Or cruise the door stock at a Habitat Restore.

Since you've admitted that you're not a handy person, have you considered the cost of having your modification repaired?

An easier solution would be to run the wires through a window.

Get a length of thick (at least 5x the diameter of your thickest cable) closed cell foam (a pool noodle could even work) and cut it to length to fit in the windowsill. Cut a 3-5 inch slit through the center of the foam, enough for you to push the connectors on the wires through. Place the foam in the windowsill, and close the window as tightly as possible. Cut a dowel or broom handle to length such that when wedged in the window frame, it compresses the window into the foam. Use "no residue tape" to seal up all edges of the window and foam for weatherproofing, both inside and outside.

> however, they don't seem to be willing to deal with a job like this

that's unbelievable... it should be a 5-10 minute job for a bike shop with all the tools at their disposal.

Yes metal expands when it gets hotter, but you’re not applying heat to “make the hole bigger.” When metal expands, it expands in all directions, not just out. You’re also not trying to soften the metal. Given that your next step is to apply torque, it would be counter-productive to make the metal pliable.

Different metals expand at different rates when heated, and this difference will cause the rust bond that has formed between the nut and the bolt to break loose. That’s why heat works.

hmmm you could angle grind some lines in to the concrete to create a key for a render to go on top. i think that would be 900 times easier than grinding it flat.

I know someone who tried to insulate a wall for sound with "Great Stuff." Turns out that once it hardens, it makes an excellent conductor of sound. He was *not* happy with the results. It also expands with a great deal of force. When he sold the place, we ended up having to redo the drywall on that wall because the great stuff had pushed it out a couple of inches at the bottom.

In my experience, expanding foam is not the stuff to use for either sound insulation or in fully enclosed spaces.

Okay, so a few questions I need answered to give high quality advice.

What devices is the battery/solar generator intended to power, and how frequently will they be used?

What is the total combined wattage ratings of the devices, and how long do they have to be powered?

What is the brand of battery/solar generator, and what is its capacity?

Are you using the battery/solar generator for everyday use, or for emergency use? If for emergency use, what are the anticipated weather conditions for emergency use? If for emergency use, what is the expected duration of the emergency?

How many days a year are you anticipating the battery and solar panels will be used?

Where will the solar panels be located? Are they permanently fixed in place? How many hours of sunlight does the intended location receive? Have you done a sunlight survey to verify the location receives the maximum amount of sun available?

If you cut it out it will put a load on the wall (basically hanging on the inside of the wall), so I'd at least try to support it somehow by adding a stud for it on the inside.

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But why not just move the cat hole a bit to the right (in the picture) and plaster (and paint etc) up the cuts instead of bothering with the stud? It seems easier.

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I'll definitely try this on the lighter scratches!

I did have little rubber pads, but I guess our guests wanted to leave an impression (pardon the pun)

Thank you so much for the detailed response - totally unexpected! I'll give these directions a try and update.

Besides heat, WD-40, and more leverage, the standard thing for removing rounded-out stuck bike bolts is to gently hammer in a slightly-too-large TORX bit which will bite (despite the damage), and unscrew.

You might damage the bit, but it's only a few euros spent - for a perfectly reliable technique.

Rather than here, you could try https://www.reddit.com/r/bikewrench/

Try using cavity wall plugs, not sure what they're called in your country, but they push through the hole and then expand on the other side when you screw the screw in.

Thanks - I'll try this out this week!

Ask someone with a 3d printer to print out a plug for that. They probably have a white color and can build it in a 3d designer application.

https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=Hole+plug&page=3&type=things&sort=relevant

All interior designers stem from a job where people decorated the castle walls with carpets.

grind the high spots of then change the grinding blade for a wire brush attachment. Get all the paint off. Then you can parge the entire foundation with a cement sand finish float it off with a damp sponge and it will look beautiful.

Hang a curtain rod above the door. Get some thick (velvet?) curtains that will touch the floor and overlap on the sides. Maybe use a couple of layers if needed. When you have a meeting, close the curtains. The rest of the time you can just sweep them to the side so the door is easy to open and close.

It's mixed correctly in the photo. OP just didn't work the surface enough with a trowel or float to smooth it out.

Here's how properly mixed concrete should look which is what I'm seeing in OPs photos. If it's visibly wet it has too much water.

I don't know the english name but you could try 'beton cire'. Which is like an easy applicable paste to make a layer of concrete on furniture or walls.

‘Pare’

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Depends on your financial situation. If you can afford to buy another door if ever needed, then I say hell yeah drill that hole you’ll figure it out. If needing a new door at some point would be very inconvenient or if it’s a super expensive door, then no, don’t do this.

Side note: any windows near by to thread the cord through? Or maybe leave the door open a tad? Or, if you have that rubber strip under the door for weatherproofing you may have enough room to squeeze a cord right under the door.

A replacement custom made cable in flat is unlikely to cost a lot, certainly cheaper than having to replace the door.