Small works

Small works and odd jobs in Edinburgh

The half-day and one-day jobs every property needs and nobody gets round to — what each one involves, what it usually costs, and when it stops being a small job.

• Leaking taps and running toilets

  A drip or a running cistern is a small job that quietly adds to a metered water bill and stains the fittings.

• Blocked sinks and slow drains

  Clearing a kitchen, basin or shower waste before it becomes a leak under the unit.

• A radiator that will not heat

  Bleeding, balancing or replacing a valve so one cold room joins the rest of the house.

• Light fittings and switches

  Swapping a pendant, fitting a dimmer or replacing a cracked switch plate.

• Extra sockets and USB points

  Adding sockets so a room stops running on trailing extension leads.

• Doors that stick or will not close

  Easing, planing and re-hanging internal doors that have dropped or swollen.

• Sash window easing and cord repairs

  Getting a painted-shut or rattling sash working again without replacing it.

• Silicone and sealant renewal

  Replacing failed bath, shower and worktop seals before the water gets into the structure.

• Tile and grout repairs

  Replacing cracked tiles and regrouting so a tired bathroom looks maintained again.

• Shelving, storage and flat-pack assembly

  Fitting shelving and wardrobes securely into stone, lath-and-plaster or plasterboard walls.

• Curtain poles and blinds

  Hanging poles and blinds level and secure above tall period windows.

• Wall patching and making good

  Filling cracks, holes and old fixing points so a room is ready to paint.

• Repainting a single room

  One room repainted properly, in a day or two, without repainting the whole property.

• Skirting and facings repairs

  Repairing or replacing damaged skirting and door facings to match the original profile.

• Creaking and loose floorboards

  Silencing floors and fixing loose boards, especially where neighbours below can hear them.

• Bathroom and kitchen extractor fans

  Replacing or upgrading extraction so condensation and mould stop coming back.

• Replacing a basin, toilet or tap

  Swapping a cracked basin, dated toilet or failed tap without retiling the whole bathroom.

• Kitchen door and drawer repairs

  Realigning doors, replacing hinges and runners so a sound kitchen is worth keeping.

• Fence, gate and boundary repairs

  Refixing panels, posts and gates after wind damage, and checking who owns the boundary.

• Grab rails, handrails and access

  Small adaptations that make a home safer to stay in — fitted so they take real weight.