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Humidity in new builds...
Hello everyone, Couple of months ago I managed to buy my first property and during the cold winter (particularly during snow) I had some heavy condensation on my windows... I'm in a one bedroom flat in a new building (probably 10 years old?) and I keep the indoor temperature between 18/20C and open up windows regularly to…
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Shower tiles cracked grout
The bottom row of tiles in my shower had failed grout and was allowing water to leak into the room below. I raked out all the grout and removed the tiles as the adhesive had failed. I then cleaned and primed the plaster, cleaned and re-fixed the tiles then re-grouted. All was ok for about a month the grout has failed again…
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window cleaning in a block of flats
Hi, I own a flat in a block of flats and my windows cannot be reached from the street and therefore cannot be cleaned professionally.In the past,I haven´t paid the service charge for that but I am now required to do so by a new management company. Can I legally refuse to pay as the windows are not part of the communal…
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A dreaded fence query!
I live in a Victorian terrace with a fence each side of my back garden. When we bought the house both fences were dilapidated. We replaced the fence on the RH side as both the property info form and neighbour on that side said it was our responsibility. The elderly neighbour to our left agreed to have the fence between his…
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UPVC windows - Rayhau or Profile 22 - Any advice?
Hi all, we are getting quoted for double glazed windows for our house. At present we have single glazed leaded windows (originals from 1930's!) which are very leaky and cold. We've had quotes from a number of companies, discounted the stupidly cheap quote, as didn't feel happy with their fitters, and didn't quite believe…
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Painting a patterned wallpaper
We have a nice patterned wallpaper in the hallway, which appears to be painted in the past with a nice shade of pastel blue. I am looking to refresh it but keep the same colour as it looks great. I have never attempted painting a wallpaper before, will this work, and the current paint seem to be extremely thin - how do I…
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£3,700 spent on our new (HEAT ONLY) boiler and a tad dissapointed because no hot water after 2 baths
We have recently moved into a new house. We knew before we moved in that the Boiler had been condemned and were given £2,000 by the vendor towards a new one. So, we have no complaints up to here. So, as soon as we were in the house we contacted a local Gas Safe engineer. He called round and we told him that we knew it…
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Cracks in painted walls
I’m at my witts end. Bought a house end of 2018. 100 years old had been converted from old hospital buildings about 12 years ago. But badly. Main bugbear boxed in piping everywhere. I replaced the kitchen, three bathrooms, all internal doors, flooring. Got rid of the boxed in central heating pipe work. All new radiators…
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Right to light and extensions.
We’re looking to do a small (2m) kitchen extension. We live in a semi-detached house and the extension will be on the side of the non-adjoining neighbour. They have a conservatory covering most of their rear wall but they have a single half glazed external door on the side closest to us. Does the 45 degree rule start from…
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Stairs, landing and bedroom carpet
We have narrowed it down to 2 possible choices for carpeting these areas, both from the apollo plus range, either the sea breeze tone(the darker one, plain shade) or the summer sands (the lighter with slight cream fleck). The bedroom will be a nursery, and in our existing bedrooms the tone of the carpet and stairs is…
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How much for new kitchen and bathroom?
Hi, How much would a kitchen and bathroom, carpets for the all of a small 2 bedroom flat cost roughly? I know it’s vague but I don’t have measurements but just want a rough idea. Kitchen and bathroom would need ripping out and it’s a top floor flat with no lift so a bit of a pain. Thanks
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Can you buy treated 150mm x 150mm timber
I’m looking to make a couple of chunky wooden garden chairs and would ideally like to use 4 pieces of 150 x 150 timer stacked on top of one another for the arms. Where can you buy 150mm x 150mm (6” x 6”) treated timber? Or what alternative do I have?
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Which temp/guest bed
I’m buying my first home and it will likely be a while before I can arrange a sofa and bed. Should I get a blow up mattress, folding camping bed or something else in the meantime? When I get a sofa it will ideally be a sofa bed (but not guaranteed). I want to have an option for guests in future but don’t want to buy a blow…
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Cost for new plumbing for a dishwasher??
We are house hunting atm. We have finally found a property we like but the kitchen is on the small side with no dishwasher . It currently only has space for a washing machine. We were thinking of taking out one of the cupboards in the kitchen and having a dishwasher there but there is currently no plumbing there for it so…
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Aerogel spacetherm wall liner
We are looking at a one bed flat in a 1960s block. Its mostly brick exterior and i guess no cavity wall insulation. Its tiny 36m2 and quite a lot of window area eg the whole width of the main room. The windows have 2010 diouble glazing but the are fitted across the whole block so no insulation opportunities there. So i am…
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Repairing crack in artex
Hi all, One of our ceilings has three cracks in, due to the flat roof above leaking. (Felt has been replaced now). Normally with a crack in plaster I’d stick some pollyfilla or caulk in the gap, then scrape off the excess and sand if needed once dry, but I can’t see how I’d do this with the textured finish. Any suggestions…
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Front door size with glass side panels and at the top
When ordering an external door with side glass panels and a top glass panel. Something like this: I know I want a nice wide door that's 90cm wide, but can door companies make the glass side panels of any width and the top glass panel of any height? Thus taking up all the space in the open brick work? Reason is, my builder…
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Refreshing old fences
The house we are moving into has garden fences that are tired looking. They don’t seem to be rotten, despite them looking completely neglected by the current owner. Can I just blast them with the pressure washer then cover them in Cuprinol?
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New bathroom in listed property
Our house is grade 2 listed and we are interested in turning a small dressing room at the end of our bedroom into an en suite. We have one other bathroom on the other side of the house. so I am not sure how it can be plumbed. Furthermore this house is "flying freehold" with a few inches of the dressing room in question…
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Checking drinking quality of water after refurbishment
Hello. I have just done renovation in my first house, and contractors changed all pipes in the house. I was just wondering whether I should get someone to check water quality, whether it is good for drinking? The contractors I used are all-round experienced builders (team of builders), but I do not know whether they are…
