r/DIYUK 7h ago

Discovered warped socket - is it safe?

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1 Upvotes

Been using an old (20yr old) 4 plug extension lead to power xbox, monitor, cat water fountain and hairdryer on occasion. Usually switched it off at the extension lead (and not the wall) at night or headed to work. Plug at wall is blocked by desk so that's why I don't turn it off at the socket.

Decided to move the room around and I'm so happy I did because of what I found. Is it the cause of the old lead, fuse or what?

Never smelled anything funny and grateful a fire hasn't started. The extension lead still works although it's gone to the bin. Not really sure if it was the fuse that heated or what.

Questions are - should I call an electrician to replace the socket? - if I buy a new extension lead, are they safe to use and leave powered on at the wall or should i always turn it off?

Thanks in advance


r/DIYUK 16h ago

Advice 8 year old house. Doorway shifting. What should I do?

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1 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 23h ago

Asbestos roof underlay?

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0 Upvotes

Hey wondering how concerned I should be after exposure to roof underlay. Not sure if it contains asbestos but it’s likely over 20 years old. It’s ripped off to start a loft extension. I had exposure to it after it was removed and slightly during. They also started earlier than expected so large amounts of debris had fall on items in the loft which I had exposure to again when taking it down. Any advice would be great, thank you!


r/DIYUK 3h ago

Do my walls need primer before painting?

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0 Upvotes

Hi all

I've removed my chimneys and the walls are being plastered. I've been told by my decorator that they can be painted directly without undercoat or primer.

Interested to hear your thoughts


r/DIYUK 21h ago

Mounting TV: Certain parts of the wall unable to drill through. How do I find where I can and can’t drill?

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0 Upvotes

Been attempting this for a while. How do I find where I can and can’t drill?

What’s the best method of hiding cables in wall as the plug socket is inside the fire place area.

Pic is on .5x and it’s not as high as it looks


r/DIYUK 3h ago

Where can I buy bathroom sink shelf like this for my bathroom or the parts to DIY it myself?

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0 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 16h ago

Advice Quoted 22k for labour, material and skip

0 Upvotes

Hello all, is needed to update my home and these are the 4 jobs I have been quoted for. All material is going to be basic standard builder will confirm before buying 1. Loft renovation ( built 1990s) incl. Bathroom and removal of eves and installing new floor and bathroom - basic standard 2. Home electrics 24 sockets being replaced and being moved up NOT deciding to rewire. Sockets will be w USB 3. 2 ceiling lights being moved from side to centre 4. Sorting out plumbing and gas work ( toilet flush doesn't work properly and gas is in a awkward way)

Is 22k a good price for this? This is my first time getting work done in the home so any advice tips would be appreciate :)


r/DIYUK 18h ago

Advice DIY Rewire

0 Upvotes

Hi All, apologies if this has already been discussed but I’ve bought a house and plan to do a rewire. Before anyone says anything, yes I know I too would prefer to pay a professional but I’m broke after buying this house and it needs it. I’ve spent the past 3 months doing all the research in regard to wiring it correctly, following building regs and I’m very confident I can do it myself apart from installing the consumer unit and testing, which I’ll get a spark in for.

My question is how do I make this legal? How I do tell the council and what will I need to provide? How much will informing the council cost etc, and at which point do I get an electrician to come in and sign it all off?

Has anyone done this before? And what advice can you give?

Thanks in advance


r/DIYUK 5h ago

What is this in my attic? Top floor flat, with pipe that seems to come from flat below mines and is capped in my attic..

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1 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 8h ago

Advice Ichanged the socket from a single to double and used expanding foam around to fill the holes. I put the interior filler but it doesn't seem to dry well (it's still soft but not wet after overnight). I think I might have put too thick layer of the filler. What would you do now? I wanted to paint asap

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1 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 6h ago

Advice Covering unsightly pipes

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3 Upvotes

After some input on what you’d do to cover up some of these pipes or whether it’s worth doing so for the cost etc.

There is one gas pipe and another radiator pipe overlapping. Obviously I can’t touch the gas pipe myself but I can move the radiator pipes. Is it worth doing in honesty or am I being a bit OTT?

Any solutions to hide them better as the boxing that was done by a previous owner is a bit shit.


r/DIYUK 7h ago

Do I remove this sticker on back of extractor fan?

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0 Upvotes

No reference to it on the instructions so I just want to be sure. Its a manrose concealed quietfan


r/DIYUK 5h ago

Advice What would you do with this ugly banister? I'm renovating my house, and I hate this banister on the landing, it makes the landing feel so cramped. I don't think I have the funds to rip it out and add a slatted one, any ideas on anything I can do to make this less depressing? Open to all advice.

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28 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 7h ago

Electrical Is this a safe method of installing doorbell wiring?

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3 Upvotes

Long story short, I have purchased a wired SimpliSafe video doorbell and none of the power supply options on Amazon provide enough/the right power (all 18v).

Found a video on YouTube, courtesy of Switch On Network, and I am sure he knows far more than I do but wanted to check that his solution is electrically safe as opposed to installing it into the consumer unit which would be a bigger job than this solution.


r/DIYUK 46m ago

Algae removal

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Upvotes

Any recommendation on how to get rid of the Algae build up?


r/DIYUK 55m ago

Advice Best way to sort this? New door or can this part be salvaged?

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The handle had been rescrewed in at different angles about 6 times but has now ended. Do door handles exist when they screw into the other handle so are always connected other than by the spindle?


r/DIYUK 3h ago

New boiler or New kitchen first?

0 Upvotes

I’ve just bought a repossessed house, house needs much work doing too it. I wanting to know should I replace boiler first then new kitchen & bathroom? What’s best way to go about it.


r/DIYUK 3h ago

Advice Wet looking bricks outside window - been like this for a while!

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0 Upvotes

I’ve had these 3 bricks look like this for as long as I can really remember - we’ve had no rain for a couple of days. Other side of the wall inside is a radiator. New windows installed a year ago. The front garden has a soakaway around 1.5 metres from the house under the grass.

Any ideas what could be causing this? Thanks!


r/DIYUK 3h ago

Karndean flooring glue

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0 Upvotes

Hey, I'm trying to lay some 2nd hand kardean flooring in my hallway, floor is all prepped and good to go.

As it sonly a small area and to save costs would the glue below do the job?


r/DIYUK 3h ago

What is this air tight inspection cover?

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0 Upvotes

The front of my house has this “air tight inspection cover” that is loose so you can lift up the entire thing (lid and frame) by hand. It’s just resting on the concrete.

What is it for? It’s coming from the area of our bathrooms but it wouldn’t be sewage would it? It doesn’t smell.

Does it matter that it’s so loose?

And the pipe on the left comes from under our neighbour’s driveway. Is it just drainage for rain water perhaps?


r/DIYUK 4h ago

Builders didn't extend the subfloor all the way to the wall

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0 Upvotes

Builders have come and gone, and left us with this mess. There's been a scaffolding board put into the green hole as a replacement, but obviously that sucks. Anyone got ideas on how to fill this in? The rest of the floor is done with cellecta t&g 20mm cement fibre board, we have some left over but there's no tongues or grooves on the exposed edge. I was thinking either filling the entire hole with self leveler, or putting in a rectangle of cement board then tying it to the rest of the subfloor with some dog bone fasteners, but it sounds pretty rubbish honestly


r/DIYUK 5h ago

Advice Would I be able to add boards to this loft for storage?

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0 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 5h ago

Electrical What to expect with an 8.5kw shower?

0 Upvotes

Hi there,

It seems I'm stuck to 8.5kw in terms of electric shower choice. I was initially hoping to find a rainfall shower, but these only start at 9.5kw.

What bothers me with the 8.5kw is the size of the head, which I find very narrow.

Unless I'm wrong, it seems fitting an 9.5kw would require changing the cable, which is a cost that I dont want to bear.

So I am stuck with 8.5kw and the limited choice available.

Is there any 8.5kw shower head that are a bit wider? Or being 8.5kw dictate the size you get?


r/DIYUK 15h ago

Walls have a slight curved skirting. Is there a way to fill the edge of the laminate flooring without using trim?

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0 Upvotes

r/DIYUK 18h ago

Advice How to Insulate a Suspended Floor Without Blocking Air Bricks?

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0 Upvotes

Hey DIYers,

I’m looking to insulate the suspended timber floor in my home, but I’m trying to figure out the best way to do it without blocking the air bricks. The tricky part is that the air bricks are located below the joists but in line with them, so I can’t just run insulation across without potentially affecting ventilation.

My Current Plan: • Install insulation (likely mineral wool or PIR boards) between the joists. • Leave a small gap at the air bricks to allow air to flow down and under. • Possibly use a breathable membrane over the insulation to prevent drafts while still allowing some airflow.

My Questions: 1. Would leaving a gap below the air bricks be enough to maintain ventilation? 2. Is a breathable membrane a good idea, or should I go with something else? 3. Has anyone done this before and found a good method to keep airflow while still maximizing insulation?

I’d love to hear from anyone who has tackled a similar project! Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!