Home DIY

Ahh sorry I see! We have various short lengths connected all over the place, none longer than about 50cm and fortunately no leaking so far. You don't know contortion though until you've tried to install a tap without the special spanners!

I'm getting some new wooden garage doors, can't afford hardwood so gone for soft that I'll paint. Do I need to use a stain preserver first to prolong their lifespan?

@inchpincher, I think the best option is pressure treated before manufacture.
If that's not option I was told, whilst first doing my shed, alchohol based wood preserver (lots of coats) before whatever top coat you decide on.

You know that hard and soft wood has nothing to do with the strength/density of the wood.

As shipwright said it is more to do with preasure treated or dried and then machined. Might be worthwhile to speaking to someone like woodlouse industries, friends business, they deliver to london and have done some amazing work.

Get down B&Q on the Old Kent Road and take your pick of fine Eastern European craftsmen awaiting work.

Might have to, this lad has gone quiet, just as I was finalising concept and picking products...

Or tottenham Wickes

Anyone ever re-built some steps/stairs all with wooden stringers/treads etc?

Have a run of three stairs going from our kitchen into the hallway and the front of our flat. They are pretty screwed and only made with MDF/ply mix and are really noisy/creaky. I want to extend them by about 4 inches on one side as well. Currently there is a wooden cover hiding the gap, but it looks shonky.

I don't really know where to start with stairs. Should I get the pros in or could I DIY it?

DIY is possible though it's easiest to get the stringers custom cut, saving you all the maths :)
Spec good plywood and you'll be fine.

Can't you buy them ready made?

Ready made is perfectly fine if it's the right height.
'Close' can be dangerous as it results in slightly different step heights, increasing the possibility of falls.

Cheers @withered_preacher - yeah I've not read great things about ready made stringers, with them not being identical sizes etc and I'm not sure I'll be able to get ready made that fit this space perfectly. Would I just approach a joiner and ask them to make up some stringers then?

Last stairs I have replaced were in frog land and when to a builder merchant/diy type and they had them ready then and there, I just gave them the dimension length and height and they had them there.

UK Oones have gone in new builds and have been a readymade.

Ceiling paint, tried to use some 5 year old half tin of 'magic' white and it is really patchy. The magic white is the one that goes pink to white but this paint isn't going particularly pink.

So what silk paint would be recommended, preferably of the magic pink to white variety.

I always wondered what those guys were doing...

Wouldn't bother with pink to white myself, you just keep an eye on the wet edge as you work across in one session. Benjamin Moore does a ceiling paint which is well thought of, Eico or Ican do one too. There are lots more coming to market as it's an area that's needed improving since paint manufacturers started messing with the formula of normal emulsion to make more money. Dulux Supermatt at a push, basically anything with lots of solids.

This is the first time that I have used this kind of paint. Especially five year old version.

Do you recommend a silk version?

electric underfloor heating as a replacement of radiator in a small bathroom .. yay/nay?

Around here (NA) there are stair specialists who could quickly set something up for you, not sure what is available in UK.
Depending on your aesthetics you could also get pre-made metal stringers a long as they fit your situation.

Getting another lad in to quote for bathroom. I'm expecting around 2k (he said thats his basic price).
I think trades need to charge for quotes, fuck doing it for free...

2k is what I am paying for ours .. starts Monday, 2 week's work.

Cheers @BQ for recommending http://www.fullflame.co.uk

He turned up when he said he would and repaired my boiler with a minimum of fuss. Seemed like a decent bloke.

That sounds a fair amount. Fuck 5k. I'm not made of money.

I'm genuinely interested in what's involved in these £2k bathrooms. I've probably just got used to the clients I have but these prices can't be including materials surely. Last week I was laying lino which cost £40 psqm.

No, not including materials at all. That 5k quote was labour only.
Just had another guy round, seemed decent, but kept mentioning how nice my flat was which is a worry.