What I've learned

Learning on the job is a slow process, and I often wish I had someone more experienced I could turn to for help. The various workmen I've employed have given me hints here and there, but mostly I've had to rely on DIY manuals, the internet and lots of useful leaflets from Wickes, etc. I have therefore decided to pass on a few nuggets of hard-won wisdom to anyone out there who is starting out as clueless as me.

1) Wallpaper that has been painted over with gloss or other water-resistant paint is a nightmare to get off. Scraping it with a wire brush is useless. Cutting it with a blade is only marginally better and can damage the plaster underneath. Sanding it just produces a lot of fine paint dust and a nasty cough. The solution is to get a sharp scraper blade and scrape off the paint layer to leave just the paper beneath. If you get the right angle on it, you can peel it off in great long swathes. The paper then comes off really easily with a steamer or paper-stripping solution.

2) The wrecking bar is the best tool ever. It makes taking off skirting boards and dado rails so easy and is great at pulling recalcitrant nails out as well. However, you may need a thin piece of wood or cardboard to protect the wall.

3) Don't try to unscrew any screws when removing skirting boards or dado rails. You'll just end up with a rawlplug sticking out that is nearly impossible to remove. Pull the screws out with the skirting board and the rawlplug will come with it. Unless, of course, you want to reuse that screw hole.

That's it for now. Got to get back to work.