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Is this quote fair?

Archives for July 2005

Sanding and Varnishing Floors
We are thinking of getting the floorboards in two rooms and a hallway sanded, cracks filled, and varnished. I have been quoted £14 +VAT per square metre by my local builder - does this seem reasonable? We are debating whether its cheaper to just get the whole thing carpeted. I live in London by the way. Thanks.
Cost of fitting a kitchen (merged threads)
We have a small "corridor-style" kitchen. Despite it being very small, it still has plenty of cupboards. We have been getting prices for replacing the early 80s kitchen which is now in a terrible state (ie. cabinets and worktops giving way). We have got a price of £2,000 which we are ok with for the parts ie. cabinets (14…
Changing archway to double doors
Our lounge and dining room is seperated by a wide arch. I have measured some double doors and they would fit in nicely, apert from a smallish gap that would need to be filled and plastered etc. I assume I need a builder or carpenter? Any idea on a price please? Thanks
Combi Boiler and Shower
Just been quoted £580 (labour) to get a new condensing combi boiler and a shower installed, is this a fair price? :confused: FYI; North West located.
How much should I Pay for.....
a visual Electrical Installation check & report and a Gas Installation check & Report 2 Bed house, 1980, Gas Central heating no gas fires. I Need the work done before I can proceed to exchange Contracts on the house I am buying
Foam Roofing Insulation Questions
We have an edwardian house with a roof that is past it's best, I have seen the ads for spraying the inside of the roof with polurethane foam which supposedly strengthens the tiles and stops slippage where the nails have decayed. My questions are, how much roughly are there good/bad firms out there and most importantly when…
replacing cast iron soil pipe with plastic
I want to replace a cast iron soil pipe on a two storey terrace house including the bit that goes through the wall to the toilet can anyone give me an idea of costs that a plumber would charge and length of time for the job, i am in essex.
How to install heated towel rail over existing radiator
Hi, I am planning to install a heated towel rail in place of the old radiator in the bathroom. My question is that how difficult is the DIY? To replace a radiator, what steps need to be taken? hpw do I stop the water flowing when I disconnect the radiator and how do I stop air being trapped in the system when I install the…
Painting the exterior.... Am I being ripped off...
We live on an estate that is primarily Housing Association property. We bought a house in this area recently. The Trust that owns the properties are painting the top half of the houses (upstairs only, exterior) to all the HA tenants abd because we own our house they have asked the contractors to see if we want ours doing…
Painting outside of house
Has anyone any idea of approx cost to paint the o/s (3 walls) 0f a basic 3 bed house. Ta very
Tradesmen In Swansea!
Hello folks purely selfish post this one, and it's my first post! sorry If there's any tradespeople that anyone can recommend that are in the Swansea area then I (and others in Swansea) would love to hear about them! God knows we could do with a few recommendations around here... ta valmiki
Another bathroom quote - is it reasonable?
I have insurance covering damage to my bathroom, including replacing ceiling, flooring, existing tiling around the bath and re-painting the rest of the walls. I have asked the builder employed by the insurance company to quote me for extra work. This is: 1/ replacing the existing bathroom suite (I have purchased the new…
Moving walls!
Hi Guys, Just wondering if anyone knows (roughly of course!) how much it would cost to pull down a stud wall 12'0 and rebuild it 4'6" back. The door will obviously need to be re-hung as well. :confused: Just bought a new flat so i'll be hounding you guys with questions!! Ta muchly Amanda x
Rewiring a 1930's house
Hi, My house hasn't been rewired since it was built (1937), overall we haven't had any probs since moving in, but in one room, the electrics trip if we have one too many appliances on. It was estimated at £8,000 to rewire around 2 years ago this seems a bit steep, but don't really have any experience of what it should…
Any electricians out there?shower question
What is the approx cost of running a 10 millimetre cable from a garage attached to a house to an upstairs bathroom for a shower. The approximate length of the cable is 10 metres. no chasing out to be done. just to be laid on timber joists in the loft? always keen to hear from reliable electricians in the middlesex area.
New plastic Fascia Boards and Guttering
Has anyone had any old wooden fascia boards replaced with new plastic ones? I'm looking to replace about 150ft of fascia boards on a 1970s type bungalow in the Sheffield area. Any information on current prices would be great
Cost of hanging internal doors?
How much would it cost to hang to internal doors? Sorry if this is in the wrong bit but I haven't done this before. Need a quote soon though.
Condensing boiler
Our boiler is over 20 years old and starting to act it's age. As a place to start we had British gas in for a quote. We have been quoted for a new condensing boiler in either roof or bathroom (current one is in the kitchen), and all new radiators ( we were advised they will all need replacing as they are also old and the…
Concrete guttering
We need our concrete guttering done. Can anyone give us an idea of what the costs might be. 3 bedroomed end terraced house. Can anyone recommend contractor in Derby area. Thanks
Warning at top of page
Just to clarify the warning that Martin has put at the top of the page regarding building works and electrical changes done to your house or extension. Part P of the building regulations state that if you have any electrical work done that work will have to be inspected by a competent person, and that if you have recently…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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