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Where's your post before my last one gone ree?

In my early 20's I worked in the USA for a few years. In California it's not the best place for brickwork, so occasionally I did work with other trades. Back then the chippies were not using T&G for roofs or walls, so unless the framers allowed for 1/8inch gap it meant taking 3/8inch off every...

Although technically it's correct to leave a 2mm gap, it's already down now. Most chippies don't bother when doing floors, as provided the ply is acclimatised and well fixed the amount of expansion is relatively small. It's obviously a bit quicker to just butt joint it. In the USA when doing...

Depends what the bricks below DPC are.

When you repoint it remember that the mortar needs to be weaker then the bricks, as it's a sacrificial part of the wall.

It's ground salts that break down cement mortar. When they get to the surface and crystallize. It's the same with brickwork on the seafront where the salt air affects the joints.

A mate of mine has used them on some of his houses. He buys old run down Victorian properties and does the work and rents them out. He's been in the trade since leaving school as a thatcher, so is used to old properties. Even back in the 90's, he was advising people to use lime render, lime...

You need to be careful with predictive text.

You need to get those spuds earthed up.

You can refuse to answer any questions. If you read the bit about misrepresentation you can't claim you don't know or physically hide an issue, but can refuse to give any answers...

You can refuse to give any information about a house. It's not even law to fill out the TA6. You can't answer 'I don't know' when asked if you know the answer, but you can refuse to answer any questions. However, this won't inspire a lot of confidence in the buyers.

Most builders are not legal experts, so our job is to create the problems, not help people take their case to the High court.

The issue with selling a new build soon after moving in is that you have paid a premium for the house, and will take a hit on the sale.

A friend of mine said the same thing about his new build. Said if it was a new car he'd have taken it back and demanded a replacement. Car manufacturers have a different mindset. They need to keep their reputation, otherwise people won't buy their cars. Major house builders don't have that...

As noseall said, the initial set starts as soon as the water mixes with the OPC. It's normally 12-24 hours before it reaches it's final set, and then it starts hardening. It's tested at 28 days, as it's reached most of it's strength by then, but will continue over the years to get harder. In...

What happened when they got to the gable ends? Use spiral boards?

To be realistic, on hot days the mortar will often be knocked up again. Years ago, the CoW might moan if it was knocked up when close to it's final set, but generally it's done because so much would get dumped if it wasn't.

I think he means that when the mortar is fully cured it will be weaker because extra water was added during the initial set.

Some of the really old bricks are highly absorbent, so you need to damp them down before laying. Ideally you need a bit of suction to keep the face work clean without it sucking all the water out before you can get the jointer on it.

Brickies will do the job if the money's right. Sometimes people live in. I worked on some 30's Council houses in Moulscoomb, Brighton years ago renewing the outer skin, but they were terraced houses and done one house at a time, and then the gables, so the people stayed in. As yours is only to...