Recent content by Dave1UK

So I finally got around to laying the sub-base for my patio, it is fairly level and happy with how it has turned out. Finished up around 2 weeks ago and was going to crack ahead and lay the slabs on a full bed of mortar. However there was about ~two weeks of downpour here in London with on/off...

Yeah I contemplated on hiring a cement mixer would be around £70 a week where I am. However now its been raining half the week so wouldn't be able to get full use, not to mention I wouldn't be able to fully utilise it anyway as I am taking my time complete beginner. Fair enough, I'm not too...

I own a Erbauer paddle mixer and have previously used it to mix loads of soil cement buckets with small chunks of hardcore and it mixes very well. It has a variable speed setting. I am going to need to mix mortar for a full cement bed for laying my slabs about 25m2 will be doing this across...

So we dug up our old patio which was laid as follows: slabs -> thin layer of sand (10mm?) -> thin concrete base (maybe 20mm?) -> more sand/soil mix (40-50mm) -> thick clay. The patio is pretty well contained with a brick wall at the front and gravel boards (fence) and brick walls on the sides...

I have quite a bit of rubble/chipped slab pieces and old concrete that are solid and want to incorporate into my subbase rather than disposing of. For my subbase I'm basically laying concrete, but wonder whether I should mix this into the mix itself or should they be on the "bottom" whereby...

Had a quick look on Facebook for someone, asking for £1350 for the labour lol. Maybe it's just me but that seems a lot for the ask?

Any ideas on what it would cost/going rate to get someone in to lay slabs? Area is 25m2 for a garden patio. The subbase has been done, have the sharp sand already, will go buy the cement. Just need someone to come mix and lay the slabs down. Will need a little cutting around a manhole otherwise...

I think that the previous owners done this on our patio as there are what looks like cement "blocks" under our flags, the blocks are about 60mm thick and it's pretty hard stuff from the top and strong but if you lift it/break into it sideways it starts to crumble. Thing is there is about 100mm...

So I've seen and heard of dry pouring cement (YouTube in USA mainly) on its own to make things such as small concrete patio etc. Asides of the fact what the right way to do it is/whether structurally it would be as strong etc. Would dry pouring a cement/sharp sand mix work/be the same concept...

Just wanted to update the post, had 2 jumbo bags delivered yesterday into a parking bay. Started shifting it immediately and in the back garden within 3 hours. Saw a parking officer drive by didn't even care.

Yes believe there would be ample space. Can even see a pallet here on Google Maps from March 2024 guess someone had works done around then as well! Harrow area. The parking spots are residential parking permit spots active between 10am-11am only, as there is a underground station few roads...

North West London and yes I do!

I'm based in North West London, it's resident parking bays. Restriction is from 10-11am. Rarely see any tickets on non-permit cars/parking attendants coming around the area to be honest as I do occasionally work on my car outside. Instead of kerbside (parking spot), pavement would be possible...

I don't have a front driveway and the only way to get materials into my garden is via an alleyway leading to through a gate at the end. I will need about 3 jumbo bags of material delivered. It's for a budget DIY project hence my query as the permit cost/application for a day would exceed the...

Is there a safety risk of using a wacker plate near/too close to the drain/manhole leading to a collapse? Or even just generally along the 'route' of the drainage pipe? The brickwork itself seems to be in ok shape a few bricks that could do with replacing near the top end may do so.