We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More » This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Archives for January 2012

Sonic clean-Is British gas pulling a fast one
Hi My boiler, a Valliant 837, started making a noise while we were using the hot water. It does not make a noise when the heating is on, only the hot water. It sounds something like a helicoptor. My gasman thought it was a fan or bearing, i and another friend think the same. I have British Gas homecare and today they came…
Missing Ikea Part Cam Lock Cam Dowel Part
Hi All I've just bought some ikea furniture second hand and I've found out i'm missing a cam lock, cam dowel and wooden dowel for the following ikea furniture below: Ikea Pax wardrobe cam dowel ref ikea part no 112996 cam lock ref ikea part no 113434 I'm also missing a wooden dowel for a malm 4 draw cupboard wooden dowel…
Building Reg for spacing of cores
Anyone know this off the top of their heads. I want to put one @ 175 above floor level & there is already an existing one about 1800 above it. Both are around 117 Cant find my notes & cant find it in the regs. Thanks
TV Advice Please
Hi looking for a cheap 32inch full hd tv for my bedroom. Was deciding between LG 32LK450U - £270 from Richer Sounds http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/lg/32lk450u/lg-32lk450 or HITACHI L32VK06U - £250 from Argos Outlet…
Any combi boiler deals on ?
Looking to repalce a really old boiler and put in a combi boiler... I am looking for recomendations and heads up about any current deals.. The best so far seems to be BnQ at £550 a Heatline Monza which I believe is made by Vaillant...so should be good It's for a 3 bed fairly big house with 8 rads..so I was thinking a 28KW…
Delivery of SMEG fridge drivers damage wooden floor
Hi all. I attach a copy o an email I have sent to the firm that caused damage when they delivered a fridge on a 60m2 wooden flooring I had just had laid to the downstairs of my house nd there are no door breaks it is seamless all the way through the house. Any advice will be appreciated as not looking good for me at the…
13A oven
Hi, I'm desperately looking for a 13A oven as my kitchen does not have a higher rater cooker spur. It only needs to be a single oven (not built in) and doesn't need any hobs either but it must run off a normal 13A socket. I've heard that these exist but can't find any with my google-fu? Anyone got cheap recommendations?…
Upgrading bed to sprung slats?
I bought a new wooden bed base recently to upgrade from an old metal bedstead. The bed base just came with basic wooden "planks" as slats, and I think it feels somewhat less springy than the old bedstead. I was wondering if I should invest in sprung slats as an upgrade. I was looking at this website:…
Secondary glazing cost?
Anyone installed secondary glazing in a listed building? I've viewed a house which I'm considering a second viewing it's a listed property which would need it installed due to road noise. Roughly how much would it cost to install it has about 8 windows that would need doing ranging from tiny ones to one quite large one.…
Rendering costs
Hi I live in NW London and have a 3 bed-semi detached 1930s house. I want to get the pebble dash hacked off and the house smooth rendered across two floors. What kind of costs do people think is fair for that sort of job? Do I contact a standard builder or a specialist plasterer? Thanks
One radiator doesn't heat up???
I hope some one can help. We have a radiator in one room upstairs that doesn't heat up, it use to but now is stone cold :( . The pipes connected to it are also cold. Any suggestions on what I could do to fix it would be really appreciated.
Do i need to skim or not?
Just removed my sons wallpaper from his bedroom ,i want to just paint the room but the walls in my opinion are not good enough to paint on . I have patches of plaster and patches of old paint ,overall they are not too bad but are not going to give me a perfect finish. Am i ridiculous wanting it to be skimmed ? Or is there…
How should I restore my floorboards?
Guys, I have just taken my carpets of and there are floardboards underneath. They are really dirty and have gaps in them. I need to remove the gaps as I am an allergy sufferer and cannot tolerate dust. Anyway I have been doing some reading and just want to jump right in and do a quick job but am worried I am missing…
How do I remove paint from tiled floor please
Hello I wonder if some good soul can give me advice how I can remove several patches of dried paint from a tiled (quary type) floor colour dark grey - without damaging the tiles or leaving them discoloured. I seem to recall that a few years ago a non-harmful paint remover - a gel I think - was available. I have tried white…
How much for a builder to INSTALL a conservatory
We're looking at getting a conservatory and its seeming a much cheaper option to buy one from Wickes, Homebase etc and pay a builder to install, rather than go through a conservatory company and have a custom build. We're looking for a small lean-to built about 3m deep by 5m long and would need someone to do the…
Noise reduction
We have our central heating boiler installed inside a unit in our kitchen / diner. It is not particularly loud, but nevertheless irritating. I was hoping we could reduce the noise by installing insulating board on the inside of the cupboard. Have you any suggestions? Has anyone tried this? :beer:
Looking for a tiler in Bristol
Can anyone recommend a good tiler in the Bristol area? Finding it hard to decide from the numerous one-man operations and larger buisnesses. Obviously I'll get a few quotes but looking for some suggestions. TIA
Any idea of gas used by boiler vs gas fire?
We have a 4-bed house. I am home alone two days a week. It seems really wasteful to have the central heating on (and our radiator valves are old and fiddly so I can't be bothered adjusting the radiators in the rooms I'm not in as I'd have to adjust them back before the evening). Usually I close the doors to the lounge and…
Intergrated Kitchen appliances
Hello all, I am in the process of buying a new fitted kitchen. I have had quotes from Howdens and Magnet. The Magnet one comes in at about £1500 more than the Howdens one before adding appliances. Howdens included for Bosch appliances but i am shocked at how expensive they are. (over £2k for a fridge, a freezer, an oven…
Soffits & extra bits
I'm going to have soffits/fascias replaced when weather improves a bit. However it an old 1900's house & I would like to also have if possible...not sure how to describe this....'ends of roof 'rafters?' come out of bottom of fascias.....not sure if I'm making myself clear here. I want to have rosewood upvc soffits/fascias.…

★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

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.

View All

In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free

In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Discussion List

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free