Second measure the drop of the wallpaper, cutting it to the correct length, adding an additional three or four inches to allow for trimming. When starting it is easier to work with one piece of paper at a time. Once you have the first piece on the table, you should cut the next piece making sure that the designs match and that there is enough paper to cover the wall.

Place the wallpaper square with one edge and one side of the wallpapering table. This will ensure that you do not get paste on the table and transfer it onto the next sheet. Load the brush with paste and starting from the centre paint out towards the edges. Gradually slide the paper along the table, folding it back on itself and continue painting until the whole sheet is coated. Once the sheet is covered fold the last edge back towards the centre; this makes carrying easier. Now allow the paste to soak into the paper as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you are using a roller make sure to paint in the same direction to avoid rolling up the paper.

Open out the top edge and line up the paper vertically, allowing an overlap to trim later. With the smoothing brush flatten out the centre downwards and moving outwards as you proceed. As you move down the paper push air bubbles out from underneath. Once you reach the bottom score the edge with a pair of scissors and trim the paper to fit snugly, repeating the process at the top.

The simplest method of all is to fit material such as folded plastic, paper, or specially cut pieces of wood between or underneath the offending floorboards. Although it may sound like a temporary measure, it may do the trick sufficiently well, and last for long enough, to not require anything more.

An additional option is to tighten the screws, or perhaps to replace any faulty or missing screws or nails which are holding down the floorboards. It may be that the screws or nails have loosened over time. A word of warning here, though – inserting new screws or nails where there were none before may be hazardous if there are electrical cables or water pipes directly below the floor.

In cases where one or more floorboards have become damaged beyond repair, it may be necessary to replace them altogether. Clearly this will work only if a replacement can be found that matches the rest of the floor. If no matching replacement can be found, one option is to replace it regardless and then paint or colour the entire floor in a different colour. Another option is to replace the entire floor using new floorboards, or to use the empty space for something else, such as placing furniture over it.

Fixing a loose floorboard can potentially lead to a larger DIY project, such as installing underfloor heating.

Measure the dimensions of your room carefully.  When you know exactly how much space you have available you’ll be better equipped to shop for beds. 

Once you know how big your room is, you can set out to find the perfect bed.  But remember that a bed is much more than just the frame and mattress.  Will you have space for a bed frame, headboard, and footboard?  Is the length too much for your room?  Can you incorporate additional furniture like a night table, mirror, dressing bench, or vanity in your space along with the bed?  Will you be able to get into and out of the bed?  If you’re shopping for bunk beds, trundle beds, sofa beds, or other alternative sleeping options, can your room accommodate the extra space that will be taken up with the bed is unfolded or opened up?

Now that you’ve measured your room and your bed, be sure you select a mattress that will fit the bed frame.  An ill-fitting mattress is uncomfortable to sleep on, wears unevenly, and won’t last as long as one that fits properly.  If you sleep with a partner, buy the largest bed and mattress combination that your room and your budget will allow to ensure that both sleepers are comfortable.

Get a scrap of wood the same width from the wall as the widest point, and use this as a guide to make a pencil mark along the length of the laminates. You should then cut the pieces with an electric jigsaw for ease.

As before, lay out the first length, separated from the wall by the spacer. Each piece of laminate will either snap together or be held in place with a little glue. Make sure you stagger the successive rows by about a foot so as to give them the appropriate look. You can now proceed to lay the rest of the flooring making sure to pack them firmly against each other.

Cutting around doorframes can be tricky, so either make a template of the section you need to cut out or saw a section off the architrave to the thickness of the board and push it underneath.  Once the floor is completely fitted you can then reattach the skirting boards or fill in the remaining gap with a half rounded moulding to hide the expansion space.

You’ll need a plumber’s blowtorch, heat resistant mat, some solder, flux and flux-brush and abrasive wool, along with a pipe-slicer and some files to remove copper burrs. Copper fittings connect lengths of pipe together or make branches, coming in many shapes (elbows, tees, straight connectors, tap connectors) and sizes.

Rub the thin layer of oxide away from the inside of the fitting and the outer surface of the pipe where the fitting will cover it. Unless you do this, the solder won’t take. Next, paint a layer of flux over the cleaned area of pipe, slip on the fitting and add the other length(s) of pipe (all similarly cleaned and fluxed). Set the blow torch to a medium flame – it should hiss vigorously but not roar, and it shouldn’t be ‘floppy’ (or it won’t be hot enough). Straighten a length of solder from the roll and hold in your left hand (if you’re right handed), direct the blowtorch at the middle of the fitting with the other hand, and wait until the flux starts to bubble. Point the flame at the edge of the fitting and lightly caress the joint with the solder – suddenly it’ll melt and seal the connection. Once all ends are soldered, turn the torch off and allow it to cool.

First, block the overflow in the sink with a wet rag, pour enough water in to cover a plunger and give it a good, vigorous plunge or three. If the water still fails to drain, scoop out the water from the sink into a bucket and place it underneath the trap.  Unscrew the plastic trap collars at both ends, take the trap out and give it a good clean (you should immediately see what horrors have been blocking the sink). Replace the trap (don’t over-tighten, though) and check for drainage.

If the water still won’t drain, the problem is further along the system. Check the drain outside the house by lifting the inspection cover – if it’s full of water, you’ll need some drain rods. If the drain is clear, the obstruction is in the house – unscrew the trap again and use a toilet auger (a flexible length of wire) to push through the drainage pipe. And stop using the sink for waste disposal.

A chair rail is typically used in dining rooms or kitchens to prevent wall damage caused by chairs being pushed hard away from the table.  In your bathroom, a timeless and elegant chair rail effect can be replicated using two different kinds of tile and some waterproofed wood trim.  Apply one sort of tile to the lower half of the bathroom wall, affix the trim approximately waist high, and then place the second type of tile above the trim.

A bathroom tile mural effect gives your walls instant impact.  Some home improvement stores and bathroom tile design studios sell pre-packaged mural kits that are relatively easy to apply to the wall in a day or two.  Use the mural as a focal point and install other tiles around the central design to complete the look.

Mosaics using bathroom tiles are a fun and funky design element that brings a bit of bohemian appeal to your washroom.  They take some time and painstaking work to complete, but the end result is a beautifully textured and interesting surface.  An added benefit:  You can purchase damaged bathroom tiles on the cheap and use these to craft the mosaic.

Most simple bathroom tiling projects are suitable for do-it-yourself enthusiasts and can be completed over a weekend or two. 

However, this does not have to be the case. There are many ways you can restore your bathroom without using all your savings. For example:

Clean the room thoroughly: The two key aspects in your bathroom are the shower cubicle and the toilet. If they are covered in grime and stains your bathroom appears to be on the shabby side. You can use lemon juice, a scrubber and a bucket of water to eliminate mildew and mould from the shower and bath. For the toilet, use white vinegar to eat away the stains and discolouration.

Minor Adjustments: There is no need to redo your entire bathroom. A minor adjustment can have a major impact and give your bathroom that restored look. Check out the bathroom accessories or shower accessories section at your local hardware store and instead of buying the whole section focus on one thing such as a new bathroom mirror or new bathroom tiles. Fixing the tiles or installing the mirror while adding a new shower curtain, rug or bathroom cabinet can provide your bathroom with that extra shine and make it look like new.

Keep in mind, there may be some parts of this where you will want to hire a contractor.  Electrical work comes immediately to mind.  Unless you’re a licensed electrician, installing the thermostat and wiring it to the rest of your house is something probably best left to the experts. With this exception, you’ll find this project reasonably easy, as long as you take your time with each step.

The first thing to decide on is the type of floor covering; hardwood is out if you decide to install underfloor heating because of their expansion and contraction when heated. However, many engineered woods and all laminates are suitable, as are tile, ceramic, and even carpeting. Underfloor heating kits are available that include all the components needed for installation, and only simple tools are generally needed for the heating mat itself.

Electric underfloor heating kits includes a flexible mat that you order according to the square metres required, a basic thermostat, adhesive trowel and electrical metre. The basic thermostat can generally be upgraded to a more sophisticated model, with more timing options for the heated floor.  A thorough installation guide is provided, and step-by-step instructions are also available on several Internet sites.

Tiling the floor as well will give you a wet room which can stand up to showers, baths, spillages and keep them contained. Many modern houses are now being built with wet rooms containing shower, seat and bath.

When choosing colours it is wise to remember that having tiles all the same colour will give an illusion of far more space in a small bathroom. Light coloured tiles will make a small bathroom look much bigger by reflecting the light around the room, but dark ones tend to make the space look smaller.

Other factors to consider are that tiled bathroom floors can be quite cold beneath the feet, even when they are laid on a wooden floor. Installing under-floor heating in the bathroom will resolve this problem, and using warm colours like terracotta for the floor tiling will also give the feeling of a warm floor. Adding bath mats is a simple resolution to this but it defeats the object of having a waterproof bathroom and is not always a practical idea. The safety aspect of mats on wet tiled floors needs to be addressed too.