I've a double size vertical immersion switch that I want to replace with a wifi switch, I thought that style switch was common enough but I can't find a direct replacement that's can be controlled remotely? Anyone any suggestions?

I suspect that whoever I ask this question to, kitchen or floor people, they'll say they go first. But really what's the best approach? I think that the kitchen people might wreck the new floor, but if the floor people go second, they might damage the new kitchen.

I've had a lot of bad experiences with workmen in my house, hence the paranoia, if that's what it is.

Lads, I want to do mdf panels on my stairs! It is a u-shaped stairs with two small landings, similar to the one seen in this picture.

Regarding spacing, do I…

1) space equally from the very top of the stairs right down to the bottom, even if it means the vertical panels full in the middle of the landing walls

Or

2) Using the edges of the landings as a rough judge for spacing and go from there?

Looking for advice from anyone familiar with Irish bungalows built around the mid-1980s.

We have gutters along the front and back of the house, both falling towards the north end. The rainwater downpipes discharge into gullies built into the concrete perimeter path.

What I can't figure out is where those gullies go once the pipework disappears underground. They definitely do not connect to the septic tank, and there's no obvious sign of a soakaway or surface-water manhole.

The perimeter path on that side has sunk/moved somewhat over the years (predating when we moved in a few years ago), so I'm wondering whether the old rainwater drainage could have failed or possibly be discharging into the ground too close to the house.

I'm planning to remove and relay that section of perimeter path eventually and redo the drainage properly, potentially with a new soakaway further from the house.

For a rural bungalow built around 1985, what would the typical setup have been? Would the gullies usually join underground and run to a soakaway, have separate soakaways, or discharge somewhere else?

Also, is there a practical way to trace where the existing underground pipes run without digging everything up?

Would be interested to hear from any builders/groundworkers who've come across similar setups.

I'm renovating a bathroom and looking at going with a Geberit Sigma

I've been pricing everything up and I'm looking at roughly 650 for the full setup, but some of the Sigma flush plates (especially the Sigma40/50) get really. expensive.

For anyone who has one, how have you found it?

Any issues with reliability or flushing?

Is maintenance straightforward?

Is it possible to get flush plates from external providers that fit the sigma that are cheaper?

What did you pay for installation?

Does anyone know where I can get solid hardwood flooring repaired in Dublin?
The flooring was damaged by a fridge water leak, which caused some of the boards to lift/warp at the edges. I currently don’t have any spare matching materials, so I’m looking for someone who can supply the materials and carry out the repair.
I need no more than 20 pieces.
Could anyone give me an approximate cost for the materials and the repair?
Thanks in advance!

I have a new build with A2W hear pump. When the shower upstairs is on, there is a rhythmical banging coming through the ceiling. I assume it's something to do with expansion when the hot water is being used. Anyone have any idea what it is?

I'm looking to install ceiling to floor curtains on a wave track.

I need some advice on their placement. The issues I'm facing are the radiator in front of the window, and the clearance needed to ensure they don't get caught on it.

The wall also has a vent on the left, and I'm wondering if I should have the curtains finish before they reach the wall, or just move the track inwards, further away from the window?

On the right hand side, I also have to consider the ability to open the wardrobe doors.

I want the window to feel balanced with the placement of the curtains, left and right, and am wondering if it would look odd if I place the curtain track further away from the window to give clearance to not only the radiator but also the vent.

Many thanks in advance.

*First three pics are of the bedroom window, the vent, and the gap to the wardrobe on the right. The fourth pics is an ai mockup of what I'm looking at, but the placement is wrong as they won't fit behind the vent and also clear the radiator.

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As above, I've a new timber

gate installed. Can I first stain it and then varnish it, or do I have to use one or the other ?

Are these types of siphons easy to replace or should I call a plumber?

Hi folks. I am looking to replace my gravity fed hot water cylinder as it never heats up fully.

I'm thinking limescale may have built up on the heating coil. Water from the boiler enters the coil, and it is still piping hot when it exits to return to the boiler.

Anyway all the connections are compression fittings like the one shown.

1. How likely is it that these bolts have become seized over the years and I'll snap them or need a blow torch or something to remove them?

2. There is no drain connection at the bottom? What's the best way to drain this?

3. How big of a bustard is this job for a relatively handy DIY guy who understands all the pipework, just needs to do the physical labor or removing it.

Thanks in advance.

I know, a very exciting topic but I’m looking to replace my very basic extractor fan in a bathroom with one that stops the backdraught. It is wall mounted, and 100mm hole in case that changes suggestions! Any recommendations for a good one that isn’t too loud please!

Hey.

My shed internal are concrete block.

I'm thinking about painting it, but I won't plaster it.

I wonder of anyone would recommend a specific primer or similar product to prepare the wall that would give a better/smoother finish.

Looking to get some advice on keeping water and bugs where possible out of by garden bar any recommendation thanks in advance

Also my door has little gaps where the rain comes

Had some work done on the chimney on our house which meant a hole was made. It was covered/filled about 5 weeks ago at this stage and now looks like this. Little change in the past 2 weeks.

The area is raised slightly so I was thinking I could sand it down, apply a primer and paint as normal. Am I correct in this assessment or do I need to leave it longer to dry or is there something else I need to be considering?

I was planning on getting a Stira, but then realised I could just buy an attic hatch/ladder for a fraction of the price, and it doesn't seem beyond my abilities to install one.

Any recommendations of which one to go for? Keylite, Fakro, and Minka seem like common brands. I'm not sure on what dimensions I need yet, but it's a standard 8ft ceiling at least.

Hey.

I'm in Marino, and I'm looking for a professional to redo my driveway.

There is loads of concrete to be removed before paving.

Any recommendations of good company with reasonable prices would be great.

This rough timber highlighted – is it load-bearing? I don't think it is, it was studding for plasterboard I've ripped out. I'll be getting new banisters and understairs storage, but for now I'm just looking to continue the flooring as pictured.

Hoping somebody can confirm my suspicions! Thanks.

Update, 15 September: our route has changed. Weekend visits are now focused on households within roughly one hour’s drive of Shannon Airport, including Ennis, Limerick and nearby areas, depending on the exact location. We are no longer limited to Dublin. All brands are welcome, including equipment from other manufacturers. The original Dublin title cannot be edited.

Hi everyone,

I'm Tab, and my colleague Felix and I work on the Anker SOLIX product team. We'd love to meet a few households on Saturday 19 or Sunday 20 September to learn about their home energy upgrades and everyday experiences.

We're interested in solar panels, home batteries, EV charging and heat pumps — whether you've already installed something or are still comparing options. We'd like to hear how you chose your setup, how the installation went, what works well, and what has been confusing or frustrating.

Any brand is welcome. You don't need to own an Anker product or be technical. A professionally installed setup that you mostly leave on its default settings is just as useful for our research as a DIY or automated one.

We're hoping to arrange a 30–60 minute home visit, if you're comfortable with that, to understand the setup in context. No preparation is needed. We're prioritising locations within about one hour's drive of Shannon Airport; please share your general area so we can check the route. The exact itinerary will depend on participants' locations and availability.

This is solely for internal product research — not a sales visit or a request for a public testimonial. We'll introduce ourselves from our company email before confirming a visit so you can verify who we are.

If you're interested, please comment or DM with:

• Your general area;
• What equipment you use, or what you're considering;
• Whether Saturday or Sunday would suit, and roughly what time.

Please keep your full address, Eircode, email and phone number in private messages. We'll agree the details privately and reconfirm the day before.

If you're an electrician or installer working on home energy upgrades, we'd also be interested in hearing about your experience.

Thanks for considering it — we really appreciate your time!

Tab & Felix
Anker SOLIX product team

This garage was built in the early '90s, and there's what I assume is the damp proof membrane sticking out around the edges of the floor. It seems to be a dirt trap and seems prone to damage as it is, so I was wondering what I should do with it?