Ask a tradesperson — free, plain-English answers

How it works

1. Email your question — with photos if you have them — to info@refurbmatch.com.
2. We route it to a vetted tradesperson in the right discipline (plumbing, electrics, building, roofing, tiling, plastering, joinery, heating, etc.).
3. You get a written answer back, usually within 24 hours. No fee. No obligation.

The questions we hear most often

• Is this quote fair? Send the breakdown — we'll flag anything missing (waste, scaffolding, certificates, VAT) and benchmark against current UK rates.
• Do I need building regs or planning? Most internal refurbs don't need planning, but knocking through a wall, moving a soil stack or extending almost always triggers Building Control.
• Why is my radiator cold at the top? Air. Bleed it. If it stays cold, you've got a circulation or sludge issue — book a power-flush before you replace anything.
• Can I tile over tiles? Often yes, if the substrate is sound and flat — but you'll lose 6–10mm of room and door clearance.
• Spray foam in the loft — should I rip it out? If you're selling, almost certainly yes. Most UK lenders will not lend on closed-cell sprayed loft insulation.

What we can't do

We can't legally diagnose gas, structural or electrical faults remotely. For anything safety-critical we'll tell you to get a Gas Safe, NICEIC or chartered structural engineer on site — and we can match you with one through Post a Job.

Prefer to talk to a real human first? Use our contact form or email info@refurbmatch.com.