VD-02Check what's behind the render, and check for cables and pipesTap the wall firmly with your knuckle. A solid, dull thud everywhere means solid brick or block behind the render, which is the case on the vast majority of UK homes. A hollow sound with slight give means a timber-framed wall under the render - drill one small pilot hole first and check for fine timber dust, then plan to fix into that timber stud rather than just the render. Cables and pipes can run anywhere, even on an outside wall (for an outdoor light, socket or overflow pipe), so run a cable/pipe detector over the fixing points and still treat the wall as live until proven otherwise. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns before you start; if you're at all unsure, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit and turn off the water at the stopcock before drilling.