chrismar

We bought a secondhand Boostapak on here and it?s one of the best kids? equipment pieces we?ve bought. Doubles as a bag. Easy to bring on a plane.

I agree! A fab alternative to sports camps which seems to be the bulk of the rest. They do most of the school holidays too. We go back every year and my son loves it.

Guardian has this list which also mentions books in English- http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/gallery/2015/dec/08/disability-inclusive-books-that-should-be-available-in-english

Any thoughts on Anerley? I am familiar with the side roads to Penge High Street but not any of the ones west of Elmers End Road. I realise this is the EDF but the collective knowledge here is huge.

I moved my child. It was a very specific situation but the lovely teachers of the first nursery said parents had to follow their gut feeling. Best advice ever.

Have you tried Beckenham Spa? They sell swimming gear. Adidas does fabricy ones that aren't like the ones from my school days.

I wanted to see if there happen to be any parents with children with visual impairment locally who could share their experience of state school versus independent. We are at the stage of having to decide on reception and obviously want what's best for him. Please pm me so we don't have to share any medical details here! Thanks. C.

Hi, We are selling our house and have been quoted ?950 plus vat for the legal work associated with the sale. Given that the buyer has most of the work to do, is this reasonable or steep? They said it was related to price, not a percentage but banded. But surely the work is the same irrespective of price? It's a local solicitors firm often quoted here. Thanks.

Hi there. Has anyone had any experience of pebbledash removal? Any idea of cost? I know it depends on how much brick work repair and repointing needs to be done but a price range would be good! Any recommendations for specialists? Alternatively, how much to paint the front of an Edwardian semi- just the front plus the detailing (not the windows). Much appreciated!

Here's a number I found elsewhere for John at Avalon 07710488854. Good luck.

How odd- that was the number I used. If I swing by near them in the next few days I will ask.

I can't recommend the guys at Avalon in Kirkdale enough. Very reasonable rates and they squeezed in our job last minute. We will be using them again.

Can anyone recommend someone to install a front door? We are replacing a UPVC door with a reclaimed wooden one on our Edwardian property before it goes on the market. We need someone who will do a proper, sympathetic job of it. Thanks. Christina

Can anyone please tell me about the following streets in Beckenham: The Drive, The Crescent and Church Ave, as well as Durban Road? Thanks!

The windows we have, have come to a natural end and are leaking badly so they need to be replaced. We would probably replace them with upvc - would love to get wooden sashes but only if they come in competitively priced. Any other companies to recommend? Would rather not pay the mark up for a Lordship Lane based company address. Thanks. Christina

Has anyone had hazel or willow wattle fencing constructed in their garden? I was hoping to find someone who would do it in situ rather than buy panels. Thanks.

We're looking to remove a 70s fireplace and replace it with a second hand one. Can anyone recommend someone to do this job? Does anyone have experience of doing the same? Thank you! C.

Our au pair just joined us a few weeks ago and would like to meet others nearby - Sydenham, Forest Hill, etc. Anyone else with new au pairs in the neighbourhood? Thanks!

Just to say that in the end we did use David and he was brilliant! He squeezed us in around other jobs and the floor looks great.

Penge isn't particularly glamorous (yet) but the location is great. Victoria, Herne Hill and Brixton are under 17 mins away by train and you still have the overground from Penge West. Crystal Palace Park is on your doorstep. The high street is a bit rundown but it has everything you need, including a Sainsbury's. There are two decent cafes in Maple Road and you're very near Crystal Palace for more variety. Try to visit the Alexandra nurseries in Parish Lane to get a sense of the community developing in the area- amazing coffee and cake! Two or three of the schools have been taken over and will reopen in Sept under new management so I think they will quicky improve. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions!

Thank you! He is tied up for a while so any other reccomendations would be great! Thanks.

Can anyone recommend someone to lay vinyl flooring for us, including laying down the plywood on top of floorboards? I would like it done to a really high standard so the prep work has to be done well. Thank you!

Has anyone used the Colour Flooring Company's flooring? Would you recommend it? And who did you use to install it? We are thinking of using it in the kitchen - 3.5m x 3.5m so if anyone has an indea of cost for installation including laying down boards, I'd be grateful. Thank you! C.

In the end we used Michael Singh, recommended by many on this site and he did a brilliant job for a reasonable price. We'll definitely get a few more years out of the shed now.

Our shed is leaking and we need to replace the felt. I don't think we have the DIY skills to do it ourselves. Any recommendations for someone who could help with this? How much should this cost? I think it's about 8x4. The advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!