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...pva'd and re-skimmed all previous work, much better standard now - getting the hang of it (slowly). I have an 18sqm boarded ceiling to skim. Worked out I'm ok doing up to 5sqm, so plan is to divide the ceiling into 4 equal sections, using 3mm stop beads as dividers. Because I do this work in...

...this might help other diy'ers... Re-skimmed the small ceiling and one wall this afternoon, as there was too much making good to do - decided it won't take any longer to pva and re-skim. Worked out a few things I've been doing wrong... 1) Excessive trowelling when applying first and...

Yes absolutely more practice the better. After the second wet trowel step I stood back and couldn't see these hollows (or are they known in the trade as holes?), maybe because the plaster was dark from the water that's gone over it. Once it's fully dried out pink they become visible.

Ok, thanks both. I did the following steps: 1st coat wait flatten wait 2nd coat wait flatten wait 1st wetted trowel wait 2nd wetted trowel. (I never put any water onto the skim itself, only onto the trowel) I'll try again, with a 'clean dry trowel' stage then another 'wait' before the 1st...

I'm diy, this is my first attempt at skimming onto plasterboard. I've skimmed 3 small walls and one small ceiling, everything has gone well EXCEPT once the plaster has dried out there are around a dozen shallow hollows on each wall. Is there a technique to ensure these shallow hollows don't...

...yes there are plans for a dishwasher in the kitchen scheme. Also microwave, larder fridge, kettle, toaster, iron are all regularly used, as you suggest. Washer, dryer and freezer will be located elsewhere and on an existing circuit - however, as you rightly point out, a future owner could...

I have a bungalow extension forming two new rooms; kitchen and a bedroom. My thoughts were to have a new 32A ring run from the CU, supplying both the kitchen and the bedroom (and a new 6A radial circuit for the lighting in the same rooms). It has been mentioned to me that it's common practice...

External rendering onto lightweight aerated blocks. Yesterday wetted the wall, applied sbr slurry, waited for it to go tacky, then applied 6mm scratch coat (5:1 plastering sand to cement with plasticiser and waterproofer). This morning scratch coat was rock solid, so wetted it down and applied...

...plan view:

oops.

Never fixed dry verge units before but having got my head around the installation instructions yesterday I can see they can also be retrofitted. On the r/h verge I nailed a tile at eaves course, fitted plastic unit over, repeated upwards until reaching the ridge. Real issue I've had is with...

Looking at the interlock on this tile (redland grovebury), it will be awkward going left to right. I'll give it a go and make a decision whether to continue or go right-left instead. I've noticed pro roofers strike out lines with the ink, but this is diy! I have made a pencil mark on battens...

...started with stacking out this morning, five in a pile located over rafters. Not much fun. The tiles are specc'd to be laid from right to left. However, where verge is on the left and a valley on the right hand side of the roof plane, do I just do left to right instead? Or should I string a...

This is my first attempt at roofing. Noticed roofers stack out tiles on a roof in a particular pattern, before fixing. Is there a standard way this stacking is done? I have large format concrete tiles. Planned to stack 4 max, and only where a rafter gives support underneath - sound ok? Also...

Cheers - Had half a sheet of 18mm ply in the garage, so attempted the inlayed boards, as per noseall's picture. Been subjected to several heavy rain showers today, meaning most of the time been spent uncovering / covering the exposed roof void, just to get / weather proof at the valleys :cry...

Great tip - cheers. Sketched out some designs and using your extended nogging idea think it's possible to work it so there isn't any 'step' due to the ply... Tile battens on site are 50x25. If 6mm ply used, cut 200mm wide strips (grp valley unit is 400mm wide). Support with 4b2 nogging on edge...

Sorry I neglected to mention the ply would be supported on noggings - noggings are specified for support under the ply in the grp dry valley installation instructions. I'm tempted with the ply over rafters option because the noggings will be much easier to cut and fix, when compared to inset...

Pretty sure regs state soakaways should be minimum 5m from a property these days, which would mean lots of trench digging for you. But as CB states, they are useless in clay soil anyway. Depends on whether you get LABC involved, if not then guess you can do as you like. I once dug a soakaway pit...

On my bungalow extension I parted existing roof tiles and fixed diminishing trusses up the rafters (what a nightmare that was). The trusses are at 600 centres, existing rafters are at 400 centres. The roof intersection new to old forms two valleys, each 7 metres long. Each roof structure has...