Recent content by acesumper

Hi, can anyone tell me if there were methods to test floor bounce in the 19th century. Now there's NHBC span tables, but what about in days of old. I've heard of the Span/360 test, but that seems to be for engineering.

I expect he's pulled them out. Bloody things only get in the way! I should have said it's not a twin walled flue where the air comes in and goes out the same pipe. I think it's called an open flue where the exhaust gasses only go out.

Hi, I've been a bit alarmed by my boss who has modified the flue on a gas boiler to make it 'work better'. Can anybody tell me if this is madness or illegal? The new boiler doesn't seem to be as efficient as the old one so he stuffed a brick into the flue pipe. This has blocked it up maybe 75%...

After another hour spent trying to buy IKO permabit, I've given up. Now going to use Visqueen Zedex High Bond dpc

Hi Andy, Coping stones- there's so much contradictory advice out there. But there is a great vid on utube entitled 'Sweating and wet parapet wall' by Steve Roofer. His advice, and that of IKO seems to make a lot of sense. Having said that, I've just spent the last hour trying to track down the...

Hi guys, thanks for the replies. Datarebal, I'm only replacing the roof because of some broken slates and seriously dodgy work at the top. It is a lean to roof which leans onto a freestanding cavity wall which divides us from the neighbour. When I removed the batons, they weren't too bad. I...

Hi Guys, I've looked through most of the previous postings on headlap and re-holing slates and I'm still confused. Firstly, my small extension roof pitch is a joke, 11 degrees. But I can't change it, it's been there for 40-50 years and sort of works. It did have 24 x 12 slates, but I've been...

'original' means the building as it existed on 1 July 1948. There is an existing utility room that has been modified, but it's still there. But how can a council say if it was or wasn't there apart from old maps or aerial photos on this date.

Thanks again for that. However, I'm now looking at it in a very different light. On the council website footpath map is a 1946 aerial photo. This shows my house, built approx. 1840, already with an extension. This is slap bang where I want to put the WC. As it seems that all 'modern' extensions...

Thanks folks for your replies. I've inadvertently clicked on 'bold' and now I can't get rid of it. Freddie, your point about the advice from the case officer didn't seem possible as he wasn't allocated until the application was accepted. However the previous advice was given by 'case officers'...

Hi Folks, Any advise on helping me deal with my useless council planning department would be much appreciated. I was warned about not using the council as they are the 2nd worst in the country. But I thought, 'let's do this properly'. I have a detached house and I want to convert an old coal...

Hi Folks, My next door neighbours applied for planning permission to convert a double garage into an extension. Our 2 houses are not in a straight line, 180 degrees, more like 130 odd. This means that to a degree we both overlook each other. However, a good sized gap between houses and a fairly...

Hi Will, I think Solar control glass is well worth it, it makes a big difference. As for the cost, that can be a very difficult subject. I live in the South West and asked for several quotes for 4 sheets of SC glass to be fitted to a 2.7m x 2.6m conservatory. They were around the £5k area...

Using any old sealant is a really bad thing as it can dissolve the edge sealant on DGU's. My whole conservatory had been sealed with silicone and the edge seals had all melted on the inside of the units. Just replaced the whole lot. Used glazers tape, silfix U9 to bed each unit in, and Hodgeson...

Hi, I am wanting to fit new Solar control glass onto my lean- to oak conservatory. Have been advised to use Capex 50 rails screwed into the rafters. Can anybody tell me if this is a good system. There is lead flashing along the top where the current polycarbonate meets the stone wall. Are these...