Opening doors & Beaney

[Mary Fisher]

Most houses in the country were built before such easily changed facilities were around. There's no reason why they shouldn't be available now though.

Mary

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Do you value the opinion of those who say something's rubbish but continue to watch it? Don't think I would.

There's plenty of good stuff on TV provided you are selective about what you watch. And don't expect there to be something 'good' on 24/7. Which will probably mean recording what is worth watching so you can view when

*you* want to. Which is not a problem now given the availability of low cost PVRs.

[Rod]

Although I didn't actually say it, I was thinking new-build (and, obviously, extensive refurb/conversion). But an upgrade option would be nice as well.

And while they are at it, make it easy to fix the hinges without needing a decent chisel or router and *skill*. (Well, I haven't got much of that so the less that is needed for this job, the more I have left for other things.) Maybe just drill 35mm holes into the frame?

[Mary Fisher]

I don't.

I'm sure you're right but you do have to plough through not so good stuff to find the good, I imagine.

No, Dave, the reason we haven't a tv is because we simply don't have time to sit and watch it. I don't condemn it. We had one for about three years then one day I was in the bank and someone was paying for her licence. I realised that ours was paid by standing order and that we hadn't watched it for months so I cancelled the order there and then. We haven't missed it, honestly.

Mary

[Bruce]

People could instruct builders to make doors open any way they liked. That does not in any way negate the general reason for having doors opening in that way.

[Mary Fisher]

But they weren't going to live in them and as a rule didn't know what the eventual buyer would want.

Mary

[Roger]

The message from Bruce contains these words:

My house has several. The original front door ()currently boarded up and out of use) opens directly into the living room. The Kitchen door (same side of the house) also. In the later case the open door partly obstructs the doorway between kitchen and living room and that too opens against a wall. The second bedroom door opens outwards (it has to, the stairs split and it is partway up the second flight). The main bedroom door, in a modern partition, is also the wrong way round.

The front door and bedroom door on the stair are ancient and could be original but it is hard to be sure with a house I can't date to within

100 years. All I know for sure is that it was here when the OS boys first came ferreting around circa 1850.

[George]

[Rod]

Another reason struck me - at least for some bedrooms. If checking a sleeping child, it (probably) lets in less light from the landing.

[George]

Approximate date is around 1885

The more accurate you are with the answers the better the dating % accuracy.

[George]

I doubt it gas light was the norm when they were built and there were no gas lights on the landing you led the way by candle or parrafin lamp. Well as I said I read and read about the era. :-)

Victorian terraced house of the common man,the parents slept in the front bedroom always because it was the largest room.

[George]

oops! forgot an important statement on the last pargraph

the other main factor they slept in the front room was because if the man of the house was woring the knocker upper tapped on the bedroom window to awaken him for work.

[Rod]

I wasn't thinking only of Victorian houses! The OP said it continues to this day.

But, if the Victorians did this, did the Georgians before? And so on? I don't know enough architectural history to provide an answer - but if it suddenly started around a particular date that might help to explain its origin.

[George]

Maybe it just hasn't changed in the plans that are drawn up by the architect? ie architects are like the masons they're a guild.

Cant help you there as thats another era. ;-)

[Roger]

The message from "George" contains these words:

suggested age is decades younger than 1850. There are several features that point to earlier which don't figure in this test such as the way the main floor beams are chamfered and the scarcely dressed tree trunks used as purlins which suggest earlier. Just a low quality hovel with none of the features that tend to positively date and absence of features is as indicative of cheapness as it is a dating aid.

[Andy Hall]

Finding somewhere with free wireless internet works well. I need to take the MBP anyway and can get my recreational reading material that way.

[ARWadworth]

Neither do I.

You are in a hotel. That suggests that you are away from home. Of course there are things to do. Use the chance to see a new museum, walk around a new park or see anything new in the flesh and not on the box.

We watched most of the Beenie programme and

You do not want a Beenie:-)

A knock on the door is better than TV.

Adam

[Andy Hall]

Mmm. I agree and always take a camera with me.

Quite. Sh-udders........

You wouldn't have said that if you saw the woman attempting to come in and clean my room at 0830 this morning. Didn't bear thinking about.

[ARWadworth]

I hope you were not having a driving lesson

I am working in a hotel on a refurb at the moment and it it is very interesting.

Adam

PS You never saw the woman that left my hotel room at 0800 this morning. I hope she was not your cleaner.

[dennis]

You can't expect quality from free wireless access, you really should go out and buy a 3G card as you only get what you pay for and what do hamburger joints know about WiFi, after all they should stick to selling food, diversifying into WiFi, tools, etc. is such a bad thing!