Ask a building expert
Real questions from UK homeowners, answered by our editorial team — planning permission, costs, building regs, choosing a trade and more. Search the answers below, or ask your own (it's free).
My double glazing has misted up between the panes — do I need new windows, or can just the glass be replaced?
Good news first: misting between the panes almost never means you need whole new windows. It happens because the seal around the sealed glass unit has failed and let moisture in, so the fog forms inside the double gla…
Can I legally repair my own gas cooker or hob?
For most repairs the answer is no — you need a Gas Safe registered engineer. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 it is illegal for anyone who is not on the Gas Safe Register to repair, s…
Realistic 2026 price for a 2.5 x 2.5 metre lean-to conservatory, with the old conservatory taken down and away, a strip brick and timber base installed, fully finished with plastering etc on a concrete foundation (already in place), with French doors and a solid roof?
A realistic 2026 budget for this job is £11,000–£15,000 including VAT, fully finished. Here is how that builds up for a 2.5 x 2.5m lean-to. The conservatory itself sits at the bottom of the lean-to band: £8,500–£10…
Do I need a burglar alarm for my bungalow
There is no legal requirement, and no planning permission needed in almost every case. Whether an alarm is worth it comes down to your insurance and your layout — and a bungalow's layout does change the maths. On a t…
How can I get scaffolding removed from my property?
It depends on whose scaffold it is and where it stands. If it's left over from your own project, contact the scaffolding firm directly — the scaffold belongs to them, not the builder, and quotes normally include disma…
How can I check if my builder has insurance?
Ask, then verify — never rely on a logo on the van. Every legitimate builder carries public liability insurance, and the accepted minimum for domestic building work is £2m of cover. Ask for the certificate before you…
How do I find a good builder?
Start with a shortlist of three, never one. Ask neighbours and friends who've had similar work done, and look for members of a recognised scheme such as the Federation of Master Builders or TrustMark — then verify the…
How big an extension can I build without planning permission?
Under permitted development (PD) rights in England you can often extend without a planning application, within limits. For a single-storey rear extension, the standard allowance is up to 4m deep on a detached house or…
How deep do foundations need to be for a single-storey extension?
There's no single legal depth — the honest answer is that building control decides on site, based on the ground your extension sits on. The factors that matter are soil type (shrinkable clay is the big one), nearby tr…
How do I compare fitted kitchen quotes fairly?
The trick is making every fitter price the same job. Kitchen quotes vary partly because firms include different things — one covers strip-out, plumbing, electrics and flooring, another quotes cabinetry and fitting onl…
How high can a garden wall be without planning permission in the UK?
The general rule under permitted development is that a garden wall can be up to 2 metres high without planning permission. That drops to 1 metre where the wall sits next to a highway used by vehicles or the footpath o…
How do I know how old my boiler is?
The most reliable route is the serial number. Every boiler has a data plate or sticker — usually behind the drop-down front flap, inside the case door, or on the side or underside of the unit. Most manufacturers encod…
How do I apply for a dropped kerb for my driveway?
A dropped kerb (the council term is a vehicle crossover) is an application to your local council as highway authority, and the process varies from council to council. Start at [gov.uk's dropped kerb page](https://www.…
How expensive are solar panels in the UK?
A typical home solar panel system costs £5,000–£9,000 fitted in 2026. The main driver is system size: a 3kW system runs £4,500–£6,500, a 4kW system (around 10 panels) £5,000–£8,000, a 6kW system £7,500–£11,000, and a…
How is scaffolding charged?
Scaffolding is almost always quoted as a fixed price for the job rather than a simple weekly rental. A standard quote covers three things: erecting the scaffold, dismantling it, and a hire period of around six to eigh…
How long do boilers last — and is it worth repairing or replacing?
A modern condensing boiler should last 12–18 years with annual servicing. What tends to fail along the way is predictable: diverter valves and printed circuit boards often need replacing at 8–12 years, at £250–£500 a…
How expensive is air conditioning to install at home?
For a fixed, properly installed system, UK air conditioning in 2026 costs £1,500–£3,000 for a single-room split system — one indoor wall unit plus an outdoor condenser, and the most popular choice for a bedroom, home…
How easy is it to replace a toilet — can I do it myself?
Honest answer: a straight like-for-like swap is one of the more achievable DIY plumbing jobs, but only in the right circumstances. If the new toilet is a standard close-coupled pan going in exactly the same position,…
Ask your own question
Free · answered by our editorial team · published with your first name only