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Hi all, I'm planning on swapping my halogen bulbs for LED equivalents. I will be using the existing electronic transformer (min 20W, max 105W) to power them. There are only three outputs on the transformer, so I plan to use junction boxes in order to split the outputs in order to power the 6...

Hi all, I am replacing some under cabinet task lights in my kitchen and want to add one more than was originally there. They are connected to a switched fused wall socket on the ring main, protected by a 3amp fuse. I have 3 linolite sylvania lamps to hook up, each with a 30W bulb. Can...

Hi, I am looking to open up a new doorway from my hall into into the under-the-stairs cupboard. This will involve knocking out the doorway from the brick and supporting the new doorway in some way. Due to the restricted space, it is looking like there won't be room for a lintel (otherwise the...

I've got a very large airing cupboard that I want to tidy up and make into storage space. The ceiling is very tatty and has some holes in, through which you can see the loft insulation above. 1. The first hole is quite large, about 20cm in each direction. I've no idea how to fill this neatly...

Hi all, I have a well-established pond right in the middle of my garden. I was hoping to be able to move it more towards the end to allow me to do more with the reset of the garden. Is this realistic? It appears to be made from a thick plastic sheet, with stones around the edge to hold...

Hi all, I've just had a boiler replacement which has involved getting rid of some pipework that ran up from the bedroom into the loft. Where the pipes went up into the ceiling the plasterwork was quite flaky and now that they're gone, there is a hole about 6 inches by 1-2 inches. The hole...

Hi all, I'm having my old boiler replaced with a combi boiler. Can anyone tell me whether having thermostatic radiator valves installed is necessary (as in building regs or something)? Thanks

My loft is currently about 70% boarded out and I plan on getting the insulation updated as it is currently quite thin. I'd like to pull back the existing boarding so that the new insulation can be installed underneath. However, I do need some storage space up there so I would like to put the...

Hi, I'm getting a 1300 x 700 radiator installed in my hallway and am not sure whether to go for a single or double. It will be heating the downstairs hall, stairway and small upstairs landing. The front door is in the hallway, which is the only external wall. The hallway is about 3 metres...

Hi, I had a new boiler pump fitted about a year ago as the old one packed up. I noticed recently that there is a sort of blue/green mould growing on the pipes around the new pump. The boiler is in a small-ish cupboard and I do put damp things in there to dry occasionally. I'm not sure...

Hi, My 1930's house still has all the original doors, some of which are painted. I intend to strip them all back and restore them to their former glory, but I'm worried that the existing paint might be lead-based since I've no idea when they were painted. I've head that you can get lead...

Hi, When standing inside my loft, the roof tiles are bare and are the only thing between the inside of the loft and the outside. It makes the loft area very cold and drafty, which tends to blow an awful lot (and I mean a LOT!) of dust around. Is this usual? I have been contemplating...

Hi, My newly fitted toilet has a small gap of around half a cm between the floor and the front of the toilet, this means it has a tendancy to tilt forwards when any weight is applied to it (i.e. you sit on it!). What is the best way to remedy this? Thanks, Matt

My shower tray has been fitted by knocking out the plaster at skirting level and pushing the shower tray "into" the wall space. The shower tray has a vertical lip around the edges, presumably to provider something for the wall tiles to overlap. Would it be a good idea to apply the tanking to...

Hi, I have some small-ish deep holes in plasterwork (all the way to the brick) that I need to apply the BAL WP1 shower tanking kit to. Can anyone recommend a product to use that is: a) easy to mix / use b) quick drying so that i can apply the tanking to it without having to wait weeks...

Hi, I have some slightly flakey paint which on a wall which needs tiling, so would like to remove it before tiling. It is proving slow-going with just a scraper, is there any way of doing it more quickly ?

Hi, I have a quandrant shower cubicle that needs tiling, one wall is brick and the other is painted plasterboard. I have ready about the need for 'tanking' the plasterboard wall but can't find out any details about what this involves or why it is needed. If anyone can shed any light on...

Hi, I've just had a new bathroom installed and have found that the flow rate for the hot water from the sink tap is very low. It is a francis-pegler mixer tap and it is very difficult to get an even flow of hot and cold water (thereby achieving warm water) because the cold water is so...

Hi, I have just had a bathroom extractor fan fitted and it has been wired so that it comes on whenever you turn the bathroom lights on. I find this a bit annoying as its quite noisy and would like to be able to turn it on and off independantly. Can anyone suggest the best way of doing...

Hi, I've just had my bathroom ceiling and one of my bathrooms walls skimmed (not re-plastered, just boarded and skimmed). Can you tell me how to go about painting it? I've heard conflicting ideas about whether and how to seal the plaster before applying emulsion and whether to specialist...