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Hi, I've just had my floorboards stripped and varnished and they look great. I've put new skirting on, but as the floors are 120 years old and not perfectly flat I've got gaps of a few mms in places. What do people normally do with these? Fill or ignore?

Hi, I have a hole where a fireplace hearth used to be and want to cement it flat to bring it to floor level and then paint black. I've bought cement (plasticised) and sand and don't know what cement/sand mix to use for this. Can anyone help please?

I've got 2 items I need to keep and clean up, both of which are filrthy currently: a wired smoke detector and wired alarm buzzer. What would be a good product for cleaning these bearing in mind I can use a damp cloth, but not a wet one on them?

I've been using this to paint old door architraves and it knocks very easily. I presume I need an oil based equivalent to give a more hard wearing finish. What would that be?

I have some experience of wiring and a degree in Electrical Engineer so all the principles and calculations side of it's straightforward, it's more how todo things in accordance with IEE guidelines that I'd need to learn. How hard is itto become Part P qualified? If there's an intensive...

I'm going to get 2 rooms sanded (each 14 by 15ft). I've had a quote for: £400 sand only £550 sand and varnish with polyurethane (3 coats). The floors are original oak from 1880 and have mild stiletto marks and rasing of boards in cetre, so I'd presume a standard sand. Is this price...

I currently have a 6A standard MCB covering the lights in my 1 flat. I'm getting an extractor putinto the bathroom and the electrician says it will take me over this 6A current and that as the wiring is 1.5mm he can fit a 10A RCBO. I spoke to my dad and he's sure that you can only use 6A for...

I'm replacing my bathroom fan (timed one) with the same make and model model and the new one shows that a fuse is needed on te permanent live feed. The existing isolator switch is a 3 pole one outside the bathroom and doesn't have a fuse so I've looked for an isolating switch with a fuse and...

I want to replace both a heat detector and smoke detector in my flat. The detectors are linkd to a central system for the building and all flats. I've managed to disable this for the change and having boughtnew ones from Screwfix, took the covers off the old ones to find the attached. The...

I'm considering putting a wall mounted, flueless gas fire into a flat I'm renovating to sell: http://birmingham.gumtree.com/birmingham/37/47397937.html I've got a mate who's a gas fitter who can connect it for free, but says it needs venitaltion of 100cm2 and I can't access the external wall...

I thought this needed buildingcontrol or a plumber registered under the competent persons scheme, but I've had 2 plumbers over for quotes andthey say that tey've never had anyone bother with getting building conrol involved. I need to sell the flat next Easter, so will probably have to declare...

I've got wallpaper on the kitchen ceiling and want to get it replastered. Will I need to strip it first, or can I apply PVA over it to seal it?

Long story, but I've got to ideally get a wall finished off in plster by end of tomorrow. If I do a bonding caot of plaster in the morning, is it okay to do the finshig coat whilst the boding coat is still wet (but hard)?

Hi, I'm going to fit an extractor fan into a bathroom where there isn't currently one. The ceiling's 2.3m high and I plan to centre the hole at 1.8m. Doesthis sound okay and also, is there a minimum distance I need to put the fan from a window?

I've had a look onthe internet and have found alot of info on this, but I just want to check before I proceed... I blive that I: 1. Use joint filler to fill any gaps in the joints 2. Put self adhesive plasterbaord tape over teh joints 3. Allow this to dry then it's ready to PVA seal and...

I didn't think that building regs affected either of these, but a plumber who quoted me for some work tells me that Build Regs approval is required to remove an old lead waste pipe that feeds into a hopper adn replace i with a plastic one. Seems wrong to me and he did wear cowboy boots ;-) Is he...

I've put standard non fire tated ones into my bedroom and kitchen (new plasterboard). I've been told by a me that ones that go into lath and plaster need to be fire rated. I've strengthened th laths with bonding plaster from above and used this to line the hole as well. Do I really need fire...

I've made up frame structure into the eaves in the bedroom with the aim of turning them into storage. I'm going to use MDF for the doors and make a wooden frame from 4 by 2. I can't find a DIY guide on this for the life of me though... Anone know of one orknow hw to mke these cupboards?

What is the required IP rating for spotlights in the kitcen or bathroom?

I'm going to be using trade white emulsion but am unsure which brushes to get as I know some can give dire results. What is used in "teh trade" by professional decorators?