Home DIY

I think the biggest thing is be prepared to strip more back than you expect... I had not anticipated going back to joists to get all the rotten/mouldy wood out. I hear this sort of surprise isn’t uncommon.

Other than that it’s lots of small quite specific things - weird waste pipe sizes, corroded brass fittings that refuse to re-seal properly, tiling round the edges being a total PITA when done after the middle, getting the right sealant for the job, etc

Edit: oh and if you’re having a walk in shower with flappy glass panel, go longer on the main panel than you think (and work out where the shower head will be).

Not all flat surfaces are flat, not all corners are right angles, pipes appear where you don't expect them to, and sparkys cost a bundle.

It's likely you won't need 3 screws and there are corner brackets you can screw through that are useful for hanging that kind of shelf.

Not the best example but this kind of thing :-

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/din-rail-terminal-accessories/0606866?cmmmc=UK-PLA-DS3A--google-_-CSS_UK_EN_ConnectorsWhoop--DIN+Rail+Terminal+AccessoriesWhoop--606866&matchtype=&pla-328903841161&gclid=CjwKCAjwrvv3BRAJEiwAhwOdM6J3N1Dm7rgZXWCHPHUZdHysHqUypO1IXdCceVOWdhP1H1ehPEeiXhoCSZoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

One in each upper corner usually does the trick for me. Paint them to match the wall colour.

There are loads of other ways to do it but that's one way I've had success with.

thanks, that is a good shout

where are the 'concrete' panels from?

We're moving to a flat that has drop ceiling tiles in the entrance / kitchen (think 80s call center). What's the easiest way to remove them, while keeping the spot lights?

https://www.bushboard.co.uk/magma-nuance

Worth getting samples or seeing in person as different patterns have different textures.

Do you mean a false ceiling grid like this?

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Loft finished.

Now full of tools and mountain kit.

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Yes.

As the spots are mounted into the tiles (presumably) you'd have to rip out all the ceiling, tidy up and reroute the mess of cabling above then and start again from scratch.

Do you rent or own?

Quality!

You can see where everything is!

We're buying. I was hoping I could place something else (with holes for the spot lights) instead of the tiles (like plasterboard?). Worst case scenario I could rip the whole thing, paint the ceiling and I put another style of light I guess.

Plasterboard will be too heavy for the grid to support without adding more anchor points into the ceiling.

False ceilings are used in offices as its easy to move fixtures as the seating plan changes, hide bare pipework and bad wiring.

Rip it out and ask for money off in the purchase price.

Also the tiles collapse in a soggy mess if you have a water leak from above.

It's like a giant shed!

Which reminds me. Next job is a bigger shed in the garden...

Dibs if you split.

Thanks for the input. Once we move in I'll have a proper look.

Dibs if you split.

Never... I hate selling stuff.

Also the tiles collapse in a soggy mess if you have a water leak from above.

Not just with a water leak. When I was helping to decommission T1 at Heathrow after a couple of weeks of the terminal being mothballed you'd be wandering around the terminal and hear random whump noises echoing through the empty corridors. After a couple of weeks of this some bright spark figured out that the ceiling tiles were shrinking back now that the AC was no longer on and just randomly falling out of the ceiling.

Id look into it and try to find a solution before you move in. Often when that stuff is put up in a domestic setting because at the time it was seen as a cheap way of hiding a big mess.

Have you had the surveyors round to the place yet? If not just ask them to assess it when they do go. If they have been ask them if the had a look up there I'd expect any decent surveyor to be curious as to why it's there even if it's not in the report.

Suspended ceiling in a flat is likely hiding services that pass through to another flat. I'd be very surprised if it was a simple job make good what's above it. At the same time there are plenty of places where boxing could be smaller or neater but people didn't have the time or money to do it properly.

Long story as to why but I had to make an awning less wide. It's never going to be pretty but puts off buying new fabric for a couple of years hopefully.

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Power washed off the worst of the mold. Good thing I'm also building some pallet furniture so I had somewhere to hang it to dry.

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Next question is how to get it back up there.

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