GemmaG

just looking through these and trying to get my head around them but they all show the window/door in the correct position. Our doors are entirely in the brick skin.. the open cavity is within the house just plastered over. Looking into new builders but so hard to know who to trust after all this.

Thank you. The cold bridging was the reason we brought the doors inwards some. They have come back today and silicones around the skirting board. Given up trying to get them to understand what I am saying with the cavity.. it’s all plastered in and hidden now. They did do a vertical dpc over the insulation but that’s not gonna help with the cold or it being fire safe but at least I’ll get a fensa certificate for the whole bodge!! If I want the insulation ripped out and the cavity closed properly do I need a builder? I’m worried il get the right answers again and end up back in this situation again.

I don’t know that expanding foam and rockwool is safe against the timber frame?

Would that be attached to the timber frame, go over the cavity and touch the bricks or keep it off the bricks?

We believe the issues was condensation. A dehumidifier has helped massively get us down from 75% to 50%. But again we chose a builder because if we had penetrating wet they could have helped supposedly.

What’s that? Link or picture?

He’d already plasterboarded up when I asked him to remove it and use the right thing.. had to show him what to use and how but he couldn’t get it to fit so I was put on the spot and just given the option of putting the insulation back in but less of it. i didn’t know what to say because I’m not a builder!! How do I get the right person because I’ve lost trust in myself to find the right one. we had multiple window fitter quotes but none would move the doors back like we wanted and these guys would plus live locally, recommended and fensa registered. Want to just pay them for the job and start over with someone else but ideally leaving the doors where they are.

The windows of the house are all set back in the timber frame but to do that with these doors would be a huge job as it would leave the block work above them all on show. Would these cavity closers work?

The last photo shows the original doors on the lounge set flush… unfortunately the builders have done not just one but two sets. Lounge and kitchen.

The doors are still in the cold brickwork but set back further than before. We thought the cold bridging to start with was down to the location of the doors being flush with the outside. The hinges actually set out of the wall. We used a builder as we wanted to move the door positions backwards and window fitters would not do it. Here are some pictures.

We have a timber frame house with brick skin. Our French doors were getting damp on the plastered reveals we believe to be cold bridging as the doors are in the outer skin. We hired a builder to put in new doors and open up the reveal to insulate and help against cold bridging. We have been working during installation and not been able to check every detail but he has removed the original timber cavity closer, shoved 4 inches of Celotex into the cavity and closed up the reveal with plasterboard and plastered. When I asked him did he fit a cavity closer he asked me to define what I meant as he hasn’t heard of them. Builder for 40 years ‍ There’s a huge draught coming round the skirting and it’s freezing. Is our only option to hire someone else to cut it al away again, pull out insulation and retrofit a cavity closer? Can they be retrofitted? Thank you

Think that's going to be key, keeping some of the original wall then it cant be seen as brand new

I was just following this https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/20/fences_gates_and_garden_walls/2 The wall as it is has 3 piers per 4m section so 6 piers in total and those are 1 brick thick. The end part of the wall that has a gate attatched is fully 1 brick thick and curved and that has pivotted about 2 rows of bricks up. Wind and ivy = wall being swivelled!

I'd expect a 1.5 brick thick wall to be more than that. I would much rather use fencing somehow incorporating the bottom few rows of bricks that are acually 1 brick thick. These ideas are all good providing the council keeps away lol

It's beyond repointing. One section leans back where the wall has broken in the middle. The insanely thick ivy is holding it up.

Liking your thinking there Peter, will have to really consider that one!

I think they have done without doing it officially as the deeds show that ground as not on either of our properties. We didn't even notice it during the purchase as we moved from a fair distance away. I know they would notice that though. I'm not bothered about gaining land just want to put a fence up with getting grief about it being a full size one. Would hate to draw attention then it be brought to light that neither of us actually own a large part of our front gardens lol. Plus the corner part of the wall would be staying so that kind of draws the line as to where it would go. I really appreciate everyones help here. Posted on some other forums that were not quite as welcoming! x

That part is definitely not ours. We don't think it belongs to the council as they don't maintain it. It could be highways for sightlines but would have assumed they would have kept it cleared if that was the case. Or it could have originally belonged to the builders of the housing area and they are no longer in business. On the deeds that patch actually should extend over next doors front drive and all the way down the length of our front garden but next door have it as their garden and our hedge is butted up to the path as it has been for at least 10 years. (google earth again) To remove that wall and put in a fence would mean removing all the ivy leaving our new fence on show.

None of those things affect us at all. The concern is that the council may see it as "highway adjacent" in which case 1m is all that we would be permitted to put up but that is simply not high enough with a dog that can jump it!

Hi all! New here as trying to find the answer to this is proving hard work! I have recently bought a house on a corner plot. The wall to the side of the house is 1/2 brick thick and over 2m tall. It is original to the house and starting to see the end of its life. As to rebuild it to the height would require it to be 3x as thick it would cost a hell of a lot being 9m long so a fence would be more appropriate however behind the wall is a patch of grass that seems to be unused. It could be highways or council but no one maintains it - we have started cutting the grass there - it is thick with ivy over 10 years old (google earth) which has caused the wall to fail as roots have grown to above the top of the wall and are pulling it down. I assume that to pull the wall down and replace with a fence of similar height would need planning permission? The wall cannot be seen from the road as it is covered entirely with ivy. There are no sightline issues with the neighbours as the wall curves away from their property at the back of us. A 1m wall is not an option as I have a dog who could easily jump that and I cannot bring a new fence further in to my land as part of the old wall that separates me and our back neighbours is solid and therefore remaining, this is also 1 full brick thick instead of a half. Confused as to what options we have. Council will only talk to us if we pay an advice fee. Not sure if we are even classed as adjacent to the highway as the grass verge between our wall and path is 1.5-2.5m wide. Any info would be appreciated. Thank you!