Home DIY

I'm working up the requirements for a bathroom refurb and have come across these taps, which I really like. But, they're mad expensive. After some searching I can't really find anything similar - anyone got any good tap links I might be able to buy some schweet antique brass faucets?

https://www.astonmatthews.co.uk/taps/shop-by-range/acme/acme-1-hole-basin-mixer-and-pop-up-waste-scuffed-brass

I'm looking at a new kitchen but it is a little narrow so one side will need narrower units (probably 400mm). Any suggestions for kitchen suppliers that can supply custom depth units?

For worktops I assume you just buy a standard one and cut it down.

@aggi I've ordered a few worktops through http://www.worktop-express.co.uk/ (solid oak ones) they are really good at cutting to bespoke requirements and pretty good value. I had some complicated cuts and was really nervous but they were great and it came through perfect.

I've been wanting to use them for when I switch out my scratched up laminate. Did you do the install yourself? How was it?

@motoko yeah I've installed two worktops through worktop express now, both solid oak and no problems with either. They even give you the offcuts which I am planning to get made in shelving and chopping boards.

The first one I did I opted to do a sink / oven cuts myself. The second one I got them to do it as it was a horrible task (with a shit jigsaw). I measured the space about 10 times and got my wife and anyone I could to double check and put everything through their online system. The only thing I can say is that if you get solid wood it is heavy as f*ck. We're on the second floor of a Glasgow tenement and the delivery guys won't carry things upstairs, just have some burly friends ready to help to lift things as its not fun on your own.

Toni SP is a go to for me.
Different, but similar style. Don’t know abaout availability in UK though.
Dornbracht (iirc) does some cool ones too.

Cheers, look quite tempting pricewise, need to decide if we're going to do enough maintenance for solid wood or go for the lazy option of laminate.

Anyone have any suggestions for suppliers of custom depth kitchen units?

Solid wood is great, just be prepared for a bit of wabi sabi (ours are just periodically dosed with mineral oil) and don't install in wet areas.

Do you have this around your sink area?

Thinking it best to not use an inlaid sink and instead one which sits up over counter on edges.

I agree, solid wood is great. it just takes a bit of care and drying surfaces etc after getting water on it. We've had ours in for over a year and they still look brand new.

@motoko we have a ceramic sink like this:

lots of sealant around the edges so water/liquids don't get underneath and its fine.

Looks like the previous owners dropped something heavy and smashed a hole (which has been gradually disintegrating) in these seemingly solid stone tiles. What’s the best option to repair/fill? I have a load of cement...

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I would fill it with clear or coloured epoxy; if you can't replace the tiles with spares.

No, we made sure that our wood counters are well away from the sink area. Our sink is an old epoxy on steel integrated unit with drain boards on both sides from the 30s.

I'm moving a light switch in a room which takes power from the light - just has 2x live wires going into it. Or, probably more correct to say 1x switched live.

I will be extending the cable about 5 metres as door has been moved. Can I use 1x twin + earth cable to extend using wago boxes (blanking plate on old switch) and utilise the neutral providing I then sleeve/tape it the correct colour?

I don’t think we have any spares but I’ll check first. There’s all sorts of shit in the garage!
What sort of epoxy? Presumably a filler resin of some sort? It’ll need to be quite runny to get under the overhang I think.

What sort of epoxy?

You can use resin or putty depending on how bad it is.
I would be tempted to remove as much as possible that's loose, fill with epoxy putty, sand then paint over. It'll never match the pattern you have but will look better than it currently does and shouldn't get any worse.

Since you’re going to have to deal with the run from the switch to the new switch you could connect the switch line in either ceiling or floor with a wago (or any maintenance free junction) and lose the existing switch box altogether.

1.5mm twin and earth would be pretty routine a switch line and yes you do just put some brown sheath on the neutral.

Perfect, Thanks. I thought the join/extension needed to be accessible.

Is this negated by using maintenance free junction? Or do regs differ for lighting cables from mains cables?

It's negated by having maintenance free. Thinking about it, if you're going to join it in the ceiling or floor you might just be better running a new switch line to where you want it from the light!

I agree with you.

We are having some renovation work done and when complete one of our bathrooms will have no external walls. I want to stick the mother of all extraction fans in there. It will be vented to an outside wall (via ceiling mounted extraction point). I'd also like it to be as quiet as possible. Anyone have any advice on what to go for?

I gather there are two general options are (1) fan mounted directly to ceiling and (2) in-line fan.

If you have the space for it, go in-line, we have just had both installed in our house and the in-line is more powerful and because the motor is hidden away up in the loft also much quieter.

The tile looks like pretty common indian slate. The issue was probably a void underneath, not properly back buttered before laying. The stone always comes in different thicknesses etc, so it's important to have 100% coverage to stop that happening.
Best option would be to grab a couple of spares from a tile shop and pop those in after a thorough clean/strip of the rest of the floor's residue and previous sealer.
Failing that, clean the loose out and fill with flexible grout and tone down with a sealer before sealing the rest of the floor.....it's a compromise though.

Thanks that seems fairly comprehensive. Do you have a method for cleaning? It’s our utility room so washing machine and drier aside, we can be quite disruptive.

Was just recommended a beefy in-line by our renovator chap as well.