Practical guides to help you understand home repairs, what they cost, and how to hire a tradesperson you can trust.
Boilers, radiators, leaks and drains: what needs doing, how often, and who to call.
Turn the heating off, open the bleed valve a quarter turn until water appears, then top the boiler back up to 1 to 1.5 bar. Here is how, and when a cold radiator needs an engineer.
A new gas boiler is cheaper to fit, but a £7,500 grant closes most of the gap for a heat pump. A heat pump only costs less to run if it works efficiently.
A plumbing emergency is water you cannot stop or water near electrics. Here is what can wait, what to do first and how to avoid being overcharged.
Pipes can freeze once it drops below 0°C. Lag pipes in cold spaces and keep the heating on low. If one bursts, turn off the stop tap first, then follow these steps.
Most boiler breakdowns start with something you can check yourself. Here are the safe checks to run before you call an engineer, and when to stop and get help.
A gas safety certificate, or CP12, is the record of the yearly gas check every landlord must have done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Here is what the law says, what the check covers, what it costs in 2026, and what to give your tenants.
EICR checks, consumer units, sockets and lighting, and when the work must be certified.
Roofs, gutters, chimneys, fencing and driveways, and the checks that stop small problems growing.
Sweep at least twice a year for wood or house coal and once a year for smokeless fuel. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a stove, fire or boiler.
If a storm damages your roof, stay safe, photograph the damage, call your insurer before repairs and use a vetted roofer rather than a doorstep caller.
Painting, plastering, flooring, kitchens and bathrooms, and what a good finish involves.
What common home jobs really cost in the UK, and what makes a quote fair.
A new gas boiler costs about £3,700 fitted on average, says the Energy Saving Trust, within a range of around £1,400 to £7,000. Here is what moves the price.
UK electricians average £38 an hour and £312 a day in 2026, and most call out charges are £65 to £120. Here is what jobs cost and how to get a fair quote.
A new bathroom usually costs £4,500 to £11,000 fitted, with labour about half of that. Here is what each part of the job costs and how to get a fair quote.
Most drain unblocking costs £80 to £250, and a blocked sink or toilet can be from £30. Here is what each method costs, and when the water company pays instead.
Most boiler repairs cost a few hundred pounds. Here are published prices for common faults, how call out charges work, and when to replace instead.
Clearing the gutters front and back costs £75 to £350 before VAT, say Which? Trusted Traders. Many firms charge £5 to £9 a metre. Most ordinary homes pay towards the lower end. Here is what moves the price, how often to do it, and what to check before you book.
A full rewire of a three bedroom semi costs £4,000 to £18,000 before VAT, according to Which? Trusted Traders. Most homes land well below the top of that range. Here is what moves the price, how long it takes, and what paperwork you should get at the end.
Most UK plumbers charge £25 to £110 an hour, and the average in a 2026 survey was £58. Emergency call-outs add £40 to £150 on top. Here is what the rate includes, what common jobs cost, and how to get a fair price.
A one-off gas boiler service usually costs £70 to £110, around £79 on average in a 2025 Which? survey. It must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Here is what a proper service includes, what pushes the price up, and how to check the engineer before they start.
How to check a tradesperson, what to ask, and how to avoid the cowboys.
Call once, then put a new date in writing. If they miss that too, you can usually cancel and pay only for work done. Here is how to get a deposit back.
Check the register that matches the job, see proof of insurance and get a written quote. Gas engineers must be Gas Safe registered by law. Here is how to run every check in ten minutes, free.
Advice for trade businesses on winning and keeping local customers.