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Potential fence/boundary dispute - who is in the right here?
We bought a semi-detached house this year. The gardens are separated by a straight-line boundary between the houses. On our side of the boundary, there's a rotten, broken-down fence. On our neighbours' side, there is a nice new picket fence. Apparently, the old lady who lived in our house before us refused to remove her…
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Should I plant shrubs in the 1m strip of my front garden that is owned by the council?
Hi, My house is end of terrace facing a road. To the left is a row of 3 houses that are at 90 degrees to the road so that these houses face the side of my house and my front garden with a path that runs alongside for access. At the moment the front garden is just a large patch of scruffy grass which is far too inviting for…
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Brick affect wall panels
The alcoves I have either side of the chimney breast I would like to take the plaster off and expose the brick. However I am not keen on the amount of mess this would cause but I have seen panels that can be attached to the wall to give the affect of exposed brick. Has anyone ever used something like this and how did you…
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Pay Contractor A Deposit Before Work Starts?
I’m having my small (2.14 by 1.70 metres) bathroom refurbed, starting 3rd August. I couldn’t find an available contractor through friends or relatives recommendation, so I found one through Checkatrade. Agreed £7,000 inc VAT, with me to supply floor & wall tiles. Now he says he requires an initial 40% deposit to secure the…
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Crows nested inside fascia boxing in Victorian top floor tenement flat - what to do?
Hi all I've just recently moved into a Victorian tenement flat on top floor (3 floors). A few weeks ago we started hearing a lot of bird activity and were somewhat shocked to see crows flying out of a hole in the fascia board, next to a drainage pipe. There is another hole they fly out/in about 2m further along from there.…
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marks on new ceramic glass hob
Recently installed a new Hotpoint cooker with glass top. After some weeks for some reason there appears to be what I can only describe as water marks under the glass top. Is this normal? It does not affect the use of the rings but just looks unsightly. Surely water marks would dry off when the halogen rings are turned on.…
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Retaining wall liability & title deeds
OK I have looked through lots of forums and even asked around but I can't seem to get a straight answer anywhere to my question - Are my title deeds enforceable on a neighbour? Some background, I am one of 4 terraced properties that have a large retaining wall at the end of our back gardens, there is a single house below…
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Chimney research
Moved to thatched cottage last year. Need to replace flues (old asbestos already removed) and would like better understanding of existing brick chimney structures. Particularly interested in trying to date when chimneys were built. It appears they're more recent than cottage itself. Anyone able to explain why there are…
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Cannot find internal stopcock: plumber?
Hi All, Moved into our house back in September. On our move-in checklist one of the first things we did was locate what we THOUGHT was the master stopcock. There were two under the sink, figured it must be one of them. Anyway: tried turning them both off this weekend, and one controls the secondary tap on the main kitchen…
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Everest in and out administration Everest 2020
We have been waiting over a year for Everest to complete a window installation at our home - this has been due to staffing changes, chaos in the administration of the Head Office, and the loss of various parts that were ordered for our job ( mislaid in Everest's yard!) . We have been more than patient, but are now unsure…
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Removed kitchen sink but didn't cap pipes...
Yesterday in a moment of lockdown excitability/mania I removed the kitchen sink and the surrounding section of worktop. The idea being to do this bit myself to save money before a tradesman fits the replacement. I live alone in London in a Victorian conversion. I was able to turn off the mixer tap using the isolation…
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How can I find out where my drains flow to
The alleyway down the side of our house has 3 visible drains/inspection holes. 1 rectangular original one (1930’s semi), a round manhole cover beside our rear extension and a small one right beside the extension that the kitchen sink and dishwasher waste go into. I’m assuming they all flow out front to the street? am…
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PvC windows
Hi, I have some quotations for front windows and composit door. uPVC windows. - one company does uPVC with a steel in it. Another company has no steel in it. When questioned they said its a EU requirements and its better for the house becuse steel will remoan cold and winter. They said the uPVC will be as hard as metal. I…
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Pipe banging from neighbours washing machine
Needing some help. moved house a month ago and could hear pipes banging all night, called a plumber and it was due to the water in my house being turned off it affected when the neighbour used there’s, there was water in our pipes so we didn’t notice the water was off, both of us could hear the banging pipes. now when next…
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Do these aggregate quantities look right?
I'm planning 2 x concrete shed bases in the garden a total area of 17m2. Was going to lay 10cm type 1, then 10cm concrete on top. I think i need: 13.4 tonnes of Type 1 MOT 12 tonnes of ballast 80 x 25kg bags of cement (ratio of 5:1 ballast:cement) Does that sound right? Seems a lot to me??
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Do you have a gardener
I'm moving house soon and where I'm going has a wraparound garden on 3 sides of the house. each is like its own little separate area as in some is mostly lawn whilst some is more flower beds and there is also a veg patch. I would love to be a good gardener but too be honest I'm not very good at all. I'm ok with sticking in…
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New oven fan not turning!
Just purchased a new Indesit oven and the fan at the back is not turning. I'm guessing when I set the function to the fan and set the temperature that the fan should be turning? It's only just been delivered this morning and is supposed be a plug in and go oven lol I'm trying to get in touch with AO and Indesit but not…
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Having a room decorated.
I'm due to move home soon, we have an exchange and completion date but never know with Covid so keeping me fingers crossed. Whenever we have moved before i have always done all my onw decorating and it was no hardship for me to do a full house painting and decorating. I love the challenge and being able to say I did it…
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Decking depth issues
I want to replace my paved patio (cheap 30mm paving slabs) with decking, but I don't want to raise the level too much for various reasons. Ideally it would be about 3" higher than current. I had one suggestion to deck on 2x2 supports on top of the slabs, but I'm not convinced this is a great idea. Alternate is to remove…
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Patio cover (lean-to) or conservatory
I'd like to establish if I might be able to find a conservatory style building suitable for a space at the rear of my property. I have a small patio adjacent a single storey extension to the property at the rear. The extension roof and guttering overhang the patio approx 20cm. Perpendicular to the property and on the…
