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Alternatives to thatching for a summerhouse roof
We've got a thatched summerhouse at the end of our garden. It's in poor condition, both the thatch and the wooden walls. It's not used much but I don't want to completely get rid of it, I currently use it for a bit of storage and as a potting shed for my attempts at vegetable gardening. The thatch is definitely leaking and…
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Can I view planning applications from decades ago?
hi there I am familiar with the planning portal on my local council's website but does anyone know how I can look for historic applications from probably 40 or 50 years ago on a particular house? The reason I ask is a house has come up for sale opposite us and on the estate agent's details it says that "on the deeds for…
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Kitchen Worktops
We’ve decided to do some work on our Kitchen. Originally we decided to replace our Radiator, the Laminate Floor, the Skirting and also paint. Although are now considering replacing the Worktops. The other work, except for the Decorating is being done by Family. We’ve seen some worktops that we like, and we have roughly 5m…
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Can you use rear bi-folding doors for frequent access?
We want to install large bi-folding doors to the rear of the house to give that modern open look to the garden. Something like this: There is an existing rear door to the property and we're not sure if we should replace that door space with the new bi-folding doors or keep the door (which would mean a slightly smaller…
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Ideas on how to renovate Downstairs Toilet
Hi all. I recently bought a house and the downstairs toilet doesn't look good. I was hoping for some ideas on how to improve it and if it can realistically be done by myself. The biggest issues is covering the pipes which look ugly. Any ideas would be welcome.
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Garden office on the cheap
Hi all, Obviously in the current climate, I’m thinking about how I can best work from home, especially now I’ve been told it’s not likely I’ll return to my office in earnest until 2021. I live in a 3 bed house with a garden, but imminently expecting 2nd child so our spare room will soon be unusable! I’m considering…
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Do Tesco Still Sell Fridges Instore Since They Ended Tesco Direct?
My fridge needs replacing and I have tesco clubcard vouchers to spend. I looked on the Tesco Website but there was no indication of them selling large electrical appliances, yet I know that they were selling xbox and playstation consoles just a few months ago. As I am in isolation I am not in a position to travel to a…
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What appliances can I put in a room with no heating?
I'm in the process of buying a house and there's a room which is basically a conservatory/lean to, with a plug socket in but no heating. I'm thinking of putting my laundry dryer in there - it's a condensation one - but I'm wondering if it would damage the appliance, keeping it in there? Eg, if there's damp in the room.…
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Squeaky floors
Please advise me how to fix this problem. Problem is up and down stairs and in rooms! It's driving me mad. (The stairs is boarded underneath so I can't see see bottom. Hope that makes sense!) Thank you!
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How to improve my garage? (Not a conversion)
Hi everyone, I bought a fairly new property (<10 years old) last year with a detached garage. I've been storing things in there and every time I go in there seems to be another layer of dust everywhere. I'm going to put a seal on the garage door to keep the wind out but I'm wondering where all the dust is coming from and…
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Access to neightbouring land when you are the neighbour
The landlady of the student let next door has told me that she is having her guttering repaired and will be erecting scaffolding in my garden. My garden ends with her house. Obviously she can have access as it is necessary maintenance. I am concerned about damage to my property and what protections I have.
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Water damage near indoor electric meter!!
Hello, I'm hoping someone can advise me please. I live in a semi-detached and myself and my neighbour both have a guttering downpipe + drain to be responsible for, mine is at the back theirs is at the front. The issue I'm experiencing is that the T-piece on the front (theirs) is metal along with the downpipe and it leaks…
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£40k reasonable for loft conversion (2 bedrooms about 12m2 each, velux windows)?
This is a fixed-price quote from one of the best known loft-conversion companies in my region, includes everything except the painting/carpets. For an extra £3k I can an en-suite in one of the rooms (seems like a no-brainer to go for that).
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Garden Room Roof Structure
I am self-building a raised timber frame garden room and looking for advise on how to design a flat roof structure. Been struggling with it for weeks now.The problem it is not a rectungular frame but a hex kindof shape like in the sketchup image below. The reason for the odd shape is due to my garden being 'odd shape' and…
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Identifying a modern brick
Hi, a few years ago an extension was built. Builder left a pallet with a few layers of unused bricks. im planning some garden walling and wanted to match to house brickwork. is there any way of identifying a modern brick? These are red and solid with no holes. There is no writing on them. They feel heavy for normal bricks.…
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Trickle vents partly in extension
We're having an extension built along the back of the house. The existing kitchen wall will be removed to create a large kitchen/diner. In the new part of the room (extension) there will be french doors with trickle vents. I am also replacing the 2 existing windows in the kitchen (down the side) with new. I understand that…
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How much does a porch cost
I am trying to get some kind of a ball-park figure as I am looking at houses and I am viewing a house today that needs quite a big of work. Most of it is cosmetic but it needs a kitchen and a bathroom updated, and the front door opens to the living room (as a migrant I will never be able to understand that). Initially, I…
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Air Bricks
We live in a bungalow and in the winter get mould on a North East facing bedroom wall mostly at the top. Not a huge amount and is fairly easy to clean with Lakeland mould remover spray. However, I was looking outside the other day and near the bottom of both the north and east facing walls there are 3 bricks one above each…
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DIY shrub stump removal
Hello, I cut down a large unwanted shrub from by my front door. I am left however with the stump. I have read online that if I drill holes into the stumps and fill; this will kill the stumps. I wondered if anyone on MSE has actually done this successfully; and what they used to fill the stumps with. There seem to be…
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Installing Extractor fan with timer in place of old extractor without timer
HiI am planning to replace my old noisy extractor fan(without timer) to a new one with timer.Both are in-line models.There is no isolator switch.On off by pull string which also brings on the bathroom lights.How do I make the connection to permanent live and from where? I would like to avoid bringing in a sparky if…
