Declan52

It just wasn't propped with a bit of timber when the blocks went on top. It has sagged a bit , no big deal it happens. You could take the lintel out now and the blocks won't go anywhere so there is no chance of it falling down due to not being structurally sound. So take a breath and let your builder work away.

For one less thing to be stressing over is it not just easier to put the window in at the original opening size. Why do you want it smaller??? A bigger window will let more light in and make a small room feel bigger.

So you have an opening in a wall that's 2150mm wide that you want to reduce to 920mm??? If so just cut the blocks that aren't full blocks out and continue along till you get the width you want. As always a nice pic would really help with the confusion.

You can add rapid hardener to your mix so the motar goes off but it is only good for temperatures around zero to -4. If it's going to drop to -10 overnight then you shouldn't really be building. Plus your talking near enough 1L of additive per bag of cement so it won't be cheap.

These type of kerbs can stand 500mm high.

Why not just put a row of dwarf kerbs around the edge to hold the bank back at it's original height then it will be a step down to the lower level. Here you can put a row of 3*2 concrete slabs to form a path round the outside and that's it done and finished and will be easy to keep clean and tidy. https://www.moore-concrete.com/building/concrete-kerbs/

Are you sure it isn't roof collars. To get your wanted height the builder must be planning to use roof collars to stop the roof spreading out as you maybe aren't going to have a traditional ceiling. Will look like this.

Did you get him to put anything down on paper though confirming that your ceiling height will be X mm from your finished floor?? Plus did you ask him what will be the actual makeup and dimensions of your finished floor, insulation depth + screed?? It's ok him saying that it will be Xyz but if you haven't got anything on paper then it's going to be still difficult to pull him up on anything.

A road saw will cut that up into your rectangles pretty quick. Won't be cheap by the time you factor in the blade and the hire of the saw though.

It all depends on what it's holding back. 420mm won't work with standard blocks, it will have to be 450mm. You could build the first course 225mm wide then step it in so it's 100mm wide for the 2nd course.

You will have 2 floors. The first your osb. The shed doesn't suit on this. The shed sits on the 3*2 that is on top of the osb. So when your shed is up you have a floor to work from. Once the shed is built you then move inside and put the insulation down and your final floor, more osb,ply,chipboard or whatever it will be. Don't put the osb down until you know the shed is there. Osb day 1 then shed day 2. Insulation and final floor day 346.

Fix the joists so they are the same height as the edge beams. Then you lay your osb over the complete deck that the shed sits on. Around the edge where the shed sits you use 3x2 and build the shed of the top of this. Inside will be a 50mm ish step down onto the osb which you in fill with the 50mm insulation. On top of which you lay your final floor. Once it's all up you can go round and paint the edge of the osb and 3x2 to match your shed colour.

We still talking about your house system!!!

Any pics you could post to better understand what you mean.

Cut a small bit of the tip of the nozzle so you have more control over the amount that comes out. As it expands you can either wipe it off or let it expand fully before you clean it. I would do it a pad at a time. Squirt into the hole and drop the bolt then watch it expand and once it's stopped a quick wipe then onto the next one and just repeat. Your having major issues putting bolts into soft timber so concrete wouldn't have been any easier.

You can't try to put the rest of the frame up unless you get the uprights plumb. Further down the line this will cause more and more issues so fix it first. What are we talking, a 2 mm gap or a 20mm gap to make the shoe sit level and plumb?? Your idea about lifting the bolt up should work but the threads have to be clean or you won't get the nut of.

Is the shoe not sitting level on the concrete because the concrete isn't level or the shoe isn't level?? Could you use some washers under the relevant side to get it level ?? Working time is how long you have to squirt it in and get the bolt set where it needs to be. Curing time is how long it will take to fully cure. As for the resin what does it say on the tube in terms of curing time. Can you search online for this make for further information. It would be best to have all drilled and dry and ready to fix them take a go at doing them all in a row.

A simpler method would be to start on site as a brickies labourer. It will give you a feel of what goes on and how hard a job it is. You can earn a very good wage but you earn every penny. First thing you need will be your site safety certificate. In NI it's called the construction skills register,CSR, and is a single day course that covers all the basics. No one has ever failed it but you can't work on a site without it. Once you have the card then you can call into various sites and see if they are looking anyone. I'm not sure you will be able to combine it with your present job though as they will want some one available everyday. We had lots of apprentices that went to tech for 3 years and could do all the fancy arches and useless things they teach them but couldn't build a corner or run a few blocks along a line.

Food dye and use a watering can do you can target the area better.

It doesn't matter what went wrong or who is to blame, that can wait till you have the full details of what your builder is putting down on top of that slab. So as has been pointed out numerous times mark a line on the outside of your house where you think finish floor level is. Get the builder round and let him explain how he is going to get you to that point and most importantly right it down so there is absolutely no room for error. If he can't explain how to get there as you think it's due to an error then he has to fix it, simple his mistake his cost end of discussion. Until you give him the chance to explain what his method will be you are just worrying about things that might not be an issue. As for covering the wall is there any of that black dpm lying about that you can nail to your wall to provide a bit of cover. Some nails through a length of lath would be better to account for the bumps.

It doesn't matter what kind of plan it is or what it is for. The thing that matters most is details and this is most likely the cause of your issues. I'm an trying to help you and explain how the confusion between you and the builder and with other members here reading it could have arisen. So if as @PeterW has explained he puts in 250mm of insulation and the 100mm screed then will you be where you need to be and have a 350mm step?? You do realise that 350mm is way too high for a single step. You wouldn't want it to be any higher than 170mm for ease of use plus to keep on the correct side of the BCO.

You have said on a previous post answering my questions that it would be 25mm which is no where near enough.

Ok first thing first your plan. The issue most are having is your plan is very light on actual details. A normal plan would have cross sections which would have the standard things like the depths of your screed, insulation layer, finished floor heights, Dpc heights. By having a plan with these kind of things a builder can be held to account as it's there in black and white so there is no confusion. When the builder is next there ask him what is his plan for your floor buildup to get you to the height that you want. Do you want a step down into this room or do you want it level with the inside??? Remember your paying the bills so if you don't want a step then make sure you say that. Don't just put a step in because it's easier/cheaper for the builder.

Ok you are where you are so let's try and figure out what can happen next and less on what has already gone. So to try to help a bit we need a bit more information. Distance from the top of your Founds to your finished floor level in your house, doesn't have to be exact to the mm an inch out is fine for now. How much insulation did you plan to put under the floor?? How thick is concrete screed for your finished floor?? Have you any services to go in, things like a toilet or sink or shower???

Ok I think it's time @idunknow For you to go and seek an alternative opinion on this issue. There has been a few posts already expressing some doubt in how you plan to do this task. Another input from a different structural engineer should be your next phone call. When you have this information then you will have a better idea of what your next step should be. You have already expressed your mistrust of his calculations so please seek another opinion. If the new one backs up the initial version then great proceed but if it doesn't then you have maybe saved yourself from something major happening.