MrSniff

We've had a white (with light speckle) Dekton worktop and splash back for two years. Allowed us to have a relatively thin worktop, and doesn't seem to stain despite my "enthusiastic" cooking: a wipe down and polish with a fine e-cloth keep it looking good.

Ours hasn't budged in 15 years (very fussy contractor who did drives and patios and that's it). I use one of these to get rid of weeds and moss between the blocks: And a light jet wash to clean the surface.

The Eufy doorbell we have needs the base unit which contains the storage and links to the doorbell (and any other cameras) by its own wifi link. If anyone breaks in and finds and nicks the base unit, then that's the reason for having the camera gone as well - no such risk with cloud storage like Ring. The lack of cloud storage doesn't stop you being able to access the stored video from anywhere using the app - not sure about http. Apparently you can download the video clips, but not tried this yet. As an aside, I also had until recently a unifi camera, but the end of lifed the NVR software I was running on a Linux computer. Instead they are now only selling the software with their own recorder hardware.

We have a Ring doorbell (original version, on subscription) and a Eufy doorbell (no subscription, local storage). Both can be accessed from anywhere via an app. Both are a bit laggy (the Ring varies a fair amount, the Eufy slightly less so). Both are battery powered, but can be wired to a doorbell transformer. Downside of the Eufy is the risk attached to having only local storage which needs to be within radio distance of the outdoor unit. On balance I personally prefer the Eufy for less lag and no monthly fees.

Freesat works nicely here in Luxembourg, albeit slightly larger dish needed... Shotgun cable from a twin LNB to the receiver keeps wiring tidy.

Yep, in some ways it's a more sensible approach. We're not actually in Germany (although I can see it from here) - we're in Luxembourg, right by the Mosel river which forms the border between the two.

We have similar here - both an outbuilding and external sockets are on the normal radial circuits. As is a socket next to the wash basin... As I don't read German well enough to understand the regs in force here I don't know if it's right, but that's how it is. Yes, certainly in our UK house the lighting circuits are radial protected by 6A split by floor, and power (sockets) are wired as ring final circuits (ring main) protected by 32A also split by floor and kitchen - radials only used for high power items like shower and cooker. All I think typical, although I think radial circuits for power (sockets) are being used more often now.

Most European wiring (at least here and in Germany) is run radially with mixed power and lighting off 16A RCBOs - possibly the same in The Netherlands?

I drew up our initial thoughts using the planning tool on nobilia.de before going through it with the kitchen company we ended up using. The planning tool is good, but although the website has an English option, this doesn’t extend to the planner (Google Translate is a friend!)

Sometimes the foam can seal ain’t great either... almost new can, fortunately a bag at hand to keep it for later.

Thanks ProDave. The actuators themselves are fine, it is the valves that are the problem: some of them can’t be manually closed (and in one case is weeping despite being screwed in properly). I haven’t found exact replacements online or at the local plumbers shops.

The UHF manifolds in our house are now about 12 years old, and I am finding a number of problems with the valves (stuck or the “valve cartridge” leaking). Sourcing like for like valves seems to be impossible due to the age, but do the valves need to be exactly like of like, or whether as long as they fit it would be fine? I was also wondering whether to just replace one of the manifolds and keep the good valves for spare: however the system installed has the actuators on the flow side and the flow regulators on the return side (the regulators do seems to be designed to be on this side since they read correctly). Is there any downside in ordering and fitting a new 5 way manifold with actuators and flow regulators on the conventional side? And, possibly stupid question, does the mounting distance between rails tend to be the same, so “plug and play” for a new manifold? Thanks. Ian

Our AEG dishwasher has a lower rack which lifts to just less that hip height when pulled out. The cynic in me thought just one more thing to break, but we're now happy we got it. Some of the German kitchen manufacturers do semi-high cabinets for appliances including dishwashers...

We ideally wanted a WBS, but had no flue and were concerned that the apartment block behind us would cop a lot of the smoke, so in the end went bio fuel. Most looked a little plasticky, but we found one that looked ok. It's not the same as a real WBS, but it does the job for ambience and a top up of heat...

We have the Novy 7520 recirculating - it has dealt well with everything we’ve thrown at it cooking-wise. Stainless steel grease filters go in the dishwasher and foam recirculating filter can be regenerated several times before replacing.

Fence paint needs to penetrate the wood, in my experience it works best on rough sawn timber and less well on planed timber. As bassanclan said, if the timber has been covered with either a water-proof treatment or a primer the fence paint can’t penetrate and won’t dry. I suspect the guidance on use of a primer relates to normal paint finishes rather than fence paint.

The Unifi app (iOS in my case) was fine for managing 3 APs without a key, which we did for a year or so. A key does make management easier and enables some additional functionality like guest access, so we do have one hooked up now.

We have a Unifi POE access point on each floor of the house with Cat6 back to a Netgear POE switch. It hasn’t yet caused any problems...

Osmo also do a non-slip colourless oil for decking which although quite pricy is very good.

Thanks all for the responses, and suggestions. I will continue my research along those lines.

I'm considering retrofitting a decentralised MVHR system to a three-floor concrete built house with no loft (nowhere obvious to put a central unit, and I can't think how to run the ducting except on wall surfaces...) A search of the forum brings up Blauberg, which is the system I've been looking at with a WiFi connection between units, but nothing definitive. Has anyone used them or have any views on the technology generally? I can't imagine they're as effective / efficient as a centralised unit . The house seems pretty airtight with no trickle vents on any of the windows so I'd like to get some proper ventilation going, although mould has so far appeared only in one stairwell to the roof. Thanks!

Gutting and refitting our main bathroom was the first major project I undertook some 15 years ago. It took an age, but plumbing makes me nervous and I was dry fitting everything (several times) and redoing (several times) until my paranoia was reduced. The only problems were a silicon shower seal which failed, and looks to be going again (so will be redone as Nick says above - thanks) and finding out that JG plastic pipe and inserts and shallow compression fittings don't make such good bedfellows - apparently light and water was not the multifunction my wife was hoping for in the kitchen... With those lessons learned, and other great stuff gleaned from this forum, I would have no hesitation in doing it again when necessary.

Both places we've lived in Luxembourg have an awning - very good for controlling solar gain (and of course for sitting under when the midday sun is too hot). Both were electrically controlled from a straightforward wired indoor switch. I haven't yet found a smart switch for controlling these or the external blinds we also have - not at my price point anyway! My only slight concern is the loading on the mounting bolts with ever a fairly light breeze: not that I have had a problem so far, but I can imagine repeated small movements over time from that, and even opening and closing, could weaken the mounting so I guess needs to be checked every so often. Nonetheless I would happily install them where I wanted them.

If using the UFH thermostat to call for heat can the buffer be plumbed in to the return so that the UFH loops get to temperature before the buffer starts heating? I am assuming (maybe wrongly, so happy to be corrected) that the buffer is really only adding water volume to the circuit.

+1 on the Sandtoft 20/20. Not handmade, but we used them on a rear extension with a shallow pitch some 10 years ago (instead of interlocking concrete which as far as I could tell was the only other option). Not a great pic, but the only one I have to hand (lower roof line).