The problem with sites like mybuilder and trust a trader, is that you have to pay to use them, so the whole setup is questionable. There were problems reported about the TaT site, and it turned out that the site were always ruling in favour of the trader when there was a complaint
The guy was obviously crap as beginners use Yorkshire fitting, and plumbers use end feed. If he was worried about heat affecting the walls, then he should have used Heatblock. As to the rad valve, for now, move it so that it's inline with the pipe, and tilted backwards.
I suspect the joints also leaking because he put the ptfe tape on the thread, and not between the olive and the seat, but boss white ptfe pipe jointing compound is better than loctitie 577 (but you should go for the 572 if you want to use Loctite).
Ignore the
screwfix option, it's not what you're after.
You want a good blowtorch rather than a brazing torch, but you could get away with using the
screwfix soldering torch and butane gas at £27.48, and if you use the end feed, then you'll need flux and solder, so Yorkshire fittings might work out cheaper, and as Phod says, there's a simplicity to them.
Not helped by some of the diy morons here that should be encouraging people like yourself to find good tradesmen rather than the quickest (and/or) cheapest alternative.
Sorry Dan, I was under the impression that the site was to help people, not an alternative to Trust a Trader. Being a mechanical engineer, he's got a good skill set, and having been bitten once, I suspect he's reluctant to get bitten again.
