that tree out of the way!" It's an unfortunate reality that people make poor choices when planting and fail to consider the 10, 20, 30, 40+ year implications. Unless it has or in the future gets a TPO, I wouldn't want to bet too much that this tree will survive unscathed. If it's not the new owner I'd bet the neighbours won't be too long before they're lobbying for reduction / removal.

Laughing!

On a relative scale.... Probably less than is pumped into UK farming subsidies.

Agreed! I totally support renewable technologies - and I've put my money where my mouth is with solar PV, solar thermal and biomass installed at home. In part it's to reduce my dependence on "grid" but also with a mind to my (very small) contribution to reducing my carbon footprint. If I had a beef with turbines it would only be the apparent lack of cohesion, direction and planning policy that allows seemingly random pop-up turbines rather than a more consolidated approach like a "wind-park" There are 2 recent erections near us with another in planning. To be honest, I'm considering an investment in one of them. So, on to the money. Yes, there is no doubt DECC were caught with their pants down regarding the original PV tariff which was overly generous. That's why it's been reduced and the qualifying criteria tightened up. That's also why it's taken the muppets so long to deliver domestic RHI. But here's a point for the arm chair Marxists, yes, there are incentives for those willing and able to invest and good luck to them because if the UK doesn't achieve it's carbon targets it'll be fined by the EU and the money will be lost anyway. So which is worse (a) incentive payments for those willing & able to invest or (b) just give a load of dosh to EU in fines? Socialist / Marxist mentally, it's not the politics of equality, it's the politics of envy.

I didn't watch it ALL, had to FF because I couldn't watch (or work) at such a slow pace. I wasn't meaning to criticise fella, I was just thinking (and saying) from what I saw, it looked like it would have been quicker to cut smaller, and either drag or load on a trolley. It's only "smarter" if it's as quick or quicker and as cost effective as A N other method. There's always a balance made between man & machine.

Like it! Certain people may claim an "assumption" of authorised access to your garden in the line of their work - postman, delivery driver, milkman, utilities, TV licence etc. If they got a bite you could be in trouble. But a sign on the gate explicitly removing the "assumed" access should suffice. Local scrap dealer was prosecuted a while back for his GSD taking chunks off a thief in his yard one night. He said he's allowed to have the dog inside a building but not loose in the yard.

Notwithstanding the vid was for "demo" purposes, and I love toys as much as the next, it seemed painfully slow! I didn't even have the patience to watch the video let alone work at that pace. Surely it's too small to offer any sensible alternative to man-grunt???

I've had it a couple of years, from memory, I'm thinking there might be some cross over between the 2, can't exactly remember but I recall some correspondence with pelheat now you mention it. It's all a bit hazy without going back through the emails to check! Is pelheat based in Staffordshire???

Im running one of these machines: http://www.farmfeedsystems.co.uk To feed my pellet boiler. PM me if you want some details or you might find some details previously posted but can't remember the thread titles...

Flat out!

One of a very many negative consequences of the great experiment in social engineering that has been the imposition of multi culturism.

Whoops! Sent before finished typing! ..... Understanding of AA accreditation process. There's no question in my mind after today's session, AA presents the best VfM and 'credibility' in comparison to the alternatives. A good day all round, made a couple of useful contacts too! Many thanks!

Thank you for an excellent briefing session today Paul! Very informative, well structured and delivered with elegance, confidence and aplomb (despite the barracking!) I'd been looking closely at the Trustmark scheme (local auditors, cost, credibility etc) and was keen to get a first hand

Throw the baited line out there and see if you get a bite???

You beat me to it!!!!

Agree! Splitting & stacking not cost effective for customer but I'll do it if they're happy with paying for my time (that's only happened once!) and the option of grinding goes on the quote as an optional extra but is not priced unless they specifically ask for it up front.

There's a few at MI5 cryptographic and decoding section and the NSA know too Jon!

Yeah, but the ZHC is the current niche demon concept of western capitalist gang masters! Never mind that it actually provides exactly the flexibility and convenience that many seek and enjoy in achieving an effective work / life balance.

In that particular case, I did laugh last however! The job was at a "diner" which was being refurbed, bloke was bragging about how cheap and the size of the decking unit he was having fitted outside the restaurant. 2 chippies grafting away.... I casually asked if he'd considered planning/building regs. When I saw him a couple of months later he was complaining about the expense of having to change the layout and comply with building regs and file a retrospective planning app! Chimp!

Absolute classic, but no less frustrating when it happens! Punter says "I want all those stumps doing, all the mess sorted, all looking nice again." So that's what you quote for. As the weeks pass and you don't hear back, next time you're passing you see the jobs been done but still drop in to see how it went. "Yes, another guy did it a bit cheaper than you, I only had to hire a trailer and spent 2 days taking the rubbish to the tip." Reply " but you've only done ½ of what you asked me to quote for, incurred additional expense and lost 2 days of your time - confused?" Punter "yeah but my guy was £150 cheaper....." Thinks "you stupid (add yr own expletive")

Might be a long shot and not sure how best to implement it, but how about an upfront payment or credit voucher to be spent on PPE/tools (which could perhaps be returned/stored at your yard overnight) offset at maybe £100/month off the pay rates. Once repaid, transfer custody of kit to your man and call it his kit and keep him at the self employed status?? Just a thought, not sure if it would work in reality? Or, your man gets a loan (either from the bank or maybe from yourself?) buys his own kit and shows some commitment / determination to work for you? Like I say, may not be viable depending on specific circumstances but might be worth a thought??

Damned if you do // damned if you don't. He's kept the footpath open, maintained a safe passage, safe guarded his livestock from potential disease or attack from wandering dogs and protected joe public from potential risk posed by his livestock. And still they complain.....