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In My Home MoneySaving sticky
Please be aware of the MSE Forum rules, notably that you mustn't post personal information. Take extra care when uploading photos and make sure that they don't contain personally identifiable information. 🏠 Here are some Forum threads you might find useful: * Please ensure your electrics are up to date * Find Instruction…
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UPVC window handle stuck
The handle on one of the UPVC windows in my house will only turn about 45 degrees, as a result of which I can't open the window. Applying pressure to different parts of the window, it seems the lock on the left corner is disengaged but the locks on the right and in the centre won't budge. I've tried replacing the handle…
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Garador springs - how to tension?
These are the tension type springs, not torsion. I retensioned my own a year ago, and it was terrifying - I couldn't pull it up by hand, so used a trolley jack and a stick to do this. I must be a wimp these days, as I know I did tension them by hand when I fitted the door 15 years ago - they had fabric straps on them that…
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New boiler sizing
I'm replacing an ageing Worcester Greenstar 37CDi and just trying to work out what size and make of model I should get. It's a relatively small, 3 bed semi with one bath and mixer shower (not separate). For heating I think my old boiler is probably a bit overkill but I measured my mains water and it's around 15l per minute…
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Bookcases
Like many, I have my books on the ubiquitous IKEA Billy bookcases. I'm now looking for an alternative, requirements are: Fully adjustable with no fixed centre shelf. Billy falls down with paperbacks due to this, they don't need the full height but there's not quite enough space for an extra shelf as the middle shelf can't…
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Kitchen Sink Drainer Seal
After taking the drainer off, to give it a clean, the thin white seal that sits underneath is very worn. Can you just buy those seals, and if so, what am I searching for please? I can replace the whole section for about £6, but it's really only the seal that's looking a bit perished. The thin seal under the blue ringed…
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Questions on alcove storage design
I'm playing around with a design for alcove storage. I'm thinking about 19mm oak faced ply for doors and trim, and 18mm birch plywood for a carcass. The exterior frame is visible, but the doors are flush as per the 1st image. By the way, if you see an issue with how the carcass is designed please let me know, I'm not an…
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Is it possible/cost effective to insulate a prefab garage to use as a workshop?
I'm not very knowledgeable, so forgive me if I struggle to explain or use the wrong terms I am hoping to move into a house with a large (18 by 30ish) prefab garage with a corrugated roof (which I understand is not asbestos) I am considering converting this into a workshop (fabric/sewing) alongside the normal garage crap…
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Larger Garage
We have a single garage - a concrete Comptons 21 feet by 7 feet approx. Would it be possible to extend it, width-wise to make it a double size retaining both side walls with a new double door – no idea what the roof would need (its an Apex) – it is fine, length-wise. We have the space and just need the concrete base…
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Combi boiler fan/airflow fault
we’ve got a Worcester Bosch Greenstar 30i combi boioer, and the last couple of months the hot water temperature tends to fluctuate. I had this in an old home and had to run cleaner through it and clean (I think) the heat exchanger? Yesterday morning no hot water at all but a C7 214 fan/airflow fault. Display temp on boiler…
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Noisy Neighbours
Hello Everyone, I have lived in my own leasehold property since 1994 and I have never experienced so much noise until now and this is awful. In December 2025, the flat above mine was sold to someone. In March this year three adults moved in and it has been a nightmare since with their noise. They don't play music but they…
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Is this a fair quote for a porch build?
Hi all I have a delapidated side porch which I want replaced. A very slightly larger footprint (only by 2 square metres!). What I currently have: My dodgy photoshop mockup of what I would like (this is obviously very rough! But gives an idea): Floorplan (things have change slightly since I did this, but it gives an idea of…
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Missing plaster
I'm in the process of doing up this room and the bottom of the walls have crumbled and fallen off almost the whole way round the room, maybe around 30 - 40cm tall. Any suggestions for making good? I'm thinking it might be easier to just put new plasterboard over the top and lose an inch or two but there's plenty of space.
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Garage Floor Wet - Rising Water
Hello. I have a detached double garage that's build in the garden, and it is often flooded. Sometimes the entire floor is submerged in 10-15mm of water. I'm not sure of the exact thickness of the concrete base but there's easy 8" visible above ground. When it rains heavy, water can be seen to pool up in other areas of the…
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Builder charging for patio and steps
We've just had an extension built and the builders smashed up the patio and steps to the garden when they brought the machinery in to dig the footings. They are now asking for £1100 to relay the patio and steps. Are they correct in charging for this or should they put the garden back as it was at their own cost?
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Relaying edge to patio - what do I need to check.
I’ve had a quote to repair a patio. I’m near London so prices are expensive, but I’d appreciate any guidance on the things I should check out before agreeing to the work. There a cement area at the top that has a ‘pot hole’ at the edge of it. The first task is fill the hole and secure the existing borders. Then there is…
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Hoping to refresh my small 50 sq feet kitchen
The kitchen in my 1 bed flat needs some TLC!! It's a compact 50 sq ft area, L-shape layout I think. Will send some photos. So mixture of cabinets & 1 set of deep drawers on the left hand side & a corner space. There's a rear aspect double-glazed window above the sink & some more cabinets under the sink & to the right. The…
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Megaflow problem - is it thermostat?
I have had an intermittent problem with my hot water which is now no longer intermittent! I have a megaflow system - what happens is that when the hot water is switched on, the boiler fires up but then shuts down after about a minute. This is a probem restcited to the hot water, as central heating seems to work fine. I…
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UFH in old house
I have asked the question before, and Doozergirl came back with pretty definite answer. However, the project is getting close, and I wanted to check. Has anything changed? I am looking at heating options for my 1926 house (CWI, suspended wood floor with 100mm pir, currently rads), as I am having an extension built to…
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Dents in canned food
So I was making some dinner tonight and went to open a can of beans and the missus said we can't use it because it's dented. Now im cautious about food safety but I've never thought about this kind of dent being an issue? I understand severely dented tins breaking seals etc but I kind of laughed it off. Obviously I ate it…
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Drill won't change speed.
I have what is essentially a brand new Bosch drill which is stuck on speed one. The speed selector switch moves freely and feels normal however the speed doesn't change. Can someone suggest what this issue may be and can I get spare parts for it? Tia
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348 discussions
1.3K comments
Most recent: Crack in party wall after neighbour building work by silvercar
2 February at 9:36AM
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