DIY thread...

[No:1 Final Fantasy Fan]

Got an electrician to come and replace two extractor fans for the bathroom and kitchen, he had to do a bit of rewiring on the box on the wall. I was charged £300 for the day and he was working 11-3:30.

Just wondering if anyone know if this was a reasonably priced?

Additionally I got him to replace a plug socket that was a bit broken, a bathroom light switch, and fit a bathroom ceiling light. He didn't charge extra for this as he managed to do it on the same day.

Good money if you can get it.

Can you show me the fans?
Socket is a fiver, pullswitch is £3, sealed LED fitting maybe £25. I'd change all 3 in an hour.

He's possibly moved the bathroom lighting circuit onto the RCD side of the fuse box.
Show us a picture of that too.

Did he give you a minor works cert?

Sure these are the fans:
Bathroom 100mm fan https://www.i-sells.co.uk/kair-smart-10 ... ata-logger
also available on amazon for the same price
Kitchen 150mm fan which i found cheapest on amazon for £65 in black with humidity sensor https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01 ... UTF8&psc=1

I don't think he moved the wiring as you say to the RCD side or whatever. It's just the little connection box was old, broken and not live. So he had to replace the wiring inside.

Yeah bathroom light was £23 from Wickes, pull cord light switch £5.50

I didn't receive any certificates or even a receipt :/ just paid him in cash. Should I have received a test certificate? Assuming he did any tests.

[Mommy Christmas]

Ideally you'd get a minor works certificate for the work he did.
Did he supply the fans? Price is reasonable if he did.

[No:1 Final Fantasy Fan]

Ideally you'd get a minor works certificate for the work he did.
Did he supply the fans? Price is reasonable if he did.

Ah right. What would I use that certificate for in the future?
No but he did recommend those fans and I bought them myself. He only charged for the labour.

[darksideby182]

As mommy said you should have got a minor works certificate for the works. But as you paid in cash that's probably why.

[Mommy Christmas]

Ideally you'd get a minor works certificate for the work he did.
Did he supply the fans? Price is reasonable if he did.

Ah right. What would I use that certificate for in the future?
No but he did recommend those fans and I bought them myself. He only charged for the labour.

He's done alright out of you on this job I would say.
Data logger fans are usually used on social housing where you want to keep an eye on whether the tenants are turning the fans off.
In your situation an inline or through the wall fan should be no more than £60.

[Green Gecko]

If you paid cash it's basically code for "no paperwork" to some people, which probably (I don't mean to presume) means they won't account for it making it tax free (which is illegal), unless they maintain a petty cash account and cash book etc which would be fine.

Or if they're employed they just give the cash to their employer in payment for the bill they generate a copy of and they pay tax on that.

It's advisable to get some kind of bill or paperwork at least.

[Bunni]

Anyone had a new kitchen recently? Wondering how decent the quotes are and how much extra to budget for money and time? Also looking to knock out half a wall, got a radiator and some sockets attached but otherwise is just drywall. Ideas for how much that'll cost or how much we can do ourselves safely would be much appreciated.

[Victor Mildew]

Redecorating the front room from top to bottom, and I'd forgotten how exhausting it is.

Stupid bloody double coats needed on the walls, even if it does give a much better finish

[Green Gecko]

Redecorating the front room from top to bottom, and I'd forgotten how exhausting it is.

Stupid bloody double coats needed on the walls, even if it does give a much better finish

Have you tried washing?

A thinned application first very quickly, then sand back any drips and dabs, then the second "once only" high opacity paint dealio on top of that.

The wash can be the same paint or a primer, grey or white. You could do it with one of those painting sponges. As a roller could get messy.

[Jenuall]

Just make sure you put some sheets down over stuff, wouldn't want to get any paint on that corner sofa

[Moggy]

One of the troubles I have with DIY is having no bloody idea what things are called. So I'm hoping GRcade can help while forgiving me for having to call stuff "thingys".

In our bathroom, the shower is operated from the main bath taps. Except it doesn't work. The diverter lever thingy just doesn't move and the shower therefore doesn't work.

I figured it was just stuck, so sprayed WD-40 on it. No joy.

So I unscrewed the nut (?) that was underneath the tap, with the intention of cleaning/descaling/whatever it. Except I noticed that when the nut is off, the lever thingy then works. It seems the nut thingy is a perfect fit for the tap and a perfect fit for the shower hose. But completely the wrong fit to allow the lever to go up and down.

Apologies if these photos are huge, but they should show what I mean:

The tap and the lever button thingamajig:

The nut thingy that's on the underside of the tap:

And the tap with the nut thingy attached to the shower hose:

All of this is a longwinded way of asking:

1. What's the nut thingy actually called? It's hard to Google them when I don't know what it is! There's billions of nuts on the internet and that's just on pornhub.

2. Can I buy one with the same dimensions (for the threads) but with more space inside that will allow the diverter button/lever thing to go up and down?

3. Am I going about this the wrong way and there's a different solution to the problem?

Cheers

[Dowbocop]

Honestly I'd take the whole tap unit to Wickes/B&Q/local plumbers merchants if you can and then you can ask them.

[darksideby182]

https://www.showerdoc.com/bathstore-div ... ToQAvD_BwE

This might be what you're after, try googling shower tap diverter with the brand of your taps.

[Moggy]

Cheers both.

That part is similar and would probably do the job but I've no idea if it'd fit. Dowbo is probably right, going to a plumbers merchant is the best idea, I was just hoping to avoid going in and looking a dumbass by pointing and saying "need one of THESE that works!".

Maybe we'll just stick to baths.

[Victor Mildew]

I've taken things to my local screwfix before and they're really knowledgeable, plus they can just get something there and then to test if it's suitable. Once a guy in the queue overheard me asking about some kitchen sink buts and helped me find what I was after.

[Mommy Christmas]

One of the troubles I have with DIY is having no bloody idea what things are called. So I'm hoping GRcade can help while forgiving me for having to call stuff "thingys".

In our bathroom, the shower is operated from the main bath taps. Except it doesn't work. The diverter lever thingy just doesn't move and the shower therefore doesn't work.

I figured it was just stuck, so sprayed WD-40 on it. No joy.

So I unscrewed the nut (?) that was underneath the tap, with the intention of cleaning/descaling/whatever it. Except I noticed that when the nut is off, the lever thingy then works. It seems the nut thingy is a perfect fit for the tap and a perfect fit for the shower hose. But completely the wrong fit to allow the lever to go up and down.

Apologies if these photos are huge, but they should show what I mean:

The tap and the lever button thingamajig:

The nut thingy that's on the underside of the tap:

And the tap with the nut thingy attached to the shower hose:

All of this is a longwinded way of asking:

1. What's the nut thingy actually called? It's hard to Google them when I don't know what it is! There's billions of nuts on the internet and that's just on pornhub.

2. Can I buy one with the same dimensions (for the threads) but with more space inside that will allow the diverter button/lever thing to go up and down?

3. Am I going about this the wrong way and there's a different solution to the problem?

Cheers

Have you tried pulling up while the taps are running?

Might be worth pushing a screwdriver from below with the hose off. The hose and plunger should be in line vertically.

[Dowbocop]

Cheers both.

That part is similar and would probably do the job but I've no idea if it'd fit. Dowbo is probably right, going to a plumbers merchant is the best idea, I was just hoping to avoid going in and looking a dumbass by pointing and saying "need one of THESE that works!".

Maybe we'll just stick to baths.

As Ad says they're usually pretty cool with it to be honest, after all you're spending money! I went to my local electrician merchant with the project that Darksideby182 helped me with last year and I ended up showing them pictures of the hole in my ceiling on my phone

I did get abuse off another customer at a builder's merchant once, but apparently that's because there were "too many southerners" in the shop

[Victor Mildew]

Oh gooseberry fool yeah Moggy make sure you whistle Dakota as you walk in so you don't get spat on.

[Victor Mildew]

There's a big Wicks in Newport, which is the one where we got our bathroom done. They're pretty good. The screwfix near me is at llantharnam park, if you're stuck for one.

[Mommy Christmas]

Oh gooseberry fool yeah Moggy make sure you whistle Dakota as you walk in so you don't get spat on.

Just sing Bread of Heaven, elongate the Rs and call everyone butt.

Facking loves it they dos.