Badger Towers

Wed 10th March

Up early for dentist, then a series of faffs around town, culminating in collecting an Oxford City Council Building Control form and two almond croissants from Cafe Loco, which is going to become a bad habit.

Unbelievably I get a parking permit from Oxford County Council despite not having changed address yet. Win!  “You down with OCC? Yeah you know me!”  They also give us some fun scratchcards. If you scratch off the correct date you get 24hrs free parking! Yay.

I get the Building Control form home and we find out that the bargain price for building regs is £906 to cover multiple works.  That’s slightly more than the £150 I was expecting.  Because I’m trying to do this properly I’m getting stung left right and centre by people who want a slice. It’s just a bloody 1.2m side extension.  I’m considering installing a Slough Shed. It’d be a lot less bother & cost and I’d get income at the same time.

Whilst getting irate about building regulation costs, I discover that bulk developers who make housing estates often put a clause in the deeds that you must pay them if you ever want to extend or alter your property. This is a handy source of continuing income for them. Although my house has nothing to do with this kind of develper this makes me furious and I start shouting at my computer.

After a bit more fuming and some swearing I discover that I can classify the work into the slightly lower price of £444, which is still a massive rip off, but saves my blood pressure for now.

Talking of blood pressure, Legal & General call me up to ask me questions about my life insurance policy I had to take for the mortgage lender (more useless expenses). They bring up premature death of siblings and I suddenly get really upset. Thanks, I needed that today.

Today was a day of two halves. Tomorrow will be better, I hope. I have to hand it to Mrs Badger again, she’s got a bargain priced shower and toilet for the new bathroom.  It’s great working together to get something done: one of you can compensate for the other having a bad day. People talk about getting married in all these floaty morally superior tones, but it turns out this is what it was for - getting on with life.

Found today: What Slough Sheds are (thanks to Philip Bragg)