Ed_MK

Its time for me to get the Beams and Block cleaned and get the vapour barrier and Cellotex down (in prep for screed and some plumbing pipes first) ...but i am puzzled what to do at all the "holes" ?!? Around the perimeter wherever there is one of those metal feet bolted to the slab to take the frame thee are Gaps ...between the kicker bricks and the foot itself, some are inches ...but most are several inches like below and you can see daylight inside ... How do i deal with these ...should they be filled as best i can, concrete ? or would that be bad against the metal ..puzzled (as usual)

Tx Peter. I was just looking for some advice ..honestly ...its just i always PRESUMED that any window or door needs some sort of capping or lintel above it ...With TF as you know the rendered section are well...self supporting; as they are fixed to the TF completely. These Potton "heritage" designs come in a variety of options for allsorts of external coverings ...its just we went for render top/brick bottom (which is the most popular). The sunroom windows apart (because they are a monster of our own making) ...the other windows on these heritage generally have VERY LITTLE brick above them downstairs ...as the brick/render divide finishes just above the openings 90% of the time.. So a small window may only be supporting 2 rows of say 3 brick and a brick on edge above (or tile crease as some choose) ...even the LARGER windows may have just 10 bricks and a further row of brick on edge above that ...so 20 bricks maximum.... But still needing support of course...which is why i was thinking of light/medium duty catnics ..as i again presumed that these would be more than enough ..if not TOO much to support a single/double row of brick Pottons architect and advice stop firmly as the TF/Insulation phase ends ...Roof, Cladding, Brickwork, Windows and everything after that is down to the builder/buyer..plans typically use the phrase "Not By Potton" when they are describing various options you can take or choices you can make ....You do get a guidebook ...but its very basic, again as there are so many options ...it would be like War and Peace if they put them all in there ....so I understand. I am not knocking Potton (honestly)...but like all sales companies you get SOLD on a dream at a Trade Fair and price is in black and white that is achievable and so you go for it ...But as you get more involved...you can see that there are a variety of "packages" that come on top ....things that a layman (and woman) would believe are included (in ignorance) ....Planning Application help, Windows, Stairs, Internal Doors, External Doors, Skirting, Architrave, etc etc ...external finishes of course too , even the chimney and fireplace ..LOL (which is what the wife loved about it) ...then on top of these options is the Part or Fully Managed Options ..which is in essence a project manager for part or all of the build ...and then the ultimate TURNKEY SOLUTION ? ..Which means you do nothing (i presume) The only issue is ...by the time you finish, the price will have EASILY doubled...so you start to take things off ....Then you realise that the ESTIMATED finished build cost (that you thought you may JUST be able to afford)...was based on tradesmens prices that are several years old and are UK average ...Internal plastering for a full house is rarely under £5k including boarding and there is no bricklayers to be had for £300 a thousand, and unless you are using corrugated sheets ...getting a decent roof for under £10k is another "dream of ages past" ...so you take a little more off, then a little more to compensate ...and you get to where I am now . I would never advise anyone NOT to go the self-build route ...but If i had one bit of advice it would be do NOT listen to those that tell you make sure you have 10% extra funds in reserve .. 15% tops ...It's plain BS. We have shopped HARD, had multiple quotes for all work and used this forum where we can, to see our most logical options, am stuck in every day painting, cutting insulation, doing external pipework and we are STILL expected to be 30% + over ....and this is a build that (so far) has had no surprises or dramas. Don't sign for anything until you understand just how ESTIMATED your finished build cost will be ...

Hi Russell, yes thats the back of my house ...the top section doesnt have any bricks; its Render on lath (around the windows) - which isn't there yet...so you are actually looking at the TF skin. Around the bifolds (and for 4-6 inches or so above them) that will be brick/brick on edge ..so it can meet the bead for the render...not sure what you mean about a wall not having bricks though ..that spun me

Well, i sort of understand the "arch" theory ... but i have attached below an image of an IDENTICAL house built several years ago. As you can see the windows APPEAR to have PERHAPS 1 or 2 courses above them ...Maximum except for that lounge window which has over 20 ! at the rear (which is my actual house ..its the same setup Kitchen door, Kitchen Window and Patio doors (you cant see them but they int he dark on the left) all have only 1 or 2 courses above them the exception of course ..is the bloody sunroom ..which again will have 1/2 courses and the DAFT triangle fixed windows PS the side the chimney is on has NO windows, and the opposing side has only ONE window upstairs, which is of course in the rendered area

i think i have confused a few people ...sorry the top is ALL render and not brick...see the yellow area below, its actually going to be an oatmeal colour ..to match the top of the rest of the house. If the render is like the rest will be ..The renderlath will be on 50mm standoff from the TF and then rendered another 15-20mm and will finish about 40mm shy of the brick courses below. which are being finished with a brick on edge. the render is not adding any weight as its on the TF, but Peter is right the Windows won't be light and then of course i need at least 1 course of brick to hide/contain some form of support..but that will be the only masonry on top I measured the aperture before and it is 3.6m ...so a little shorter than i said. Originally on the plans this was not a window at all and was a full rendered panel ....thats probably why. they were added by my wife as when she removed the Velux ...it would have been a bit "dark" ...and it IS a sun-room ..allegedly so these would be no good ? http://www.less2build.com/lintels/ig-lintel-all-types/ig-lintels-timber-frame-all-types/ig-lintel-l750-timber-frame--3600mm-50mm-cavity http://www.less2build.com/lintels/Stressline-Lintels-All-Types/stressline-timber-frame-lintels?product_id=3998 http://www.less2build.com/lintels/catnic-lintels-all-types/catnic-timber-frame-lintels/catnic-lintel-ctf5-timber-frame--3600mm-50mm-cavity

not again ... I can see another RSJ coming on ....damn! its not just the money for the RSJ ...or the £60 the online engineers charge for the report to go with it.. ..its the fact that RSJ's look ugly as hell ...I mean it is alright in the chimney ....but how do i effectively "hide" it over the bifolds Peter? its only a 100mm brick skin, with 50mm cavity and then 190mm TF ...but of course the lintel will be supporting the Brick and windows on the outer edge ...so it has to be at the front i didnt even want those windows there....they wife swapped them in when she removed the 2 x velux in the roof from the plan ...as the last time we had them they leaked and were pigs to clean etc

Thanks Peter ...I probably should have mentioned in the sunroom ..those 2 big triangles are WINDOWS..or will be...and the surround bit at the top will be rendered ..the brick will start just above the doors perhaps 2 courses . I agree about the lintels ...and have been looking at that site already

Hi All, I am about to order the windows and doors for our house. The bricklayer will be starting soon, and it got me thinking about support around the top of windows and Doors. the house is a timber frame and has a lower storey of Brick skin ...upper storey will be cement render on Renderlath Some of the windows (in fact most) have only 4-5 courses above them (ending in brick on edge) ..then it comes to renderlath. So... I am presuming the windows that only have renderlath above them do NOT need a support or close off at the top in any way , but if this is the case..do they still need some form of cavity tray? I guess windows that have brick above them will all need a lintel or catnic of some sort ..I am thinking the one that is made for a single brick skin (see attached pic) ...but again; do i need a separate cavity tray above ? ...and will LIGHT duty lintels suffice for just several rows of brick? (there really is only one window that has a LOT of brick above it) The bifold opening in the Sunroom is about 4 metres (or just under) ...it DOES have a couple of rows of brick above it, it was going to be a brick apex, but we have decided to render it instead for ease ...how should i cope with that span ? On Catnics website ...it shows a lintel for timber frame ....but they appear to have CUT into the breather and installed some DPC? (or something) under it to drain to presumable some weeps . I know potton are not crazy about that silver layer on the TF being cut at all ...is this standard practice ?

Hi Peter, the engineer is sending me the calcs on Monday/Tuesday. but he told me in advance the RSJ to order so I would have it ready his calcs were based on the RSJ being supported for at least 15cm on eiother side on 7.3N dense concrete blocks ...hence the double wall Padding the insulation to 100mm all around shouldn't be an issue...except it will leave it with a rather narrow "throat" ....but still capable of getting a flue up and over. the issue I am struggling with is the narrow chimney that runs upwards after the inglenook narrows. Obviously the FACE has to line up with the face of the lower outer fireplace...but i recall you saying "single wall" from thee upwards would suffice .. But i cant seem to get my head around how this will reconcile/join with the lower section...obviously as its a fake chimney ....some sort of "capping" inside perhaps to close off the lower section ? Also ...I know you are right about the 100mm of insulation around the chimney. the majority of the house appears to be using a 50mm Kingspan Panel ...so chimneys need more ?!?

OK Peter tx, I have played around this afternoon ..setting things up to get an idea. PS. I know this is not the right insulation material ....but it was lying around so i used it for width reference. As you can see factoring in the 7N blocks to carry the internal beam mantle and the exterior RSJ total Wall thicknesses Face to Face ...are Sides = 500mm Back = 400mm will this cause issues with the horizontal part of the flue do you think ...as after it leaves the Huntingdon and goes upwards to its "elbow" ..I am guessing it will have to be apx 700mm to get to the exterior

I was thinking (sometimes i do) ...whilst the chimney is being built would it be prudent to basically "build around a temporary pipe" to leave a hole for the flue outlet later at the back of the chimney ? Also regarding external flue height ...and safety (sorry I have never had a flue) is there a position recommended? ...height from ground ? ...something like that ?

looks good Nod. I measured for ours the other day ... they are planned to be a "level threshold" one. I remember the BCO telling me it wasn't an issue as long as i "double back on myself" with the dampcourse .....problem is after he left i wondered what the hell he meant LOL ? ...anyone got an idea ?

Will do Peter and yes its 200mm or just under 8 inches ...as we used to say

thanks Peter. Its a bit tricky that ....the SE has advised i need an RSJ on padstones just under it... these in turn are resting on 20mm of Dense concrete blocks, 2 wide. these fall outside the wall line obviously ..So I will need to work out how to draw that or the top section will have a step back towards the house ..if you see what i mean . I will work on it

Thanks Peter .. I hope i have drawn it right this time (fingers crossed) I have changed the Section B up ....and when i look on youtube i see that many divide this up into sections (presumable for strength ..or int eh case of multiple flues. As i only have one (in the middle ...how should i handle the WASTE space ..should i infill the X's with various hardcore and mortar available ...i do have a LOT I could leave the whole chimney ..open (as its not really being used anyway) ...but would that make it structurally weak ? *i have removed the blocks from the top section of the chimney but wasn't sure if it still need a cavity of sorts Chimney_Layout_Ed_Rev4.pdf

It might be ..but the feature and look of the chimney and Fireplace is what the wife likes about that design she doesn't want a real fire ...but likes the STYLE of it ...So the Huntingdon 40 and the deep hearth will give her the LOOK.... and if i use the BF out to the rear ..i dont have to invest in a load of liners and fitting that will NEVER be used. But yes ...that external chimney has to stay on plan

Well I am probably agonising over this chimney design more than anything on this house LOL. The SE should get back to me today ..so at least I will know what RSJ goes in but ...I have redrawn the design and tried to use sections (as Peter suggested) Don't laugh.. but I am not sure the UPPER part of the chimney NEEDS a cavity ? also I am still not sure how to handle the transition area ..between sections A and B I put it all on this big PDF ...you can zoom in quite close to see text and stuff. Sizes and relations should be fairly accurate Chimney_Layout_Ed.pdf

Thanks Peter

OK ....i didnt think it would be that easy. I think i will wait until the online SE gets back to me today/monday see what he says and provides i suppose i need it for later in case the BCO asks how i made the calc for the RSJ

hmmm ...how would i set that out Peter ? Also after the Lounge ceiling / fireplace opening ..the layout will change (as below) much narrower * I take it the chimney insulation can be omitted here as after the ceiling it is continuous ..? * but again how do i treat the 50mm cavity around the 3 sides of the chimney ..can it just be "closed off"? * also would you continue with the 7nm blocks up the stack to the top?...they are strong ...but the downside is if they have the Ancor Fixings drilling them would be FUN if i remember from the past projects

Well have i finally cracked it Is my design ok ? bricklayer is coming in a week and I have sent these to an SE who says he can advise me on RSJ requirements online-style ...no doubt for a few hundred quid ! Anyway ..taking into account what Peter and others said about thermal bridging and the like ... here it is !

oh dear ... well it definitely wasn't "clumpy" It was fine like flour... ....or the other stuff Nigella Lawson uses (allegedly)

Well i did a test mix for my build yesterday IT is 4-1 (Wicks Building sand and Snowcrete) as the wife wants a CREAM but not WHITE mortar (as they do) It will probably lighten up in a day or so ...looking at the flakes next to it. I was surprised though how CRUMBLY it is ...and I am used to seeing the odd rock or 2 in mortar and I have just realised, there isn't any in this

YES IT DOES THANKS

nice bifolds too ! we are hoping to get them on our rear can i ask how you coped with the dropped damp-course in relation to the rest of the building