Recent content by jacko555

I'm not a builder. I have built a deck and some stud walls and false ceilings before. Enthusiastic DIY'er. Have a old outbuilding, 5x5m. Corrugated metal gable roof, very slight angle. Really poorly built roof and roof structure/ beams are end of life. The building height is 2m at the lowest...

Mix of 25mm and 35mm boxes. Wife likes the primed, screwless varilight switches and sockets. The primed face plates are metal, instead of the stock ones which are plastic, and she gets to colour match the walls... Good tip, thank you

No, just an old hammer drill. For the 60 odd holes left to make, I'd happily buy an SDS though, if it'll make a difference. Sounds like no magic bullet, just stitch drill and chiseling with a healthy dose of grit and persistence. Luckily the bricks are soft. I'll take a look for a light weight...

What's the easiest / preferred method to chase backboxes? House is 1920s, lime plaster and very soft red brick. I've done 5 so far. Scoring the plaster with a staney, then stitch drilling the corners and chiseling out the rest. I've got lots left and seek advice for the quickest method. Sds...

Good idea but won't pass the wife's gaze, as its only a small section of the wall...

I have a low concrete retaining wall and a 1.7 meter (5.6ft) section is failing. It's 25cm (10inch) tall and 15cm (6 inch) wide. The wall retains a slope that holds terraced veg beds. The wall is 1920s era and about 15m / 50ft in total. The section that has failed looks deteriorated compared...

No thoughts?

Am building a deck, ground is solid chalk. How deep should I sink the posts? It's not that that tough to dig out, apart from the occasional lump of flint. Decking is on a gradual slope, floor level to around 50cm on the far end. Should I still go 600 per support, or can I reduce a bit. If...

Careful, the tape cabal are in cahoots with the mastic mafia.

When the smart meter, and again when the EV charger was installed, the main fuse was pulled. Neew metal crimps added to the holder after and a new "do not remove" anti tamper sticker stuck on. I asked the same question.

Are you an ms polymers sales rep, diynutjob?

I sorted a load of blemishes like that and worse. Where old paint had half came of a wall, pockmarked like Tommy Lee Jones' face. I used Toupret fine surface filler. Only good for a few mm of depth but after a sand you cannot tell. Awesome stuff. Maybe the polyfilla is as good, no idea. I...

My house was also a "dead person's house" with the same occupants for 60 years. The family had it cleaned but left "as is". It was functional. A new bathroom or kitchen, or even redecoration wouldn't have changed the price or appeal. You either want a house enough to spend (stupid money), or...

Depends when the plumber will arrive! If its just water (non central heating), turn it off, drain and wait. If you can't wait and the plumber will be days, 2 speedfit joins and an elbow, a pipe cutter and a length of copper pipe should cost £25 quid from screwfix/b&q etc. People argue about...

Worth a punt? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-32448103