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Hello all! So I was going to call an electrician in, but I'd really rather learn to do it myself. So hopefully someone will be kindly willing to spend a few minutes helping me out! I have some wall lights to replace. They are currently linked to a master dimmer switch (3 gang for some other...

Hello all. Had a very old flat roof that needed re-doing, and it was finished today (felt). I had originally been told that the existing lead flashing would be re-used (I think it was in perfectly decent nick), but it hasn't. I did ask before they left, but didn't really follow the response and...

Hello all! So, I have water underfloor heating (UFH) throughout my flat, except a bathroom which has electric UFH (lower profile for a very low ceiling height, in hindsight a big mistake but so be it). The thermostat for the bathroom is obviously outside the bathroom so the sensor is picking...

Hello all, I'm having some new softwood timber windows installed as I write. They are replacing some top-hung pvc windows (that I think replaced the original sash windows long before I moved in). If relevant, they are spiral balance rather than cords & weights. Confused/slightly concerned about...

Hello all! Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Audio Visual section, but I guess here makes more sense as I don't need advice on the AV tech itself.... Background: My flat (victorian conversion) was refurbished 4 years ago. They routed an RF/Coax cable from the lounge to the...

Hello all! A damp patch on the wall under my boiler started forming a couple of months ago. Unscrewing a panel below the boiler, a whole bunch of polystyrene beads came out. I understand these would have been used as wall insulation. The boiler was only installed 3 years ago (had a service...

Hello all! I'm getting round to replacing some shoddy pvc windows in my flat (Victorian conversion) with softwood timber sash. I'm using a company that manufactures in Poland (it seems to be well-regarded from the research I've been able to do). In any event, the cost of the 5 windows is...

Hi all! I'm planning a mini project that uses decking boards (although I'm not laying a deck with them). I ordered some Siberian Larch boards, Grade A. The supplier has been a bit of a disaster - wrong lengths, widths, damaged boards first time round. Then sent another batch. I was just hoping...

Hello all, scouring the internet for answers, but just can't seem to find anything! Imagine it's very simple, but any info would be appreciated. I did a refurb of my flat a couple of years ago, including full re-wire. I'd requested a couple of 5A round pin sockets so I could connect lamps...

Hello all! I had some replacement MDF doors made for me for a sideboard refurbishment. They seem to have come to a nice finish, in a dark green paint. The MDF was sanded & primed first. The company used a polyurethane/oil-based paint (Sayerlack, I believe) in a satin (20% gloss) finish. I...

Hi all, I'm getting different answers when speaking to ducting suppliers and looking online, so thought I'd check here. I have a "blind" bathroom w/ shower. I'm using a pretty powerful inline fan (TD Silent 350). The run to the outside is long (about 5m), and the builders installed low...

Hello all, first off apologies for terminology - I'm trying to figure out what the parts are called so I can buy them! As per the pic, there's a piece of trim/moulding that I've highlighted in red between the pvc window and the sill. I'm assuming this was there because the previous owners...

Hello all, I recently had some aluminium windows and doors installed. Different models, but all Smart Systems, thermally broken. My understanding of "thermally broken" was that unlike old-school aluminium windows, the break is inteded to isolate the inside frame from the outside. i.e., that...

This must be a hated topic, but please bear with me – dimmer switches! I have had a full flat rewire. I liked the look of the Schneider ultimate flat plate white metal series, so selected that. Have a bunch of the LED dimmers used for Philips GU10 lamps. They work great. I also purchased some...

Hello all. Somehow got my dimensions all wrong in a bedroom, and light switches on either side of a bed aren't even close to being wide enough apart for the bed that's meant to go there, and not high enough to go above a headboard. Total idiot, I know. Schoolboy error. The builders have pretty...

Hello all. I have an unmonitored alarm - an ADT 3200 plus left from the previous owner which I believe is a rebadged Scantronic 9800. I've been using it fine the last year or so, set it off by mistake a couple of times but managed to reset using the engineer codes etc. I now have some kind of...

Hello all. I’m planning a refurb of a Victorian conversion in London. I won’t be doing the work myself, but keen to understand some of the essentials, also for budgeting purposes, so any info would be much appreciated! I’ll be redoing the floors completely – at the moment there is bamboo...

Hello all. I’m planning a flat refurb and currently looking at flooring. I’ll be going for an engineered wood floor (presumably laid as a floating floor), and I’ll be using (water) underfloor heating. I’m ripping everything up (all existing floorboards etc), so effectively starting pretty close...

Hello all! I’m in the process of planning a flat refurbishment (raised ground floor in a semi-detached Victorian conversion in London), including re-doing all the plumbing. Current setup is a cylinder (Heatrae, from memory) and a Worcester bosch system boiler. As per attached floorplan, boiler...

Hello all, slightly random (and quite possibly very, very stupid) question! I'm planning a flat refurb and looking at lighting, in this case for the kitchen. Given I'm in London, most builders/electricians are charging something like £70 per point (i.e. per switch, per socket, per light fitting...