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I have an existing single plug socket in my hall. It's mounted in an internal wall using a dry-lining back-box. I'd like to insert a double socket into the ring final on the other side of the wall. I was thinking back to back so that I could use one of the existing ring cables to go into...

Don't spend so much time around there lately- this forum is far more practical!

Thanks for the advice guys. The current fire is a Fireflame BF by Main. In answer to a couple of other questions- the flue does not point towards our neighbours. We are on a corner plot and it points out to the road- a good few metres between the house and the road. We think it has...

Probably would have been a cold day, as we only put it on when it is particularly cold. There are sooty stains on the bricks above the outlet, so I'm guessing it is smoke. Tried to light again earlier- got the blue pilot once, but didn't hold long enough and it went out. Now back to...

I haven't noticed any around here personally, but I do know of another forum where street lighting is discussed to a very detailed level for anyone who is interested: http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=41

We have a balanced flue gas fire in our living room. Installed (we believe) when the house was built in c1990. The previous owners of the house had "some trouble" with it, but had someone to fix it before we bought it (the house!). Until the other day, it was working fine. Now, turning...

I have seen several posts and articles in self-build magazines saying that as a very rough approximation allow £1k per square metre for building projects. (More if fully contracting, less if doing more of the work yourself) My question isn't so much about the figure of £1k, but more about...

Thanks everyone. Some conflicting opinions- but that is to be expected. I have in the past used an old BT SA9083 meter for measuring capacitance, but I doubt I'll have need to do that anymore. I might go with this one, but ensure that I get some fused leads to protect it from choosing the...

Does this look ok for a basic starter meter for a DIYer?

Slightly off-topic here, but regarding the video section after the cartoon. Why do people making adverts relating to trades people always have the tradesperson speaking in the stereotypical "builders" voice? Wickes have done it on the TV, trust-a-trader on the radio as well as other local...

Thanks all. I too noticed a lot of flickering at Christmas, but this was at peak times and I'd assumed it was down to high demand. Our RCD is 20 years old, so not particularly new, so I suppose could be affected? I understand the bit about the lights being on the unprotected side of the...

Thanks Matthew. The internal sounder was going off too. (not sure if the external one was or not) I assume though that it must still be the backup battery in the control panel that is dead? Paul

I was awoken at 2:30am by the sound of our burglar alarm going off. It wasn't armed at the time so I was puzzled. After frantic entering of the code, to no avail, my wife told me we'd had a "power-cut" - however the lights were on! I went to the consumer unit, to find all breakers in the...

Thanks for this, yes I was also wondering a bit about the bit in bold, so if anyone else can confirm that would be helpful. In some ways I'd like to get it all planned/approved in one go, but phase 2 has some possible manhole complications and I'd like to get going on Phase 1 ASAP...

I am planning a phased extension to the house. The first phase we think we can do under permitted development but with building regs approval. Phases 2 and 2a we will require planning permission and building regs (and a few years saving up first!) With regards to completion...

Was your garage empty when they fitted the new roof- or more to the point, does it NEED to be empty!? I've contacted Compton to see about replacement boards. Would hope that Dad and I could manage it.

Thanks for the real life experience example... I believe dad's garage was compton and I was looking at their site last night. I'm pretty sure that it doesn't contain asbestos and is the conrete fibre board, but as you say- probably best to double bag to avoid problems at the tip. Did...

Thanks for the reply. It was brand new- chosen from the catalogue if I remember rightly. Dad reckons there is a chunk missing- as if a football has hit it, but I do know he has stuff stored along the metal "rafters" on the inside, which I suppose could be putting extra weight around where...

My dad has a pre-fab garage which he purchased in 1997 and was erected by the supplier. The roof has started to crack and is leaking. It has a slight pitch and is corrugated sheet material, grey in colour. Because of the date, we believe that it wouldn't be asbestos (but unsure what it is)...