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Hi all We have a large 20m2 conservatory that is maybe 20 years old with double glazing and a polycarbonate roof. The conservatory is built off a 16m2 dining room that was converted from an old garage about the same time. They have been added over the years to an old cottage, and are linked...

I will see if the existing cable can be pulled back without too much friction through the joist space (only about 4 metres). If so, I will attach a new earth cable and pull that through with it. If no movement is possible, it looks like crimping or soldering an extension to the existing cable...

Thanks very much for the reply RF, I thought that would be the case. I think I know what the answer will be for this next question, but could you/someone also confirm whether I MUST run the new main bonding cables direct from the earth block next to the CU, or can I somehow attach/splice the...

I appear to have a 10mm Earth Cable running from the CU and clamped to the Incoming Water Pipe just above the stop cock. So far, so good. However, neither the gas supply or oil supply are earthed. The copper gas pipe feeding the cooker and a gas fire enters through the backwall of the...

I have got a Firebird S Oil Boiler which heats my Central Heating and Hot Water. The Hot Water is Gravity Fed; the Central Heating is pumped. Both are activated by the same elderly timer. I want to replace this control system with a fully pumped system with separate control of Hot Water and CE...

Thanks for the reply Mothra. With the original wall now completely cloaked in new plasterboard (and skimmed) I cant tell whether the condensation has reappeared underneath. However, I suspect it will be rather damp, particularly on cold days. My main concern is the hidden damage this...

I have j small upstairs room which is single skin and rendered on the outside face - three external walls. A couple of the outside walls suffered from condensation, so I opened up a single ventilation block (about 10" by 6") high up on one external wall which had been sealed and painted over by...

we have a 1930s house with an upstairs spare room extension (probably 50+ years old). This small room is single brick thickness and rendered externally on its three outside walls. I was advised that it could be made warmer if I added a plasterboard inner skin - dot and dabbed. I am a...

Thanks very much to noseall and markthebuilder for both your helpful replys. I've used builders to do so much work on our house over the last 12 months, and waved goodbye to so much dosh, I just wanted to do at least one small room myself. Im sure - in fact I know they used the same sort of...

I have two questions please. I have a 7ft x 15ft upstairs room in my 1930s house which is a single skin brick extension with external render. Following various internal mods (holes in ceiling to access and replace old wiring, new UPVC window, take out fitted cupboards etc) internally its a...

Thanks for the reply. I can't see any sign of burning, heat damage or the like. We have had the lights on for three or four hours at the time and the ones in the kitchen become too hot to touch naturally, but no more than that. Its just with the lath wood being so dry Im nervous. Should I...

We have lath and plaster ceilings in our 1930s house which we bought last year. There are 5 B&Q type halogen spots in the kitchen and several in the hallway (the latter are low voltage). Non appear to be fire rated (if thats the term). The spots are set directly into the ceiling, with...

Thanks for the reply. I thought that would be the case that brickwork would be better all round. However, do you think the cost would be a massive difference. I know materials will be more, and that with more units to lay, the job would take longer. But is it a specialist job (with rates to...

I have just completed erecting a lengthy featherboard fence along our front boundary. (100 ft of featherboarding...beats counting sheep any day). I now want to extend from the fence with a short curved feature brick or block wall (approx 3m long but only @1.5m high) which will start and end...

Thank you for your advice, particularly Slugbabydotcom. I feel I can now have a sensible conversation with whoever I call in to discuss the job. Slugbabydotcom: One point raised by your response however - the proximity to the house and location of the bottle installation that I was hoping to...

Where did I say I was going to do this myself? Great, so I call out an engineer. Tell him what? 'Here mate, take my cheque book; heres a pen!' 'I don't know what I need you to do, those helpful men on DIYnot told me I shouldn't be asking the questions, it's none of my business' I only...

Agile, thanks for your prompt reply, Unfortunately your response hardly answers what I thought was a quite polite request for information on the regulations.

Our house has bottled gas; no mains gas for miles. There are two supply locations at either side of the house; each containing two bottles with a professional- looking switchable valve to allow me to change bottles. One location serves the Kitchen Hob, the other location serves a single fire...

Thanks for the responses. The copper fittings were tested for several days before adding the kitchen units, so no clue there. However, it was possible the pipe has been subjected to some side force when the units were assembled, although I don't recal anything untoward. It may just be that...

Thanks for being prompt. Wish I'd fitted compression in first place, but was persuaded to try push fits by earlier posts. No, can't reach pipe at full stretch. I think I know whats coming here! Now where can I store the plates and pans? :(