markc

I would be looking to support what’s above the wall, then as you pull stuff out and find the upper masonry isn’t sound it can be pulled out and replaced without having to re jig your supports.

Good morning and welcome

Scaffold hoist, usually 110v, pretty bullet proof.

Very difficult to say a speed number but to give you an idea of drill bit longevity, using a mid sized Makita sds (runs very slow but has a hard hit) I’ve done around 250 10mm dia and 80ish mm deep in an old cellar, some very soft and a lot of very hard bricks. Cheapie dewalt bit and it’s showing wear on diameter but still drilling well

What drill (powered end) are you using? If masonry bits are not lasting it’s usually due to excessive rotation speed causing heat

If the original (agreed) scope of works specifically says mortar flaunching then the neighbour doesn’t have an valid argument. you have no obligation to cover his surveyor fees or modification of the stack, but how will a stand off affect your short or long term peace of mind and awkwardness around the neighbour. How about meeting with the surveyor and your builder to see what the objection is really about

Looks like a generally shoddy job all round

Not looked at specific areas but it’s interesting and that always gets my vote, I love angles and multi pitch roofs

Oh bugger, no idea why auto correct put covid instead of solid 🤯 (We have edited it now - but still amusing and we can put it back if you wish. Admin)

When it comes to fitting windows and door frames, length of fixing is just enough to get into solid material as the fixings are in shear (albeit with some bending but that really complicates any calc)…. (Im not mentioning big gaps between frame and surrounding or that complicates things even more). Only when fixings are in tension is minimum depth critical for pull-out resistance.

Shoring depends on the ground, deep narrow excavations are often done as casements, if the soil won’t support then the hole is kept full of slurry to resist collapse. In the past shafts we’re sunk in poor ground by digging a shallow hole, inserting a “cutter ring” made of steel or cast iron that sinks as the soil is excavated, masonary walls are then built upwards (remaining around ground level) as the whole thing sinks deeper.

Why do you need a lintel below ground? And if you did concrete would be the way forward

Yes you can cut them to just about any length

A butterfly roof doesn’t necessarily have a supporting wall, but sagging needs looking into, sloping floors point towards subsidence or rotting/failing joists or pockets

I bought a pair of long forceps (off eBay) for clearing my shower drains, around 300mm long, slender and curved ends, they work a treat

That’s an odd and naff detail to end up with an unbonded stack. No harm with what you have done and some flex is to be expected. You won’t be having an expansion joint in the render at that point so it should have been thought out better to start with.

This makes it clearer. no problem with cutting the 3x2’s. Add a prop underneath to support the member you cut while you get the header or cross member/s in. This is to prevent the ceiling sagging when the members are cut. I would add additional angle brackets around the support points onto the trusses as these connections will not have been made with additional loft loads in mind. I’ve seen whole room sized areas of battens come away from the underside of trusses due to loft loading.

When you say ‘joists’ are 3x2, are they really the bottom cord of trusses? If so cutting them isn’t straight forward …well it is but the end result wouldn’t be clever. post a pic of the loft space. If they really are joists then 3x2 is very small and you need to be careful of loadings but the cutting process would be as @JohnMo answer

Genie material lift is a good machine but needs to be on good ground and forks are short so sheets would need to be on edge. Passing them up an open stairwell is easiest (after forklift outside).

Hi, welcome and well done!

Def no step, as above it makes access to appliances a real pain. If laying a floating floor (laminate, solid or engineered) either lay the entire floor or lay it after the kitchen fit. If only the front support legs land on the floating floor it often causes the underlay to compress and ‘domes’ in the centre. Run a floating floor right up to the support legs (not forgetting expansion gap) and under any appliances

No problem loosing the door header for a taller door. You could fit a new door and frame into the existing “slot” but it’s not easy and could look out of place. A complete new lump made to measure would probably be cheaper in the long run

Happy hole day …. Err that sounds wrong

I was just thinking my doctors writing is terrible but that doesn’t mean I question his diagnosis

As a single I would be questioning it, but as a tied double, terrace house so no racking, pretty standard two storey my gut feeling is it’s ok. Obviously I wouldnt put my name to anything without running the calcs or FEA.