Find a Handyman you can trust in Montacute.

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.

If you are about to build a conservatory on your property, then chances are you’d want to know the types of repair that are common in a conservatory. We’ve been able to identify some type of issues which you’d most likely encounter if you happen to have a conservatory on your property.

First and foremost, most conservatories are built to be very tough and solid enough to withstand whatever is thrown at it by the weather, but over time they can still have their own share of problems just like any other erected structure. In other words, regardless of how well a conservatory is built or quality of the materials used, it’s still going to encounter some issues sooner or later. You can avoid some issue through regular upkeep and maintenance but there are some common issues you need to be aware of before investing in a new conservatory.

When it comes to conservatory repairs, wind and bad weather are the cause of most frequent issues to conservatory roofs as well as guttering which mostly results in repairs. This is because the roof is the most vulnerable part of any conservatory and that’s due to the fact that its the part that’s totally exposed to the elements. Here are some of the common issues you’re likely to come across with your conservatory roof that will need the attention of a professional.

The common problems includes leaking roof vents, slipped roof panels, warped and cracked gutters, broken end caps, misted or discoloured panels, leaks from poor flashing, blocked gutters, leaking gutters, snapped brackets, cracked panels and more.

Yes, it’s a dirty job, but every homeowner out there has got to do it! Your gutter needs to be free of dead leaves, birds’ nest and other debris as well as being through clean in order to perform its functions effectively. It’s just a part of the responsibilities that comes with owning a home. Dry leaves, tree branches and other materials build up in your gutters overtime especially during the dry summer and you won’t notice until the point where your gutters start overflowing during the first main rain of the season.

In the event whereby your dirty and clogged gutter is left unattended to, this can lead to several issues like a leaky gutter and mold, leaky roof and basements,cracked foundation, driveway and yard damage and several more which will definitely make you incur more unnecessary expenses. So the question is, how often should the gutters be cleaned? The answer is, it depends. According to several experts, gutters should be cleaned at least twice a year - which is once in the late spring and once in the late summer or early fall. However, there are a couple of factors that may make you have a rethink.

If you happen to have a pine tree growing above your house, it’ll be wise to consider inspecting your gutters every 3 months. This is because pine trees shed needles year-round and they usually have a lot of these needles to shed. In the situation whereby you’re located at a higher elevation, ice is will most likely be your greatest source of concern. Making sure that your gutters remain clean throughout the winter can be quite a headache, but damage to your roof cause by ice can be an even greater pain. Prevention is always better than cure.

Getting the opportunity to fit your very own bespoke wardrobe in your home is a really exciting prospect. However, when planning to install customizable fitted wardrobe, one factor that turns off most home and property owners is the belief that the bespoke solution is actually a very expensive one. But the fact, in reality, is that so far you’re prepared for any associated costs bespoke fitted wardrobes should not make you break the bank to get one done in your home. So if you’re planning to install this type of fitted wardrobe and wondering about the cost, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ve put together the price range estimate as well as the potential extra costs to help you plan ahead and get your dream wardrobe without having to worry too much about unpleasant surprises along the way. Let’s take a look!

With some companies you’ll be provided with a fixed price which can’t be negotiated. While prices from other suppliers will usually start within the range of £1400 to about £1700 for the standard wood finish wardrobe, but this can also reach about £5000 or more for high end or premium finishes, without taking the cost of the added extras into consideration. Ultimately, this often implies having to pay out more money for interiors and additional features than you’re likely going to need. Below is a rough guide to the cost of fitted wardrobes from Spaceslide:

✓ The price for a 2, 3 or 4 door sliding wardrobe starts at £452.37.

✓ The price for a 3 door fitted wardrobe starts at £659.07

✓ The price for a 4 door fitted fitted wardrobe starts at £865.77.

Additional costs you’ll have to consider before getting started includes the cost of hiring installers as well as delivery and removal cost.

Generally, a paved driveway is always subjected to regular usage and yours isn’t likely to be an exception, otherwise you won’t be here. Regular usage automatically necessitates regular maintenance of the driveway in order to extend its lifespan, make your property safer and add more value to it. This maintenance will involve a frequent inspection of the paved driveway so as to identify and repair divots, cracks as well as rutting. Paved driveways usually have a lifespan ranging between 15 to 20 years, but this can only be guaranteed when backed by regular maintenance activities. Failure to provide your paved driveway with a regular maintenance will lead to a rapid deterioration within just a couple of years after installation.

The issues commonly faced by paved driveways is usually different based on several factors such as the weather, your location, your property’s sub base as well as some other elements. The ability to identify the problems and solve or repair them on time is key to success while it’s also save you some time and money. In this article we’re going to look at how to go about do-it-yourself tasks that involves minor cracks. More intense damages are advised to be handled only by professionals.

✓ Prepare the area. Clear the debris, weed the plants or vegetation (if any).

✓ Use a strong spray from a garden hose to wash clean the cracks

✓ In the event whereby the crack is deep, simply fill it until it reach about a quarter inch of the surface with sand.

✓ Tamp down the sand to make it more compact.

✓ Apply a patching compound to the surface of the cracked paved driveway.

✓ Leave it for some time to cure.

✓ Once cured, you can then apply your sealant.

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

Unwanted graffiti by a random artist on your property, be it residential or commercial, can be extremely frustration to say the least. Not only does it encourage further acts of vandalism and reduces the value of your property, but it can also deter your visitors or customers. The list goes on and on, however, one thing you should know is removing graffiti can be a tedious and time-consuming task. And that’s exactly where graffiti prevention comes in! By taking preventative measures, you can avoid having to incur the expenses or pass through the stress that comes with graffiti removal. So, what are the preventative actions you can utilize to deter such vandals? Well, there are a number of measures that can be incorporated, these includes maintenance, fencing, paint colour, protective coatings, vegetation, security, lighting as well as report.

• Maintenance involves keeping your property clean and tidy to pass the message across that you take good care of your property and any act of vandalism wouldn’t be tolerated.
• Fencing your property with a metal cyclone or natural materials such as bamboo or bush reed or bar fencing which doesn’t offer the flat continuous surface which graffiti vandals prefer. Textured surfaces are also tricky to spray paint.
• Paint colour. The use of dark colours to paint your walls and fences will discourage vandals as graffiti is less noticeable on dark coloured surfaces. Hence, denying the vandals the recognition they desire.
• Protective coating. This is the perfect solution for areas that are repeatedly vandalized. Make use of graffiti resistant materials or protective coatings which allows the graffiti to be removed with relative ease.
• Vegetation.  You can consider utilizing trellis on blank walls and fences to create an uneven surface which graffiti vandals do not like.

Pitting, also referred to as spalling is the event whereby “pits” or small holes start showing on the surface of your concrete driveway which makes it appear both worn and uneven. Concrete driveway pitting is a common but highly frustrating problem for most homeowners. You’ll see some concrete driveways that’ll only start to pit after a couple of years, but this is not true for all concrete driveways as others will start to show signs only after a couple of months. So how do you tackle this issue? Well, it’s relatively simple to tackle, however if you’re not confident or lack the necessary skills, we’d recommend you get in touch with a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’ll take you through the concrete driveway pitting repair process.

✓ Prepare the pits by cleaning the area, clearing out all debris and more. The small pits can be cleaned with a stiff brush while a sturdy broom will do a good job for larger pits.

✓ Make use of a hose to spray the concrete pits and flush out all remaining bits of waste.

✓ If you’re tackling series of small pits, simply use a caulking gun filled with pre-mixed epoxy and specially formulated for concrete to fill the pits. Clear off the excess eproxy ensuring that its level with the concrete surface. Once done, simply leave for at least 24 hours before the application of a concrete sealant to prevent the wear and tear of the new concrete.

✓ Chisel out a little concrete and clean with a pressure washer. Once done, apply a concrete resurfacing compound mixture into the holes and use a trowel to level off.

✓ Ensure that the repaired concrete driveway is protected from rain and foot traffic for at least 6 hours (or 24 hours for vehicles).