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We have a rainfall waterhead, barely used, quite new. Every time we use it, water gushes/spurts out of the top of the head, around the edges. Supplier blames this on buildup of limescale. We do get a fair bit generally in our area of London. Do you think this is correct or is it a...

Just had brand new bathroom and brand new plumbing system installed as part of full house refurb. When the bath drains, it gurgles loudly. The plumber assured me this was normal and is a sign that the pipes are running nicely and there was nothing he needed to do. The contractor said it gurgles...

We have 2 uPVC rear doors which lock into each other, with some sort of central white part attached to the one on the left. Wife's handbag was nicked and while we found it later in a nearby bin the keys for the rear doors were gone, so to be on the safe side, we're replacing both locks. I...

Stopped working overnight! Vaillant ecotec 630 plus...boiler fires up for one second then stops. There are no error faults. Pressure has dropped overnight by 0.5 bar from 1.7 til 1.2. Pressure had been stable beforehand. Loud clanging/metallic noises were audible from the motorised valves up...

Is the running cost of a floorstanding uplighter with a 90w bulb the same as that of a 90w bulb hanging from the ceiling? Our dining room has a 90w bulb hanging from ceiling, and 8 x 50w downlights. I try to use downlights as little as possible, unless entertaining, to keep costs down. But...

Am I correct that before the work has started the benefits to the adjoing neighbour are that they have the right to refuse the work initially being done, and to get a surveyor involved to ensure that any work done does not damage their adjoining property. What benefit is there after...

About 2 years ago we engaged a builder to remove our chimneys from ground and first floor. It transpired he was a cowboy who believed Building Regs did not apply to chimney removal. Unfortunately we were contracted to use him. To avoid any issues with inadequate support, we were advised to...

I've had this TRV fitted to a new rad http://www.screwfix.com/p/danfoss-ras-c-white-chrome-trv-lockshield-15mm-angled/49331#product_additional_details_container The SL is covered by a screwon cap - but there is a recess, rather than a screwhead, underneath - so not sure exactly what to do...

We need to lift a section of vinyl flooring to inspect floor below. It appears to have been glued down but it is loose in places, so not glued all that well. Unfortunately the vinyl is no longer available from the supplier, so it needs to be cut very neatly so that it can be re-laid. I...

We have a big sunlight in our kitchen/morning room measuring some 2.4 x 3.2m. It is made from polycarbonate and is very very noisy in the rain, hot in summer and cold in winter. 1. Can anyone recommend an effective yet DIY solution? Are there any panels/paint etc on the market that I could...

Some of you may recall I had my dining room enlarged by some cowboys who never involved either a Structural Engineer or BC. I have since had 2 S Engineers to inspect, with a view to having it regularised. One (not chartered) calculated the loadings and then prepared calculations. He says...

A back bedroom is exposed on 3 sides and hence much colder than rest of house. I have checked in the loft and there are insulation rolls laid out above the room (not sure if 27cm, but not visibly less than rest of the loft's insulation. If anything - even more) However my query is that there...

Loft contains unvented Telford Tempest cylinder and relevant pipework, almost all pipes are lagged (boiler is downstairs in kitchen). What temperature should the frost thermostat be set to? Currently it is approx 2 C but that means that in this weather it is on basically all the time. Many...

My 4 y.o. daughter's bedroom approx 2.7m x 2.7m is 'open' on 3 sides and hence a good few degrees colder than rest of house. Currently there is an old single panel rad measuring approx 173 x 45. Would it be a good idea to buy a new rad, if so which/what size? Maximum possible dimensions...

So..after a year of worrying about them, I've had the RSJ's in my extension exposed for an engineer to come and inspect. I understand they should have been painted (a) against rust and (b) against fire. However, it appears they have not been painted at all (predictably). How important is...

I've been looking to get regularisation for 20 windows fitted without Fensa certificate. Barnet, where I am based, charge £144 per every 5 windows or part.i.e. £576 total. The neighbouring borough Brent BC charge £265, for up to 20 windows. The discrepancy in price seems scandalous to...

We would like to have 2 RSJ's in our extension exposed so that they can be inspected by a structural engineer for adequacy. The steels are supporting the 2 walls of a single back bedroom. What is the best / easiest / cheapest (?) way of exposing the steels? Would it be better to come from...

As title suggests, all 6 upstairs radiators and 2 downstairs ones which look pretty old get piping hot. the 4 new ones downstairs installed a year ago get hot at the top but not at the bottom, although the flow pipes get very hot. When bled, the water is clear. We have never had the...

As the title suggests, when we walk on our bathroom floor, some of the tiles produce a faint 'clicking' sound. One of the tiles IS loose, but the others don't seem to be. I believe the builders put beams between the pipes, supported Ply on top of that, then laid the tiles on the ply. Any...

A builder friend told me I should have had a DPC fitted ontop of the extension walls, just below the large slabs on the top (not sure what correct term is), as rainwater can seep through the cement between the slabs and cause damp. Is he right? (If relevant, my walls are single skin breeze...