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• #4802
Operation "make a big room" is coming along nicely - unearthed the original tile flooring in the old lounge, though they'll be covered straight back up again.
We're also onto the switches, have also heard that hidden screw ones aren't worth the effort. The previous owners of our place put them all through the house & I don't think a single one was level.
Blue tarp back doors are the new Bi-fold - you'll be seeing them all over The Modern House soon:
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• #4803
We have these for white screwless sockets: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Wiring_Accessories_Menu_Index/A_White_All/SF_MW/index.html
They look nice but not particularly level, no.
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• #4804
They are decent, not perfect fit but not bad at all. Never had any issues with them pulling away, the faceplates need to be levered off with a screwdriver or similar:
They are these ones so fairly budget end. https://www.ukelectricalsupplies.com/selectric-5m-plus-screwless-satin-chrome-2-gang-13a-dp-switched-socket-with-grey-insert.htm I already had them installed when I moved in but had a few extra fitted and the electrician didn't make any comments (positive or negative).
Most are level but I do have a few that are a bit off (the whole house has them). Hadn't considered it being an issue with screwless ones.
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• #4805
I only ever buy MK electrical fittings, never had a single issue with them.
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• #4806
My electrician said this or BG Nexus. Thought the BG Nexus ones were v good for the price from electricalcounter.co.uk which for some reason we're significantly cheaper than other places.
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• #4807
My other rule is to only buy electrical fittings from places like toolstation/screwfix etc. There are lots of fakes around. It is not worth taking the risk with electrical equipment.
Example: https://www.voltimum.co.uk/articles/mk-electric-sends-strong-message
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• #4808
I'm not concerned in the slightest about ordering online from a major electrical wholesaler. It's far from some weird eBay outlet store.
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• #4809
I wasn't suggesting that place was, it was a general comment for the thread. I read a lot of industry articles and counterfeiting is a major issue and bloody scary!
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• #4810
Bought the Vema taps with enough time to send them back if they are shit.
Only for an ensuite anyway so won't get much use. -
• #4811
We have these too. I rate them and with a bit of faff you can get them flush against the wall (I have scribed around the faceplate on some uneven walls)
I fucking hate needing deeper back boxes though - our place had loads of surface mount sockets/switches and I have slowly replaced them but one led to me smashing through to the next room as my house is made from 200 year old cheese and hair apparently.
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• #4812
Mine have just arrived too! In a box with the builders but I'll do an unboxing video later and put it on youtube.
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• #4813
Oh amazing! At least we are in this together and we can blame billy big boots @Tenderloin anyway.
Seriously though, please do take pics. Just been into EC1 and they made some calls about them, their office is in Italy but they suspect they are not manufactured there. Either way a fair walk less than Croswater and less than half the price of Arte Forme. -
• #4814
I saw your order come in the other day Chris. Lemme know how you get on - im actually the owner of Vema so any info you might want happy to help.
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• #4815
The taps weren’t in the box of bits, apparently they’ll arrive tomorrow so I’ll delay my unboxing video for a few days.
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• #4816
But, we’ve pivoted from a Lusso Stone sink to some sort of vanity unit as storage in our tiny bathroom is at a premium.
Anyone got any experience with vanity units? We got one from Tikamoon year ago, love it but it’s well over budget for this bathroom.
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• #4817
Just fitted out whole home out in MK for the same reason.
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• #4818
We bought an old Gramophone cabinet and repurposed it into a vanity unit for our bathroom, theres a lot of rubbish MDF/chipboard stuff out there for probably too much money.
Put some offcut of some (I think) marble on top, and stained some shelves for the side of it to fill the space.
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• #4819
that is absolutely genius! And I agree there are loads of cheap MDF/Veneered things out there that just don't do well with water over time...
Goes to ebay to find a gramophone cabinet
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• #4820
2nd hand vintage furniture is the bomb. Most modern furniture is frankly, a bit crap, poor quality and far too expensive for what it is.
Vintage furniture is typically better quality and made to last, I'm surprised more people don't upcycle stuff, this looks fantastic. Obviously better for the planet as well.
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• #4821
Dressers, chest of drawers, and dressing tables too.
Wrong time of year, but car boot sales can be great for this sort of stuff.
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• #4822
As seen here too... https://b-vds.co.uk/projects/leytonstone-house/
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• #4823
Ordered up some MK sockets, going to try one of their dimmer switches as well.
Next question, what white paint should i go with? Walls and ceiling meet without any cornice so ideally i'll use the same paint. Rooms get a fair amount of daylight in the day and most my lighting is low level at night. Will go a light shade of gloss griege on the skirting and door frames as they get battered, i'd like crisp white walls but the Dulux matte emulsion was a bit chalky and marked easily on the walls. It did work well however on my grim 80s artex ceiling (think curdled yoghurt).
Go egg shell for durability and put up with a bit of sheen on the ceiling or find a better quality matte?
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• #4824
Leyland hardwearing has done us alright in the first few months we've had it - which has included a fair bit of scrubbing after mucky hands (small kids + me doing DIY of questionable standards)
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• #4825
Cheers, checking out the reviews the Dulux trade super matt comes very well recommended and the Dulux pure matt that i used previously does not.
EDIT: still more suited to ceilings than walls though, might checkout the Leyland for the walls
"not to ever get LAP (which I think is screwfix own brand)”
I have a 2.5kw storage heater that is on a 20A fused spur for the nighttime charge, eventually the switch burns out and fails, the wiring is new and the correct size for the current draw but the LAP ones fail eventually.
Replaced it with a different one made by AET and you can see by the pic the terminals have more meat on them, not blown a switch again.
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