Popped in here yesterday to pick up some electrical terminal blocks to fit a ceiling light, that…read moresounded very professional didn't it? To be honest I only had a vague idea of what I was looking for but the blokes in Castle helped me out as soon as I walked through the door. This is an old school DIY and hardware store - they seem to have everything behind that counter. The good thing about coming here rather than going to a chain shop is that I was able to walk in ask an expert and leave within 5 minutes. I also didn't have to buy anything I didn't need. They stock plumbing, electrical and decorating equipment including paint but I would suggest just going in and speaking to the guys who work there - they couldn't have been more helpful. What's more, the electrical blocks cost me under £2! Great value!

Castle DIY is an independent hardware store on the Antrim Road, just off by the Cavehill Road…read moreintersection. It's a great place for a bit of local knowledge. I'm not a driver so if something goes wrong or I need to get some paint, its hassle to go to one of the big B&Q or the other big stores. The staff have a great knowledge of everything they sell. I needed some orange paint and whilst they didn't have a certain insane colour (not my choice!), but they offered to get it delivered in withouth any extra charge. Pleasant, knowledgeable guys who will go that extra mile to help.

When I was younger my dad was always a bit handy round the house, if anything needed doing, the…read moreidea of calling someone in to do it was always an alien concept. He always did it himself, and it always required a visit to Andy's Stores to get the items needed to complete the job. It looks small from the outside, but inside, it is the untimate hardware store, they have a good selection of pretty much everything you need to get the job done. They have everything from tools, plumbing odds and ends, paints and painting equipment, gardening supplies, electrical supplies, house ware items, locks, key cutting.. you name it. They also seem to be able to compete with the larger DIY stores, which is no big surprise, as they have been in business for years, so they are obviously doing something right. Parking is a bit hit and miss. If you are getting bulky/heavy items, you would want to be parked out the front, but they are on a busy road, so it can be a bit hit and miss as to whether this is possible, but if not, there is a filling station with plenty of parking next door.

Andy's stores is well known in the area for being a great…read more (and cheap to boot!) hardware shop. It's here that you can pick up any number of various electrical / household goods or even find the parts for that item you've just taken apart and tried to put back together (which never works does it?) Well, Andy and his great employees can, more often that not, help you out with whatever DIY problem you may have. I'm not the best minded in that regard and when something breaks I usually run to my dad begging him to help me, though sometimes even Daddy's can't fix everything (Shock I know) and in that event, dad comes to Andy's to solve the problem. If you can't fix it here, then it can't be fixed!

Now I never thought I would be interested in a shop with the word 'timber' in its name, but that…read moretime has come. I must stress that I didn't go to buy actual timber or anything remotely DIY related, no what I was looking for was some lovely new garden furniture. Unfortunately I was 'too early in the season' to be looking for garden furniture. Silly me. So I didn't get what I wanted, but what I did get was fantastic customer service from the manager. He went out of his way to describe what furniture he was expecting in the next few weeks, what it was made of, where it was made and how much it would cost. He spent so much time trying to please me that it was almost funny. He was describing what I couldn't have! Well not for a few weeks anyway. I also enquired about Jungle Gyms and they offer a comprehensive service at competitive prices. There were also some lovely garden features like fountains and decked areas which almost (but not quite) inspired me enough to actually tidy up my own garden.

When I want to feel really manly I head down to the local B&Q which is located about 5 minutes from…read moreBelfast City Airport. On my most recent visit I was buying a shower curtain (not manly I know) for the new pad although I still looked longingly at the power tools as I wheeled my basket through the isles (once again not very manly). Although B&Q is a chain and you pretty much know what you're getting, this one has a few standout features. A huge car park so you can maneuver your potentially large items back to your car without worrying about scraping parked vehicles. The staff in this particular branch have a good sense of humor and they are really helpful. One orange apron clad staff member showed me all the way to the shower curtains. This place is so big there's no point in finding something yourself, may as well ask the people who know. One thing that is a bit strange about this B&Q is that they have those self service checkout machines which are okay when you are buying a tin of paint or a light bulb but they don't make much sense when you are buying a 6ft panel of MDF and you are awkwardly trying to place it in the bagging area. They also have one staff member dedicated to looking after these machines but surely he would be better on a till? That's my only minor gripe about B&Q - really good facility and handy for both tradesmen and the general public.

Deciding the living room needed a revamp, I headed down to B&Q with my Dad (so I could avail of his…read morepensioner discount). I had a vague idea of what I needed, but the service I received was second to none. A young guy Paul seemed to be king of the paint. He lept to help me lift things into the trolley without being asked, and as we went round to the fun bit where you can mix the colours, there he was again. Once more, without being asked, he shared an amazing wealth of knowledge of the paint, the finish, the coverage, and avoiding the hard sell you get in some places, he tried to ensure I didn't buy more than I needed. He made what could have been a boring chore into a pleasant experience (as did the lady at the tills) and after this I wouldn't consider going to anywhere else. Bravo B&Q.

Tried to return some colour match paint that didn't match, at all, wasn't even the same colour. A…read moreparticularly jumped up individual named Paddy who claimed to be a manager refused. Said of course the paint wouldn't match even though I used their "colour match" service. He then proceeded to try and guilt trip me by saying he could be sacked if he refunded me. I returned the following day and received a refund off another team member with no trouble. Paddy has ensured that I won't be shopping at this store again. Well done Paddy.

Just bought are first brand new kitchen from b&q. The design…read moreteam were fab and so helpful! They helped us find exactly what I pictured and put it all into a detailed drawing so we could see it all come together! The rest of the store has a massive collection of goods for any job you need to do inside the home or outside! This is the only place we would use for all our diy gear!

They provide a much needed local service and have a range of products that the super markets do…read morenot. They are also often much cheaper and you don't need to waste time and a gallon of petrol getting there.

This is a gem of a place. If ever there is something you need but don't know where to get it - this…read moreis the place. you can ask for the most obscure screw or piece of DIY type equipment and the staff can put their finger on it straight away. I hope places like this don't die out as large stores like B&Q just don't have the same knowledge. They also sell other household items like rugs and lamps so its a great shop if you like a bargin, staff who know their products and a oldy world atmosphere.

There always seems to be a prospective customer in this shop being advised and guided through the…read moreextensive stock of chandeliers, wall lamps, table lamps and standard lamps. From outside looking in the profusion of glass, gilt, burnished metal, feathers and twinkling crystal on display in this Aladdin's Cave of shiny wares, along with various other interiors accessories of pictures frames, ornaments and mirrors looks enticing. Closer examination shows that although the stock is brand new, House of Lights caters for very traditional tastes. There are also lampshades for sale in various colours and you can find lightbulbs of every type in here which is useful if you're flummoxed as to where to find an unusual bulb for a novel lamp from a certain Swedish furniture store. I had to exchange said light bulb three times before locating the right one but in they were most accommodating about my errors so thanks to the convenience of House of Lights and the helpful staff I got there in the end.

Its rare to find quality light fittings, certainly in the big chains where your lucky to get a…read morecouple of years use before they break, the lights inside are stylish and top quality, one of my most unusual projects I bought to restore was a 7ft tall fiberglass statue of liberty "impulse buy" it had a cheap orange flashing light on it that looked like it came off a tractor, I got a glass flame off the internet but was stuck for what type of bulb to fit, they suggested a flicker bulb which fits a normal bayonet fitting, it worked perfectly and only used a few watts electric. Great for getting inspiration on projects like desk and table lamps too.