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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Archives for January 2006

Noisey Zanussi built in fan oven
Help, the fan on the built in oven in our kitchen is driving me crazy through the noise it makes - loud continuous drone. Can anyone tell me if I can get a replacement fan/motor, is it easy to replace & what kind of cost am I looking at? The oven is a Zanussi ZDF 866 circa 1998. Thanks in advance Madcow
No output from Power Shower and no Pump
Would be very pleased if someone could offer some advice re. our inherited Mira Excel power shower which decided not to work today! It is around 8 or 9 years old I believe and is connected to a Mira PP3 pump. Although the shower enclosure, especially the tiling, is showing it's age a bit the shower has been working…
any help on buying a central heating system
hi, we are about to install central heating has anyone seen the offer in the b&q? you know the package deal rads, condesant boiler,and valves for £750 i think has anyone fitted these are we wasting our time or is this a good deal,any advice would be much appreciated
How difficult are these jobs?
Before the damp company comes round they insist i have done the following jobs (and will chareg £50+VAT for a wasted visit if i haven't).I would like people's opinions on how difficult each is & which require tradesmen. (i) Remove floor covering from next to all walls requiring treatment - this basically measn take up the…
Can I link two tvs up to the same aerial cable and sky cable?
I have a chipboard partition wall between my living room and kitchen breakfast room. I am hoping to put in a tv in my kitchen against the wall that partitions the living room where the main tv backs on. It is possible to drill a hole through the partition wall to feed through a cable. So my question is would it be possible…
Conservatory Heating? (merged threads)
Hi,having a conservatory built at the moment and i am looking at heating solutions for it.I think i will go for a oil filled 2 kw radiator but was wondering what the running costs are.It will be on most of the time whilst its chilly .any ideas of rough hourly costs of these heaters ? Any other heating ideas welcome.
Hollow Walls & Heavy Curtains - Help!
i bought a house about a year ago, the previous owner had new Double Glazing put in about 4 years ago. Where the old windows were ripped out there was obviously some damage done to the surrounding plaster work as just above the window where you would expect to find brick there is a layer of plaster held on by a wire mesh,…
Moving a BT socket
Hello, Just bought a new house and moved in over the weekend (yay!). At present the BT socket is in the hall, right at the bottom of the stairs. The line arrives on the front of the house, then comes through a hole at the top of the front door, and runs down the side of the hall (pinned to the top of the skirting,…
New bed - with drawers or without?
We want to buy a new bed but with drawers or without drawers, that is the question? The extra space would be great, but do you lose something in the "comfort" factor or is there no difference. Any comments appreciated
Cavity Wall Installation
I am thinking about having Cavity wall installation, I've seen there are grants about, and the cost would be about £100 It is supposed to cut your heating bills by 20%, dont know how true that is? I have a 1930s house, will Cavity Wall installation be OK? Will it lead to problems with damp and condensation?? Anyone got any…
need to know name of ex stock warehouse in bishops stortford
they sell marks and spencer ex stock and other shops like sofas and furniture any one help
how much to completely rewire a smallish 3 bed house?
I'd love to know if anyone could give me a rough ballpark figure. Thanks!
Laminate Flooring Fitter Needed Essex
Can anybody recommend someone to lay laminate flooring in the Witham/Chelmsford area. Also, does anybody know approx. how much i should be looking to pay? Thanks
Fire Suite - Smaller than 48" ??????
Hi ppl We've currently got a nice circa 70's council (ish) gas fire and fireplace in our front room which we'd like to get rid of and replace with something nicer to say the least. However we seem to have a problem in getting something to fit as our chimney breast is approx 118cm wide and most of the mantel/hearths seem to…
Planning permission to move kitchen location??
I've had an offer accepted on a bungalow I want to buyand the kitchen is described as... 'Double base unit with stainless steel sink and hot and cold taps.' And, quite literally, that's all there is in it and thats great because I can choose my own kitchen design. The bungalow has an extension slightly bigger than the…
Paying the going rate !
Public notice ! When you have any work done by a family member or friend and you insist on paying the going rate before commencement.... :confused: ......please don't be dissappointed when presented with the bill, you find you are paying the going rate. :eek: after all, you did insist on paying the going rate. :rolleyes:…
Shiplap Cladding
Hi all, I decided to surprise my mum with a new a shed as her old one looks like it has had better days. I demolished the shed ( ;-) ) and set about getting the raw materials for a new one. When I went down to B & Q I realised they only sell that feathered cladding and not the shiplap one my mum’s original shed had. I have…
help with flat
hi, me and my girlfriend have moved into a flat and been there 8 months now. its rented but trying to get the landlord is a nightmare. anyways, during the summer is was all good, nice flat, nice and warm and just about everything we wanted. but now the real cold is moving in, the back room and hull/landing are mega cold…
wanted;- cheap upvc door
can anybody recomend a good source for second hand/second quality upvc door for a garage. exact size not important. staffs/midlands area or further afield if neccessary. ebay only seems to have new doors
Indoor grills
Just remodelling the kitchen and I like the idea of an indoor gas grill, but I cant seem to find much info on them. Isit possible to put one in, can you not plug a gas barbeque into the gas mains? Cheers

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
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Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
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Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
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Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
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Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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