Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

Changing a kitchen worktop is a good way of revamping a kitchen, and can therefore make a big impact. The main complication is that you must remove the sink and hob so although you may be able to disconnect the water supplies and waste pipes, any work on the hob must be carried out by a professional. You could also consider fitting an upstand along the back edge of the new worktop. read more »

Changing over a kitchen tap is straightforward as long as you have isolation valves fitted below the kitchen sink. Otherwise, you will need to isolate hot and cold taps further down the pipes. Changing a cheap tap for a more stylish or expensive one is a good option for a quick kitchen revamp – especially if you combine the work with maybe repainting the units for example. read more »

Splashbacks can be made from glass, tiles and stainless steel and are often fitted above a sink or cooker for visual impact and to protect the wall. Some splashbacks require screw fixings, others need to be fixed in place with a silicone sealant – below is the simplest option which is just self adhesive. read more »

Nearly all kitchen unit surfaces can now be painted if you use a special primer to coat the unit surfaces first. This can be an inexpensive way of revamping an old kitchen if you are on a tight budget. read more »

Dishwashers and washing machines are plumbed in using similar techniques. Some appliances only need a cold water feed so only one hose is required. As far as the waste hose is concerned, there are normally two options for where it can go – either into the trap (U-bend) below a sink, or directly into the waste pipe through an upstand section of pipe. Below is shown how to connect to a spigot adaptor on the trap. read more »