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Interesting reading here :- http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=231763 Seems that if they re-skinned with bricks (as yours has) they should be OK. Frank

If you want to support a beam, it is best to put the column under it, not nailed to its front. There should be props between the two purlins to stop them bending inwards, which I reckon has happened. This has caused the line of vertical props (too many?) to lean inwards towards each other...

Very unusual crack, the bonding of the blocks is variable causing weak bits. If you go right up to the wall and look upwards, is the top section of the wall leaning out, caused by the roof spreading. If the wall looks flat then I would not worry. Frank

Make sure you put a VCL under the glass fibre, on top of the plasterboard. FWIW The angled part of your ceiling is called a "sceiling". Frank

Your wall is like a book standing up. So providing no one pushes it or the wind blows on it it will remain where it is as its weight would have settled the bottom edge (foundation?) hard into the earth. However, you digging the whole side up, means that the soil on the other side will be pushing...

The DPC should be 6" below the render, so it seems to be buried. Dig down until you find it , then 6" more put some edging to your 9" wide trench and and back fill with gravel. Hopefully the water will drain away before its level tops the DPC. If it does, then a further ground drain should be...

As said the conservatory is now an extension. I would say that it was built with out the relevant controls and permissions, which makes me wonder on the size/construction of the full width beam that is supporting the upper back wall. About 5 years ago, when I was buying houses there were...

How thick are your walls, its just that I have a stone cottage with 24" thick walls, I properly repointed it with lime mortar (2 1/2 :1, sharp sand , NHL5 lime)and its still damp. I have tried Thompsons damp seal and B&Q silicon. no change. The onlly thing I can think off is that the "builder"...

My shed is lined with plaster board (not me), I unscrewed every panel and insulated the gap to the outer planking with 4" glass fibre and screwed the boards back on. No mould. I just could not face the massive amount of work to replace the plaster board. Starting from scratch I would use sheet...

Out of curiosity, who built the roof structure as its got wood not working well and props missing. Looks as though its has already moved, hopefully it won't move any more. Frank

Absolutely, also you don't want to spend £20 on a bag of lime and a bit more on sand when a £4 bag of ready mixed stuff will do. Frank

As I see it French drains come is two parts, the collection bit (where the water is) and the dumping bit (where you want the water to end up). So for the collection bit, you need open gravel to the surface so the water can get into it, even a couple of inches of top soil can stop water draining...

Unlike an insulated brick cavity wall, your Celotex will be bridged by the vertical wooden studs that support your internal wall covering. Providing you do not use excessive sized brackets between the brick skin and your timber, there is not much to worry about. You are not trying to build a...

Looks as though the electro osmosis system was working, why did you remove it? I used lime mortar for a rock feature wall but because it looks nicer, get some really white sand for it. If you use cement and some grotty old red sand it will look gloomy. As for the damp, I have a limestone...

Look around for the very thin cutting discs - less then 2mm thick they work really well. You can get them in a tin (!!) 10 for £5 at cheapo tool stands in markets. Frank

You have to look around at architectural salvage and/or hand made brick works. I once bought some frogless bricks from the Micheldever brick works (actually near Romsey). Frank

You should use a weak cement mortar. wet the bricks well, mix up some mortar to a butter like consistency (make it too dry, you can always scrape it off and re-mix with some more water). Make sure that the bag of pre-mixed mortar that it contains plasticiser, else add a squirt of washing up...

Lead flashing should only be laid in up to 1.5m strips, else the expansion/contraction buckles it (from the lead assoc. website) it should have hooked joints. Also I wonder about the amount of tile under the lead, and what is under the lead at the very top. Frank

Basically you need to build a wood frame that the panel fits into easily but is much thicker. once this is fixed to your studding you line the inside edge with beading and cut the same lengths for use on the outside of the glass. Nail the inner bead on. Clart its face with silicone goo and then...

Using the corrugated stuff on the outside should be an advantage providing all holes (overlaps etc.)are 100% air sealed. Its whole surface would then act a bit like a drum skin. so I don't think that the GF or feather boarding will damp this out, you need mass. All in all, though being...