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Who would know where my stopcock is?
I have brought a flat (2nd floor which is the top) and do not know where the stopcock is. The previous owner doesn't know either. It is not under the sink. When I had surveys done for a new boiler, one engineer said it could be up in the communal loft which is locked up by the freeholder. Thames water has given suggestions…
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Garden french drain without stones
Hi, My garden gets very damp so I was thinking about putting in a french drain to route excess water to a drain by the side of the house. I looked around and it seems that the recommended way is to dig a trench, lay down some geotextile, then stones, then perforated pipe, then more stones, then wrap the geotextile around…
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Ultra Cheap solution for my kitchen walls please
We have just had our kitchen replaced (due to water under our floor), and we need a really cheap idea for our kitchen splash-backs. behind the cooker is sorted, but it's the rest of the splash-backs that are causing a huge headache. And there is quite a bit of work-surface that will need it above. I have seen some gorgeous…
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Do I need to consult my neighbours about a small extension
Hello I am currently looking to build an extension outside my terraced house, one is less than 3m wide, running the whole width of my house (i.e. under the threshold that requires the neighborhood consultation,about 15m2). As such, I would like to know whether I am obliged by law to ask them for permission or consult them.…
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Desks - Can't find anything half decent
I was hoping you savvy shoppers would be able to point me in the direction of a place I can get a half decent desk from. I recently bought a 1500mm desk from a local second hand place and it is rubbish. I regret buying it - it is the typical thin chipboard with a flimsy metal frame. I used to have a desk with a solid metal…
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Oscillating Multi-tool recommendations
I work as a laminate floor fitter and have always used a handsaw to undercut the door frames to slide the laminate flooring underneath. I am looking for a new oscillating multi-tool to get to hard to reach areas and was wondering for those that own and use one, what brand/model would you recommend? I was planning to spend…
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Small wall repair, advice needed
Hi all, hoping someone can help us out. We brought our first house two months ago and we have been doing it up as it needed some work doing to it. There’s one thing that we want to patch up be we really don’t know what the best way to go about it would be but we would rather try and fix it ourselves before we call out a…
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Help moving
Hi im on ESA and hope to do a mutual exchange next month, but have no money to pay for the removals, can i get help from the benefits people at all Thanks
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building patio step
Hi all, Have recently laid a patio and I now plan to build a simple step to the bifold doors. Pretty much like this one (from paving expert website) First question: There is a 10cm gravel border. Can I lay the bricks at the house side on a mortar bed that is half on the slab and half on the gravel? 2nd question: Speaking…
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UPVC French Doors
Hello, I need some help! We have double handle UPVC French doors and I'm sure when they were fitted the man showed us how to change which door we could use as the slave by doing something with the handles to move the locking bar from one door to another. I've tried everything and just can't remember how to do it, does…
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Bathroom Floor boards need replacing?
Hi all, We have recently moved into a 1930s ground floor maisonette. The bathroom needs redoing, as it has no shower/ extractor fan etc, and just hasn't been redone in 20 years basically. The floor is currently covered in lino, which has been sealed down very badly, especially by the bathroom door. Having had a quick look…
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House maintenance: What's the "most expensive month" you can imagine?
I'm about to buy my first house (!!!!! :j) and just realised I don't really know how much I need in reserve for repairs. I know the vague costs of a fair few potential problems, and I intend to have somewhere around £4-5k available at any given moment, but I'd like to check if I'm being over-cautious (in which case I'd…
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Flooring for hall, sitting room, dining room
I'm interested in getting wooden flooring for the hallway, sitting room and dining room. I've always had carpet before, and don't know much about the different quality of wooden floors. Are there any particular brands or things to look out for? I'm interested in the mid to top of the range, not the lower end of the range.…
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boiler cover or no
I've just about going to move in new place Is general consensus to not get cover and just have it serviced annually? If so, would you get it serviced asap if you don't know when it was done? Ta Moo
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Flooring for kitchen and bathroom - recommendations please
In my last house I had ceramic tiles on the floors in both kitchen and bathroom. They looked really good, but were cold and slippery when wet. I'm wondering what to do in my new house. What types of flooring are suitable for kitchen and bathroom, are not too cold, and not slippery when wet? Any suggestions?
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How to save money on printing
Hi This is my first post so if it needs to be moved to a better place is it possible for it to be moved. At present for work I need to have a blue stamp printed on a piece of plain paper (A4). The blue stamp is 1cm x 3cm in size. I pay £50 for a 1000 (5p each) using my local printer store , is there a cheaper company that…
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Venting extractor fan
Hi, My bathroom fitter has vented my extractor fan into the chimney in the loft space and I am concerned that this is wrong and could cause damp issues - am I correct in thinking this? I also thought that it was against building regulations but am not sure. Could anyone please shed some light on this for me please.
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furniture delivery
I understand if you order from a company eg john lewis, they will delivery to inside your home. But what about couriers such as royal mail, DHL etc? I am talking about chairs, mattresses etc to a second floor flat. Is there a procedure or etiquette? They would be too heavy for me to go up the flights of stairs. Would they…
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Experience with Recurring Damp?
Hi Everybody, wanted to see if anyone on the forum had a similar experience and what the outcome was. I own a ground floor flat, a period conversion form a Victorian House, that was purchased with a known damp issue (we obviously factored this in when we purchased). I had surveys done and hired a leading damp proof firm in…
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a feather edge fence looks doable to a novice
I need about a 6m feather edge fence. Looks pretty easy to me, bang in the posts, put the horizontal supports on, then nail on the bits of wood right? Is it really that easy? Lots of websites say its advanced but I just can't see how, as long as the horizontal slats fit can't see why I couldn't alone do this in a weekend