Home DIY

Question. Would you need to remove old ceilings before re boarding or would you just board it then skim?

Looks good similar to my setup. None of the walls are straight. All I got left is to box it in

I’ve just learnt the art that inscribing and downward cutting

Sup all.

I've been wondering if it's possible to install a switch(plus fuse) in place of the fuse plate under my bathroom towelrail myself? And are there any smartplug options out here? Something that is compliant in a bathroom.

Right now I have to use the safety switch at the top of the wall above the door which is just under ceiling height. So either it's on or it's off as it's so difficult to change.

Are there any such switches? Or Are there other options?

It's called a switched fused spur, sounds like what you have now is a fused spur. The isolation switch outside the bathroom is a must anyway these days although almost everyone has the same problem you do.

What you are proposing is a very minor job and I'd be inclined to say you could undertake it without any problem but I've not checked the letter of the regulation in these cases recently so I'd have to err on the side of caution and say it's in a bathroom any work needs to be signed off by a registered electrician.

Hopefully you can work out what that means. If you don't have much experience of wiring fused spurs it is possible to get them wrong so they're always live regardless of the switch position, god knows plumbers manage it all the time.

Strictly by the Regs you can't have a switch plate in the bathroom, you can switch via a cord pull (like the lights) but that would be a faff.

BUT WHY!!!

FFS

I need a switch!

Damn you regs!

This seems to do what you want. Handy review here too. As you shouldn't have a switch in the bathroom, you could replace the one up at ceiling level (which is presumably outside the bathroom)

Nice!! Thank you!

Anyone have any real life experience of swapping out a 80m3hr bathroom fan for a higher powered (240m3hr) inline fan? Is it worth the extra cash and faff? We have a long old duct run and the normal fan's performance is mediocre at best.

Yes and yes.

You can board over old ceilings but best practice is to remove the old stuff and board onto the joists. If you really want to cut corners you can even patch holes and re-skim.

Does £450 to skim a newly installed plasterboard ceiling seem reasonable? 3.8 x 5.8m with a skylight. I was expecting it to be a days work but looks like I'm being quoted for two.

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Skimmed, taped and beaded corners all materials supplied?

Even with the above its more than I would expect to pay. You may be able to get the price down by offering to have it ready to skim, so tape the joints and any internal corners and put up angle and stop beads.

The problem is really that it is a one day job but most plasterers work as a two man crew, so the spread (skilled plasterer) and his labourer to mix his muck and keep him supplied, is what you end up paying for.

Ahh I would personally do this but having artex ceilings my thoughts turned to boarding rather than skimming over which was my initial plan

If you want to get rid of Artex then there are specialist paints that work, basically they are super thick and after about 3 coats build up to cover it. Alternatively X-tex allows you to scrape it off safely. I've never used it myself but my mate swears by it.

Ta. I think I'll shop around a bit more.

Where are you based? I have a mate who may be able to do it for you as a private job.

I made a IKEA bed this weekend.
Stupidly I put a dowel where it shouldn't go. And now, the hole that should have one of those bolts that fixes things together is blocked.

Can I screw a normal wood screw in and it'll do the job? I think so, but then I'm a fucking idiot some days.

Can I put a wood screw in there and bind it all together

Yes, but pre-drill the hole first

Or you could drill the dowel out

I'm trying not to take the bed apart...
I'll see if I can loosen a couple of screws to get the bit I need out. I don't hold out much hope tbh.

Drilling out would be the best I think.

Thanks!

Ah, wish I saw this last night, I found someone on mybuilder and have him booked for tomorrow. £230 incl of all materials for tape/beads/2coats of skim. Pretty happy with that.

In contrast to tiling I was thoroughly enjoying grouting, at least until I got to ‘polish the residue away’. YouTube videos have a guy lightly wiping over the work, I had to dampen and scrub each tile individually! Test section looks good though.
Peaks and troughs.

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Looks great

The tiles look great. Depending on the texture of the tiles you might benefit from a specialised sponge. Rubi do a really nice one with 2 scrubbing textures. It's called the mixed superpro sponge.

Looks nice!