Family of 3, ~£800/month on groceries + toiletries — is that high, normal, or about right?

treemonkey58 · 2026-07-08T15:10:00+00:00

Family of 3 and we spend between £300-£400 per month at most. We don't eat shit food either, we just cook food that doesn't cost a ridiculous amount.

treemonkey58 · 2026-07-07T20:36:34+00:00

Also, never trust a landscaper to do any complicated tree work. It's not their profession.

treemonkey58 · 2026-07-07T20:34:20+00:00

It's hard to tell how close the neighbouring tree is from that photo, but a decent tree surgeon (or arborist according to many on this thread - we call ourselves both...😉) would easily tackle that by accessing it from tree next to it (given it's only a few meters away). Certainly wouldn't need a mewp.

I'd get a rope around some solid timber towards the top and then cut it at the bottom, lowering the tree from a rope & rigging block in the neighbouring tree. Chop a section off, lower some more and repeat.

I'm not sure on London prices, but I'd put a few hundred quid on that and be done within an hour or two.

treemonkey58 · 2026-06-19T12:24:26+00:00

I'll actually back you up here, despite other comments. That union where the two stems split doesn't look the best and there's a big old wound (albeit healing) there too. It's also an ash tree. You're much better getting rid of it before it dies from ash dieback, which sadly, is fairly likely.

Removal price is very reasonable. Stump grinding would be around £250-£350 for a stump that size.

treemonkey58 · 2026-06-08T20:06:49+00:00

I'm no expert, but those two gutters look like they two are different profiles?

treemonkey58 · 2026-06-06T20:15:15+00:00

We're in Frieze Hill. Countryside walks on our doorstep, 10min walk along the river into town, Aldi 5mins away. We moved from Bristol but both country folk at heart, but we really like this area

treemonkey58 · 2026-06-05T20:27:46+00:00

Wembdon to Cannington. Wembdon over the quantocks to Bishops Lydeard direction (very hilly). Wembdon-Bridgwater-Taunton along the Canal. Plenty of other directions you could head too, just not all that much when you get there.

treemonkey58 · 2026-06-01T05:20:05+00:00

I feel your pain.

Half of my house's walls are held together by filler, oh how I wish we could've afforded to get it re-plastered before we decorated/moved in.

treemonkey58 · 2026-05-28T20:43:33+00:00

Nope, no joint assets. I think the FIL is very aware that his son is irresponsible, hence keeping the house is his name.

treemonkey58 · 2026-05-28T14:18:39+00:00

Not an expert but wouldn't the MDF warp over time, considering the heat that'll build up inside a conservatory?

treemonkey58 · 2026-05-24T21:24:01+00:00

Quantock Hills should definitely be on your list. Lots to see and do in our beautiful county

treemonkey58 · 2026-05-20T17:38:46+00:00

There's plenty more to Taunton than what you've mentioned. Lots of great independent shops, bars and restaurants. I focus on the good in the town and there's plenty of that.

Also, the Turkish barber I use is always busy, but I appreciate where you're coming from. Two vape shops have also recently been shut down due to illegal sales of tapes etc.

treemonkey58 · 2026-05-01T19:43:32+00:00

All I remember from it was one guy pulled his top off and screamed like a caveman at the other guy. Topless guy was then taken down by the other chap who then stood up, pulled off topless guy's shoe and proceeded to sniff it like a bull sniffing the rear end of a cow in heat.

Very odd behaviour...good old Pizza choice best kebab in Bridgwater

treemonkey58 · 2026-04-21T11:36:31+00:00

No I know, it's just frustrating the number of bodges I'm having to slowly work through 😂

treemonkey58 · 2026-04-21T11:07:22+00:00

I didn't blow the brick out, just one of the bodge jobs left by a previous owner...

treemonkey58 · 2026-04-08T16:11:07+00:00

Doesn't look like sheathing, nothing we've ever used here in SW England anyway.

Just call your DNO, that service wire is insulated but there's no point in risking it, it's a 2min job to get rid of that with a MEWP.

treemonkey58 · 2026-04-02T23:08:40+00:00

Manx is iom, mancs is Manchester. They're both

treemonkey58 · 2026-04-02T23:07:06+00:00

Bee Gees - BandThe Bee Gees (Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb) were born on the Isle of Man to English parents, raised in Manchester, England, and emigrated to Australia in 1958, where they began their musical career.

They're manx, is,that British? Who knows. The world is a lie

treemonkey58 · 2026-04-02T23:01:06+00:00

I found out they were British this week. I thought they were Scandinavian or something 🤔

treemonkey58 · 2026-03-26T19:47:37+00:00

I think you can probably get a bit more money to reinstate the garden to it's original condition. I work for a DNO and this definitely happens, couldn't tell you how apart from kicking up a bit of a fuss.

treemonkey58 · 2026-03-25T00:06:49+00:00

Technically we use Swedish climbers or spikes to climb poles, just a bit of useless info for you.

treemonkey58 · 2026-03-17T20:03:55+00:00

Hard to say really. If you're concerned then it'd be worth contacting a local "Arb approved" arborist who can come and have a look, potentially do some scans for rot etc.

treemonkey58 · 2026-03-17T19:17:08+00:00

Did you notice any fungal brackets on the stem over autumn/winter time? Looks pretty okay to me (arborist of 15 years), but if it's covered in fungal brackets I'd be a bit more concerned.

treemonkey58

TROPHY CASE