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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Archives for May 2007

Vacuum Cleaner - have ~£120 to spend
Hi there I am a useless man looking to get a new vacuum cleaner. A 3rd party is paying for it, as they broke my old one! I have in the region of £120 to spend and so would like to get the best possible in that price range, would also like to benefit from loyalty points (clubcard/nectar/advantage card etc). My last vacuum…
quarry tiles?
I really dont know which tiles to choose for my kitchen floor. I have wanted to replace the original ripped up quarry tiles but Im not sure. Does anyone out there have quarry tiles and if so are they easy to look after? Are they slippery underfoot if wet?
Permit Pass
I was wondering if any one has a permit pass for the local waste site at Quantry Lane, Romsley (hereford and worcsester),Since 30 april you now have to have a permit to use the site.i live about 2 min drive from the site by waseley hills country park but was told i am just other side of boundary. the permits are issued…
What to do with Chimney?
Hi all, We are in a 1930's house and the lounge has an open fire, which the previous owner used regularly. We don't want to use it, but want to clean it up and leave it as an original feature - it's a walnut surround and tiles which are quite nice and in perfect condition. The problem is that the room is very dusty - I…
Socket Set deals?
When my housemate moved out I lost access to his rather handy Halfords socket set, so now I'm looking to get my own. I already have the basic Halford ratchet spanner set so i'm generally sorted there, but I need a proper socket set. Is Halfords the way to go or would you recommend somewhere else? My requirements would be…
DIY Lessons?
Hi Everyone. Just wondered if anyone knows of any courses in the Middlesbrough area for basic DIY, have just acquired my own house and have no idea how to drill a hole or hang a mirror! :confused: Pathetic I know but would be grateful to hear from people!
New House - Possibly Not Part P Compliant ?
So, I have a new build, been in it just over 12 months. One of my neighbours has recently had a conervatory built, and the guy wasn't Part P certified, so she got someone in to do the certification yesterday..... Turns out that there is no seperate fuse/isolator for the garage (which is detached in both cases) which has…
Boiler location
Hi everyone Finally, after 11 months of moving into the money pit house we are getting there and have found some (hopefully) good tradespeople to get this house in order. Electrics are being done on Friday so chaos awaits. Anyway, we have had a quote for our new boiler and upgrade of complete central heating system and we…
Safestyle UK. Good/Bad
Just ordered front and back doors, both with top lights from Safestyle, and have 7 days if I wish to cancel. The price is £1200, after I got them down from their orig £1900 quote. Anyone have any experience with them.
Painting a bathroom *help*
deleted thread
Looking for a new sofa...any ideas?
Hi everyone! Not sure if anyone can help, but I'm looking for a cheap new sofa. I've seen the ones at Tesco and they seem to be the cheapest...has anyone tried them or has anywhere else worth recommending?...thanks in advance!
Nabru Sofas
I'm looking for a large corner sofa - 7 to 8 seats. These guys look good, but I can't find any reviews on them. Prices are brilliant but does anybody have one ? How comfortable is it ? Are the materials durable ? http://www.nabru.co.uk/corner_sofa.htm
Painting the House
Hi, we have just had the rented house re done up. ie all new plaster, new coving, new wood skirting and wood doors can anyone give us some tips on painting the house, i have been reading that the walls should be painted with white paint first, does this have to paint thinned down or not. i read that the first paint of…
How best to fit window sill
Hi I wanted to replace 2 wooden window sills - one is impregnated with mould and one is so badly pitted that it is impossible to get a good finish though I might just plane it. So - is it as easy as hammering the old one out and nailing a new one in? Where is the best place to get wooden not mdf sills? What nails should I…
double glazing-glasgow/south lanarkshire
any one recomend anyone to us thanks in advance
How to treat a new wooden front door
We are having a new front door fitted next week. It is bare wood at the moment and plan to Sadolin it to match the windows etc. How is the best way to start? I have read the back of the Sadolin tin and it says it may need treating before hand and degreasing! Hubby is useless at DIY etc so any help or advice would be…
Find the property bargains in your area with Propertysnake
What's this about? If you're house hunting (or just a bit nosey) you might like this nifty little website. Propertysnake.co.uk allows you to find properties in your area where the asking price has dropped, just by typing in your postcode. You can also clickon the links to view the full price history of a specific house – a…
Howdens and MFI kitchen equivalents
Hi Does anyone know if the "Hampton" range sold by Howdens is the same as the "Padova" range at MFI?
how hard is it to..
box in pipes that are all around the floor in every room? We are buying a 1957 maisonette and all the pipes are on show in every room around the floor. Do you think is something we can do ourselves? They dont stick out too far, so i dont think we'd need much depth...but neither of have ever done any DIY!
Granite breakfast bar - do I have enough support?
Hi, I have a stressful problem with my kitchen design and hope that someone can help. Basically I would like to add in a breakfast bar in granite - see picture: http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w224/zareer/kitchen.jpg the total length of the breakfast bar is about 180cm. to the left will be an integrated washing machine…

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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
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
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
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
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 low-income 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.
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
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
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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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

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