Declan52

Plasterboard needs something substantial to attach to so it can hold its weight plus keep its shape so it stays flat. The suspended ceiling you have is for very light weight ceiling tiles. The metal and wire used is suitable for the ceiling tiles but will just bend and collapse if you attach plasterboard to it.

It was a massive thing in my area, local concrete company specializes in it, and it does look great when it's finished. But like all concrete products the sun has bleached any I have seen and caused them to look many years older than they are.

There's no sugar coating it, doing a self build is hard hard work. Shat will happen and end up causing you sleepless nights, stress and plenty of grey hairs and wrinkles but when it's done and 99% finished and your sitting in your new house enjoying a gin/whiskey/wine you will forget all that's went before. Do lots and lots of research and never ever be afraid to question something that doesn't look or sound right. Just a simple reply like" you couldn't go over that again as I can't quite work that out in my head" might help you sleep a bit better as that extra bit of understanding between you and the tradesman got you on the same page. Being organised is vital. Having all your choices made way before you need to will help the job run smooth. Ask around your local area with regards finding a builder who has done some self builds to do the job or get something like a timber frame package which can eliminate a lot of the risk. And remember to breathe. Things always go wrong no matter how good you or the builder are. Deliveries don't arrive, wrong materials get sent out and nothing can find a water pipe hidden behind plasterboard quicker than an apprentice and a cordless screwdriver. Good luck.

It's all in the base. To ensure it's not going to sink you need a lot of very well compacted hardcore under the drive. You could also use a sand cement screed for under the bricks.For a drive your edges need concreted in to stop it spreading out.

Quarry dust here.

Sharp sand will cover a lot of sins.

Just pick a side and work from it till you get to the other end. The last gap between the two studs could be 4 inches or 14 inches. It doesn't really matter. It will just be a cut. Could be a bit shaved off a full board when your putting up the plasterboard or a tiny strip.

If you have polythene spare it won't do any harm. What exactly did they find??

Below decking it should be fine covered over with black polythene but you will need a hardcore base for artificial grass. I put near 250/300mm of well compacted stone under mine then a screed layer of quarry dust for the grass to sit on.

Makes no difference other than its a bit further to reach and the wider cavity means your trowel can often end up at the bottom of it.

Just use standard stainless steel and use the money saved to boost insulation depths elsewhere.

Just means when you hit your thumb it will look like it's got caught in a waffle maker.

Redo the pipework in Chrome.

Stevie wonder must have been trying out his new auto feed screwdriver.

No point in getting a Wacker for that. Just walk over it constantly digging your heels in. Aim for 10mm more than you need then tramp it in, level it off and add to any low bits until it's smooth and level.

Just put sharp sand down on top of the concrete and level it using a straight edge and your laser level. Then just continue on with how you had it planned out. Don't forget edge insulation.

When you come to do it you will be able to gauge it much better when your up there. Might need some more to make such a heavy pot secure but without being able to see it from below.

A single brick wall with no pillars will wobble about in the wind. Unless you want bricks in your vegetable garden your going to need either pillars or make the wall wider.

Do you want it straight with no pillars or you don't mind?? I would put a pillar in every 10/11/12 bricks depending on how long this wall is going to be. Put a single course down then measure out and see what suits the length of the wall so all the gaps between the pillars are the same. The pillar be 2 brick long Infront and behind the main wall. It would look like the pic below with your wall running through the middle in the direction the piece of timber is.

Both.

Just don't put too much water in the mix as it will shrink more.

What's on the other side of the wall?? Nothing, a bank, a neighbour???

Yes. It's just tiny cuts and put a heat gun on it and tap tap away until your there. You don't want to cut it too much so baby steps and take your time. Set the flue on the tray and draw around it and mark another circle line 25mm in from the edge. This is your limit. Don't cut past this. Cut the wedges and heat it up and tap it till it's where you want it.

You cut in into wedges from the centre of the hole and soften it and bend it up. It won't look as tidy as that welded one but no one will ever see it.

Yep. I've seen a lot of strange things.