Plot hunting in Scotland

[SarzWix]

Great news Dave Glad it's all going smoothly so far.

I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say 'We Want Piccies!!' as soon as you can

[Digger-07]

Thanks Rat, I am sure that there will be something even if it's only where to go for a pint.
Thanks Bob, its been a long time comming and some days the think you can't part seemed more of a possibility.
Thanks Sarah, pictures will follow at some stage, even if they are only to prove to myself that we've done it at last!

[Digger-07]

We now reside in Scotland (at least for some of the time)

Just returned form our new home to be. It's a long drive back down to Wiltshire especially when you don't really want to return to the drudgery of teaching at the end of term when noone has any interest anymore.

Picked up the key for the front door on Friday, the key to the back door got lost about 6 years ago so it was never opened since. Must come back as a locksmith in my next life. £65 call out and "if it took any length of time it would be more" (even though he could not come until Saturday mid day) then £70 for a 3 lever lock that I could have bought at B & Q for less than £15. Oh then there was VAT on it all. He was there for less than half an hour. I should have paid more attention when I taugh in prisons, most of my students would have been in the house in less than 5 minutes and away with the family jewels in 10 minutes.

Anyway the house is ours and after spending all weekend cleaning (how anyone lived in there without going down with something serious!!). Now it is ready for the furniture which I have roped my son into helping with in a couple of weekends time. Then a couple of weeks later we are up again for our summer holiday. I can see me getting my fill of decorating and gardening. There is a septic tank that has not been seen for some time. the undergrowth needs cutting back so I can get the lid off and get it emptied.

More updates soon, and pictures when I can work out how to resize them.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together!

Well done Digger & Mrs D - more hard work ahead, but I can feel your joy from here!

[bobleponge]

Big congrats, finally there.
As I said before, I know how it feels for a dream to be realised, so I have an idea of how you feel.
Now you just have to enjoy it, although I dont envy you the septic tank checking!!

[coreopsis]

Congratulations
So...when are you going to change your location?

[Digger-07]

Big congrats, finally there.

Now you just have to enjoy it, although I dont envy you the septic tank checking!!

The checking goes as far as finding it, the stuff inside will be the property of Scottish Water as soon as they can get their hose through the undergrowth.

[Digger-07]

Congratulations
So...when are you going to change your location?

As soon as I can Need to get some work sorted out as I don't have the luxury of being old enough to give everything up yet. Plus how would you know how good a weekend was if it wasn't broken up by the working days

[Hilary B]

The checking goes as far as finding it, the stuff inside will be the property of Scottish Water as soon as they can get their hose through the undergrowth.

Septic tank needs sludge clearing every year or so (depending on lots of factors, old ones often go on for many years without attention) so the soak-away doesn't get clogged.
What sort of subsoil is there in the area?
Cesspit just holds the.... residue, until someone comes and takes it away, every few weeks.
On chalk or limestone (less often on sandstone) it is not unknown for people to damage the base of the cesspit in order to make it work like a primitive septic tank..........

[Digger-07]

Hilary. It's a Klargester septic tank so its fairly modern and works well. The land drain is in the next door croft and the land slopes away quiet a bit over sandstone so the run off is pretty efficient. Loads of nettles but that's to be expected from such a high nitrogen feed I suppose.

[sewer rat]

Septic tank needs sludge clearing every year or so (depending on lots of factors, old ones often go on for many years without attention) so the soak-away doesn't get clogged.
What sort of subsoil is there in the area?
Cesspit just holds the.... residue, until someone comes and takes it away, every few weeks.
On chalk or limestone (less often on sandstone) it is not unknown for people to damage the base of the cesspit in order to make it work like a primitive septic tank..........

Never yet seen a modern septic tank that needs emptied every year - every two maybe or three more commonly but not every year.

[Hilary B]

Never yet seen a modern septic tank that needs emptied every year - every two maybe or three more commonly but not every year.

Depends very much on usage (not just volume, although that is relevant). Symptoms of too infrequent sludge clearing may take time to show. It is the soakaway that gets clogged (rather than the tank itself), and that can be accelerated by bleach and other over-strong household cleaning products.
You shouldn't be waiting for symptoms of trouble before getting it cleared, because by the time there are symptoms, the soakaway is already in trouble, and that means a new soakaway!
Typically it will be between one and 2 years between essential sludge clearings, but a lot of people get it done every year to simplify remembering when.

[Digger-07]

It's not my fault - honest. I can't help it so don't blame me we only got the keys on Friday so that fact that the tank is (or is not) full is not down to me.

Although do you know of a good curry house in the area Rat?

I will have further details when I can find the lid again beneath all the undergrowth.

[Digger-07]

Update

Moved our "spare" furniture into the house last weekend with the help of a very willing son. He has already booked his holidays which is fair enough considering he did most of the driving from and back to Yorkshire.

Found the septic tank cover so I can now get organised for the big day. Must plan it for when the house is upwind of the tank.

Fencing man looking at a price to make the boundary spaniel proof. He says he can do it which is more than I've ever been able to do.

Holiday begins next Wednesday so we will have over 2 weeks and I know we will definately not want to return home.

I have already applied for a couple of jobs in Inverness so keeping my fingers crossed that they need to employ a foreigner to keep their ethnicity quota right.

More updated when I get chance.