Expensive things that are a bit rubbish

new build houses

genuinely not being snobby about this, there are lots of things that can be done better for very little cost difference (I’m thinking solar panels being a requirement for all new builds, thermal standards etc)

solar panels being a requirement for all new builds

Most new builds around here seem to have them – I thought there was at least some kind of incentive..?

You seem upset, did I take your turn?

No, just pointing out your silly troll 🙂

Dyson, rubbish?

We were given an old DC04 (?) that didn’t work (as it “didn’t have any suck and always stops working after five minutes” – it was just blocked up, because it had never had the filters cleaned or the U-bend cleaned – so the motor overheated and tripped)

I washed the filters and cleaned the blocked tube. That was about six years ago. It still works perfectly.

Expensive it might be but I can’t say it’s a bit rubbish.

genuinely not being snobby about this, there are lots of things that can be done better for very little cost difference

Making the rooms big enough to swing a medium sized cat in would be a start.

Making the rooms big enough to swing a medium sized cat in would be a start.

In order to do that you need more land, which makes your house very much more expensive. Or you build three storey houses, like mine.

that must add up

Yes it does, but given that the thread is for things that are expensive and rubbish, your point is somewhat invalid. Bikes are ace. Not rubbish.

MTB Marathons.

£35 to ride on Public Rights of Way?

Dualit toasters.

Ours is 31 this year, just treated it to first set of new elements (One side of one of them was toasting unevenly, but still just about working).

Paris Hilton

Dualit toasters

Ours was second hand to us 10 years ago, where it had come from several years’ service in a works kitchen. Barely even cleaned it, let alone had to repair it.

It’ll probably blow up now.

doesn’t get much more expensive or much more useless than this

Nukes stopped the cold war from ever going hot, if there had been no nukes, Russian T-55’s would have stormed accross Europe a long time ago.

Nuclear war makes large scale industrial war between developed nations a losing proposition for both sides, without them, one side will always believe that they have a chance of gaining something from war.

Yeah, new builds. Shyte !

Ever increasing prices, still shonky planning, workmanship and finishing.

MidlandTrailquestsGraham – Member
MTB Marathons.

£35 to ride on Public Rights of Way?
Signs, maps, prizes, organisation, marshalls, first aid cover?

solar panels being a requirement for all new builds

These would CSH level 3 dwellings built under May 09 guidance. Now most are built using fabric first approach and thus no renewables.

In order to do that you need more land, which makes your house very much more expensive. Or you build three storey houses, like mine

IIRC three storeys makes for lower heating cost compared to the same floor space on two storeys.

Guess you lose some floor space with the extra stairs.

@Harry, our Dyson does that (cuts out all the time) and its because the battery is a bit loose. Slam it with your hand, so that the battery goes completely back in, and its perfect again.

It’s a bit annoying but I just like to pretend I’m slapping in another magazine before taking down some more mofos*

*raisins, toast crumbs, rice crispies etc

Agree with OP re Dyson’s.

Poor build quality and about as much suction as a 200 year old emphysemic tortoise using a straw with holes in – utter gash. Well ours is anyway.

IT Departments!

*ducks*

Now most are built using fabric first approach and thus no renewables.

Meaning what?

I think all houses should be three storeys. 50% more floor space and no downside. Our house takes up less floor space than the normal 3 bed semis in neighbouring developments, but has two big bedrooms and one good sized, rather than two small ish and one unusable box room. Has a big living room too.

anything with crank brothers written on it

Pretty much all London property. Until the bubble bursts of course

Dyson’s how is no bad actually a good design feature, just means the dust escapes when you empty it. Apart from the fact their build quality is completely variable.

Audi A3, not as good as the VW Golf despite essentially being the same car for more cash.

Merino wool baselayers.

Austin Reed shirts.

Only on STW do you get willy waving about toasters!

Now most are built using fabric first approach and thus no renewables.

Insulate beyond building regs, focus on airtightness, effective windows and doors.

Code for Sustainable Homes is a well intentioned but poorly designed standard that creates some perverse incentives. There are too many ‘points’ for renewables so they’re not a requirement but it’s easier/cheaper (and requires fewer changes to the way they build) for housebuilders to just stick some solar panels on the roof.

Likewise the EPC energy performance rating. As I understand impossible to get an A rating without renewables, even if you’ve no requirement for heating (completely passive).

Encouraging then – our neighbours have put their house on the market and it’s been given a B rating.

Do they test this or look at your bills or something?

Signs, maps, prizes, organisation, marshalls, first aid cover?

Yeah, considering the number of riders you see on these events, compared to the number of riders you see on exactly the same PRoWs on any other day of the year, I guess that list must be an important requirement for a lot of people.
For some of us though, it’s just £35 to ride on bridleways.

Same goes for sportives and public roads.

surroundedbyhills – Member

IT Departments!

*ducks*

Careful now!

ps – I really like my not that old Dyson and Dualit products.

Parliamentary democracy

Encouraging then – our neighbours have put their house on the market and it’s been given a B rating.
Do they test this or look at your bills or something?

Paper exercise based on what is meant to be installed and a lot of assumptions. Takes no account of how well it’s done (eg is the insulation tightly butted and taped or just thown in?) or actual energy use.

HS2 it’s gonna cost lots and still be delayed and late.

SammyC – Member

@Harry, our Dyson does that (cuts out all the time) and its because the battery is a bit loose. Slam it with your hand, so that the battery goes completely back in, and its perfect again.

Thanks, I’ll try that.

Lock n’ Load!

Thanks, I’ll try that.

Lock n’ Load!

I’d suggest NOT slamming the thing with your fist, but slightly shimming the gap between battery and its retainer / lid, whatever.

Cars. Expensive and rubbish. I resent spending thousands of pounds on something I have to drive to get to boring meetings, usually through interminable traffic jams and roadworks, surrounded by thousands of rude, selfish idiots.

I realise that this is something of a minority viewpoint, however, and nearly everyone else in the UK thinks spending vast chunks of their hard-earned on something that makes them angry and fat is just brilliant. Ho hum.

Cars aren’t rubbish, it’s your lifestyle that’s rubbish.

Cars, as objects, are absolutely incredible things, and given how much work has gone into each one it’s amazing how cheap thye are. You just listed a load of problems with modern life, not problems with cars.

PS cars don’t make you angry and fat – you make yourself angry and fat. Cycling is just one way to make yourself thin and happy, there are others.

if you read too much molgrips you’ll become angry and fat

Jamies Restarants.

Overpriced grilled veg and pasta 🙄

You just listed a load of problems with modern life, not problems with cars.

Modern Life is Rubbish!

Parliamentary democracy

not many credible alternatives around, though?

vast chunks of their hard-earned on something that makes them angry and fat is just brilliant

Buy an older one, spend less money. You can buy some decent old cars for very little money.

Women! Just when you think you’ve found a reliable and economical version it starts producing children ffs!

17 year old Dyson which still works just fine here – it was certainly a step up on anything else available at the time.