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Building Homes or Extensions/Questions Answered by Expert Bill-C
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Removing external bricks from a wall that is now internal | 10/20/2011 |
| Q: I mentioned this to a friend who said it was due to movement and that the only way I could get rid ... A: Andrew, Your description is vaque and I would need more information and photos ( ... | |
| Sealing a concrete tile roof | 7/7/2011 |
| Q: Concrete tiles on my roof are about 30 years old and in good condition. Can I seal them effectively ... A: Angus If your tiles are in good condition then leave them. You may ask why, well if you seal them ... | |
| Garden wall | 7/5/2011 |
| Q: As part of a landscape project i've taken on I'm going to be building a freestanding, straight run, ... A: Robin, Use the A252 MESH with 40mm spacers in the excavated trench supporting the mesh. A242 may be ... | |
| Garden wall | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: As part of a landscape project i've taken on I'm going to be building a freestanding, straight run, ... A: Robin, To fully answer your question I would need more information from you and therefore only ... | |
| Gas Flue | 6/15/2011 |
| Q: Is there a required distance that you have to adhere too with regards to a gas fire & its outlet ... A: Your chimney stack varies with Planning and building consent from different local Authorities. They ... | |
| custom house questions | 6/7/2011 |
| Q: I am sorry to have a few questions to ask, and I understand that some or all of them might not be ... A: Contact your local Building Control and they will give you guidelines and direction for connecting ... | |
| Buying land/building new home | 5/29/2011 |
| Q: I am in the process right now of buying a piece of land. It is in a small town just on the border of ... A: My advice when buying any land is get your solicitor or surveyor to check the land deeds and if it ... | |
| lean to | 10/27/2010 |
| Q: the length is 2.4 metres, the depth from the outside of my house to the end of the lean to is 2m ... A: Dean, Yor require a scientific engineers calculator to work this one out as I have. Horizontal ... | |
| beam installation | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: We are proposing to knock down an internal brick supporting wall and replace with a beam, the span ... A: Please supply more detail and information to allow a more accurate answer, i presume the joist are ... | |
| beam installation | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: We are proposing to knock down an internal brick supporting wall and replace with a beam, the span ... A: Undertaking work of this nature should always be certified by a structural engineer. In short my ... | |
| Rendering /Wall coating | 9/26/2010 |
| Q: I have a house which has been rendered and painted. I wish yo apply a coating which is like a very ... A: Stewart, Read exactly what the manufacturers state for the background substrate. Personally to ... | |
| stud walls commercial | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: how would you attach the top of a stud work wall in a commercial building if the ceiling in made of ... A: I'm presuming your description of tinstrips as being the metal grid supporting the tiles. This being ... | |
| Live & dead Load calculation | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: I plan on building a garage this summer. The dimensions are 26 feet by 26 feet. It will be on a ... A: These calculations will have to be carried out by a Structural DESIGN engineer. You will also have ... | |
| angle irons, french doors | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: We had replacement french doors (and a window and the fitter should have fitted a lintol prior to ... A: Sally, Retrospecive lintelling (angle iron ) can be done, although the job in my opinion never gets ... | |
| moving a window | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: We can't afford to move a present so were thinking of dividing the room. My question is can we take ... A: James, You can divide the larger window into two as long as it doesn't require structural ... | |
| 6 x6 timbers | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: I am building a pole barn of sorts and using 6 x 6 treated timbers for supports. I plan to firmly ... A: To do this accurately and easily then proceed as follows if you can get an auto level or laser level ... | |
| foundations | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: My parents are purchasing a new home that the builder poured the foundation for 1 year ago and then ... A: Perfectly understandable to backfill poured foundations. As long as it is backfilled with selected ... | |
| Footings | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: I am going to be digging footings on a job very soon, for the bricklayers. One lot of footings is ... A: Single skin foundation assuming 100mm wide brick or block as follows depth to top of found minimum ... | |
| Victorian/Edwardian slate roof repair | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I am just buying a period property and am a bit concerned about a metal cross support (looks like a ... A: Can you e-mail some detailed photos to me as its difficult anylysing situations from word. There ... | |
| stucco | 9/5/2008 |
| Q: On the new housing where stucco is the preferred type of siding, columns made of styrofoam and/or ... A: Jim, You are correct that a lathe is fixed to the backboard to allow bonding and a key for the ... | |
| CONCRETE DRIVE SLAB | 4/1/2008 |
| Q: I HAVE A NUMBER OF CONCRETE SECTIONS AT OUR HOA THAT TEND TO RAISE AS MUCH AS 3 INCHES WHEN THE ... A: Ron, Carefully remove the clay subsoil and try not to disturb areas where your sections of slab ... | |
| raising my garage | 11/26/2007 |
| Q: I want to raise the height of the rear of my garage by 4 courses to make it level with the front so ... A: I would presume in this instance the height at the front of your garage complies with current ... | |
| sink waste | 11/20/2007 |
| Q: I will be extending my home next year,the kitchen and living room.Our current sink position will ... A: Yes, you can connect to it and also connect to existing pipe runs. To confirm details of this can ... | |
| Brick steps | 11/17/2007 |
| Q: I want to build bricks steps from the lounge level to the patio level. Two risers only. The old ... A: Build your brickwork tight to the house brickwork and tie in using L shape cramp ties drill fixed to ... | |
| Garage Convertion to a Bedroom | 11/17/2007 |
| Q: I had the garage converted to a utility room ages ago and then my son started using it as a bedroom. ... A: Best way to achieve insulation would be to build a timber stud wall and ceiling on the inside face ... | |
| putting infrench doors | 11/15/2007 |
| Q: we are having a conservatory built, our house is made of what we have been told is called poured ... A: Can you supply me with some more information as follows, What is the thickness of the concrete ... | |
| Buying a property in an Oldd Chalk pit(Quarry) in Kent | 11/15/2007 |
| Q: I am currently thinking of buying a new property in a new development in Medway Gate near Rochester ... A: Not sure if this question is for myself or Bruce. Anyway i'll answer it. As long as your happy with ... | |
| concrete slab | 10/27/2007 |
| Q: I am looking to lay a slab foundation for a timber framed garage, it is to be located on the drive ... A: I presume with you saying different levels you mean uneven? I f there is no visible cracking or ... | |
| beam and block floor load help please | 10/25/2007 |
| Q: please help me i live in a first floor flat in hampshire witch has beam and block flooring with a ... A: What you don't say and i presume the floating floor battens are running 90 degrees to the floor ... | |
| Extensions | 10/18/2007 |
| Q: I have a detached 50s house comprising 250mm brick rendered wall under pitched and tiled roof.I want ... A: Adrian, Assumptions are a wonderful thing but never assume in construction. Best to have the ... | |
| paneling | 10/14/2007 |
| Q: how to successfully remove old brown paneling in a kitchen/dining room. will the sheetrock ... A: Presuming the panelling is nailed onto counter battens and not glued you should be able to remove ... | |
| Sealing/overlaying brick constructed buildings | 10/6/2007 |
| Q: I recently relocated to Copenhagen from Florida. The homes and commercial buildings are built of ... A: Alex , Are they using a cement /sand mortar for the render coat or a polymer resin from tubs ready ... | |
| Sealing/overlaying brick constructed buildings | 10/5/2007 |
| Q: I recently relocated to Copenhagen from Florida. The homes and commercial buildings are built of ... A: Alex, There are various products you can use for render coat systems and its to find the one that ... | |
| footings | 2/10/2007 |
| Q: i have no idea to what depth and width the footings need to be? the two side walls are 2600 in ... A: To answer you fully I would require to know loadings to the foundations or what the walls will ... | |
| vinyl siding - diagonal installation | 1/23/2007 |
| Q: that is the final covering on the exterior of a house...what do you call it if not siding?Want to ... A: UK Construction terminology would class this as exterior cladding or facing .Which Country are you ... | |
| Adding on to existing house | 1/22/2007 |
| Q: We would like to add an additional room to the back of our home. My question is what how high from ... A: Jimmy, You have two options with regard's to height of block's 1.If your extension is of timber kit ... | |
| rain gutters | 1/8/2007 |
| Q: I have what I believe are aluminum gutters on my house now that are getting old and some spots have ... A: First and foremost your aluminium gutter should not rust but will oxidise and diminish through time. ... | |
Building Homes or Extensions
Answers by Expert:
Bill-C
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Questions on UK construction from Setting out Projects through to completion. Mainly concreting ,drainage ,bricklaying, masonry,carpentry and decorating,plaster work ,render/roughcasting.From new build construction to historical restoration, renovation. How to set out ,levelling and survey matters.
Experience
Timeserved bricklayer , developing to Construction Site Manager and Educated to Site Engineer.
Having been in the Industry for 35 years carrying out all types of general construction . renovation and historical renovation and remedial works.Now mainly on luxury dwellings to the value of £2M.
Having been self employed and advising main Contractors and Developers through Construction phases and managing the works from concept to completion.Having a broad spectrum of experience.
Education/Credentials
Scottish Apprenticeship in the crat of bricklaying.
Scottish Construction Industry Site Managers
Site Civil Engineering Construction and Surveying Set out.
Scottish Civil Engineering Analysis of Concrete and Mortar
Asbestos encountering.
Scaffolding Inspectors Certification
Planning, Programming and Management
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