markc

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.

I would have gone for a self supporting feature balustrade and rail instead of the wall.

A 203 beam per leaf for a brick/brick structural wall over a 3.6m opening sounds right.

I can see the pics now, that’s actually a cool stair, shame they went through the boards. That said it’s a well made stair with a support on the walking line under the ply. This means the ply is isn’t subject to bending loads :). the timber ‘hardener’ will be fine, good scrape and wire brush to remove any loose stuff. The nosings may allow puddles to form on the treads, if so a few drain holes will be needed behind each nosing. Bed the nosings onto a thick bed of paint or thin bed of OB1 or CT1 to prevent water collecting between them and the ply causing accelerated rot

If it’s timber then the backer board is the best plan

Yes you can skim backer board, what’s behind the board? Unless it’s a void then good old browning and then skim

If the treads are breaking up and you want to use the stair then you really need to sort them properly, not just make them look pretty. If something looks rotten then you are careful using it, if it looks good and someone falls the resulting lawsuits could be very costly. when the pics are available we will be able to get a better feel