Recent content by Dru

Problem solved! It's been interesting to learn that despite paying an architect £600 to draw up plans the builders are unable to follow them exactly. Silly old me thought that the architect would have taken things like available space into account when drawing the plans but apparently not. By...

I'm having a loft conversion done and today the stairs were installed. There are 2 steps then a winder coming off the 1st floor landing. On the plans the edge of the bottom step was in line with the edge of the existing bedroom doorway but I've come home to find the new stairs protruding approx...

Day 1 of the course and I've boarded a ceiling, dot & dabbed a wall and skimmed the ceiling. I already feel confident that I could skim walls in my own house to a decent standard and am really enjoying it! I guess the trickiest part is mixing the plaster to the correct consistency. Luckily...

Cheers everyone (espeially iaith!). You did all make me feel like I'd be wasting my money (so much so that I arranged for a plasterer to come and do the box room that need doing) but I am still going to do the course and take on a smaller project as my first one rather than an entire room and...

£300 for 4 days mid week (more if you do it consecutive weekends).

I know nothing about plastering at all. If I attend a 4 day plastering course will I be capable of plastering my own walls to a decent standard or is it unlikely?

Thanks Richard. It makes a nice change that I haven't paid them yet (bar a small deposit). I have been fixing up my house over the past 2 years and have lost count of the number of times I have noticed problems after paying tradesmen. You then feel powerless as they have their money and no...

I had replacement UPVC windows fitted this week. I am very unhappy with the installation and plan to complain tomorrow but wanted to check I wasn't making a fuss over nothing. Every window (and a door) has been fitted with additional strips of plastic on the surrounding walls. I.e. there is...

Sorry to be so dim but who would I get to demolish a brick detatched garage? Is that something a builder does? Also, how realistic is it to want to keep all the bricks for future use in an extension? I wouldn't want to pay to have them cleaned so would end up doing it all myself but think...

I just had my house rewired in Leeds and the quote included plastering. Did a top notch job too. :D

My bathroom has a false plastic ceiling. 1 panel has been taken down today to reveal a previous fake ceiling (plasterboard) and above that is the original ceiling which is quite damaged. Is it possible to repair/re-install the original height ceiling or is a false ceiling the only way to go?

Many thanks. Is there any 'best' option between a conventional or system boiler? We currently have 1 bathroom but plan to add an en-suite in the future. The loft is already converted if that makes any difference.

I am getting quotes to replace the central heating in my house and so far these have all been for a combi boiler. My FIL was up at the weekend (he's a builder) and he reckons that unless space is a issue we should replace the old system with a new conventional boiler (i.e. keeping a tank). Space...

I have just had my 4th quote for replacing an Ideal Mexico boiler with a combi boiler. I have been told different things by each person so wanted impartial advice. All our rads are very old but if we decide to just replace the boiler rather than the whole system (£ reasons) then we have been...

Apparently we have a 1 pipe system at the moment so it'll be all new pipes. He quoted for the boiler in a bedroom as he misunderstood me when I said I didn't want a floor standing boiler (we have an Ideal Mexico). He took it to mean I didn't want the boiler in the kitchen. I wouldn't have it in...