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We have removed our entire chimney stack and breasts (upstairs only). The chimney stack used to rest on the outer side of the solid wall and on the internal chimney breasts. Having removed the chimney breasts, a 1.5 metre wide section (and 2.5 metres in height) of our external solid wall is...

Can anyone recommend some gloves for general building work around the home? Once's which will last for more than a couple of weeks before they tear between your thumb and index finger and be thin enough to be able to pick screws up. Does anything good exist around the couple of pound per pair...

Would also appreciate your point of view on why this is bad design practice and an alternative that you may be able to think of?

Yes, this is their purpose.

It's only to support some stud walls, so steel would be highly over-engineered.

Our architect has specified a couple of load-bearing beams which are in the form of a couple of timbers bolted together. These are to then be supported by solid walls (some internal and some external). What's the best way to sit these in the walls, should the ends be wrapped in a DPM (or...

Ok, I see that how you finish a weep hole is arguable, but good to know that one is recommended. Should a weep hole be created at each far end of a lintel? Slightly inwards? Or should there be more than two (depending on the lintel length) and spaced 'x' mm apart?

Should they be the entire height of the perp? And how common is it to use weep vents such as these? That shows 'mortar thickness', so unsure how they are used in conjunction with a brick facade, or a rendered one for that matter as surely the rendered wall will have lots of small holes...

Haha! Yes, I got carried away with the copy and pasting :mrgreen:. Have now edited.

Is this the correct way to install a catnic lintel? Or are the DPC and 'drip holes' unnecessary? Anything else which should be included as part of a installation?

Another query that popped into my head. Do most people bed the padstones on mortar, and wait until the following day before installing a beam of this size to prevent its weight from squeezing all of the mortar out whilst it's slid in and spacers are hammered inbetween everything? Or get...

I seem to have got my head around building a new dormer. However I have a couple of (fairly basic but fundamental) questions remaining. 1. What's the most common fixing method between various timbers - screws or nails? If nails, what size are usual and is a nail gun recommended for speed...

Perfectly explained, thanks! Two final questions: 4. In terms of getting the floor joists tight on the beam, would you wedge underneath the beam where it is supported on the wall (and bring the entire beam up off the brickwork and flush to the joists), or wedge any gaps between the floor...

We will be taking out a load-bearing wall and installing a steel beam. We have a couple of questions: 1. Do we need to secure the beam into the pad stones, or will it's sheer weight be sufficient to prevent if from ever slipping off the wall? 2. How do we box the beam in? Is the usual...

No need for any washers to stop the insulation from popping through the screw? Are drywall screws the most cost effective option here? Screwfix doesn't seem to stock these in lengths over 100mm. To be comfortable, I would need around 120mm screws to secure the plasterboard through the...

I gave them a call, their answer was, and I kid you not, "they do not offer advice on fixing methods". What!?