Recent content by phil1963

I have just viewed a 4 bed home in Gloucestershire built by Redrow in 2011. It has double glazing throughout and the frames are hard-wood frames. Alas there are no trickle filters (those filters located above the window, but within the frame that allow air to pass through). Should I be concerned...

Re: my last on this thorny subject - the estate agents reply was ...." I have just spoken to the owner - she said that she had the house cavity wall insulated about 7 years ago and it is insulated with polystyrene beads." Are cavity wall beads better than filling it with foam??? The house was...

An old chestnut I guess.............................is a house to be avoided if it has undergone this? Best to get a FULL survey done if the house has had this done to it?

I bet you are not Mr mercury's twin are you? OK I shall explain...................... The house is in a decent area, but a pal who is an estate agent tells me that houses with converted garages do not sell as quickly. To my untrained eye, the two rooms LOOK okay, buy may not be. Also if I...

I have just viewed a non-estate 3-bed house built in 1995 and inside the lady owner has done the house proud with its decoration and a small extension. She has however converted the garage into a utility room AND an extra room .... i.e. has divided the ex-garage into two rooms. Here is the...

Hi, Not been to see it yet! Are modern flat rooves any better than older ones or are they to be steered clear of?

Vague I know ... but I am due to look at a house built in 2012 with a flat roof (in the flat roof capital of the U.K. .... Cheltenham) - are modern flat rooves an improvement on their counter-parts of years gone by o, or still grief? How much (if possible) would it be to strip the flat roof...

I am house sitting for a pal so know nowt about his plumbing system, but after I have filled the bath up with HOT water, the water system vibrates and makes a rattling noise and the HOT tap in the first-floor bathroom vibrates too. The house warned me about this and that it can be cured by...

Just had some plastering done in the kitchen due to rising damp and had it all hacked off up to 4 foot. Is there a rough time limit until I can paint over it? Do I have to put an oil-based paint over it before I then emulsion it?

Cheers for that - only getting him to do painting, remove bricks, chip off plaster ----- nothing too taxking was what I meant or working 25 floors up!

A bit vague - but how much should a builder be paid daily for routine and not dangerous (i.e up scaffolding) work in the the southeast? Also, what should one be paying a plasterer too, for three bits of plastering to be done (about 4 foot by 3 foot - each). I have heard that the latter don;'t...

I have tried to put this on the "Contact Us" part of this web-site and it does not work!!! Can you tell me how to load up photo on this site please? I can take the photos from my own hard-drive and place them into a folder but despite saying "show my images" or something similar when I check...

I had double glazed windows fitted about three years ago into my kitchen and, although little use since they have been okay until now. With this heavy rain of late, damp has come in over the wooden lintel and into the inside of the kitchen. On inspection outside (see photos), there is no sloping...