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Cleaning dining table
I have a lovely mahogany table i bought ,thing is it appears to be household polished and a bit sticky/patchy Is there any tips for getting it back to the laquer I tried a touch of vinegar in warm water but not much luck regards Beatrice
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Heat exchanger issue on a year old boiler
I had a Glo-worm combi boiler fitted last year and up until a few nights ago it was fine. Then it started banging and making whining noises - it sounded like water was being forced through or past something under high pressure. Last night I can't fill up the sink with hot enough water. First the boiler fires up and the…
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Securing earth cable against concrete lintel
I need to secure a thick earthing cable against a concrete lintel that runs across the top of a window. I've used clips either side into the brickwork joins but I cannot hammer the clips into the concrete lintel, so the cable sags a little. I'm looking for an easy way of securing the cable tightly against the lintel.
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Redecoration of
I have used a decorator for a number of years. He does decoration for the public areas in the over 55 development where I live. He has increased his costs over the years but a quote he has given me for my bathroom seems too high to me. It is half tiled needs painting of one door velux window which is not being painted and…
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tube light not working
Hi my garage tube light has stopped working, only one end has a orange coloured glowing light when you switch it on but the tube doesn't light up...I thought it would be a simple case of replacing the starter but I cant see a starter??? im going to look at it properly tomorrow but if it doesn't have a starter then will it…
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Weight ratings on manhole covers
Have to replace a manhole cover on the drive. 2 questions please....firstly, the weight rating? My car weighs less than 2 tons, the Clark covers are rated at 5 tons, but they say 'pedestrian use only'. Do I need the bigger, 25 ton cover? Second, the mortar. Can I buy a premix from a diy store for the job? If so, what mix…
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Electrical fuse upgrade
Hi, We're getting our newly bought house rewired (after reading the 'get your electrics checked' thread!) but one (out of 5) of the electricians that quoted checked the fuse and told us it was 60 amp so we shouldn't really have two electric showers and a part electric cooker running off it. He said to contact our provider…
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Radiator spacing from wall
Hi I hope there are some plumbers out there who can help me with this. I'm having an extension done and today the radiators were fitted. The guy doing the plumbing had laid the pipework before the concrete floor was put down and when he came to fit the rads found that the pipes weren't wide enough so had to dig out some…
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Help - Leaking Chimney?
Noticed we have some water coming in around one of our chimneys, where the "stack" meets the roof. We have a 2 storey barn built on the end of the house, with the upstairs used as a games/play room, and no actual ceiling (ie open to the rafters), making the leak easier to see. The other side may be leaking too, but as we…
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Turning around stairs
Can anyone give me a rough estimate of how expensive and complicated it would be to turn around a staircase. The staircase is the type where you go up them half way, turn 180 on a half landing, and go up the rest of the way ... not sure what this is called. The house is a 1960s detached. thanks mto
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Negotiating Quote for Conservatory
We've had our first quote out of three for a conservatory we plan on having built before Christmas. We're not particularly keen on this company as they seem to contract all/most of the work out, however, the conservatory is as follows: 4.5x3m Edwardian Style conservatory with polycarb roof Dwarf wall High wall to one side…
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Is B&Q laminate rubbish?
Hi. We're looking to put down a new floor in the dining room - originally we wanted oak herringbone parquet (which is what would have been there originally - 1920s house) but when we got quotes it was just too expensive so we're going down the laminate route. We've seen some parquet style laminate in B&Q, which we really…
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Loft renovation: fire regulations?
Hi Gurus! The previous owners of our house did a loft conversion in about 2000. I think it was pretty poorly insulated though, and we'd like to get some heating in there, redecorate and re-do the stairs, which are very creaky and poorly made, and generally spruce it up. This isn't really a loft conversion in the sense that…
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External wiring for Electric Shower
We are thinking of getting an electric shower fitted in our bathroom - the problem being how to route the wiring back to the consumer unit - which is inside the front door Is it acceptable to run wiring externally (through the house wall - and round the side of the house, through the wall - to the fuse box) - if so - is…
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Is a Yale Type lock "handed" ?
We have a newish (inner) front door with a yale type (nightlatch ?) lock on it The problem is that it appears to be fitted incorrectly - the latch drops down rather than goes up - which means that, gravity tends to lock the door !! Hence the question - are Yale type locks different for left and right hinged doors ?
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Hot water tank - Intermittent hissing
I have a hissing noise coming from my hot water tank. If I turn the power off to it, it stops (the water tank is in my bedroom) and it's hissing whether the hot water is turned on at the Programmer or not. It's not constant, more like it's trying to cool itself down / release some pressure, then when it's done that, which…
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How many Rosemary Roof Tiles on one side of a roof?
Used the roof area calculator on-line and it is 50 square meters. Just doing the front elevation roof - creating a large dormer at the rear. No hips or valleys - just a normal pitch with gables. Only complexity is one chimney and 2 large velux's that are 1.2 square meters each. Any roofers on that can help and advise…
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Problem with gas hob..?
Hi all, I have a gas hob and electric oven. When I turn on the gas hob the gas comes out for a few seconds, but then stops. I click the ignite but nothing happens apart from the clicking. I don't smell or hear the gas so I don't think it is coming out. A few minutes later of me turning the knob on and off the gas reignites…
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Restoring corian worktop
We have a corian topped island measuring 120cm x 260cm. It's dull, scratched and and has some chips round the edges. I've heard ajax or barkeeper's friend does the trick but I feel ours needs a bit more than that. I believe there are corian restorers out there. Any idea of the cost in restoring a work top of that size?
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Layout software
Is there any free software or utilities that can help you design the layout of rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms. I've had a quick go with Google Sketch up but have found it a bit complicated for my needs. I just want a 2D plan where I can put in the room dimensions, where the doors and windows are, and then add units,…
