Recent content by colinc

Hi, I recently installed an Aqualux enclosure that I bought from Screwfix and was very pleased at the quality for the price. The tray was from there too but took three deliveries before I got one that Parcelfarce hadn't busted. The couriers that delivered the glass enclosure were very careful I...

Some suppliers will install an isolator for free. NPower just did ours. Worth a call. Colin

The physics are the same, bad practice, but I guess that's why we apply load factors?

Hi, It's not totally clear to me from the description what this all looks like but I can perhaps offer some general comments that might help. The chs column would probably have a rectangular baseplate and capplate with the beam sitting on top. The actual geometry of the capplate depends on...

Hi, The best answer is whatever your engineer specifies. He is the one who gets sued if it goes wrong, so give him the opporunity to be more specific. All the advice here is really just informing you about how we have built stuff. All I can say is that stainless steel is not necessarily better...

Hi, looks like chemical or resin anchors then! They are great when used properly. Mark the bolt positions very accurately and predrill. Use an airline to blow the dust out, or a small tube duct taped onto the end of the wife's vacuum cleaner to suck it out before any resin anchor bolts are...

Not complicated or those profiteering double glazing companies couldn't do it. Do establish if there's a proper lintol above as in past times the frame was used to support the outer skin, that can complicate things. The only real issue is that nowadays you do need to inform building control...

You are doing it right, but perhaps use a decent Forstner bit to keep control as spade bits are an abomination. Use a smaller, sharper chisel as it takes less effort and so is easier to control?

Hi, You did say planer thicknesser so yes, you can straighten boards with it in planer mode. There are cheaper thicknesser only machines that have their uses, but are much less versatile. You can of course straighten with a decent hand plane! A lot depends on your budget as you really do get...

Hi, the existing underfloor pipe runs parallel to the wall where the radiator would be mounted and is approx. 1 metre away. Am thinking that I should remove the tees that feed the radiator inlet and outlet and the length of pipe between them and divert that pipe run to the parallel wall using...

hi, Just wanted to get some advice. We have moved to a 60's built bungalow as our retirement (in a few years) home and have a long list of refurbishments and alterations to work our way through. The house has been extended a couple of times and it makes sense to rationalise the layout of rooms...

Just a low profile shower tray...

hi, am seeking advice whilst planning to renovate the bathroom. Being of a certain age, we have moved to a bungalow. We have solid concrete floors. The existing shower is on an outside wall and the drain feeds into an adjacent soil stack. I would really like not to have the shower on a raised...

the actual weight of brick is about 24kn per cu metre so it's easy to guestimate how much that lintol could support (as a UDL). The real answer depends upon whats above it and hence what loads as well as the dead load from the bricks are on it of course. However assuming that you are...

How thick are they and what sort of load are they carrying? Can you fix a small angle to the alcove sides toe up and slot the shelves to suit? Alternatively how about drilling them from the back for a threaded rod epoxied into the wall and slide them on? Colin