zoothorn

If I look in screwfix, what's the word to search for, 'plasticiser'. So what's the difference betwwen render, & mortar for bricks etc? do you add this stuff into mortar as a matter of course when building any exterior say block wall? been meaning to ask this Q for ages.

A new foam ghoul has just been unleashed- be afraid.

I'm sure Onoff's lines are from a MPython sketch, ripping yarns or RutlandWkndTv.. I can't quite put my finger on it, sure it was M.Palin tho in yorkshire accent.. Great colliedog pic btw newhome!

A separate Q. Ive a 6x2" area of render, yanked away by Power Co, on my outside wall needs filling (been there for months- only just got a ladfder to reach it). I have readymix mortar.. but I think render has some water-resistant addition: can you advise? thanks all.

I grew up in a cold 1930's house too, C.heating on barely ever, my folks didn't have £alot.. but it ain't a patch on this place. Its pretty warm outside, but inside its just cold. Even with thermals on & fan on half @ me, my legs & feet are cold.. in the extension/ the warmest room! I -had- to buy an old leaky house needing alot of work inc a chimney needing replacing/ taking a big gamble.. as this was the only thing I could afford. Id still rather this than living in a small 1-bed well insulated flat in a cr*p uk town.. even if my legs froze together!!

Newhome got the EPC doc. It says/ suggested: 1. internal or ext wall insulation' £4k-14k 2. floor insulation £800-1.2k 3. HW tank jacket £20.

Anyway on to filling me' ole with some wood & stuff. Pesky pipes in the way of my frames. And bunch of wires. @PeterW What do I do here? Can foam be put direstly against/ on these big thick wires? If I don't then there'll be an air gap > cold air in.

Newhome Im fine with rib-taking. But not when if someone's in discomfort/ in an unpleasant situation, & its not funny, it doesn't make any sense. I mention Im very cold here to my builder & even with him.. a small laugh. why? what is it I just said that is in any way amusing? nothing. The only reason for the laugh, is people just automatically/ by default react to a situation whereby if they can feel superior to X.. they will just fall into suit (FAR too easily without pausing to think). My point is it just seems a human trait. I just do not understand people that's all- I never will.

Thanks Onoff I'll look into that thread. Its not a major issue this condensation, & is last on the list to address in fact. the bathroom, as it remains so damn cold even pumping in a fan heater flat-out, doesn't suffer in this dept! i can open a window after a shower/ 10 mins, gone. Very last on the list, & into 'luxury additions' should I ever be in this regal position, is adding a vent above the shower > loft > out etc. Neither on the "imperative list" tho which is a long as my arm & gonna take me 2 years still. Newhome I don't know what EPC means, but I have the sale doc here of house: shows Energy Efficiency Rating graph, currently at '1' (1-28/ bottom/ worst/ red/ G band) and potential '64' which is mid-band (yellow/ D band). Current 'green' Co rating worst too fwiw.

I understand the suggestions of leccyB's & helmets.. I will look into it (I dont actually pee mesel.. not just yet/ just an old wives' tale concern of leccyB's thats all). I don't quite understand laughing at some whose struggling with cold though but there we go. It seems anything available that makes one feel slightly superior relative to another is par for the course with us humans. I have more than you/ my situation is better/ my house is warm > look at him he's cold! If I didn't understand people before.. nevermind. But once Ive done a full upstairs wall refurb, I hope I just won't have these 'ice-cold' unliveable beds1&2. So I'm looking into rockwool & considering a plan for this very tricky huge job (eg: I can't get a pB up the fkn stairs! anyway a job for later). I do find alot more condensation on the kitchen windows than prior to the job done. A whole cup full of water on sill each morning during recent cold snap. Ive read this is actually a -good- sign (?!) & so, possible evidence that the kitchen job -has- added some insulating effect, albeit the jury's out on if enough for me to actually feel any different.

Lucky b'stards got a helmet on.

One reason newhome why I'm not yet onto 'leccy blankets, is I think cos its the last thing that says to me 'you're middle-aged/ you're now finally NOT young anymore'. Plus p*ssing meself.

Just back to me' ole. Im just off to get some 3x2.. & cleaned area up: so you can see better/ I got this lot to manoeuvre around.. a big pain. Can you advise re. the bunch of wires & pipes?

Actually my cam's really good.. just I dunno how to use it. bloody thing's covered in buttons like the zits on me oorse.

Hehe. Damn right I am! (as much showing results of your efforts guiding me along). Its not perfect only just up to 'good' std at best.. but good thing is cos my cams so cr*p yous lot can't tell.

Details/ sitting alot, admiring my handiwork etc..

Big wall 3, & 4 done (inc large area of blown plaster repaired above fridge). Great results after so much graft/ you can't see old paint residue at all in fact, wasn't expecting this.

Haha- depressingly, uncannily similar.. execpt Id be blurred due to shivvering! Yes I could get a blanket.. just never used one & Id only always forget to turn it on.

No no.. good point (& thx for thinking ahead) I do have a ~1/2 sized loft hatch in kitchen ceiling I can just about haul me arse up thru. About same overall size as me 'ole/ window. If I were to pir the loft joists, I'd have to get the pir's up in small thin bits, up thru me' atch: a sod of a job surely.

Ok think I'm there then. Not quite sure on the finishing of the pB.. but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I tried to show exactly these studs, relative to me 'ole, in the most recent pic above tho.. maybe not seen? Thanks Peter.

Ah ok.. I hadn't thought any pB was in the plan tho, as if I'm going to undo the main pB's & shove rockwool in then I can't re-use the pB's (can I?) but do new ones. I'm not on board, sorry. Do you mean create the front frame to stick way out, as would be needed so the new square of pB is flush with the wall's existing pB's?? With the 2" gap needed.. I'd need to somehow make a frame protruding 5" out from me 'ole castle wall faces. I think I'm stumped- I just can't visualise what you mean re this front frame & pB.

Yes thanks- I did have this plan in mind, just your previous reply stumped me for a bit/ such is the way with written replies etc. Why the last frame tho.. to hold all the pir's in place pushing them all against each other? shouldn't the pir's be joined together as I go with foam.. I guess there's no definitive way to do this just shove it all in so long as its secure enough.

Ok I'm now confused of the frame. Thought I had it but.. So is the frame a vertical 'picture frame', Im pushing into the hole, parrallel with me 'ole front door? I'm not understanding the 1st part of your sentence above/ I can't visualise (esp '3x2 on side against the wall'). This is where we need an onoff-banksy eg!

Understood Peter.. but surely @ the pir edges, filled with soudal say here, need a stable wall face to stick to: if a bit crumbles whilst or after the foam set onto it, I might have an air gap I cant really see to repair kind of ruining the job.

Ok many thanks PeterW. That's the job outlined then I think. Its to do far later- in the spring. Many, many tricky areas to manouevre around (hall/ staircase landing, a immersion tank area boxed off, a cupboard.. & big 'blank/ faux' wood wall areas build ontop of old walls below to navigate/ remodel). A huge job for me. In the meantime I need to address this rotten mortar in me 'ole wall sides. Thankfully no damp smell, or only feintly, but what do I do here? On the LHS wall someone's tried to patch with mortar before, on lower section.. I assume gave up.