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I'm looking for some advice. I have a unvented hot water cyclinder that feeds my flat, powered by an immersion heater. For the last few weeks it regularly releases steam via a small pressure release pipe. It'd got to the point where everything in that cloakroom is now permanently damp. I've...

The roof on my semi-detached Edwardian house is old and tiles are slipping fairly regularly. 2-3 fell off this year. There are no leaks so far (as far as I can tell), but it can’t be long. It’s a 100 year old roof with no lining. The problem with any repairs is the house is high (its on a...

My boiler is on it's last legs. Its a 16 year old Potterton Suprima and it is making more strange noises again so I would like to replace it. I'd thought of a combi, but the quotes have come back at around £4500 because there is new pipework and it is quite a large house. Would I be better...

When we moved in two years ago one of the rooms had a Securefast lock on it. We don't know the combination, and have no way to contact the previous owner. I'd always meant to remove it but never got around to it. Then last week someone knocked the snib off and pulled the door closed, so now...

I have a very old Honeywell 3 port valve in my house which has stopped working. From what I read they normally default to hot water if they fail, but mine is the opposite. The manual lever goes up to Central Heating, but when CH is off and HW on, it doesnt spring back. I've tried to free it...

I bought this old wooden mantlepiece from a scrap yard and have been stripping and refurbishing it. It's now looking really nice (will post a pic when I get home). How can I attach this to a newly plastered wall? Can I just glue it? I don't want to have any brackets on display, but the...

Our lounge was replastered this weekend and I'm not happy with the results. Its my first time having any plastering done, so can I get some advice on whether I'm being unreasonable. This is the first time I've had any plastering done. I agreed £600 for the lounge to be replastered. It's 5m x...

I have just installed a beautiful riven slate hearth (below). It's in two pieces, on inside the fireplace opening and one that sits outside. I need to grout between the two pieces and around the outside edges between the back of the slate and the brick chimney breast. What would be the best...

I have exposed my fireplace opening and have been carefully cleaning up the bricks with a cold chisel and wire brushes. I want it to look nice as it will be left exposed. Unfortunately there is still residue of cement, some of it in large chunks. I can't remove it without breaking the bricks...

My stone fireplace hearth is being made by me, a semi-competent DIYer that likes to have a go. I've never tiled before so would appreciate some advice. I'm about to buy some lovely limestone floor tiles, 60cm square. They have a slightly uneven riven surface and dressed edges. How do I lay...

I would like to install a woodburner stove in my lounge. There is a deep hearth there (6 feet of brick and concrete!) which extends 10 cm each side of the opening and 35 cm out. I would like to add a thick limestone slab hearth on top and I have one that fits exactly and would look great...

I'm installing a log burner in my lounge. The hetas guy will do the flue and install but I want to prep the space. This is the hole as it is now. I don't know what to do to the brick. Should I just repoint it? Or clean the brick and leave alone. Is repointing a DIY job? Any advice?

I am installing a new open fire in an old bricked up chimney that I have opened up. Now I need to decide on the type of fireplace to get. I like the tiled Victorian style. Some come with an integrated cast iron fireback and others need a cement or clay fireback installed first. Which one is...

I want to open up the fireplace in our lounge and install an lovely old Victorian open-fire. Yesterday I opened it up, expecting to find the builder's opening, but instead I found a much more recent hole in the wall type opening. Now I don't know what to do next? This is it before: And...

I've bought B&Q feathered fencing to make some repairs to an existing fence. I read somewhere that pressure treated wood shouldn't be stained or painted for several months so that the treatment has time to dry out totally. Is that correct? Would the wood you buy in B&Q normally be ready to...

I have a loft room built many years ago that has no insulation at all. It gets very cold in winter. To insulate I was thinking to place solid insulation boards between the vertical beams (if that's the right word). Should I pay full price? There's an enormous price difference between the...

I hope I don't get shouted down for just suggesting this... I'd like to install an open fireplace in the lounge to replace one that was bricked up many years ago. The original constructional hearth inside the fireplace remains, but the one that reaches out into the room was smashed out when...

I would like to create a balcony / patio so that I can sit outside the kitchen and then take a few steps down to the garden. It's to replace where the steps are in this photo: Everyone I've asked says just build some raised decking. But I would prefer it to be done in proper rendered...

I need some advice... The last few weeks I have been sketching out garden layouts so I can get some quotes to help do the work (patio, pathway, fence repairs). My dilemma is whether to remove the patio at the back of the garden? On the one hand it is well-built and solid, with a thick...

I started painting over the garage pebbledash today. What a pain!! I had a 4" brush but it is almost impossible to get into all the little nooks and crannies. There must be an easier way? I am using Dulux Weathershield, and I diluted with 15% water for the first coat because there are lots...