Author: Ashtons Handyman Property Services

Time to give this front porch entrance a make over.

Looking much smarter.

The customer wants the shed door replaced with a new one. It turns out it’s cheaper to make one, custom build.

So let’s get to work. Having taken the measurements of the shed door opening, l go to get the materials from MKM.

I make the door using tung n groove plain sawn timber glueing the lengths together and clamping them tightly.

Now book in a convenient time with the customer to hang the door.

There is a few more things to do like fitting the bracing to the door and the lock. But also l can cut and trim the door to fit the shed opening as l know its not square.

There, job done. Just need to weather proof the timber.

This hole, to in a stud wall needs to be filled. The best way to deal with this is cut out a square area around the hole. As the wall has a cavity there is nothing for any filler to stick to.

Once l have cut out and removed l fix some wooden battens behind, this will give a support for the new plaster board to fit into. Now a quick coat of plaster. Once the plaster is dry give a sanding to prep for painting, you won’t even know it was there.

Handyman services for the small jobs that others won’t do.

In the box, the components for the Home Multi Gym. The instructions mention that it should take 4/5 hours to assemble. So start the stopwatch!

Five hours, not too bad, better to do a good job than to rush.

The landlord wanted the old fireplace covered over. After removing the old fire unite the opening is revealed.

Plasterboard is measured out & used to cover the opening fixing to the sides.

A skim plaster is applied and leveled to the existing fireplace surface and left to dry out. Four coats of white paint are then painted over.

There, job is done. Just need to finish off the hearth. I would advise adding an air vent to allow the chimney to breathe and prevent damp.

Just need a paint of stain and weather sealing. Looking smart.

Having taken the chimney down in the roof, we make a start on removing the chimney breast from the 1st floor inorder to take out the brick wall. A dusty dirty job but someone’s got to do it.

The old broken tiles on this fireplace need replacing.

So let’s get to it and remove the old tiles and cut out some of the cement to make some depth.

Having removed any high rises we’re ready to add and level off the adhesive and place the tiles with a 5mm gap around each tile.

Leaving the adhesive to dry for 24 hours, we’re ready to grout, which the customer wants in black.

After a sponging over lightly to remove any excess grout, l leave to dry a little more before running a 15mm rounded trowel over the grout between the tiles.

With a dry cloth time to polish off. Job done. Looks great.

The original floor boards where so damaged that they needed to be replaced. Because there is a carpet going down the cheapest material to use in 18mm chipboard. Just be very careful to mark where the pipes lay.

Decking built from design to customers requirements with a view of Infinity Bridge in Stockton on Tees.

Door trimming and hanging

Door trimming and hanging

Door trimming and hanging

Decking construction

Door trimming and hanging

Door trimming and hanging

Door trimming and hanging

Door trimming and hanging

This old window is too rotten and damaged to repair.

So, having measured up, off to the DIY Discount shop in Middlesbrough, where they have a large selection of used UPVC windows. They have them all stacked up in different sizes, it can take a while to find the right size but the price is good. I managed to find a near perfect one, just a little small for the opening I have, but with a sill and some 2×3 timber on either side, should do the job nicely.

Having removed the old window & frame I start to add the timbers which I drill & screw to fix to the concrete garage walls. Once I am happy with the timber fittings, which make a good footing to attach the window, it’s time to get the window in and fixed. Now to finish off with some white trim to cover the timber frame.

There, that’s it, job done. The customer mentioned that it looks better than was!

The carpets are laid and look great but the doors are dragging on the new carpets, quite often, when there is a thick underlay, there is a good 6/7 mm to be trimmed off the bottom of the door. If left, the door hinges will pull out and the carpet will be damaged.

So, to work…..

First, mark along the bottom of the door to be trimmed, I do this by laying a sharp pencil on the carpet and run it along the edge pushing down slightly.

Now you have your mark along which you are going to trim off.

Remove the door from its hinges and take outside being careful not to bang the walls or ceiling with the door. Some doors can be pretty heavy!

Lay the door on tressels with the marked side up. Check the amount that you are trimming and go over the line with a straight edge.

Now you have the right length for the door to fit nicely over the carpet, not too much, just enough so the door lightly touches the carpet surface. Now run a plain over & smooth off the edge on both sides of the door.

Time to hang the door back in the frame.

Job done. The door is now able to open & close without force and lightly touching the carpet. What a straight edge! Okay, only another 8 to do!!!

Nice photo taken on me taking the bricks out to widen a doorway through to the garage.

The door frame is attached and the new Suffolk solid internal door is furnished & hung.

Part of the refurb was to replace the kitchen units and sink. Having removed the old one, this cleared the way for the new. So, off to Howdens to collect the units and worktop.

Units in and worktop fitted with sink & tap. Now to connect the water supply & waste.

Doors on with handles. There’s room for a fridge, Good thinking Chris!