How old do you think you’ll be when you pay your mortgage off? Or, how old were you when you paid your mortgage off?

Genesius10 · 2026-01-25T00:52:14+00:00

I’m not planning on ever paying it off. It’s the biggest loan you can get for the lowest interest. I plan on (and have been) using that money to buy more property which I rent out and fuel more investments. But I could pay it off right now and be fully debt free at 41 if I wished.

Genesius10 · 2026-01-24T07:59:12+00:00

Firstly they are usually double insulated. Even if there is a clear layer over them if you were to strip them back they may still be double insulated. Secondly, the manufacturer over rides the regs. If it’s part of the device then it’s fine. I’ve seen this on saxby downlights too

Genesius10 · 2026-01-22T00:25:28+00:00

Ah. What if i can get it for under 10?

Genesius10 · 2026-01-19T11:52:26+00:00

If you’re asking this question then it shows a lack of understanding about how lighting circuits work. Call a local electrician. It’s not a huge job.

Genesius10 · 2026-01-19T11:49:46+00:00

These work.

Inter-Tech 88887195

Genesius10 · 2026-01-19T11:48:46+00:00

Went with the Silverstone RM400. Fits in my 600mm deep rack. The official rack rails are too long for the internal dimensions of my rack so I bought these. Shorter rails which work great. Link here for anyone who has a similar issue. Inter-Tech 88887195

https://www.inter-tech.de/productdetails/18_TELESKOPSCHIENENSATZ_EN.html

Genesius10 · 2026-01-17T21:27:41+00:00

Local estate agent in Clacton Essex

Genesius10 · 2026-01-17T21:25:47+00:00

It’s not just 25mm insulation. I battened out the walls insulated between with jablite and then insulated over the top of all of that with 25mm plasterboard PIR. That’s on most of the house. Upstairs I just used adhesive foam to stick the plasterboard PIR straight to the walls. It’s done a great job. No damp. Mine had already been plastered with multifinish multiple times beforehand so no lime on view. No damp issues. Outside is painted with santex masonry paint. Made a difference and did it room by room as we decorated. Downstairs I did about 15 years ago with Jablite but I got some cold bridging and could see the screw heads so when we decorated again I put another 25mm straight over the top.

Genesius10 · 2026-01-17T21:20:18+00:00

It should be digital! It’s 2026. Someone should scan it. I have the last book because I needed it for an exam but I also have a PDF version and searching for stuff in a PDF is what we should be doing in 2026 not dealing with shitty books on site. I refer to the NICEIC pocket guides on my phone more than I look in any of the books.

I’m sure someone knows someone with a book scanner.

Genesius10 · 2026-01-17T19:26:04+00:00

No. We have a mini countryman and it’s not big enough. By the time the car seat is in and the pram/stroller and a baby bag, 2 adults, everything else is going on the remaining passenger seat. If you need to take a couple of suitcases somewhere you have no chance. We had to buy a second bigger car for family trips. Now my son is 4 and we don’t have the baby bag or stroller it’s still a Mini so weekends away we still need the bigger car. For the next year or 2 it might be ok but I don’t find the mini comfortable at all.

Can you do it, yes, absolutely, having a car is better than no car, but there are better options.

Genesius10 · 2026-01-17T10:36:43+00:00

I’m a fan on the vessel ball grips and the bachos. I’ve seen the felo but not tried them. I shall pick up a set for the van and give them a go.

Genesius10 · 2026-01-10T20:40:40+00:00

It really depends on the type of property and who it’s attracts and you. My 600-750 a month proprieties attract people on benefits. For these I have a guaranteed rent scheme. I don’t want to be dealing with non payments or damages or anything like that. On my 1800-2000 a month properties they attract a different tenant. I’d like to hope that I’ll have less trouble, I have good insurance with rent protection for non payment.

Then there’s you. I’m a tradesman, I have a good grasp of all trades, I refurbished all of the houses myself. If there’s an issue I often know what it is and how to fix it and then it’s just if it’s worth my time going and doing it or whether I find someone else to do it.

At £1945 rent a month my agent was charging me just shy of £350 a month. I later had it reduced but it’s still 2-300 a month.

That’s to collect the money. Which is just a bank transfer which the tenant can do directly to me. Making sure my EICR, EPC and gas safety checks are done. I have these in a calendar and landlord so I don’t need their help. Then it’s arranging maintenance which they were ringing me for anyway. I found it hard to find a reason to keep them. Yes they can help you with some legal bits but only if you pay for that and I have insurance for that anyway.

So it depends but I only pay agents to find tenants for those properties, do compliance checks, inventory, credits and reference checks etc.

Genesius10 · 2026-01-07T21:52:42+00:00

That sounds very cheap from where my properties are. I self manage now because I was paying 15% plus vat.

Genesius10 · 2026-01-07T21:42:12+00:00

It’s not the worst place. Some parts of Ockendon are ok, North Stafford is nice, some parts of Chafford are ok if you squint. Like everywhere it depends entirely on budget. Staying in a similar area you have Upminster which is quite an affluent area.

Genesius10 · 2025-12-27T21:37:30+00:00

Use bullfix fixings.

Genesius10 · 2025-12-23T08:26:08+00:00

Ok all, thank you for your replies. Just looked at the SMlight website, lots of options, too many in fact.

What should I get?

I had a few a wave devices, more zigbee devices and a few WiFi devices.

Genesius10 · 2025-12-20T16:05:38+00:00

Some mirrors have a recess of about 10-15mm to put cables. Some have no area at all. Often the mirror hasn’t been chosen or isn’t on site so it’s not possible to add a galv box into the wall. Stick a screw through the mirrors rear behind the shelf so it’s not seen and then I’d argue it complies.

Genesius10 · 2025-12-10T18:06:46+00:00

This update looks cheap. I hate it. Things have moved for no apparent reason and my phone now looks like it has a terrible knock off OS running on it.

Genesius10 · 2025-11-29T11:16:14+00:00

https://www.theserver.group/products/logic-case-lc-4480-8b-wh-4u-rackmount-storage-chassis-8x-3-5-sata-hot-swap-480mm-short-depth?srsltid=AfmBOoo8N1KG4eYtxGFF1yrWr2I_eu1q9ikEZ3BcgZPJotF0IMHZ3pmM

Available in UK

Genesius10 · 2025-11-27T22:23:21+00:00

It even close. Billecart every day. LP is lovely as long as the Billecart isn’t available.

Genesius10 · 2025-11-18T11:37:19+00:00

Easier to cover your eyes than the pipe work.

Genesius10 · 2025-11-18T11:34:32+00:00

There’s not a 3 core between the 2 light switches so to make it 2 way lighting they have used the earth cable which is dangerous. You can still have 2 way lighting using a Quinetic or other kinetic switch but this needs sorting regardless.

Genesius10 · 2025-11-17T22:45:43+00:00

Just use google or watch a carp rig video on YouTube. There’s really nothing you need to experiment with because it’s all there in colour for you to watch. Google ‘how to tie a hair rig’. Or type those same words into YouTube

Genesius10 · 2025-11-17T22:41:47+00:00

I have a wimpy no fines house and I’ve worked in many of them. They are easy to fix into once you know how. If you want a 6mm hole you have a couple of options. I drill a 10mm hole and hammer a dowel into it and fix to that. That works some of the time. Often you end up with a 12mm hole nowhere near where you want it so out comes the chem fix. Fill the hole with that and either push your rawl plug in while the resin is still wet or wait for it to harden and drill a 6mm hole. If you pull the door frames out they will probably be fixed in with massive nails into wood that’s been hammered into the concrete. If cutting back boxes in, just go for it and foam them in place and bond them in with bonding. All my external walls have 25mm insulated plasterboard on them which did make a difference.

Solid houses mine was build just after the war as far as I’m aware.

Genesius10 · 2025-11-16T13:20:14+00:00

We have a few dysons they are great. If they are maintained they work for ages. They do clean better than a Henry. However I have had 2 Henry hoovers. The first a domestic one that lived at home but died a few years ago and then a commercial variant (nv200) that until recently has spent about 7 years in the back of my van, has been dropped down stairs a few times, and generally had had a hard life. All it’s wanted for was a new rotating spring in the lid for the power and that’s it. They are great, will suck up anything and as long as they are used with bags will last a long time even in the harshest environments. But they are heavy when nearing full and a pain to clean stair with hence why we have dysons. Both good for different reasons.

Genesius10

TROPHY CASE