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It's not an everyday occurrence, but it can be really serious when it does. The problem is that it's not a great design, and the older it gets the more likely it is to fail. They can go suddenly without any warning. It's also in a place where people are likely to be standing.

You're not being alarmist. Google concrete canopy collapse over house and look at the Cross report.

They were either cast insitu or precast in one piece reinforced concrete. As stated above, it's cantilevered from the wall. Quite common on the council houses back then. The canopies have been known to suddenly collapse.

Is it a boot lintel?

Sandstone should be laid on it's natural bed. If it isn't the face can spall. Imagine it as a loaf of sliced bread. If the face has the slices facing the weather they can delaminate.

For inside plastering a pure air lime is normally used, which is the softest and most breathable mix. A 6/1/1 mix is closer in strength to an NHL 3.5 mix. This is normally for exterior work. You could have used a 1/2/9 cement/lime/sand mix, which is similar in strength to an NHL 2 mix.

There's a number of reasons why a strong mix shouldn't be used. Firstly, the rest of the wall will expand and contract differently to the pointing, which will break the edges of the stone. Also moisture is better soaking into the joints, as the freeze/thaw and salts brought to the surface are...

It comes with experience knowing when to joint up. If it's really hot when laying a softer, more absorbent brick on a long run, you might find it easier to rub the bed joints up after each course and leave the cross joints. After a few courses the cross joints might be ready and you can do them...

Normally I put most of the water in at the start until it's just a bit too dry and then let it mix for 5 minutes to get some air into it. By then it's usually about right, but sometimes needs a bit more water. When mixing lime mortar I let it mix for about 15-20 minutes, then leave it for 20 to...

Mixing for longer gets more air into it and makes the mortar more workable without adding too much water. Tiny air bubbles act as ball bearings in the mortar. I worked with a Welsh brickie who said the only sand they could get was so bad that they used to leave to mix for a long time to get it...

I'd guess you mean the chimney is corbeled over to exit the roof at the ridge. It was quite common on older houses for the chimney from the back of the house to do the same and meet at the centre. It meant all the flues from the house could exit from one central stack. At the ridge means it...

It used to be 150mm or 2 courses below DPC, but got increased to 225mm or 3 courses to allow for the amount of mortar subbies were dropping down the cavity.

The reason roofers get called in to do brickwork and pointing on chimneys in the private sector is that nowadays they are the only ones with ladders to go up and do it. It's the same with lead flashings. Traditionally it's the plumber that was trained to do the job properly, but it's hard enough...

If you get any rough areas, especially the joints of old to new, you can get a really smooth finish using Knauf fill and finish. It's really easy to sand down to nothing, so when painted you won't see any edges.

It's so the Council know who nicked all their signs and drain covers.

I'd check with the yard first. #1 copper in the ones 1 use means no solder, paint etc.

Fill the tubes with sand and knock the ends over.

I wouldn't bother toothing out either. You'll probably damage the reveal and end up rebuilding it. The old foremen used to say that ' they aren't worried about a few straight joints, it's the straight backs that bother them'.

It would be worth thinking about making the piers formed at the new doorway 9inch brickwork. It's standard to have at least 9inch piers both sides of the garage doors.

If you can't find any replacement bricks in the reclamation yards, firms like Bulmer Bricks can make them for you.