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There was no getting around the fact I was going to have to move a lot of material! So, I roped in a few favours and got in some plant. I also found a local lad happy to labour who has been a fantastic help. So, with a little mechanical help the first weekend we cleared out all of the top soil...

So until this point I didn't really have a specific plan for the middle - i.e., the decking. Again, in hindsight, maybe I should have and maybe I should have dug out after the concrete pour but whatever! After much debating we settled on a composite decking solution, with an aluminium subframe...

One thing I probably didn't make clear is that the decking will be basically the same height as the existing concrete, so there's a fair few courses that won't be seen. I'm glad I decided to do a 1 brick wall insted of half brick, but it was a bit soul destroying having to build everything...

Naturally, the Mrs found the most expensive rustic looking bricks on sale - but I did agree they looked nice! It was to get on the trowel again but my first attempt was a serious failure as I had major issues with it not bonding. I still don't really know what the right answer is - but they're...

I spent a while debating whether to get concrete in, or to mix myself. In the end, I decided to rope in my brother and dad and mix it ourselves - mainly because getting it delivered would mean time off work and I'd be on my own. I wouldn't say it was an easy day, but it wasn't the worst with...

Of course, it wouldn't be a DIY project without some back breaking labour! It took a few weekends but with a little help I managed to clear a bunch of concrete out of the way, set out and dig my trenches. In hindsight, perhaps I should have cleared the middle first - I don't know - but this is...

Again, not great photos I'm afraid but hopefully it'll give you a feel for the space as it looked after the main construction of the extension. So, after much debate we settled on the idea of a walled-off decking area. The idea was to create a space large enough that we could clear the garden of...

This is mostly a catchup thread - I'm also very aware I've not gone back and updated my DIY Extension Build thread, but I promise I'll get there at some point! (And no, it's not finished...!) Anyway - the summary is simple. When we purchased the house there were some horrid and somewhat random...

Any thoughts on this one?

Hi all, just a quick one hopefully! Ideally I want my decking to be no-step from the patio doors, which means the boards will be above the suspended floors airbricks. There'll be a void of ~100-200mm between the underside of the decking and the subbase. The decking itself will be surrounded...

Maybe they're extending a tower block!

U-Values and weight. I can recommend the Plasmor Aglite which looks to be similar: Aglite Ultima | Plasmor - Blocks, Concrete, Architectural Masonry, Paving, Aglite, Expanded Clay | Plasmor Lower U-Value, and slightly lighter too. A normal concrete block is waaaaaaay heavier and not as...

So, still struggling a bit with this. I'm done underground now, so my next work will be visible - I'm 100% happy with my cement, my sand, my plaz etc. I did have a bit of a realisation that I was probably mixing my mortar a little too dry - found I could make it a bit wetter and leave it mixing...

If you're doing the lot, I'd just us 22mm chipboard flooring and Spax flooring screws

Right, got round to having another bash at it Saturday. As I'm still underground I did wet the bricks - they are exceptionally thirsty, that much is without a doubt. Anyway, I'm definitely not going mad - things definitely went a LOT better this time, both in the short term (hard to describe...

That's the worst bit - I thought I was doing really well on the trowel :D Was really feeling it! That said, initially I was putting too much mortar in (again, a bit used to getting away with it with engineering bricks where it's got somewhere to go) so perhaps I over compensated when I reduced...

Cheers, yeah, I still don't quite get it. Not gonna try today as it's due to freeze overnight - but I'll get some fresh cement and go again at some point. I did drop a brick into a bucket of water and it did fizz for a long long time, and was touch dry within a few moments of taking out so...

Nah, I get you and now I've taken them down some of them would probably have been fine if I didn't need to get the mortar off. But some were outright loose before I'd got there. I'll have another bash tomorrow!

4:1 and a little bit of plasticiser yeah. I put literally a few mm in a bucket of water

Cheers guys. So what's the answer here, give them a ten minute dunk before hand? I presume I just want to take the edge off and let them dry a bit before laying? And will it cause any issues with efflorescence? Not too fussed about rebuilding this lot after wetting as its 90 percent underground...