Search results

I'm putting two 21' long walls down a slope, about 1m high, separated by steps 1m wide. It's "sort of" retaining in as much as there will be 4ft height of soil behind it, but in reality the soil has been there and stable with no retention for the last 70+ years! However - I'd like to be on...

I've always been really anti stud walls, but have to say the one we've just put up for our new nursery has changed my mind a bit - sticking the ply below the plasterboard and using decent (way over spec!) insulation really has made a solid feeling, soundproof wall. Plus it took us about 1/10th...

I've done that - though with a plasterer. He finished at 11.45, so I told him there was another ceiling that could be done - for some reason he didn't seem very happy :lol:

always bugs me this one - three times so far on my current reno I've paid a "days" rate for half a day, and I know for a fact that they've gone on to do another half day for a full days rate somewhere else after each.

excellent, many thanks guys :D Digging commencing!

Thanks for the input Shytalks, The not three or four bars in the bottom, just the two! The cages are quite simple T8 300x300mm squares placed at 200mm centres along the four main bars, each being T20, one in each corner of the square! So in essence, it's just the T8 squares that would have to...

I could, but frankly I put him on a similar level to the architect right now, not impressed at all! If my plan were to be OK, the main longitudinal bars at the bottom would fit down over the piles as well (due to there only being two, and spacing between them being greater than the diameter...

Due to my architect being a complete spaz, I've got to sink my ring beam further into the ground. Though it is annoying I'm not overly worried about digging it out another 4 inches - what does bother me though is the thought of trying to cut down 10 more piles :evil: The piles are 225mm...

Have a look at the Hanson Jetfloor - it's beam and block but with polystyrene "blocks" in place of aggregate block - they do a range of thicknesses that allow you to increase the insulative properties. Can't tell you how it goes down yet, but will (fingers crossed) be able to in about 6 weeks!

Oh I dunno, even in the time of boom my surveyor's list of "recommended reports" I should acquire was so long it would have cost as much in reports as the house itself :roll:

LOL well no, it could be tricky going through them ;) just wasn't sure if it was an "acceptable" method or not to the powers that be as it would effectively put a hole in the actual floor area (albeit under a smear of concrete!).

well not quite accurate - jetfloor rather than beam and block (just replace concrete blocks with polystyrene...) I know I have to ventilate the void below the flooring - question is, can it be done when the beams are resting directly on a ground beam? All diagrams I've found have shown the...

yeah going to use all of it plus some - loaaaaads of retaining walls, blockwork, footings and stuff to go in. In fact it'll only be the tip of the iceberg really, just seemed a shame to waste it!!! Neighbour has kindly offered to babysit it for us in their nice dry garage :)

interesting - were any of those tree's protected? Soil here is massively variable so I'd actually prefer the piling option - some areas are very loose sand that collapses if you even look at it funny. (which was interesting on the first 9m bore they augered.... )

I've just dug up a copper pipe which can only have been laid by having the wet concrete poured over it - which put it at about 30 years of being in there. I don't think you should worry too much about it :)

Oops - forgot about that sticky out bit :oops: Think I best stick to asking the questions...

Cheers Chessspy, unfortunately the shed is one of the things on the list to be replaced, it's got more leaks than a welsh allotment - I'll see if one of the neighbours is feeling generous!

After some of the recent works, one of the nice companies decided to leave the left over cement... all 14 bags of it! It's most definitely got plenty of places to be used, but the next stage isn't likely to happen for at least 6 weeks, and at the moment it's just sat wrapped in a large poly...

Assuming a "normal" sort of single height, that's going to have a volume of < 10 m^3 - so will most likely fall under permitted development providing you haven't already used up your entitlement with other extensions. (you have to subtract the volume of existing / other extensions from the...

well, that bit was ;) assuming it's passed you can expect 101 more stupid questions on building a garage on the cheap in about 4 weeks time.... LOL sorry, forgot local council... 12 weeks time!