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I have a radiator which is noisy when the TRV is in the partially closed state. Do electronic TRVs switch directly from open to completely closed or do they have a partially closed state? Thanks Tony

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it would appear that the more efficiently the boiler is working, the more condensate will be produced per unit of gas. Is there an established way of calculating the real world efficiency of a condensing boiler by measuring the condensate output and the gas...

I am going to put down a 3m x 3m x 0.1m slab as a base for a garden shed. The shed will be mostly wood so not much load. I've got some wire stock fencing rather like this: I was thinking of using it to reinforce the concrete. Will this work or could it even weaken the slab. And before...

I have a retaining wall to which I want to bolt fence posts. The fence posts are 100mm square. I can't find any projecting expansion bolts long enough to fix the posts. Any ideas? Thanks Tony

A nice man from British Gas serviced my combi-boiler the other day and told me I needed a pressure vessel fitting on the water supply to my house. He explained that when I turn off the hot tap, the hot boiler would cause the water to expand and thus increase the pressure in the cold water...

Visualise this if you can! Downstairs toilet below new en-suite. Downstairs wc exits horizontally into elbow then into floor. Is there a connector available that can replace the existing elbow allowing an additional side access for connecting the upstairs wc. Much appreciated Tony

This may be of interest: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36349455@N00/sets/72157622499666169/show/

My extension will have a lean to roof to the house exterior wall. The house wall is block, rendered and painted. Do I need to retro-fit a cavity tray into the house wall above the lean to? Much appreciated, Tony

Am I allowed to do this: DPC shown red. Much appreciated Tony

My extension will have a floating chipboard floor over solid insulation over concrete. In order for the bricks to course up, I have a depth of 150mm for the insulation and the chipboard. Could I save money by using a thinnish phenolic layer and a polystyrene layer? Anyone know where I can find...

I'm building a smallish single story extension. I local merchant specialises in end of line and second quality bricks. We saw a suitable brick there, but was told it was a second - so there would be extra variation on colour and size. They are 32p each instead of 42p. Would I be silly to buy...

What is presently regarded as the most cost effective brick/cavity/block wall in terms of which insulation and what type of block to use? Much appreciated Tony

I want to build a single room extension. Due to the ground conditions it needs to be on piles. I reckon it would be cost effective to cast the floor and edge beam in one go as a reinforced slab. However, this would not have a damp proof course because of the piles. I figured I could do a...

Please could someone give me an indication of cost per square metre? Also, are they used for the floor in the UK and what will they span unsupported? Thanks Tony

I have removed a conservatory due to subsidence and plan to build a single room extension in the same place. (Despite a double skin dwarf wall, the conservatory did not have any foundations to speak of and was not even built on a proper raft!) The site is within a few metres of a pond. The house...