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.

I am a fan of Dawson Wrights hardware as they sold me some mouse traps yesterday and I caught a…read moremouse this morning! There is just one more mouse scurrying around my house, but hopefully he will also make his way to micey heaven soon! The staff, a father and son, were very helpful and asked could they help straight away. They showed me the latest in mouse technology, these modern looking black plastic traps which are re-usebale (no thanks!) called sure set mouse trap made by Proctor Pest Stop. They are £3.99 for a set of two. They are perfect if you are a girl like me and think mice are icky. You don't have to mess about with the trap, it sets so simply and it's not one of those traps the mouse can outsmart, leaving you scratching your head when you notice the cheese is gone, but there's no mousey. The men in Dawson Wright's recommended I use peanut butter and it worked a treat. Inside the shop it is very old school, with all manner of nails, clips and tools you could need for any DIY jobs- it's the personal touch of the staff that makes it stand out from the B&Q's in Belfast.

They carry all the good stuff out in front of the store and then haul it back in at night. Somehow…read morethat really says it all for me about Dawson Wright Hardware. Both of the staff regulars that work there are knowledgeable and helpful and they're not afraid to recommend another store for you (something you're taught not to do in America) if they don't carry something. As a matter of fact, the store is a bit jam packed with goods, so if you don't find what you're looking for right away, you're better of asking because you're probably not looking in the right place. The other reason to be sure to talk to the staff is that they keep a great deal of their stock upstairs and out of the way. Most of the fasteners - nails, screws, latches, etc., are also behind the counter. I mean, come on, they've got chicken wire there. And I bought some.

This place looks like it's been caught in a time warp, its amazing. Walking through its doors is…read morelike travelling back through time. I'm not sure why anyone would like to travel back in time to a hardware shop but there ya go. It stocks all the dedicated D.I.Yer would need to help them in their quest to ruin their living room by trying to mount their own shelves or flat screen tv. The staff know everything their is to know about the contents of the shop and will help you no end, if it's required.

This is a great little pokey shop on the Lisburn road. With so many new outlets on the Lisburn road…read morecatering for everything from Estate Agents to interior design, its nice to see an old well maintained premises. But lets be honest, for most of us hardware is hardware and I for one like the thought that I can buy my garden spade form a place my grandfather bought his garden spade from. The guys that work look like they have fun, they stock just about anything that a DIY quiz would mention but don't plan any of your weekly hammer purchasing trips on a Wednesday. As they will be having a wee afternoon off!!! Visiting Mr Guinness i gather

It just struck me (like a bolt of lightening, some might say) before I began my review as to why…read morethis place is named so...Hardys Hardware. Excellent. Aside from the innovative name, Hardys is a pretty darn good wee shop. The fact that it's slightly more than a hardware store made me feel slightly more at ease (you may recall my previous review [singular] of a hardware store, and how I felt completely out of place), but I have to say that it was also the accompaniment of my dad that made the whole experience generally nicer. Thanks Daddy. Back to the vast range of stock though. Yes, it's got the wood, tools, gadgets and DIY stuff, but there's a huge variety of other stuff too. There's toiletries, household cleaners, pet goods, home decor...even confectionery! I got lost in the toiletry section while my dad looked for some man thingy. Or something like that. It's definitely the extensive assortment of goods that makes Hardys that little bit special. Hardys and Other Items You May Find Yourself Needing doesn't have quite the same ring though...

One of the best general hardware and DIY stores you will find in NI. The range is huge and its more…read moreconvenient being in the centre of Comber than travelling to B&Q and other superstores in Ards north Down or Dundonald.

Not many of these wee local sort of shops left. They come in handy if you need a wee odd or end for…read moreabout the house. Also helpful to ask questions etc. Lacks modernity in here. It's a wee grotto of a place. You would easily miss it on a street like this that is increasing in colour and modernness. Great though a wee place like this is surviving.

You'd think it would be easy to buy a light bulb, but you'd be wrong. Especially if it is for…read moreanything in my house, where I seem to have bought items where nothing is ever standard in them, and not deliberately! After having a good nosy round the 'big shops' and being shocked at the prices and still not convinced I was buying the right thing in the first place, I thought I'd try old school and went in here. The man serving me was brilliant, finding not only exactly what I needed but at half the price of the global retailer. And he had all the chat, one of the nicest things about shopping local. So if you have an ancient hoover they don't make anymore and have run out of bags or like me have random lights that blow as soon as you think of having guests, give these guys a shot- they are bound to have it.

A boring review, but a review none the less! There's so many big stores like this on the Boucher…read moreRoad. Within a mile radius you have B&Q, Homebase and Dunelm Mill - all essentially selling the same sort of things. So why go to Homebase over the others? Well first up they have a dedicated garden section. Secondly they are always really well staffed and you can ask for help rather than aimlessly wandering the isles. They also nearly always have sales on - if you buy anything at full price here you're doing it wrong. One negative is the parking situation. Unlike B&Q across the road they don't have dedicated parking for large purchases. So if you're heading to Homebase make sure you try and get a space close by. It's either that or take a few wing mirrors off whilst negotiation you large purchase through parked cars. Don't say I didn't warn you! 3 stars, nothing more, nothing less.

This Homebase store is massive. You could spend a week in here and never make it through every…read moreaisle. This is great if you have time to spend hoking and poking through garden furniture, paint and odd bits and bobs, however not so great if you've called in for a quick purchase. The store is bright and airy, with its high ceilings and white walls. Yet it can get a little cold when you're wondering around so make sure you have a cardigan or jacket on hand. What I find about this store is that weekends in particular seem to bring the masses in. Whether there has been a recent advertisement that D.I.Y enthusiasts have jumped to, a couple have recently moved house or people going for a nosy, they all arrive at the weekend. So, if you don't fancy queuing, make use of the late week night openings as they tend to be a lot quieter with time to ponder over difficult decisions.

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!

Homebase is an excellent store for DIY, decorating, lighting, home, gardening, bathroom/kitchen…read morefurniture and accessories. I'm definitely not a DIY, gardening or domestic type person - in fact I positively hate such things! That as it may be, I actually enjoy a (rare) visit to Homebase. I love that this particular store is large, but not huge enough to be bewildering, as some massive DIY Stores are. Staff are very helpful. On a recent trip to pick up padlocks and outdoor security light bulbs I located staff immediately and they assisted me in finding the items I needed. Often I just pop in and out of Homebase quickly to grab what I need. Sometimes however, I do like to have a browse amongst the flowers, plants and garden furniture. This store is always my first choice for all my DIY needs.

There collection of neon paint and cheap wood is what I visit for. This one is a bit isolated, but…read moregreat parking and close to other shops to finish off your shopping after grabbing your neon paints and hula hoops. They have a little toy section to keep kids entertained. The pricing is good, nothing is too expensive and things are of a good quality. If you're looking paints wood, door knobs or plants go here.

One of those shops that seems to have all sorts of household items that you often don't realise you…read moreneed til you walk in here. Mops, buckets, mats, bathroom mirrors... there's a bit of everything in here.