scottishjohn

out of interest what is your budget

If you get the neighbour on board at this time you will save the need for a dividing wall between you and one simple straight retaing wall with onlyone ned for you to build foundation for the lego blocks -tilt them back 5 degrees -one row -job done if you use 600mm x 1800 x 600mm ones https://www.eliteprecast.co.uk/interlocking-precast-concrete-blocks/legato-interlocking-concrete-blocks/ this site evn has all the cls you need --but maybe buy cheaper ones from other suppliers

you may find big concrete lego blocks is the cheapest way to make a solid retaining wall of the height required have you worked out how high it will be if you go back to where you suggest.-doubt a single block wall will be heavy enough to do the job the big blocks at 1.3ton each will hold that back fine I would think

and don,t forget your 12 degree path from parking spot to house entrance --that will be required if you mention disabled access NO steps-it will be longer than you think

how much more is a SS one or one made in EU,not china

and if they had made proper concrete edge to the river it would not happen ,but cost would make site unviable for developer Ifeel for them ,but that is where BC sghould have stepped in and insisted onproper flood defences

yours is very small compared to mine which was also built 150 years ago from dry stone blocks we have been tracking up and down it with a 14ton digger --you can,t even feel any vibration in the ground as digger passes you see the size of it look at the man at bottom he is close to 6ft tall

my suggestion is if its stone or good brick If it looks fine -then just put a 3 or 4" concrete top on it -cheap to do and as long as the water can shed off it will be perfect

what is he going to use it for ? very limted compared to bridgeport seris II which can be bought pretty cheaply £400-£1000 and will do anything you could ever want as the head can move in all directions Iuse one for head resurfacing as well as many other very complicated things you don,t need all the DRO elctronic things working --thats what costs the money on s/h machines with no powe feeds its really had work to get a good surface finish on things

they are not only floor +ceiling joists but also roof trusses -if you fit your vertical ones as shown in picture-as they are taking downwards load from roof ,unless you make the "sister trusses big enough to take all roof + a bit leaving originals inplace and fixing to them I am guessing would make them plenty strong-that of course is a guess on my part- I am not an SE you could of ocurse cross brce the sections outside the verticals you are using as walls for top room you would end up with four triangles then with the small top brace up nearthe apex

that will work for sure - If you made the black frame work out of large enough wood ,then no need fro the longditudinal RSJ would just shadow the original trusses with larger ones and fix together then a cross brace close to the apex along with larger lower cross beam it will be fine --verticals if you like to make it stronger and have fixing for walls of upper room

you can,t have a room with those sort of trusses anyway

even easier if all trusses nailed to wall plate -it will stay square as you lift one side at a time and pack it while you lay bricks /blocks

just jack each truss up a brick at a time when you get up enough put a block in etc etc bound to be enough flexibility to do that .

couple of rows of blocks on top of the wall and jack up the roof wityh acro props -fit one row at a time ?

I can sell you a 2 post lift -then you can stack them

maybe another advantage of SIPS panels -the foam will give gret rigidity as well as insulation and air tightness?

It really annoys me with the attitude planning take to bats if you got them they have been proved to be carriers of lots of desaeses and now firmly linked with covid time the planners let us get rid of bats inour properties if we want to - they are flying rats really - not make us spend money on surveys etc -just make the buildings bat proof . maybe cat caught a bat -I know my old cat caught a couple--and got infected . lokks like now bats are not only going to have rabies but covid also ,which no doubt can be transmitted in the droppings --so bats and human dwellings need social distancing

If you get fed you are welcome to come and help me --you can camp inthe quarry .LOL

first thing are they a std size --door and frame -measure

don,t like how those types of it go grey --so not worth the money to me

and thats why iwould go for anything but wood --Idon,t want to be treating every couple of years

you would do the same with cement board

If there is a gap it will get behind what ever facia type you use

then you could use"hardie" planking (cement board) any colour you like ,fixs like wood which will be my choice