Building custom fit bookcases is fun

Most of my work is through recommendation.
Chris at the Little Foxes B&B in Wannock Road had suggested to the clients that I might be able to help them. When they called me, they said "We want a few shelves put up in the living room for our books." It's a joy to work with nice people and this couple are great. I don't know about you, but whenever I meet nice people I'm prepared to do that little bit more. Seeing the masses of large books they had I suggested that bookcases would be a neater option, and price-wise not such a big difference. What came out of our discussions can be seen above. Click on the picture to enlarge. By many people's standards this long "L-shaped 9' high solid pine bookcase, built in three sections, is large, but it will accommodate just a small selection of their books!
Phil at Alsford Timber sorted out good quality timber for us, and it shows in the finished job.
Well done Phil.

Repair shed windows and renew roof felt

It's Bank Holiday Monday and I've been working!
I've been catching up with the workload -
and by George, I think I might just manage it in the next couple of days.


One of the jobs today was originally planned for last week.
Last week we had wonderful weather -
just the weather to do some shed roofing.
So what, in the name of all that is holy,
possessed me to postpone it to this Bank Holiday Monday ?
Everybody knows it's always miserable on BHMs
and it didn't disappoint us today did it.
Last week I was boiling hot working in a loft
today I needed to wear gloves and fleece.
WHERE WAS GLOBAL WARMING WHEN I NEEDED IT!

Having said all that - the customers were very nice, and kept me very well supplied in tea and sweets. After I'd finished the repair work - we started talking about computers, and how easy it is to set up a blog. Without further ado, the lady of the house took me to an upstairs bedroom, and there we swapped links! It's great life being a handyman! To visit her new blog go to www.maggie-weaver.blogspot.com

This is one I made earlier - Jettied Deck

Last year I built this deck for my aunt in Church Stretton, Shropshire. Instead of using spindles in the balustrade I used sheep fencing! She wanted to be able to lie in bed and look out over the farm land beyond and spindles would have just got in the way. I'd lost the pictures and so decided to take a few more this time. Auntie Hazel and Leslie run the house as a B & B. If you like to stay there visit her website http://www.auntiehazel.q-serve.com/. I'm not going to tell you how warmly welcoming they are and what a brilliant cake maker Auntie Hazel is because I'm biased and you need to find out for yourselves. Just don't forget to tell them I said you should call.

Combined Bookcase Wardrobe Radiator Cover

Just before going on holiday I was asked to build a combined bookcase / wardrobe /radiator cover. Click on the pictures to see how it turned out. The customer thought it was amazing!

Holiday over - build a noticeboard please

I have no plans to retire - ever.

I like what I do and I like the people I meet.

It was nice to go away for a break

but now it's great to be getting back at work.

The answerphone and email Inboxes are bulging with people wanting work done.

The blog has had over a thousand views!!!!

The first job has been to build a new noticeboard for Herstmonceux Quaker Meeting.

The old one had fallen to bits.

Click on the photo of the old board above to see all the pictures full size.

On holiday until 23rd May!

If you're wondering why I haven't written anything lately it's because I'm on holiday until 23rd May, and don't have an internet connection in my aunt's home. I'm currently standing in Lakeland HQ next to Lake Windemere writing this on a free internet outlet. My wife and aunt are downstairs spending time looking at Lakeland things. We're holidaying in Church Stretton in Shropshire and have come up to the Lake District for the day. We visited the Quaker Tapestry Exhibition in Kendal this afternoon. Now I know that it's not exactly the coolest thing to do - but it was hugely interesting - if you're a Quaker! I will be writing more in the next few days so stay tuned.

Have a look at how your brain works

Have a look at this powerpoint slide show
Click this link TheHumanBrain.pps
its only 700 Kb and so will download quickly
it's worth taking the time to find out something new about yourself

Plumbase Eastbourne Showroom Open

Well it's taken longer than expected but now it's finally open.
Plumbase have a new showroom on a new mezzanine floor above the trade desks.
If you're thinking of a new bathroom or shower visit their showrooms.
You'll get proper advice, fast delivery, and excellent prices.

Location Map

Plumbase Eastbourne
Unit 12, Hawthorn Road Industrial Estate
Hawthorn RoadEastbourne,
East Sussex
BN23 6QA

Tel. 01323 746666
Click here to email

I'm back!

I have been rushing around like a headless chicken over the last few weeks trying to keep up with demand and failing miserably. The blog has suffered, but I'm now almost back on top and once again able to return phone calls. I've been amazed at the number of enquiries I've had over the last few weeks. On top of all the other work that's been coming in I've also completed some bigger projects. It's ranged from fitting bathrooms, and re-roofing summerhouses, to building special kitchen units as well as continuing on with the large decking project.

Readers have seen the units that I've built out of sheet MDF and wanted similar units for awkward spots in their kitchens. It's proving VERY popular

To have a look at what I've been doing click on the images

Corner kitchen unit incorporating a fridge and dishwasher
with narrow cup cupboard over the sink

Purpose made shallow full-height wall cupboards incorporating cooker hood

Doors open out to give chef full access without doors in the way when at the hob

The planters and benches take shape

Easter was spent building a kitchen from scratch

Over the coming weeks I'm building a kitchen for a family member. Because of work commitments it can only be done on the weekends; it's not a bog standard MFI/Howdens/Magnet modular kitchen; it's made entirely from sheet MDF to her specifications. It's a lot of work , but it's going to be great fun nonetheless.
Good Friday was spent ripping out some of the old kitchen, and preparing to build a complete floor-to-ceiling wall-to-wall larder unit. By Easter Monday the unit was already in use.
To maximise storage the larder cupboards have been made a full 2' deep; the unit is 7'9" tall by 8' wide; the kickboards incorporate fully extending drawers; fridge and freezer are housed on a raised platform. When all of the kitchen units are finished (over the next 3-4 weekends) they are to be painted in eggshell with sage green fonts (not by me I hasten to add.). Because the carcasses and door fronts are non-standard sizes, everything is to be made on site.


To view a slide show of the current state of the project click here.


The pictures were taken using my phone camera. Each week I'll add more as I build it.

The basic deck is done

It ended up 7m x 7m.
That's quite a large deck!
For one man on his own (me) it was more than enough to do.
I loved doing it, and the client has been great to work for.
This was a box of tea bags job, and Matt made sure I never went without a cup of tea.
The next stage will be to build planters and seating to take the place of the temporary balustrade. With two young toddlers running about, we concluded that an open deck could prove too exciting. I put the balustrade up and within milliseconds the older toddler was climbing up on top of the rails and dangling into space. Sometimes you just can't win!
If you'd like to have a look at more pictures of the deck build, double click the thumbnail in this post.

One thing that has caught me by surprise is how the cost of treated wood is shooting up at the moment. It means large decks cost a lot more this season than they did last season - considerably more. It's not the labour charges (mine have remained the same) but the material costs that have increased dramatically. This particular deck took 50 metres of Plantex ground covering; 350 metres of decking boards; and 1500 screws - which is a lot of screwing.

It's been huge fun to do, and I'm already looking forward to the next stage.

This week I'm spending building a deck

The deck is split level and measures 6.5m x 7.0m (21' x 23'). It's due to be done in stages. Stage one: The basic deck. Stage two: Planters and Benches around the perimiter. Stage three: an overarching Canopy.
The deck should be ready for Easter.
I started on Monday afternoon,and intend to have the basic deck finished by Thursday pm.
The sub-frame is, for the most part, complete; and I'm now waiting on delivery of the deckboards which are due to arrive tomorrow afternoon.

If you have a property in Scotland...

If you, or someone you know, have property in Scotland, and need electrical work carried out, give Scott McLean of Stirling Electrical Services Ltd a call.
They're electricians you can rely on. Stirling Electrical are members of SELECT and CLE and the quality of their work has been verified.
Here are the full contact details.
STIRLING ELECTRICAL SERVICES LTD,
12 QUEEN STREET,
FALLIN,
STIRLINGSHIRE, FK7 7JG
Tel: 01786 813916
Fax: 01786 811447
Website: www.stirlingelectrical.co.uk
E-mail: info@stirlingelectrical.co.uk

Rotten greenhouse base

Boy, did I have fun today!
Despite the weather.
The task today was to replace the rotten wooden base of a 8x6 greenhouse.
The greenhouse had never been anchored to the ground, and so, in the high winds of this winter, looked like a flexible Triclinic crystal, and had waltzed half way across a very large garden. As you can see in the picture, it was just a matter of jacking the whole thing up; moving it back onto it's concrete platform; removing the old base; installing a new base, and then screwing and bolting it all down so that short of a major earthquake (which doesn't happen very often in Eastbourne) it ain't going to move anywhere for some time to come. It wasn't too much for two people to do - the only trouble was - I was on my own! It took most of the day, but in the end I got the job done! Despite all the winter storms buffeting, all of the waltzing across the garden, and all the moving I did with it, only three panes of glass were broken, and in case you don't know it - greenhouse glass is very thin and fragile!!!

All those small jobs area lot of work

Lots and lots of small jobs today. Plumbing in a new dishwasher; changing ceramic tap heads; making a dresser child safe (is that possible?); replacing some missing flashing; building flatpack bunk beds; installing a bath panel; removing a shower; and not fogetting renwing silicone sealant around two shower screens. It's a grand life being Eastbourne's Jim'll Fix It!