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Actually its efflorescence, a white crystalline or powder, often fluffy/fuzzy deposit on the surface of masonry materials like concrete, brick, clay tile, etc. It's caused by water seeping through the wall/floor/object. The water dissolves salts inside the object while moving through it, then...

Correct way is to step the foundation under the pipe then use a lintel to carry the brickwork over the pipe

There pros and cons to do it with or without a RIBA, but one thing to always bear in mind. If by some bad luck all goes wrong with you and your builder having a RIBA can be a godsend, I knew someone who took a builder to court and because he had a RIBA he won hands down as the court do believe a...

A compentent building contractor should be able to tell you, but it sounds to me that part of the chimmny might be supported on it, would have to see it to give you a more postive answer

You can use a CATNIC CN8C that will span up to 4.8m assuming you have a 50-65mm cavity, get your local building merchant to check with CATNIC to make sure it can take the load where you want it installed, CATNIC tech are usually very helpful. Using this lintel will allow you to carry your brick...

You get the same tunnelled response over and over again of DIY'ers, a warped sense of logic why and how good they are and how they go about justifying it. Let me put it this way, I'll apply my good learned friend's Mr David P logic; If you saw a so called 'building contractor' alias...

I would not build it entirely out of dense block, it will really look daft at that height and length. Is it going to be a free standing wall or a retaining wall?

9mm should be enough for overboarding, its a bit lighter and cheaper, but if your ceiling has really gone, go for 12.5mm for a bit of strength.

You will need a structual engineer to determine what size beam you need, 5m is quite a bit to take out, be very careful of what you are doing, it a job for an experienced contractor and not the DIY :?

Its an off white colour and rakes out very easy, unlike conventional 'muck'

You seem a handy chap masona, I've been reading some of your posts and you give some good advice. I once knew a chap like you on the sites, he went around all the new houses snaging, learnt quite a bit from him and enjoyed his company a lot...:)

Try to get hold of a compentent joiner, he should be able to make one in situ

This problem can occur if the floor joists have not been installed with sufficient size per span ratio and/or not correctly strutted. Remedy can be very difficult with probable solution in doubling up on some floor joists where access can be achieved

Yep you can do that, but make sure you ply the walls and not just use plaster board or you run the risk of the tiles coming off in the future if water get the back of them

Generally 600mm below ground is the norm, but under certain circumstances you have to go down deeper, though any deeper then 2m causes problems in itself with a raft usually the norm. Take no notice of the house owner, if the building was built with building approval then the local authority...

OK @mildmanneredjanito: If you think I went around the forums just to appease you, you need to get your head out of the clouds my good man :roll: @cjgarlick: Very well said, some valid and well thought points to ponder on, but sometimes it takes time to train up a man from a 'dilutee' and...

@ cjgarlick: You bring up some really interesting points and very well said indeed..but the fact is that over the years I've had to deal with numorous people who know this and know that and they really don't know very much, we in the trade call them 'dilutiees' and although they mean well and...

Sounds like the old trick of saying it will take such and such a time to look good, when in fact it will take him an age...and he will be back for more money with the old proverb "I've found a few rotten roof rafters" :cry:

and quite funny too.. :lol:

@mildmanneredjanitor: Actually I have been going around the forums giving a bit of advice but it seems you like just having a go at me for generalised terms I happen to use...whats the matter.....hit a nerve?