Recent content by NorthWest1

Is it true that you can use lime mortar instead of normal sand cement anyway but not the other way around ??

I'm in a similar situation, need to repoint but am not sure whether I have lime mortar ( pics ). Mine also doesn't fizz but is much more grey in colour. You think they'd have come up with a easy solution for determining what it is....if it indeed is so important.

Thanks for reply. The property is about 80 years old. I'll look into the lime mortar thing. I don't suppose it's a huge deal as I'm only removing a couple of bricks, I just assumed that mortar that sits below ground, wet most of time, would just erode away.

Hello, Can anyone advise on making good brickwork, below soil level. I am doing a lead replacement and am about to go through the foundation wall with a 4'' duct. I was originally going to core through, however the bricks ( cherry red ) look different to the ones above ground, I'm told these may...

Hi, Would a demolition hammer be suitable for cutting a trench through a concrete slab ? I need to trench about 8'' wide for about 2M inorder to run a duct . I had a test run of using a diamond blade on a grinder, on my outside path ( this too needs a trough) but had to abandon due to dust going...

Well then that's the plan then. Rent the CAT machine, try get an idea of where it is in the path from front door to boundary line. Break up the concrete across the path ( give me a chance to use the demolition Breaker I got from Toolstation ) and get digging, and hope it doesn't run diagnoally...

Thanks for the replys. Regarding the CAT locator, will this tool still work if the pipe is running next to the party wall, this is the route i imagined it would run, with the meter being sat next to the wall as in pic, I assumed the pipe would be ran, under the slab ( not in it ! ) and...

I paid 500 quid for an Engineer to look at a similar issue. Like Woody said, most qotes were around that mark. You want an engineer, not a surveyor, and it's not always made clear.

Hi, Just wondering if anyone has tried using a CAT buried cable locator, I see you can rent them from most hire shops, bout 40 quid a day. I'm wanting to run a blue water pipe under a concrete slab and come up under my stairs to fit a stop tap, only thing is, there's a gas meter in there and I'm...

I should have clarified, the trench won't be going through the parquet floor, that is in living room. The trench, about 2m long would be going through 1m of quarry tile ( red square tiles ) behind front door and then a 1m length of concrete under the stairs. I'm just hesitent to go cutting...

It was an article on the web that implied the asbestos testing and removal companies were one in the same and there was a conflict of interest, along with excessive lobbying of the government to ban all forms of working with asbestos ( Non notifiable ), even the white type which is supposedly...

Hello, Just trying to get some advice on filling a trench in a concrete slab. I have to replace my lead water pipe and am looking at giving it a go myself. Was originally going to just come under foundation and stick it behind front door area ( well, in corner, to side of door ), however, my gas...

I'll be speaking to the builder this week and I'll mention it to him. It's difficult to know who to turn to, if indeed, these testers are the same ppl as the removers, who'll try and get thousands out of you. I've read posts on here, websites etc and I can't get a consistent idea of how...

Hi, Has anybody used these self-test asbestos sites, where you send them a sample and they email back ? I'm concerned about adhesive under parquet flooring, 1930's property. I've ordered a kit that should arrive this week but I've read an article on the web that implys that many of these testing...

Why can't you do what has been advised to me, lift up the parquet and install asphalt, that smooths out the floor and acts as a damp proof memebrane ? Has the floor damp, got anything to do with the wall dampness ?