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Posts Tagged ‘side<’
In its simplest form a tiled roof is a dead-simple thing. You just need to make sure the ridge is intact, and the barge boards are in position. Problems can set in when architects add valleys, hips and chimneys. The situation’s even more complex when there’s a party wall involved. The intelligent homeowner will find a roofer to assess the situation every year.
Generally speaking this assessment process includes:
- Ridges – The ridge tiles cemented on top of the peak and side ridges work loose as the roof timbers settle under the weight. They perform the essential dual role of securing runs of tiles and waterproofing primary roof joints. Every London roofer knows there’s only one way to fix the problem properly, and that’s to lift off and re-cement the entire run.
- Valleys – These are sealed off to avoid problems for the life-cycle of a roof, and should remain trouble-free although the tiles along them may move out of alignment and require re-positioning. When up on a roof it’s always a good idea to apply a fresh coat of waterproofing to the lining.
- Chimney – If you have the slightest doubt that the flashing’s come away it’s essential to get a roofing quote and have it replaced right away. That’s because rainwater builds up against the upper side of the chimney, and if it finds a way through it will drip through the ceiling.
- Tiles – While these should last a lifetime too, they are brittle
 and snap easily underfoot (another excellent reason why not to trust your roof to an amateur). Ask your roofer to cast an eye around when they’re up there and advise you accordingly with a recommendation
Although Barge Boards should be firmly attached to roof timbers, they have been known to work loose during windstorms, and can endanger life and limb should they come crashing down. This is why Mr-Skill recommends an annual roof inspection, so you can sleep peacefully underneath and have absolutely no concerns. And that’s exactly what should happen when you find a tradesperson through us.
Tags: annual, barge, brittle, ceiling, cement, chimney, complex, drip, fascia, find a roofer, flashing, hip, inspect, joint, leak, line, london roofer, party wall, peak, ridge, roof, roofing quote, side, snap, tile, valley, waterproof
Posted in Roofing, Gutters & Drainage | Comments Off
While replacing glass in a UPVC door (or window) is something professionals usually do, there may be times when you have to do the job yourself – like over the Christmas break.  You could do the job yourself provided you can lay your hands on a suitable pane of glass, but do wear gloves and work carefully. At other times it makes far more sense to Find a Window Fitter on Mr-Skill.
- Examine the door frame around the damaged glass to determine from which side it was fitted. One side will have an unbroken line over a strip of rubber. On the other side there will be four pieces of beading that clip in to hold the glass.
- Take up a sharp putty knife or paint scraper and work it under a bottom or a side piece of bead. Hold your other hand out of the way in case the tool slips. Carefully prise out the bottom and side beads, except the top one which will still be holding the glass in place.
 Have an assistant hold the glass in the door frame while you take out the top bead. Hold the pane on both sides while you gently lower it out. Be careful! Wear gloves. The edges will be razor sharp!
- Install the replacement pane in the reverse order, taking care not to crack the glass by applying too much pressure. London Window Fitters often use the trick of applying a little dishwashing soap to the recess in the window frame, when pressing in the final bead.
Under normal circumstances we would recommend that you get Window Fitting Quotes instead and perhaps on Mr-Skill too. That’s because you run the risk of injuring yourself, if for no other reason than that the job may be a little bit unfamiliar to you.
Tags: bead, beading, bottom, broken, clip, crack, damage, dishwash, door, find a window fitter, fit, frame, glass, harm, injure, install, knife, london window fitter, pane, pressure, prise, quadrant, replace, rubber, scraper, sheet, side, soap, strip, top, uPVC, window, window fitting quote(s)
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
Wouldn’t it be nice to have the dining room opening directly into the garden on a balmy summer’s day? What a good idea except you only have a window, and climbing in and out through it is hardly everybody’s idea of fun. Well then, why not convert the window to a set of french doors instead? After all, Door Fitters in London do this sort of thing every day.
o Call in a supplier to measure up, quote and make up a new set of doors for you, and do nothing else yourself, until these arrive and have been checked for size. They should be exactly the same width as the existing window, unless that  is you are looking for a whole lot more work to do.
o Empty the room completely. Remove one opening window pane so you can climb in and out through the opening. Secure the inter-leading door and mask around it. Also mask around the doors of any cupboards and protect anything else appropriate from dust.
o Remove the window and its frame completely, being extra careful not to disturb any plaster. If you notice any cracks in the wall above the opening immediately prop it, and seek expert advice. Changing windows into doors is a job only for the brave. That’s why so many British homeowners get Door Fitting Quotes on Mr-Skill instead.
o Mark perpendicular lines from the left and right bottom sides of the existing opening down to floor level, on both sides of the wall. Check and double-check these carefully. Cut through these lines with an angle grinder, working alternatively from the inside and the outside, until you can see light shine right through. Do your best to cut square with the wall, because this will make the rest of your task far easier.
o Break out the wall using a large hammer. The masonry will be resting on the damp course and may even come out in a single piece, so take care it does not fall on precious children, tools and dogs.  Remove the rubble. Tidy up the opening. Clean up the room. The dirty work is done.
o Remove the french doors from the window frame (if pre-fitted) and offer the frame up to the opening. It should be a close fit, but not a tight one. Wedge it in position and check that it is vertical, plumb, level and square. Use more wedges to adjust it until everything is perfect. Get this wrong, and the doors won’t close properly.
o Attach the frame permanently to the wall with plugs and screws. Remember to drive them in the last few turns by hand, in case they need to come out later to make a change. Then hang your doors, making tiny adjustments as you go along until everything is perfect. Install the locks and handles. Your home is secure again, and you didn’t need to Find a Door Fitter either (although you could have on Mr-Skill). You can even open up the inter-leading door again to receive a well-deserved cup of tea.
All that’s left to do is to tidy up the inside rendering, touch up with paint and seal around the frame outside with silicone. It’s nice when a job like this comes together relatively easily. Won’t the neighbours be surprised…
Tags: angle grinder, attach, brick, check, child, clean, crack, cupboard, cut, dirty, dog, door fitters in london, door fitting quote, dust, empty, exact, find a door fitter, frame, french door, Garden, hammer, handle, hang, horizontal, idea, level, line, lock, mask, masonry, measure, open, paint, pane, perpendicular, plaster, prop, quote, remove, render, room, rubble, screw, secure, side, silicone, size, square, summer, supplier, tool, true, vertical, window
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
A bathroom, my Grand-Mama always said is a thing that never changes. While she was young they probably never did,  and I doubt she ever had a London Plumbing Job done for all the years she lived in Chelsea. These days of course things are very different, and taps are sometimes more designer statements than functional successes.
Did you lie awake last night and think about a waterfall cascading into the bath? Well you could have one of those too, although I doubt you could stick your big toe into it, or whether, after you Find a Plumber they would take you seriously.
Perhaps you prefer a bit of retro. Something that would have had Grand-Mama’s knitting needles clicking furiously? There  are hundreds of these to choose from these days, and you could take your pick from chrome, stainless steel, silver-or even gold-plated.
How about something on the side? I am talking taps here, by the way and strictly taps in case you asked. If I was building a new bathroom this is how I would do it personally. After all, why should Partner have to put up with a tap sticking in their back?
When all is said and done, there is a lot to say for simplicity too. My Dad taught me to keep it simple stupid and kiss success. I think that he was right. Do you? Another of the simple sensible things in life is Mr-Skill. Did you now that you can Find a Plumber there?
Tags: bath, bathgroom, cascade, chrome, faucet, find a plumber, gold, plate, plumber london, plumber quote, plumbing job london, plumbing quote, retro, side, silver, simple, stainless, tap, waterfall
Posted in Plumbing, Heating & Gas | Comments Off
Posted in General Building on Sep 10
From time to time every property owner decides to attempt a small building project, perhaps a retaining wall, small shed or built-in barbecue. Inevitably, some sort of foundation is required. This article is about preparing a trenched foundation – throwing a slab is a separate subject. A small foundation can be a perfect weekend D.I.Y. project. For anything larger, rather find a tradesman on Mr-Skill.
 o First, determine what is required in terms of local building regulations, and obtain local planning permission too. It may be tempting to avoid what may seem an unnecessary delay, however fines are high and you will often benefit from a building inspector’s experience.
o Mark out the trenches to be dug using pegs and brightly colored string. If your dimensions are flexible, adapt them to the size of the bricks or blocks you plan to use, remembering to allow for mortar between. This avoids the irritation of cutting small pieces.
o Did out the foundations to the width required by your local building regulations, setting the soil aside for later use. Be especially careful to avoid collapsing the sides, as this will result in extra concrete when you pour. Good London tradesmen know the trick of keeping the soil moist as they dig, to prevent the sides crumbling. Hammer in a few metal rods so that just the pour-depth part remains above the bottom of the trench.
o When you have prepared the concrete mix (or at least the first batch) moisten the trench lightly. The idea is to prevent the cement leeching out of the concrete mix, not to add more water, so do this carefully.
o Pour half the required concrete throughout the trench. Add any reinforcing bars and then top up to the markers that you hammered in. Work the concrete thoroughly with a spade using a chopping motion to settle it well and get it level too. The next day you can begin to build.
That is not too difficult, is it? However, please do not be tempted to take on too large a job. Rather shop for tradesmen quotes on Mr-Skill.
Tags: bar, barbeque, block, brick, build, Building, chop, chopping, collapse, collapsing, dig, find a tradesmen, foundation, inspection, inspector, mark, pour, regulations, reinforcing, retaining wall, rod, shed, side, spade, tradesmen london, tradesmen quotes, trench, trenched foundation, trenches
Posted in General Building | Comments Off
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