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I have just taken down 4 wall lights that were there when we moved in. The extension was built in the 90s and the the lights are dated 94 and 95 (probably the same time). The wiring is T+E but every earth conductor is cut! The live chocolate box connectors are sitting in an open channel just...

I've had the local Conservation Surveyor round this morning (deep joy). It looks like I have to go with Listed Building exemption to Part L for thermal elements and have the external walls re-plastered with lime-based plaster. His suggestion was to mix it with vermiculite to give some thermal...

LABC say I need to build a fire lobby to put 2 fire doors between the flat's living rooms and common entrance hall. Listed building consent say I must not hide the coving on the ceiling, so I'll need to construct a 30 minute fire rated internal roof to the lobby. This roof will no doubt be used...

I am undecided between Economy 7 or gas fired central heating for a one-bedroom ground floor flat conversion. Even without heat, the flat doesn't seem cold. It is mid-terrace and there is a basement flat below and a maisonette above, both have GFCH. I doubt I could save energy costs to match the...

I want to move a toilet and install a bath. This is a picture of the end of the bathroom. On the left are the existing toilet drain and air-inlet vent. I want to place a bath against the wall on the left and a toilet against the end wall to the right of the bath. The end wall will have 70mm...

I am having to build an internal exit passage and fire lobby. The place will be rewired and the distribution board will be moved. Should I put the passage lighting and smoke alarm on an SWA or pyro supply without an RCD? Indeed, can they share a supply?

I have solid masonry wall dating back to 1825 of brick and flint construction with painted stucco render. This is bathroom in a two-story rear extension with lean-to slate roof above butting against the four-storey house at one end and a tall garden wall at the other. (I know the bitumen...

Reading the On-site Guide: Given that a 32A domestic cooker supply is 'good' for 15kW cooking appliance and that the load of cooking appliances is 10A + 30% f.l. in excess of 10A, does this mean that a 13A socket can be used for a 20A oven? :shock:

I've just bought an HP laptop for my 86 year-old father-in-law - he was complaining that his old XP laptop is too slow for modern websites. It has HP's installation of Windows 7 Home Premium but was taking minutes to boot up, so I cleared out as much I could of the non-Microsoft...

I want to alter the layout of a flat in a Grade II listed building. I have spoken with LA Building Control and Conservation Officer and shown them what I intend to do and they seem OK. I am now struggling with the Planning Portal trying to complete the Planning Application for "Householder...

I'm about to renew a monobloc tap. Currently there is equipotential bonding between the water pipes under the sink. The new tap has 15mm copper tails. I'm curious if there is a need to replace the bonding when I've finished? There is a laundry room next door and I'd be more interested in...

Should I consider getting a magnaclean filter installed on my fragile dual Keston Celsius 25 system? If so, where? As it is primarily to protect the boilers, my initial thought is it should be in the low-loss header between the primary return and the boilers, maybe on the far right of the...

I am annoyed with web page advertising that makes my laptop fan come on; many sites with useless (to me) Flash banners will double the power used by my laptop as they will use 100% of the CPU on at least one core. Obviously, I block the sponsor sites, but that means the site I'm visiting doesn't...

My frost stat dial has cracked, so I can't tell what it is set at. I turned it down 'a bit' as it was on with a garage temperature of 10ºC last week. It was left over from the previous boiler. However, the Keston Celsius 25 manual says the boilers have built-in frost protection. Do I need to...

Condensing boilers ought to be run at an average temperature of 55°C to get the full benefit of condensing efficiency (bold simplification). However BS EN422-1997 rates radiators at an average temperature of 70°C. So, instead of a 50°C mean difference above 20°C room temperature, we only have...

I am trying to tot up the nominal output of my existing radiators. Some are old single or double panel radiators without any convector. I have looked at existing tables for output from single or double panel with one or two convectors and have come up with the following approximations to deal...

I have been playing with the bypass (low loss header?) on my dual boiler installation. The manual states a temperature differential across the boiler between 8°C and 20°C. The manual quotes efficiencies only for 20°C differential. I think I've cracked it (the set up that is, not the heat...

I have an indirect unvented cylinder with a secondary circulation bronze pump. I want to fit a thermostatic limiter to reduce circulating temperature and associated heat loss. Also to limit tap temperature to 45°C while maintaining cylinder above 60°C. I have shown three non-return valves to...

What are the options for night-storage hot water cylinders? Is "Gold Shield" the standard term for a well insulated vented cylinder with two immersion heaters? I am thinking I could have the bottom immersion on cheap-rate with temperature set as high as possible (legal?). Have the top...

I want to fit a power shower but I don't have height in the roof space for a 50 gallon tank. Can I fit two 25 gallon tanks instead? If so, how should they be connected? I was thinking of a single ballcock in the first tank with a 28mm pipe between the bottom of the tanks and taking all feeds...