building

Hi there, I have started my first renovation and will be living in the property myself, so attention to detail is paramount to me. In the lounge, I am going to be leaving the centre of the ceiling exposed but there are some white areas around the sides and through part of the middle (I'm not...

Any advice on the below? We are renovating our house and found a very damp inside corner of an external wall, where the original wall of the house was knocked through to a single storey extension. You can see in the photo the wider footing of the house. Our builder thinks this is because the...

Hi everyone I'm finally getting around to ordering building materials. There are so many suppliers can anyone recommend ones to avoid/use etc. Any advice would be great. I'm looking for: 440 x 215 x 140mm solid blocks 440 x 215 x 140mm hollow blocks Cement MOT Type 1 aggregate Needs to...

I have a small sitting room, and would like to put in a multi fuel burner. The KW calculator says I only need a 2kw burner, but I'm not sure that they even exist. Are there regulations preventing me from putting (for example) a 5kw burner in?

Hi all. I'm new here, please go easy on me. I need you all the chippys, architect and builders advice on board and ASAP. I've removed my chimney breast walls from top to bottom. I'm now left in the bedrooms with exposed Joists, which are 7x3 timber and 5 metres long. I was hoping, is it...

First time renovators, just trying to get to bottom of pipe work options. Context: classic 1960’s semi, end of run of 5 houses, poorly constructed conservatory on back of house, and want to complete bigger wraparound extension. Sewerage pipe currently runs under conservatory (constructed...

Hi all, This has probably been asked a lot on here but prices seem to be rocketing and so I would like other peoples thoughts… I want to do a front porch/living room lean to extension roughy 5 x 1.5 m. What sort of price per Sqm should I be looking for at a shell only

My rear extension is about 11 meters wide and will have a 4.8m bifold door. The rear extension floor is about 140cm above the lawn. Work on the extension is underway and funds are getting a bit tight so need some advice/ideas on how to build a raised patio and 5.8m wide steps from bifold to the...

Hi All, Just finishing my wet room. I have a linear drain in the end embedded and secured levelled into the concrete floor. I am now ready to do the wet room slope pan. I have placed two pieces of strip wood on each side and raised them accordingly to my slope measurements. I will use these...

Hi all - first post on here so go easy on me. In the process of refurbing my living room and want to reinstate the hearth. It's mainly for decorative purposes but would also like the option of installing wood burning stove further down if possible. I've already opened up the fireplace and...

Hello! I own a house that is end of terrace (but not end of the street) with an alley between myself and the next house, my neighbour. I've double checked land registry and the line of ownership shows approx 1/2 of the alley. The neighbour has referred to it as a shared alley; it's not as I own...

Hi all, I'm about to lay the 110mm soil pipe needed to route my kitchen sink, washing machine etc. to the main drain, before pouring the slab for the base of my new floor. I was planning on having bends vertically up through the slab in order to connect to 40mm waste pipe etc. Would welcome...

I want to build some pillars for a wooden patio roof cover to rest on, about 2m high. I could build brick ones but want to render to match existing features. Can lightweight blocks on end be used ? I was thinking I could put mesh between courses for added strength. I have stacked as example in...

Hi All, So nice to be part of such an informative site. This is my first post in these forums. Last week I have completed a project for insulating the conservatory ceiling-all for under £491. With a view to help other DIY ers this is a step by step video for the DIY project from last week...

Hi, hope everyone is well. I want to build a shed at the end of the garden, you can see the area where the concrete pad is already down in the photos. Shed will be timber. Does anyone have any recommendations for how to deal with the dodgy patchwork brick wall on the left and back before I...

I'd like to add a couple of roof windows to the pitched roof above our kitchen to let more light in, as well as a window on the external wall but that is more straightforward. The kitchen is a combination of an old off-shot kitchen (half the width) plus a later (but still old) addition to make...

Hi all, Just after a bit of advice/help at the moment. Our staircase comes down into the living room, it is a 1980's house and all in our area seem the same. The staircase in the living room makes the room feel very small and hard to heat as all the heat goes up the stairs. We would like to...

Hi there, just need an opinion. My garage was pebble dashed about 15 months ago. I will hopefully attach pictures but it is coming off in large patches, the builder has said the frost must have got behind it but he currently doesn't seem to be accepting responsibility. The stuff coming off it...

In what order would you create a wet room? Renovation. I have stripped the old wet room back to brick. I just want your guys opinions on what order you would do things from materials used to completion. I will have concrete block benches, screed slope floor to the drain, and shower head mixer...

I have stripped the old wet room back to brick. I just want your guys opinions on what order you would do things from materials used to completion. I will have concrete block benches, screed slope floor to the drain, and shower head mixer etc... but as for everything, what order and how would...