Riley Home Renovations

04/09/2026

A job I did a couple of years ago, when I helped a retired engineer brace his subsiding garage. The fun part was camouflaging the otherwise ugly industrial-looking steelwork. My background in Art still comes in handy!

14/08/2026

Several little jobs done for one customer in the village this week, including the fitting of: 3 different door and gate latches, 3 trellis panels, a gate post support, a frame with runners for easy kayak storage and the repair of damaged steps and brickwork. I was also asked to cut a strip off the shed door so that it passed over the stonework but saw that the whole shed sat on the ground instead of above it. So, the next task is to empty it, raise it out of the damp, move it away from the walk for air yo circulate and make it last a whole lot longer!

09/08/2026

09/08/2026

Cut and sanded from an off-cut of the customers’ own kitchen worktop and fixed to pewter brackets, these oak shelves make a nice decorative feature for an otherwise plain wall. High and shallow enough to be out of harm’s way, I also smoothed the outer corners down to soft curves.

07/08/2026

Flooring and decoration after the removal of fitted wardrobes, carpet, tracking, staples, marks, and the filling of many holes!

30/07/2026

Demolition Derby!

Removing a wardrobe, saving snd moving the plaster coving (a little more filler every few hours!), making good the walls and ceiling. Next, sanding and lacquering the floorboards, painting the woodwork, rehanging the door and wallpapering a feature wall… Finishing soon!

22/07/2026

I noticed, while on site, that my customer’s wheelie bin lid was snapped at the hinge.
Two holes drilled and small bolts inserted in under 10 minutes and problem solved.
Compare that to how often something that is broken like this hinders and annoys you.

I FIX STUFF AND I KNOW THINGS! 😃

13/07/2026

Turning Wendy into storage: this rather weather-beaten old Wendy house needed saving from leaks and rot, so I strengthened it, built a base to raise it off the damp ground, fitted a door and bolt, added an inner skin (and floor )of plywood to seal the gaps, replaced damaged strips and gave it a couple of coats of wood preserver. Now it will live longer and with more purpose!

12/07/2026

Skills