What "man jobs" have you done today?
- Thread starter jaybee
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Soldato
Finally got round to changing over my dimmer switch from plain white to brushed silver. Two lugs within the back box prevented the new one fitting in. Only got round to buying a hacksaw this week to file them off. 
Now I've got to sort out all the electric socket faceplates and bt point to match.
Now I've got to sort out all the electric socket faceplates and bt point to match.
Soldato
I put some in-ceiling speakers in my bathroom. They're hooked up to a small stereo amp and an Airport Express so it supports AirPlay 2 from our phones, iPad, living room Apple TV, etc. Happy with how it sounds and I'll be looking at doing something similar to other rooms.
It was a lot of climbing up and down ladders as the attic is a bit of a weird setup, and lots of AC ducts to find my way around. Blown insulation is awful stuff too!
It was a lot of climbing up and down ladders as the attic is a bit of a weird setup, and lots of AC ducts to find my way around. Blown insulation is awful stuff too!
Soldato
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We're having our bathroom ripped out and replaced and there will be a Sonos One going in. I did consider a ceiling mounted speaker but I've got plenty of Sonos kit already which I want to stick with so would have needed a Sonos Connect Amp and the speaker which made quite a difference to the cost. Also, it'll be handy to have an Alexa device in the bathroom.
Valid point - useful for voice control in the bathroom to avoid needing to use a mobile device to control it. I may well change my idea then. I will need to place my iTunes audio on the Synology so it doesn't need a mobile stream device.
Soldato
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I'm hoping the Alexa and Sonos integration is better than it was when first released - I disabled it fairly quickly. The problem was that any time someone in the house used Alexa it would temporarily drop the volume any any Sonos speakers that were playing, anywhere in the house. I can see why it'd do that for a speaker that was near an Echo but it did it irrespective of location so if my other half used the Alexa upstairs it'd mess about with my speaker in the study which is about as far away from where she was as it's possible to be in this house.
I guess I will find out fairly soon, my Sonos One is out for delivery.
I guess I will find out fairly soon, my Sonos One is out for delivery.
Soldato
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I've been doing some reading. It's known as 'ducking' apprently and Sonos have no plans at present to change the behavior. The newer Sonos speakers with Alexa built in will only drop the volume when you're speaking to Alexa on that specific speaker whilst the older speakers will all drop.
Not idea as this is the only newer style speaker we have so I'll have to get used to the others dropped in volume at times.
Not idea as this is the only newer style speaker we have so I'll have to get used to the others dropped in volume at times.
Associate
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Only the lower third of the towel rail radiator was warm (it's been like this a long time) so found a key to bleed it, now it's toasty and warm!
Will be interesting to see if this is actually enough to warm the bathroom which tends to be very cold through out winter - and doesn't have proper ventilation resulting in damp and mould
Really need to get a sparky in to fit vents, ducting and and an extractor fan in the loft space.
Will be interesting to see if this is actually enough to warm the bathroom which tends to be very cold through out winter - and doesn't have proper ventilation resulting in damp and mould
Really need to get a sparky in to fit vents, ducting and and an extractor fan in the loft space.This appears to have fixed your issue: https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/sonos-now-playing-with-alexa-groups-6817588
Only the lower third of the towel rail radiator was warm (it's been like this a long time) so found a key to bleed it, now it's toasty and warm!
Will be interesting to see if this is actually enough to warm the bathroom which tends to be very cold through out winter - and doesn't have proper ventilation resulting in damp and mould
Ours has an extractor directly above the shower, but it still gets pretty damp quickly - especially if the missus doesn't open the window when getting a shower as 'its too cold!'; or if it is too window and the wind catches it, nearly shearing it off its hinges.
I am considering getting another extractor fitted - either in addition to the current one, or replacing the current one. But first, new window - inward opening tilt and turn.
Soldato
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Looks good to me, thanks for the link.
Associate
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Salted the drive, cuz snow.
I live on quite a steep hill and it was fun watching the mayhem on the road this morning, just lucky I didn't have to drive myself!
I live on quite a steep hill and it was fun watching the mayhem on the road this morning, just lucky I didn't have to drive myself!
Soldato
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The tiles and some of the other remaining bits for the bathroom arrived yesterday so I had the pleasure of lugging 25 sqm of 600x300 tiles, a bath (which was a lot heavier than I was expecting), shower screen and shower pump upstairs.
The bathroom fitter starts today.
The bathroom fitter starts today.
Kitchen wall as we moved in:
As it is now:
All made of scrap wood from a broken old Garden table, I think it was made of Iroko? The trim on the rack is pine.
I know how OCD this forum is, so yes the shelf is a little to the left of where I wanted it. There is a load of cables in the wall right where the shelf support would have needed to go!
Dave
As it is now:
All made of scrap wood from a broken old Garden table, I think it was made of Iroko? The trim on the rack is pine.
I know how OCD this forum is, so yes the shelf is a little to the left of where I wanted it. There is a load of cables in the wall right where the shelf support would have needed to go!
Dave
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Bricklayer wouldn't come out due to the weather so I ended up laying a lintel as a padstone myself 
The roofer needs this to sit the steelwork on so he can start the roof.
Hopefully it'll be okay, I've wrapped it in Hessian and black dpc which will hopefully heat up in the sun of the day and then not freeze overnight.
Fingers crossed it's quite important
The roofer needs this to sit the steelwork on so he can start the roof.
Hopefully it'll be okay, I've wrapped it in Hessian and black dpc which will hopefully heat up in the sun of the day and then not freeze overnight.
Fingers crossed it's quite important
Yeah I did the same with 22sqm of 600x300, packs of 32kg. 380kg of tiles.
Been looking at splashback tiles for the kitchen- ordered a semi reflective matrix pattern sample too .. will have to make a decision in due time.. then a DIY fit
Bricklayer wouldn't come out due to the weather so I ended up laying a lintel as a padstone myself
The roofer needs this to sit the steelwork on so he can start the roof.
Hopefully it'll be okay, I've wrapped it in Hessian and black dpc which will hopefully heat up in the sun of the day and then not freeze overnight.
Fingers crossed it's quite important
Concrete etc you normally want to keep it above freezing for the curing setting.
I laid 3/4ton concrete with former pier so had to keep it above -2 it dropped to by covering and putting an oil rad under the tarp.
It's got an additive that should see it alright to -7. It's £30 a bottle and you're supposed to use half a bottle per bag of cement. Hopefully now the roofer can install the steel and joist the ceiling