Home DIY

FG tends to contract and expand at about the same rate as the glass itself (less chance of stress cracks), it's much more UV resistant than PVC, holds paint better and because it's stronger allows a lower profile frame letting more light in.
Possibly more eco friendly, but they're both kind of nasty.

It's a complex question when it comes to noise reduction as it depends quite heavily on the gauges of the glass used. You can look up typical figures online for comparison between double and triple, possibly for recording studio windows.

Any advice for where to buy a front door and is it really £700 just for the unpainted door (glazed)?

We're getting ours from Howdens. Depends what you want it made from, how you want it to look but yes they can be that much. We're, for want of a better word, cheap so are spending about 600 for supply/installation of a front inner door and a back door, both unpainted, one solid, one glazed. I've seen them for about 90 but, depending where you live, I'm not sure I'd trust something that would cave in if you leant against it.

Project shed is coming along nicely...

It took a big step forward this weekend when I installed the cabinets.

This is what it looked like originally:

This is now:

I've insulated and paneled the walls, laid foam floor tiles and fitted the cabinets.

To do:

insulate and panel the roof, fit another pane on each window & add another coat of paint on the walls.

Thanks to @moog for the use of his tracksaw for cutting the work surfaces.

That's an awful lot of investment for "private space". Can't you just wait till she nips out like everyone else?

(it looks great)

That curved stainless countertop must've cost a fortune.
echoes @Chalfie

https://youtu.be/kbPkcX3IhV0

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Anyone visited the DIY kitchens showroom in West Yorks?

So, about 4 weeks ago I stripped out my kitchen with the aim that the following week a contractor would bring a carpenter/sparks/plumber/tiler/plasterer etc around to spend 2 solid weeks doing the work.

Week one went along, not a lot of progress. Week 2 passed, even less progress. This is the end of week 3 and they're just starting the work top today. Still miles away from being ready. At least a week, probably two at the rate they're working. That'll be 6 odd weeks without a kitchen or drinking water which for a pregnant Mrs CYOA I'm obviously not happy with.

At this stage I could probably probably do the rest myself - plastering has (just about) been done. Units came assembled (they drilled the handles on and took a fucking day doing so). Appliances are integrated. Gas and electrics are largely done. Lights are in. Work top is now cut to size. They're also hanging 2 doors for me - a back exterior which is done and a front door leading onto a porch - they've taken the old door off but haven't replaced the new one so we've been without a proper front door for 6 days...

They're just fucking around doing an hour here an hour there followed by a 2 hour lunch break and chatting with the neighbours (or so I'm told by them - I'm not in during the days to oversee but get home and see the house in a state). They're also prioritising another job an hours drive away.

I've asked for straight answers about where things stand and had a good shout when I got a weak response. I've given them a grand up front of a total of 4 grand so 3 remaining. I haven't signed anything - they said there would be Ts & Cs to sign - I asked twice for them, they never sent.

Any reason why I shouldn't just tell them to fuck off, be grateful for the grand and finish the rest myself (ofc getting in a plumber for the gas - but I have a good one I can use).

IANAL etc.

Do they have keys? and do they leave tools at the property?

To be honest, I'd tell them to take a running jump but I'd probably get someone else in to finish it, as doing it yourself isn't going to speed up the process.

No keys. Yes tools.

Would get someone else to take over entirely but can't imagine anyone would be available faster than me. I can take the weekend and next week. It'll be done at the same rate they're doing it and I wouldn't be short 3 grand. As I said, all the bits I can't do are done (plastering/first fix plumb/gas/elec) and I have a friendly plumber 5 mins AWAY.

Main concerns are any legal issues with telling someone to fuck off after they've done 3 weeks of half finished work.

Give them a chance to sort it out first, final warning and that. The 1k you've paid so far, do you know what it was to cover exactly? Did it go on materials or did you pay for that separately? Try and work out how much would be a fair amount to pay for the work that's been done so far. I wouldn't be surprised if you chucked them off the job for them to ask for more money to cover work done, so be prepared, try and work out a price for what they have done beforehand.

Legal issues wise, they could theoretically sue for payment for work that's been completed, but likewise if you've paid them for work that hasn't been done then you could sue.

Does make me think it's worth starting a construction firm. I'd be far better at managing it than these chumps and there's a constant demand.

Legally speaking if there's no contract and you haven't signed anything then neither of you has a leg to stand on. Yes verbal contracts are a thing, but it would be their word against yours.

However, it is fair to pay them a fair amount for what they've done, so if you do want them out (and speed, or lack of, is a sound reason) then I'd agree with @Sumo that it's a good idea to work out what is fair and have that figure in mind before you have the discussion.

I would try and keep it amicable if at all possible, better all round.

I had to call our polished concrete contractor this morning - we've not had a great experience with them at all, issues with the floor inside and they recommended a different product to the one we originally selected because we had exterior areas too. Half way through doing the outside bits they then decided they don't do external concrete, it's too hard (?!).

After much discussion with the architect we decided we'd mutually agree to give up on the exterior bits if it wasn't going to work, as long as we didn't have to pay. Got told they'd be back Monday to finally finish off the interior part (which we've been waiting months for).

So, called them this morning. Architect had told them how unhappy we were and had a strop, told them we weren't going to pay any of the balance. Unsurprisingly they'd thought fuck that and had no intention of turning up. I had to make it clear that (if they actually finish it) we have every intention of paying for the inside, but would definitely not be paying them for the outside part, seeing as they'd cocked it up. Which seemed to be good news for them.

tl:dr - even when the shit hits the fan keep it fair and amicable if you want the best outcome.

tl:dr - even when the shit hits the fan keep it fair and amicable if you want the best outcome.

Plus they know where @CYOA lives and he doesn't have a front door...

Ta. Amicable is fair enough.

There's a fairly lengthy and detailed chain of emails from them saying what work will be done on what days, then when I question why that work wasn't completed they give a new set of dates/work with no reasonable explanation as to what caused the delay. So I think 'my word against theirs' would probably favour me. A couple of the guys who have come in have to do the work have been OK - friendly and civil, just too slow but I'm happy to pay, within reason, for their time. One or two of the trades have been shit - tiler turned up, saw the floor and left saying he'd be back tomorrow (last Tuesday) and to get next day delivery on extra tiles after the quoted measurement from the PM was deemed not enough - even though I had oversupplied by a 15%). I paid 90 quid to courier the extra tiles down so they'd be ready first thing Tuesday. The PM tells me he's coming next Wednesday (August 3rd) instead. No explanation why. The guy doing the project management has been utterly farcical.

:)

Pay them on a credit card and then recall the payment in 18 months time

Haha!

Stripping paint off a skirting board with a heat gun. Any way to protect the paint on the walls? Heat proof tape or something?

Hold a cookie sheet between gun and the wall you want to save while you're working? Or do you have to scrape while it's still hot?

I thought about a metal tray but the metal would heat up a lot and potentially damage the paint. Plumbers mat might do the trick, maybe I could combine it with a bit of metal for stiffness. Cheers for the suggestions.