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Quick electric wiring query
During the work that's going on in my house, I've come across a wire to a light switch that has at one point been screwed or nailed (although there is nothing in it now). The yellow wire is all but broken through, it's literally hanging by a thread. As the floors are up, I've traced it back to another light switch and can…
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B & Q prices jumped in a matter of days!
I picked up one of the Garden catalogues while in B&Q last week and had a good look at it while we had all that wet weather. I'm taking my time building my ground level decking and, although I have screwed only 6 deck boards down, I laid out the rest of the boards and realised the deck would be quite big and characterless…
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Quality set of kitchen knives
Hi Some time ago I asked if anyone had any recommendation for a quality frying pan. Someone recommended a Anolon which I bought. I'm really pleased with it and it confirmed that it is worth spending a bit more for quality. Could anyone recommend a good set of knives? I can't seem to get mine good and sharp - I'm using…
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Nitromors and lead
I'm looking to renovate the front door to my house. It has a really nice leaded-light window, which unfortunately has little whisps of white paint around the edges from where the door was previously painted. I don't intend to strip the whole thing before painting, but want to remove these stray bits. Scrapping with a craft…
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Interior doors moulded or wood?
We're nearly at the end of our renovation and I'm now looking into doors. I need 4 panel doors for upstairs, and one contemporary door with glass for the kitchen. I'm looking at moulded doors because the thought of painting wooden ones fills me with dread and I thought I had hung up the last paintbrush for a few years.…
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Rising damp?
hum... need some advice please guys. We have just had the dining room plastered and the plastered mentioned that the (once external wall) which is now internal due to conservatory was a little damp. He plastered it and now, 5 days later the patch where he said is not dry and the internal wall that it joins onto is still…
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Energy efficient heating/DHW
We are looking to replace our 13 year old boiler with something more efficient. Our current system has a Albion Mainsflow thermal store which is directly heated by a conventional boiler (Baxi Solo). Rads and UFH are fed directly from the bottom 1/3 of the store and there is an internal coil for the DHW. We pre-heat the DHW…
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Vinyl Planks , has anyone used them?
Can`t make my mind up whether to buy vinyl floor tiles for kitchen or the planks http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/Vinyl-Tiles+Planks/Self-Adhesive-Vinyl-Plank-x-7/invt/0240506?htxt=PsAGyAqy%2FDSGVBgOHPBfATKVETOKIWHcwqoICuDrG%2FxTcDPfxIrYzUvEu76RzzM6wutKTeo9AOCB%0AtDs76aYYKg%3D%3D Has anyone used them and are they ok ? thanks :D
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Damp question
I recently (April moved into a house, built 1870 and have noticed some signs of - lets call it moisture, just above a skirting board, living room, internal wall - paint is flaking. The property had a DPC in 2002 and I have the warranty - without the drawing showing which walls were included. The company didnt show up on…
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Blu Ray/DVD
I have won Bolt on Blu Ray + DVD. Please excuse such ignorance :o , but can it simply be played on a DVD player? I don't want to take the shrink wrap off if I can't use it.
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Painter & Decorating Prices
I am thinking of getting someone in to paint lounge/Dining room but trying to keep costs down, it is 32ft long x 15ft approx, it has just been replastered and I was thinking of doing the priming ourselves and getting a decorator to then do the Emulsioning. We have always done our own decorating so have no idea whatsoever…
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Advice on covering glass conservatory during roofing work overhead
We have a Victorian semi detached house which is basically L shaped (short end of L is front). At the back we have a large lean-to style conservatory built in the extension part of the L . We urgently need some roof work done on the slates and guttering above the conservatory and need scaffolding erected. The conservatory…
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toilet flush problem
My toilet is of the modern verity with all the mechanism inside the tank which is operated by a split button on the top of the cistern. When the flush has been actioned it takes an age for the cistern to fill up again. I have taken the top to look inside and the water is entering the tank in a fine spray, I have tried…
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Just curious - flooring query
This may well be different for plank flooring since you can lay and lift individual boards if need be, but for the 8' x 2' chipboard or even ply board type flooring, you are supposed to lay the boards so that the joins are staggered, to give more strength. Now, most houses will not have the original untouched flooring they…
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profile 22? any good for door & window??
having another quote for a upvc door and window in brown upvc. they say they can use profiles by synerjy or eurocell shield?? but for a bit extra they can get/use profile 22. question really is profile 22 any good please. any helps appreciated :confused:
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Can a combi boiler cope with my family needs
Opinions please Just doing final planning for a new boiler (needed as we are doing an extension). I am not sure whether to rely on the builders advice or to set an expectation of what I want The choice is between having a combi or (as currently) use the existing tank with a new (non combi) boiler. If I have a combi, I can…
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patio doors - 3k???
Hi All We have one of those situations when you need to replace something, but you dont think its worth the momey, so you do nothing for a year!!! We basically have sliding, awful, clunky kitchen doors. we want to replace them with hardwood plain glass patio doors, or aluminium folding doors.. the space is about 1700 wide…
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Cleaner holiday etiquette
Hi, This is a sort of cleaner etiquette question. We have a cleaner pair who come in once a week for a couple of hours. This is an permanent arrangement. We are off on holiday soon for a couple of weeks so there is no point them coming during the 1st week. Is it the done thing to just say we don't need the service that…
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NEED a ELECKY
Hi, I was hoping that somone from Reading or Wokingham will be reading this. I am about to purchase a property in Winnersh and the electrics have come up. I also need a roofing person, roofier/ a roofer, a roofing contracter for a quote too. So if anyone can reccomend a NCIEIC electrician and a Chippy for the roof who will…
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Do I need to but coal/briquets for a gas barbeque
I've just bought a leisuregrow 300 3 burner gas barbeque (in true MSE fashion for the bargain reduced price of £75) however I'm not entirely sure if I need to buy coals/bricks for inside it. The instructions don't refer to any however my old Barbeque (Homebase circa 1999 antique) did have them and I can't remember if I had…
