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Posts Tagged ‘panel<’
Remember the days of central heating radiators when you got just one choice like porridge in a boarding house. Great lumbering cast-iron things they were, and broad enough to support two schoolboy bums chilled from walking across frozen fields to get to school.  That’s all changed thank heavens. These days, when you get Plumbing Quotes on Mr-Skill you get flooded with designer brochures too.
Even the old fashioned cast-iron radiator has become a thing of beauty with inboard towel-drying rail incorporated in the design. Stainless steel ones are even more alluring thanks to the opportunities this metal offers. These days you can have bars that run horizontally too. Perfect for drying the washing on a rainy day!
Lightweight aluminium offers unlimited opportunities for air-circulation through the fins, although I still doubt the thermal properties of the alloy metal. Flat steel-panel radiators are ideal for commercial applications, although useless for drying out a wet coat. And then there are the tubular ones – just perfect for warming seats in cold stone parish churches. You just need to Find a Plumber to install them as a gift of love!
 Designer radiators are the ones I really love though. Modern metal-working techniques permit a stunning collection of gently flowing tubes and angles. These days more than a few London Plumbers are full of creative ideas. Your friends could even think that yours are pure decoration, and that there’s under-floor heating concealed elsewhere in the room.
I really love these great ideas for modernising old trusted friends like central heating radiators, as much as I love having Mr-Skill to help me Find a Reliable Plumber too. One last thought. I doubt that all the modern contraptions I described would take the weight of two healthy schoolboys … this one should though.
Tags: air circulation, alloy, aluminium, bars, brochure, cast iron, central, design, designer, dry, fin, find a plumber, heating, horizontal, london plumbers, panel, plumbing quotes, radiator, rail, stainless, steel, towel, tubular
Posted in Plumbing, Heating & Gas | Comments Off
Posted in Electrical Work on Oct 25
Although they may appear complex, electric stoves are actually very basic apparatuses concealed in fancy metal cabinetry. Suppliers build them to last a lifetime safely – if they give problems, the cause is almost inevitably a switch or element that has failed. A householder may legally replace components like these, provided the stove is wired via a safety breaker to the switchboard.
 If your stove does not have a breaker switch on the kitchen wall do not follow these instructions. Find an Electrician instead.
• Obtain the correct replacement switch from an authorised dealer. Do not be tempted to buy a pirate part.
• Turn off the breaker switch and make sure that the stove is isolated. Tape over the switch so that it cannot be inadvertently turned on again.
• Electric switches on modern stoves are mounted on a panel below the cooking surface. Lever off the control knob and remove this panel which is held in place with screws.
• Remove the screws attaching the offending switch to the panel on the inside, and draw it away. Make a drawing of how the different coloured wires are connected.
•  Transfer these wires one by one from the old switch to the new one. Electricians in London like to call this monkey see – monkey do. When done, compare the result with the drawing to make double sure.
• Attach the new switch inside the control panel. Replace the panel after making sure that everything behind it is perfectly connected, and that no wire is in contact with the metal casing. Refit the control knob.
• Make sure all the stove switches are turned off. Turn on the breaker switch on the kitchen wall. Test all the other stove circuits first, and then the switch that you replaced. Everything should be perfect. If not, then there is another problem. You urgently need to get a Professional Electrical Quote.
If at any time you notice anything untoward inside your stove, stop immediately and Find an Electrician on Mr-Skill. Do not take chances with electricity! Electricity has the power to kill.
Tags: attach, breaker, check, colour, cooker, drawing, electric, electrical quote, element, find an electrician, isolate, kitchen, knob, london electricians, panel, pirate, problem, remove, replacement, safe, screw, stove, switch, test, wall, wire
Posted in Electrical Work | Comments Off
Colour comes free, as my dad who used to work for London Painters until he retired a few years ago loves to say. Or almost free that is, unless you decide to have it specially tinted. This means that the cost of a boring or an exuberant colour scheme is  approximately the same, provided that is you use your imagination.
• The basis of any decorating scheme lies in the juxtaposition of the colours. Choose Tonal when you play with shades of the same colours, or perhaps the same intensity of different ones. Harmonious effects are created by choosing adjacent tints. Complementary colour schemes do exactly that by using opposites.
• The next step is to create a mood. Warm, advancing colours welcome people on cooler days, while cooler, watery colours relax one at any time. Remember that lighting can add dramatic or unexpected effects at different times of day, and in different seasons.
• Inspiration is often found in nature as if it is the work of genius, because the colour combinations often work so well. Try looking at the interior shades of seashells and autumn leaves. Chances are you will be amazed at what you find.
•  Homes should be calm relaxing places, and after you Find a Decorator you do need to discuss a strategy for linking rooms, so that the contrasts do not jar. Think about using Tonal or Harmonious effects to achieve the best results. Door colours require great thought too, which is perhaps so many doors are white these days.
• Before getting started after deciding among your Painting Quotes, please do put up a few test panels first. Any painter you find on Mr-Skill will advise how best to deal with underlying existing colours when you do.
That’s all there really is to a Best Colour Scheme. A little thought, a few test panels and you are almost on your way. If you find the thought of doing the job yourself off-putting though, then why not Find a Painter on Mr-Skill instead?
Tags: calm, colour, complementary, cool, cost, day, decorate, decorator, door, find a decorator, find a painter, free, harmonious, imagination, inspiration, intensity, link, london painters, mood, nature, night, opposite, paint, painter, painting quote, panel, relax, season, test, time, tint, tonal, warm, welcome
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
The last components that are fitted when assembling modern baths are the front panels themselves. These clip easily into place, and clip out easily too in order to provide access to drains and pipes. Because bath sizes are standardised these days, it follows that it is equally easy to replace an existing panel on a modern bath.
 This represents a superbly simple way to add new panache and style and colour to existing bathrooms for a fraction of the cost of refits, and you don’t necessarily require Bathroom Fitting Quotes before you start. In fact, the biggest task is often selecting the right bath panel from the range of options.
We recommend that you resist the urge to install anything that is capable of absorbing water, whether this spills over the bath-rim, or is present in the form of humidity or steam. This puts paid to romantic ideas of natural wood unfortunately. Speak to any London Bathroom Fitter and you should always receive the same consistent message – stick to fibreglass or plastic, or there is no guarantee.
Fortunately these modern materials come in all kinds of finishes and colours, and being mouldable are available in different profiles too. You will have to shop around if buying directly from the manufacturers though.  Moulds are expensive meaning that each factory offers a strictly limited range.
As you shop around you are bound to be impressed by the huge variety of designs available, especially if searching on the internet. Mr-Skill’s advice is to keep things simple unless you have a farmhouse bathroom. Light colours and less intrusive designs work best in smaller spaces.
Although is possible to replace a bath panel yourself, you may prefer to Find a Bathroom Fitter on Mr-Skill instead. That’s because you could find it difficult working on your knees in cramped spaces, and you could also end up damaging the material as well. If you choose your panel wisely though, then you should inevitably be enthralled by the stunningly refreshed effect. Isn’t it nice to know that some home improvement projects are so easy?
Tags: absorb, access, bath, bathroom, bathroom fitting quotes, clip, colour, component, cost, cramp, damage, design, drain, fibreglass, find a bathroom fitter, finish, fit, guarantee, humidity, install, intrusive, light, london bathroom fitter, material, mould, option, panel, pipe, plastic, refit, replace, simple, size, spill, steam, style, variety, water, wood
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
Posted in Plastering & Drywall on Aug 09
After you remove outdated paneling from a room you may be horrified with what you find. This is especially likely to be the case if it was fitted over raw brickwork to save time and money. In this case you probably have  no choice but to Find a Plasterer at Mr-Skill. Here’s short description in layperson’s terms of what you are entitled to expect.
o Plaster has a way of getting into everything and is designed to stick to most things too. So do yourself a huge favour first. Present the plasterer with a few rolls of blue painter’s tape and a pair of sharp scissors you won’t mind spoiling. Then ask them to mask their work area off thoroughly before they start. Make sure their drop sheets are firmly taped into position too.
o Expect them to start plastering at the top of the wall and to work down. There are several reasons for this, including not messing on the work they have just done.  The first layer will have a rough finish to it but don’t worry – it’s just the base coat.
o An experienced London Drywall Builder may be able to apply the second plaster layer later the same day, while others may prefer to return the following morning. The job of this coat is to fill in all the hollows in the base coat. This may be sufficient, or a third final skim coat may be necessary.
After the plaster has dried out thoroughly you could finish off any imperfections with a light sanding. After that, it’s time to seal, undercoat and paint. It’s not as easy a job as it sounds though. May we recommend a few competitive Plastering Quotes on Mr-Skill instead? You may find that the extra cost was well worth your while, as you visualise what you had there before. Now how’s that for a fairly radical improvement.
Tags: base, brickwork, coat, drop sheet, dry, find a plasterer, finish, imperfection, job, layer, london drywall builder, mask, mess, money, paint, panel, plaster, plastering quote, raw, rough, sand, scissors, seal, skim, start, stick, tape, time, top, undercoat, work
Posted in Plastering & Drywall | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Jun 20
The easiest way to put up a wooden fence these days is to set a few poles in concrete and attach pre-fabricated panels to them. In practice, there is a bit more to it than that though. In fact, unless you really do enjoy hard work, perhaps you  should Find a Carpenter instead? These are the basic steps involved.
o Contact your local council first to check out whether there are any rules involved, or whether you could be crossing over underground services. Obtain agreement from your local neighbours too – who knows, they might even decide to make a contribution.
o Select your fence panels first. Taking account of the spacing of the poles between, determine how many of each, and how many cross braces you will need. As a general rule, you will need one more upright than the total number of pre-fabricated sections, and three times as many cross braces as you have panels. Order this material in, plus enough bags of ready-mix concrete and enough screws, nuts, bolts and nails.
o Hammer in temporary corner pegs (use anything that comes to hand) and connect these with twine. After the inevitable discussion with the neighbours, lay the poles out on the ground at the correct spacings.  Begin at the more prominent corners, so that odd-sized panels are less obvious. Dig out holes for corner poles. If your ground is heavy, perhaps you should reconsider the decision not to get Carpenter Quotes?
o Set the corner posts into the holes, making sure that they are vertical and braced by scrap timber as need be. Fill the holes with concrete around them, and leave strictly alone for the next twenty four hours. The next day, stretch twine between the corner posts to ensure straight lines, dig the balance of the holes, and set the other posts in concrete too.
o Two days later, bolt the cross braces to the posts, making sure that they are perfectly horizontal. Attach the pre-fabricated panels as you go along so that you can see some actual progress.
That’s it really, although my mate who works for Carpenters in London refuses to believe that amateurs could the job themselves. I say they probably could, presuming that they are not perfectionists, and are determined, fit, energetic and strong.
Tags: bolt, brace, carpenter london, carpentry quote, concrete, corner, council, cross brace, dig, earth, fence, fence panel, find a carpenter, ground, heavy, horizontal, law, nail, neighbour, panel, peg, prefabricate, rule, screw, service, set, spacing, twine, upright, vertical
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
Posted in Handyman Services on May 24
Surprisingly enough, removing and replacing a bath is technically quite straightforward provided there are no added complications. If things go well for you, then you may not even  need to Find a Bath Fitter to do the work for you. Make sure you know what you are about though, because water does have a habit of flowing downstairs and ruining floors and carpets.
o Remove the inspection panel in front of the bath. If it un-clips then good luck to you. If it is made of brick you could well be faced with a lengthy and messy job. Once again think smart – is this the job for you?
o Obtain a replacement bath (and fittings) that exactly replicates the old one in terms of all dimensions. Your old bath is attached to the fabric of the house in three ways, namely on stands, with pipes and drains, and along the back and sides with grout and sealer. Work carefully in all three instances, and avoid problems down the line.
o Isolate the hot and cold water supply before you start, fitting in-line taps if necessary. Disconnect the pipes from the taps, or cut them off if they are inaccessible as they usually are.  My mate who specialises in Bath Fitting in London always says leave as much pipe over as you possibly can because you never know what can happen next. While you are at it, remove the drains too.
o If you wish to leave the tiles intact then clear the grout and silicone away with a sharp metal scriber until you have a clear gap. You will need at least a quarter-inch of clear space when you loosen out the bath, so remove a row of tiles if necessary instead of cracking them.
o Obtain a length of chain, pass it through the drain hole and hold it in position with a bolt. Have an assistant hold this steady while you pull gently upwards on the taps. With a little effort the bath should come loose and you can remove it carefully from the room. Clean up the mess and have a cup of tea because you surely do deserve it.
That was not all that hard, was it? With a little more experience some people might even imagine your spouse got Bath Fitting Quotes on Mr-Skill. Perhaps she should still though?
Tags: bath, bath fitter london, bath fitter quote, bath fitting london, bath fitting quote, bathroom fitter london, bathroom fitter quote, bathroom fitting london, bathroom fitting quote, brick, budge, carpet, cold, cut, disconnect, drain, find a bath fitter, find a bathroom fitter, fitting, floor, grout, hot, inspection, isolate, lift, loose, loosen, panel, pipe, remove, replace, replacement, ruin, scribe, silicone, stand, tap, tile, water
Posted in Handyman Services | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Mar 21
A touch of tongue and groove panelling that was so popular in Victorian times adds an interesting accent to any room, especially when softened with a colour wash effect. To get a professional finish you might need to <a  href=”http://www.mr-skill.co.uk/carpentry-and-joinery/”>Find a Carpenter to do the job for you, unless that is you have a feel for wood and are quite handy.
To begin with, source the panelling. If you can get planks without any knots at all then this is perfect. If not make sure the knots are tight, and fairly evenly distributed too. A mate of mine once told me that the owner of Seamless Carpenters London refuses to buy panelling at all unless he gets to choose the strips himself. Here is how to go about the job, referring to the drawing opposite:
o Attach the furring strips (otherwise known as battens) to the wall, making sure that they are right at the top and bottom and in the middle too. If the wall bends a bit adjust this with spacers so that when the job is done, the panelling will be true to the floor.
o  Mark out the positions of the panels on a fitted furring strip to determine to what extent you may need a cut piece, and decide where this will go. Cut all the pieces to length with a suitable electric saw, remembering to work outside the house to control the dust.
o Remove the tongue from one cut piece of plank using a sharp Stanley knife, file the cut smooth and sand it down evenly. Starting at one or the other of your work (left if right handed, the opposite if you are not) fit the panelling making sure it remains spirit level vertically
o Nail the first piece on to the battens through the wood using panel pins with the groove in the direction of your work, punch in the nail heads and fill the holes. After than, you just slide the tongue into the groove as you go along, securing each successive piece with nails driven through the back groove into the furring strips.
After fitting all the planks, you just have to secure the edge pieces all around, and your first tongue and groove job will be complete, bar finishing and painting. If you prefer, you could get Carpenter Quotes from Mr-Skill, although that way you might miss out on all the fun.
Tags: batten, carpenter quote, carpenters london, cut, edge, file, find a carpenter, find a joiner, finish, furring, groove, joiner london, joiner quote, knot, nail, panel, panelling, pin, plank, sand, strip, tongue, tongue & groove, tongue and groove, wainscoat, wood
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
Are the sliding doors to your patio becoming difficult to close or open? If you cleaned the rails but this did not make a difference, then it could be time to replace the roller sets. This is actually quite easy, although the doors are heavy and you may prefer to find a window fitter at Mr-Skill.
 o Remove the sliding panel or panels by lifting these into the upper recess and taking them out at the bottom first. If they do not come free readily then the rollers are adjusted to prevent burglars getting in (window fitters in London often use this trick, although your local fitter may not have thought that this was necessary). This is easy to achieve. Shine a flashlight into the hole at the bottom of each side of the sliding panel, determine the type of screw in there and turn it all the way anti-clockwise. The panel will now come out easily.
o Lay the sliding panel carefully down avoiding scratching and examine the two roller sets. These fit into a groove at the bottom of the door. Lever them out using an old flat screwdriver.
o Fit new roller sets following the reverse process, remembering to screw the adjusters all the way anti-clockwise.
o Re-install the repaired door in the same way that you removed it. Adjust the rollers fully clockwise – if the door is sticky turn them back a bit, but only just enough to release the panel all the way across the run. Invite a family member or friend to test the door, while you enjoy the feel-good feeling.
If you decide that this is too difficult for you to do, then why not request window fitter quotes. The job will not be that expensive on Mr-Skill.
Tags: adjust, adjuster, adjustor, anti clockwise, anti theft, door, find a window fitter, fit, lever, panel, patio door, press, recess, remove, roller sets, rollers, screw clockwise, sliding door, sliding panel, sticking, sticky, upper recess, wheels, window fitter quotes, window fitters london
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
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