Good help for homes
in London.
Victorian and Edwardian terraces, purpose-built flats and conversions, with parking and access that shape every job. Local reading for households across Greater London.
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Each desk explains the common problems, what you can safely check first and when a professional should take over.
Reading for London households.
Cleaning · London
How much does a cleaner cost in London? A plain cost guide
Hourly rates for regular cleaners, per-job ranges for deep, end of tenancy and after builders cleaning in London, and the factors that move a…
Exterior cleaning · London
Gutter cleaning cost in London: a plain guide to prices
Rough ranges for gutter clearing, pressure washing, window cleaning and driveway cleaning in London, the four things that move a quote, and how to…
Handyman · Richmond
How much does a handyman charge per hour in Richmond?
Hourly, half-day and per-job pricing for handyman work in Richmond, the factors that push a quote up in period and riverside homes, and how…
House clearance · Croydon
House clearance cost in Croydon: what moves the price
House clearance is priced on volume, weight and access, not on the number of rooms. Here is how the figure is built in Croydon…
Pests & damp · Bromley
How much does pest control cost in Bromley? A cost guide
Indicative prices for rats, mice, wasps, bed bugs and ants in Bromley, how council and private services differ, and the factors that push a…
Cleaning · Croydon
Urgent cleaners in Croydon: what to do in the first hour
A burst pipe, a backed-up drain or an inspection tomorrow: how to make a Croydon home safe in the first hour, which kind of…
Exterior cleaning · Croydon
Overflowing gutters in Croydon: urgent gutter cleaning steps
Water pouring over a gutter in a storm is not an emergency in itself, but where it ends up can be. The first-hour steps,…
House clearance · Bromley
Urgent house clearance in Bromley: what to do in the first hour
A completion date brought forward, a tenancy ending or a family emergency can leave you needing a house cleared in days. Here is how…
Pests & damp · Richmond
Emergency pest control in Richmond: what to do in the first hour
What counts as a pest emergency, the practical steps to take in the first hour for rats, wasps and bed bugs in Richmond, and…
Removals & man and van · London
Urgent man and van in London: what to do in the first hour
When a London move has to happen now, here is how to find a man and van or removal crew fast, what to check…
Cleaning · Bromley
How to find a cleaner in Bromley you can actually trust
Where to look for a cleaner in Bromley, what to check before handing over a key, the questions that separate professionals from chancers, and…
Electrical · London
How to choose an electrician in London: checks and red flags
The word electrician is not protected. Here is how to check registration, qualifications and insurance before you book in London, and the warning signs…
Exterior cleaning · Bromley
How to choose a window cleaner in Bromley: checks and red flags
None of the exterior cleaning trades is licensed, so the vetting is down to you. What to ask a window cleaner, gutter firm or…
House clearance · Richmond
How to choose between house clearance companies in Richmond
The cheapest clearance quote is often the one that ends with your furniture on a lay-by. Here is how to check a firm properly…
Removals & man and van · Croydon
How to choose removals in Croydon, Surrey: vetting a removal company
What separates a good removal company from a van and a mobile number: insurance, surveys, trade bodies and the warning signs to watch for…
Cleaning · Richmond
End of tenancy cleaning in Richmond: check these before you book
Before booking an end of tenancy clean in Richmond, read the agreement and the check-in inventory, do the jobs you can, and have the…
Electrical · Croydon
Before you call an electrician in Croydon: safe checks to do first
Many electrical call-outs end with a reset or an unplugged appliance. Here are the checks a Croydon householder can safely make first, and the…
Exterior cleaning · Richmond
Gutter cleaning in Richmond: checks to make before you call
Ten minutes from the ground tells you whether you need a gutter clear, a repair or something else. The safe checks, the information to…
Locksmith · London
Before you call a locksmith in London: checks and what to have ready
Many London locksmith calls could be avoided with five minutes at the door. The safe checks to make, when to stop, and the information…
Removals & man and van · Bromley
Removals in Bromley: what to check before you call a firm
The checks a Bromley householder can do before phoning a removal company, and the information that turns a vague estimate into an accurate written…
Electrical · Bromley
Local electrician in Bromley: autumn and winter electrical checks
Electrical faults cluster in the cold months. What to check in a Bromley home as the clocks go back, what to leave to a…
Gardening · London
Lawn care in London season by season: what to do and when
The month-by-month lawn calendar a London gardener follows, from the autumn repair season to summer drought, and where shade, access and borough waste rules…
Locksmith · Croydon
Seasonal locksmith advice for Croydon homes: autumn and winter prep
Swollen timber doors in October, frozen cylinders in January, moving-in lock changes in spring and open windows in July: the locksmith year in Croydon,…
Removals & man and van · Richmond
Removals in Richmond: the best and worst times of year to move
Summer moves cost more and book out early, winter moves risk weather and short days. How the seasons shape removals in Richmond and how…
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Describe an urgent job ↗Reading from other areas.
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Explore locations ↗The questions people ask us most.
Short answers with the indicative figures, then the full guide if you want the detail.
Can I fit or replace a boiler myself?
No. Work on a gas boiler, its pipework and its flue must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and doing it yourself is an offence under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. A boiler replacement is also notifiable under Building Regulations, and a registered installer can certify the work for you. You can safely prepare the area, clear access and decorate once the installation is signed off.
How much does end of tenancy cleaning cost in the UK?
Expect roughly £150 to £220 for a one bed flat, £200 to £320 for two beds and £300 to £450 for a three or four bed house. London quotes sit at the top of those ranges or above. Carpets, ovens and outside windows are often charged separately, so ask for one fixed price covering everything the inventory lists. These are indicative typical ranges rather than quotes.
Do you need an electrician to change a light fitting?
No, swapping a light fitting like for like on an existing circuit is not notifiable work in England and Wales. You still have to isolate the circuit at the consumer unit, prove it is dead and leave the result compliant with BS 7671. Many older ceiling roses have no earth wire, which rules out most modern metal fittings, so get an electrician to check first. Adding a new light or switch in a bathroom or shower room is notifiable either way.
How much does it cost to fix a leaking roof in the UK?
Cost depends far more on access than on the leak itself. A single slipped tile refitted from a safely footed ladder might be £150 to £350, while anything needing scaffolding adds roughly £600 to £1,500. A roof survey to trace the source costs about £150 to £400 and is worth paying for when the cause is not obvious from the ground.
How much is an emergency locksmith at night or on a Sunday?
Out of hours work carries a premium, either a surcharge of about £40 to £90 or a rate near 1.5 times the daytime figure. A night or bank holiday lockout therefore tends to sit between £130 and £260 before any new hardware. Ask for the total on the phone, including the call out and any minimum charge. If the property is secure and you have somewhere to stay, waiting until morning costs noticeably less.
How much does a gardener cost per hour in the UK?
Expect roughly £25 to £40 an hour in 2026, rising to £35 to £55 in London and the South East. Day rates run from about £170 to £300 for one gardener. A regular round usually costs less per visit, because each visit is lighter work. These are indicative ranges rather than quotes, so compare two or three prices.
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