Recent content by ^woody^

Brick external leaf and timber frame internal. No foundation required Or all timber frame and render to match the first floor. No toothing required. Floor insulation would mean use the most efficient product (PIR/PUR) in the greatest depth possible, and reduce thermal bridging by suitable...

I'm still not clear if this is something being built, or already built. Things being built and cracking have different causes and reasons for things cracking after many years If cracking is not below DPC, then the likelihood of the cause being foundation related is low. Typically, foundations...

Cement mortar joints can be between 6 and 15mm, but nominally 10mm. This is to allow for variances in the brick or block dimension so as to keep an overall even guage per course. 25mm joints may not be visually acceptable, but may be OK structurally. But the builder's reasoning for such joints...

When you plan them! Include plan b.

What's this thread actually about? Is there an actual problem and question?

He plans his work day. In reality it's an hour's work, plus travel. So he thinks "Right, I'll pop up to Cat's house first, do the air brick, then go and measure up Mrs Smiths quote, then nip to the merchants and get some blocks, then meet Dave for the side wall on the extension". Instead of...

It's no more than half a days work, and say £20 or so for the air brick and duct and a bit of sand and cement. So the question is really, what are builders charging per day in your area. If it's £400, then the quote is reasonable.

Black mould is almost invariably related to internal humidity, so you need to consider whether that room, or the house generally is getting higher than normal humidity for various reasons - read the common condensation guides and check how you are dealing with the moisture you produce. That is a...

That pattern is indicative of water penetration. If it's a cavity wall, it's more likely a roof problem, saturating the inner leaf.

Must have been here www.diynot.com/diy/forums/jokes/ Although, in a similar fashion, you can test engineers by tapping them on the forehead with your knuckle and listening for a hollow sound.

Fit two dowels below the surface and then slide the post onto the joist. Then either fit a block as mentioned above, or skew screws to secure the post. Sand the joist smooth to allow the mating surfaces to be glued.

Some bloke in London in 1666 thought it might be useful going forward. :rolleyes: I present another such good idea - the Spanish Barn, Torre Abbey. Been a good idea for over 800 years, no flashing, no damp. Lots of similar ones all over the country.

With a Zipbolt, you can, with care, fit a matched piece of veneer into the hole to cover the fixing cam. Alternatively, recess the newel base to accept a timber block say 50mm high, with a 10mm border. Fit the block to that joist, place the newel over the block, then screw through the newel...

The timber "cracks" are actually checks, and are common in some timber as it ages and dries. Not generally a structural issue. The fungus is a symptom of either high humidity or a roof leak. In the absence of water staining, it's a ventilation issue - may include poor ceiling insulation and...

Parapets are not the problem. It always tends to be the people that work on them, and their lack of skill and experience.