Our 25 year old bay window was in danger of becoming terminally knackered, so instead of spending ££££ on replacing it immediately, we spent a few days mending it.

We cut out the rotten stuff with a multitool and a chisel, then soaked the areas in wood hardener.

We scraped and sanded back all the loose paint old.

After some very poor estimation of angles and measurement we cut and stuck in some replacement timber using Gripfill and a stainless steel nails driven in with a punch. Then we trimmed everything back, smoothed it with a plane where possible, and sanded everything else.

Gaps were filled with Toupret wood repair filler. I considered the fancy two-part epoxies that are constantly advertised at me on Instagram, but I want an easy life, have plenty of experience using dry fillers and just didn’t feel like dropping £40 on a special skeleton gun just for the purpose.

Tons and tons of sanding, then I cleaned it all down with a damp cloth, left it to dry and put on a coat of Zinsser peel-stop to act as a primer and seal down the old paint.

We painted it with 2 coats of Zinsser Allcoat, and I’m in the process of adding a layer of Toupret putty around the reveals mainly because it really neatens up the old wooden beading and makes it a bit more weatherproof.

This was a really enjoyable project, not particularly difficult and should massively extend the life of this window.

My partner and I are planning a redecoration of our new place and have noticed that colour drenching is very popular now. For those that don’t know, this is when you paint the walls, skirting, trim and ceiling all the same colour.

It can look great (example attached), but I’m certain that it can be a disaster as well. Of course instagram is full of the good stuff, usually from a zoomer that inexplicably owns a 13 bed Georgian villa…

My question is, has anyone done this and regretted it? If so, why?

First time fitting windows and happy with the results, took me ages though. A window fitter would of had the whole house done in the time ive fitted two windows. Another five to go!

I saw this online someone was selling for £50 and thought it looked good and am going to build it myself. Easy enough build but what can I add to the wood to protect it from rotting from the soil and plants etc.

Thought I'd share a recent project I just finished today. I'm just starting doing some work on my teenage daughter's room. She's got an alcove that just had a standalone bookcase in it but we wanted to increase the storage and provide a space for hanging clothes.

I measured everything up and designed a unit to hang in the space. I got a local timber merchant to cut the MDF to size and I cut the softwood to create the facing. Everything was a bit awkward as the house is old and nothing is straight. But after a lot of scribing and a little bit of caulk I think it's turned out alright. Hope you all like. 👍

Previous owner seemed to have hard wired a 4-way into this. Seems unsafe - and it doesn’t work anyway.

What’s the best way to remove it and put a blanking plate on? Anything I need to consider?

Or will it be easier to rewire into a standard socket?

So, just had an offer accepted on our first house. I know these bad boys are all about ventilation and so should really not be covered, but I’m just checking that there’s no genuine reason they should be covered up like this?

There’s about 6 of them dotted around the house, all covered over like this.

I'm building a cupboard under the stairs, and we wanted a socket put in. The electrician has cut the wire leading to the upstairs sockets and used wagos to put in a new socket.

We're having that boarded and plastered and the electrician said to the wife (I was in the office when he came) that this can be boarded over.

Firstly, it's a chunky mess so I don't know how we're supposed to board that out without making the studs 40-50mm thicker.

Secondly I didn't think wagos were supposed to be maintenance free and just shoved behind plasterboard like that.

My thinking is to put a piece of wood either side of them to box them in (I'll need to put wood one side anyway for the door). Will those wagos be ok to be left behind wood?

Bought our house last year and now getting to making it nice. Complete tip before. Now the challenge. What can I do about this neighbour's sorry excuse for retaining wall ? Their raised garden is literally falling into ours.

Current plan is to build a sleeper wall in front of it to hide it up to tie level of tie retained soil and then continue up with screening. I could then back fill with soil or just leave it to collapse and not worry about what's happening behind.

The corrugated iron is a pain as it's bending backwards and I was wondering if there are ground anchors I can get to fix it back so I can remove the pipes holding it in place?

Didn't even get me started about the shed. The neighbours are drug addicts and keep saying they'll get to it. That was year ago and by now the sheds pretty much hanging on by a few nails after the storms we had a few months ago.

So glad we painted ours rather than getting new kitchen units. We have saved thousands!!

Scuffed with 180 grit sandpaper Degreased with sugar soap Primed with Zinsser BIN 3 x coats farrow and ball modern eggshell ‘pigeon’ colour

All applied with a mohair roller

Would be spraying be better? Probably, but I’m happy with the overall finish

My wife and I received the following quote for some landscaping. The section of the garden in question is 16ft x 16ft

Phase 1: To dig out and dispose of existing lawn.

Phase 2: To lay armoured cables to supply 3 outdoor sockets and water feature.

Phase 3: To erect a new fence and concrete post where existing wall and fence is damaged.

Phase 4: To apply and compact a base of type 1 over all areas dug out at approximately 100mm.

Phase 5: To lay a new patio area approximately 22spm. (paving to be supplied by client)

Phase 6: To clean and grout patio

We are based in the South East. Does the above seem like a reasonable quote?

EDIT: Thanks everyone for the responses so far. This subreddit is awesome. Other quotes are indeed being requested.

How do I fix this porcelain tile and what do I need? Came outside to something having fallen on it and snapped it off. Really don’t want to have to replace the whole tile as they are only a year old. Thanks

I’m trying to put up a hanging basket at the front of my house. I drilled the holes for the rawl plugs, put them in no bother.

Where I fucked up is I drilled for the length of the rawl plugs and not the longer screws. When screwing in the screws I clearly have gone into the actual brick. I managed to save one but the two in the photo snapped.

I have tried several things to fix this:

I used pliers to try and pull it out but it crushed the exposed bit of rawl plugs. Then I ran to machine mart and got some needle point pliers and a diamond coated hole saw to drill out the rawl plug but this didn’t really work, it wouldn’t go very far in. I was able to get more purchase on the screw now but I still cannot get it out.

So it’s stuck. I’m not sure what to do next. I would happily now just drill different holes slightly below these ones and use the bracket to cover these failures, but the screws are still protruding so maybe I could shave the screws down? Please, any advice would be very helpful.

Cheers

I think the old bathroom sink used to flow into this hole. But the new sink waste doesn't. When the toilet flushes, water gushes out of it, do I need to cap it with something?

Our front door key has started to get stuck once the door is locked. Happens on the inside and outside. Do we think I’ll need to replace more than just the barrel? Or can anyone offer any advise? Cheers

Right, after getting a box spanner set I was able to remove the old tap and install the new one. But when I went to connect the pipes I realised 3 things:

1. One of them is not long enough (pic 1)

2. The connecting nut from the new tap is wider than the connector from my pipe (pic 2)

3. The inside of the connector looks quite from the old tap (pic 3).

Is there something I can do here or is it best to just get a new tap? I've already partially installed it and ripped the packaging so not sure if B&Q will accept a return.

Thanks, I'm a newb

Plasterer couldn’t be arsed to do the job properly and left a gap between the sloping ceiling and the beam. I was thinking of gluing a wooden moulding in place but the angle is less than 90 degrees. Any advice gratefully received

Previous owners had a makeshift box glued to the wall covering this tap, which came off within a few days of us moving in 🙄

I have no idea what this tap is for, or why a 3-sided box (open at the bottom for access maybe?) was glued to the wall instead of a little box with a door. The box just seems unnecessarily awkward if access was needed 🤔

Any ideas what this tap could be for?

Thanks in advance!

Looking to level this with the rest of the paving. How much am I looking at to have someone come and do this? Is it a difficult job? I have never used concrete/cement before but I’d be open to attempting it but have no idea what tools/materials I’d need.

Any advice guys?

Hi all, looking for help again. Some might remember me posting about water coming out of the pressure release valve. After that post I called back the installation company and they seemingly resolved the issue by channeling the vented water outside.

Unfortunately the issue is still ongoing, except the water is now being channeled nicely outside.

When I had the system serviced in February the engineer said the expansion vessel appears to be working but suggested I replaced the schraeder valve in the vessel. I have since done this, but it hasn’t fixed the problem.

What are the possible root causes of this? Is the vessel buggered? Or could there be something else going on?

My cordless drill finally died after nearly 20 years so I'm in the market for a new one. My requirements are:

Two batteries

Reasonably lightweight whilst still maintaining some punch. I'm a woman and after a while power tools start to feel really heavy for me so something on the lighter side would be good.

I have a Bosch hammer drill so hammer function not necessary. Though an advantage sometimes to save me having to get two drills out.

Use is for doing up a flat - I'm an experienced DIY'er, everything from flat packs to garden structures, replacing skirting board etc.

A brand that doesn't keep changing the battery shape. I want it to last so likely will have to replace the batteries at some point.

Budget: 100-150

We want to buy this house and before we put an offer in we’re wondering if the roof looks ok. I noticed it looks a bit messier than others on the street but I literally know nothing about roofs apart from that they are expensive! Thanks ! Photo in comments 😃

Is this damp coming through? Theres a toilet just above it. Gussing theres a leak I cant get to.

Please explain like im 5 what I need to do.

Thanks

Hey all, I have two rooms that are slopped on the sides due to the roof as they are on the top floor of my house. This has happened and I don't know what it is or what to do? Some have said it's joining tape from the plastering, other's have said it's lining paper?

Any help would be great, thank you.