Any question answered...

Some shops stock them, including several mail order ones - definitely SJSC

Wheels Manufacturing and Problem Solvers brands are also available, plus some bling Ti versions in lengths up to 35mm

Changing a few taps you can easily do yourself! Even if you dont know how to do it, the money you're saving is definitely worth doing some research into it..

Cheers, I'll just order what I need from SJSC in that case. Sorted.

Changing a few taps you can easily do yourself! Even if you dont know how to do it, the money you're saving is definitely worth doing some research into it..

This, I changed a couple of taps. Even if you buy a whole new wrench set, the best plumbers tape and some really nice taps, you'll be up about £200.

I wonder if he's charging you so much because it's not worth coming to your house for such a small job.

He is also doing a gas safety check, which will be about £70 and we also want a quote for a new boiler to be put in and that would give him at least a couple of grands. I don't think it's a visit not worth doing. Besides, he lives in Croydon not bleeding planet Mars. I have an electrician who is coming in from Kent and he doesn't charge anymore than he does to anyone else. Funny how he charged less than £100 a couple of years ago with fixing an unknown leak from the heating system that took him half a day... I think he is just getting too comfortable... anyway, I have shot a PM to a plumber here on the forum, see what he says.

I should say I am not paying for it, it's my landlady, but we have a deal that I sort things out for her and she pays me back, hence I would rather not doing the DIY thing. Sending emails and making phone calls, I don't mind. I pay about 20-25% less rent than people in my area, hence the admin work for her...

I have a three-seat sofa at my sister's in Leeds. I want it moving to London.

Was originally thinking train up Friday evening and one-way van hire back down on the Monday but finding an obliging rental company is hard work. The alternative weekend hire from London plus fuel is gonna be £££s, and to be honest if I'm heading up there I'd rather stick around for the weekend rather than do there and back on consecutive days.

Having then discovered websites like uShip or Delivery Quote Compare, was wondering if anyone had used them for this sort of stuff? Any other suggestions?

Have used shiply before for things like this - big table, car wheels etc.

Very good service in my experience

I tried to use Shiply and ended up driving to get the sofa myself- apparently the people bidding for the work would win, then turn up to the storage unit with a car, at which point they would realise that it wouldn't fit, despite me having given them the dimensions. It was frustrating.

uShip also appears to automatically award the job to the first people who accept it. Think I'd prefer a little more say in it.

Will check out Shiply, thanks.

Zipvan would cost about 100 quid or less

Plus you then have a years membership.

I have Zipcar membership, but the vans are £95 per day on a weekend. Plus charges over 40 miles.

Had a quote from here, which seems reasonable at £78 and their feedback is looks very positive.

Enterprise do one way hire and give our firm very competive rates might be worth a call.

This, I changed a couple of taps. Even if you buy a whole new wrench set, the best plumbers tape and some really nice taps, you'll be up about £200.

I wonder if he's charging you so much because it's not worth coming to your house for such a small job.

Yeh but they still dont work or leak !

I used http://www.icanhire.com/ last year and although the van was a bit beat up; it was very cheap for the day... about £45.

If you are getting a van out, I have always used A1 by Upper Holloway Station. About £100 for Sat + Sun plus fuel so would be cheaper than streetvan and you get to overnight oop norf.

...and to be honest if I'm heading up there I'd rather stick around for the weekend rather than do there and back on consecutive days.
What would you get up to? Could you make a little riding trip of it, invite some friends to spread the cost a bit?

Yeh but they still dont work or leak !

The taps in the kitchen are the ones I've changed and they work fine and don't leak.

The one's in the bathroom are the ones that don't work, but I've not touched them yet. The leak is the sink itself, which is again not something I've done any work on... Yet.

If you are getting a van out, I have always used A1 by Upper Holloway Station. About £100 for Sat + Sun plus fuel so would be cheaper than streetvan and you get to overnight oop norf.

I've used them quite a bit. worth it, other than the fact the guy tells the same story about Boris Johnson and his Christmas tree every time I've been.

Whats the story?

Just called round a couple of plumber, it looks like they are around 80-100 per hour plus parts... Seriously??

Just called round a couple of plumber, it looks like they are around 80-100 per hour plus parts... Seriously??

Try heating engineers! Just got quoted £140/hr + parts.

Think I might take up a plumbing course and have a change of profession. Electricians now seem very cheap, in comparison...

i'm looking to update my bridgestone track frame into something i can use for much longer distances by changing the fork to a threadless carbon fork and fitting a threadless one inch headset. should i:
a) buy some woundups with a rake that will suit the geometry of the frame (35mm)
b) take advantage of thecranes ridiculously cheap price on some 1inch ec90s and chris king headset? i'm sure the rake will be 40 or 45mm.

My bike has a dumb seatpost size (24mm). I finally found a more regular seatpost that was at least better than the "candle" style one that it had when I got it. It was cheap (and also inexpensive) though.

Fast forward to the other day and the alu bolt securing my seat sheared while I was riding pretty regular (no unexpected reaming, just some adrenaline).

My questions: is there a better material than alu I should be looking to support me and my fatness for the replacement bolt? Do you think it was just a shitty alu that was used?

Stainless steel all the way for bolts. Titanium if you like, but watch the torque. Alu is too soft for stuff like that.