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Hi, This has probably been asked many times. Looking at engineered wood floating floor for a kitchen/diner. I've used click systems before and they are quite straight forward. However from a quick look around, Tongue and Groove boards seem more freely available, thicker and better quality...

Hi, New extension being built, and I am doing the first fix. Does anyone have any ideas how to wire up the outside lights from the inside and still have the cables within safe zones? I really don't want to have blanking plates halfway up my walls.

Hi, Finishing off a timber framed garden room. I'm installing a sliding door. Question is what kind of flashing do I need under the door? Is it enough to use flashing tape? Or do I need a metal pan of some kind? Thanks.

So, planning some upgrades to our hot water. We currently have an old vented cylinder, loft tank, and pump for both stored hot and cold. Setting aside switching to a combi for now, as we already have the tanks and the pump, it seems like there's no advantage to unvented. In fact there are...

Afternoon, Planning extension, and we will need a soakaway to drain about 80sqm of roof. I got to thinking, if we're digging a great big hole for the soakaway, why not put in a storage tank instead? Does anyone have any experience of this and does anyone how will it be treated by building...

Hi, I am going to demolish an outbuilding in my garden: As you can see, it also forms part of the boundary of the garden. I'm going to reuse the concrete slab as a patio base. There is a square brick pier half way along the structure on the inside. My question is can I also keep only the...

So I have a garden room with cold roof design. I'm aware of the guidance requiring ventilation for a cold roof as per: http://www.classicroofing.ie/pictures/insulationLittle.jpg My question is whether this is really needed if there is a full vapour membrane on the warm side of the insulation...

In my bathroom I have 2 downlights, plus one fluorescent square lamp. I want to put in a dimming pullcord. I know the fluorescent won't work properly without sufficient voltage, but will it cause any problems? It's fine if just the downlighters come on. ta

Hi, Having the house externally insulated with polystyrene (~200mm), which will then be rendered over. Does anyone have any idea how I would fix anything substantial to the outside of this wall, should I want to later? Ta

Hi, Got an area to cover with some kind of hardstanding, it's about 45 sq m. Fair bit of it needs to be made up to level. Had a few quotes for patio, in the £3k range. Is this reasonable? Are there any cheaper ways of doing it? Could I even get the area asphalted? Concreted? It was...

Hi, Having some problems reconnecting the swa cable from my garage/workshop. Here's what I've established: RCD does not trip when main switch in garage is off, or when all fuses are removed. RCD trips only after power is used - ie it does not trip until you turn something on. All...

Hi, In removing old flooring, the brown bituminous 20mm thick layer in the hallway of my ex council house broke up and had to be thrown out. I understand that this served as the DPC, which makes sense, as underneath this layer the concrete felt and smelled damp. I've just added about...

Hi, Can anyone tell me whether re-terminating my outhouse SWA a bit shorter than currently (it's currently terminated inside the CU) and then completing the rest of the circuit in suitable twin and earth is a notifiable alteration? I plan to terminate it following this guide...

Hi, I am adding a downstairs cloakroom to my house. General design of sewerage has been checked by building inspector. After digging out though, a problem appears: The foul drain to the 6 inch (?) shared sewer has been helpfully encased in thick concrete by the house builders some...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-21474074 What are the chances that BC signed off on that?

Hi, We are considering building a two storey extension on the back of our wimpey no-fines ex-council pebbledash. Now, I know that the walls are poured concrete, which can make things more complicated. My question is how complicated? I know there is a reinforcing steel band around the...

Found this in a cupboard at the top of the stairs. It's still connected to the gas main so I'm leaving well alone for now. Anyone know what would have been connected here? Some kind of calor bottle style heater, but without the bottle? Will probably get this removed when we get someone...

Thought I'd share some pictures of my first 'major' project in the house. First house, moved in in the spring of this year - ex council, no-fines (concrete) construction. So far have gutted and redecorated lounge, dining room and main bedroom. All fairly cosmetic stuff - plaster over artex...

Hi all, Just bought our first house, a 1950s ex-council. The CU, meter, etc. are in a sort of cupboard in the utility room (utility is seperated from kitchen with a door). Access to the CU is very poor, being deep inside a cupboard which has been modified to be approx 80cm deep and...