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Assuming its reasonably level at this point, I'd probably take the lazy route by building the fort and then if necessary placing risers under the corners or feet that need it

Hi Robin. Indeed it is literally an air gap about 5 inches wide and yes the old patio at the base. I ensured the patio slopes away from the house, so the only rainwater is essentially from the house wall - it drains really without problem. I had initially planned to watch and ensure the drainage...

I have a similar arrangement but leave the trench empty - that way there definitely won't be any splash up the wall, and also I can see at a glance that no crud has accumulated down there. No damp issues at all and the gap isn't noticeable to us or guests.

Hard to believe 5 years has passed since my garden project (earlier in this thread) so thought I should perhaps add a photo showing how it has matured - though to be honest not by very much! The lawn is nice and lush, though the rockery still looks a little bare in this image. To be fair it is...

Update: had a good plumber in who recommended a like-for-like replacement. although a pressurised system would be an upgrade, given it only supplies the kitchen and bathroom sinks it really wouldn't be worth the effort or cost. Similarly an instant hot water heater would do away with the...

Hi all. Got a leaking hot water tank (around the immersion element) and wondering what is best for the long term. It's 30 years old (very soft water area!) in a one bedroom flat with no gas and an electric shower (no bathtub either) so the large hot water tank and similarly large header tank...

I'd just use sand and forget the cement. Those slabs aren't going anywhere anyway, and it gives you a chance to lift and fix if you find you've done it wrong at the first attempt

To keep your patio/paving non slippy and free of moss/algea, get BAC 50 - aka Benzalkonium Chloride - £40 buys 5 litres which you dilute 1:50 with water and spray or brush it on. Within a day or so the patio looks like new and it inhibits reappearance for a year or more. I use it on my driveway...

Autumn is the best time of the year to do it, so I'd suggest a ferrous sulphate treatment (its the active ingredient within more expensive lawn treatments - you can buy a tub from Amazon or ebay for under £10). This will turn the moss black over a few days. Then you need to rake the hell out of...

We replaced our banister but the new hand rail is wider and now fingers can’t fit between it and the ceiling/floor at the top. As a result my aging mum has nothing to hold on to. Is there a tool or technique to take 1/2 inch off the side of the hand rail so close to the wall? Thanks all

Shape it then seed it for lawn. I have a couple of 4 foot high banks either side of my lawn after digging out a hillside that are 35-40 degrees. Be sure to shape it how you want it before seeding and it will come good within a summer. Good luck

I see no sign of a DPC between brick courses there... are you sure its above the blue bricks? If so then I don't see any great concern - yes it is closer than ideal but your own surveyor didn't raise it as an issue when you bought the house. If you really want to take action then you could dig...

Do weeds grow in your soil? If so then you definitely need a membrane before putting stones down, and if not then I'm not sure it can even be described as soil ;-) I imagine the groundskeepers of that stately home spend a fair bit of time spraying weedkiller or performing other maintenance to...

The whole of our patio is at door threshold height (so above the DPC). The trench goes down to the original ground level before we built up the patio, and what little rainwater goes into guttering I put down that connects into a downpipe/drain - however I think I would have been fine simply...

Hi David, You've clearly done a lot of research already and have most of the answers. I'm no expert but had a similar experience when I raised my patio above DPC to door threshold (plus a similar air brick issue). I'd suggest you can run your patio fall away from the house and even towards your...

Perhaps not the response you desire but in my view staggering the posts with new holes should lead to a stronger fence. I empathise on the removal of the old concrete, but imagine such will soon become overgrown and forgotten. Is your neighbour aware of your intention to pay 50% of the cost, as...

From memory I think it depends on the final height/number of courses. Mine is 1.2m high and I mortared my first course (messily as it ended up out of sight anyway)

Tobermore Secura Lite (though there are a number of alternatives). Get the first course level and it’s absolutely simple. More pricey than bricks/blocks but I didn’t have to hire a pro to lay it and I prefer the look.

Superb - and looks like a bigger scale though not dissimilar project to mine, which I wrote about on here a few years ago: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/garden-levelling-retaining-walls-and-patio.436119/#post-3399790 Cracking looking garden you have there and looking forward to seeing the...

That's a sizeable wall! What are you constructing it of? Cement blocks? Mine is closer to 10m long and a similar height but I think I only used 2 tonnes of gravel behind it. We stood plyboards behind it as a divider with geotextile fabric and filled the gravel against the wall behind the...