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Posts Tagged ‘garage<’
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Apr 10
A decent space to complete your carpentry projects is a bonus, that’s for sure. We are of course assuming that you are handy, interested and have sufficient spare room in your garage. Converting that space into a carpentry workshop will quickly pay for itself too.
Apart from all those jobs that you can turn out for your own household, imagine the potential work from your neighbourhood. Talk about a paying hobby – plus, you’ll be the envy of all your friends, who will wish “they could be that good with their hands too”. In next to no time, you could be registering on Mr-Skill yourself, so that others can get a carpenter quote from you.
Things You Should Do First 
We are of course assuming that you already have the range of tools and equipment that you will need. An empty garage would be an added bonus. Next, check with your local authority in case their zoning rules are problematic. Find an electrician to safely wire up your new workspace – you can choose one from Mr-Skill.
Before diving in, check with other people who have already done what you plan to do. There are plenty of online forums, and most people will be happy to advise you, so all you have to do is find a carpenter chat room.
Planning 
- Once you have decided to get going, begin by arranging the available space to accommodate all your tools. Remember to allow for bigger static items such as a table saw or bench press. Everything must be set out for ease of use, and it goes without saying that your carpentry shop should be neat and tidy at the end of each work session. Be prepared as the Boy Scouts always say!
- Position a sturdy work-table in the centre of the space. Build upper storage cupboards for holding tools, and put up lots of shelving for oils, solvents and glues.
- Once you have set up your workshop, get quotes from licensed electricians. You may need to convert your power feed to a three-phase supply to cater for all the machines.
You are just about ready to open shop now. One last word from one of our regular London carpenters on Mr-Skill. He advises that you to check rules and regulations thoroughly with your local authority, before you spend a penny!
Tags: carpenter quote, carpenters, cupboards, electrician, electricity, find a carpenter, forums, garage, glues, heavy duty, local authority, london carpenters, paint, power, shelves, shop, tools, workshop
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
We had a call from a customer the other day, who was confused as to why a cleaner wouldn’t take some old acid containers away – especially after they loaded all the cardboard boxes they cleared from his garage. We thought it would be a good idea to explain the difference, and to generally set the record right.
- Generally speaking, cleaners tidy sweep and clean a home or office, pretty much the same way we might do ourselves, if we
 only had the time. In the course of this, they bag the contents of waste-paper baskets and rubbish bins, so you can leave these out on the next council collection day.
- If you want the service people to take the bags down to the council depot as well, then you need to ensure they include this as an option on their cleaning quote. That’s because this job will involve extra time and petrol, and they’re entitled to their compensation.
- Certain types of materials and chemicals are classified as toxic, as they could harm an operator at a landfill site who comes in contact with them. The government has established rules for their safe disposal. Councils have procedures in place to make this possible.
 Our client who called us actually needed to find a waste disposal expert to remove the acid containers, not a cleaner. They would be equipped with specialist protection to avoid contamination themselves. It’s vitally important to understand the distinction, and not to pressurise a regular cleaner to take risks.
Mr-Skill has both kinds of service people on their books. Our customers have rated almost all of them down the years too.
Should you require the services of a top-rate London cleaner, or assistance with cleaning or waste disposal almost anywhere else in Britain, why not log onto our website and log your request right now? Our operators are on standby, and waiting for your call.
Tags: acid, bag, chemical, clean, cleaning quote, container, contaminate, contamination, council, depot, disposal, empty, find a waste disposal expert, garage, garbage, harm, hurt, landfill, london cleaner, material, protection, rubbish, specialist, sweep, tidy, toxic, waste
Posted in Cleaning Services, Disposals & Waste Removal | Comments Off
You have made your mind up and you have decided to clean your garage – again! The first thing you stumble upon is loads of leftover paint pots in various stages of decay. What do you do next? Well, if you are like most of us and are environmentally principled, you should be thinking the three “R’s”. That is, reduce, reuse and recycle.
Does this sound a little hard for you? You could also get a waste removal quote from Mr Skill by clicking on this link. This will direct you to a number of cleaning services. Next time you find a decorator, why not ask them to remove the leftover paint after they have finished?
Reduce – If you find that there’s always some paint left over from a job, this tends to suggest that you are buying too much in the first place. Speak to your friendly paint shop and ask them to calculate your paint requirements next time, based on the measurements you provide. Most paint pots also provide coverage guidelines on their labels.
Reuse – As long as you store leftover paint properly – meaning correct sealing and storage – you can keep the paint for quite a considerable time.  Tip – wipe the rim of the open paint pot clean and replace the lid tightly. Make sure you have a decent seal and then invert the pot. If you store the pot upside-down like this, you should have an airtight seal that will prevent a skin forming under the lid.
Recycle – Check with your local authority when it comes to recycling empty paint containers. The chances are good that these can be handed in at your local waste station. If your paint containers cannot be recycled, dispose of them responsibly as general household waste.
Now my old mate Ray, who’s been a professional London decorator for more decades than he cares to remember, suggests that if you do have usable leftover paint that you are never going to need, then you should try donating it instead. Check your local charity shop for advice. Better still. Make sure the cost of disposing of messy paint pots is included in the painter’s quote next time. This information is provided by Mr-Skill as a public service.
Tags: buy, calculate, charity, clean, container, dispose, donate, find a decorator, garage, leftover, lid, london decorator, measure, old, paint, painters quote, pot, recycle, reduce, remove, reuse, shop, skin, store, tin, waste
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
Posted in Handyman Services on Nov 16
I wish that I could to Find a Handyman on Mr-Skill for every weekend of the year. There are so many jobs waiting for me around the house, but the wife thinks that being busy keeps me fit and healthy. The more I say “we have the money” the more I’m told to get on with the work myself. So all that I can do is dream of what might otherwise have been.
First Weekend
 The first job every month would be to deal with water run-offs. I’d have the gutters and downpipes cleared out and wiped down nicely. Then we’d rod out the storm-water drains and get rid of all weeds together. What a pleasure. Come on rain.
The Second Weekend
No doubt the weather would hold off now that the drains were cleared, so the next job would be to sort out the garage. Not even a pair of London Handymen would know exactly where to put things, so I guess my participation would be unavoidable
Weekend Number Three
There’s never been three rain-free weekends in the UK since time began or so I’m told. This time I think the handyman could wipe all the interior woodwork down, and get rid of all that mould. I’d get on with  something else nearby, just to keep an eye on things, if you know what I mean?
The Fourth Weekend
By then, of course we’d be quite a team. I’d know the other person’s skills and start getting extra mileage from their Handyman Quote. There’s nothing quite like having an extra pair of hands around the house, especially when it comes to carrying things.
In practice this would never happen, and if it did the wife would say “now what’s the point of Getting in a Handyman on Mr-Skill when you do half the work yourself’? Sometimes it seems that only another man would understand. Or did I perhaps overlook something in my haste?
Tags: busy, carry, downpipe, drain, find a handyman, garage, gutter, hand, handyman quote, house, job, london handymen, month, mould, rain, skill, team, water, weather, weed, weekend, wipe, wood, work
Posted in Handyman Services | Comments Off
Posted in Handyman Services on Oct 23
I was looking around my yard the other day and just couldn’t believe the number of odd-jobs waiting to be done. It’s not the lack of wanting that’s holding me back, it’s the lack of time. I think I’m going to take my own advice and get a London Handyman estimate. And then I think I’ll accept it and then get on with things.
•  Clear out the gutters on the house. They’re full of leaves again! I’m fortunate to have a bungalow but just don’t feel like climbing up a ladder. Besides, how much can this cost?
• Clean the outside window frames. These looked so crisp when I had them put in a few years ago. They’re UPVC. They’ll just need a good wash with detergent.
• Tidy up the back porch. Five years of muddy boots have taken their toll and the spiders have done the rest. That’s one Handyman Quote I’m definitely going to accept!
• Tidy up the path around the back and sides. Paths under the eaves provide a valuable service by handling rainwater run-off. My house is hardly new, and I think it’s time to sort out the cracks before the weeds take hold. Don’t you too?
•  Sort out the garage. While I’m at it, I think I’m going to Find a Handyman to give the garage roof and door a make-over. I’m planning a new car next year, and I’m sure it will appreciate a near-new place to sleep at night.
That’s enough for now. I’m really looking forward to getting in a Rated Handyman from Mr-Skill to catch up on my backlog. The twin advantages are that I’ll be getting a better price, and will be able to review feedback from other previous customers too.
Come on all you Handymen. I can’t wait to see my garage door looking half as smart as this again!
Tags: backlog, block, car, clean, detergent, door, estimate, find a handyman, frame, garage, gutter, handyman quote, handyperson, house, job, ladder, leaves, london handyman estimate, mud, odd job, oddjob, path, porch, price, quote, review, roof, spider, tidy, time, want, wash, water, window, yard
Posted in Handyman Services | Comments Off
I have noticed something interesting about the Gardeners in London that I come across, and that is the super condition of their tools in general. No doubt they do a better job with them that way,  and of course they also have to replace them less frequently. I have to admit though that mine used to be a total disaster, but only before I discovered these useful tips.
You will need a bucket with a lid, enough sand to almost fill it, new or used engine / cooking oil, and a few old rags. The bucket lid is to keep out the dust and dirt, so almost anything will do.
• Make a habit of keeping the bucket in a dry corner of the garden shed or garage
• Fill the bucket with the sand except for the last four inches. This helps keep it stable while sprucing up your tools. I agree that this can make it heavy, but at least your wallet won’t be lightened by the cost of Gardening Quotes after your tools all rust away.
•  Top up the bucket with the oil, and watch it as the sand absorbs it. If you spilled some, well… that’s a further use for the old rags…
• Take each garden tool in turn and shove the working edge in and out of the sand until it is cleaned. Four or five repetitions should do the trick.
• Wipe the tools with the rags as you go along, remembering to leave a thin film of oil behind.
How’s that for something different from us? Should you need to Find a Gardener on Mr-Skill (which is easier than you think), you could leave your tools out in the garden for them to admire while working (but not to borrow, naturally). It’s a funny old world isn’t it. The cleverest ideas are often the simplest too.
Tags: absorb, better job, bucket, condition, cook, corner, cost, dirt, dry, dust, edge, engine, fill, film, find a gardener, garage, Garden, gardeners in london, gardening quotes, lid, motor, new, oil, rag, replace, sand, shed, spill, stable, tool, used, wipe
Posted in Gardening & Landscaping | Comments Off
Posted in General Building on Aug 01
In times past flat garage roofs were often covered with a layer of waterproofed felt that was protected in turn by a layer of gravel. The general idea was that these roofs would last for years, provided that they were not interfered with. Over-and-above the obvious hazards of small children  enjoying squishing on sharp stones, nothing lasts forever, leaks develop and drip onto whatever you use your garage for, and its time to Find a Builder fairly urgently, to effect repairs.
We have all kinds of rated general builders listed on Mr-Skill. You can Find Recommended London Builders here, as well as trusted building firms in the Home Counties, and as far afield as Wales and Scotland too. When you do, these are the procedures that they should follow after you accept their Building Quote, give or take the peculiarities of your particular flat roof.
o On a clear day with no sign of rain the next day either, clear the gravel off the roof. Sweep the area clean, and blow all the dust away with one of those clever gadgets gardeners use instead of rakes these days.
o Inspect the roof felting very carefully for any signs of damage. Don’t be shy to prod and probe as  dentists like to do – if there is a problem it must be found. Mark a circle around any dodgy points with bright paint.
o Obtain some asphalt plastic cement, and work this well into all the dodgy points you noted. Take your time here, as this could make or break the job. And do wear rubber gloves too. This stuff sticks to skin like you know what. As you go along, work pieces of roof patching fabric into the cement, remembering to cover it fully and to “feather” the edges.
When the patches are nice and dry inspect them carefully, adding a generous dollop of asphalt plastic cement if in any doubt at all. When you are completely satisfied that this cement is dry too, you can gently sweep the old gravel back over the roof again. Or spoil your roof with some brand new gravel, so you can enjoy looking down on your garage roof again from upstairs even more.
Tags: asphalt, asphalt plastic cement, blow, child, clear, damage, dodgy, drip, dust, feather, felting, find a builder, find recommended london builders, flat, garage, general builder quotes, glove, gravel, inspect, interfere, leak, mark, peculiarities, probe, procedure, prod, remove, repair, roof, roof patch, sweep, waterproof
Posted in General Building | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Jul 03
All of us start off in life with the simplest of workshops, especially when we move away from parents to our first own homes, and need to make a quick adjustment.  If we are lucky enough we have a garage to store our tools. Otherwise we have to keep the few tools we have in bedroom cupboards, use the kitchen table as a workbench, and generally risk criticism from you-know-who. If you have passed this point in time and are ready to upgrade, here are a few tips to get you salivating.
I agree with you that it sounds like Taking Coals to Newcastle to Find a Carpenter to help you set things up. On the other hand, if you are busy and lack the heavy tools you need to do the job, this could just make a great deal of sense. Mr-Skill makes it really easy to get a couple of Carpentry Quotes, and you don’t have to accept any if they turn out over budget.
You need to have a proper plan before you start. By this I mean of scheme of things where you have sufficient working and storage space that’s properly separated for safety. If you are planning to afford a lathe next Spring, by all means plan it in. Who knows, you may influence somebody’s Christmas Gift list.
This time you really should do something about decent extraction. Modern power tools create a deal of dust and most of this is bad for us because of the chemicals present. I know a Carpenter in London who  specializes in creating home workshops for the rich and famous. He refuses any job, no matter how grand it may seem to be, if extraction is not part of the basic plan.
Lighting and electricity are an essential part of any workshop, and here there should be no skimping for safety’s sake. You need comprehensive lighting without shadows, and a ring of counter-top-height plug sockets all the way around the room. Do remember to ask Mr-Skill to send an Electrician around to do this bit for you. Some power tools are still are not properly earthed back to ground.
Keeping the floor clean is another thing to think about. A screed over an under-floor heating grid is the best dream that I could think of, and if you bolt everything to the walls there’s even a chance that the floor could get swept from time to time. Besides, how else will you ever find the springs and screws that mysteriously go to ground?
Tags: adjust, bedroom, bolt, budget, carpenter london, carpenter quote, chemical, clean, cupboard, dust, electric, extraction, find, find a carpenter, floor, garage, heat, help, home, kitchen, light, plan, scheme, screed, separate, shadow, simple, socket, storage, store, sweep, table, tip, tool, upgrade, wall, work, workshop
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
Posted in Bricklaying on Mar 04
A garage is a useful asset on any property and every UK house should have one. Few people ever seem to use them to store motor cars though, meaning that the design of any garage should be multi-purpose. A good garage design provides  for a home workshop, safe dry storage, a place to park the car and perhaps a combination of all three too.
o There are two ways to go about having a garage built. You could do it yourself – and hope not to make too many mistakes or fall foul of Council rules. Or you could Find a Builder on Mr Skill to do it for you, and keep the hassles out of your life.
o If you decide to do the job yourself then there are two ways to proceed. One is to go on a block-laying and roofing course, and perhaps lose money along the way. The other way is to order in a pre-fabricated garage – the truth is that these usually look core-blimey awful, and there are no options to tailor-make things the way you need. As my old mate who does Building Jobs in London likes to say, when you pays pennies, its pence value that you get.
 o It stands to reason then, that the smart way to build a garage is to get a Rated Builder Quote on Mr Skill. That way you can have your garage built the way you always wanted, and review Builder Ratings by past customers before you choose.
Garages cost thousands of pounds and that’s no secret. However accepting the cheapest building quote is seldom wise. The advantage of using Mr-Skill to Find a Builder is that when they quote they know you are comparing. They’ll also do a good job for you besides, because you are a member of a large customer base called Mr-Skill that they need to keep sweet.
Just imagine how it will feel to have everything so neat and tidy. You’ll almost think you were in Dreamland. Thanks very much for visiting Mr-Skill.
Tags: block, build, builder london, builder quote, building job london, building quotes, bulder, car, cost, do it yourself, dry, find a builder, find a tradesman, garage, good job, prefabricated, rated bricklayer, rated builder, roof, storage, tradesman london, tradesman quote, workshop
Posted in Bricklaying | Comments Off
Posted in Handyman Services on Jan 17
Just imagine if you had the services of a rated Handyman to help you finish off five jobs at home. Well you could find a Handyman on Mr-Skill and pay them a  fair rate to do the job. But just for now, let’s pretend the Handyperson has arrived – what shall we give them to do? These would be my five absolute must-have choices.
1. Tidy up the storage place under the stairs. It’s amazing how much junk ends up in the little corner at the back. Stuff you forget you had and could never get at anyway. Its time to declutter and send the unwanted things down to the charity shop.
2. Adjust all the cupboard doors in the kitchen and bedrooms and fit soft-closing pads. I have to tell you that doors that close softly are almost as good as having new ones.
3. Clean out the roof gutters. I hate the black gunk that collects up there and would rather let them overflow than get up on a ladder. If there ever was a time to get Handyman quotes, surely this is it.
 4. Sort out the garage. I had to include this one, although I doubt English garages will ever get tidied until we start putting cars back in them again. When I suggested this to my partner all I got was “and where must I put all that junk”?
5. I have a mate who works for Get-a-Handyman London who tells me that one of the most popular jobs in the City is repainting the front door and polishing up the brass. Seems folk there don’t like to be seen working outside – what will the City think up next?
Well, that was a nice dream for a cold winter’s evening. Did you enjoy it? Unfortunately it won’t come true unless you find a Handyman on Mr-Skill, and give them all your unwanted jobs to do. Until then, you’ll just have to dream on.
Tags: adjust, brass, choices, cupboard, declutter, door, find a handyman, garage, gutter, handyman london, handyman quote, home, jobs, junk, pad, paint, roof, set, soft, stairs, storage, tidy
Posted in Handyman Services | Comments Off
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