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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Archives for May 2012

Cost of tile bath panel and chased in pipes
I am in dispute with some cowboys who wrecked my bathroom. I threw them out and had it redone. 6 months on and Trading Standards finally offer to help, and rule in my favour: I am owed compensation. Except the cowboys disagreed, and pursuaded the TS chap that I paid the second people for betterment, and that should be…
Flooring my dance Studio
Hi Folks, Not entirely sure where to put this but here seemed pretty relevant. We are about to start a dance studio and have found the right property but its a new build and needs to be fitted out. Part of negotiated lease. The first thing is the floor. It concrete and has been roughly finished. It seems reasonably flat…
New WC Soil pipe
hi all i need to re-fit a soil pipe for my WC, how high do you have the pipe coming through the rear wall off the floor of the bathroom?? the Outlet on the WC is 190mm. thanks in advance
How do I measure for a upvc front door?
Hi there, can you help? I'm looking a buying a upvc double glazed front door on ebay and want to ensure that it will fit the space of the old front door. when I measured the old door and frame it is less wide on the inside than it is when I measure from the outside. So when I look on the ebay listing and see the full…
Check out online for carpets i saved over 50%
Weve needed a carpet in the living room for years. It's all manky and stained looking and as its cream everything shows. So last weekend I had £225 and thought it was finally enough to get a carpet but the shops wanted £220 for a decent carpet alone, the rooms not even that big but its just over the cut off amounts so was…
Location of a gas cooker in kitchen - regulations?
We're trying to plan out a new kitchen. Currently our gas cooker is located in the corner of the kitchen as this is where the cooker point and gas pipe is. We went to B&Q this week for a kitchen plan and the man was talking us through our options and we said we'd like to keep the cooker in its current location. He got a…
Dripping tap....please help.....cant figure it out
Hi all I am not very maintenance-savvy so I have googled a few videos on how to fix a dripping tap but I cant figure out how to do it with my style of taps. The videos show you have to take the cold/hot tap handle off first, but the handles dont look like mine do. Please could someone take a look at the picture and let me…
faulty fan assisted cooker
Hi to every one, hope some one can advise. Oven cuts out and fan goes off. After a short while the fan comes back on and oven works. This happens at random and not just because it has reached a set temperature. I don't think it is the thermostat as when it is working ok and reaches the desired temperature the indicator…
Preparing floors to sand
Hi, I'm looking to get my hallway floors sanded as I discovered lately that they are in great condition. I noticed when I pulled the carpet back it was as if the last people had glued the underlay down and it's kind of semi-sticking in places. No, I don't think it will sand down well so I am wondering what's the best way…
Cooker Hood problem
I recently had a new kitchen fitted complete with (extractor) Cooker Hood. When standing on step ladders to paint, I noticed that the chimney was raised up on "spacers" about half an inch and when I turn it on at full blast, the air comes out of this back into kitchen. I don't think the builder put the correct plastic…
New hot water cylinder? Help please!
Just wanting to run this past someone, as we don't have masses of experience in hot water systems! :o Our hot water had stopped working a few times since we moved in last September. This last time, we have been getting some hot water but it has been spluttering through and then stopping. We called out a plumber who came…
Asbestos porch tiles
Hi All, Bought a victorian property a while ago with a porch that we think is 30-50 years old. Its in a pretty good state of repair but there are some missing roof tiles and some missing flashing. I'd like to do some maintenance on the porch roof but the tiles look very much like asbestos tiles...(rough looking cement…
How to waterproof under deck for storage?
Hello - I'd be grateful for your advice. I have a large area under wooden decking which is about 5' high and would like to use it for storage. I was wondering how best to waterproof it from underneath - I don't want to have to remake the top of the deck. At the moment it's 'standard' narrow decking planks with gaps of a…
Adusting Height of Siding Patio Doors?
I'm trying to adjust the height of a sliding patio door. Over the years the door has dropped slightly and is now difficult to lock, as the alignment of lock to housing has moved. There is a plastic plug on the door edge about an inch up from the base, removing this reveals two screws, one crosspoint and one traditional.…
Advice on glass blaustrade pls
Hi We want to install toughened glass panals down our staircase with minimum disruption - it is currently just open with metal rods, which are easily removed The brackets I have seen appear to be part of a "system" - can we easily install these brackets with our existing wooden (1930s) rail or would we need to replace rail…
From brand new concrete blocks to pebbledash!
Can my painting nightmare get any worse? I'm actually employed as a kennel manager, but due to decent renovation works my job description has expanded to include painting new blocks and pebble dash!!! Any tips? Coz I am finding it hard and frustrating work!!!!
Need new built in single oven - suggestions
I need a new built in single oven, at this stage money no object. However it should not be exclusively a fan oven ie I need to be able to turn fan off if needed. It needs a built in grill, which folds down so I can clean the top of the oven behind, or a fool proof self cleaning system. Ideally it should also do spit roast.…
Upvc window locks
hi just looking for some additional locks for upvc kitchen windows as im going on holiday soon.any recomendations would gratefull.
Office/Study: free-standing desk, or shelf?
I'm trying to make the most out of our small room as a study room for when I go to uni. I'm planning to put shelves up with flexible shelving brackets: the ones where you mount 2+ rails on the wall and the brackets hook into it, then lay on 18mm MDF boards for shelves (sturdy enough, I imagine - maybe get some edging to…
Water filter causing tcp taste?
Has anyone else had problems with to 10" GAC type cartridge. For years we have used them and they came with a solid blue exterior, now the only replacements I can find have a softer corrugated white exterior. We bought 3 as they were cheaper and immediately there was a taste of TCP in the water that was never there before.…

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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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