saveasteading

Thanks I'll check these references. I need easy. The cable is built into the wall and it's lucky that one person thought to make it accessible at all. Btw I think the cameras perhaps won us 20 mins production per day. "Of course we trust you but it is security."

So this? I find it hard to believe this is so cheap. That's for 10! They are half that price each by the hundred. Yes it's recent and was working well until someone decided to cut the end off. (That we have cameras is disliked by some. Perhaps that's why it's been accidentally damaged and no rush to resolve. So it has to be diy.) Do the wires just push in? I expect the colour positions are easy to research.Such tiny wires though: I can see me losing some copper along with the plastic. Is it a stanley knife or wire stripper job?

Repoint and monitor is the likely advice. Are there trees nearby?

For whatever reason, the terminal has been cut off the starlink mast, or extended with a wire. So we just have this bare cable. Any advice on how to fix a usb plug on it? I can try harder on focus if necessary.

I remember helping my dad make stuff. The drills were manual. For big stuff it was like a car starting handle, with a wooden end tucked in the oxter (haven't used that word for a long time.) Just imagine using that while balancing on a roof. For small stuff the drill was like a whisk. When power drills arrived there was no regret for old times, but occasionally the manual ones were preferred... I'm thinking it allowed 'feel' for furniture etc.

Interesting points of view. Timber houses is the standard in Scotland and whether kits or stick built makes little difference to the design. I've got a how to do it book which is US and ultra practical, but explains it all well and is common sense. We've worked to that for the principles and it sits on the Architect's desk. The chippies know most, but not all, of the principles. Bco walks past the work, presumably looking at some details and principles. I've also got a very complex text book on designing in timber....I haven't looked in it for years, but let @Gus Potter and his ilk do the specialist stuff. So, I say go for timber if you want. Ludicrous energy prices? That's the only way the public will take notice. Yes it should be tweaked but that will happen over time. Water is about £2/m3 if I remember. That's not enough to change habits which looks like being essential. in Spain it is 70c.... ludicrous. Me? I'd lower elec prices for the average essential use, then raise the tariff on an exponential. Thus hot tub, swimming pool, aircon people pay much more. Water similar. In Spain 20 years ago there was no insulation in Med areas. Now it's 50mm or so. Up in the cold north I expect, but don't know, that it is much more. Scotland's insulation requirement is slightly greater than England's. But for av 3°C difference that makes sense.

It's often the strongest bit. Everything moves, and it's a question of how much. How long has the crack been there?

Insurers generally want a 5 lever mortice. So as long as you dont leave it within reach through letter box or broken window, they wont be able to use it. I like to have a 'yale' too just for night time security and ease, but use the mortice when going out.

I clicked 'send' too early and have now said much more. I don't trust them to use a meter properly.

I'm just sharing today's annoyance. Perhaps it will help someone else. We will be using engineered timber over a large area and have it in storage because it was a bargain. We recently got a reference to a contractor to lay it. The price was ok so we said go. Now they are saying that we need to prove that the screed is dry enough. It is, and will be beyond dry come September when it is to be done. Even when we use the ludicrously conservative 1mm/ day we have double that time since it was laid, and the wind has been whistling through at 25 to 30 C. Having told them that, they now say (without reference) that it must be 19C all the time and actually 0.5mm/ day is correct. Even that means that it is dry. So they are either charlatans, or ignorant. From long experience I know floorers always try this because they want to sell an upgrade of sealing and even over-screeding, and/or lose any liability in case of any future problem. so 1. we explain why it is dry. Very civilly quoting the material used and the time it's been down. 2. we then emphasise that their sudden doubling of the time required isn't relevant. 3. Now they say that if they turn up and test the screed in September and it isn't to their dryness satisfaction then they will refuse to do it and charge £500 aborted visit. I'm thinking this is perhaps all they do... turn up, charge £500 and go away. It would appear that they are used to getting this extra pay, and are somewhat annoyed that we are daring to answer back. Obv I don't trust them at all and would like to tell them to go cheat elsewhere. But maybe they are just ignorant. They only do one thing, so they should not be ignorant and thus I suspect the other option. If you cheat in one way, you are cheats generally, so who knows if they are any good. That they were recommended by a well known supplier bothers me. Maybe it's all too easy for them. In the past I've presumably convinced the floorers that there is no issue and just to get on with it. I may have signed papers to that effect. But this is on a different level. It's about 250m2 of flooring , so a nice job for someone.

the jagged one following the mortar. ie not what is prob F That is a common effect. In your case i'm thinking that the wall to the left has moved by these few mm. If that has been there for years then it prob just needs repointing. If new then it could be this recent drought causing sinking. could we see that wall from further back? Damp at chimneys is very common. Rain can come down the chimney if there is no cap. Or can creep through from the brick of the chimney itself. Is it just staining or can you se dampness?

Crack E is significant. Is the window in the original house? Any chance of a wider shot? Is the damp on the inside of an external wall? The cavity ties should be fine.

You are right to resolve if it is a big deal or toutine. The majority of such issues I've looked at over decades have needed attention but only maintenance. A boss once used this as standard advice to worried owners.... can you get a pound coin into the gap? No, don't worry but it needs attention. Yes, let's have a look and sort the cause. A 1910 house doesn't usually have good damp resistance. They had fires indoors, opened lots of windows and lived with it. Again, tell more.

Cracks may require SE but may be routine.. How extensive and how wide? Pictures would be helpful. Damp probably not SE.... it's usually a maintenance issue ... gutters, ground levels.. pics again and descriptions. and maybe we can point you in the right direction at no cost.

We can't tell. What sort of issue concerns you? If, for example, it is damp and rot and insulation then an Architect or Building Surveyor is your best bet IFFFF the Architect is a doing person rather than of the arty persuasion. If walls are cracked and you fear the strength of the building then an Engineer is essential, and you'll end up with one anyway. Absolutely not. They will insist on seeing the building holistically because what you have reported on may be a symptom rather than the fundamental issue. Then you just have to be sure to check the rest of the house out too, if concerned. To me, as an Engineer, if I received that sort of enquiry it would seem exaggeratedly contractual, and I would prefer a simple enquiry in plain English. "I'm concerned about my 1910 house because it has cracks and damp....etc" Or phone. A professional will tell you if it isn't what they do or doesn't suit their business model. I suggest you agree initially to a site visit and preliminary inspection. a few £hundred. Only after that can the scope be discussed properly. But back to the start. Can you tell us any more about your concerns?