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Hi - I've got zero plastering experience (including plasterboard) but I'm hoping to cover a small ceiling (about 9' x 9') with plasterboard and then papering over with a woodchip type paper. If I fix the board with plasterboard screws, is it likely I can fill joints with a flexible sealant? Or...

Hi - here's the promised update on this problem.... a mains hose was fitted onto the draincock to hopefully shift any airlock. Unfortunately it didn't do the trick :( . It's either a very tenacious airlock or one that quickly recurs? I can't believe the repeated drainings and fillings to the...

Hi - I did ask him if it had ever worked but he's not actually sure as he only noticed during this recent very cold spell, especially as there's no rad in the kitchen either! The reason I suggested he might cut out the old drain-cock was that if it was the source of the air-lock it might...

Thanks again - I'll pass that info on. I'm not sure if the old drain-cock is a tee off one of the vertical legs into the hall rad or off a horizontal leg but I thought an air-lock might be there?? If so, would it likely shift with the method you advised?? I suggested to my son that he could cut...

Thanks for very fast reply, I'll have to check on that one. But my son advised the following... I closed off all rads including the problem rad. I then opened the outlet drain on the problem rad and water trickled out (I assume from the system, not the rad which should have been isolated). When...

Hi all - I’m asking this question for my son as he’s working past midnight most days on his new (old) house which is a small 3-bed semi. All his rads heat up except the hall rad (there is no kitchen rad). His boiler is wall-mounted in the loft as is the F/E tank. The vent pipe rises a few...

Hi - thanks for that :) . I think concrete price varies by region - I'm in Horsham, Sussex (but I don't earn megabucks! :| ). I was offered a dumper for an extra £40 which is not bad and would save a lot of wheelbarrow trips, especially as I won't be mob-handed for this job.

I can now answer my own (earlier) question about concrete prices which may be of interest to others. Those guys who mix at the door have a minimum Saturday charge of £440 for 3 cu. m. and on weekdays a minimum charge of £305 for 2 cu. m. - so about £150/ cu. m. (dearer than I thought!). Hope...

For the benefit of anyone undertaking a similar project to the above, I can advise how things have worked out (so far). The area concerned was less than envisaged as an existing concrete base is to be incorporated. Actual total area was 150 sq. ft (about 14 sq. m.) with Type 1 and hardcore to a...

Hi again - Can anyone advise approx. prices for ready-mixed concrete or better still those guys who mix it at the house? For an everyday material, so extensively used, it seems to be the world's best kept secret!! I'm only guessing but reckon about £120 cu. m. mixed at house (Horsham area)...

Thanks for that :) - I always respect advice from an oldun and very impressive maths! I'm guessing those jumbo bags are 1 cu. metre of material and although they seem already well compacted, must obviously compact considerably more at nearly two and half bags per compacted cube metre? Your...

Hi again! - I'm ordering some Type 1 soon to lay on clay subsoil for garage base - it comes in 850Kg jumbo bags and I assume they're 1 cu. metre? For estimating purposes, after compacting, what approx. volume will they fill? Calculated volume required is about 2 cu. metre so I'm hoping 3 bags...

Thanks for that - a good and simple idea! Garage supplier said set perimeter bricks 2" back from edge of concrete. Seems very close to me? - wouldn't weight be "off the edge of the concrete" (I assume it disperses at 45 degrees??).

Thanks again for your help. :)

Thanks for your quick and very helpful reply. I take it sand layer is to sit DPM on? Re. water, I was thinking of ground water rather than rain. If no subbase, I'm not sure if there's much chance of water rising up thru 6" of concrete to give a damp floor??

Hi all - I'm proposing to build a timber car-garage (24' x 10') on clay soil. I'm advised to lay a 6" subbbase of hardcore or Type 1 (which are quite different size/grading) with 4-6" of concrete on top. Also, to lay a damp proof membrane, either on top or beneath the subbase. With this...

Thanks for answers. Tap does have screw but tightening only slightly improves things. Araldite will probably do the job so long as its still possible to renew washers. Maybe time I went ceramic??

Hi - I've got pumped hot water in my CH system. At the outlet end of the HW coil thru the cylinder there's a cheap cannonball-type valve which I doubt functions anymore. Am I right in thinking this was intended purely to isolate the pipework and not for any balancing purpose?? Am I right in...

Hi - I've got some basin taps that look good and work fine EXCEPT the cross-heads wobble around when the taps are opened. They fit onto splined shafts so I guess it's down to wear. Can anyone suggest a method for taking up this wear which will still enable dismantling (for changing washers...

Thanks for your reply stem. To be quite honest, my reason was simply that I thought a single "box" would be a more elegant solution - even though I appreciate the HW timing is rarely altered, once set. I was also a little jealous of my son's programmable roomstat (15 years old) with its 6...