Later on today I went out into the sticks to see a detached house built in the 1960s. It was on a modest development of houses and bungalows built, some would say in a Birchwood but the only trees I saw were anything but birches, though I might be wrong as I am not an Arboriculturist! Structurally the house was in reasonably good condition, although there was a roof I was not able to see; it was flat and it was too high up on the building for me to look at. There was, however and another flat roof to the rear, two in fact, and by dragging my ladders from one to another I could see the upper rear flat roof which held water, but was not leaking. I declined climbing up the roofslope to look down on the front flat roof, because the roof was steep and the tiles were wet because it was raining. The house was cold because the heating was off. The boiler was working but someone, no names, no pack drill, had sliced through the external drain off valve, so the system was empty of water. It is likely my Clients will wish to renew the bathroom fitments, quite possibly the kitchen and of course redecorate the whole house. They could, should they so wish, extend the front flat roofed dormer window across the house and so possibly create additional accommodation at first-floor level and open up and brighten the stairwell, but they still won't see any trees…   more »

I have just been to see an end of terraced house in a reasonably quiet road, that was built in the late 1920's. Getting to it was a somewhat circuitous, because of the one-way street system, but nevertheless once there, it was not difficult to park a car, which for a change was pleasant. So was the house; the present owners had been in occupation for the past five or so years, and during that time they have re-roofed it. They have replaced the windows, replaced bathroom and upgraded the kitchen, but my Clients will wish to remodel the kitchen in its entirety, but this should not prove problematic; it may be a bit expensive but not problematic. The house was in reasonably good decorative order, it boasts a garage and a wider than average garden. I hope that my Clients, who are moving from London will be happy; it must be quieter than London…   more »