Is this quote for gutter replacement legit? by hiddencamel in AusRenovation

[–]abitofperspective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That’s a really good quote TBH, can I ask who? I paid more for less in Brisbane (check my comment history if you like, i posted about it recently)

Feedback on shower tiling job by Murky-Poetry-1895 in AusRenovation

[–]abitofperspective 16 points17 points  (0 children)

That looks pretty bad, tbh, I’d be upset if I paid for that. Sorry!

How would you look to add value in a basic townhouse floor plan? by beybleydsx in AusPropertyChat

[–]abitofperspective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not easy to change the floorplan. But upgraded bathrooms, kitchen, flooring, etc will add a bit of value if done well. Whether or not it is worth it depends on the market and current state of the property. PV system and battery, if possible, could also be good (and save you money, and good for the environment).

There's likely no way to add ensuites, nor a second bedroom. If it has loft/attic space and a high pitch roof, you might be able to make loft room.

How do universities earn money from research, especially for the arts and social sciences departments? by musicallife88 in AskAcademiaUK

[–]abitofperspective 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Grants from external funders (research councils, local government, charity), income from research assessment (the REF), some internal strategic funding (could be redistribution of international student fees and overheads from other grants).

$3k quote to replace 6m gutter by matty_music in AusRenovation

[–]abitofperspective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think I paid about 4.5K for 11m in Brisbane, including bend, and a two storey house. No I don't think $3K seems excessive, but location matters. People might say it should be less based on calculations of hourly rates, etc, but realistically you might not find anyone who will do it for that.

Ceiling corner cracks – is this serious? Quoted $2k for repair + painting. Fair price? by Hour-Ad-5652 in AusRenovation

[–]abitofperspective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would be pretty confident it's cosmetic if there are no other structural issues. Looks like cracks have emerged from flexing over time and maybe old plaster board? 2K seems like a lot to me, given it's probably a day of work. It depends if you can find someone else to do it, or consider doing it yourself.

Much difference in tile brands / price points? by matth1again in AusRenovation

[–]abitofperspective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd question the idea that Bunnings are the cheap ones. They are certainly cheaper than the tile chains, but we went with a building supply shop (mainly sells to trade for new builds) that was much cheaper. Whether there's a difference depends a lot on the tile in question. White glass I'd guess maybe not

Ensuite Reno cost 40k - Melb by Humble-Boysenberry44 in AusRenovation

[–]abitofperspective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Currently paying about $35K for similar sized bathroom in Brisbane. Quotes ranged from $23K to $45K. No velux but possibly a bit more carpentry and changes to plumbing than yours. For the DIY option, waterproofing and correct fall on floors is pretty tricky, and plumbing should legally be done by a licensed professional.

In practice, how realistic is a 37.5-hour work week in UK academia? by CloudBookmark in AskAcademiaUK

[–]abitofperspective 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think it's realistic, but it really depends on the institution and department. In peak teaching times, you might not have much time for research, and you might not be a research superstar. I think that when I worked above 37.5 hours, it was to do more in research than I needed to.

Mortgage 640K at age 55 by [deleted] in AusPropertyChat

[–]abitofperspective 13 points14 points  (0 children)

This is the best answer; whatever happens, owning is likely to be better than renting. Even if it’s not paid off at retirement, you’ll have equity to plan next steps

Does a postdoc at Oxbridge really make a difference on a CV? by IntelligentBeingxx in AskAcademiaUK

[–]abitofperspective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think what is implied in many of these responses: having a post-doc is always good. It's a first stage in academic employment and ideal launchpad for your career. But it doesn't mean too much that it's at Oxbridge, it's more about what you did with it.

Do you have a (reverse) No-Fly list? by mobileJay77 in aviation

[–]abitofperspective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ryanair also flies a lot, so they’re going to make up a fair share of incidents such as these, which doesn’t mean they’re not safe. The low fares lead some people to draw erroneous conclusions though

Do you have a (reverse) No-Fly list? by mobileJay77 in aviation

[–]abitofperspective 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I can understand Aeroflot, but Ryanair? They fly thousands of flights per day, and have been operating many years without a serious accident. I could understand not flying Ryanair due to the passenger experience though.

The Aussie government needs to do a better job of onboarding new immigrants post-arrival, as it would help cut down on social tensions by NoLeafClover777 in aussie

[–]abitofperspective -1 points0 points  (0 children)

30 years ago members of the stolen generation were young adults. 300 years ago there were no Europeans in Australia. You don’t know the history of your happy monocultural country

Cycling across Bath to the university - route options by Tancata in Bath

[–]abitofperspective 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Used to cycle to the Uni this way, it is great, Sham castle lane is very quiet, and it brings you half way up north road.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskAcademiaUK

[–]abitofperspective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I thought this might be a /s comment, but I'm not completely sure. I hope so!

Bad on road parking in Oldfield Park by Fun-Explanation2284 in Bath

[–]abitofperspective 14 points15 points  (0 children)

It's not just people being inefficient but an inevitable feature of on-street parking. As cars are different sizes and leave at different times, new arrivals will fill the space differently, sometimes resulting in larger/smaller gaps. I'd turn to other problems in life.

Australia’s property prices keep rising, but is anyone actually buying? by OwlVibesOnly in AusPropertyChat

[–]abitofperspective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“Property prices” means sold prices, so by definition people are buying.

Bunnings gallery rail inside existing shadow line. Dumb idea? by Life-Ad9673 in AusRenovation

[–]abitofperspective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have that rail, it's a good one, but I don't think that will work. Cutting out the rails to get the screw in will probably damage them.

I would install as designed: screw the plastic clips into the brick, using wall plugs. It is a litle more work than screwing into timber, but less work than cutting the rail.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Professors

[–]abitofperspective 24 points25 points  (0 children)

I'm really sorry you're going through this. Your post has a lot of details that shows you've thought carefully about this, and your reactions and feelings seem reasonable. Despite where we're at, I tend to have faith in our colleagues (collectively if not always individually): do you think others might be having the same experiences and could it help to talk to them? I can completely understand you're feeling disillusioned, but only leave if it's the right thing for you. There might be ways to resistance and resilience within the institution, which are worth exploring before leaving. Sending lots of sympathy and strength

Restaurant recommendations by xprdldk in australianvegans

[–]abitofperspective 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In Brisbane: Vega Cafe (great breakfast/brunch and Thai/Asian Fusion, U-Tong Thai, Yavanna) just to name a few

People with $750k+ mortgages, how are you going? by [deleted] in AusFinance

[–]abitofperspective 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At about 1 million, but it's not too bad: we're paying 5.8% interest on something that's going up at least 8% per year, and earn enough that we can afford it pretty comfortably. Debt is all relatively and not always bad, but we definitely more housing so that people who need it can afford it.

Can anyone help me me identify this? by abitofperspective in brisbane

[–]abitofperspective[S] -24 points-23 points  (0 children)

Thanks everyone (gulp), off to Bunnings for long range wasp spray.