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I've bought a few used tools off eBay, from trusted sellers, and my "previously loved" 18v Makita recip saw has been in my possession for north of 6 years, and, as of yesterday, is still kicking like a mule. Message the seller, stating that you want the honest and complete appraisal of the item for sale. If they reply and say it's kosher, then proceed; then you have written evidence for recourse.

He would have been reversing his wanker-mobile out of the driveway at max power if he said this to me. What a dickhead!!!!!!!!! I think you are saying you fear the repercussions....? I once pulled one private BCO aside at a job on a sizeable and TV-famous site in Oxford, and told him directly that I would recommend the clients sue him for the expense of his unwarranted and bullshit 'frivolities'......... He left, and was immediately replaced with a higher 'partner'. He subsequently got the same "feck you" as his protégé. The clients were terrified they would then get 'repercussions', and I said it would be fine. It was fine.

If I couldn't give good advice, I would give you zero advice. I am on a 3 weekly rota for removing 8" long horse tails from my bath (shower over) plughole; 2 teenage girls with hair down their backs, and my plugholes...... Plumb as above, less any "access", and if that pipe blocks I will come there personally, FOC, and sort it. Don't get lost in this; try this bit of advice instead: Tell your better half to chuck some glad-rags on, and just head out to the local for some wine & dine. You'll thank me afterwards. 🙂. Life is too short, let the errant turds fight amongst themselves!

Zero. At least nothing but a hair-burg I could get from the bath plug. So you're saying don't bother with any rodding points or access ? I mean could keep one on the middle WC branch but then just box it all in, could always cut out the boxing if I need to. Id always follow your good advice chief.

Make sure you understand the rules. Labor should be zero rated to you not charged and reclaimed. Supply and fit should also all be zero rated to you (both labor and materials). Only the VAT on materials you purchase can be reclaimed. If you get quotes (for example for plastering) that includes VAT its best to ask them to revise the quote before you accept it. Any problems refer to the VAT notice.

YouTube Channel now up and running with a few instruction videos already published with more to come: https://www.youtube.com/@OpenHeatLoss

If it’s all boxed in, what is the (real life) point in bothering? I’ve a much more convoluted arrangement that I buried into the floor(s) of my bathroom. 9 years of 2 adults, 4 kids, and everything you could ‘throw at it’, never a moments trouble. How many toilet blockages have you had in the last 20+ years? And not the U bend of the WC pan, I mean in the pipework from the pan to the sewers…?

it shows there is plenty of wind or they would not have sited it there

Hi, Another hollow tiles decoupling help please. We have had 96m2 of 60x90cm porcelain tiles laid in a 2/3 pattern. There is wet UFH, covered with screed, then primed, then decoupling applied, then the tiles were placed. I was there for the start of the works and they were back buttering and laying with notched trowel. It was all perfectly level and beautiful, however after 3 months started to notice the grout lines showing signs of movement, and now at least 4 tiles have play in the corners. After reading about the issue, tapping every tile, it seems all around the edges of almost all the tiles are hollow. I drilled 3mm holes depth of 2cm in the corner joints and 20cm distances along the grout lines. Got some fix-a-floor to fix the ones that are moving, and also to put around any tiles showing signs of movement but can't feel the movement. I am fairly disheartened as today one side of a tile gullupped up x2 of the tubes and Im not even sure if it is all filled. Each tube is £13. I just can't afford that rate of fix a floor per tile (As I was planning on doing the lot) My question is, can I get an alternative to get down through 3-4mm holes to preemptively fill all gaps to try and save a full lift up (which would involve moving out the house and family has already had enough of the renovations over running). Can self levelling compound or othe adhesives be mixed thin and put down there? Any ideas welcome... Thanks

I think you’re right, my problem is that I do this and then don’t want to let go. You know, maybe, maybe I’ll need it again… you know. Fortunately the seller immediately accepted the return when I offered to get a second opinion from Hilti. Can’t for the life of me figure what would have prompted that. Might give it one more try and if not, I’ll have to bite the bullet and empty my wallet with Hilti. They do have mighty fine tools!

My wife say’s, therefore right,- ours are spoilt by the grout which is a light colour , not dark as the gaps between floor boards would be. They were also laid at a standard tile spacing , which again is wider than floor board spacing would be, no idea if they can be laid with a narrower spacing. The tiles do look very realistic but the grouting does detract from that. If I was doing more I would have a look at some laid ones in showrooms.

Your better option is maybe to buy new then sell. If you can stand the outlay you will get good money back on little used tools. I bought a post hole auger the other week. 2nd hand ones in my area seem to be around 80-100 with some dreamers wanting more. I managed to buy a brand new one online for 120, delivered to my door. 20 quid of that was VAT. I've done the fence I bought it for now at our new plot. I am seriously considering selling it as have had bad experience with little used petrol tools clogging up. Maybe it doesn't happen with 2 stroke but my whacker plate needs a new carb due to sitting with this new rubbish petrol we have (another win for the eco loons). Anyway I could sell mine for a 20-40 quid loss when a hire firm wanted 60 quid for a day or weekend. I got to use mine at my leisure, no rush. Bit of admin selling it on but no charge on marketplace.

Plans have changed slightly. I misread the original approved floorplan, the previous depth was 9m overall not 8m. I have stretched the depth on my design not quite the full metre. Works much better for the extra depth. I am now considering binning off the gf ensuite. I end up with a much bigger front room/play room. My thinking is I could always run a drain into that corner of the bedroom and cap it off. Would be simple to retro fit a low level shower then if ever it was needed. TBF a stairlift would probably be the better option at that point! My main concern with the preferred GF layout without ensuite is the utility/ plant room is 3m long with 1 wall to place everything I need. MVHR, Cylinder, hot & cold manifold. I do also have the contingency of the airing cupboard on first floor for possible MVHR or cylinder location. Saying that these MVHR tend to get a bit noisy after a few years when the bearings wear. Is there any noticeable noise from a cylinder if on an ASHP / immersion set up?

I'd love to see the finished article when you're done as it's exactly the kind of staircase I want, down to sapele handrail too. Where are you getting it from? Nobody dowels their spindles into a base rail. However if you want the clean, no baserail look on the landing you could just have a nosing to finish off the edge of the floor boards, painted or stained and your spindles doweled into that. It wouldn't be hard to do for any decent chippy just a case of setting it out and drilling some holes.

SWMBO had a hip replacement today so she’s stuck at home with me for 8 weeks . I had to promise her I would not talk about local llm . That’s hard I.e impossible…. Thank goodness for ChatGPT 😊

Yes. family members did it diy. All the tiles have a camber so it is essential to straighten that, using the plastic wedge method. It has been in place 2 years now and not a problem. One of those things where diy gave more certainty as well as the cost issue. I have a thing about wood-effect... you will never see the same pattern on 2 planks so I don't wat to se it on tiles. the ones we used had about 20 patterns and then could be reversed. I've tried to see the repeats of course, and managed, but they are very convincing. You may have seen the recent discussion about decoupling mats. I can't remember if the steading had one so will ask. Anyway, I wouldn't be using one. Notch? I suspect that with having the camber to resolve, you'd want more rather than less adhesive.

We're aiming to lay wood plank effect porcelain tiles 1200x200mm over approx 100sqm ground floor. Any tips, tricks or things to avoid? @saveasteading I think you had some photos of similar a while ago (can't find in the forum search). Did get some quotes from professionals but with one guy asking £80/sqm I think we'll be taking it on ourselves. Key questions is trowel notch. The guys we've had quote have differing ideas with a range from 6-12mm notch (resulting in 3-6mm adhesive) which obviously affects final floor level. For Ditra mat, what notch? Any suggesions for a diy roller for the mat?

That's a commercial application not a self-build issue. does show that wind is better than oil though.

Bought loads of second hand tools from eBay, FB, Gumtree. Only one bad experience. Bought a 36V Einhell brush cutter from eBay on the premise it was working...it wasn't.

can,t see that being a starter

at that price iwill be dead before its paid itself off going by what they say is the annual production looking at wind chart for my location it looks like a mean 6.5 mpersec over the year but some months are 8mpersec I know there are lots of days when you would not even attempt to open the bifold doors If you look at my blog you will see it is very exposed and lots of space to put it away and above the house the big 125kw turbine at the farm cost 640K 13 years ago but is returning him 125-150k a year so it paid for itself pretty quick

Have tried it not ice cold - yucky

Made me laugh. What if it is low alcohol Peroni or vegan?

Continuing this drift from the original question. We have had a difference of opinion with the BCO. Any advice will help, either technical or to my behaviour. I am personally infilling between timber studs at an isolated area where the architecture requires that we add some insulation. 50mm of rockwool would meet the numbers required. Because we have some 150mm eps and pir left from the floor works, I am using that. Obv this far exceeds the requirement. I wasn't there during the routine inspection, maybe as well. BCO isn't happy to see different materials being used. There is PIR and EPS, and even that looks like different products because batches have different amounts of the black specks from graphite additives. He also doesn't like where I have used 2 or more pieces butted within a section of wall. It is all sealed at edges and any joints with aluminium tape. Why have I used more than one piece? Economy and avoidance of waste. Sometimes because there is a nail sticking out so I've cut it for ease of adjustment, or there is a pipe behind and I have used 2 pieces, cut for exactness. And some are where eps has snapped, as mentioned above.... I have used it but taped the junction. In family discussion I suggested we tell him where to go / ask him on what grounds there is any suggestion of a problem / submit proof that this exceeds regs / sign it that I have a degree in Building Science. Pragmatically we are avoiding a row as it isn't worth it. So I've gone back to address the worst and there actually isn't anything that bothers me. I saw one panel where I'd used 3 bits so decided to pull that out and redo. Then I saw why I had done it. The sparky had inserted a noggin so I had pushed what I could down the back of that, in 2 bits to get a good fit. Then I had done the front, with a gap at the noggin but used eps and pir. The boards are so well fitted that one won't come out So I decided to reduce the quality to please the man. I've cut 30mm off one of the blocks, but 30mm off it and joints and placed 25mm board over for better aesthetic effect. Lowering standards to get approval... Grrrrrr. I'm thinking of peeling the aluminium face off PIR and gluing it over any panels with joints. But no, I will not lower myself to that. Thanks I feel a bit better now. we have had a difference of opinion with the

You say diy project does that mean you are laying the screed, what sort of area do you have.