Home DIY

This is in their own showroom?

Have you considered the pros and cons presented might be a tiny bit biased? Local customers are probably too thick to notice but it shouldn't be allowed to fool anyone else.

Local customers are probably too thick to notice but it shouldn't be allowed to fool anyone else.

Wow, much hangover today? I've visited all their competitors and thought DIY-kitchens claims too good to true which is why I got off my arse and drove to Yorkshire to see for myself.

Forgot to mention the price too, significant savings compared to a Wren kitchen we spec'd.

It was tongue in cheek which I'll admit isn't very evident. I am allowed to call Yorkshire folk thick tho, for one obvious reason.

Had to build my own cupboard bin from scratch for that reason. As a by product of the dimensions I had to work with a 50litre bag fits perfectly, which was a very happy accident. Used Hafele 75kg rollers for the sliding/soft closing mech though.

More than happy with their quality and price - only advice I'd offer with DIY-kitchens is make sure you're not expecting to install anything on the delivery day - ours arrived at past 11pm at night (with two doors missing).

Another vote for DIY-kitchens from me. Very happy with everything - quality, lead time, delivery, replacement of damaged door, customer service, price etc
I'm sure you already know this, but you can spec which cabinets are preassembled, if you need to modify.

Living roof on a bike shed. Has anyone?

Cheers @Airhead and @rodabod

I think so, love a pic of a project.

That's seriously impressive, I won't ask what it'll cost...

Are you going to be living there throughout? Our extension is about to start and I'm having sleepless nights trying to work out the logistics of surviving while the amenities get shuffled around (drains, soil pipe, rising main etc).

Time lag switches. Getting a shared hallway redecorated and we have time lag switches (the type the press in and then pop out 5 mins or so later). I'm searching everywhere for some nice looking stainless steel time lag switch plates but am not having any luck. Anyone know of anywhere I should/could be looking?

Cheers
Andrew

Need a bit of guidance on how to deal with a crack thats appeared on a recently plastered wall.

We've had damp proofing done and a fresh coat of plaster over the whole room and this crack has appeared where the guys cut away the old plaster to do the work.
I'm not the most confident decorator but I reckon I could give this a bash. Whats a good filler for this job?
Many thanks in advance

Oh god this.

Our builders are due to turn up in a week.

I've got to empty 3 rooms so that they can do our extension. It's going to take around 3 months, and we'll lose the loo at some point (soil pipe and drains being moved), the heating and hot water (boiler has to be moved), the kitchen for most/all of it, the washing machine also...

And we have a 3 YO and 5 MO to survive with...

If the crack is not caused by loose plasterboard i.e. it doesn't move on one or both sides. My approach is to cut along the crack to open it up to a v, then use toupret TX110 to over fill it slightly, sand that back when dry and put a plasterboard scrim on top then apply a 6-10 inch band of soft plasterboard scrim filler like gyproc easy fill, let that dry and feather into the existing paintwork.

If it moves then you should use a flexible filler like Toupret Fibacryl, their lightweight scrim and overfill with Fibacryl feathering the outer edge with easy fill or TX110.

Both of these methods have worked for me despite having an entire re-development next door including cutting away overspill on the footings. It is time consuming though.

It certainly doesn't feel loose but it has increased in size since it fist appeared. Do I take the first approach? I don't think it'll get any larger. The building is over 100 years old so I'm assuming cracks appearing are normal. Ive got a week off so I've got plenty of time to do the job.

If it doesn't move when you press it I would try the first method. With the light coming across the wall like that you'll need to do a good job of feathering the filler, it doesn't matter if you go 10" across the crack as long as you don't see a bulge of filler over the scrim. You can use the lightweight toupret scrim to make life easier but it's more expensive per roll.

I'd go with whatever Airhead suggests, but I'll just add that for the cracks in my living room where there was movement (we are near the overground which doesn't help) I scraped out the cracks with a shavehook and then filled with Red Devil One Time.

I think I'd be a bit disppointed if I paid someone to install a DPC and this happened. I guess either there's been movement or the plaster has shrunk. The radiator may exacerbate this.

Yeah, I was pretty peeved when I first noticed it. Called the guys out that did the DPC work and they pretty much said that there was nothing they can or will do about it.
Really appreciate the advice its a massive help @Airhead @rodabod

It's not so much the labour involved in doing it first time round, it's the drying times. That's why most firms won't touch it.

You can make life easier by wiping the filler just after it drys with a wet sponge. it will save most of the sanding and feather into the walls more easily. Use a roller to overpaint it as you'll need the roller pattern to blend in.

Electrickery time

Light in daughters room won't turn off since this morning.

Replaced bulb and light switch (only had a 2 pole to hand if that makes any difference?)

Removed switch and it stays on too.

Checked the rose and all looks fine. All other lights are fine.

Any ideas before I get a grown up?*

*am competent enough. Not to stand in a bucket of water to reach

if it won't turn off regardless of switch position, then:

• replace with a switch that has a known function and try again, ensuring you have rewired it correctly..

• investigate whether there's an intermediate switch stuck on (the classic bottom and top of stairs two way arrangement)

or

• be very wary as you may have a common neutral raised to >100V wrt earth - electrician time
  

Assuming that your bulb is wired correctly:

Ie. one bulb terminal is permanently connected to neutral, and the other terminal is connected to a "switched live" which is a live connection which can be "made" or "broken" by your light switch....

Then I'd first inspect that the switched live has not shorted somewhere, such that it is permanently being made, albeit not by your light switch.

A cheapy multimeter would make testing this a lot easier.

I've got a multimeter. Where to poke it?

I've checked all other lights and all work as should do

If you have a 3 plate ceiling rose with a switch drop then it's a case of checking why the switch drop is not switching the light off. Be very careful as you're not supposed to be testing live components. If you google 3 plate light you will find some explanations but basically you might find a lot of similar colour wires which can be carrying voltage and should have brown sleeves if they are a live or switch wire but might not.

A pic of the plate in the ceiling rose would help us to guide you.

in other words, the wires may be blue, brown, black, red, other colour, and any may be live at 240VAC

good luck!