J Pearse

That only covers replacement on the public land. Ie hooking you up to the mains. Doesn't seem to cover for any work on private land.

Hi, Moved into a 1930s semi property with lead water pipes and an old capped gas line. As such planning to dig a new trench and lay a new MDPE water pipe to the correct specifications, then once signed off backfill this and get the gas company to lay the gas line in the same trench. My question is, where in the picture would you advise digging the trench? Either way it's through a concrete driveway and will pass under a rainwater drain. Itll either enter the property though a small porch or through the garage. One option is to expose the current pipes but that'll impede digging and I'm not sure if you can cut though and remove the old gas pipe even though I'm told it's "dead" and been turned off. I'm hoping at 75cm depth I'll be able to pass under the foundations and not need to drill through it. Failing that I wonder if I could come up higher once in the porch or garage and just knock out a brick or two to get into the house. I'm assuming this would be okay as long as it's insulated. Any advice appreciated! Jack

Got an SE to take a look and he has done some calcs for a beam to take the load on top of the brick walls (one external and one internal) in the loft. Question is, the external wall has a joist that the roof rafters sit on which runs along the top of the external brick wall essentially blocking where the RSJ would sit. It covers the whole width but theres a gap below it (between the joist and the bricks). How would you fabricate it so it can sit on the wall? I'm assuming I can't cut the joist. See pic!

Hi, The 1930's semi I have just moved into has no gas line and a lead water line. As such, I am planning to dig a trench in the front driveway for the specs of the water line (>75cm deep etc) and then once inspected partially backfill it and then let the gas company lay their line. I have two main questions. 1) what do you do when you get to the foundations? Knock out a brick and lay waste pipe then poke the main pipe through? Then just route the pipe under the subfloor ventilation to the kitchen or wherever you want the stopcock? 2) I have just noticed there's an inspection hatch with access to an elbow of a rainwater runoff for the front house aspect. Do you just dig around these? (See pics). Further question is that it's currently raining steadily and I can't see any water flowing around then bend.. would it be old and disused? In the pics the red dashed line is where the gas and new water line need to run. The blue is where I'm assuming the waste pipe runs to the downpipe. Many thank, Jack

So further info.. don't want to remove it as the left breast goes down to the lounge and we will be lining this with a flue and installing a log burner. Not to mention I'd rather not need to climb on the roof and remove 4x the total amount of bricks. Also definitely wasn't suggesting I could leave it unsupported just thinking about the forces involved if I remove right up to the fork on the right side so the bricks are all keyed in it feels like the forces to counter are less than if I remove to a height that leaves several rows of bricks hanging. Sounds like I need to talk to a structural engineer and get them to advise.

The 1930's semi we are moving into has a chimney breast in the dining room we are looking into removing. I know these jobs will need regs approval. Looking in the attic the appropriate breast/flue is the right side in the picture and looks very insubstantial (compared to the one on the left- lounge side) I'm assuming a pair of gallows brackets *should* be more than sufficient pending approval. I know in many cases they now recommend RSJ's but I think that's for more substantial vertical breasts. Question is what level of bricks would it be best to remove up to before fitting the brackets. It feels like if they are taken out right up to the junction then the bricks are all keyed into the main left column and the brackets would barely be doing anything. Also who advises on the size of brackets required? Would building control advise or do I need to employ a structural engineer too? Thanks in advance, Jack

Hi Greenbot. I would be very interested in hearing what you did in the end and how it worked out for you. Love your ethos and we may be finding ourselves in a similar conundrum shortly.