Have I Had A Result?

[Norman Verona]

After 6 years of the barn being used as a garage I decided I should put a garage door on it. There are several thousand pounds worth of tools, the 7 and the Midget in there. The 2.7m opening is in the middle of the long side.

So, went to a place that sell, among other things, garage doors. They wanted 1950€ for an electric one and 1450€ for a manual. Width is 2.4 x 2.00 high.

I thought this a bit expensive so came home and looked on the net. Castorama and Brico Depot have electric units for 545€ for the 2.4 metre and 788 for the 3.0 metre. So off to Angers to see what they're like.

I get to Castorama and there are signs everywhere that they are closing for refurbishment. I park up and walk in. It's only when most of the shelves are empty that you realise just how big these places are. I eventually find the garage doors outside with the bricks and timber. There are two in a rack. They are manual, 2.4m wide. The front one is damaged at the bottom and the one it's leaning against seems to have the top rails and fittings missing. I ask if they have any 3.0 metre electric left. he gets on the phone and then tells me that I can have one for 50. As the label says 599€ less 50% I think he means I get 50% discount, but no, he means I can have one for 50€ So I've reserved both and will be hiring a van on Monday to collect them.

When I get them separated I may just find the missing fittings, if not it shouldn't be difficult to get some channeling to do the job.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Wow, we'll done Norman

[SteveD]

give you 80 for them and il collect

[Norman Verona]

Steve, they won't fit in the back of an Exige.

[SteveD]

[housebeautician]

Money to money

[Norman Verona]

Not sure what you mean, I'm just a poor pensioner.

[V8grunt]

Know what you mean about Brico Norm, I bought a planer/thickener when out there, did 3 floors of 50 year parque, Blades well blunt when finished, bought it back to blighty and sold it for £60 more than I paid for it! :d

[housebeautician]

Not sure what you mean, I'm just a poor pensioner.

AAAAhh!!!!!!!!!!!! Poor old thing :laugh:

[Norman Verona]

Exactly, poor and old. Living on a pension is hard.

[Norman Verona]

Andrew, I bought a concrete breaker for 159 € in Brico Depot. I've been offered £300 for it but decided to keep it in case I ever finish the barn conversion.

I've not seen them in B&Q but I'd take a bet they'd be 3 times the price in Blighty.

[V8grunt]

The Pound /euro exchange rate was very good when I was out there in 2002, it was so cheap compared to blighty, even better when I sold in 2008, nearly level with the pound!

Edited March 26, 2012 by V8grunt

[Norman Verona]

It's now around 1.20 € to the £.

When we bought this place it was 1.48€ to the £.

It hit it's highest for 3 years the week I needed to send money back to the UK. When I bring money from the UK to here it always seems to drop in the days before.

[Norman Verona]

WOW!!!!!

This poor pensioner hired a 3.5 tonne Iveco box van this morning at the huge price of 72€ (plus 31€ for fuel).

We then went to Angers to collect the two garage doors. When we got there I noticed a third door leaning up against the wall opposite the 2 in the frame. We asked for someone to come and negotiate. We waited and waited so I said I'd go inside and see if there were any other bargains on offer (I had a list). After a while I made my way back as my phone started to ring. HM was ringing me as she had done a deal on all 3. Wait for it.....

Wait.....

Hang on........

Remember we're East End born and bred.....

120€ for 1797€ worth of garage doors.

Now that's what I call a result. I need two and I'll sell the other. In fact whilst I was taking the hire van back a friend called and Lynne has offered the third one to him. I'll not say the price because it's embarrassing.