How often do you have a bath?

[craigb]

No, I'm not interested in your personal hygine but I do wonder how often you use that tub shaped thing in your bathroom.

The reason I ask is that we are going to be renovating our bathroom next year and we are going to have to include a bath in there.

Now, we shower every day but I can't remember the last time either of us had a bath. If it was up to me I'd just delete the bath and thereby save the space and the dollars of including one.

However, in the future when we go to sell the house the fact that it didn't have a bath will count against it.

Sure, if you have kiddies (under say 9?) you need a bath but the thing is that our place probably wouldn't appeal to people who had young kiddies anyway.

So enlighten me. When was the last time you had a bath?

(One of the reasons I don't like them is because I'm not big on sitting in my own dirty water. :eek: )

[bitingmidge]

We haven't had a house with a bath in it for over six years.

I can think of a million better things to be doing that sitting in a tub of tepid soapy water watching those big bubbles mysteriously appear every ten minutes or so! :eek: :eek: :eek:


P
:D

[Spindleshanks]

Get rid of the bath. They are only used for young kids as you have said. Use the space to enhance your bathroom.

[Honorary Bloke]

Last time I had a bath I was in the UK (about 1991) :eek: . Poms seem to value tubs over showers :D . Otherwise, always a shower. We are getting ready to reno our bath and plan to replace the tub with a large shower, complete with sitting bench. We have a tub in another bath, so good enough.

[Waldo]

G'day CraigB,

Let's just say the last time I had a bath I wasn't alone. ;)

Seriously, if you're doing a reno and looking to sell down the future and as you've already said said it's a positive for families with kids under 9. My little girl (11 months) has a bath every 2nd day, a wash every other.

So throw it in and and could be good for a young family looking through it when you come to selling.

[Ashore]

We now use ours a lot with 4 grandkids all under 3 year old, and being a two person spa bath proberly gets used 2-3 times a month by adults.:rolleyes:
If you do go with just a shower those water towers with three or four indivudial shower heads look the goods , a mate has one and swears by it:D

Rgds

[watson]

2 years ago!!
Our bath is outside, and is only used on a clear frosty night in the depth of winter, when we can sit it hot water up to our necks and star gaze. Port helps too.
Our shower is open, about 5 times normal size on a 300mm plinth covered in slate, and since we put it in, we've never missed access to an inside bath.
Can't see why a house without young children would need a bath.
There's my 2 bobs worth.
Regards,
Noel

[Terry B]

We have a bath but since we run on tank water only it has never been used.

[DavidG]

Without a bath, where would I wash the dog?;)

[Wongo]

Never

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

My folks' house didn't have a bath, so about 20 years ago my ol' man bought a corner bath and all the bathroom fittings to do a renovation.

They sat in the shed for some 10 years until he retired, whereupon he stripped out the old walls and fittings and knocked a humongous hole in the side of the house to install a glass-brick wall... then promptly had a stroke, leaving him paralysed down the LH side. So, while he was in post-op I filled the hole in (with glass bricks, of course!) and Mum convinced me to finish the job as he'd planned it, installing the bath and all the fittings. I couldn't very well leave 'em washing in the kitchen sink, could I? (Although I thought about it. ;))

About 3 months later, once he had been home for a fortnight or so, we realised we'd boobooed and I pulled the bath back out, retiling the floor so he could use a toiletry-chair to be showered. The bath-tub is now a sunken pond out the backyard. In the all the years they had it (and the couple of weeks it was actually plumbed) not once was it actually used as a bath! :rolleyes:

It has turned out to be great for breeding gold-fish poop in though!

[Barry_White]

Moved into the house in 1984 and I have never had a bath in the bathtub. I have sat on the side of the bath and washed my dirty feet because I am not flexible enough to get my feet into the laundry tub.

[journeyman Mick]

Craig,
been in current house for 4.5 years, never used the bath. Not being on town water makes one think twice about using 150 litres of water anyway, but I've never been big on baths. At our last place we had a humungous corner spa bath that we used maybe 5 times in as many years. Is it a proven fact that a bath adds to the desireability of a house?

Mick

[Schtoo]

3 hours ago.

But...

The little fella and Mrs. Schtoo used that water, and the water will wash our clothes tomorrow.

Don't worry, the water is clean, unless the lad left something yellow in there. :eek:

No big trouble though, the rinse uses fresh water. :cool:

But I used that water. :o



If it were me, and no kids were using the bath and you had to use a traditional bath, then I just wouldn't.

But after living with the Japanese style bath/shower doohickey, I would not live without it no matter where the heck I was living. Just makes an awful lot of sense for saving water and more sense for how it's done.

Worth googling to find out what I am talking about, and pictures would make it easier to understand. :D

[Bob Willson]

Like most poms I seldom bathe. I shower a lot but hate bath tubs.
Whilst renovating the house about ten years ago, I removed the bath and put in an extra big shower.
Best thing I ever did (apart from INSISTING that the toilet did NOT belong in the bathroom but in a little room all of its own.)

[namtrak]

......watching those big bubbles mysteriously appear every ten minutes or so!......

Only every ten minutes? Is your plumbing blocked? :D

[Ivan in Oz]

G'day Craig,
I bathe about once, maybe Twice a week.
Mind you, it is the first thin I miss when it is NOT available.

Good place to Relax, read a book; or WW Magazine:cool:
No!
No Bubble Baths:eek:

[silentC]

Haven't used ours for a couple of weeks. It gets used fairly often, but it's a spa. If it was a plain bath, it would probably rarely ever be used. A bath is great after a long bush walk.

If you're not going to put in a spa, I wouldn't bother with it. They are also great at collecting dust and pain in the asre to clean. A spa would probably be a selling point. High powered execs love 'em ;)

[Daddles]

My girlfriend loves to relax in the bath every now and then. It's not just kids who use them.

Richard

[womble]

I'm not a fan but my wife loves them, our current rented place has none but the house we're moving to will have a clawfoot for her...

[bennylaird]

Me years since.

Wife? Nearly every night.

Kids? Never but all older.

If I was buying a house I would like one, the longer the better mainly for the wife. (She is tall, and short baths are no good.) A spa would be the ideal way to go as I would use it then. Love those water jets..........

[jmk89]

Clearly I am in a minority, but I like a bath and usually use it for my daily wash - I find it relaxing

[Bleedin Thumb]

Sharing a bath is a lot more fun than sharing a shower. And safer.
Besides sprinkling Radox over yourself and having a shower just isn't the same.

[Bob38S]

Shower Shower :D:D:D

Why would you sit and try and wash yourself in dirty water? You still need to rinse off when finished - if you say not necessary - check out the "ring of confidence" left around the bath.

How much effort does it take to reach "all of the bits" when you are sitting in the tub?

Generally - people use more water in a bath than a shower which has a modern shower head.

:D:):D

[Tex B]

Craig,

I'd say if you plan to live there for the next decade, do what works for you. If you're planning to sell in the next few years, put in a bath. Most newer homes now have spa baths as a feature, and they have them because that's what people (women) want to buy.

My 2c.

Tex

[MurrayD99]

I reckon about twice in 5 years in the current house - meaning twice in 10 years because the previous house just had a shower. I'm not sure about taking it out though. Buyers generally expect a bath to be there.

[bennylaird]

You could always import a bath or a shower from the UK. They never get used over there:D :D :D

[Big Shed]

Until a few years ago I was also of the "who needs a bath" variety.

In our previous house we had a small bathroom with the shower over the bath, I hate nothing more than this stupid, and dangerous, arrangement. So when it came time to remodel the bathroom, we ripped the bath out and installed a shower base and cubicle. Ripper!

When it came time to sell, almost without exception, the people who inspected the house objected to there not being a bath. We did eventually sell the house, but it took longer than we anticipated. Maybe because of the lack of a bath, maybe not.

In our new house, we now have a conventional bath and shower cubicle in the second bathroom and a shower cubicle in the ensuite. The bath does get used a fair bit when our grandchildren come to visit.

So when you decide on bath or no bath, think of resale as well. It seems that although people don't use the bath, they still want one!:)

[Christopha]

I have had about three baths since I built the place over 20years ago, and only then for therapeutic reasons and on each occasion I went straight from the tub to the shower in order to feel clean... I am going to remove the bath in my beach house soon when I reno the "personal cleaning space", the Grandmonsters are big enough to shower and I don't want the expense of buying a new tub, I don't want the waste of my rain water and I want more room in my bodyscrubbingroom.

[Auld Bassoon]

I have a bath once a year, whether I need it or not :eek:

Actually, I almost always use the shower as the bath is a combo spa and bath. Nice to have when I want a good soak, but to be honest, not the best use of space (or water!)

[Flowboy]

the Grandmonsters are big enough to shower and I don't want the expense of buying a new tub, .


Christofa,
Are these similar to Polterguests?

Rob

[craigb]

It seems that although people don't use the bath, they still want one!:)

Exactly.
Strange isn't it? :cool:

[Shedhand]

Baths suck.



Don't sit over the plug hole...ever....with the plug out....never....:(

[AlexS]

Craig, keep the bath! If you're planning on doing any laminating you can soak a few feet of wood in it to make it more bendable.:D

Seriously, exactly that question was asked on the ABC this afternoon (was that you?), and a real estate agent who personally hated baths said that by cutting out the bath, you cut out a large part of the market who want one, when selling the place.

[craigb]

Seriously, exactly that question was asked on the ABC this afternoon (was that you?),

Nope not me. :)

We are going to put a bath in when we do the bathroom reno.
I just find it strange that most people never use their baths but they can't buy a house without one. :confused:

[echnidna]

When ya bin bustin a gut workin hard all day and all ya joints & muscles ache a good soak in a hot tub is marvellous.

[Iain]

Due to excessive water rates and the drought, we just use deodorant twice a day (pommy shower):rolleyes:

[Driver]

To answer the original question, I haven't had a bath for six years. I prefer a shower. However, in 2000, we were living in Sydney in a rented "executive" home that had two enormous bathrooms - each equipped with a massive triangular spa bath.

We-e-ell, we had to give it a go, didn't we? So we filled the bugger up, turned on the jets, poured in the bath foam, grabbed the champagne and jumped in. Bewdy!

Except ..... overdid the bath foam a bit, didn't we, and - within minutes, we were totally enveloped in foam. So was the entire bathroom.

So there we were - on champagne and blinded by bubbles, staggering around the bathroom, laughing like a couple of maniacs. Incidentally, I am convinced that the effect on the body of being battered by jets of water while drinking champagne is to increase the drunkenness by at least one order of magnitude. I was incapable of walking downstairs. I had to slide down on me bum. Very undignified!

So, ever since being traumatised by a bathtub, I have assiduously avoided them and reverted to showers only.

Besides, I'm a Pom and it's a bit of a bugger having to shovel all the coal out every time someone wants a bath. :rolleyes:

[silentC]

Spa was used last night - it was raining and the tanks were overflowing: waste not want not.


Incidentally, I am convinced that the effect on the body of being battered by jets of water while drinking champagne is to increase the drunkenness by at least one order of magnitude.
True :o


overdid the bath foam a bit, didn't we, and - within minutes, we were totally enveloped in foam. So was the entire bathroom.
My mum did that at her brother's house. Spa jets and bath foam don't mix ;) Already enough bubbles with the jets and the champagne.

[bennylaird]

Spa was used last night - it was raining and the tanks were overflowing:


What's that mean? Overflowing? Can't remember that?:confused: :confused: :confused:

[graemet]

When I added a second storey to my old place, all the bedrooms were upstairs but there wasn't enough room or money for a bath and shower in the upstairs ablution area, and with two young kids, something to hold water was needed. The problem was solved by putting in a 3' square bath with a shower screen around it (I hate shower curtains). A flat base so none of the usual problems fron having a shower rose over a conventional bath, and much less water to get the tide up to a reasonable level. When the kids decided to have a splash, close the screen door and forget about mopping the floor. The original bathroom downstairs was used for hand washing and for the occasional house guest kipping in the rumpus room.
Cheers
Graeme

[silentC]

I lived in a place in Annandale once, a big old terrace. There were three bathrooms and two kitchens. The upstairs bathroom was in a small room that was just big enough to swing a rat. It had a shower and a bath but the bath was what the owner called a Japanese plunge bath. It was about the size of a 44 gallon drum with a seat about halfway down. You filled it up and sat in it like you were sitting on a chair.

That was odd but by far the weirdest thing was the flotation chamber in the downstairs bathroom. It's like two huge baths, one upside down on top of the other. You half fill it with very salty water (so you float), climb in and shut the lid. Totally dark, totally quiet (except for the tinitis), and a very strange thing to do if you ask me. I tried it a couple of times but got bored very quickly.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Yeh I tried a floatation tank once expecting some out of body experience.
Just ended up bored waiting for time to finish.
Silent when you lived in Annandale (my old stomping ground) what was your local. I was known to frequent the Harold Park.

[craigb]

I was known to frequent the Harold Park.

Which is a block of flats these days.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Yes that was a story of greed ... and a gay construction company that went bust.

[Driver]

Yes that was a story of greed ... and a gay construction company that went bust.

Now there's a story that could only have come out of Sydney. ;)

[Bleedin Thumb]

Don't know Driver, Perth business men (entrepreneurs) have quite a colourful reputation.

[bennylaird]

In South Australia they convert old banks to barrel storage.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Lets pick on Queensland!

[Driver]

Don't know Driver, Perth business men (entrepreneurs) have quite a colourful reputation.

How true! Quite takes me back to the 80s, seeing old Burkie on the front pages again with a list of his dodgy mates.

My point about the uniquely Sydneyside character of your example is that it links the loss of a pub with a gay construction company (not that there's anything wrong with that, of course! ;) ). Somehow I can't imagine that happening anywhere but Sydney. Not a criticism, just an observation. I've lived in Sydney. Great place. Full of fascinating characters. :cool:

[silentC]

Silent when you lived in Annandale (my old stomping ground) what was your local. I was known to frequent the Harold Park.
When I drank there, I used to split it between the Vic and the Annandale. I worked at Burwood, so most drinking was done at what used to be the Western Suburbs Rugby Union club, now called West Harbour I think. We just called it the Hooter Bar, for reasons that were apparent from 5pm on Thursdays and at lunch time on Fridays.

[Bleedin Thumb]

The Vic hasnt changed nor has the Annandale I saw a punk band perform there the other week..don't ask , revisiting my youth.

[echnidna]

Lets pick on Queensland!

Ok

fer a start Biting Midge lives there ......................

:D :D

[Bleedin Thumb]

Queenslands not bad its just that South East bit that is a worry. Anything South of Rocky is a waste of space.

[Wongo]

How can having a bath be relaxing when you know our dams are running dry? I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I did that.

[bennylaird]

One good thing about Queensland?:confused: :confused: :confused:

The first Ashes whitewash is due to kick of there soon!:D :D :D

The barmy army will get watered down XXXX due to their own tears:D :p

[Bleedin Thumb]

I do my bit to conserve water but I wouldn't loose any sleep about using some for a bath. Infact I get my nose out of joint when I'm told by Sydney Water that I cant use water when I want when they are selling me the stuff!
I'm not stupid and I am responsible with my water usage but I find it strange that they sell you a product then make you feel guilty about using it or worse make you a criminal for hosing a path etc.

[silentC]

How can having a bath be relaxing when you know our dams are running dry?
Your dam is running dry. Mine is full to the brim and overflowing. Check back with me in a couple of months :(

Seriously though, my Uncle and Aunty have dropped in on their way home from a trip up the Hume and across through the Snowies. He said that there is hardly any water in the dams up there. Hard to see how the hydro-electric plant can still be running.

Things will get worse. There was a great letter in the paper yesterday (I think). Typically, the nobs in Macquarie Street are running around looking for more water, wanting to build dams etc. Surely the sensible thing to do, rather than looking for more and more water all the time, would be to cut back demand for it. Make it too expensive to waste. Everyone would fill in their pools and stop washing their Beamers. They might start valuing the stuff instead of wasting it.

How many people have adopted the Navy shower? I have.

[silentC]

hosing a path
:eek: That's exactly the sort of thing I'm talking about ;)

[Wongo]

I do my bit to conserve water but I wouldn't loose any sleep about using some for a bath. Infact I get my nose out of joint when I'm told by Sydney Water that I cant use water when I want when they are selling me the stuff!
I'm not stupid and I am responsible with my water usage but I find it strange that they sell you a product then make you feel guilty about using it or worse make you a criminal for hosing a path etc.

But it is not about "you vs Sydney water" is it?

[Wongo]

Make it too expensive to waste. Everyone would fill in their pools and stop washing their Beamers. They might start valuing the stuff instead of wasting it.

Exactly brother. That's what I have been talking for years.

[Bleedin Thumb]

:eek: That's exactly the sort of thing I'm talking about ;)
Had to get some gunk off that the kids smeared on.:o

[Wongo]

I think watering the garden is more of a habit to a lot of people. I cannot remember the last time I hosed my garden and it looks just as good as anyone else’s.

[Bleedin Thumb]

My philosophy that if it needs any attention it doesnt deserve to be in my garden/jungle. :)

I never water unless I'm establishing somethink new except for a couple of large pots that is. The only thing I've lost are 4 tree ferns - must be the shalow roots.

All those years never watering, never having a swimming pool ( never even owned a Beamer) you think I would have some water use coupons for being a good boy.:p

[silentC]

I'm disappointed that no-one has asked about the "Navy shower" :(

I might get one of those badges made up, you know "Ask me about Nutrimetics" "Ask me why someone as odd looking as me thinks anyone would want to come up and ask me the time, let alone why I use Amway". That sort of thing....

[Andy Mac]

Introduced garden plants dieing is one thing, but Eucalypts carking it too!!:eek:

BTW, our bath gets used by kids only. I've used it once since we moved in 3yrs ago, wife maybe 3-4times a year.

Cheers,

[Wongo]

Silent what is a navy shower?

[Bleedin Thumb]

It did pique my interest but it sounded too much like the village people thing, you know "In the Navy"

Alright tell us about your Navy Shower Silent.

[Driver]

Alright tell us about your Navy Shower Silent.

But not if it has anything to do with naked sailors! :eek:

[jmk89]

Of course the best way for water to be saved would be for the water authorities to fix the leaky pipes - last time I saw any numbers on this, "the system" lost about 20% of the water that left the dams in leakages. If that was fixed (or even halved) there would be no shortage.

[craigb]

Well not to steal Darren's thunder, but I think it goes.

1. Turn on shower, get wet.
2. Turn off shower
3. Soap yourself
4. Turn on shower, rinse off
5. Shower over.

[silentC]

I tried to get my wife to do it. She just laughed at me. I think it's time I sent her that "How to be a good wife" article again.

[silentC]

Of course the best way for water to be saved would be for the water authorities to fix the leaky pipes
That would help a bit but I don't think it's the best way. It really just addresses the problems of supply, not of demand.

Face it, Sydney is too big for it's catchment area and it's getting bigger. Add to that the fact that the majority of city people have no connection to the natural resources that they consume, there is no incentive to be conservative. What does it matter? The guy next door washes his car every weekend, so why the hell shouldn't I? If you live on tank water, you think about every drop you use.

Regarding the leaking pipelines, I once walked along the pipeline that runs through the bush below Heathcote/Waterfall. It carries water from that dam down there (forget the name). There were many leaks in it. The trouble is, the last big fire down there was caused by sparks from someone fixing one of the leaks. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Wongo]

Well not to steal Darren's thunder, but I think it goes.

1. Turn on shower, get wet.
2. Turn off shower
3. Soap yourself
4. Turn on shower, rinse off
5. Shower over.

I do that all the time.

[silentC]

I installed a PBMV in our shower, so it's easy. You just turn it on and off with a single valve and the temp/pressure is always the same. A bit harder if you're using one of the old two-valve set ups, or even a flick mixer. Wife still wont do it though.

[Wongo]

In our house the tap runs on for about a minute or 2 before we get the hot water. I usually use that to wash my hair.

In summer I just have cold showers.

[silentC]

You need to talk to this fellow: http://enviro.net.au/

[craigb]

I installed a PBMV in our shower

Vas ist das?

[Wongo]

You need to talk to this fellow: http://enviro.net.au/


That sounds great. Do you know how much and is it hard to install.

[silentC]

You need one for your new bathroom. It's a Pressure Balancing Mixing Valve. They have two valves: one controls pressure and the other controls temp. A bit like a flick mixer but the difference is that the valves are seperate. We have the temperature permanently set to where we like it (fortunately there is agreement on this) and so you just use the pressure valve to turn it off and on. Never have to fiddle with it.

Normal flick mixers are inconsistent pressure-wise in that as you adjust the temp, the pressure also fluctuates.

We also put one in the kids bathroom which controls the temp of the hot water to all taps in the room. It's preset to around 38 degrees, so they can't burn themselves if they muck about with the taps. Plus, when they use the shower, they only need to turn on the hot tap and it comes out at the right temp.

A bit pricey (about $150) but worth it IMO.

[silentC]

That sounds great. Do you know how much and is it hard to install.
The valve is $139 plus $10 post and pack.

It's dead simple to install. He recommends you put one in your vanity. When you want to have a shower, turn on the vanity hot tap, as soon as water starts to flow, you turn it off and you have primed the pipes in the bathroom with hot, so you don't waste any when you turn on the shower.

The full set up has a bladder that stores the water for the next time you turn on the cold. I would divert it to my rainwater tank instead. It needs an extra valve if you only have flick mixers though. That valve isn't available yet because he's trying to get it approved. I'm waiting for it so I can install one. Have been emailing him regularly to get updates on the progress.

[craigb]

Sounds good. We'll definitely have to get one installed.

[Wongo]

Just spoke to the guy,

$169 - the basic unit
$149 - a 9L tank
$89 - valve for the tank

Hmm still thinking.

[silentC]

Price has gone up since I asked him then.

If you had a rainwater tank already, you could divert into that. Save yourself $240.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Thanks for the link Silent, I thought that it was a brilliant, simple invention when he had it on TV.
We have a Rinnai Infinity hot water system that for some reason takes a fair while to deliver the HW so that system will save me heaps of water.

[silentC]

No worries. I reckon it's a good idea too.

The valve I'm waiting for is a diapragm valve. The current set up only works with a normal tap because it has to be connected downstream of the hot water tap. You can't do that with a flick mixer, so the diaphragm valve allows the pressure in the line to keep the diversion system closed until someone turns on the tap. The drop in pressure opens the valve, which allows the cold water to divert until the thermo valve closes. Very clever actually.

[AlexS]

Your dam is running dry. Mine is full to the brim and overflowing. :(


Oh good, we'll have some of yours then.

Building more dams, pipes etc are not real solutions. There are very few decent dam sites left, unless you want to build a few mini dams at say, Lane Cove or Berowra (Sydneycentric here, but bear with me.) You could build some on some coastal rivers, but be prepared for beaches to recede and fishing to decline.

You can put the price of water up, but then the rich companies and people will still buy all they want and waste it if they wish, while 'the environment' which can't afford to buy water will go dry, and normal families will have to ration their water.

Putting water recycling systems into greenfield developments is a good move, especially if the treament can be a low energy consumption method. Putting them into older developments would be good but expensive. Water tanks are good, but the best way of meeting water availability is to minimise our use. I'm another who takes a Darwinian approach to the garden - don't water, and if it dies it wasn't meant to be there.

The debate Australia needs to have is about our sustainable population. I'm of the side that thinks we're close to the max and approaching it too quickly. Others will disagree, but no party seems to want to have the debate.

Just out of interest, in the history of irrigation (about 5000 years) no large scale irrigation system has lasted more than about 200 years.

[craigb]

Just out of interest, in the history of irrigation (about 5000 years) no large scale irrigation system has lasted more than about 200 years.

Is that right? (and I'm not going to argue with a broken down hydrographer :p :D )

I would have thought that the Roman aqueducts would have lasted longer than that. :confused:

[AlexS]

Is that right? (and I'm not going to argue with a broken down hydrographer :p :D )

I would have thought that the Roman aqueducts would have lasted longer than that. :confused:

They were for urban water supply, not irrigation..., and yes, they did last longer than 200 years.

[craigb]

They were for urban water supply, not irrigation..., and yes, they did last longer than 200 years.

I bet the rich bastards used them to water (irrigate) their gardens. :D

[Driver]

I bet the rich bastards used them to water (irrigate) their gardens. :D

...and if anyone complained, the rich bastards would introduce them to some exotic wildlife down at the local Colosseum. :eek:

[makka619]

Once a year, if that.:)

Just mention something I read on the net, no idea where, but some people were suggesting that baths are of no interest to them when buying a house. They look at the bath and think okay that has to go...

[Bleedin Thumb]

I bet the rich bastards used them to water (irrigate) their gardens. :D

Yep I bet they even washed their chariots and hosed down the cobbles stone as well, bloody romans!

[silentC]

In the old days, you had excess water rates, so there was a base amount that was included in the service charge and if you went above that, then you got hit with a bill. If the bill is big enough, it discourages people from filling their pools and hosing the driveways but the people who don't do those things still get to use the water they need for daily domestics without being penalised. Why did they abolish that system?

[bennylaird]

And what else have the Romans given us in return? (he pauses smugly)
XERXES
The aqueduct?
REG
What?
XERXES
The aqueduct.
REG
Oh yeah, yeah they gave us that. Yeah. That's true.
MASKED COMMANDO
And the sanitation!
STAN
Oh yes ... sanitation, Reg, you remember what the city used to be like.
REG
All right, I'll grant you that the aqueduct and the sanitation are two
things that the Romans HAVE done ...
MATTHIAS
And the roads ...
REG
(sharply) Well YES OBVIOUSLY the roads ... the roads go without saying.
But apart from the aqueduct, the sanitation and the roads ...
ANOTHER MASKED COMMANDO
Irrigation ...
OTHER MASKED VOICES
Medicine ... Education ... Health
REG
Yes ... all right, fair enough ...
COMMANDO NEARER THE FRONT
And the wine ...
GENERAL
Oh yes! True!
FRANCIS
Yeah. That's something we'd really miss if the Romans left, Reg.
MASKED COMMANDO AT BACK
Public baths!
STAN
AND it's safe to walk in the streets at night now.
FRANCIS
Yes, they certainly know how to keep order ...
(general nodding)
... let's face it, they're the only ones who could in a place like this.
(more general murmurs of agreement)
REG
All right ... all right ... but apart from better sanitation and medicine
and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater
system and baths and public order ... what HAVE the Romans done for US?
XERXES
Brought peace!
REG
(very angry, he's not having a good meeting at all)
What!? Oh ... (scornfully) Peace, yes ... shut up!

[Bleedin Thumb]

And what else have the Romans given us ?

I knew that was coming.:D

Craig, you may think that this thread has been hijacked, but think of this....Who gave us the bath in the first place?.....Bloody Romans thats who.

[Bleedin Thumb]

In the old days, you had excess water rates, so there was a base amount that was included in the service charge and if you went above that, then you got hit with a bill. If the bill is big enough, it discourages people from filling their pools and hosing the driveways but the people who don't do those things still get to use the water they need for daily domestics without being penalised. Why did they abolish that system?

It was probably too successful i.e. they couldn't charge the majority of people who did the right thing enough.:rolleyes:

Now we all get slogged and there is no incentive to reduce consumption as there is no meaningful benchmark on the bill.
Mind you I dont read them anyway, thats SWMBO job.:)

[craigb]

Craig, you may think that this thread has been hijacked..

Yes, but I don't have a problem with that. :)

I wonder if I should put a hypocaust in my new bathroom?

[Bleedin Thumb]

And what may I ask is a hypocaust?

[craigb]

Wikipedia is your friend. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocaust