Search results

Party walls as defined by the PWA are not necessarily party walls as defined by any other document or common parlance. House deeds have nothing to do with anything other than the Law of Property.

How hard is the mortar? Will a hand saw cut it, or a block saw with tungsten teeth? Or a masonry blade in a reciprocating saw.

Those drawings are baffling. They look like an impossible flat/pitched roof Escher drawing. That's a poxy design where no thought has been given to building it or what it looks like. The best option is trying to fit a stop end outlet on the high gutter, but even so you've got the situation of...

No. Support really needs to be on the sides. You can't put angle iron on top of a floor joist like that anyway!

God knows :rolleyes:

Not for lintels

It's OK to do, but it's not water resisting or preventing. Check the external pointing all the way up to the roof or window cill above if water is coming in through a solid wall. An external wall water repellant may be an option. In some cases, a cavity tray is required even when there is...

What does this damp patch look like and location - wall or ceiling? Is the wall below dry lined or wet plastered? Damp from a wall with no cavity trays is often different to damp from a roof abutment leak.

Damp by a chimney is commonly related to the chimney or flue. Check the verge tiles, the flashing, the stack pointing and flaunching (cement mix around the pots) and the pots. The spread of that stain would imply damp coming down centrally from the stack or the roof apex

Because in the UK it was not used in that way. Not used in plaster. Invariably, all councils used similar specifications and that's a standard out house and that looks like a standard [concrete? ] roof with steel lath to support the plaster. If you can see hairs then typically it would be lime...

You can't see asbestos fibres without a very good microscope. In any case, asbestos was not used in the location you describe on council housing, and was not used in mortar anywhere.

You probably need to glue and screw a ply plate to cover the joist both sides around all those notches, and a longer piece of ply to cover that split on the joist.

I don't think it would. It does not have relevance to dealing with any condensation issue because no-one knows what %RH and at what °C is safe for that property. Many factors are involved. There is no way someone posting "My room is at 70%RH" and then someone else being able to say "Yeah...

I'm still confused by this terminology Are you the building owner (having the work done) or an adjoining owner? Two neighbours are using the same surveyor, you are using a second surveyor? The neighbour is below you, so these are flats? Has a PW Notice been served and is there a dispute -...

You measure from the current highest ground level, not what it was decades ago. However that does not mean you can pile up new ground (or remove ground) to try and game the policy. If there are signs that the ground has been altered intentionally to gain an advantage, then a pragmatic view...

Most condensation is lifestyle related. Occupants cause it in different ways by various means, and you should review any of the online guidance (from reputable sources) on how it is produced and dealt with and see what if anything you are doing wrong. In a small number of instances, it is the...

If you fit cement board to the face, it will significantly stiffen the whole timber frame up. And if need be, run some horizontal braces back to the house wall to take out any slight movement.

Yes, but are you in the process of having an award drawn up? Is this surveyor a joint surveyor or is another surveyor involved? If an award is being drawn up, I can't understand why you or the neighbour are involved in any discussion. BtW, if an award is being drawn up, then there should be a...

The suppliers will tend to give long warranties for their products, so that can provide added assurance. My experience with artificial slate is different to post above. I've been involved with lots of re-roofing projects for various landlords - including council and social housing where cost is...

Surely, you have insurance to cover you? In any case, would they not claim on the 30 warranty not against you? For mould to exist, there must be some raised moisture levels. You can't rely on an "independent" surveyor's report when the surveyor was appointed by you and paid for by you. That's...