TechnicalBoy

Netquest just off Lordship Lane have given me great service in the past

http://www.netquest-consulting.com/contactus.htm

- take care to check their opening times though!

Hi Ed, thanks for the reply. Out of interest, what do you find the best bits of Virgin?

Hi PeckhamRose too - thanks for the detailed info. Good to hear that the support's decent, that can be so annoying otherwise. Our SE14 postcode says it can get Infinity, but I guess yours probably does too.

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/products/upgrade-your-broadband

The site here:

http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/broadband/phone-tv-deals

seems to say that we can get:

38mb Infinity plus TV, uncapped for ?15/mth, or

76mb Infinity plus TV, uncapped for ?30/mth - both with a ?125 Sainsbury's voucher, on a 12-month deal.

Virgin have just sent a letter to us (and presumably every one of their users) about putting the prices up, which means we get the chance to opt out, mid-contract. We find the internet to be flakey - freezing all round, plus lots of buffering when streaming video. Virgin TiVo box annoying to use - very slow response to remote (yes, have got new batteries in it, and rebooted it!)

We're currently paying about ?60 a month for Virgin 100mb Internet + TV + phone. I don't think the speed is anything like that...

Wayne Fuller's done a couple of jobs for us, including an entire new fusebox and rewiring a faulty immersion heater. Very prompt, and easy to get along with.

I found his details here:

http://www.hernehillforum.org.uk/services/w-f-electrical

07806 940673

He came to ours in Telegraph Hill on the same day as calling him 4 days ago. Pretty impressive for the holiday season.

Hi All,

we're currently with Virgin, but service seems unreliable and expensive. Anyone got any recommendations? Would prefer to avoid Sky as have irrational dislike of Murdoch. Is BT any good?

Family are 2 teens, and 2 adults, variety of laptops/tablets, etc. House is a Victorian terrace on Telegraph Hill, and so decent WiFi would be good.

Thanks, Danny

Classic Lofts were horrific when we had ours done a few years back. Timetable of work fell to bits at the end when they hadn't done work to council standards, and they weren't interested in making good on it all in any kind of acceptable way. We kicked them offsite and had to pay others to finish it properly.

Got the South London Press here, and on the front cover is an advert for 2 of them:

11 am every Sunday - Bell Green, Kangley Bridge Road, SE26 5AQ (opposite Sainsburys)

it's about half way between Catford and Crystal Palace:

and also

1pm every Sunday - Ashmole Primary School, Ashmole Street, London SW8 1NT (next to Oval Tube)

more info on www.boot-sales.com

[i have no link to these guys, just typing what I see!]

There's some Woodcraft Folk Groups in Brockley, Deptford and Blackheath if that's any good to anyone.

The Brockley group meets on Mondays, not sure about the others.

Their website is here (for all of the above), with a contact form

http://groupspaces.com/SouthEastLondonDistrictWoodcra

The website isn't updated so much, but that's because the groups are too busy doing stuff! Expect waiting lists...

However, the contact form will get a response.

For other areas, phone numbers are here:

http://woodcraft.org.uk/press

I'd suggest ringing, it's much easier when people actually talk!

For us, Haberdashers was a bit too much like Hogwarts...

Kingsdale also offer a music specialism, and both our kids are very happy and successful there:

http://www.kingsdalefoundationschool.org.uk/page51/page20/page62/

http://www.kingsdalemusic.org/

re Classic Lofts - beg to differ.... ours was a nightmare with them. They wouldn't liaise with the council over inspections, the steelwork they designed wasn't up to the job and had to be doubled in size before it was approved, the plumbing was shoddy and the design beggars belief. Main fusebox was left held together with insulation tape, and we spent the next 18 months after hiring other tradesmen to make good on their corner-cutting. The whole experience still makes me shudder. But hey, ymmv....!

I did it myself after checking some YouTube videos, and links:

http://www.incentre.net/ethernet-wiring-diag.html

You'll also need to beg/borrow/buy a punch tool.

... but I work in IT, and fancied a challenge! But, if you're at all unsure, NetQuest above have a very good reputation.

We got an excellent Morso wood burner (DEFRA approved) from Natural Fires in Catford. Sure they could help you out too - 020 8461 5006 - [email protected] - http://www.naturalfires.net/showrooms.php

ditto for me, came early to collect my hybrid, did a full service, and delivered it back that evening. It was like new....