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When we moved in two years ago one of the rooms had a Securefast lock on it. We don't know the combination, and have no way to contact the previous owner. I'd always meant to remove it but never got around to it. Then last week someone knocked the snib off and pulled the door closed, so now...

Thanks! I think that's just my old camera. When it's oiled it looks black, and after a few weeks it goes a dark grey. Costs: - Removal of the old hearth, concrete, rubble etc - FREE plus several days of my time - Flue fitting and log burner fitting including hire of a cherry picker - £1100 -...

Thanks Gerry. The hearth is made of two large slabs of solid riven slate that I bought from a local garden centre. I bedded them in cement and then grouted the line between them and around the edges with black grout. I love the uneven natural look and after I oil them again they look...

The acid fizzed and spluttered away, and definitely it made the bricks look cleaner. It didnt get rid of the very old solid lumps of concrete, but it did help. I have now repointed and fitted the hearth and wood burner. Here's a picture of how it looks now. The kids love it! Just the...

Great. Many thanks Davey! I will do that, and then will get a replacement fitted. Given the age of the unit I think I'd rather just replace it now with a newer one that allows the head to be removed separately from the body. The one I have requires a full drain-down to fit.

Thanks. When I turn all the power off it doesn't return to HW position, but if I move the little cog inside with a screwdriver it does. There is a spring there so I guess that is supposed to move it to HW automatically, and doesn't.

I have a very old Honeywell 3 port valve in my house which has stopped working. From what I read they normally default to hot water if they fail, but mine is the opposite. The manual lever goes up to Central Heating, but when CH is off and HW on, it doesnt spring back. I've tried to free it...

I'd rather use screws too. To do that would I have to drill through the wood and then user filler on the sunken holes - or is there another way that I'm not thinking of?

I bought this old wooden mantlepiece from a scrap yard and have been stripping and refurbishing it. It's now looking really nice (will post a pic when I get home). How can I attach this to a newly plastered wall? Can I just glue it? I don't want to have any brackets on display, but the...

Thanks so much for all the help! It has reassured me that I am not crazy. This is a picture of the lounge (from when we bought the house so the big TV has gone now). The bit the plasterer said he couldnt do was the other side of the arch, and above the windows. I didn't mind about that so...

Thanks all. I'm really disappointed as everyone I've used from CheckaTrade in the past has been brilliant. Friendly, tidy, and have done a great job. Only once before did I have a problem with a paint job that wasn't right but when I explained the decorator apologized, came back, and fixed...

Thanks all. I'm quite upset by all this so to hear from you that I am not crazy does help me a lot. Maybe I was naive in choosing this guy, but his reviews were so good, and his quote was consistent with the others. I don't know anything about plastering other than what I have read online...

Why? You mean because people on CheckATrade overcharge? For me, buying my first house, I don't have a lot of knowledge of who the good tradesmen are in my area. With checkAtrade at least I thought I would always get a basically decent service, on the basis that they care about the reviews...

He's been around today and says it is all good now. I havent seen it yet but fingers crossed. He's chasing me for the remaining £300 already - though of course I won't pay until I've seen it. Problem with not paying in full is he knows where I live... I have heard first-hand stories of...

Yes - I think I am paying too much. But I did get another quote and he was £700 so thought it was the going rate. I'm in Croydon, so not exactly Mayfair. For 600 I was expecting two days work and an amazing finish. Instead he did it in one day and did not do anything like an amazing finish!

Thanks John! Yes, I agree. Plastering is a high skill and I have great admiration for those that can do it. Out of all the DIY jobs I attempt plastering is one I wouldnt even try to do myself. The boss is on his way around now. I just hope he is able to make it look great, rather than just...

Thanks. Yes, I am quite upset. I've not had a bad experience till now. I spoke to his boss and he did say he's never had a complaint about this guy before, but I've sent the pictures above to him now so hopefully he will come around and make it better. His CheckaTrade page has really good...

Our lounge was replastered this weekend and I'm not happy with the results. Its my first time having any plastering done, so can I get some advice on whether I'm being unreasonable. This is the first time I've had any plastering done. I agreed £600 for the lounge to be replastered. It's 5m x...

I have just installed a beautiful riven slate hearth (below). It's in two pieces, on inside the fireplace opening and one that sits outside. I need to grout between the two pieces and around the outside edges between the back of the slate and the brick chimney breast. What would be the best...