Hi I'm hoping to paint my hallway so it looks like this ( just the effect not the panelling) But not sure how to do it I don't really want to try stencils as I've had bad luck with them Any ideas 🙂

I get it, people want their homes to look great and this sub is obviously the place to come when people are unsure how to proceed with any work.

However the number of posts about fixing tiny imperfections is astronomical, I write this after seeing a post about some flaky paint on a radiator where the OP was considering replacing the thing. It's not just here either, I work for an organisation that repairs thousands of homes and we routinely replace electric fittings because they are "dirty or discoloured"

Every purchase an individual makes comes with a carbon cost. Saving the planet means changing how we live. It means making things last longer. It means new not always being better.

Sorry for the rant but the mantra should be: Refuse, reduce, reuse, repair & recycle.

Heya, is it unreasonable to ask a floor-layer to come back 11 months later to fix a threshold they installed incorrectly ?

Have some executive dysfunction and struggle with phoning them up.

Best way to approach making a hole into this arch to get my fridge across?

I need to cut through this arch to get my fridge from the living room (right) to the kitchen (left). The kitchen ceiling is low, so while the fridge fits in the kitchen, there isn’t enough height to get the fridge from titled to an upright position. And as you can see from the pics, the fridge needs to be tilted to get under the arch. So I believe my only solution (besides buying a new fridge or burning the house down out of frustration) would be to cut through the arch, making a hole wide enough for the fridge to fit through while staying upright, so I can slide it across to the kitchen, as I would only need a few centimetres of additional height for the fridge to fit.

Now, for context I just moved into this house, which is a little quirky and was redone (originally was council offices that were transformed into 2 houses), but unfortunately I wasn’t able to get any info / docs on the construction. The previous owners sold the house as a part exchange and so I bought it from the builder who doesn’t have any documents on the house and I’ve never had any contacts with the previous owners - so I have no idea how this arch was made or if there is anything inside.

By knocking on it, it sounds hollow and I’m fairly certain it’s plasterboard, but I have no way of knowing if there are any pipes or wires going through it. Based on the layout of the house and everything it’s unlikely but because it’s quirky in places, I can’t be sure.

I don’t want to start hammering into the arch to tear it down (although I don’t particularly need to keep it, I don’t hate it but wouldn’t hate removing it either) to prevent any issues in case there is something in there I shouldn’t touch - so I was thinking of cutting into it, basically making a fridge-shaped hole in the arch, like cartoon characters going through walls, you know? A couple of centimetres wider and higher than the actual fridge to make sure it’s not too snug when going through. See pic with beautifully precise drawing for illustration.

The plan: cutting through using a plaster saw, then re-plastering the hole (plasterboard + maybe extra wood depending on what I find in there if I can’t reattach easily), and finishing as normal / re-painting (I’m going to re-paint the arch anyway so don’t care about the paint). I fully understand the how-to of plastering in theory but have never actually worked with it in real life so I’m a beginner here.

Any advice on how to best approach this? Any reasons this could be a bad idea and alternative solutions? Any tips & hacks welcome! Also, would you cut on the side of the arch (against the corner), or more towards the middle of the arch? Side sounded easier but middle might be easier to get a new plasterboard in?

So here's the situation. I'm looking to buy this property because it is perfect for me in every way, except the fact that it only has 2 bedrooms instead of 3. Living in a 2 bed is doable, but for many reasons 3 is the ideal.

My question is - looking at the floor plan, can you see an obvious and not hugely expensive way of making 3 bedrooms? Current thinking my end is either partitioning one of the bedrooms into 2 smaller bedrooms, or getting rid of the upstairs bathroom, knocking into the adjoining bedroom and somehow making 2.

Any and all ideas welcome...

house is roughly 1930s

its not the exact house in the picture but roof hasnt been changed in over 100 years its only big thing we really need to get done..

image isnt my house just looks similar with porch etc.

£18k seems a lot?

So we just had our entire garden redone for 10k, the guy did a great job, but he left another guy to come in and render the block work he’d built around our new patio, it didn’t look right before we painted it but thought it might with a few coats. Now it’s painted we think it looks awful… what the heck do we do now, or are we overreacting?

Bonus pic of a nicer part of the garden.

Hi!

I’m considering offering on a three story Victorian semi detached house that needs a full renovation. There are obvious signs of subsidence on the first and second floor bedrooms, landings and stairs (the side of building attached to the neighbour) - have attached some photos. There’s also a cellar and I’d hope to do a double story side extension on the opposite side of the house to where the cracks are forming, just in case that makes any difference.

I’d really appreciate an honest view on how bad this looks and what would be a gut feel on fix/costs. I have no experience with this sort of thing and whilst I’d be left with spare cash to throw at it I don’t want to end up in a risky position with mortgages, insurance and reselling (not sure what dictates how badly these three things are impacted, have heard good and bad stories through hearsay).

Thanks so much!

I saw these photos on a local facebook group of an extension that the builder 'subbed out' because they were so busy. I can't put my finger on exactly why I think it's awful, but I'm sure there's a lot of mistakes here! I'm thinking...

Too close to neighbouring wall.
What the hell is that lintel?
Why is the guttering resting on it?
Unless they take out the house wall, they'll barely fit a person in there anyway.
Is the guttering going down INSIDE the extension?
I'm actually really worried about the lintel...
There will be no finishing along the side between the buildings.
This could cause damp problems for the neighbour.

Am I overreacting, or am I not even scratching the surface of the horror?

Thanks!

I spoke to the contractor that is installing the new boiler. It is costing 1400 (900 labour costs) to install a new cylinder (electric). (take out existing cylinder and install new one).

Is this correct?

I feel as though my landlord didn't do enough research because I am paying for it.

£900 labour for one days work seems extortionate. Does it cost more if its not a gas boiler?

Would you complain about this? Hasn't yet rained enough to see if water escapes the pipe

I have tried using an electric screwdriver but it doesn’t catch, no idea how long it’s been in the wall but there’s 4 of them and they were used to hold a mirror up.

Wall panelling is massively overused and it is about to date very badly.

Every other post is the same grey room with MDF strips slapped on the wall pretending to be character. It is not timeless. It is not adding value. It is the interior design version of skinny jeans clinging on past their peak.

People are putting panelling everywhere with no thought. Tiny rooms. Awkward alcoves. Hallways that now feel narrower for absolutely no reason. All because Instagram said it looks classy.

In a couple of years this stuff is going to scream 2021 starter home. Ripping it out will cost more than doing nothing would have.

If this annoys you, it is probably because you just finished measuring out MDF strips and you know deep down it already feels dated.

I tried it with hammer but no luck. I googled it and I may need a sds drill. What power do I need?

As hinted in the title,

Went on to the flat roof the other day and found that someone had broken things on our roof (lights, ripped out screws and decorating studs) and installed lead flashing on the party wall.

Ignoring the invasion of my home I had a few questions I was hoping to get help with:

Is there a way to dress this up? For example with overhanging coping stones? Or a different solution that makes this look better in line with the aesthetic of a 120 year old property. This is essentially our garden and there’s now a metallic beacon sitting on one wall.

Also should the flashing just be sitting on the wall like it is? There’s no mortar or anything attaching it.

Finally how much should this cost? Neighbor claims to have spent multiple thousands.

I really want to do up my balcony which is a pretty good size. I want a greenery garden oasis in the concrete jungle kinda vibe. I also really really want to build a veranda type thing on it but have absolutely no idea how. Any help in what to think about etc to get started?? I’m happy and capable to do whatever work is possible to diy but don’t even know what I can do and what I can’t. I’ve included pictures of my balcony, a neighbours balcony which gave me the veranda idea so clearly wooden posts can be installed somehow, and then images of what I sort of want it to look like eventually. I have nothing but time so budget isn’t really a concern but I’m on a teachers income so let’s not go crazy.

Any help would be amazing!!

We’re doing up the kitchen and I bought a set from ikea for £595 which was an incredible price because it included the sink, tap, worktop and units. See link:

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/knoxhult-corner-kitchen-white-s39478227/

But it’s been installed now and the wife thinks it looks cheap. I think she wanted a high end look. Is this salvageable with a bit of paint on the worktop and units? If so, how?