Neil Brown - Handyman & Renovations

18/11/2025

Got to get the job done... but it did go through my mind...

13/09/2025

Might be why the gutters were overflowing....

13/09/2025

Quite the view from up here. Not a bad place to work for day

13/09/2025

After installing some curtain rails for a client in Luxembourg, I was asked if we knew anyone who could dispose of the rubbish from the furniture installation, as the company who agreed to it it, let them down.
That's quite an amount of rubbish to bring down from the 6th floor. It filled the van. A shout out to https://all-in-living.lu/ for the use of their van.

07/07/2025

Helped a friend out who needed a shower installed where there wasn't one previously.

That's what he wanted. Well, red, white and blue. Design choice was ours. And the insert was donated by a mutual friend. WC seat was the friends' choice

27/05/2025

A family who had their house flooded after a pipe burst - when they were on holiday!

Nice to hear. The bit below, not above.

I recently completed a partial renovation of our home with Neil Brown and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. From the initial planning stages to the final touches, Neil was professional, communicative, and detail-oriented.The project was completed on time and within budget, and the transformation is absolutely stunning!Highly recommended for anyone looking to renovate!

★★★★★ "I recently completed a partial renovation of our home with Neil Brown and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. From the initial planning stages to the final touches, Neil was professional, communicative, and detail-oriented.The project was completed on time and within budg...

13/05/2025

When you buy a spade saw in Germany. Or is it a spaw? Or a sawde?

Anyway, along with an incorporated spanner for M11 and M14 bolts (11 is an odd choice), there of course needs to be the obligatory bottle opener!

Which in itself is odd in as much most people use a fork, knife, spoon, cigarette lighter...just about anything to open a beer bottle.

Well, cheers then 🍺

05/05/2025

Sell the van to a subcontractor, and replace it with the truck. useful the subcontractor has it, so if ever I need to borrow it back I can.

The van then has an issue with the gear selector and goes in the garage.
The truck decides to spring a leak from the seal between the gearbox and the engine, so goes into the garage. The same garage. Where the van is.

So use the small private car. Which then decides to snap one of its shock absorbers. To the garage it goes. Yes, the same garage. Where the van and truck are.

Lucky they have a car I can borrow!

13/04/2025

Great view from up here. Except the huge tanks, that is.

A new client who made a little mistake with his previous choice of contractor, who took off half the roof, covered it in plastic, then disappeared never to be seen again.

Nearly finished now, although there is a fair bit to do inside. No roof over winter took its toll on the inside.

12/01/2025

Another late autumn / early winter trip.

The Renault Trafic with its 440000 km on the clock, takes its last long trip for me. It's been a fantastic vehicle, but time for a change, for reasons that will become apparent.

(It has gone to a subscontractor, who no doubt will continue looking after it. And probably driving it to Portugal too from time to time, so it'll still be subject to long road trips)

Leaving Wellen at 03:30 one morning, myself and a friend (the same friend who subjected himself to the previous 36 hour trip), headed for Denmark once again. Vejle, this time.

Returning back at 04:30 the following morning.

28/03/2024

This job is full of firsts.

Another one this evening, leaving a client visit - not in equiped van, but private car, so no tools - received a message from a long standing client who happened to be in Dublin at the time.
The issue being, his wife was in Luxembourg, with his car, and locked the keys inside.
No help from breakdown service, or any authority. Car keys, house keys, telephone, everything was in the car, which was in an underground car park. He stated I have permission to break glass if necessary, as he couldn't see any other option anyway.

So feeling just a little self conscious and suspicious, went shopping at the local Bauhaus for what I considered someone breaking into a car might need, loaded them up, and went on my way. 🥸

I choose my tools correctly, evidently, as managed to get into the car without breaking anything. This is NOT a new career choice.

28/03/2024

From an owner of a property who contracts us to maintain his rented house in his absence

"Found Neil excellent in setting up our family Luxembourg house for room rental. He and his team have successfully managed the property for the past year. We have found him an excellent problem solver and totally trustworthy and reliable on call-outs as and when required."

★★★★★ "Found Neil excellent in setting up our family Luxembourg house for room rental. He and his team have successfully managed the property for the past year. We have found him an excellent problem solver and totally trustworthy and reliable on call-outs as and when required."