2020 just got a bit worse!

Drop in and dribble on about nothing serious. Seriously a mad place to hang out. Better to avoid it if you're not in the mood!!! If you're determined to be sad, bad, mad & angry then move along!!!
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Swisslulu
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Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:39 pm
Location: RV Homebase Fraser Coast Qld
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2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by Swisslulu »

Last week we went away with friends to stay at Gum Tree Lodge and Bush Camping at Howard, about 30 minutes drive up the Bruce Highway. Started about 15 months ago, it is being developed by the former owners of the Conway Beach CP and will be really lovely when finished and they get some rain to fill the dams. Cheap too - $25 pn power and water, $20 unpowered, pay 3 stay 4 or pay 5 stay 7, so our week only Cost us $100 unpowered.

All was going well until Sunday evening, as we were about to have our first drink, when my mobile rang. It was my neighbour calling to tell me that there was some kind of water problem at the house as she could see and hear water dripping underneath. I gave her the key safe code so she could investigate. Disaster! The tap that is plumbed for an ice maker fridge, which we don’t have, was pouring water out at a great rate and had obviously been doing so for a couple of days. More than an inch of water through the whole house except the bathrooms.

After the water and power were switched off, she rounded up a bunch of neighbours and they squeegeed all the water from the hard floors out into the garage and down the driveway but the damage had been done.

Next morning I phoned a plumber at 7am, explained the urgency and he was there within the hour. The washer inside the tap had completely disintegrated allowing water to pour out. He replaced the tap with a blank as we don’t use it.

Phoned the insurance company at 7.30am Qld time as their office is in NSW. Was told an assessor would be out that day. The assessor called within 2 hours, saying she would be arriving soon and a builder and a restoration company would also be arriving shortly. All the vinyl plank flooring and carpets were removed, a skip was delivered for the debris, as much furniture as possible was moved to the deck and garage and 14 dehumidifiers and water suckerupperers having been running 24/7 ever since. The restorer thinks it will take 5 days to dry out.

The insurance company would have paid for our accommodation elsewhere but we decided to stay in the motorhome in the garage. Another lovely neighbour offered us their house as they were leaving for a few months the next day.

Once we are dried out, the assessor will make a manifest of the contents and what can and can’t be salvaged. Then two builders quotes for the structural repairs. Due to the proximity to Christmas, not much else will happen until the new year.

So, not a great end to what has been a very ordinary year, but we have our health and are grateful for that.
Cheers
Lesley
Our Blog: http://lesleyanderich.wordpress.com
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supersparky
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Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:00 pm
Location: Home on the beautiful Gold Coast for a while.

Re: 2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by supersparky »

That isn't a good way to end the year Lesley, but in a back handed way, you may have been a bit lucky. You sure have good neighbours. :D
Cheers
David

David and Terrie with Bandit the travelling companion
2006 Winnebago Alpine
Recently retired and loving it.
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Dot
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Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 6:12 pm
Location: Strathalbyn SA

Re: 2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by Dot »

You certainly made first place for the end of this shit house year. At least you you weren't there and with power on. Keep smiling I am sure Santa will fix it all up . xx
Queen of the Banal & OT chatter and proud of it. If it offends you then tough titty titty bang bang.
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Keith Morris
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Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:09 am
Location: WYALKATCHEM, WA

Re: 2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by Keith Morris »

"tanks" here---
NICE TO HAVE NICE helpful NEIGHBOURS.
Always a parking spot for you at the Dysart Bunker.
Keith.

I'm now 85 years of age and living in WA, single (gave up looking), white hair, no teeth, no address, no money, no worries.
native pepper
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Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:21 am
Location: Tasmania

Re: 2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by native pepper »

Once over the shock, you could look at it as a renovation and update the damaged areas. When neighbours are good friends, you live in a good place. Next year will be better Leslie, we all hope.
WarrenK
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Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 8:56 pm

Re: 2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by WarrenK »

We had a cold water SS sheathed hose blow under our vanity unit in our bathroom. Thankfully we were home and got to it quickly before too much flooding occurred. Since then we turn off the water to the house when we go away more than one night.
Shirley
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Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:06 pm
Location: Lake Macquarie. NSW.

Re: 2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by Shirley »

Wow, that sure is an unexpected upset & so close to Christmas but all will be fixable & you are both ok that's the main thing, guess you'll have everything new again when you finally move back into the house.
Shirley & Bruce.
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Greynomad
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Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:16 pm
Location: Rutherglen, Vic.

Re: 2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by Greynomad »

Bummer, Lesley!
But it shows you have a great bunch of neighbours.
If I were you, I’d never move house!
Renovate the house as often as you like, so long as your set of neighbours doesn’t change.
... and I’d be organising a street BBQ as a thank you/Christmas party. 👍
Regards & God bless,
Ray
--
"Insufficient data for a meaningful answer."
Isaac Asimov, "The Last Question"

"I refuse to drink water, because of the disgusting things fish do in it"
W.C.Fields
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Swisslulu
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Location: RV Homebase Fraser Coast Qld
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Re: 2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by Swisslulu »

Thanks everyone. We were fortunate that the neighbours absorbed the shock for us. Several told us they were almost in tears. When we got home it didn’t look too bad.

Lesson learnt. Turn off all the taps before we leave home. Though many of our neighbours didn’t even know they had this tap as they were “hidden” behind cupboards or in cupboards. The neighbour who discovered the issue swore blind she did not have one - found tea cosies hanging off it in a cupboard!

Yes, the upside is, full internal repaint because the original was ordinary. New vinyl planks properly laid and new furniture although what we lost was only 6.5 years old. Not much choice in Maryborough so will be checking out the Sunny Coast and Brisbane over Christmas.

Every cloud has a silver lining and that is what we are focusing on. It could have been worse - well it might be if the the wall behind the fridge does not dry out but, in the end , insurance is paying. We just have to be patient. Maybe a trip to SA will fill in the time.

Thanks for your support.
Cheers
Lesley
Our Blog: http://lesleyanderich.wordpress.com
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dream4red
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Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:46 pm
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: 2020 just got a bit worse!

Post by dream4red »

Lesley, what a great way to spent your holidays and what fabulous neighbours you have. Ours would not even have noticed the leak for about a week, so you were very lucky. I think it would be worth buying a lottery ticket with luck like that.
You still have each other and houses can be repaired or replaced and thank goodness you had insurance with a company that acted as quickly as yours.
Good luck with all the extra stress, hopefully you will make it a picnic. Not a good excuse to get new furniture, but still it should feel lovely once it's all done.xxx
Deborah


Just get out there and enjoy life
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