Chriselle 158 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 ...but Mrs. Snowdude might have a slight objection to the entertainment.... Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Mrs. Snowdude would indeed object to that kind of entertainment. I think I can get away with the rest though no problem.hehe. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 26, 2014 Author Share Posted January 26, 2014 Very interesting talking to the two companies yesterday, spent over 2 hours with each bombarding them with questions. Good thing was we got very similar answers on some of the main question we had, which I'm glad about. Liked them both actually and got on well with them. They were quite different though. One a company going for 50+ years and lots of experience but perhaps traditional. Very 'Japanese office' feel. The other company was much more modern and young feeling, the office was more oshare etc as was lots of the work they have done. Gave them lots of ideas of things we like, things we don't like etc. They are both going to send us their ideas 1-2 weeks from now so it will be very interesting to see what they come up with. Link to post Share on other sites
634-maru 4 Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Did they give you any kind of idea on cost? Suppose too early for that. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 26, 2014 Author Share Posted January 26, 2014 Impossible to say as it was just throwing ideas around. They wanted an about number, but I didn't want to limit them (while at the same time stressing to not get carried away). When they submit the plan they'll be sending a number too. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Nice shed, snowdude. Tempted to build one myself. Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Thx. If you do decide to make a shed be sure you got a drill to screw the screws in unless you want a knackered arm and shoulder. I used my cordless drill made life so easy. Just the base of my shed has 1000 screws in it. I think I used more than 5000 screws in the end. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I can believe it. I just use my Makita cord drill for screwing in situations like that. The cordless screwdriver I have ("gift" from the homebuilding company) is pretty much useless -- stores about enough juice to hang a single picture frame on sheetrock. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 Ahh tools. One day I'll be out buying some of them I reckon. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Cordless drills are great for loads of things, I even use mine when I change tyres to speed things up, but I think I'd buy a nailer if I was building a shed. Good stepladders too. My cordless is a 18V Bosch off Amazon US. The dollar's a lot higher now, but it might still be cheaper than in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I hate cordless drills.... I have a Dewalt, Ryobi, and Hitachi all sitting in the garbage bin right now because the battery sets lasted only a year or so. Replacement batteries cost more than buying a completely new drill and battery set. It's despicable actually as all three bodies are in perfect shape. I talked with the Dewalt rep when I was back in Canada over Christmas and all he said was........ Link to post Share on other sites
redcabbage 0 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 oh, and yes, please buy another! Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Ya...that's what he followed with...!! $%ers... Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 Fences. We get on well with our neighbour, not that we see them all that much.... there's about 10m between the houses. In planning my garden, I want to make a fence between us. Not a huge great big hulking thing, maybe 1.2-1.5m height. A nice looking thing. Actually there's a 'sort of' fence for about 1/3 of the line now - not particularly nice - but the rest is simply some old brick blocks. I think that is just within their boundary, but it kind of acts as a fence on our side too of course. Had a quick word with them and they basically seemed to say please feel free to do if you like - but we don't have any money to spend on an expensive fence. I'm moving forward thinking that we'll just do what we want, and pay for it, and have it just within the property line for that 2/3 bit. But fences and property lines are a real difficult topic aren't they? Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 What did the gardening companies you ask recommend? Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 We didn't actually discuss details of that with them actually. It's something I have been thinking about since then. They are both coming back to me by the end of next week with general ideas and a plan which I'm really looking forward to. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 I met a guy from a third loal company the other day actually, but he was more into simple planting flowers and trees rather than landscaping and creating a plan. I got the impression that what I'm asking is not really the kind of thing he does. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Biggest source of neighbour disputes hey? Even though the neighbour would 'enjoy it' - even if they did not choose it - you're probably best up just planning for yourself like you say.. if you can afford that. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Hedge with evergreens..?? Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I was interested to hear what they say, but what I'd recommend are SHUBBERIES Basically any nice wooden fence will need painting every year and you said you don't want to do maintenance. In Japan, I suspect a painted fence will still rot pretty quick. Mega rain and strong UV when its not raining. You mightn't get 10 years. Unlike wooden siding, fences don't have roofs with overhangs above them. A box hedge will get crushed by snow, so I recommend just a line of deciduous bushes. Blueberries would do a pretty good job. Flowers in spring, delicious berries, and then crimson autumn colour. If you're not bothered about berries and can't be fussed picking them, a bush called a doudan tsutsuji will give you blueberry esque flowers and mega spectacular autumn colour. They go Kyoto maple scarlet. Other azaleas and rhodedendrons will do a similar job. You can get ones that flower in all different colours. Like blueberries, they're all the height you mentioned. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 One of the companies showed us a bit of fencing that looked very much like wood - but it was actually an extremely strong plastic. I don't have the name of it but I really liked it and the idea of it being strong and not needing painting. That as the top half and some kind of brick work as the bottom bit. Sounds attractive to me. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 They also showed us a garden shed type thing which was actually a strong metal skeleton but very attractive looking on the outside. Wasn't cheap but it looked great. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 Hold on. No that fence wasn't plastic, I have it written here it's aluminium (?) Obviously my questions are building up quickly! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I've noticed up here that although many houses have gardens around the house, they don't have fences or walls to speak of......I wonder why.....perhaps the snow? Anyone got any idea? Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts