Home DIY

Glue and magnets? (Glue magnets to gutter brackets)

Is that a Senic switch? Thanks.

Need to make hue family friendly here, instead of just app based.

It's a Gira series 55 with a hue wall module behind it.

Any tips on getting a Selco account without having an Ltd or anything? If I just turned up to do a big order for a garden office build would they let me create one?

My dad just walked in and signed up

Unless it's changed you didn't used to technically need to be a ltd to register. Just show a business card or letter headed paper or something.

https://www.selcobw.com/info/help/faqs#:~:text=Selco%20is%20exclusively%20for%20Trade,of%20our%20branches%20and%20online.

To get a Selco trade card account, simply fill out our registration form and supply one of the following proofs of business:
Business Card Letterhead Compliment Slip Certificate of Incorporation Your Company Invoice/Order Form VAT Certificate Tax Related Document CSCS card Tenancy Agreement (Landlords) Tenancy Deposit Protection Certificate Liability Insurance Certificate Company Bank Statement Check A Trade Reference Alternative Merchant Invoice CITB Web Log In Page Company Website Mybuilder.com Profile Accountant Confirmation Letter Van Signage Floor Plans and Blue Prints Payslips (Trade Company) Estate Agent's Correspondence (For Landlords) Official Sub Contractor Job Specification

Once you've completed the form, you'll get your trade card number straight away. Unlike with other builders' merchants, there's no need to wait to start buying whatever you need.

Note that buying overstocked supplies on ebay (or similar) would be cheaper (but slower) for a one-off build compared to going for retail minus vat.

Is there any go to brand of PTFE tape or should I just get whatever is in the shop?

I did. I did actually have a ltd that I could have used, but they never asked to see the details.

going for retail minus vat.

I'm not sure why you'd not be paying VAT?

Depending on what you’re doing with it, Loctite 55 is way better.

Initially stopping the slow leak on my hosepipe to tap fixing. Not seen the Loctite stuff before.

I assumed this was a journey towards 0% or 5% rated building supplies, perhaps not: buying as a business, being registered for vat, then applying for whichever status/refund.

Lots of faff for a one-off project compared to sourcing cheaper/slower supplies (in my opinion).

I agree with the faff part - I started doing this for my garden office, but stopped. Even though the faff would have been worth it (to the tune of a few thousand), my company accountant warned me right off having my ltd own the office, as it could significantly impact my personal tax liability in the future (to the tune of tens of thousands).

Having trade accounts was still useful, though, as the rates were a lot better with some companies.

Fernox LS-X is good for stuff like that

Didn't realize I'd have to deal with that to be honest and would have wanted to pay VAT so might have to go down a different route/pay more

Yes, that's what I normally use but I take it on and off reasonably regularly so was thinking tape may be easier.

On and off regularly sounds like a rubber washer kinda job, like a shower hose

Does anyone have any recommendations for underlay (ideally with reasonable insulation properties) to go between a timber frame floor and engineered wood flooring?

Cheers, that could be a better shout that I hadn't considered.

Does anyone have an old cordless screwdriver knocking about? I'd like to try hacking a motor for my manual ikea sit/stand desk.

Solifloor Gold?

Right - shed power - it has been asked before. Situation is that the house CU is at the front and we are a terrace with solid floor so running a circuit off that is not an option. There is a switched socket next to the back door handily close to the virgin media trunking which runs right by the shed. I don’t need a proper lighting / power circuit in the shed - just 3 plugs - one for a lamp, one for a laptop one for screen. Is it wildly irresponsible to just run a 10m extension cable (on the basis that I would remove if we ever sold) or is there a more legit diy option ? or additional bits like RCD plugs etc. who’s our resident leccy ?

My temporary* set up is off an outdoor socket which is off the kitchen circuit. Exterior rated (for whatever that is worth) extension lead out to the shed. I did set up a "proper" wiring set up in the shed with it's own CU (a 6a circuit for two LED strip lights and the sockets running off a 16a RCD, when I get it done properly, I will probably move the sockets onto the 32a RCD but as it stands, the 13a fuse in the plug is the bottle neck anyway), but the input tail of that CU is just a length of 2.5mm2 wired into a round hookup style plug with the mating side of that connection wired by flex to a standard 3 pin plug - the flex meaning I'm not constantly bending and fatiguing the solid 2.5mm2 and risking it breaking. The 13a 3 pin plug on the end gets plugged into the extension lead when I'm in there, and unplugged when I leave. I wouldn't trust it to leave unattended. The end goal is to have an armoured cable run from it's own RCD on the main CU when we get the back of the house re-done. But for now it works for me. I managed to trip the kitchen RCD when doing something stupid, so I know that works. Since then, an actual grown up spark winced and told me to at least swap the outdoor socket for an RCD protected one in case the extension lead gets damaged, which I have done.

*it's been like this for about a year or so now

My excuse/internal reasoning for this set up is that it is no different to rocking up with a caravan and plugging an extension lead into that.

I think the only legitimate DIY option is solar panels, batteries and an inverter. I'd probably use an RCD protected extension and unplug when not in use.