Spinny

Is it feasible to successfully plaster over my roof light trim (see pic) ? When I bought it the manufacturer said yes, just double skim the upstand taking the second skim coat over the white trim. Now my plasterer is suggesting no, because it will crack, the only way would be to double line with a second layer of board over the trim - which would then then reduce the opening by 25-30mm each way. The trim is powder coated metal - not plastic.

Yes I was thinking of that. However having opened things up I have the following concerns: A. The existing EPS on one side already reaches down to the bottom of the cavity but still has some movement in it and so doesn't seem rigid enough to offer any support to any concrete above. B. So the only thing that would seem to be supporting any concrete would be it's sideways bond to the inner celcon blocks and two things concern me - 1. Can I get a strong bond to the celcon blocks or might it break away over time and - 2. vertical weight onto the concrete would create a turning force onto the selcon block and might pull on its mortar joint loosening it. Our builder had issues fixing celcon blocks elsewhere in the build and it makes me nervous of putting them under anything other than vertical forces. C. The outer leaf concrete block was damp where is goes below ground (to be expected I suppose with the rain we have had) and there was some moisture on the bottom of the EPS in the cavity there, so uncertain whether a small moisture gap under the EPS was better than pushing it hard down onto the bottom of the cavity. Photo shows a test fixing of an angle bracket into a surplus faced concrete block - which make up the outer leaf. Thought being could I put one every 150mm or so across the reveal to support a board over the cavity. (putting some DPM behind each one and XPS around). Not very easy to fix with a celcon block just 100mm away of course Have also thought about say angle brackets with one leg long enough (say 150mm) to span the cavity and so be also fixed vertically into the top of the celcon block. Yes a thermal bridge between outer and inner leaf, but with insulation board on top and the celcon blocks maybe not too much of a compromise to matter. And that is where I am, caught in the headlights a bit like this guy...https://youtu.be/GezQvcbPaYY?feature=shared

Still dunno what to do here... Contemplating whether to try to screw angle brackets to the outer concrete block leaf to support some closure ? Would Toupret exterior filler stick to the inner celcon block ? (though I am nervous of exerting sidways forces onto blocks the builder struggled to mortar well.

BS Our paid scientist says anything at all we pay him/her to say. And there are multiple dodgy people paying for this cargo cult science with ulterior motives.

Yes and no. I have zilch experience just one build and 3 years of issues. I have no direct experience of LABC. My BC provider has been OK, but I would say inspections have sometimes seemed cursory, not lifting the carpet to see what might lie underneath. I recall having to ask them to come over and look closely with me at how the radon, vapour barrier and DPM had been done by lifting up sheeting to reveal it. No doubt experienced people cast an eye over and would say they can tell at a glance whether it is a well managed site with a competent builder - no need to dig. In contrast workmen told me stories of jobsworth LABC taking 5 days to turn up then insisting the foundation trench was 100mm short on depth so yes they would have to spend days diggin and cutting into bedrock. There are also chunks of the regs left open to judgement and interpretation. It feels a bit galling when you have ticked all the boxes working with an architect and structural engineer on test pits, soakaway sizing, radon barriers, fire rated cladding, wired smokes, drain design, lintel calculations, steel specs, vent positions etc. Then you see someone doing none of that and sowing seeds for future owners of that building for the next 100 years - sign it off when done - no soakaway, no radon control, timber cladding, a battery smoke, built over drain, no calcs, vents in non permitted places. Call me a sceptic when it comes to human nature.

Mr Punter I'd rather not have a dodgy extension built on my boundary and uphill from my property. I think that is natural. I am told the builder has known the BC for over 10 years. It appears to be being done on a budget, build over drain, no soakaway, no construction plans, no building notice, ignorant of gas and sewer regs. So yes I will keep my eyes open. If your neighbour drove down your road at 50mph and nearly knocked someone down, you might want to do something more than 'none of my business', or if your neighbour started building something 20ft high in his garden, you might want to do more than 'none of my business'.

They intend to leave the existing tarmac down underneath the suspended floor void in the extension. Any building regulations about that ? void will be about 800mm deep.

They have access onto my property under the Award. They cannot build on or over my property. Indicating a 50mm set back only (flat roof). You don't need a projecting foundation, you can build on the edge. Just had to inform the builder he can't build over a gas pipe. They plan to build over the drain chamber (poor practice).

Difficult, already wanting to unilaterally change the design on the fly. PW Award and a letter have already warned them of their responsibilities. They have been told in writing that repairs could cost 5 figures.

Yes Dust sheet will rip off in wind and doesn't protect against knocks. Any scaffold will not go up until a lift is needed and might just be platforms.

So as to create a void/air gap between the covering and the actual cladding and rendering ? Not sure how to spike into the ground which is hardcore over earth.

I have, but they propose to hang 2.4m insulated plasterboard sheets from the fascia board. Doesn't seem the best idea to me, given even polystyrene rubbing against the surface seems likely to mark or damage it. Also plasterboard and rain doesn't seem a good mix and p/board sheets hanging could blow about or even come down off fixings.

Thanks for response. A main problem would seem to be how to actually fix any covering, given you cannot fix into the cladding or render, and the height to top of roof is about 3.2m. (taller than any 2.4m board) Also needs to survive the weather going into winter for 3/4 months. What do you mean by 'protection boards' ? Proplex ? Concerned that anything in direct contact with the cladding and render will then itself abrade the surface finish as it is bound to move somewhat over time from the weight of it or action of weather or being knocked.

I'd have thought the architect should assist.

Building work to dig and lay foundations and build the outer wall of an extension a metre away from the cladding, possibly with adjacent scaffold or platforms. Yes work will be done from the metre gap which is our land. So digging including use of a digger, breaking out, cutting, dust, possibly knocking with ladder, or tools, spashing with mortar etc. Part of wall is also rendered - k-rend. The only obvious fixing point is fascia/soffit/capping timbers at the top of the single storey wall - where timber has not yet been covered with any alu roofline trim.

Any ideas for the best way to protect cladding from damage by adjacent building works please ?

Any advice appreciated here, 'cause I am stuck scratching my head with plasterers coming on monday.

Hi, Still wondering how to resolve the 'how do you close the cavity under a door' issue for my own door (see photo) and came across this thread. Please can I ask what exactly is 'lean concrete infill' ? In my case I have concrete blocks on the outer leaf, and celcon blocks on the inner leaf. I am concerned that if I use a partial infill of concrete that it may not adhere well to the side of the celcon block. I need some reliable way to support what would otherwise be a floor cantilever over the cavity.

Current state of play now in the photo. Couldn't get a stable piece of board with the cavity closer underneath, so have bitten the bullet and cut it out and removed it. Have cut the Celcon block down so it is currently about 12mm below top of floor cover boards. Cavity has graphite EPS below DPC as spec. I can remove one piece which was rocking on a wall tie. The other piece is joined into a larger piece and not removeable - I have cut it down a little. What next ? All I need really is something in the cavity to remove the cantilever over the cavity. If I cut down the EPS to leave a gap above it of say 2 inches and fill with a quick setting concrete mix, and an upstand of 30mm XPS on the door side - will that be good enough to reduce the cantilever to just 30mm ? Is 2 inches enough ? Yes I know, but is 2 inches of concrete enough ?

The chimney is usually where people have their TV aeriel mounted. So note the aerial has been sited at the top of the front wall instead. Don't forget you can normally freely search the local authority planning application database and building notice database. If there was significant building work there might have been a building notice - or indeed building notices related to the issue for other properties with that design. You could search the local rags archives for any stories about problems with the houses. Houses sold on death of granny often havn't had any maintenance or upkeep. There was one in our road in a shocking state. Such houses can be an opportunity if you are young and handy and can get the right price, but perhaps not what you want in later life. Don't let the magic word 'bungalow' cloud your judgement if in later life.

@Nickfromwales and everyone... Have finally been messing with this. Tried just cutting half the width of the celcon block down under the edge of the cavity closer only, to sit the cavity closer down more level. But when I put board in on top there is still movement in the cavity closer on the door side above the cavity, and with nothing to fix to I can't see a way to make it rigid. Board could be screwed or glued to the celcon block but the 'cantilever' above the door side still will not be rigid. So I am going to have to cut the cavity closer out, as per your solution Nick, and start messing about to cement fill and insulate the cavity. Some questions... Why did you say don't let the SLC come into contact with the masonry in the post above ? How do I stop the cement running down the cavity ? Keep it a stiff mix, and put something underneath like cardboard to act as form work ? How do I fix the insulation to the outer block so it cannot move or flex downwards ? (I have some rigid 30mm XPS) Screw it into the block ? What is the best thing for fixing the inner side of the backer board firmly down onto the celcon block without the celcon block breaking up ?

I have a piece of wall where I need to fix plasterboard to some blockwork to align with adjacent stud and plasterboard. This is because I have been advised that it would be a bad idea and highly likely to crack if a wall is part wet plaster and part board and skim on studwork - best to board the whole thing and skim. I need to fit the plasterboard closely against the blockwork (it is an internal wall, so no damp/thermal issues), so within 3.5mm of the blockwork. I am thinking I could achieve this using (a) foam plasterboard adhesive and (b) adding a few screws into the blockwork. What is the best screws/fixings into the blockwork and do I need to prime them before skim coat ? Do I need to pre-drill the wall and any tricks for aligning boards with holes ? How can I make sure the adhesive isn't too thick ? Just apply in small beads through a thin tube and nozzle ? Or press to the wall before the foam gets tacky to squash it thin ?

And who regulates building control to prevent 'a nods as good as a wink to an old mate' ? And the Water Company won't know anything about it, because you push the rainwater into your drain, off it goes to the sewer - taps side of nose.

You could ask when it was rendered ? Render might have been used to hide the issue in the past. Clearly there has been movement since the rendering, hence the cracked rendering. The pillar to the left of the arch when facing the house looks an odd shape, almost as though it might have been thickened at the bottom before the rendering. Perhaps you could formally ask the owners to provide you with a full history of the issue and any and all work done to remediate and when. Perhaps there are other similar design properties nearby (as it looks like it might be a road of bungalow/chalet style houses built at the same time by the same builder). If so look to see if similar properties show the same issue, which might be design, construction, or materials related. PS Also, is that a rendered chimney ? Sign of issues there too ? Neighbouring property has recent looking cladding - another possible cosmetic approach to dealing with structural problems ? Agree about the weird bricks and the ratio of blocks to mortar doesn't look right there.