Recent content by rvgledhill

My two daughters are about to join Brownies. One thing is concerning me though regarding the safety of the building in which the session takes place. In the main hall there is a suspended ceiling with a few of the large ceiling panels missing. Looking up through the missing panels into the...

Hi. I am trying to erect a small fence of some sort onto the concrete patio area. The best idea i've had is to use decking balustrading but I'm not sure of the best way of attatching the wooden decking posts to the concrete patio base?? Could there also be a problem with the foot of the posts...

I am knocking down a "60's" style concrete brick wall on the patio. The bricks have easily come down but there are reinforced concrete posts embedded into the concrete patio. I want to shear these down level with the patio. Is there an easy way to do this and what tools are necessary...

Hi, My driveway is tarmac at the moment. There is nothing structurally wrong with it but would like a change as it looks old and shabby. I would like to put down decorative stone and I suppose I can put this down directly over the tarmac. The problem is at the drive entrance as the stones...

Hi, I am having a new roller garage door fitted soon but the garage floor to which the door will come down to is not so flat tarmac. In order to get the best seal for the door the floor at this point will need to be flat and straight. I am guessing I can apply a layer of concrete straight...

Hi. Had a look and cant seem to find any supporting lintel or arched brickwork. I'm guessing it was removed when they bricked it up. What can I use for a lintel in this case (and where from) ??

Thanks for the tip marshman. I have been able to remove a couple of bricks (and a bit more plaster) but now I am in doubt whether or not a lintel is actually present. What I originally thought to be the lintel was in fact hard grey plaster over the top of the original brickwork. Before I...

My 1930's house has the chimney breast removed from 1st floor upwards. The breast is present in the dining room with the fireplace opening bricked up by previous owners. I want to open up to install a non-functional cast iron fireplace. I have chipped away a bit of the plaster at around 4ft and...

Many Thanks for your response. Rob

The drain which takes away the roof rainwater, kitchen sink and bath wastewater was recently blocked causing water overflow and also seep into cellar. Now unblocked I still have standing water in the drain about a foot below the grid. It doesnt appear to get any higher and the cellar is not...

Many thanks for your help. Rob.

I have bought a thermostaic mixer shower. The inlet connectors are 15mm with screw & compresion ring. The bathroom is plumbed with plastic pushfit piping. Can I go straight into the shower with plastic pushfit piping or do I need a bit of copper then couple this up to the plastic ? Any...

Hi. We are having the odd cold day now so I decided to switch the CH on only to fid that the Boiler wasn't lighting. Its a few year old Halstead Buckingham III (conventional type). I checked the pilot light and it was out so followed instructions (on reverse of front cover) to re-ignight but...