Recent content by John Williamson

You're right of course, only my nerves holding me back. I'll see how solid I can make the form and can either fill in one go or fill in parts

Do you mean like a birdsmouth as below? I was thinking of doing all in one go, but this will be my first pour and the thought of collapse of the wall formwork would be just one terror too many for me.

Great point, sorry I should have mentioned. So the pour will finish 300mm below the existing. So probably best to finish the pour and then tackle the "wall" with a solid and flat surface beneath it? That would make sense, and the rebar will run through both to keep them tied together

I'm building an extension on a sloped site which requires some underpinning. Just wondering if anyone has the best method to pour underneath the existing foundations as shown in this picture after the face shuttering goes on. Had various thoughts like creating a wedged gap to pour the concrete...

It's probably worse than it looks in the pictures. Would take days to tidy up and I really want a flush face

Thanks. I usually use melamine board for shuttering brushed with oil. Usually comes out a treat. Thanks a lot for the mix ratio

After smashing out some concrete pavers and the concrete base to install some drainage I'm left with an untidy concrete edge which will be visible when I landscape the courtyard. I'm thinking of building a form to create a flat face for the concrete down to ground level and pouring in some...

I have a very stupid toilet which does not have a bottom or side entry but instead comes from a channel at the back. See picture Both fill and flush valves are full of limescale and I'd like to replace both but struggling to find a replacement where the fill valve does not need to be...

I had a play with an old fashioned cold chistle and this stuff is absolutely bullet proof

Thanks. Yes I had some done internally. It's horrifically expensive and also has a tendancy to destroy the front of the bricks which will make the damp even worse. I've now given up on removal. Main issue is that it's too expensive for the companies to come out and do a trial so you're left...

So I had some grand ideas to return my home to its former brick faced glory by removing the exterior pain which has been built up over 120 years. Initial trials with a DOFF system looked very promising but unfortunately it turns out that we just got lucky (or unlucky) with the trial patches and...

Apologies for the probably noob question. I've got a large pile of mixed soil and rubble and looking to hire a grab lorry (muck away) to take it away. This is because I want to keep my driveway free and don't really want to have to spend an afternoon loading a skip. I've always used skips in...

I have an old window which I am getting replaced and in the process of removing some of the timber, the brickwork around the window has crumbled away. Just wondering what to fill this with? I am thinking of building a form and filling in with concrete. Does that sounds sensible or is there a...

Yes I plan to pay much more attention to the rest of the windows. I was prepping the window surround for plastering so keen to get off the many many layers of existing paint and at least get something on to protect the part covered by plaster. Have used Rustins a lot before but will take a...

Thank you so much. I had no idea what these were called but makes my google searching much easier. I may still remove and replace if I can't get them to the standard I want and because it will make wire brushing and sanding so much easier. I'll see if I can gently un-peen them (if that is a...