Is there something that will fit all types of guttering?

My house was built last year and I think the type of guttering used is rolled out. I live in the Monaghan area.

John O'Boyle There are two types of protection used for guttering. The first type the roll-out mesh and the other type is the plastic sections. The mesh roll is usually supplied in a pack of 10 metres in length and the fixings are included in the pack. The cost is around 25. The plastic sections are supplied as strips 500mm in length x 100mm in width. There are five metres to a pack and it costs around 15 to 20 per pack. (For more information contact Monaghan-based company JG Kelly Supplies Ltd (047-84344). They also have outlets in Limerick and Dublin. ) Please remember when working on gutters at heights that safety is important and make sure when using ladders that they are secure. Have someone hold the ladder while you use it.

Q I washed a new factory-finished, high-shine, porcelain-backed, marble floor with Mr Muscle All Purpose cleaner. It has left dull spots in places as if something had been spilled on them. I also feel some shine has gone off them in places. Is there any thing I can do to restore them to their original condition. Please help . . . I am so upset.

Martha McInerney.

A I suggest you go back to the shop that sold you the marble tiles and ask for their advice. They may have products that will remove the stains. If you have a spare tile, I suggest that you wash this tile with Mr Muscle and bring it with you to the tile shop so they can see the problem for themselves. Alternatively you could contact Silkestone in Portlaoise (057 866 4835, www. silkestone. ie). They have a special marble cleaning kit which I think might help.

Q I recently had a conservatory fitted by a company and now want a patio laid. I asked the conservatory company to quote me for the work as I was happy with the job they did on the conservatory. However, the price they have quoted me is almost /2,000 dearer than the quote I received from two builders who were advertising locally. Do you think I am being ripped off?

A Joe O'Reilly There are a couple of ways to look at this. Firstly, are the two quotes from registered companies with the necessary insurances in place?

Are they both quoting for exactly the same work? Are they going to supply the materials? Are both quotes on headed company paper with the contact numbers shown? Have you seen work that the local builders have done before? You should go to see some previous work the local builders have done to see the quality of their workmanship.

Ask them to supply you with a list of some previous work done. If they are reluctant to give you a list then I would steer well clear. The price difference is substantial but sometimes the dearer quote does not always turn out that way in the end. There may be a reason why the other quotes are so cheap.

Q I recently had a solid timber floor fitted in my living room. It has started to bulge around the edge of the floor. Can you explain why this has happened?

Without seeing the floor it is impossible for me to say. However, there are a couple of reasons why this happens. The contractor may not have left a sufficient expansion gap around the edges of the walls. This gap should be a minimum of 10mm. I would leave the gap just shy of the width of the skirting board as the skirting board will cover this gap.

The contractor may have left a sufficient gap and used packers along the edges to stop the floor from moving as it was being laid. He may have left them in place, rendering the gap useless. This is highly unlikely but I have seen it done. Another reason could be a leak in a pipe: the flooring soaks the water which in turn makes the wood expand and when it expands to the walls it cannot go any further so the pressure of the wood expanding makes it rise. Hopefully you don't have a leak and it is only a lack of the expansion gap around the edges.

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Steve Guerin is managing director of www. tradesmenireland. com, the one-stop website that will help you find a tradesman, a site for sale, a property to rent or buy and all the plant hire and machinery you need to complete your house build or renovation.