zoothorn

Hi Onoff. Have been trawling similar sites for these type of replacement bits, these look good: limited here but should be ok. Its really the revamp plan. If you can see my post pic2 above: the main tall one going from ground up & joining in an awkward way, to some bad architrave & fixing (no idea how or why.. ceiling support-? ) to the side here. Its 1st what to do about this post. I think your referring to the 'centre post' being the upper shorter one? I think this might need just a new nicer cap: simplest bit of the job. Pic1 above. Thanks, zoot

I knew someone would say this! ( my ^ pics make it look far better than it is.. my f'arty lighting i think ). The hardboard on back & on vertical step bits are badly fitted , rattle. Huge step gaps to inny outy old wall (but not much I can do here). It really is just cheapest way done. tatty too like this ( especially pic 2) where it seems to join with ceiling for eg..

I wonder if @PeterW or @Onoff might lend an opinion? Be grateful if so as usual. Not a big job, timber more my area too. I was wondering thus: remove 3x diagonals, & replace with upright spindles + bannister top. The post is hampering plans though as it seems to be fixed to the ceiling ( supporting it at all?). Thanks, zoot.

Hello over on this section of BH. As some know I bought a neglected small stone cottage 5 yrs ago, Im gradually renovating ( & an extention built on). The staircase was pretty ''agriculturally built" by an amateur builder 20 yrs ago it seems. I think a good plan is to revamp it, leaving steps & basic structure. The side diagonals & 2 posts are unsightly I think, as is the hardboard back. This is the main room, & staircase midpoint opposite front door: so would be great to get such a central feature looking good. Steps seem hardwood, solid enough. I wonder if any of you could lend ideas as to how I could best revamp it? Few pics below. Thanks for reading, Zoot.

Sort of mostly done then, yesterday did the top step. Temp went down to zero last night tho. Should i have covered it? I think I can tidy up bits in time, like the underpin coin bit, when i have a bit of mortar left etc. Thanks zoot.

I do have a weak point: the side of my 'patio' is just earth, & surely will erode away.. the closest slab corner, is slumping a fraction/ mortar cracked around here a little. So underneath solidity on this side, this corner especially, isn't great..

Just done this far, but really sort of winging it/ not much of a clue.. decided the LHS needed solid something instead of clay, so whacked these stones in y'day 3.5:1 mix no idea if ok. So ontop will go my two half-slabs. Then slate flattish bits behind to deepen step: 2 full slabs ontop here I thought not in character really. Zh

Haha. Goregrind ( makes me build too fast) to vaughn williams ( never get anything done ) love it all me. This chirpy 60's tune tho is a good tempo. & I think where Scoobidoo surely got his name from in 70's.

When i'm arsing about building my steps i have this tune going on in my head.. Zh

I tend to agree now too perhaps. Last small job. Mark just got my step down to do first: Is this plan any good? I need to build up the ground you see under the RHS step, as it slopes right down this side, so maybe skim off ground level with my 4 slabs this RHS, then put a block down ( presume the same sandcastle mix bed ). LHS step ground underneath seems well compacted enough. Slab ' halves ' on, then stone bits mortared in behind to the deepen steps to maybe 12"... lastly cover the bare block visible side & front with mortar & slate bits. Steps w each = 450. Block w = 440. Thanks, zooter.

Hi Onoff. Thanks fir this I wondered how shuttering works.. so Id need to drill into my stone coin to get rawlplugs in to fix the ply sheet? I can hear the welsh miner ancestors ( my builders' in fact, so small a community it is, & deep links go back) complaining.. hmm. I might go Joe90/ markc's idea & see if Ican live with it, then if not come back to this idea. Id prefer on paper your idea. Cheers. An Onoff sketch gets me all revved up/ where's me spade?! Step down ti do 1st. This the finishing job. Thx zh

Hi John, understood. But its the idea of seeing your exposed foundation which sort of unsettles me. So I kinda prefer to hide it even if it's a lovely chunk of stone. But it'll still look like a covered foundation block even so. Urgh hate it me. Easier to do as markc suggests & 'minor underpin it' I must say. Ok I'll do this, make it look decent enough & evaluate. Thanks. Z

Ah yes maybe it is just so. Steered clear of facebook as it can too often be a medium for bullying people, is my opinion. Never knew it was a FS place at all!

Hi Roundtuit, Are there any benefits to paying on fcebook marketplace? I mean if anything needs to be challenged? £270 odd is a fair bit to pay someone out the blue. I msgd bow mill stoves & received an invoice just for a bank transfer, not a paypal invoice or anything. Thanks. Zoot.

Anyone know how long it takes to access ' Facebook marketplace' once you've created a new acc? Tried googling, but answer not apparant at all. Maybe someone will know. Would save me £25 buying it on there. Thanks, zoot.

Ive seen similar bigger ridged black ones like this in our forest protruding 10 ft out, I wonder why they cant be just cut down to a ft or so, IE why not just cut this right back so its not seen? Lovely wee brook that but for the pipe.

Hi Onoff, useful extra pics/ info thanks.. I didn't see any of this. Yup this looks good to me, should be simple enough to do the flue.. relatively speaking. Just the roof insulation (1" celotex) to be very careful o, or as Proadave suggests 45* angled out the back & up. Joined facebook to try get it on this marketplace ( never seen before/ thought it was a social media thing).. but get a mssg " not allowed to access marketplace". Bloomin annoying. Yup a decent hearth, 2 sheet metal panels behind (maybe some heatproof lining for the backs of). Welsh slate.. yes ideally, but a piece this size bloody costly. Will hsve to be a cheaper option Im afraid.

That's what I thought too. And £25 less on there.. me no have facebook but i guess i just create an acc. The only thing is, why they're back for refurb, but hey it's not a huge £waste if this idea doesn't come off. Make the cabin look purposeful at least/ good 'sell' point. Thx z

Looks like a job to put hair on one's bal*s. no chest. Bloody size of it! Onoff give us your opinion on my ebay idea/ find would you.. its steel, i guess you cant expect iron or not needed for smaller fires: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185139190569?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D59a7a2c442cf4032a54f741d28b854ba%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D185139190569%26itm%3D185139190569%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057%26brand%3DStoves&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Af8ee8939-43fa-11ec-b854-7a8650940a8b|parentrq%3A15efc0f217d0a74478810f4cfffe80ae|iid%3A1 Thx zooter.

Thank god,the word underpinning is frightening. Ok understood John, but it still leaves the corner stone visible. I wonder if I can dig out 2" & stone it, then shutter over & fill with concrete to hide the lot. I guess the main work being creating a shutter thing. As you can see Ive only got 1.5" width between the corner stone & my pave slab. Presuming I might use the edge of slab to go up from.. do I have enough width to make a shutter thing & pour/ shovel concrete in so it'll be ok? Or is there another way I could hide this whole stone area.. hmm. Thanks, Zoot.

I do have stone John yes.. 2" is scary enough then. I'll do this last though. Step ideas 1st. Can you cut 32mm pave slabs with an angle grinder? I guess I need a flat similar pave slab or so for the top of step, rather than use flattish slate stones, which will never be decently flat. If i can cut another of these slabs in half, either use both to match the 'patio' or easier just 1. Thanks, zh

Ok fairly pleased so far markc thanks for your help. Ive sloped the perimeter mortar far side away from corner coin. So 1st is the step, then Im leaving the underpin pallaver till very last. Urgh me no likey. Thanks. Zh

@ProDave you have one groovy wife! Are there flames I can see inside the top, I mean it cant be a mini logburner can it? Surely R2's walls are too thin

It doesn't scare me. It terrifies me markc! Ok done my outside perimeter, & 'grouting' with sandcastle mix. I'll fill the gap between the door sill & slabs with hardcore for a drainage gully as slabs are stupidly tilting down twds the door. Idiot. I hope the BCO won't have kittens about this. Maybe now I can consider my step down onto the slabs. I have one concrete wall block, heavy job left from builder. Could I maybe use this as a base I wonder, half a slab mortared ontop, some slate bits mortared on to cover the set- back step bit? Thanks. Zh