Answers before the next job.

Colin Home Service's minimum labour charge is £50 including VAT. This applies even if the work takes less than an hour. After the first hour, each additional 30 minutes costs £25 including VAT. Materials are extra at their net cost plus 10%, then 20% VAT. There is no separate travel or parking charge.

Full guide: Handyman prices: what your quote includes

My assembly labour is £50 for the first hour, then £25 per additional 30 minutes, including VAT. The minimum labour charge is £50 including VAT, even if the work takes less than an hour. There is no universal fixed price per item: a wardrobe frame, its doors and its internal fittings all contribute to the work. Send the complete product specification, quantities, room details and wall-securing instructions for an assessment. Materials are extra at net cost plus 10%, then 20% VAT. See what affects an assembly quote.

Full guide: Handyman prices: what your quote includes

Yes. Colin Home Service is VAT registered, and the £50 first hour and £25 additional half-hour rates include VAT. Materials are calculated separately: their VAT-exclusive cost plus 10%, then 20% VAT. For example, £20 net materials cost becomes £26.40 including the markup and VAT.

Full guide: Handyman prices: what your quote includes

No. There is no separate travel or parking charge. Where parking is restricted or difficult, please arrange a suitable space or visitor permit if possible and share the access details before the visit.

Full guide: Handyman prices: what your quote includes

Yes. Number the jobs, include photos and quantities, and put the most important items first. A complete list helps establish the scope and sequence, but does not promise a discount or that everything will fit into one appointment.

Full guide: Handyman prices: what your quote includes

Check the delivered package labels and quantities, then agree any unpacking needed for the job. You do not need to mix loose panels and fittings together in advance. If boxes are already open, keep each item's hardware, instructions and packaging labels together and tell me about visible damage or missing parts.

Full guide: How to prepare for furniture assembly

Not on the finished height alone. Check the exact frame and door instructions for assembly clearance, including any lifting or turning stage. Some models assemble upright; others need a different amount of space. Send the measured ceiling height and product details before ordering or booking if the clearance is tight.

Full guide: How to prepare for furniture assembly

Check the relevant packages and identify the part from the correct manual. Contact the supplier about a replacement and tell me before the appointment. A missing component may prevent completion; do not use a similar-looking fixing or leave out a structural part to keep the assembly moving.

Full guide: How to prepare for furniture assembly

Only where the product's instructions permit that use. If a restraint is required, suitable wall securing forms part of completing the job. Resolve wall suitability and any permission for drilling before booking rather than planning to leave the attachment out.

Full guide: How to prepare for furniture assembly

Check whether the same screw loses grip, the plate moves, or the lever moves independently. Worn components, damaged fixing material and incorrect spindle engagement can all leave movement after tightening. Identify the recurring fault before repeating the adjustment.

Full guide: How to fix a loose door handle

The fixings may sit behind a decorative cover. Identify the handle and use its cover-release instructions; do not assume every rose twists off or can be prised away. Look for a marking and photograph the underside if you need help identifying it.

Full guide: How to fix a loose door handle

Not necessarily. A drooping lever concerns its return action, while a moving plate concerns attachment. The handle's spring, latch mechanism or fit may need attention. If it binds or fails to retract the latch reliably, keep the door open and arrange assessment.

Full guide: How to fix a loose door handle

No. Match the kit to the side being repaired, hinge and mounting-plate geometry, door or cabinet thickness, and the sound material available for its fixings. Photograph the damage before buying. A plate intended for a cabinet mounting point may not suit the recessed cup in a door, and extensive board damage may need a different repair.

Full guide: How to adjust kitchen cupboard doors

Recheck whether the hinge, mounting plate or fixing moves rather than repeating the same adjustment. Loose hardware, damaged board or an obstruction can prevent a stable result. Note what changes when you open and close the door and photograph the fixing before arranging a repair.

Full guide: How to adjust kitchen cupboard doors

Check for contents projecting above or behind the box, then compare the load with the furniture instructions. Loading can also expose a loose attachment or damaged base. Do not adjust the front simply to hide movement that appears under load.

Full guide: How to fix a drawer that won't close

Identify the runner before applying anything. Follow its manufacturer's maintenance requirements and check for obstructions or damage first. A cleaning instruction is not necessarily a lubrication instruction, and extra lubricant cannot correct a bent track or loose fixing.

Full guide: How to fix a drawer that won't close

No. Establish the contact point, hinge condition, door type and coating first. Removing material can hide an alignment problem or exceed the product's permitted alteration. Old or unknown coatings also need assessing before abrasion.

Full guide: How to fix a sticking internal door

No. Fire doors are part of a tested assembly with specific gaps, seals and hardware. Report faults and arrange competent assessment rather than sanding, trimming or changing the closer using this guide.

Full guide: How to fix a sticking internal door

There is no single height for every window. Work from the curtain heading, finished drop, pole and bracket dimensions, available wall space and a suitable fixing position. Existing curtains can determine the height, so do not drill using a generic distance before checking their measurements.

Full guide: How to put up a curtain pole

Do not assume it is a suitable fixing location. The lintel material, construction and proposed fixing need assessment; if drilling meets unexpected resistance, stop rather than change drill settings or make nearby holes blindly.

Full guide: How to put up a curtain pole

Possibly, depending on the construction, board condition, shelf system and load. Plasterboard over masonry and a hollow partition are different cases. Establish the support and suitable fixing method before drilling.

Full guide: How to put up a shelf

Use the shelf and bracket manufacturer's instructions. The material, span, depth and intended contents affect the support arrangement; two brackets or a standard distance between them is not a rule for every shelf.

Full guide: How to put up a shelf

Possibly, but there is no universal plasterboard weight limit. Establish board thickness and condition, support behind it, cavity space, the mirror's weight and its mounting arrangement. Use a fixing system specified for those conditions; plasterboard over masonry needs a different assessment from a stud partition.

Full guide: How to hang a heavy mirror

Only use an adhesive method when the mirror manufacturer permits it and the adhesive suits the backing, wall and load. Bostik explains backing compatibility and support during curing. Ordinary picture strips cannot automatically replace the specified mounting system.

Full guide: How to hang a heavy mirror

Only after confirming their type, condition and suitability for the new mirror. Matching hole spacing does not establish suitability. If you cannot identify the fixings or assess the surrounding wall, have the mounting checked before reuse.

Full guide: How to hang a heavy mirror

Use the dilution stated for sealing new or bare plaster on your exact paint's current instructions. It can differ from that product's finishing-coat or spray dilution. Do not use a general 50:50 recipe, and do not dilute a dedicated sealer unless its maker permits it.

Full guide: How to paint new plaster

No. Check that the product is suitable for the substrate and intended first-coat use, then follow the specified preparation and dilution. A paint's matt appearance, water-based description or leftover availability does not establish compatibility.

Full guide: How to paint new plaster

Often, provided the pile can be protected and held clear of the wet edge without damaging or loosening the carpet. Check the fit and protection method before starting. If fibres cannot be kept out of the paint, arrange a different approach rather than painting through them.

Full guide: How to paint skirting boards

Check whether that exact product is approved for the skirting material and intended wear. Do not assume a wall paint is suitable for interior trim. Choose a compatible woodwork system if the product's stated uses do not include the surface.

Full guide: How to paint skirting boards

Ordinary decorating filler restores the surface; it does not establish a load-bearing fixing. A shelf, mirror or curtain bracket needs a suitable fixing into sound support. Assess the wall and selected fixing system before reusing that position.

Full guide: How to fill holes in walls before painting

A small repaint may remain visible because colour, sheen or texture differs from the surrounding finish. Valspar's paint troubleshooting guidance covers visible touch-ups and uneven patches. Let the paint dry before judging the result, and discuss whether decorating the wider wall is preferable to a local patch.

Full guide: How to fill holes in walls before painting

Not every wall needs the same cleaner. Remove dust and identify grease or other contamination, then use a method suitable for the old surface and new coating. If a cleaning product requires rinsing, complete that step and let the wall dry. Do not leave a cleaning film beneath the paint.

Full guide: How to prepare walls for painting

Not automatically. Assess the existing coating and follow the new paint's preparation requirements. Repairs or raised edges may need smoothing, while other surfaces need a particular adhesion treatment. Unknown older paint and textured coatings should be assessed before disturbance, rather than dry-sanded as a routine first step.

Full guide: How to prepare walls for painting

Do not assume dried paste is a suitable paint base. Remove residue using a method the wall can tolerate, then assess what remains. Some specialist sealers cover specified adhesive residues or damaged plasterboard paper, but their preparation and compatibility requirements still apply.

Full guide: How to prepare walls for painting

Not necessarily. Follow the primer's instructions for when it can receive the chosen topcoat, then use the topcoat's own interval between finish coats. Check that the products are compatible as well as allowing enough time.

Full guide: How long between coats of paint?

Follow the paint's instructions before closing painted surfaces against one another. The Crown Fastflow Satin sheet specifically says newly painted doors and windows should remain open until fully dry; touch dry is not permission to shut them.

Full guide: How long between coats of paint?

Only if insufficient coverage is the issue and the surface is otherwise ready. A third coat will not level a ridge, make an incompatible coating suitable or resolve moisture. Recheck the cause if the same patch keeps returning.

Full guide: Why is my paint patchy?

Light at a shallow angle can reveal texture and sheen differences that are less obvious head-on. Note where the marks appear and inspect after drying in the room's normal lighting. That observation helps identify the problem but does not establish its cause.

Full guide: Why is my paint patchy?

No. New paint will depend on the weak layer beneath it. Establish why it failed, deal with the cause and prepare a stable surface before applying the compatible finishing system.

Full guide: Why is paint peeling or bubbling on a wall?

No. Heat, moisture, contamination and adhesion problems can produce blistering. The position or appearance of a bubble cannot identify rising damp. A recurring or damp-affected patch needs its cause investigated before redecoration.

Full guide: Why is paint peeling or bubbling on a wall?

A suitable finish is only one part of the job. Resolve any moisture problem, prepare the existing surface and follow the coating's drying and normal-use guidance. Bathroom paint does not repair an active leak or secure detached plaster.

Full guide: Why is paint peeling or bubbling on a wall?