Do what you can yourself. For the rest, a professional at your door in 30 minutes.
Cleaning, repair and maintenance guides written with the people who do this every day — each one tells you when it is worth calling someone.
Letting someone into your home: how to pick a professional you can trust
What to confirm before you open the door, the warning signs to watch for, and how to get the house ready for whoever is coming to work.
Read articleHome maintenance, season by season: what to check and when
Four mornings a year prevent most of the expensive breakdowns. What to check at home each season, with no special tools.
The five questions to ask before you hire
Five short questions, asked before booking, prevent almost every problem with a home service.
Clean the house in 30 minutes: the order that makes the difference
Thirty well-spent minutes are enough to get the house presentable. The trick is not cleaning faster, it is cleaning in the right order.
Pick the problem you have
How to clean your sofa at home (and when it's worth calling a professional)
Stains, smells and dust built up in your sofa? A practical guide to cleaning fabric and leather at home — and knowing when a professional clean is worth it.
Read moreDamp or condensation? How to tell which one you have
The stains look the same and the fix is the opposite. Three simple tests to find out where the water on the wall comes from.
Read moreDeep cleaning your home: the definitive room-by-room guide
A proper deep clean transforms a home. A practical room-by-room guide, with the right order and the spots almost everyone forgets.
Read moreCleaning products: the four that cover the whole house
The cupboard is full and you always reach for the same bottle. Four products clean an entire house, and some mixtures you must never make.
Read more5 home repairs you should never put off
A dripping tap or a small leak can get expensive if left waiting. The 5 repairs you should deal with right now.
Read moreHow much does furniture assembly cost in Portugal?
What moves the price of assembly, what is usually included and where the extras show up.
Read moreDripping tap: what you can fix yourself
A dripping tap wastes more than you think. What you can fix at home, what needs a plumber, and why you shut the water off first.
Read moreFuse box tripping? When (and why) to call an electrician
Breaker tripping, hot sockets or flickering lights? Learn what you can check and when it's really time to call an electrician.
Read moreFixed price or hourly quote: which works out better
An hourly rate is not always cheaper. When each model works in your favour and what to ask before you accept.
Read moreFurniture assembly without the stress: a quick guide from people who do it every day
Flat-pack furniture gathering dust? Practical tips to assemble it without mistakes — and the alternative to have it all done the same day.
Read moreTools for assembling furniture: the short list that covers everything
You do not need a workshop. Six tools assemble almost any flat-pack, and two of them prevent most of the damage.
Read moreHow much does a home cleaning cost in Portugal? Prices and what to expect
What influences the price of a home cleaning, what's usually included and how to avoid surprises on the bill.
Read moreSockets and switches: what you can swap and what to leave alone
Changing a socket looks simple, and sometimes it is. Where the line sits between a home job and a job for an electrician.
Read moreHanging things on the wall without breaking anything: fixings, weights and wall types
The right fixing depends on the wall, not on the weight of the picture. How to work out what you have at home before you drill.
Read moreHaving someone at home: how to prepare for the visit
Ten minutes of preparation make the job go further and prevent arguments about damage. What to move before the bell rings.
Read moreOrganise the house in 15 minutes a day
Whole-weekend tidy-ups never last. Fifteen minutes a day, always in the same zone, changes the house in two weeks.
Read moreJust moved? The right order to assemble everything
Assembling in the wrong order means taking it apart again. What goes first, what waits, and what you should never assemble inside the room.
Read moreThe renter's checklist: what to check before you sign
Twenty well-spent minutes on a viewing save a year of problems. What to open, switch on and photograph before signing.
Read moreHow much does a home repair cost? The figures to expect
What makes up a repair bill, why urgency costs more, and how to avoid paying twice for the same problem.
Read moreReviews: how to read the stars without being fooled
Five stars say very little. What to look at in a professional's profile to judge whether the job will go well.
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