As you may have guessed from my posts over the years, my DIY skills are fairly mediocre. My knowledge is so bad that in some cases, I'm reluctant to ask.

Obviously, there's Google. And the very helpful people in various stores who get paid to put up with inane questions.

But in some cases, advice differs and it's not always clear which is the best solution.

I'm hoping that this thread may be helpful for others who are similarly ignorant, so I'll kick off with this:

1. I've just moved and the house needs new flooring. In the kitchen, there are ceramic tiles. The flooring specialist nearby has said he can fit a new floor and remove the tiles, but he also said tile removal is an easy job so I'm tempted to give it a go when I have an hour or two to spare.

Presumably, chisel, hammer and some elbow grease are all that's needed? Then I guess I should paint the skirting boards before the new floor is put in. Toying with underfloor heating but it seems a little unnecessary.

2. I think the previous owner had a dog as there is a distinct smell in the carpets upstairs. As a precaution, I've set off smoke bombs (not the ones you used to make in the chemistry lab when you should have been revising, these are designed to kill any bugs), I've had the carpets deep cleaned professionally and I've washed the walls with disinfectant but there is still a whiff. I'm hoping it's not me.

Assuming it's not me, the carpet specialist thinks that changing the carpet and the underlay should do the trick. Just wondering if there is anything else I can do to remove the smell. Apart from moving again.

TIA