Send in your questions to Steve. . .

Q My boyfriend and I are renovating our house. We'd like to rip out the old stairs and replace them with new ones. In an interiors magazine I saw stairs protruding from the walls . . . sort of cantilevered . . . but with no banisters. Is this possible to achieve or do we have to get planning?

Rachel Armstrong

A Yes it is possible to have a staircase with the cantilevered effect as you ask. However, I would suggest you incorporate a handrail purely for the safety aspect. Do you think the handrail would look out of place in this type of staircase? With modern materials and methods of production the handrail can be more of a feature as well as being a functional item. Look into various websites for custom-made staircase manufacturers as these will be the best source of ideas and inspiration.

Q I recently bought an old 1970s bungalow and intend to use it as a holiday home. The layout isn't ideal though. it has a warren of tiny rooms and I'd love to open up all the living spaces into one big room. At present, there's a separate living room, kitchen and utility. One wall is a supporting wall, the rest are not. How do I go about doing this and do I need planning permission to change the internal layout?

A No, you do not need to get planning permission to change the internal layout as you want to. I think large, open spaces are much better than small rooms and this can be achieved by "tting a supporting RSJ beam. It is not a DIY job and would be best left to a professional as serious damage can be caused by someone who is not experienced in this kind of work. The main think to look out for when tackling this job is to work out if the walls you intend to remove are supporting walls. A supporting wall is a wall that is holding up another wall or has floor joists resting on it. The RSJ beam can be set into the outside walls or can rest on a brick/block pier. It is also a nice feature to make an archway where the wall used to be.

This archway would also benefit from having decorative plaster moulding surrounding the arch and also moulded plaster columns to the front. This plasterwork is relatively inexpensive but the result is a striking feature which really sets off a room.

Q I have an old cottage with only a cold water supply to the sink. Can you advise me as to how I can have hot water without spending a lot of money?

A The easiest way for you to have hot water would be from an underthe-sink heater. This is a heater unit that, as the name suggests, is fitted under the sink and the cold water is fed into the unit and an electric current is used to heat the water as you need it. This job would be best undertaken by an electrician as electricity and water are lethal combinations in the wrong hands. Always remember to have the work undertaken by either a RECI or ECSSA registered contractor. While you are at it, why not consider adding an electric shower if you haven't got one already. This is the easiest form of providing hot washing facilities and works on the same principle as the underwater heater. Electric current is passed through an element to heat the water.

Q I have a marble fire surround which is covered in at least three coats of paint. How can I remove the layers without damaging the marble underneath?

A The safest method would be a hot-air gun. This works on the same principle as the gas blowlamps but is much safer. The electric hot air gun is like a hair dryer only a much stronger heat is produced. Be careful when using the gun as I must stress that there is a lot of heat produced. It would be advisable to wear cotton gloves while carrying out this operation and be careful where you point the gun. There are attachments which can be added to the gun to concentrate the direction of the heat to speci"c areas. These guns are fairly cheap and would be a valuable addition to your toolbox.

WRITE TO US

If you have a building-/renovation-related query that you'd like Steve to help you with, email: doorstepdoctor@tribune. ie 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