Some of you may remember something of this story.
My mum has no central heating, although most rooms are independently heated. The living room is heated by a radiant gas fire.
We got this a few years ago,and it is the warmest and most economical one on the market. Ideal for an elderly person with no other form of heating in that room. Her best friend has an inset living flame gas fire. And central heating. For two or three winters mum has moaned after seeing her friend that she wants a fire like that, it lovely, hers is horrible etc etc. We know that these fires are not as warm and are designed to go with background heating, The people in the shops have told us the same. The outset ones with glass front over the flames are warmer and a compromise. She seemed set for one of those then one day told me she hated those and didn't want one!
I recently learned from DD3 that my mum told her I was stopping her having the fire she wanted for no good reason!
In the end it is her money she knows her own mind, so despite my misgivings I took her to look at them in the showrooms, OH and I having done the legwork first to see what was available.
A fitting date was fixed, December 18th. Mum wanted me present, and that was a busy day but I told then what times I could be there and they wrote it on the notes.
I arrived at mums just before 11. She couldn't have the fire on at all that morning as the fire needed to be cold and we didn't know what time, from 11 onwards they would arrive. We sat in the kitchen with the tiny plug in radiator, for 3 hours. Mum had a water bottle on her knee inside a cover which she usually does anyway.
Just before 2 the gas fitters arrived and bought everything in. They took one look at where the fire was to go and said it wouldn't go there!
When I asked why he said something about the plaster and how the brass plate fitted. I think I was too dismayed to take it in really.
To sum up, for mum to have this type of fire some sort of plate needs to be fitted first. They can of course do this at a future date, but the cost would be an extra £250. Unsurprisingly, as she was already spending over £600, mum did not want this. So the fire left the house as quickly as it arrived, and mum will be refunded the £300 deposit she paid a few weeks ago.
I told her to think it though and that if she really still wanted it we can rebook, and she should pay the extra, as I know she can afford it.
Just now she doesn't feel that she will though. She even phoned me last night, about something else and told me she actually likes the old fire!!!!!
This could all change in a week, but we shall see.
I was very impressed by how my mum took this. She can lose the plot over nothing, and this must have been so disappointing for her. I felt very sorry for her,
She was philosophical, saying she was no worse off, still had warmth and in fact was £300 better off!!
People can surprise us sometimes!
This may not be the end of the saga, so watch this space.
My mum has no central heating, although most rooms are independently heated. The living room is heated by a radiant gas fire.
We got this a few years ago,and it is the warmest and most economical one on the market. Ideal for an elderly person with no other form of heating in that room. Her best friend has an inset living flame gas fire. And central heating. For two or three winters mum has moaned after seeing her friend that she wants a fire like that, it lovely, hers is horrible etc etc. We know that these fires are not as warm and are designed to go with background heating, The people in the shops have told us the same. The outset ones with glass front over the flames are warmer and a compromise. She seemed set for one of those then one day told me she hated those and didn't want one!
I recently learned from DD3 that my mum told her I was stopping her having the fire she wanted for no good reason!
In the end it is her money she knows her own mind, so despite my misgivings I took her to look at them in the showrooms, OH and I having done the legwork first to see what was available.
A fitting date was fixed, December 18th. Mum wanted me present, and that was a busy day but I told then what times I could be there and they wrote it on the notes.
I arrived at mums just before 11. She couldn't have the fire on at all that morning as the fire needed to be cold and we didn't know what time, from 11 onwards they would arrive. We sat in the kitchen with the tiny plug in radiator, for 3 hours. Mum had a water bottle on her knee inside a cover which she usually does anyway.
Just before 2 the gas fitters arrived and bought everything in. They took one look at where the fire was to go and said it wouldn't go there!
When I asked why he said something about the plaster and how the brass plate fitted. I think I was too dismayed to take it in really.
To sum up, for mum to have this type of fire some sort of plate needs to be fitted first. They can of course do this at a future date, but the cost would be an extra £250. Unsurprisingly, as she was already spending over £600, mum did not want this. So the fire left the house as quickly as it arrived, and mum will be refunded the £300 deposit she paid a few weeks ago.
I told her to think it though and that if she really still wanted it we can rebook, and she should pay the extra, as I know she can afford it.
Just now she doesn't feel that she will though. She even phoned me last night, about something else and told me she actually likes the old fire!!!!!
This could all change in a week, but we shall see.
I was very impressed by how my mum took this. She can lose the plot over nothing, and this must have been so disappointing for her. I felt very sorry for her,
She was philosophical, saying she was no worse off, still had warmth and in fact was £300 better off!!
People can surprise us sometimes!
This may not be the end of the saga, so watch this space.
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