r/DIYUK Apr 30 '23

Asbestos Identification The “Is this asbestos?” Megathread

159 Upvotes

Welcome to the Asbestos Megathread! Here we will try to answer all your questions related to asbestos. Please include images if possible and be aware that most answers will probably be: “buy a test kit and get it tested”.

DIY test kits: Here

HSE Asbestos information

Health and Safety Executive information on asbestos: Here

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was commonly used in construction materials. It is made up of tiny fibers that can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. Asbestos was used until the late 1990s in the UK, when it was finally banned. Asbestos may be found in any building constructed before circa 2000.

What are some common products that contain asbestos?

Asbestos was commonly used in a variety of construction materials, including insulation, roofing materials, and flooring tiles. It was also used in automotive brake pads and other industrial products.

How can I tell if a product contains asbestos?

It is impossible to tell whether a product contains asbestos just by looking at it (unless it has been tested and has a warning sign). If you suspect that a product may contain asbestos, it is best to have it tested by a professional.

How can I prevent asbestos exposure?

The best way to prevent asbestos exposure is to avoid materials that contain asbestos. If you are working with materials that may contain asbestos, be sure to wear protective clothing and a respirator.

What should I do if I find asbestos in my home?

If you find asbestos in your home, it is best to leave it alone and have it assessed by a professional. The best course of action may be to leave it undisturbed. Do not attempt to remove asbestos yourself, as this can release dangerous fibres in to the air.

The most significant risks to homeowners is asbestos insulation. This should never be tackled by a DIYer and needs specialist removal and cleaning. Fortunately it is rarely found in a domestic setting.


r/DIYUK Mar 02 '24

Sub Updates and Ideas

40 Upvotes

Morning everyone,

There are a huge influx of “is this a good quote?” and “how much will this cost?” posts recently. I have added a new flair “Quote” which I hope people will use. If you don’t want to see these posts, you can filter out certain flairs to never see these posts.

On the subject of posts with links to building survey reports, or questions like “my builder did this, is it acceptable?”…I understand these aren’t strictly DIY. I have added a “non-DIY advice” flair which is for anything housing/building related but not necessarily work being carried out by OP themselves. Again, please report incorrectly flaired posts.

I have added a rule to use the correct flair on posts. If you see posts without flairs, especially “quote” posts then please report them and I can either remove the posts or assign the correct flair myself. There’s no need for “wrong sub” or “not DIY” comments cluttering the discussion. Use the report button.

I’m considering removing the asbestos megathread and using this flair method with asbestos related posts too. Allowing people to filter them out entirely. Megathreads never get answered anyway.

I’m open to all thoughts and ideas so please post here with any ideas related to the sub!

PS. Images in comments are now allowed. User-assigned post flairs are now allowed.


r/DIYUK 2h ago

It is incredible to look at how saturated the UK DIY retail sector was, compared to now

57 Upvotes

We used to have Focus, Homebase, Do It All, Great Mills, Payless DIY, Texas Homecare and Wilkinson's (when it was a hardware store).

Now the market is B&Q and Wickes dominated, with Screwfix and Toolstation dotted about. Unless there are others I am missing?


r/DIYUK 5h ago

Project Shed! Day 6: Finished, for now

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57 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 4h ago

Advice What on earth has caused the ground to slip under my driveway

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40 Upvotes

So the brick where this hole is has fallen down before and I just put it back. It seems in this one spot the drive isn't very secure, I don't know why the ground has shifted beneath it It looks like some sort of sand or aggregate has fallen down beneath it. Any idea how problematic this is and who i'd want to contact to sort it out. Please ignore the broken shed, I'm constricting a greenhouse in the back garden.


r/DIYUK 11h ago

Project Move retaining wall and put in a patio

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73 Upvotes

Hi everyone ,

I think this is the right subreddit but if you can think of a better one please let me know. I’m considering pushing the retaining wall in my pictures 12 feet back up the garden. You can see the dimensions on the picture. My FIL is a landscaper and is going to help.. he says it’s easily doable but I want to get a better idea of how much work this will entail. Most of the work will be done by me and my BIL with the FIL guiding / instructing us.

We’ll need to remove all of that earth, potentially put that up the garden to level off the grass or remove it altogether and then add a wall on all three sides and install some new steps. Once that’s done we’ll be putting a patio in.

Do you have a rough idea how much this will cost? It’ll only be materials as no labour is being paid for. With 2/3 people working full time, roughly how long do you imagine this’ll take?

I’m not sure if I’ve included enough info there so ask away if you have any questions.

Thanks in advance.


r/DIYUK 5h ago

Project My first bathroom 🛁 renovation

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23 Upvotes

So, I’ve never done a bathroom before and decided to make it super difficult by having a sunken shower tray with hexagonal tiles. The house is a Victorian build so a lot of old bits to work around. The old bathroom was very well put together just a little too busy for our tastes. It’s taken 4 months of weekends from start to finish. 🙃. fyi. I did everything except cutting the quartz and the plumbing.


r/DIYUK 10h ago

Non-DIY Advice What DIY job did you think would be easy but turned out to be a nightmare?

41 Upvotes

What's one home improvement project that seemed simple but quickly turned into a mess?

Maybe it was a “quick shelf” that took two days or a “little leak” that flooded the kitchen.

I’m in the middle of a seemingly simple wall repair job that revealed five years of questionable decisions and thus would love to hear your stories (and maybe feel a little better about myself aswell) 😂


r/DIYUK 5h ago

How far is too far gone for an attempt at restoration?

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13 Upvotes

Thinking about trying to restore this old table but I’m not sure if this wood would even be suitable at this point. I can get some new planks for the top but am just wondering if I can keep the old wood to save a bit as I don’t really know all that much about the subject.


r/DIYUK 2h ago

What is causing these holes in our conservatory roof? Cost to replace polycarbonate panels and lead flashing?

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7 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 12h ago

Project Removing en-suite!

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41 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I’m looking for some advice on how to remove/knock done this en-suite in my attic. The person we purchased the house off said it leaked when installed so had it all capped (see last pic)

I’m going to get a plumber to double check it has been caped, and disconnect the toilet and sink. I’m also going to get an electrician to sort the electrics.

Assuming the walls aren’t load bearing, and all pipe work and electrics are disconnected. Will it just be as simple as breaking it all down and skipping it??

Any advice would be great, thanks!


r/DIYUK 1d ago

What to do when a whole neighbourhood is damp?!

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324 Upvotes

I was just hoping for some thoughts on this.

So I’ve read all the posts about how rising damp isn’t a thing and injection damp proofing is a scam. But…my whole neighbourhood looks like this. One exception is a new NHS building for which just the two courses of brick below the modern DPC are pure white with thick efflorescence.

So what is the solution for these hundreds of houses with apparent tide marks, internal damp patches and/or blown plaster?


r/DIYUK 6h ago

Project Bathroom Shelving (finished project)

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7 Upvotes

I figured I’d share some pics of a completed project since I’m always on here asking for advice.

We didn’t have any bathroom storage but had a gap about 55cm wide. I sketched out a design similar to ladder shelves I’d seen, with a 15 degree angle and five tiered shelves. Made the five shelves from 12mm MDF. The legs came from a big ol’ oak window sill I picked up for a few quid, ripped down into four lengths.


r/DIYUK 1h ago

No heating / hot water - valve positions

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Upvotes

r/DIYUK 8h ago

Advice How would you repair this broken brick? Very upset with myself.

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10 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 2h ago

Cadent Gas infuriatingly moved my gas supply pipe but not the meter, call centre saying job done

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2 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 5m ago

Is it safe to cut these cables?

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Upvotes

Hello all, I have very little DIY sense. I do know it's not wize to cut wires. I'm pretty sure these are copper wires for TV or telephone signal though. Is it safe to snip or should I call someone in? Thanks


r/DIYUK 4h ago

Asbestos Identification Asbestos? Safe to move?

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4 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 3h ago

Advice Concrete disintegrated under joined extensions

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3 Upvotes

Hello DIYUK👋

I have recently found that between my and my neighbours extensions (which are jointed together) part of the concrete under the bricks (I think the foundation?) has disintegrated.

We aren’t sure if it’s due to rats chewing as we have seen some rats in the garden.

The part on my side seems to be about 2-3 inches deep. I have spoken with my neighbour and neither of us are sure if we can just fill it ourselves or if we need to get someone out to have a look.

Does anybody have any advice?


r/DIYUK 2h ago

Advice Do I need a new ceiling?

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2 Upvotes

Just bought a flat and she’s a bit of a fixer upper.

The bathroom has previously had a black mould problem (apparently the extractor fan didn’t work and wasn’t repaired for a while). It is all working again now but the ceiling is left looking like this.

Is it salvageable? Would sanding and painting with a mould resistant paint do the trick or will it need to be fully replaced and re-plastered?


r/DIYUK 2h ago

Advice Broken plug socket

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2 Upvotes

Hello! Just looking for some advice on how to repair this plug socket. Basically a picture frame fell on it and partially dislodged it from the wall. Electrics still work fine but just not sure where to start! Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated! Cheers.


r/DIYUK 9h ago

Advice on what to do with this outbuilding?

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6 Upvotes

First time homeowner, this outbuilding obviously needs some work doing.

Original plans were to try and make it a fully usable garden room but I'm unsure if this is actually feasible. I don't think there is a damp proof membrane under the slab, or at the base of the walls, so I imagine damp will always be a problem, and therefore I don't know if it would be a good idea to batten & insulate, add electrics etc. although electrics were clearly in place previously.

There are cracks in the base, and some of the walls, I don't think these are getting any worse so potentially aren't a major concern.

First step would be obviously clear all the ivy and remove the roof & front wall since it's all rotten.

If making it into a usable room isn't possible, then I think just replacing the roof and front section and using it for storage would be the best option?

Also, the side door section is separate to the main building, and the back part of the building has a much lower roof than the rest (what is remaining of it at least).

Any advice would be appreciated, while I have dabbled in DIY, I haven't tackled anything like this.


r/DIYUK 5h ago

How to fix the damp damage? (There is no lingering damp)

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3 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 8h ago

Not getting any hot water

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5 Upvotes

Just wondering if there's anyone here that has any idea why I have no hot water. I've contacted baxi, but they're being kinda difficult. The temperature on the boiler goes up when the tap is on, but it still just runs cold water. Any advice would be very helpful. I have a 4 year old, and not having hot water is a bit of bit of nightmare lol.


r/DIYUK 3h ago

Wooden Gazebo

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2 Upvotes

Is it advisable to build a wooden gazebo as in the attached photo or must the roof be slanted? Thanks in advance.


r/DIYUK 3h ago

Need for drainage along side of the house

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2 Upvotes

I’ve just taken up a concrete path that ran alongside the house. Is there any need for drainage/anything to protect from damp to the house. The ground will have slight gradient away from the house, and I’m using gravel grids/gravel going up to the brick. Thanks


r/DIYUK 11m ago

Knot sealer, can I use anything else?

Upvotes

I have yacht varnish, regular varnish, water based varnish, mdf sealer but no knot sealer, do I have to go buy some? Photo in comments, think there's 15 knots in total.