Home DIY

It's possible but depends on the condition of the current wiring which needs testing. The testing process is part of installation. An electrician could test the current wiring and decide if it needs replacing but in some cases the work would have to be carried out if it was determined that the existing wiring was unsafe.

One test for insulation resistance gives an indication of any failure of insulation which allows short circuits.

Best to use a registered electrician as they are able to provide the building control sign off that's a requirement of a change to the consumer unit.

There are RCD breakers available even for the older type of fuseboxes. Google 'older rcd fuses' for examples. RCBO's can be fitted to individual circuits on CU's from the last 20-30 years.

Awesome thanks. Apologies for the follow up question(s). If they found something unsafe, would they usually be willing to replace only the unsafe circuits or would they usually insist on a full rewire. Happy to be looking at replacing anything unsafe, obvs, but not so sure about gutting everything at once unless it is necessary.

It would depend on how serious the fault is. There's a grading system and some faults need to be repaired or the power disconnected. Usually faults that require disconnection are where someone has tampered with the supply or a really bad bodge that threatens life (or livestock!).

Most electricians will visually inspect the wiring at the CU to determine its age and use experience to decide whether they want to rewire based on problems they have encountered with that age of wiring in the past.

I have known a lot of places to get a new CU without any further work being required. Common problems are shared neutrals in circuits on staircases. Lack of an earth running to the gas/electric entry point. Maybe some I've forgotten. The earth one has been happening since a rule change a few years ago. Most of the other regulation changes are pertinent for the CU so a new one makes all that good.

I guess the chances of me getting a spare spindle lock for my parkside router are pretty low? I use it once in a blue moon, but it's nice to have one. I tried a Trend one, but it's too big.

Thanks again.

Renewing the putty? I’m about to undertake this on a few 200 year old windows...anything I should be especially scared of?

Renewing the putty?

Yes. It's no biggie theoretically, just chisel out the old crap, scrape sand and clean with alcohol, make sure everything is dry and not rotten, get the fresh putty in there.

In practice, it's the last step that I seem incapable of getting right. It's sticky and messy and despite having done several windows I never get any good at it. Only tip I can think of is mask off the border as otherwise the stuff goes everywhere on the pane if you make a mistake (you will) and use lots of soapy water on the spatula (not sure that's the correct word, metal thing to smooth the putty with). I always have to go over things with a razorblade the next day to get it looking decent, I never manage to get it looking very good. I watched a pro do it once and it seemed easy...

And wear vinyl gloves.

A bit of a niche one, but does anyone have any experience of fitting an Ikea Eket to a wall without using the suspension rail they sell for the purpose?

We've just bought 4 to stick up on the walls, but the rails seem to be sold out everywhere.

I guess I could just not fit the back bit and attach them using brackets.

Get a bit of wood that’s the thickness of the gap between the back and the backboard.

Cut a bit that’s the width of the internal and half the height. Make a french cleat out of it with a 45 degree cut. Attach to the back with pocket holes (top and side) and then the cleat to the wall.

It's rare that you get the putty out without cracking glass of that age. New glass looks quite different so you should probably decide how important the older glass is before you start.

I use an IR stripper to warm the putty, I shield the glass with metallic duct tape on the glass or on a board layed onto the glass. It makes the putty pretty easy to remove. There is such a thing as a putty router but they're still not really designed to save the glass. Even with an IR stripper the glass can crack due to an underlying defect or just a bit too much heat.

If you want to go old school there's a tool where you can tap the back of a blade with a hammer to assist cracking the putty out. Sharp chisels can be useful.

Unless you absolutely have to have linseed I could recommend repair care dry flex. Mask the frame and glass and use a silicon spatula with some specialised solution for mastic to finish the surface.

Linseed oil comes in different consistencies but you need to mix whatever you get in the pot in your hands until you can work it in a ball. If it's sticking to your hands it's too wet. Sometimes the oil has come to the top of the pot so you need to remix it. You don't need gloves, linseed oil is very good for your skin!

TLDR be afraid of breaking the glass

If anyone is currently doing any kitchen replacements, I’m after a white carcass of a 1000mm base unit (2 doors/2 drawers) in good or very good condition. I’m not worried about the frontage as I’ll put my old doors/drawers on it.

Really don’t want to spend any money on a new one as I’m planning to move soon.

linseed oil is very tasty for small birds who try to eat the putty in the winter and shit everywhere

Slight correction ;)

Good shout on the IR stripper.

Hi - who did you use, please? was it in London?

Hi, sorry - as above, I’m in Leeds not London unfortunately.

I was going to ask what they were made of. I had some cheap wooden sashes and some from sapele and there's a world of difference between them.

The plan is to get sashes at some point in my new place but the cost is pretty daunting.

Thanks both. The building is grade II listed, so it's all a little bit scary but I assume getting a pro in will result in new/restored windows. I don't think I'm going to have too much trouble getting the putty off though, it's falling off already hence me knowing the job needs doing...

I'll start with the little arched one before getting involved with the sashes, one of those definitely needs pro attention anyway

I've done a few grade 2 listed and I do some total restorations. I will admit I'm a bit of an outlier though. If you have a lot to do and you are thinking of doing it yourself then buy a speed heater cobra. You can find plenty of videos on how it works. You'll be well advised to buy into the repair care system as well. Again plenty of video resources.

It's not even a fun job when you are well prepared for it but it's a total bitch if you're not. :)

Tubular heaters - just a case of fixing to wall per instructions, fitting a plug and plugging in right?

They might need a hardwired fused spur, but yes.

I’ll do my best to prepare then haha

I guess if the putty is literally falling off some of the panes, I should remove it from all the windows and renew the lot? It’s a flat so not loads of windows and I don’t know when they were last given any love at all

Have a look at some videos about Dryflex from repair care. It's possible to only remove the loose stuff but often it isn't all as loose as it seems, there are stubborn areas. Sometime the putty has fallen out of the back of the glass, then it's best too get the whole pane out, it opens a bit of a can of worms regarding painting inside and out though.

I want to install some cedar shingles on a wood shed.

Would these staples

on this page work in this nail/staple gun

Looks pretty brutal whilst it's happening.

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