The outside shell of a house is a complex assortment of features, built with a variety of materials and techniques, with but one practical purpose: to protect its occupants from the weather. However picturesque the building may appear, it has to keep wind and rain at bay, and if it is not given its fair … Read more
Many outside repairs need concrete, mortar or cement. The important constituent is Portland cement, which is bought as a fine powder. It is cheapest when bought in large bags, but as it will deteriorate and harden if kept for long after opening, it may be more economical to buy only sufficient for a job. A … Read more
Order of work. The rule of exterior decorating is: Start at the top and work downwards. Start painting at the top of the house on the soffits and barge boards. Soffits are behind the gutters and barge boards may be below the gables of a tiled roof. Paint the top level guttering next, then the … Read more
Wiring to sockets or lighting points attached to the outside walls of a house can be part of the domestic circuit. Wiring to a point in the garden, greenhouse or separate garage, however, has to be treated as a different installation, with its own main switch and 20amp fuse unit close to the meter. It … Read more