How much does it cost to add skirting boards to a large living room

The previous owner of my house had his plug sockets located in the skirting boards. This was obviously how wiring was done years ago but it isn't what I wanted going forward. As a result I had the house rewired and needed to replace the skirting.

The living room is the largest room in the house as it has no dividing wall making it a "through lounge". In total it is 7.5m x 4m.

Our builder said he would supply and fit 4" skirting board all around the room (navigating two chimney breasts and one fireplace) for £280.

This seemed quite reasonable to me and only took him a couple of days including some other work.

If you have any experience with skirting board that you would like to share, please leave a comment.

How much does a plumber charge to fit a radiator and how long does it take ?

If you are not a seasoned property developer house renovations can be difficult to budget for.

I recently purchased a house which needed a lot of work and the living room seemed an obvious place to start.

One of the main issues was damp located near the front bay window. We called in a damp specialist who said the issue could be solved by placing a radiator underneath the front bay window. We already had a radiator in the room (at the back) so there was some pipework we could tap into if needed but we had no idea how much it would cost to add a new one.

We had a builder and qualified plumber that we trusted so we obtained a quote and he completed the work.

So in summary he fitted a 1200 x 600 mm double radiator and charged us £350. I'm not sure if this is considered cheap but it included the radiator, all of the valves, pipework and only took him two days.

If you have any experiences regarding fitting radiators and would like to share them with others, please leave a comment.

How much to buy a new remote key fob from Peugeot dealership for a Peugeot 207

Less than a year ago I purchased a second hand Peugeot 207. Unfortunately the key fob that was provided only opened the door and started the car manually as the remote function was no longer working. In addition the key was flimsy as the two halves of the key which clipped together had become loose over time.

I had contemplated getting another key or fixing the existing key but I dreaded the expense of it as I had seen some horrendous figures from forums online. However, one day when I was in a rush I locked the car manually and walked off and pulled the key but it didn't fully make it out of the lock. As a result the key snapped in two with little chance of piecing it back together.

So in the end I had to bite the bullet and buy a new key and I thought I would document the full process for others who may have to do the same.

Initial phone call

I called a dealership in my local area and asked how much it would be for a new key and what the process would be. The customer service person took my car details and then said I would need to visit the dealership and bring my log book with me.

Old Peugeot 207 key

The initial visit

Upon arrival at the dealership I sat at the customer service desk and explained the situation. I decided to bring all of the documentation I had received with the car just in case their was anything else required. I was asked for a utility bill to prove my address (which I didn't have with me) but I used my driving license instead.

I was asked for the key fob code card which tells Peugeot the code they will need to program into the key to match my car. I wasn't supplied this with the car so I was told that I needed to pay £19.99 for this in addition to the cost of the key. After signing a form or two and using the £19.99 as a deposit I was told that the key would be ordered and should be back at the dealership within 10 days.

Text and booking

10 days later I received a text telling me that my key had arrived and I just needed to book the car in. I arranged a time for the same week and opted to wait for the work to be carried out as I couldn't get a lift from the dealership.

New Peugeot 207 key

Day of the work

Shortly after arriving I was seated with a service desk person who filled out the paperwork. I was told that the work would take roughly 1 hour 30 minutes to complete  and would cost £142.26. After paying this amount I made my way to the seating area where a staff member made me a coffee while I waited.

After an hour (quicker than I had expected) I was told that my car was ready and I was given my old and new key fobs.

A week later

I received a courtesy call asking if everything was OK with my new key !

Final cost breakdown

Key code cost : £19.99

Lab to carry out programming of key : £48.40
Work to sync key with car * : £70.15
VAT for Lab & Sync : £23.71

Total I paid for a new key : £162.25

*Listed as 'Allocate recall C' & "Allocate prepricke" on statement.

Conclusion

Overall I was impressed with the service that Peugeot provided, however, the cost of the key seems very steep for what you get. Dealerships are known for the their high prices/ripping people off so it didn't come as much of a surprise.

If this article helped you or you have your own experience you would like to share, please add your comments below.

Emporio Armani AR2434 mens chronograph watch review

The Emporio Armani AR2434 has been in my collection for a while now and it is one of my favourites. Not only does it hold sentimental value because it was the first expensive item I purchased after getting a promotion, but it was during the hunt for this that I really became interested in luxury watches.

So let's look at some features .......

Weight - Having tried many different watches on before buying the AR2434 I have to say it is the perfect weight. Other watches tended to be too heavy without any real justification (as if the manufacturers were trying too hard to come across as high end), at the other end of the spectrum many were too light and came across as poor quality and cheap. The AR2434 sits perfectly and feels really good on the wrist.

Size - In addition to the weight the AR2434 also has nice dimensions i.e. 43 mm diameter and 11 mm thickness. The result is a watch that is big enough to be noticed but discreet enough to look classy.


Appearance - This is what it is all about !. This watch looks great and really stood out among the racks and racks of other watches on offer. The three chronograph dials and day counter sit beautifully within the black watch face whilst the reinforced mineral crystal glass and stainless steel bracelet ensure the piece can withstand the rigours of everyday life. Great care has been taken with the design and the Emporio Armani logo is featured subtly in several places namely the watch face, side dial ( middle winder) and back. It is this sleekness that really sets it apart and doesn't indulge in the 'in your face' branding of other watches in the same category. On the subject of category the AR2434 has been described as sports luxury. Looking at the functional chronograph dials and the elegant watch design it is easy to see how it earned this title. So if you want to carry out an intense business meeting and follow it with a few laps around the park this is the watch for you.

Wow factor - As I mentioned earlier this was the first watch I had spent a significant amount of money on and it was a milestone item for me. There were other more expensive watches and cheaper watches that were in the same category but I just liked this one and didn't realise others would notice it. I'm not a showy person so I was suprised that when I meet people they always comment on it. In fact one salesmen in my office liked it so much he went home and ordered one for himself the same night !.

The most suprising interest comes from women who I never thought would pay attention to men's watches but I was very wrong. If you are considering buying this watch for yourself or as a gift for someone it is definitely worth doing. In addition to the watch itself it also comes in a soft leather Emporio Armani black watch box with all the documentation, so you get that luxury feeling from the time you get it in your hands.

If you like this post, own this watch or another Armani model please leave a comment as I would love to hear from you