Linda Hall: Kitchen nightmare looms before us

Linda Hall

We have been in our home for more than 10 years.

During that time we have put in a new bathroom and fireplace.

So at a time when the housing market is booming and the number of housing consents has doubled we have decided to put in a new kitchen - great timing.

Mr Neat and I had been talking about it for ages and finally decided to go ahead and do it.

As you can imagine, Mr Neat has some big ideas. Very big.

He wants to pull that wall out and "let's get rid of that one as well and put on a deck and put in some doors here and take out a window there".

Oh, dear me. Before we had even bought a nail we were having words.

Dollar signs were flashing before my eyes, panic settling into the pit of my stomach - this was not going to be an easy ride.

So far we have seen a few kitchen plans but unfortunately while Mr Neat can understand and envision the finished concept, I have no idea.

So he then proceeds to explain it all - "this will be here and that will be there".

I just nod and smile but I actually don't know what's going on.

I have learned quite a few things, though . . . taking out walls is jolly expensive and weight-bearing "things" have to be put in place.

Council consent is needed, of course, and the other requirement is a builder.

However, these people are quite hard to come by at the moment. Everyone in the building business is hard to come by.

When we first decided to go ahead with the renovations, everyone told us "it's hard to get tradies - they are all so busy".

And they were right. I'm glad they are busy but one thing that really annoys me is a no-show.

This has happened once to us already. We made an appointment with a tradesman and he simply didn't show up.

It doesn't take much to pick up the phone and call. There really is no excuse these days.

People carry phones with them 24/7 and even if they didn't have a phone on them at the time, a call next day would have been fine. But we didn't hear anything.

On the other hand, a kitchen designer who couldn't make it phoned well before the appointed time and explained why.

We were more than happy to make another time and were glad we did.

I can see this is going to be a long and somewhat painful process.

I have also learned:

1) A breakfast bar is now called a social ledge because it's a place people gather together to socialise these days, it's not just somewhere you sit and eat your breakfast - true.

2) Mr Neat keeps changing his mind - more than me.

3) Good things comes to those who wait.

So wait we will and by the end of the year we will have a new kitchen - hopefully - watch this space.

Now for something a whole lot sweeter.

My two daughters in Australia have sent out urgent messages about Cadbury's release of Caramilk. They both feel they really needed some.

My eldest daughter, who lives in Hawke's Bay, told me she tried to get some in Havelock North but it was sold out.

So I went to Hastings New World on Monday expecting to be disappointed but was happy to find stocked shelves.

I bought four blocks and was told at the checkout that they, too, had sold out the day before.

Great to learn we are still able to treat ourselves to something sweet and not get too precious about sugar.

I must say it is delicious - a bit like Russian fudge.

• Linda Hall is Hawke's Bay Today's assistant editor.