Nov 14
An article in The Telegraph has highlighted the charges local councils are hitting householders with for collecting garden rubbish or for taking it to the nearest tip and have labelled it a ‘stealth tax’.
Charges differ across the country but apparently more than a third of councils in England are charging up to £90 per year to collect garden rubbish from residents homes on top of council taxes. Statistics from The Sunday Telegraph show that out of 326 local authorities 111 of them now charge for collecting garden rubbish. This charge is usually around £30 to £50 to use the service but Harlow District Council charge £90 for a fortnightly garden waste collection. There are often additional costs such as the cost of a special wheelie bin or you have to pay ‘per bag’ for single use garden waste bags.
Shockingly, the article also says that some councils are charging between 60p and £1.50 for garden waste bags, but then these are just being collected and dumped into landfill with all the other household rubbish collected.
A spokesman for Local Authority Recycling Advice Committee defended the use of charging for collecting garden waste, saying “A charge can often support the promotion of home composting which remains the preferable means of treating garden and some food wastes.”
DIY Doctor strongly believes it is better to recycle whenever possible, so if you have the outside space, you can save on all these costs by recycling your garden (and kitchen) waste and using a simple compost container.
Our project on building a compost container gives step by step instruction on building a wooden compost bin. Or you can always buy one like the one pictured above.
Once set up, maintenance is low and you get great compost for your garden!! A no-brainer if you ask us!!
Nov 08
Permaroof UK have just launched their new product range of Permaroof In A Box®. The first range is for shed roofs and the benefits are that it comes with a lifetime membrane guaranatee, and the kit contains everything you need to water proof your shed roof, all packaged neatly into one box.
The system comprises of a one piece epdm rubber membrane that is adhered to a timber surface using a safe water based adhesive. No joints to fail, and totally UV stable.
They come in 5 different sizes that should cater for most popular sheds but they also offer bespoke orders for larger sizes.
Also coming soon is a range of Permaroof In A Box® for domestic flat roofs, again in 5 different sizes – single garage, double garage, kitchen extensions etc and all packaged up so there is no working out what materials are needed.
All kits come with full easy fitting instructions. For more information, take a look at our Building a Shed project which includes Roof in a Box fitting instructions, and you can click through to purchase from Permaroof UK.
Sep 07
A great resource for gardeners is the BBC’s Gardeners’ Calendar, which gives you reminders of what you could/should be doing in the garden at any given time of year and advice on how to do each task.
So far for September, their diary includes improving your lawn (you may also like to take a look at our Repairing a Damaged Lawn project and our Laying Turf project), which can be done through out September, harvesting beetroot, planting out container-grown trees, propagating your strawberry plants, adding herbs to pots, harvesting sweetcorn, taking pelagonium cuttings and dividing your perennials.
That should keep you busy for the rest of the month!!
Aug 17
Laying turf can certainly be the quickest way to get a lawn but (as with every other DIY Job in the home and garden) preparation is the key. Uneven lawns are a result of an uneven base which, in turn, is due to too little time and effort spent in preparation.
Our project page on laying lawn turf will help you get to grips with the fundamentals of laying lawn grass. There is a video on the page to make the instructions perfectly clear.
Cultivated turf, that is turf which has been grown specifically for lawns, is expensive as it should be free from weeds and is probably more at home on a bowling green than on your lawn.
Meadow grass, which is just what it says on the tin, can be treated to remove weeds etc, but can be quite coarse. It is generally the best option for a lawn at home.
A third type of turf, although not so common, is Sea Marsh turf. Although generally good quality grass, Sea Marsh turf can sometimes cause drainage problems as it is (usually) grown on soil which contains silt.
You should look for a turf supplier that cuts the turf no later than one day before delivery to you. Some suppliers stock turf for days on end and this is not good. Ask your turf supplier where they recommend getting topsoil from as you will usually need to make up some areas of the garden for a lawn. The soil you lay the turf on will make a difference to your finished lawn.
Once again, as with yesterdays blog, if you get a chance to asking your local golf course green-keeper for some advice they will usually be happy to help.
Aug 16
Climbing frame, paddling pool, garden slide? Kids love them but they do take their toll on your lawn!
Believe it or not, after publishing our latest project on repairing a damaged lawn we had an email from a couple who told us they have a large lawn which is their pride and joy…..So much so in fact, that the kids are not allowed on it!
Make the most of your lawn this summer
We are not recommending that as the best way to keep your lawn looking good (although it obviously works!) as we have several tips and tricks to keep your lawn in good shape on our project page. If you follow the advice there, then you will not go far wrong………………….and here is another tip.
If you want some advice on making the most out of your lawn, nip down to your local golf club early in the morning and ask if you can have a word with one of the green-keepers. If anyone, anywhere knows anything about grass, it is these guys.
Usually, like any good tradesman (if not too busy) they are happy to share their knowledge and, coming from a green-keeper, you can be sure it is solid advice.
Not a bad excuse for some of you to pop out for a sneaky round of golf either eh?! Tomorrow we will be talking about laying turf for a new lawn.
Jul 28
Restore your deck to top condition
Summer is here, the timber decking however is probably still a little under the weather with the constant monsoons we have been enduring. Time for a clean up befor the BBQ comes out and the Pimms gets decanted…………..Or whatever it is you do with a mixture of alcohol and vegetables!
The first thing to do when cleaning a timber deck is to wash it down thoroughly and this is best done with a power washer. If you don’t own a power washer you can hire one for the day (or even sometimes for half a day) from your local tool hire shop.
Follow the DIY Doctor project on using a power washer to get the best results from your cleaning.
Having washed the deck down you can apply any number of products to enhance and preserve it. Our personal favourite is shown in the image above (Click on this image if you would like to buy some) and gets right into the grain bringing out the beauty of the wood as close to the original condition as age will allow.
Staining a deck will enhance the timber colour
You can also colour the deck if it is a little faded and our recommendation for this is the range of colours from Cuprinol which stain, rather than paint, the deck. The difference being that stain soaks into the grain to give the timber it’s ,colour while paint, although soaking in a little, does so purely for adhesion to the surface. The colour element sits on the top of the timber. Again, click on the image if you would like to buy the stain.
Timber decks fade almost without our knowing and when we have spent a day restoring them it is always amazing to see how faded and grimy they had become. A rejuvenated deck will help you enjoy those lovely summer afternoons and evenings even more. For more information see our project on How to Stain Decking.
Jul 15
We have added some more new projects this week – and have already had some great feedback from you.
New garden projects include building sleeper steps and flagstone steps, plus fitting a shed lock and installing an outdoor socket.
Staying with the security theme, we’ve a new project on fitting a safe to store those valuable items found inside the house.
As part of our commitment to bring you, our users, what you are asking for, we have a survey that we would love you to complete. Click through here to be taken to our survey page.
It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes and as a Thank You, every survey completed will be entered into a prize draw to win £150 of Screwfix vouchers!
Jul 12
Recent research by insurance company Aviva has revealed that the number of theft and burglaries increase during the months of July and August.
With the school summer break almost upon us, many families are getting ready to go on their annual holidays.
Whether you are planning a week away or just the odd away day, there are several things to consider to help protect your home and gardens.
security cable
Theft of garden equipment from sheds and outbuildings increases by almost 50 per cent in the summer, so it makes sense to ensure that expensive garden equipment is secured somehow. Just a simple measures such as fitting a latch on the gate is a good start, plus a padlock on the shed door – even locking several items together will deter most opportunistic thieves. Have a look at our home and garden security project for more tips.
Installing an exterior light with a motion sensor is a great idea too.
Portable items such as the kids bikes and even the garden furniture should be put away if possible.
Make sure the windows and doors of your house are closed and locked too. Valuable items should also be hidden or placed in a safe if you have one and not left in plain sight – if the burglar can see nothing worth breaking in for he just may pass on by.
Make sure your home insurance is current. If you are taking an extended holiday check to see that you are still covered. Some insurance may not cover you if you are away for periods of more than 30 days.
Let your neighbours know if you are away so they can keep an eye out for anything unusual.
Have a final check round before you leave – and then relax and enjoy your holiday!
Jul 06
As summer progresses, there are plenty of jobs in the garden that need constant attention. Mowing the lawn becomes part of the summer ritual as it is usually done on a weekly basis.
Many of these outdoor jobs involve the use of electrical equipment – lawn mowers, strimmers and hedge trimmers being the most common items in regular use.
Here are some simple rules to follow to ensure you don’t become a shocking summer statistic!
- Never use electrical equipment in wet or damp conditions
- Always use a socket fitted with an RCD – and check it regularly!
- Wear appropriate footwear – sandals will not offer any protection to your feet
- Wear safety goggles and gloves when using a strimmer to protect your eyes and hands
- Check cables and connectors are sound and not damaged before use
- Ensure cables are kept away from the area you are working in to avoid damage
- Extension cables should be fully unwound to prevent overheating
The most important piece of advice is to ensure any electrical equipment is unplugged before attempting any cleaning or repairs. This may sound obvious, but the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) reports that this accounts for 13% of all electrical accidents.
After use, ensure your garden equipment is clean and stored in a dry environment.
This will prolong both it’s life and potentially yours too!
