Home DIY

Ahhhhh... already answered.

Electrical question, I'm not competent in this area so please forgive for stupidity and lack of correct terminology.

My garage/workshop is hooked up to RCD consumer unit in the house, but via this arrangement here. From what I gather, they are fuse boxes. Not sure if the one on the left is doing anything, but the one on the right has 3 switches. One controls lights, one for a set of plugs on one side of the garage, and the other for another set of plugs on the other side.

I got a little carried away with my table saw last night and must have consumed too much power for it as it switched off mid cut. The lights and plugs on one side are still working, but the plugs on the side with most of my power tools are not.

I'm guessing if I open up the box on the right I'll find 3 fuses, of which maybe I can replace the broken one?

As cool and retro as they are, wouldn't mind getting rid of them. What function do they serve now that there is a modern consumer unit in the house that this feeds in to. Could I get them removed for example? Or replace with some kind of master switch instead?

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So... garden planning.

Its a shit show atm, there is an old slab at the back in the middle where a large shed used to be, I just bought a small shed to go in one corner and planning on chairs and table in the other, but need to expand the current grotty concrete slab somehow so both table and chairs and shed can sit on it nicely. Needs to be extended about 160mm one side, 80 another and 40 at the back.

I'm thinking paving slabs either side and prob just gravel at the back to neaten it up or beds for plants to grow in and then up the fence.

Any smarter options I'm missing?

Can anyone recommend me a power washer (jet washer) for cleaning the car and patios? Some bikes too.

I'm looking at Argos ideally as we have a voucher for them and its nearby.

What wattage do I need? Higher is better I'm assuming. Budget is under £150 if poss. Ideally £100.

Will use once a month or so.

Ideally I'd like something that can strip ivy roots off brickwork but I imagine that needs a lot of power.

This is my current fave:

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/6165925

Although this looks good and is more powerful but not heard of the brand before:

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7904996

Are the more expensive ones much better? Are the cheaper ones much worse?

Spear and Jackson are a well known brand of garden hand tools, haven't seen them doing pressure washers before, so suspect that is a rebranded something else.

I have had a karcher for years, probably won't strip ivy, but does a good job on everything else.

This is somewhat off topic but a Terry Adams flatland pad seems like the best use:
https://vimeo.com/8553995
@ 8.00

Great. Thanks.

What wattage do you have?

I have the older version of the K2. It is good enough to make patio slabs looks like new again. That kit deal looks a pretty good one as well to me. Personally I don't see the point in the mid size ones, if you want something more powerful you might as well get a really powerful petrol one from lidl or aldi for £200...

Great. Thanks for your advice.

I already have a plan for a concrete mini ramp thats disguised as a seating area, not sure if I can pull it off though...

Which? magazine says K2 at the £100 price point

I'm always be tempted to stick with products by companies that are best known for the one thing

This is the current plan (to scale ish....)

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Good advice. Thanks

How much were the ikea cupboards (each)? Look perfect for a similar project I'm thinking of.

All seven including doors, hinges and feet was around £1100 Inc delivery so about £160 each I guess.

Have a look at low growing moss and grasses / grass alternatives. They are a good way of adding low/no maintenance green to the garden. Depending how much sun it will get lots of paving slabs etc. could get hot in the summer.

Something I once saw that I thought was cool was a concrete seating area with a flat white wall so you could watch films.

I was once shown a house brochure that had a similar garage mock but was showing it had space for 6 Porsche.

Obviously I bought the place on the spot.
(I was actually just being shown it as an example of paper samples).

#csb

Cheers.

I think I could fit two porsche in this garage. Now to try to afford one porsche.

The K2 is decent enough and that set is a great price.

Not sure about ivy roots but on the highest pressure setting on the multiwand thing, it'll take lichen off stone at close range.

Great. Thanks.

Thanks for this again.

Original quote was twice what I was anticipating for a very simple set up.

After much back and forth, it’s down to a price I’m happy with, and I’ve ordered the oven and worktop from elsewhere, as they couldn’t do what I wanted, despite my clear instructions and them saying they could to start with. Only 2 depths of worktop is pretty inconvenient, 616mm and 950mm - the shallow one you can get in up to 3m lengths but you can only get 2.4m for the deeper “breakfast bar” one - they recommended I buy 2 950mm deep (£410+VAT) and cut to my required size of 3m x 720mm. No thanks!

Anyway, all sorted, hopefully it turns up all time with all the right pieces.

All this carpet luxury talk has pushed us over the edge and decide to get them put into our bedrooms. It's a 1930s semi with the original floorboard. Literally sounds like elephants above you when someone is walking upstairs.

Will be investing in decent underlay which will hopefully reduce that, but am wondering what are the benefits of screwing down some 3mm hardboard before putting down the underlay? The floor is reasonably flat, and not too draughty. Waste of time and money?

It's pretty normal practice. Usually stapled down, it also saves the carpet blackening from air blowing through the gaps in the boards. I don't lift a lot of carpets but pretty much all of the ones I have recently have had this under the underlay.

Ok, guess I'll do it in that case. 3mm hardboard good enough?