I don't like the suite we have at the moment, and I want to replace the magnolia suite with a white one.

I want the bits in the same place, so no moving of soil pipe, etc, etc. Nothing fancy like electric or power showers (good pressure and normally a tank of hot water there!)

No problems with the flooring or the tiling! Its just that I've never tackled a plumbing job, so I guess things like shutting off water are bothering me! Connecting up pipes and soil pipe are a worry as well! I guess the whole job is bothering me!!! :eek:

Is there an idiots guide to? Or would I be better off just paying someone to do it?

Oh and a heated towel rail, but I guess that's bordering a whole different, more complicated topic of central heating!!

if you think you can do it then you can do it..

Buy a diy manual, stupid as it seems..

Shouldnt need to do much plumbing, but could use speedfit fittings if it is a problem..

Put it this way if chiark can do it, anyone can.

David

Not a stupid idea at all, there are loads of things I'd like to do around the house, but have been put off.

I guess a good DIY manual would be a very good idea.

Any recommendations?

Andy Here (http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/thread.asp?threadid=166611)should help you:D

Also look at Chiarks threads re his bathroom.

I'd never done any plumbing before I started, and have now replaced the cold storage tank, changed the hot water cylinder outlet, changed radiators, ...

Solder connections are really, really easy providing you can get the pipe that you're working on absolutely empty of water. Compression fittings are good too, as they allow you to rotate the fitting for angles that are a swine. And, as David says, pushfit seems easy but out of the 4 I had, one leaked due to me not finishing the end of a pipe properly. (RTFM!)

Just know what you're up against, and know how to isolate the bits that you're working on. It might help to put an isolator valve in the pipework so you can shut off the bathroom and still ahve water in the rest of the house...
Nick.

Thanks Steve! I'll nip into the book shop this lunchtime! :)

I saw Nicks thread and it got me thinking!! ;)

Hi Andy,

Still have not received that Cisco book :D

I recently bought the Collins DIY manual from BOL (http://www.bol.com) for £9.99. A lot cheaper than the shops.

Darren

One of the first jobs I did was to replace the downstairs loo with a close coupled modern one.
I had removed the cistern from the wall, and was looking at the pan, with my old boy stood watching me. He kept saying things like "are you sure?", and "what if rats come out of the sewer?"
I picked up a 4lb hammer, and brayed the pan into about a thousand bits, then I said, "NOW it HAS to be done!"
What I'm trying to say is: start it-- you'll be surprised at how easy it really is.
BTW soil pipe: push fit, dead easy!!
Alcazar

I'd never done any plumbing before I started

Strange you should say that - neither had I ;)

With push on fittings and flexi pipe it is a dawdle. Go for it

I surpose that your all now going to give up your jobs and become plumbers now and get 70K a year, Andy its not that hard realy, If you can see the job ie what fittings to use and where to bend the pipe you've can do it, just remember though when water starts' p---ing out of the pipe you've just cut, which you for got to turn the water off to earlier don't PANIC,

Andy.

A VERY RICH PLUMBER (not).

Andy,

I have the collins DIY manual if you want to borrow it. I know you are local ...

Steve

Rambo, no mate, not for that money ;) :D

Cheers guys! :)

Andy - Nope, if only it were that easy to earn £70k a year!!! :)

Steve - No worries, I've got one now! :)

Have a started? Have I hell!! ;) Turns out a friend of mine use to be a plumber (now a Techie! - and no where near £70k ;)) and he has offered to give me a hand! :D

good thing about DIY plumbing is that tooling up for basic tools is not too expensive

Blowtorch, solder, flux, mat, wire wool, pipe cutter, (pipe bender), couple of decent wrenches and that's about it ;)

How the hell I spent 180 quid in a plumbers merchants given that all the bits are cheap is still beyond me :D