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Yes, that sounds decent-ish pay to me (I'm in Surrey) for someone who knows what they're doing, sort of work I've done and had others do in the past. They'll often try to bring in a labourer or two and make a bit more that way too. And on materials... And if you're paying by the day, make sure...

Rake/remove horizontal mortar joints about 50% wall thickness deep (don't do very long stretches in one go if the crack is low in the wall - don't want it toppling over!) for 30-50cm each side of the vertical crack. Insert a stainless steel helical rod. Inject epoxy/polyurethane type resin to...

Update - when the hanger was driven fully home this morning the Celcon cracked in half! So I guess not a good idea even if strengthened by being in a wall (my test was on a loose Celcon before fitting). So we'll grind out slots (15mm high?) and pack with strong mortar above - OK?

I need to do this and the heavy duty ones at Toolstation have angled/pointy top flanges. I tried hammering one into a half Celcon lying around on site and it went in a treat - nice tight fit, no cracking. So is it OK to do this for a floor? Hammer the flange of the hanger into a Celcon...

Put cheap IKEA laminate over wool felt underlay in busy hall/dining room over suspended timber floor to help with heat/soundproofing. 3 years later, no problems.

Should have explained - it's a 1st floor extension to match existing, so 2 x steels to carry outer bricks and inner blocks for a few courses, same as existing building. Then tile hung timber on top of the outer bricks at the same height as the existing building swaps from brick facing to tile...

When building a brick wall off a steel beam, is there any connector needed from the steel to the brick/mortar? or does the mortar bond ok/weight of the wall suffice? After a few courses, the wall becomes timber frame. What is the best way of connecting the sole plate to the bricks? Is it...

Hi, Been asked to fix a shower - recessed two way diverter/thermostat. The thermostat handle is quite stiff and when you turn it, the cartridge behind also moves, so the water is stuck on very hot. Owner doesn't know the make. Anyone know how to get this sort of plate off? Think it might...

I once used a builder who was recommended by a friend and kicked him off the job half way through, he was such a bodger. My friend's house is now suffering from badly cracked walls! Many friends and neighbours are not well qualified to give informed opinions beyond things like how clean the site...

Done it. Trimmed the damaged wire back about half an inch and its insulation an extra half inch. No blacked insulation on that side of the original damage. had to get a new spur plate as the screw head on the supply live was totally gone. What a hassle! And yes, we are looking for a new...

Oh. That makes sense - unfortunately! So you mean digging out and replacing that whole run of cable to the next box? That would definitely be something they'd have to come back and do. Drat.

Had a sparky doing some electrics, including a fused spur running off a ring main. He left the fuse out of the spur plate (ring main behind it) while I finished off work. When I'd finished and came to to push the fuse in, I got a big BANG and spark/smoke and it tripped the consumer unit RCD...

There are hoods above, no insulation. Not sure it is the block hanging over the lamp as only one wire's block had melted. Can't check now as electrician took away the evidence despite being asked to leave it here... Yeeeha! Think what I'll do is replace the lego blocks, making sure they're...

Had an electrical company fit 7 low voltage downlighters. Two started melting the cable/fitting at the junction between the fitting and the transformer - noticed before it was too late due to burning smell. The boss said it must be faulty transformers. They replaced the two problem ones and...

I just tightened up a new 22mm copper olive fitting as tight as I thought wise (till it creaked slightly - I guess the olive tightening up), undid it and hey presto - I moved the olive round with my fingers! Is there any way of knowing when a compression fitting is correctly tight? To me the...

LSX? self amalgamating tape? though not sure how long they last? (I know this is an ancient thread, just adding to the library of knowledge on this brilliant site for those doing searches)

Hi, Have spent 30 minutes searching Google without a clear answer on these q's: Can I put a 32mm bidet waste pipe into a boss strap on the side (i.e. not entering from above) of a horizontal 110mm soil pipe? Possibly slightly above half way up the soil pipe? The boss would only be about...

Sorry Kev, you mean the heavy duty sort with arbour/guide drill and four or five longer teeth normally used for masonry, right? , not the shiny thin things with a ring of diamond glitter round the top more normally used for bathroom tiles (which I've also seen advertised as diamond core bits...