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The room over my garage is being extended with breeze blocks (later to be rendered). The existing room has 50mm foil backed block insulation, and I think a couple of inches of rock wool. With the new building regs we have to increase the insulation. This will mean losing a couple of inches off...

I’m having plans drawn up to extend above the garage. I’d like it to be brick, rather than render, but know I can’t get the original’purple curtain wire’. How well does brick stain work? I’m concerned the bricks will still look a different colour. To add to the dilemma this will most likely be...

I'm considering putting an ensuite on the bedroom. It would mean installing new foul drainage (the existing foul waste for bathroom and kitchen is at the other side of the house). I'm assuming the 'pipes' would need connecting to the public sewage pipes running under the front pavement (they may...

I'm needing to roughly guage whether a half day seems reasonable for drilling the hole in the wall and fitting a 150mm extractor fan. There is an electrical supply to the external light at the point it's to be installed and below is a socket should it need to be spurred. Electricians in the...

Building Control have said I must install a 60 litre fan in the open plan living room of my down stairs flat. The cooker has a hood but can’t be vented to an outside wall in the kitchen area. Any suggestions on types of fan as the only ones I see saying 60 litres appear to be commercial ones.

I’d like to tidy up the outside wall above the front door.I’ve no idea how to go about it and how to make sure it’s waterproof. Any advice please.

I live in an old Victorian terrace. I want to sound proof a wooden floor to reduce noise from downstairs. It's been suggested I put down a barrier mat, db soundproofing matting 15, tecsound 100 and then engineered wood floor. Does this sound about right and if so recommendations for sourcing...

My boiler is 14 years old. I had problems with the water heating in the shower, the engineer replaced the diverter valve (£160) in November but turned the central heating to a low setting (which I hadn't been aware of) consequently the radiators weren't fully heating. I had another engineer out...

My central heating is working okay but the water isn't heating up. The only way I can get it warm is to reduce the flow to a trickle. Any suggestions as to what the problem may be?

I'm going to be putting Dulux Timeless (white with a hint of grey/blue) matt on walls which are painted magnolia. The Timeless has poor reviews for coverage of magnolia. Would it help if I used brilliant white as a first coat?

I am looking at 2 retailers (Homebase and Screwfix) selling Spacepro mirrored wardrobe doors, one says the glass is BSEN 12600 the other doesn't, but after enquiry was told it had a safety film backing so that if it did break it wouldn't fall out. I contacted the manufacturer but haven't heard...

I'm going to replace a 45 year old fitted wardrobe with sliding doors in an alcove. I'l be ripping the old one completely out. I'm wanting decent quality mirrored sliding doors, floor to ceiling, with good quality runners. Any advice? Also, there are no sides or backs with the internals, it...

I'm looking at various wifi outdoor home security cameras. I want 2 installed but undecided which brand to go for. I'm looking at Googlenest, Yale or Swann, I want something that's reliable but not too expensive. Any comments or recommendations?

I've just had some new fire rated IP65 dimmable down lights fitted. I'm so disappointed as they hardly dim at all and yet the small icon suggests that they should dim quite a bit. They are Luceco 5W integrated, from Tool Station but I'm now wondering whether I'd have been better investing in...

I do not like the orangie red colour of our stair frame. It looks mahaogany but most likely a cheaper hardwood. The spindles and hand rail, newly installed, are oak. I was going to paint the stair frame white but the wood looks so good (apart from the colour) since we stripped it of varnish, it...

I'm replacing the handrail of the upstairs banister. The previous ranch style was screwed to a piece of wood which in turn was attached to a stud wall next to the bedroom door. The new hand rail, supported by spindles, will need to be fixed to the wall. I'd prefer not to use a half newel and...

I'm about to replace my hall carpet. The underlay we took up was tredaire rubber. It still looked in great condition but as it was 18 years old I decided to buy new. John Lewis has something similar but its almost £10 a metre. The carpet I'm laying is a twist. What is now regarded as the best...

We are renovating our staircase. There is a gap down the side that meets the wall. I suspect that the wall ain't straight as it meets the wood at the top and bottom. There was a piece of quadrant covering the gap but I'd prefer it to be closed some how or filled. Any comments on how this is...

We've just had a new combi fitted with new copper piping in the airing cupboard (which used to house the old cylinder). The pipe work looks good and my husband wants to put a clear acrylic coat to preserve the look of it. I'm not so sure it's necessary. Any comments?

We need to replace our floor standing boiler, located in a kitchen cupboard. I am considering having a combi put in the garage (primarily to get rid of the header tanks in the loft and the hot water tank in the airing cupboard). I know that the manifold is under the kitchen floor, which is...