After five years, my tenants have just bought a house and are moving out in a few weeks. They've been plying me with home maintanece and decorating, etc., questions. Can anybody recommend a decent home maintenance book I can give them as a farewell present? They barely know one end of a trowel from another, (what's this called, pointing at skirting board. Do Wilkinson's sell it?); I don't want them ending up as Beeney Babies.
Ta.
JGH
Collins DIY manual and or Readers Digest DIY manual
Bob
What's wrong with an email and a link to uk.d-i-y?
A fridge magnet with "The Sheffield Handyman" and your phone no on it?
Owain
Think I have the Collins somewhere, pretty good but I'm not sure how up to date it is these days. 17th Ed? Prat P?
But for things that don't change much and general traditional (aka proper) constructional techinques it's probably OK. How old is the property they are moving to?
Of course uk.d-i-y is a pretty damn good resources as well, along with the FAQ and wiki.
Mine is 16th Ed., but I bought it around about 1990.
Late Victorian, 1890s stone terrace.
The Collins is what's sat on my shelf right now, and I was using it to show them the sort of timber that is obtainable at the local hardware shop (2x3", etc.), and the sort that isn't (2x9", etc) and what shape trowel they should use to remove wallpaper, what they should avoid (scary electrics!) and what they should tackle (replacement fuse of the correct size).
I think I'll get an up-to-date Collins and show them how to use uk.d-i-y as well.
Thanks everybody.
JGH
There are some good recommendations here:
I consider myself a reasonable DIYer but consult at most stages with say this forum or professionals in specific DIY forums, some books and video clips make some things look so damn easy until you try it ie plaster skimming, applying silicone beading. By all means give them the gift I really do think thats a nice touch but links to this and other forums will be a godsend to them and try and guide them to start small and simple.
To be fair, some guidance can reduce the art of plastering from "impossible" to just "difficult with tolerable results that might need a bit of making good here and there" for someone with no prior experience. (silicone is dead easy with a suitable tool).
Giving a book of which you have a copy is probably not a bad idea - at least that way you can direct them to a picture etc and know what they are seeing.
Odd, but they started the conversation by asking what tool they should use to plaster walls.
JGH
Have you seen the house they're buying? It might give you prior warning of what's likely to arise.
Eg there might be a s*n*f*o in the cludgie.
Owain
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