Off to Abbots Leigh to-   more »

Off to Abbots Leigh to-day to see a significantly extended 1960's, or thereabouts, built house.  It probably started off as a smallish chalet style bungalow, but it has been extended so many times in the past, well at least four, which I must say seems a bit much, and it could be further extended if my clients wishes!  No real problems, but the garage ceiling here has the dreaded asbestos panelling that will have to go - on health grounds, but, with my non-medical qualifications, you are more likely to win the lottery without even buying a ticket than contract asbestosis, nevertheless... The house has a septic tank, smelling as sweet as a nut (actually, of course, no smell at all) and with a good crust on it's surface that shows it's working well!

Inspected a pleasant converted flat in a Victorian house in Redland to-day.  Not bad, but the roof was all over the place!  Nevertheless, ,it had been comprehensively strengthened and movement was historic, as was the movement of the walls.  Not a bad flat with a garden and a cellar, but the vendor should have kept wine in it in stead of a washing machine!

Looked at a Victorian terraced house to-day, owned by a roofing contractor - and guess what - it needs new roof over the bathroom!  Some issues with the rear walls, that may have been re-built, but the area was heavily bombed during the last war and it was comprehensively mined for coal in the 18th century!  Nevertheless, not a bad little house, full of promise and plenty of scope for improvement.

I went to Airpoint in Bedminster to-day for the first time on a second mortgage valuation.  Very pleasant development of about 255 flats on  seven floors; 3 lifts, roof top running track, communal recreation area and a bar-b-que area, pool room and function room.  Oh! the flat quite ordinary really....

And then to a modern house in Stoke Bishop.  All single pitched roofs and rendered concrete block walls, very 'outre', not in bad condition, but a cheap house to build in an expensive area.  Still, there is ample room to extend and improve, if you've got the money  after you have bought the property...

Went to Saltford to see an extended bungalow - who would want to travel through Saltford when there are road works about on a very hot summer's day!  The bungalow was 'quite nice' - well, the vendor is extremely proud of it - he's doing it as a 'project', so that no one else can build next to him and he does not want anyone who has a cat to purchase it - nought as queer as folk as they say up north!  Talking of cats, the roof was too hot to walk on, so now I know where the phrase 'cat on a hot tin (tiled) roof ' comes from!

An attractive small detached cottage, not really on the market but my Client found it and it does have those SPECTACULAR views over the Chew Valley. Odd little property, a bit like 'Topsy' - it's just grown and grown! Not bad nick either.  It was very peaceful and quiet and no real traffic, apart from the occasional tractor, a couple of cars , the ubiquitous jogger and a man on a bicycle, oh and the postman!

Been back to another flat in the adjoining/same building - boring really, but at least I knew some of the answers!

Been away for a few days, hope you don't mind, in Spain, so good weather, but awful builders!  Interestingly enough their largest developer went bust the day I arrived, nothing to do with me, for huge, huge amounts of euros.  Another is on their way and property prices are seemingly crashing.  Hey ho, funny old world.

I found this little cottage tucked away behind a Trading Estate.  Who would have thought such a cottage existed, but it does, one of three sharing an access path and approached through the said Trading Estate!  All quite fine, but I think that it was younger than it's neighbours as there was clear evidence that the party wall in the roof void was at one time rendered, so making it an external wall on to which was built the cottage, circa 1750-ish, difficult to tell, because most of it's original features had been removed.  Still some remained in the roof, that, for once was not leaking, unlike the three other dwellings I've seen recently.  Good value too...and quiet, very quiet at evenings and week ends I expect, despite the Trading Estate.

This was a much smaller flat in a Georgian Terrace, just off Park Street that were originally designed by Thomas Paty circa 1790, I think!  The houses were either damaged during enemy action of the last war, or somehow or other, I believe they became a furniture repository for Jolly's, then trading in Bristol. I think they were about to be demolished, but were saved and converted into about 40 flats, all a bit 'higgledy - piggledy, but they work. Built on six floors, cellar, basement, ground and three upper floors, they have been in part re-roofed, but...

This is a HUGH first floor balcony flat, just away from the centre of Clifton. Really helpful Management man in the top floor flat makes a pleasant change, so access to the roof was easy, thanks if you read this!  Old 'war glass' in many of the windows because a WWII bomb exploded close by on the terrace, must have been a bit of a shock at the time for those living there at the time, but little of the original damage remains.  Exterior was as well maintained as one could hope, but dear oh dear, in what a mess do the tenants live! Damaged cornicing, damaged timbers, horrible kitchen, bathroom not much better, but thankfully my clients will renovate it and have all of this planned. Hope they don't mind spending a fortune, but at least they can see where their money goes!

Don't some people have all the luck - or they just happen to be in the right place at the right time - many of my Clients do!  I have just looked at a delightful cottage, one that has not been wrecked by idiot developers!  A lovely stone built small house - a cottage with an open aspect from the rear garden, a gardeners joy at one time with veggie plot and boarders.  It was occupied by an elderly gent and of course it does need modernisation, with care and attention, but as I said to my client, water comes out of the tap, electricity out of the plugs and lights shine when switched on and as a bonus, the roof doesn't leak - badly! What a lucky find and I'm so pleased there was nothing desperately wrong with it.

Had a look at a converted church today -that's a little unusual -normally I go to church for a quinquenial review (of the building, not of me!)  A pleasant change, but boy did it rain outside as well as inside!  To be fair, only a very little bit so no one will get very excited - well they shouldn't!

Well, to-day I had to look at five properties in different parts of the city, all for inheritance tax purposes - well I suppose for IHT, because the owner had passed away..., not surprising seeing the way he kept the houses.  All a bit boring really and smelly too, but there you go - one of the joys of being a surveyor!

This is a test entry on Andrew Beards blog.