Electrics, plumbing, plastering, fitting an eastbourne kitchen
The kitchen has as expected taken up all of this week.
Oliver was off sick on Tuesday and so a delay started... by Thursday he and Abdul (his apprentice) had rewired the kitchen and corrected some horror scenarios in the consumer unit (fuse box). The best one being that when the main switch was turned off - the house was still live. Still all's well that ends well. The faults have been put right and the kitchen is now up to current regs. Oliver and Abdul finished 'first fix' on Wednesday. The owners then decided that they would like the kitchen walls skimmed prior to fitting the kitchen. This meant that Raf started plastering late on Wednesday evening and completed the task by just after 23:00.
By doing it like that Oliver was able to do 'second fix' and 'test and certify' by late Thursday afternoon. While all of this was happening I had sorted the rerouting of the plumbing so that it was all ready for the final connections when the kitchen was fitted... Friday morning we finally started fitting. By close of play today, Saturday, the clients now have a fully functioning kitchen. Monday will be a short day of small details and by the mid afternoon we will be on our way to the next job.
Labels: Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing
Resealing a shower tray.
From the phone call it sounded simple enough.
"I've tried sealing the shower tray several times - but it is still leaking!" So went the call. I called to investigate - and opened a can of worms! The plumbing was sound. In fact the Eastbourne plumber who had been called in to renew the shower valve had done a very nice job. That wasn't the problem. The shower tray was enclosed on three sides. and someone else had obviously used several tubes of silicone, and had added those ghastly, useless trim seals to it. It was - in the homeowners words - a mess. The shower tray pedestal panel was removed and yes, it was definitely wet under there. The shower tray was in fact being held in place by the silicone because the floor in one corner was completely rotted away!
And so the nightmare on Schofield Way Eastbourne began.
In order to renew the floor and reseat a new shower tray (The old one was finished) the tray had to come out. Tiles had to be removed and walls cut back to free the tray, and then more of the walls needed to be cut back some more to allow the new (deeper) tray to 'slip' in. It doesn't sound difficult on paper - but believe me it was a nightmare. Not a job for the faint hearted. It was much akin to me trying to fit into the size trousers I wore two decades ago. With much grunting and puffing and swearing the new shower tray is firmly in place and ready to be tiled on Monday.
Now it's just a case of making good and the job is complete. All nightmares end. Jim'll Fix It 07930 335 937
Labels: Miscellaneous, Plumbing
Rain stopped play
What a miserable week (weatherwise) last week was.
It rained, and rained, and rained, and then it rained some more. My plan had been to complete the basement porch. Someone must have heard about my plan, and smiled. Then that someone let it rain for forty days and forty nights... No, that was someone else, wasn't it? It just felt like forty days and nights.
What I did manage to do was catch up with other workloads.
I've changed several light fittings, renewed sockets, switches, and a cooker hood, replaced washers on literally dozens of taps, rehung a couple of doors, restored two of my customers computers to fully functioning former glory, replaced a hand rail, built some flatpack, custom built a kitchen cabinet to hide a boiler, hung some curtains, and wired up a door bell. The one thing I didn't do last week was stop and offer a lift to a young teenage girl standing at a lonely bus stop in the pouring rain.
Why not?
Prejudice and cowardice!
I'm a 55 year old man driving a builder's van.
She was about 11 - 16 (who can tell?) and drowning at the bus stop.
Driving along the road, I was approaching the bus stop and saw her standing there, trying to hide behind the bus stop pole for protection against the rain.
I started to slow down, intending to offer a her a lift.
The windscreen wipers were having difficulty keeping up with the rain.
In the same second as I started to slow down, I made the decision to continue on without stopping. I don't think she even noticed me or the van.
Twenty years ago I would have stopped.
Ten years ago I would have stopped.
Five years ago I would have stopped.
But last week I didn't.
As I prepared to slow down, my thoughts were purely selfish.
She'll think I'm some sort of pervert.
She'll be afraid.
She could accuse me of something afterwards and I will have no defence.
and many other scenarios filled me with disquiet.
I have found the whole thing strangely sad.
She will never know that it made me feel wretched.
What has happened that we have developed into a society where I, and people like me, don't do what comes naturally (to offer help), because we are afraid of what might never happen.
Am I getting older and wiser, or simply older and more afraid?
Labels: Carpentry, Electrical, Flatpack, Miscellaneous, Plumbing, Rants
Fixed my own toilet!!!!
For (at least!) the last two months we've been living with water hammer.
Since mid September we've had the drone of water hammer every time the loo was used. Having a handyman as a husband, my wife should have been able to expect the job to be done immediately. Why has she been waiting for so long? I hear you cry. To be honest I have no idea! It's bugged me since it started! The drone was terrible. It just went on and on.
We were having a lie in this morning/afternoon and all of a sudden I decided to fix it. So there I was, on a peaceful Sunday, in my lolly gaggers, head under the cistern, replacing the defective ball valve. It only took a few minutes and the job was done.
What I still can't figure out is why it took so long for me to get around to it. . I knew what the problem was. I had the parts in the van. I had the tools to hand. I knew it would only take a few minutes. So why oh why did it take so long? Can any one tell me?
Labels: Plumbing
Kitchen Fitter Plumber Carpenter Electrician Handyman Eastbourne
One of the things I'm doing this week is fitting a kitchen.
It's from B&Q. Bits are either missing or damaged.
Kitchen fitting demands a large range of skills from carpentry and plumbing to electrics and tiling, and can often include plastering and decorating.
There's nothing particularly difficult about fitting a kitchen, but only having some of the parts does make it far more interesting to fit. A sink without a strainer. The same sink without the blanking plug. Worktop damaged (under the label!!!!!). Worktop jointing bolts, but no compound. Drawer fronts damaged (but not a mark on the packaging). To be fair, it doesn't matter where the kitchen comes from, there will almost always be one or two hiccups.
The reason I prefer to use a trade supplier is that when things do go wrong (as they will) I've always found they are put right immediately. My preference is whenever possible to use
Howdens Joinery Ltd in Eastbourne. They are super friendly, bend over backwards to help, and always have good deals.
Labels: Carpentry, Plumbing
Burlington Bell Cistern
Had to refurbish and refit an old
burlington cistern this morning.
Solid cast iron, 80 years old, and still working.
How long does a modern cistern last?
Not that long, that's for definite.
If you're curious as to how they work follow this
link
And here's the matching pan!
They don't make them like this any more!
Labels: Plumbing
Plumbing: Change a ball valve on a toilet cistern
As a handyman I get called to many overflow problems.
There are many variations on this theme.
Whether its a toilet cistern, cold water tank, or the central heating header tank, the process is generally very similar.
I've taken a couple of photos while on the job to show you what neeeds to be done.
The object in question is a side entry low level cistern. It's probably the simplest to do.
In a ideal world the sequence is as follows:
1. TURN OFF THE WATER!
2. FLUSH TOILET!(Let out at least some of the water)
________________________
3. DISCONNECT BALL VALVE FROM SUPPLY
(usually 15mm pipe - but not always)
_____________________________
4. UNDO BACK NUT AND REMOVE BALL VALVE
Normally two nuts hold the ball valve in place -
one on the inside and one on the outside.
5. FIT NEW BALL VALVE
Just reverse the order of doing the above.
Turn water on and check for correct function
AND LEAKS!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again it's a simple process, but simple doesn't mean easy, and be aware, there are things that can go wrong.
If you are in any doubt - call me (Jim) on 07930 335 937.
Labels: Plumbing
An overview of how to grout tiles
I was asked by a customer today if I would give her an idea how to grout a worktop back splash herself. Here's a quick overview of what I suggested she needed to do.
Tile grout requires two main tools.
A good sponge.
A rubber float that has a crisp edge.
Floats can be found at virtually any tile shop.
Grout sponges are synthetic and have rounded edges.
You will also need two clean buckets.
Mix the grout in a bucket until it resembles the consistency of fairly stiff double cream. It should be able to stick onto a knife without any trouble.
As you begin to mix, the grout will probably seem lumpy.
Mix it for about two minutes and then just let it sit for a few minutes.
After the few minutes you will notice that the lumps simply disappear with a little more mixing. Pour tepid water into the other clean bucket.
Be aware during the next stage grout will get all over the tile and it’ll look a mess!
Starting at the highest point and working down, grouting about a half to a square metre at a time, apply grout to the tiles. Wet the rubber float, and using back and forth strokes, spread the grout across the tiles. Cross over the grout joints between tiles at a 45-degree angle while holding the rubber float at a 45-degree angle. The grout lines will look over full and messy at this point. Now pull the float across the tile at a 45-degree angle to remove the excess grout. Remove as much excess from the tile as possible with the rubber float.
Immerse your sponge in the bucket of clean water. Squeeze the sponge to remove ALL the water. Now gently rub the sponge across the face of the tiles in a circular motion. The sponge will quickly fill up with grout. Rinse it out and squeeze the sponge almost dry again. Do this over the area you grouted until the tiles looks fairly clean. The joints will still look quite rough. Rinse the sponge again, turn the sponge on its edge and run the sponge lightly up and down the grout line. Do this process over again on all grout lines and it will look first class. Remember to keep the sponge rinsed and dried. Remember to keep the water bucket reasonably clean
When you do everything properly, the joints will look perfect.
There will still be a haze on the tile.
Wait about an hour or so until the grout firms up, and remove the haze with a clean, almost dry sponge. Let the new grout dry for about 24 hours and then with a soft towel polish away any residual grout haze. Job done!
If you don’t fancy doing the job yourself – give me a call on 07930 335 937
Labels: Miscellaneous, Plumbing
Here's a list of things I do
I'm always being asked can you do this or can you do that
so here is a list in alaphbetical order of some of the things I can do
Add or remove shelving
Aviaries built
Bathroom accessories hung
Bird houses built
Blinds installed
Bookcases made to measure
Cat enclosures
Carpentry & Joinery
Ceiling fans installed
Central Heating*
Wardrobe organizers installed
Clothes Dryers
Decks and Decking
Dog Kennels
Doors hung, repaired, or adjusted
Dual Flush Toilets Installed
External Painting*
Fencing & Gates
Fireplaces installed
Fixtures installed or replaced
Flat Pack Kits Assembled
Garden Maintenance
General Repairs*
Glazing*
Hanging pictures and whiteboards
Hardware replaced
Hardwood floors
Install curtain poles
Install Fly screens
Install Hand rails
Internal Painting*
Landscaping & Gardening *
Light fixtures installed or repaired
Locks fitted
Mailboxes installed
Maintenance
Mirrors hung
New appliances installed
Outdoor grill/fireplaces
Painting & Decorating*
Pergolas
Pet Doors
Pet flaps
Picture hanging
Plumbing
Pressure Cleaning*
Renovation
Repair simple leaks
Replacement of Sash Cords
Roofing Repairs*
Rot repair
Shelving
Shower doors installed
Skylights*
Small repairs
Smoke Detectors
Staircases & Handrails
Storage sheds
Swing sets
Switches replaced
Toilets installed or replaced
Trim carpentry
Vent fans installed
Waste Disposals installed or repaired
Weather stripping
Window Shutters
Windows & Locks
Windows repaired
if you need help give me a call on 07930 335 937
Labels: Carpentry, Decking, Door viewer, Electrical, Fencing, fitted wardrobes, Flatpack, gardening, Laminate, Miscellaneous, Plumbing
Dripping toilet overflow
If your toilet/water tank/CH header tank overflow is dripping, there's probably a problem with the Ball valve - occasionally it can be the ball itself.
If the washer inside the valve is faulty, replacing
the washer in a ball valves is false economy! Replacing the ball valve is by far the best solution, it's relatively simple to do
Here's a brief overview of the procedure
First, isolate the water supply to the cistern/tank, then you'll probably need to bail out some water using a small jug or cup. Using a large spanner or water pump pliers undo the nut holding the water supply pipe to the Ball valve and disconnect. Undo the nuts which are holding the valve to the cistern. Refit the new Ball valve and tighten all nuts before reconnecting the water inlet pipe to it. Let the water in Check for leaks Make sure the new valve operates freely. Reward yourself with a cup of tea. You deserve it In an ideal situation it's a very simple procedure, but that doesn't mean it can't go wrong . If you are in any doubt call me on 07930 335 937.
Labels: Plumbing
Plumbase Eastbourne Showroom Open
Well it's taken longer than expected but now it's finally open.
Plumbase have a new showroom on a new mezzanine floor above the trade desks.
If you're thinking of a new bathroom or shower visit their showrooms.
You'll get proper advice, fast delivery, and excellent prices.
Location MapPlumbase EastbourneUnit 12, Hawthorn Road Industrial Estate
Hawthorn
RoadEastbourne,
East Sussex
BN23 6
QATel. 01323 746666
Click here to emailLabels: Plumbing
All those small jobs area lot of work
Lots and lots of small jobs today. Plumbing in a new dishwasher; changing ceramic tap heads; making a dresser child safe (is that possible?); replacing some missing flashing; building flatpack bunk beds; installing a bath panel; removing a shower; and not fogetting renwing silicone sealant around two shower screens. It's a grand life being Eastbourne's Jim'll Fix It!
Labels: Carpentry, Flatpack, Plumbing
Waste Disposal Units
I arrived home today spattered from head to foot with gunge from a WDU (commonly known as a waste disposal unit). The smell was awful. I'd received a 'help' call from a distressed eighty year old lady, who'd been told by two 'experts' that her WDU was dead and in need of replacement. She didn't believe them and called me, and so, changing into my alter ego, I became "Superhandyman". With my underpants pulled up over my Lycra leggings, my stomach(sorry that should read sinews) bulging under my skin tight vest I sprung into action. In a flash I flew down Upperton Road and arrived at the high rise block of flats known as Hamilton House. In my younger years, I would have scaled the side of this building to get to the distressed damsel; but today I am older and wiser; and so I decided to take the lift to the top floor instead. The smell of rotten everything filled the air. The lady was clearly upset. The smell brought tears to my eyes too.
A waste disposal unit is a fine thing when it works, but a nightmare when it goes wrong. This one had been in situ for 30 years. A quick intake of breath and I dived under the sink. But wait! First I had to clear out all the bottles of toxic chemicals that lie buried in the depths of her kitchen sink cupboard. The labels were faded; over the years the liquids had congealed to a glutenous substance of indeterminate use. Here a tin of 'Duraglit', there a tin of 'Vim', at the back, a box of rock hard 'Tide' washing powder.
It's amazing what a trip down memory lane you can find in an old ladies drawers.
Having cleared the cupboard it was time to tackle the problem. Removing a recently fitted WDU is simple enough. Removing a WDU that has sat undisturbed for 30 years is a whole different ball game. Years of expensive technical training in the world's leading academies has given me skills beyond the measure of mere mortals. However, when finesse and clever solutions fail, reach for a big hammer. After ten minutes and a skinned knuckle the WDU was sitting on the worktop. The stench was unrelenting. Superhandyman was covered in sweat.
The real advantage of 'old' equipment is that it can generally be repaired. Taking the WDU apart I quickly discovered the problem. A dish cloth was wrapped around the crushing, cutting, grinding, shredding blades of the WDU, which meant that the blades couldn't crush, cut, grind or shred. The cloth was buried under a mound of broken egg shells, disintegrated tea bags, and fats and gristle of indeterminate age. The stink level was now into the danger zone, and Superhandyman wanted to wretch. With a strong tug on the cloth the blades came free - and so did the gristle, teabags and eggshells. Being a super hero I took the full force of the blast. The sink now looked like an example of modern abstract fit for a Turner Prize exhibition. The artist Tracy Emin would have been proud to have it in her Portfolio. The look of disgust on the lady's face told me I would not be allowed to use her good towels to clean myself up.
The rebuild took only a few minutes; the refitting of the WDU a few minutes more, and then came the moment of truth... The sound of a thirty year old WDU coming back to life was music to Superhandyman's ears. The clean up took another 15 minutes. Super handyman had done it again. Soon he was on his way home to clean up and return to his day job certain in the knowledge that he had left a serene smile of contented satisfaction spread over the old lady's face.
Labels: Plumbing
Re-arrange the kitchen
One of the jobs I've done this week was to revamp a kitchen layout. The old units were still in good condition and after a little bit of thought were able to be re-arranged into a completely new layout. I had to cut down a larder unit that would otherwise have been surplus to requirements, and made a base unit from the carcass which now fits under a new worktop. Electrics needed to be re-routed and appliances placed into new positions. During the rebuild the place looked chaotic. Bits and pieces were lying around all over the place. Appliances were moved here there and everywhere. The whole thing only took half a day to complete, but even so, at the end I was absolutely 'nadgered'. Material costs were only£60, and now, the lady has a new kitchen! She's very pleased - and yes I do mean very pleased! It doesn't need to cost thousands to put a smile on a lady's lips.
Labels: Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing
Power showers versus electric showers
Fitted a replacement electric shower this afternoon. The old one had given up the ghost and had been tripping the fuse. I 'm not a great lover of these types of showers because it's virtually impossible to get wet under the things. The flow rate even on the best ones is little better than a drizzle. Give me a power shower any time. When it comes to getting wet (which is the whole idea of showering isn't it?) then the cheapest, nastiest, power shower is far far better than the most expensive electric shower. When either will do I suppose there must some good reason for installing an electric shower, it's just I can't think what they could be. Having said that, they are very popular. Oh well, to each his own, as they say.
Labels: Plumbing
A tough week ends with a deserved Sunday rest
This week has been so hectic that I didn't have time to keep up with this blog.
The whole week has been one mad rush and my knees, and leg muscles are telling me I've worked hard.
Apart from putting up curtains (if there's anybody out there who thinks it's women's work should try taking down heavy drapes on your their own and replacing them with equally heavy drapes -- it ain't light work!).
I've also been hanging two front doors; replacing the roof felt on two shed roofs; dismantling 36' of larch lap fence with 3" posts, and replacing it with sturdy close board fencing with 4" posts;
scarf jointing some rotten frame work; replacing a rotten porch post and
sill plate (it was only ten years old!); hanging a garage side door; changing a toilet cistern; fixing two leaking washing machine connectors; and repairing a video security system. That's on top of all the other bits and pieces that came along, like building from scratch, a new door, drawer box, and draw front, in pine, on a damaged
Ducal sideboard. The lady had been surprised at my estimate for custom building the two fronts, but now that it's finished, is delighted with the result, and hasn't stopped telling people. It's great when that sort of thing happens.
Add to that my time planning was a bit wonky this week - I'd underestimated how long a couple of jobs would take, and the wind and rain on Tuesday didn't help. I took a few photos this week, meaning to publish them on this site, but managed to delete them instead of transferring them to the computer. My apologies to those who expected to see their photos here! It's been a tough ol' week.
Labels: Carpentry, Fencing, Plumbing
Ceramic Tap Washers
I was reading Bruce Greig's excellent 0800Handyman Blog and came across a very interesting post (it was interesting to me because I agree wholeheartedly!). For those too idle to click the link "under blogs I like", I reproduce it here.
21 February 2007
Ceramic tap valves
Seamus, our General Manager, was talking to me yesterday about the problems we have fixing ceramic tap valves. Most modern taps use ceramic quarter-turn valves instead of rubber washers. Ceramic quarter-turn valves last much longer than rubber washers, and the taps are much more pleasant to use as you only have to twist the handle a quarter turn to get full flow, rather than screwing it around and around like an old-fashioned tap.But when a ceramic valve tap plays up, it is a mission to fix. The quickest (and therefore cheapest for the customer) solution is to replace the valve. But few valves are the same, so you have to identify and supply a matching valve. If you know the manufacturer's name, and even better the tap name or model number, it is easy. But how many people know who made their taps? Not many.Plumbers merchants seem to hold only the slimmest range of replacement valves, and in our experience we can only source a matching valve from someone's stock in about 50% of jobs. How do we deal with the other 50%? Our handyman zaps a photo over to the office, and Seamus uses Google Image search to find one that looks to have the right parameters and we order a few in.So we can usually do it, but I have to say it is never very convenient for the customer, often requiring two separate visits (just to fix a tap!). A rubber washer tap would rarely take more than half-an-hour to fix, if that. But it can easily cost £100 to source and replace a ceramic tap valve, and you can buy a very nice brand new quarter-turn tap for that. Of course a specialist plumber with a van full of spares might be able to solve this problem more easily, if they keep a large stock of different tap valves in their van. But if plumbers merchants don't even keep a wide range, seems unlikely that a plumber would. I would be interested to know.Our aim is to identify a set of valves which will cover 100% of replacements. For a while Seamus had thought that three particular ceramic valves would cover all eventualities, but it had just been lucky that those three worked in a long run of tap-fixing-jobs. We soon found a whole load of taps for which our magic range of three valves didn't work. He now has a range of 10 different valves which, since a renewed effort to solve this problem, have worked in all cases.Still, having every handyman carry even just 10 different valves around is not very efficient. Each handyman probably only does one tap job every couple of weeks (I'm guessing here, haven't checked the stats), so it would take at least 6 months to turn over that stock of 10 valves, not very efficient from a stock-holding point of view.(Astute readers will be thinking, why replace the valve at all? Why not just take it apart and service it, that should get it working again. Correct. But that also takes a lot of time, and if after cleaning it up (including leaving to soak in a descalant) it still doesn't work you've wasted a whole load of the customer's time. Our view is that it is better to replace to be on the safe side.)
Posted by Bruce Greig at 16:46 Labels: Plumbing
Malice in the loft
I was up in three lofts today changing ballcock valves. Two of them were simple. Turn off the water, undo two nuts, change the valve, reconnect, turn on the water, check for leaks and function, job done. Nothing challenging about that is there? Ten minutes, and you're on your way. Normally that's the case. Simple job, simple transaction, everybody happy.
But not if one of THOSE tradesmen installed the cold water tank.
You will seldom hear me talk badly of others - I don't like to do it. It's just that sometimes, just sometimes, I believe that the occasional tradesman(?) has an ignorant streak. Either that or they're just plain stupid. Imagine if you will, a 50's build house with classic timber cut pitched roof, a loft the size of a tennis court. An old, disconnected, galvanised cold water tank, lies empty and discarded to one side. At some time in the late 90's a plumber ( so the old lady home owner informs me) of, I believe, dubious parentage had installed a clean shiny black plastic cold water tank. So far so good. Now remember this loft is almost the size of a tennis court. Over in the corner, as tight under the rafters as is humanly possible, the tank has been installed. No real problem just strange. But now comes the crunch... It had been connected with all connections on the the roof line side. In order to get to the ballcock the tank had to be moved!!!!! Yes, in many lofts there is precious little room to move but in this one there was loads of space. It wasn't as if
they had taken the shortest horizontal route. There was no apparent logical reason to have done what they did. To me it seems as if it was just pure malice. Ignorant, or stupid you decide.
Ignorance is man made and to be despised, stupidity is God given and therefore no fault of their own. I still don't know if they should be despised or pitied. What do you think?
Labels: Plumbing, Rants
Seized stopcocks, horrible doors, and knackered taps
It's Thursday.
February is already a quarter gone!
Before you know it, it will be Easter.
Focusing on all the small jobs, as I do, very often, in fact more often than not, it leads to bigger jobs. I cannot recount the number of times that I've gone to a house to do one tiny job
(today for instance, it was change a couple of light bulbs), while doing that one small job, a number of other "quickies" came to the client's mind, and before you know it a long list was put together. This sort of scenario happens again and again and again. Very often the client, who is by this stage delighted that all the little jobs have been done so quickly, says can you do this, that, or the other, and then the talk turns to hanging all the doors in the house, building a deck, re-jigging the kitchen, or... well the list goes on and on. When asked if I can do something my answer is almost always YES! Although I can do most things, I now choose to limit myself to the small stuff and introduce them to other good trades people. Because if I don't do the job, I know a man who can.
Plumbing has been high on the agenda this week.
I've done four seized stopcocks,
one leaking toilet cistern ball valve,
two changes of monobloc kitchen taps,
and fixed two washing machine connections.
These tiny jobs have, this week, led to Norman painting several rooms in two houses, a couple of additional plastering jobs for Graham, and the replacement of a leaking immersion heater cylinder by Jeff. I've replaced a couple of doors, rebuilt a garden gate, and been asked to build a custom rabbit hutch and run! Boring this work is not!
Who knows what tomorrow will bring?
Labels: Carpentry, Plumbing
Growing older
I live in Pevensey Bay. I like Pevensey Bay. One of the reasons I like it is because if you're under 55 in P Bay you're considered a teenager. As you know, I have a lot of very nice customers. Many of them are elderly, and many live in P Bay. One of the many things I'm asked to do is take out baths and fit shower cubicles. Often the customer can no longer get his or her leg over the bath edge, or can't sit down, or they can get in, but can't get back up . There are so many different solutions and they can often be tailored to suit individual circumstances.
Without exception, all of my elderly customers were once young, fit, and healthy.
I can't begin to know what they feel, but I can only think it must be frustrating getting older.
I found this article in a book I read quite often - - I think it says a lot on the subject of getting older, sometimes when I read it I can see myself.
If we are getting older it will be harder to acknowledge that we have not been called to spectacular service, that we are unlikely now to make a stir in the world, that our former dreams of doing some great healing work had a great deal of personal ambition in them. A great many men and women have had to learn this unpalatable lesson - and then have discovered that magnificent opportunities lay all around them. We need not go to the ends of the earth to find them; we need not be young, clever, fit, beautiful, talented, trained, eloquent or very wise. We shall find them among our neighbours as well as among strangers, in our own families as well as in unfamiliar circles - magnificent opportunities to be kind and patient and understanding. This is a vocation just as truly as some more obviously seen as such - the vocation of ordinary men and women called to continual, unspectacular acts of loving kindness in the ordinary setting of every day. They need no special medical boards before they embark on their service, need no inoculation against anything but indifference and lethargy, and perhaps a self-indulgent shyness.
How simple it sounds; how difficult it often is.
Clifford Haigh, 1962
If you need some ideas about showers and baths, for yourself, or someone you know, pop along to the new showrooms at Plumbase Unit 12, Hawthorn Road, Eastbourne, Tel:01323 746666.
Labels: Fencing, Philosophy, Plumbing, Rants
Plumbing with ice cold feet
What a suprise this morning's snow was. I know it had been forecast for East Sussex, but when I woke up and looked out the window, it was a gigantic suprise when I saw they'd got it right. I was so overcome I wanted to go straight back to bed. In Eastbourne we seem to have a micro climate, and whatever the rest of Sussex might be experiencing, we nearly always appear to fare better. Except for wind! What do you think? Post a comment and tell me.
I'm always interested in what the weather's going to do, and so I went looking for weather forecasts. Beside using
Weatherbonk because of the live webcam, I also use the
Met Office Weather. It's all down to personal taste.
I had a lovely customer today. She wanted me to re-route some pipework in preparation for a new kitchen being installed. The old kitchen has been removed, the pipework has been altered,
and the lady can now get her kitchen installed. When she bought the house a few months ago it was very run down. With lots of design ideas she is detemined to bring the property up to a high standard. It's still half finished. The kitchen is literally an empty shell, and the plasterers have yet to skim the walls. The bathroom has been re-fitted and is now being tiled. At the moment the house is like a building site - a building site with one tiny exception - in all the main walkways - wall-to-wall near white carpets! If it had been me, I would have left the carpet fitting until after the messy work was finished. But what do I know I'm just a man!
As a rule I go to
Plumbase for virtually anything plumbing. I've been using them for years. The guys are friendly and helpful, and I've noticed that when non-trade people go in there, they are not treated like idiots - as so many trade outlets do. I've seen them deal with some outlandish requests from the public, but they're always patient and helpful.
Labels: Plumbing
Radiators Valves Stop Cocks and other plumbing jobs
After you've read this post - go and do it!
I get called to so many homes on small plumbing jobs.
A dripping overflow, a tap washer worn out, a toilet cistern not flushing. As I've said before, basic plumbing is simple. BUT.... it's made a whole lot more difficult when the stop cocks are siezed. Thankfully, most people don't have to suffer household plumbing emergencies too often. But when something springs a leak it needs to be dealt with straight away.
I won't go into a long essay about how to fix a leak, you can find more information
hereWhat I want to do is ask you to do one simple thing twice a year. It will save you a lot of heartache, and it may save you money in the early replacement costs of the valves.
Stopcocks seize up if left untouched for too long, so turn it off and on again every six months. If it's stiff or doesn't turn off (clockwise), a pair of pliers may help, but don't force it too hard - stopcocks can shear off and cause a real flood. When you've found your stopcock - label it in case of emergencies. Next time you have someone in to do some plumbing, ask which other valves will isolate hot or cold water, and label them too.
If you can't find a stopcock inside the house, then there should be one outside the house, it's better to find it before an emergency arises!
Now you've read this - go and find them NOW while it's fresh in your mind - otherwise you'll have to do it in an emegency.
Labels: Plumbing
Doors Outside Lights, and Sovereign Harbour
Today I went to see a client that had been given some old doors. I have to admit when they told me on the phone I did stifle a groan. When I went around to see them (I always try to get to people the same day), I was close to groaning out loud. Mildewed bananas came to mind. The doors were literally black with fungus and had been poorly stored. They looked as if they had come off a skip, and I hoped they would be finding their way back there. and to add insult to injury, the "new"doors were the wrong size anyway, and so after a brief natter, we agreed that I should hang new doors. Boy, was I relieved. Now I have something to look forward to on Monday.
I like hanging doors. No, I take that back. I love hanging doors. It's my favourite thing to do. The trickier the better. If you fancy hanging a door yourself read this
PDF from Gary Katz. He's American - and yes I know they do it differently over there - but he does come up with some neat answers to a few of the tricky bits. If you don't want to do it yourself call me 07930 335 937.
Having spent most of the day in
Sovereign Harbour changing light and socket fittings, I managed to amuse myself, in the late afternoon, with clearing another load of gutters! After yesterday you would have thought I had had enough, but that's just the way this work is. For some reason different types of work always seems to comes in batches. Lets just hope that batch is finished.
Labels: Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing
Drains sinks and other fascinating things...
While surfing the web last weekend I found a couple of new toys . I'm always interested what the weather is going to be like and so I tried this out.
An Eastbourne Handyman link. I put up a
webcam in a matter of seconds using
Eastbourne Handyman link. It’s an evaluation program that's not only free to use, but dead easy to set up. If you go to
Eastbourne Handyman link you can see out of my study window!
Today was a plumbing day.
Kitchen sink taps - who designs these things?
If anybody out there is a designer of ANYTHING, this is for you.
Pleeeeease, after you've done the "getting in touch with your feminine side" bit, fit what you have designed, yourself. Not on a workbench or in a controlled environment, but in a few real life situations. Then you will find out for yourself, why fitters the world over, think designers are plonkers! If you can't fit the stuff yourself, how in the name of God do you expect others to fit it? Please THINK before you commit pen to paper.
Is that so hard to do?
Anyway back to what I was about to write before I interrupted myself!
Changing a kitchen tap is fairly straight forward
(If you want to do it yourself, try this link Eastbourne Handyman link). This one wasn't quite so straight forward. Plastic pipework, copper pipework, six different types of plastic, brass, and copper connectors, and four of them weeping quite badly.
(Badly enough to have already ruined the kitchen sink cupboard). So much goes on under there. Sink, waste disposal, washing machine, dishwasher, all need connecting, and then the water has to be drained away, and all that in a shoebox sized cupboard.
It's no wonder that so many household disasters happen there.
It took the better part of two hours and two cups of tea to sort it all out. Now the new tap is all bright and shiny, the WM &
DW connectors and all the pipework have been changed, the expectant
mum's world is back in order. In a couple of months I'll probably have to take it all out again to replace the cupboard that is going to fall to bits because of the previous weeps.
Jane is a very good friend of mine. Seventy-five plus, ex-school teacher, warm, charming, and gifted. She, and her husband John, are
Quakers.
(By the way, so am I) She has one of those voices that you want to listen to, no matter what she's saying. When she reads poetry, verse or prose springs to life in front of your eyes. Despite all that, she still had a blocked up basin waste pipe. Jane can work miracles with the spoken word - but I know how to clear a blocked waste pipe. Clear the trap under the basin, a couple of judicious taps with a hammer along the pipework and the decades of limescale breaks into little pieces and is flushed away to the sea. Moral: We should all specialise in the things that we're good at, and always use the right tool for the job.
Labels: Plumbing, Rants
