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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Archives for October 2012

Fireplace Help Please - What is Flammable?
Hi can you help us please? We had an old nasty stone fireplace that I always hated. Bought a bargain 2nd hand white painted fire surround from ebay and I really like it. dh said that we could just get a sheet of ply, cut it to size stick it to the wall and put the fire surround on top then paint the ply in a coordinating…
Confused.
I have been reading reviews and what folk have said about various kitchen companies but getting really confused. Today I went to B&Q - thought their kitchens looked cheap. Been to Magnet - spoke to a chap with an account there - chose a middle range kitchen - my room is 2.70 x 2.90 - quoted over £8,500 just for the…
Removing wallpaper paste from a wall
I have removed the wallpaper, and backing paper but have lots of adhesive still stuck to the wall. Is sugar soap the easiest way to remove it?
Ideas for hall please as stumped
My mother is coming to stay at Christmas and we need to redecorate hall. We skimped on doing it first time to rush and now have to do it properly. We have decided on two wall colours Farrow and Ball Straw or Hay and we like the idea of replacing damaged parawood parquet with sealed cork tiles plus seagrass, jute or rush…
Pilot light goes out after switching on heating
I have a 28 year old floor standing Potterton Kingfisher CF 60 boiler, old I know but up till now it has given me no problems so if it ain't broke don't fix it. I use the boiler all year to heat the water and at the weekend I switched on the central heating. All the radiators warmed up and then went cold. When I checked…
loft insulation and cavity wall grants, are they are scam ?
Official Insert If you've landed here because you're looking for loft insulation deals head over to our Loft Insulation guide. Back to timmy toad's original post... ---- I think everyone has had a phone call from a "company" trying to GIVE them FREE Loft Insulation and Cavity Wall insulation. They seem to ring several…
Conservatories - style and roofing questions
Ok, we have some quotes and we are more confused than before. Is it worth paying extra for glass roof? Rather than polycarbonate? We live in a detached dorma bungalow and the conservatory is going to go on the side of the house where it has already been extended, we have the option of a lean to style roof or an Edwardian,…
Cavity insulation for _single_ wall?
Hi there, we had three walls insulated by the council a few years ago. They wouldn't do the front wall because it has a stone front and was more difficult then the other three (brick) walls. Recently, our energy supplier (EdF) offered to do our insulation for free but when we probe them further it turns out that they won't…
Draining and refilling central heating system
I have an old central heating system (boiler on floor) and I plan to add a couple of new radiators to the system. I have the boiler on the ground floor and upstairs is a hot water cylinder and another small cylinder on the wall (expansion tank?). I had a look in the loft and there is a tank up there that is no longer used.…
Canvas prints
I'm looking to get a few photos printed on to canvas to sell at a charity event. I've looked at places like Vistaprint, Photobox and Snapfish and prices vary a lot. Does anyone have any experience of getting canvas prints done (good or bad) and does anyone know of anywhere that's reasonably priced as well? Thanks for…
Free Loft insulation
Hi, I've just had a survey done by Viscount Insulation to have loft insulation installed. They say I can have it done for free even though I'm under 60, work full time and I'm not on any kind of benefits (nor is anyone else in the house). :j As I don't normally get anything for free I instantly think this is too good to be…
New to painting and decorating
Since the death of my husband I find myself at 62 having to think about "Painting and Decorating", so I live in a bungalow which is just 5 years old,when we moved in it had been emulsioned? throughout,waited the requisite time for settling ? .During that time my husband developed a terminal lung condition and decorating…
Old style radiator with no temp controls
It is not possible to adjust the temp of the individual radiators as they do not have temp controls. Apparantly they are old style radiators coming off microbore pipes, so it’s not a question of just replacing the rads, the complete pipework running through the floor of the 3 story townhouse will have to be changed. Also,…
Banging boiler
Hi all, I've got a problem that has been going on for a few years now and no-one has been able to offer any sort of suggestion as to why it is happening (apart from a very helpful BG engineer, who said it was an 'installation problem'). Specifically, whenever the hot water is run, no matter whether the CH is on or not, the…
Enviro vent
Hi Has anyone have the Enviro vent fitted in their house? The following is a brief description. Fans which draw filtered air from the roof space are available, this type of fan creates a slight positive pressure throughout the house which gently pushes the moisture laden air out through small gaps which are present in all…
Damp problem
Hi Because I have had to be careful with my heating and the weather being very damp, I have black mould around my bedroom windows. I am going to put the central on for a day or so to attempt to dry the house out properly. Can anyone recommend a product to successfully remove the black mould and keep it away please? I…
Can you recommend some Secondary Glazing??
I live in London in an ex-local flat with (ahem) gorgeous single glazed crittle windows :rotfl:. I am unable to get double glazing but was looking at getting some proper secondary glazing done in a the bedrooms. The type with sliding doors and not the perspex attached to the frame. Can anyone recommend a good company or…
Windows - on a main road and noisy
Advice needed please. Just had new windows installed in our bedroom and in the living room. Our house suffers from bad condensation so we have had vents fitted to the windows ( 1 vent in the bedroom and 2 vents in the living room ). These were fitted 3 days ago and unfortunately the traffic noise through the vents is…
chandelier
hello, does anyone know how to find out the approx value of a chandelier (without taking it to shop)? I would like to sell ours but I have no clue how much it is worth. Been looking on ebay but tbh I don't know what to look for (ie material, arms, cristal?) thanks!
Double Glazing Quote Online ?
Where can i get an Instant Double Glazing Quote Online? I had a bad exsprence in my old house where a double glazing salesman came to my home to give me a quote. He was very pushy and quoted ridicules money. He then refused to negotiate on the price until he could speak to my husband. Anyway, i'm in a different house now…

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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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