Find a Handyman you can trust in Barnes.

There are a bunch of things a handyman can do around the house, so if you’re looking for a reason to hire one, you’d definitely find plenty. First and foremost, a handyman is basically a well versed, skilled and experienced professional who possesses the ability to carry out a plethora of tasks as well as repairs. While not all local authorities require handymen to have a license or carry an insurance policy, some handymen do have insurance. Generally, their rates vary based on their experience as well as specialities.

Handymen are able to handle a multitude of potential jobs in and around the house. These ranges from small tasks, installations, assembly, indoor or outdoor building or repair jobs. They are available to help out with a wide array of odd jobs around the home at a very reasonable price. So, what are some of the jobs a handyman can do in a home? Let’s take a look!

• Odd jobs. This encapsulates any small job you’d want done around the house. It could be a repair, installation or maintenance task.
• Gutter cleaning and repair. The idea of cleaning a gutter may seem hassle free, but there can be a couple of difficulties which includes the use of ladders and the risk of falling. When you hire a handyman to do this task, he does not only clean but also check for any damage or repair needs and much more.
• Painting. If you’re not able to handle some of your painting projects or perhaps you’re just not confident of how its going to turn out, it may be in your best interest to reach out to a skilled handyman.
• General carpentry and home repairs, these includes shelving, cabinets, bookcases, baseboards, framing, doors, countertops, moulding and more.

Patios do not require lots of maintenance. They will only need occasional cleaning to make sure that the material keeps its original appearance. It's always best to clean your patio with a pressure washer and occasionally tap each slab or brick just to check the sand underneath hasn't washed away.

Being a strong and durable product requiring little maintenance and expected to last over 2 decades, it’s little wonder resin is now a popular material amongst homeowners in the UK to build their driveways. However, there’s always the issue of the driveway fading, cracking or even becoming worn and tired. So is it possible to repair resin driveways? The answer is yes, a resin driveway can be repaired, however the best approach to use largely depends on the issue being faced. As a confident DIYer it’ll be very easy to do, but if you lack the confidence then calling in a professional for help would be a better option. So let’s take a look at how you can repair your resin driveways.

For cracks, the best reparation approach would be to chisel it out. Once done, then you can proceed to breaking the stones to form a rough edge. It’s important to make sure that the matrix of the stone remains unaffected. Make a new mixture of resin bound stone and pack it in tightly to the gap. While doing this, we’ll recommend making use of a plastic trowel to avoid burnishing. This fresh mixture will then create a smooth and perfect surface by interlocking with the edges. You can follow similar procedure for patches but these are larger holes or damages than cracks and as the name suggests are mostly likely to remain noticeable but will prevent further crumbling of your resin driveway.

For homeowners, who aren’t so keen about the patch repairs, you can opt for an overlay especially in the event whereby the majority of the surface has failed. Although many usually shy away from this approach because of the perceived high expenses, but the fact is that the approach is actually cost effective as you won’t have the need to spend more money in the long run.

What Insurance Does A Painter Need?

As a painter, you’re most likely going to require three forms of insurance which includes public liability, income protection as well as tool insurance. However, you should take note that outside these three, there are also several other forms of insurance whose relevance will only be determined by the nature of your business. Now let’s take a closer look into the three most important forms of insurance for painters.

✓ Public liability. What’s surprising here is the fact that many painters are actually aware that they should have a public liability insurance, but only a few really knows what it actually covers. Essentially, what a public liability insurance does is to protect you in the event whereby you messed up and some else suffers a loss as a result of your actions. Third parties can suffer a property damage or personal injury as a result of your negligence. It does not in any way cover the damages to your own property or injuries suffered by you or your staff.

✓ Income protection. As a subcontractor or self employed painter, you’ll be in the best position to know that if you don’t work, there’ll be no money for you. And with no sick leave and possibly no workers’ compensation, then financial problem looms. But not to worry, you can protect yourself from this risk by getting an income protection insurance.

✓ Tool insurance. It’s always a terrible feeling when you go to the site only to discover your tools such as ladders, spray guns, trestles and equipment are suddenly no where to be found. Upon discovery of this situation, you’ll start thinking about the cost of replacing all the tools. With a tool insurance, you can be protected against these sort of situations whereby your tools are stolen, damaged and lots more.

1. How to build a shed base out of paving slabs
   • Mix sand and cement together to make mortar or use a pre-mixed one
   • Use a trowel to lay mortar for 1 slab at a time on the sub-base and lift a damp-sided slab onto the mortar, using a piece of timber and club hammer to tap the slab into position carefully. Continue to lay the first row of slabs
   • Make equally-sized spacers in all the joints in the slabs to ensure they’re the same size, checking it’s level as you go along
   • Next lay slabs along the two adjacent outer edges, filling in the central area row by row
   • Leave the mortar to set according to the instructions or for at least 48 hours before filling in the joints with mortar or paving grout
2. Building a shed base from concrete
   • Create a wooden frame around your shed base area (also called formwork) to stop the concrete from spreading
   • Mix pre-mixed concrete with water or use 1 part cement to 5 parts ballast
   • Wet the sub-base using a watering can with a rose on the end
   • Pour the concrete onto the framed base starting in one corner
   • Push the blade of a shovel up and down in the edges of the concrete to get rid of air bubbles
   • Use a rake to spread the concrete, leaving it around 18mm higher than the top of the frame. Work in sections of around 1-1.m²
   • Compact the concrete using a straight piece of timber that’s longer than the width of the base. Move the timber along the site, hitting it along at about half of its thickness at a time until the surface is evenly ridged
   • Remove excess concrete and level the surface by sliding the timber back and forwards from the edge that you started. Fill in any depressions and repeat until even
   • Run an edging trowel along the frame to round off exposed edges of the concrete and prevent chipping
   • Cover the concrete with a plastic sheet raised on wooden supports to allow slow drying. Weigh it down with bricks
   • Once the concrete is set, you can install your shed and remove the wooden frame with a crowbar

While many professionals will recommend a pressure washer to clean block paving, it’s possible to clean your paving without one – just scrub the affected areas with a firm bristled brush and use plenty of soap. Then, rinse off the area with clean water.

Clean of your conservatory gutter is probably not one of the most enjoyable chores you’d like to take on around the house. Not only is it messy and tedious, but it’s also time consuming and smelly. It’s a job every home and property owner would rather avoid, but unfortunately everyone has to do it. It’s a necessity due to the fact that neglect gutters holds and harbours mould, moss as well as plant debris. It would have been better if this is only disgusting, but the actual truth is that should be the least of your worries as this gradual build up of organic material in your conservatory gutters can minimize their drainage abilities, leading to leakages and spills that can damage your conservatory.

Cleaning of your conservatory gutter is a task that can be done regardless of your level of experience. However, it’s advisable to call in a professional for help especially if you lack the confidence required to pull it off.

• Use a ladder for a closer look. Cleaning your gutters from the ground by poking it with a hooked tool might seem the best way out, but in truth you risk damaging the gutters or brackets and marking the conservatory panes when you don’t see what you’re doing.
• Invest in specialist tools. For expert DIYers, taking off your downpipes from the wall to clean might be a pretty easy task. However, for most people it can be extremely frustrating. As a result, there’s the need to get hold of some flexible gutter brushes. With a bendable stem and stiff bristles, these are able to hook and dislodge dirt and leaves inside your downpipes with relative ease.

• What you need the shed for
• How much space you have
• How big you need the shed to be
• Which style of roof you want
• What material you would like
• How big your budget is

• Hand-crafted from Nordic White Spruce
• Felt roof reinforced with high-grade polyester
• Tongue and groove cladding makes it more weatherproof so ideal for items that must be kept dry

• High eaves for more head height and to store taller items
• Pent roof and fixed windows allow lots of light
• Ideal for putting up against a wall or fence
• Door can be hinged either side

• Ideal for small gardens or those with fewer tools to store
• Apex roof for water runoff
• Tongue and groove walls
• Tall floor-to-gable door