- How to build a shed base out of paving slabs
- Mix sand and cement together to make mortar or use a pre-mixed one
- Use a trowel to lay mortar for 1 slab at a time on the sub-base and lift a damp-sided slab onto the mortar, using a piece of timber and club hammer to tap the slab into position carefully. Continue to lay the first row of slabs
- Make equally-sized spacers in all the joints in the slabs to ensure they’re the same size, checking it’s level as you go along
- Next lay slabs along the two adjacent outer edges, filling in the central area row by row
- Leave the mortar to set according to the instructions or for at least 48 hours before filling in the joints with mortar or paving grout
- Building a shed base from concrete
- Create a wooden frame around your shed base area (also called formwork) to stop the concrete from spreading
- Mix pre-mixed concrete with water or use 1 part cement to 5 parts ballast
- Wet the sub-base using a watering can with a rose on the end
- Pour the concrete onto the framed base starting in one corner
- Push the blade of a shovel up and down in the edges of the concrete to get rid of air bubbles
- Use a rake to spread the concrete, leaving it around 18mm higher than the top of the frame. Work in sections of around 1-1.m2
- Compact the concrete using a straight piece of timber that’s longer than the width of the base. Move the timber along the site, hitting it along at about half of its thickness at a time until the surface is evenly ridged
- Remove excess concrete and level the surface by sliding the timber back and forwards from the edge that you started. Fill in any depressions and repeat until even
- Run an edging trowel along the frame to round off exposed edges of the concrete and prevent chipping
- Cover the concrete with a plastic sheet raised on wooden supports to allow slow drying. Weigh it down with bricks
- Once the concrete is set, you can install your shed and remove the wooden frame with a crowbar
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How much do Carpenter services cost?
Do you have a need for a carpenter in or around your house? If yes, then one of the first things you’d probably want to know is the exact amount it would cost to get the project over the line. Now, carpenters are skilled craftsmen that are able to make things with wood and fabricate all sorts of wood constructions. The price charged by carpenters are determined by a wide range of factors which makes it nearly impossible to provide a short and accurate estimate without having a look at your unique requirements. In this post, we’re going to give you an in-depth insight into general carpentry charges while also considering some of the influencing factors. Let’s take a look!
Some of the most common factors that determines the price charged by a carpenter includes the project type, the size as well as scope of the project, the location of project, ease of access, experience and qualification of the carpenter and lots more. For instance, if the job is a minor one such as building a shed, it’ll cost a lot less than something more complex which requires a bit more experience like constructing a staircase. In general, building a shed will have a labour cost within the range of £150 to about £250, while a staircase construction will require a labour cost in between £1,000 to £1,500. For general carpentry, you can expect to pay within the range of £20 to £30 hourly rate depending on a number of factors which are stated above. It’s also important to state that while some carpenters charge per hour, others by the day and several of their projects will be charged at fixed prices.
The table reveals the kinds of work that Carpenters normally do and also the regular cost range of these jobs. Some tasks take longer to finish than others so costs do differ by task.
View our Carpenter cost guide View our Carpenter adviceThe average price
of a Carpenter in Stranraer is:
£879
| Carpenter job | Carpenter cost in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Kitchen Fitting in Stranraer | £975-£2,495 |
| Carpenters and joiners in Stranraer | £375-£575 |
| Plasterboard dry lining in Stranraer | £638-£978 |
| Wood flooring in Stranraer | £750-£1,150 |
| Wooden decking in Stranraer | £1,125-£1,725 |
| Garden shed in Stranraer | £450-£690 |
| Wooden window repair in Stranraer | £320-£480 |
Carpenter FAQs
- Start in one corner of the sub-frame and position the first board across the inner joists. You want the deck board in the opposite direction to the inner joists, ensuring that it’s flush with the frame. Position any end-to-end joins between the deck boards halfway across an inner joist so you can screw both boards into the joist for stability. Make sure you keep a gap of between 5-8mm to allow for expansion of the wood.
- Begin to screw your deck boards to the joists. You’ll need to secure the deck board to every joist is covers along your deck frame. Use two screws for every joist. Mark where you’re going to add your screws, ensuring that they are at least 15mm from the end of the board and 20mm from the outside edges. Drill pilot holes for the screws, being careful to only drill through the deck board and not the joist. Then screw the decking screws into the holes.
- Continue to screw in the deck boards, ensuring you leave the correct expansion gap. You can stagger the deck board joins across the deck for more strength.
- Sand down any cut ends if you need to before applying decking preserver to protect the timber from rotting.
Check your Price's door installation cost calculator and charges guide will allow you to estimate both typical labours only costs for door hanging & installations, renovations and repairs as well as the total estimate for comprehensive door installation projects.
• Door & Frame Installation Job and the average Cost in £'s
• uPVC door installation including glazing & architrave costs around £90 per door
• uPVC french & patio door sets including glazing & architrave costs around £120 per pair
• Softwood french & patio door sets including architrave costs around £180 per door
• Hardwood french & patio door sets including architrave would cost around £250 per pair
• Softwood internal door hanging only would be around £40 per door
• Hardwood internal door hanging only would set you back around £48 per door
• Softwood external door hanging only is around £60 per door
• Hardwood external door hanging would cost around £70 per door
• Locks, letterboxes & door furniture timber doors are around £15 per Item
• Glazing £15 per pane
• Brick cut-outs single doors is around £60 per cut-out
• French or patio door brick cut-outs will be around £90 per cut-out
• New lintels will cost around £150 per lintel
Door Repair Costs and Charges
Estimate door mending labour charges by totalling the unit costs of the mandatory jobs. The complete door repair cost includes the total labour charge plus the cost of all parts, fixtures and fittings. A call out charge may be added on jobs totalling less than £100.
Average Cost of Door Repair Job
Replacement glazing units for uPVC doors will be around £15 per unit
Replacement glazing units for timber doors is around £20 per unit
Replacement door glass pined & putty will cost£30 per pane
Replacement handles are around £10 each and general repair work will cost you £25 per hour
Building & FENSA certificate charges
FENSA certificates are obligatory for maximum door replacements and new build setting up prices differ from council to council.
Average Cost of Window Repair Job: One to two doors will cost around £85
Average Cost of Door Fixtures & Fittings Removal Job
Removing internal doors will cost around £10
Removing internal door liners will cost around £15
Removing external timber doors will cost about £10
Removing External timber door frame will be around £20
Removing external uPVC door & frame removal will be around £30 and Rubbish disposal will cost £150 per ton.
How To Lay Wood Flooring
Laying of wood flooring is actually a very simple task contrary to many beliefs. First and foremost, before commencement of the fitting process, you must determine the direction you would like the engineered wood flooring to lie in. To do this the right way, they should lie in the direction of the the longest wall. However, if your subfloor is wooden, then having the boards positioned across the joists underneath would be your best bet to get started.
Here are some simple steps to follow to properly lay your wood flooring:
• Start from a corner, working from left to right and place the initial rows of the boards with the groove’s end directly opposite the closest wall.
• Make use of expansion spacers. Place them in between the wall and the board alongside an expansion gap of about 8 to 10mm.
• Place the board’s final rows at about 100mm wide. To achieve this, it is crucial to be pro-active with the measurement and cut the boards (if you deem fit) to adjust the first row.
• With the help of the click system, the boards will click together.
• Fit in the next board. Ensure to attach the tongues together (30 degrees from the floor) and once done, you can proceed to lower and lock it in place. Do this till you get to the end of the row.
• Cut the last board of the row to size if its too long.
• If the part cut off is up to 300mm, simply use it to start the next row. If not, cut a new board in half to use.
• Put the rows side by side in such a way to ensure the joints are staggered at each and every row. Keep a consistent gap between the wall and the planks via the continuous use of the spacers.
• Lay a plank over the last row to determine the width of the previous board. Position a new plank in a way that its tongue is directly against the wall. Once done, proceed to mark a line of plank underneath to get the required width. Then, fit the plank into the space with the help of a pull bar and hammer.
Click here to learn more about wood flooring.
- Remove any existing fascia boards Remove the fascia boards and the old felt if you’re re-felting.
- Measure the shed roof Measure the roof, taking into account that you should leave around 50mm for overlaps at the eaves and 75mm at the gable ends. You’ll probably need 3 pieces of felt, but some smaller sheds only need 2.
- Apply felt to the roof Once you’ve cut the felt to size, apply the each piece to the roof, pulling it tight. Then nail along the length of the roof at 100mm intervals. For nails at the bottom edge, they can be wider – around 300mm. If you’re adding a piece of felt in the middle of the shed along the apex, fix it using adhesive, then nail it at the lower edge at 50mm intervals.
- Tidy up the overhangs Fold down the felt at each overhang and nail it securely. Cut a slit in the overhang at the apex using a pen knife, then fold that down and nail at 100mm intervals along the gable. If you like, you can add fascia boards to keep the shed looking neat. Use wood nails to secure them and then trim away any excess felt.
Being the primary material used in wooden flooring installation, the floorboards are the main supply costs. With that in mind, you should also know that there are a large variety of wooden flooring types to select from, each with their unique pros and cons which should all be considered before making a purchase decision. If you’re looking to get the supply cost of wooden flooring in the UK, then you’ve come to the right place! Here is a basic price guide of various and some of the most popular types of floorboards.
If you wish to go for an engineered wood flooring, this looks better when compared to laminate and is more affordable than solid wood. You can expect to pay within the range of £20 to about £100 per square metre for this wood flooring type.
Laminate flooring, on the other hand, is also quite cheap, easy to install and quite hardwearing, however it tends to warp over time as a result of exposure to moisture and it also happens to be the least attractive of all the other flooring types. You can expect to pay within the range of £10 to about £50 per square metre for this wood flooring type.
Solid wood flooring is a great option with a better look and feel to it. However, it also tends to warp over time and more difficult to install as against laminate. You can expect to pay within the range of £20 to about £100 per square metre for this wood flooring type.
Parquet flooring is long lasting and very attractive, but quite expensive to have fitted. You can expect to pay within the range of £25 to about £200 per square metre for this wood flooring type.
- Have a step tread width of 900mm – if you don’t want them that wide, they should be no less than 760mm
- Add a central step riser to stairs wider than 900mm to prevent them buckling
- Add a step depth (the vertical distance between each step) of between 150 and 180mm if building your own riser, so the steps are at a comfortable depth
- Step treads (the actual step themselves)
- Step risers
- Coach screws
- Deck screws
- Saw
- Drill
- Make sure the ground where you want to put your steps is level and firm. If it’s not, consider laying concrete or paving slabs to provide a secure surface for your steps to sit so they don’t sink.
- Grab some joist off-cuts and cut them to the same width as your step treads. Attach them to the step risers at the top and bottom using countersunk coach screws.
- Place the steps against the sub-frame of the deck; if you’ve put slabs down for support, make sure the steps sit in the middle of them. The longest edge of the stair riser should be on the slabs, and the short edge against the deck. Drill pilot holes through the step and sub-frame joist, then screw the step to the sub-frame with more coach screws.
- After drilling pilot holes, screw the treads into the risers at each end with deck screws.
- If you don’t want gaps between each stair, you can add joist off-cuts or deck boards. Measure the height and depth of the gap, then screw the off-cut or board into the step riser with two screws at each end.
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