Search results

Doing some redecorating work in a room at a friend's house, and as part of this I swapped the old cheap plastic light switch out for a nice new metal face one. I then got a complaint that they got an electric shock off the plate part of the switch. Testing it with a test screwdriver, I got a...

I'm building a pair of pillars which will be filled with concrete for strength. I'm going to need to place bolts at the top of each to attach a steel joist that will span the gap between them. I'd like to use the kind of bolt that you put in place before you pour your concrete, as I understand...

Hi, I'm currently installing a new ensuite bathroom, and want to connect to the existing soil pipe, at the same level as an existing connection on the other side. Ideally, this will involve a double branch, like this one. I understand that, in order to avoid cross flow (and potential...

Just installed a new upvc window, and am having trouble because one of the openers catches on the strike plate for the locking mechanism at the bottom when I'm closing it. There's a rather large clearance between the top strike plate and the opener, however, so it looks like the thing isn't...

I'm looking at making door openings for the first floor of my extension, and looking at how the place has been built (the wall plate for the hipped roof sits below ceiling level by some margin) it occurs to me that I'm going to have to take the opening all the way up to the top of the wall...

For a simple 2-storey extension, I need joist hangers to attach my joists to traditional 1930s solid brick wall (i.e. total thickness one brick length, no cavity) at one end and cavity wall with thermalite blocks on the inner leaf at the other end. I also need to match existing floor height...

I was under the impression that standard practice is to install a preformed cavity tray over the top of cavity lintels to ensure any moisture in the cavity is directed to the outer leaf rather than either accumulating on the lintel or getting trapped behind it. But having just called around all...

I have a 1930s semi with a reasonably traditional purlin & rafter hip roof. I am extending it at the side, and have permission to convert the hip to a gable. My understanding is that it should be possible to leave the existing structure intact (it is apparently in excellent condition) and...

Had a bit of a flood due to last night's heavy rain, and woke up to find the rcd thst protects my downstairs ring main had tripped. Verified that it was that circuit causing the problem by switching it off at the mcb and leaving the others active at which point the rcd stopped tripping. I...

So I had a new boiler installed (an Ideal Logic 24) and while my heating is now running much more reliably, and the boiler itself is much quieter, I hear water noise in every room, whereas before the system was almost silent. I suspect that the pump in the new boiler is circulating the water...

Been looking for recommendations on this problem for the last hour or so, and am getting thoroughly confused. I'm building an extension with 73mm bricks (so that they match the existing 1930s-built house) and thermalites on the inner leaf, which means of course that I'm not getting good...

About 3 years ago I moved some of the radiators in my house. In order to do this I cut the existing copper pipes & ran new pipes to the new locations using mdpe pipe and push-fit fittings (making sure all the copper remained correctly earthed, of course). This has all worked perfectly since...

(Apologies for reposting this; I think I originally posted it in the wrong place, and don't seem to be able to move the post.) I'm planning on pouring a concrete slab floor in my extension, and have been advised that it's possible to pour it in a single 100mm smooth concrete slab rather than...

Looking for a suggestion of what is an acceptable way of covering drains. I'm building an extension and need to run a new rainwater drain from the front of the house to join with the existing combined drainage system at the rear. I was planning on running the pipe immediately adjacent to the...