How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

I found Instagram the best but sharability is a total pita

We did cupboard doors to house all of the electric gubbins. We could've gone all nice and custom built etc but in the end used standard ikea internals.

not sure a bit metal shutter is gonna pass the kitchen vibe check :(

Years ago when I was procrastinating / looking into this, wooden ones didn't look that complicated (they are generally sold as kits). So my thinking was you have slim depth standard cabinets.

Irrc the hardest thing was thinking how to make the lip bit integrate neatly.

We had an extension completed with rewiring, new boiler etc. What certificates should I be expecting from our builder?

I know there's a completion cert from building control and warranty for the boiler. What else will I need in the future?

Electrical certification.
Whatever the current window installation scam is called.
Gas certification
Insulation?

You’ll need receipts for, and detailed installation photos of, all insulation, in order for it to count towards your new EPC.

Have any of us here had to replicate a plaster skirting board with one of them old timer profiles.

The skirting boards in this room are made from plaster so I can’t take a bit off to make a mould.

I only need a foot or so to fit around a fire place.

Think I can find someone to 3d print a bit of it for me and I can make a mould with many sections etc? Some of you lot of geniuses here.

Thank you please.

A cornice specialist should be able to help. They often take moulds of cornicing to replicate with seamless results, so should be able to help with the above.

Our bathroom wall tiles arrived yesterday and the builder pulled a few out and saw scratches. He left the first 7 out for us to look at, and I found scratches on 5 out of 7. I emailed the tile company and they said "check them all". Do I really need to inspect hundreds of tiles, after cleaning off the waxy stuff that keeps them separated which hides scratches? It'll take me a day! Is that normal?

What was the tile company? I once had a whole pallet of tiles show up cracked. 'Please send us a photo'. Fine. Photo of the pallet, obviously visible damage. 'No we need a photo of every tile'. Cue me doing the world's worst jigsaw puzzle across my entire living room floor. They did replace them all no qualms at least...

Oof. Blimey. I get why they'd ask, but it's a big old job. Particularly when most of my house has been dismantled and I'm basically camping in my living room.

You could try buying a cheap contour gauge to allow you to draw the profile/size and then contact a plaster specialist like these guys? - https://www.fineartplasterwork.com/

Thanks. Maybe I can just trim a cornice into a flat bit.

Gauge on the way - thanks for this. Also that website - you know when their first photo is of a royal palace they might be out of my price range.

Yeah, but they are based in Norbury, next to a used car place and opposite a Lidl...

I haven't, but BITD my folks made moulds for their damaged cornicing from the existing cornicing, then fitted it.

You just need to be able to hold the mould against the existing shape.

I think they just did it by standing on a ladder until their arms ached. They're handy and did lots of work on their place, but they're not trades or skilled craftsmen or anything. I think you'll be fine to do it without getting as complicated as 3d printing etc.

Have a look on YouTube.

Given the short run I’d be tempted to DIY this. Use a multi tool to cut a thin slot in the existing skirting. Slide a piece of card into the slot and trace the profile with a pencil. Use this to create a profiled trowel to shape the new plaster.

There are load of videos on YouTube for this. Complicated cornice is generally a silicone mould from the existing.

Skirting would just be a profiled trowel as above

Anyone put a wet room in recently and got any tips they wish they'd thought of?

I'm working off about 2m radius for splash from a rain shower head.

If you have a room directly underneath it can be loud if sound travels around the house.

If there is a way to deaden the noise then go for it .

Make sure the room is well ventilated. Make sure extractor fan is quiet

Make sure extractor fan is quiet

Depending the layout this can be done by ducting and putting the extractor somewhere else.

Yes an extractor is my current conundrum as I'd need open a hole for one in 80cm thick walls. Humidity isn't really an issue here however, and we don't have an extractor in current bathroom and have no issue...

I'll raise floor so sound insulation isn't an issue. Thanks for tip.

Grout is also annoying to keep looking good in a wet room , especially if you're in a hard water area. The less of it the better maintenance wise

I did this in a wall about as thick (poss more, I couldn’t reach my arm through) at my brother’s. I started with a hole saw: failure. I ended with multiple SDS holes and then using the SDS with a big chisel head as a breaker, then back to the super long drill bit. It was hard work but eventually I could fit a 125mm pipe through it and the extractor fan transformed the bathroom. Which has a no window and did have a damp problem.

I also investigated extractor fans a lot for my last house. UK though. I decided inline fans in the loft were the way to go. Bigger capacity, quieter from the room, can be sound insulated, and can expel in the most convenient direction. if I remember correctly hard (not concertina flex) round (not square) pipes restrict the airflow the least.

Eg

But they come in various diameters, abilities to shift air and noise levels. I can’t remember which one I found was best!