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-Buildit-

The home of building plans tips & hints.
Covering subjects commonly used in diy projects such as block paving,bricklaying guides,replacing guttering,fitting drainage & aco channels.

The purpose of this blog is to help you get through your project smoothly . It should be a satisfying experience that you can be proud of. Small projects will require many of the same disciplines that large projects require.You won't have to deal with as many people or make as many decisions but the principles remain the same, & the satisfaction of doing it yourself,never mind the money you will save on labour is something you will only understand when you take a look at a job at the end & say to yourself or friends "I did that".


Before starting your project you will need to sit down & make a plan of the job in hand

1) What are the costs ?
You will need to make a budget that includes everything for the job in hand

2) What will i need ?
Apart from materials theres alot of other factors you will need to consider.
To organise other people for your project may add weeks or months on to the time your job.

i) Will you need a permit from your local authority ?
Home extensions & even taking down an internal wall will need visits from your local council or planning office.This can be costly!
ii) Will you need to employ an architect or site manager
iii) Apart from being costly can you find a local tradesman that can meet your budget & time scale
iv) Do you need to hire skips or a van for rubbish removal ?
iii) If its a big job can you store all the materials needed or should you hire a portacabin or lockup

3) Which jobs will you be able to do yourself ?

i) Can you realistically do this job or should you hire somebody for some of the more skilled or trickier parts of the job

4) Will you have what it takes to actually finish the project off ?

i) Be honest with yourself,do you really want to take this job on ?

5) How long will it all take ?

i) allow for everything to be sourced,delivered & maybe even sent back & redelivered if there should be a problem of any kind

6) Can you realistically afford to do the job ?

i) You`ll need to phone around & get prices for materials,labour,permits & such.Never guesstimate or go by last years prices.This would be a mistake & could be the differance between finishing the job or not.Phoning around differant people for the same thing is also a good idea,to give you a feel of price veriation,also merchants have a good deal on 1 product & a bad deal on another,so dont buy all your materials from the same place just because they were the cheapest on sand & cement

We also have a job search widget thats updated in real time with literaly thousands of jobs
in most sectors.Theres a list of links for uk construction agencies,
-in light of the current working climate.

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Getting a DIY Burglar Alarm


Security is something we need to have,not only at work & for our banking, but in our homes too. It is our personal space, and if someone breaks our privacy, we feel vulnerable. That’s why we need to have a burglar alarm to protect our homes.


The results of many statistical surveys reveal that a home with a burglar alarm has a lower chance of getting your home broken into. The burglar will usually move on, because he would prefer a home without an alarm. If your home has a burglar alarm, they will certainly think twice before attempting entering it.

If you are concerned about your home, wireless burglar alarms are quite easy to install compared to the wired security systems installed in alot of peoples homes. They are easy to fit & no damage is involved trying to cover up wires .

It is best if you can find a burglar alarm which is good quality to ensure it will last you many years . Beware of DIY burglar alarms that are too cheap, because they will not stand the test of time.
DIY burglar alarms are not hard to find. You can find them just about anywhere. Local stores & diy shops offer quite a choice & so do alot of online outlets too. You can find great deals, but , remember to choose a good quality burglar alarm. Don’t sacrifice quality for the cost. Good quality burglar alarms at a reasonable price are the best choice. Start your search by checking out different shops.

Once you've chosen an alarm, you will be provided with the installation manuals which will help you in setting the system up. You will learn how to re-program it & administer the burglar alarm.The burglar alarm has three parts, the detector, the control panel & the signaling device.

Fitting the alarm system should be straight forward enough,pick a place for the alarm box itself ,out of easy reach,a place out of sight for your control panel & where you will put your motion detectors,at the top of the stairs ,on your landing,is a good way to cover all of up stairs,with just one detector . You will need a few basic tools for the installation, namely - a ladder,a drill,a cordless drill with a screwdriver attachment & maybe a pair of pliers or wire cutters.



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Trying to make a living on the net

I have spent along time on the internet,trying different methods from the " SEO " experts,trying to build a decent customer base or even just a steady flow of traffic for endless attempts to make a living on the web.Then one day while surfing a traffic exchange,while washing up lol,i happened to notice a site that offered to sell me this very traffic.10000 hits to my sight would surely get me something in return,& anyway it was only going to cost £19.95 to give it a try.
Those 10000 visitors made me 4 sales in return,not great but it was a start & the main thing was,the word was out,i was offering a good product but nobody knew,this would surely get me some exposure.
Over the next 3 months i bought 10000 hits per week & watched my sales slowly creep up & was even getting custom through recommendation from previous customers!
Just as things were looking good, the owner of the site that supplied the traffic emailed me to say he was giving up on the business, as,i,along with 2 others,were his only customers & supplied the names of 2 other places i could source my new leads from.Now i couldn`t figure this out,half my life was spent on forums bursting with people that were looking for this very service,so i could some potential .I emailed the owner about selling me the site,along with his other 2 customers & we agreed the price of £35.00,well i couldn`t go wrong & since then i`ve been able to build a bigger customer list & supply leads to 16 website

Submitted on the 12/7/2010 by
Just Traffic

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Buy To Let

House`s as investments are often termed as low risk investments that can yield good returns. A lot of people think that real estate is an easy business where you don’t really need to do anything. The truth is that any business needs you to put in some effort . The most important thing is to be able to uncover the real estate for sale that will yield profits. So how do you go looking for real estate for sale?
A lot of people start looking for houses through the internet,and why not,the internet is after all the hub of all information. So, you could look for houses for sale using the search engines on the internet. You could also specify your requirements in search criteria on the estate agent sites in order to get very specific results . You can even view images and video of some of the properties, reducing the need for personal visits for viewing. So, this is surely a good option for finding houses for sale.
However, not everyone is tech-savvy and there are a lot of people who still take the approach of putting up an ad in the local newspaper. So look for real estate for sale in the local newspapers. In fact, there are some newspapers that are dedicated to just that i.e. real estate for sale. You could even go ahead and put up a ‘wanted’ ad in these newspapers.
Multiple listing service is often termed as one the best ways to look . These are published by the estate agent boards. If you can lay your hands on a MLS book as soon as it is out, you can really expect to get good deals. The key is to act fast.
Open houses are another good way of getting the best out of time. You can get to see dozens of properties in a very short period of time. And you never know when you might come across a property that is real gold.
Investor groups are yet another rich source of information.

central heating system

Turn off the gas or electricity supply to the boiler .

In your loft you will have a tank called a feed and expansion tank. Its recognizable by a pipe coming in at the top which is the expansion part of the equation. If the water gets too hot in your system the steam can expand, via the pipe, into this tank.

To make sure no water comes in while you are draining the systemyou should put a piece of timber across the tank, lift up the valve arm and tie it to the timber. This will close the valve.

Now connect a hosepipe to the drain nozzle (which is normally on the radiator nearest to your front or back door) run it outside to lawn or drain. Open up the drain valve and let the system run through.

The water will run faster if you open any bleed valves on the radiators starting with the radiators upstairs. As the water level drops you can open the bleed valves downstairs radiators to.

When no more water comes out make sure that the system is finished before you remove radiators or start work. There is a chance that some air has got into the system and locked the water from escaping. Go into the loft and fill the tank with about 150mm of water by loosening the arm you tied earlier. This should start running out of the hose. If it doesn`t you have an air lock and should connect the hose to the cold tap and send a short blast of water back into the radiator you are draining . Make absolutely sure the hose is well attached to the radiator drain nozzle.

Filling the system

Close the drain cock on the radiator and all the bleed valves that you have opened. Untie the string & let the water fill up the system through the tank. Wait until the tank stops filling and go downstairs to bleed the radiators. When they have been bled repeat with the upstairs. This should make sure your system is filled.

Fully open any radiator valves, including heated towel rails, and run your central heating for ten minutes. Turn off the system. Put the radiator key into the valve in one of the top corners of the first radiator and slowly turn anti-clockwise. Have a cloth handy to catch any drips.If air is trapped in the radiator, it will escape through the valve and there will be a hissing & bubbles coming from the valve as the air comes out. As soon as water begins to run freely, close the valve again and wipe away any water.
repeat this for each radiator. Take care not to open the valves more than necessary. Often air pockets will only occur in one or two of the radiators,mainly upstairs. Turn the heating on and check there are no dripping valves. Tighten if necessary.

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Construction Agencies

Jobs at Beyond.com

search thousands of jobs that are updated real-time. The widget allows your users to run searches and get their results right within the widget which means they don't even have to leave your site until they see a job they like.

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Property & construction jobs

Westgate Recruitment

Specialist agency for civil engineering, architectural and surveying.

The Axiom Partnership Ltd

Focus: Civil engineering and refurbishment. Services and vacancies.

Thatcher Associates

A full service company. List of vacancies and contact details.

Net-Temps Limited

Offer temporary and permanent personnel. Contact details.

The synergy Group

Specialising in construction and engineering recruitment. Offers both contract and permanent vacancies

LJB and Co.

A full service company. Vacancies listed by skill sets.

Linear Recruitment

A full service agency. Contact information and company profile.

GD Recruitment Consultants

Provides recruitment services for the construction industry.

Construction Recruitment Agency

International construction recruitment

Click4construction

A new job board aimed specifically at construction professionals and end employers in the construction sector.

Approvedsparks.co.uk

Job resource for approved electricians, JIB, technicians and other grades in the electrical contracting industry.

Making Money Online

bricklaying

Bricklaying is a skilled trade that takes many years to master. Bricks are laid in courses - on a bed of mortar, with a taut string line used as a guide to line & level. The horizontal joint is the bed joint; the vertical joints are called perps.
The ends of walls are built first, with the level & verticality of the bricks checked as the corners are raised. The gauging is also checked, to ensure that 4 courses measures 300mm. The ends are typically "Racked Back" which allows successive courses to be laid direct to the string line without having to continually check your work with a level.
The bed mortar is laid out & shaped to seat the bricks. The end of the brick to be laid is buttered with mortar & then pushed against the preceding brick, squeezing the mortar to a width of about 10mm. The brick is tapped down to level with the heel or handle of the trowel, any surplus mortar extruded from the bed or the perp end is scraped off with the trowel, then the process is repeated with the next brick. At the completion of each course, the line is moved up to the next course at the corners.

Frogged or perforated brickwork should always be covered over if left unfinished for any period when rain is likely, to prevent the frogs or perforations filling with water which would make a mess of the bed mortar when the bricklaying starts again. Pointing Styles Pointing ensures the bed joints & perp ends are properly filled with mortar. Pointing is usually done an hour or so after the bricks have been laid,just long enough for the mortar to stiffen but not so long that it has become`s unworkable. The unpointed joints can be topped up with fresh mortar if they are not quite full, before tooling to the required style. The most common pointing styles are shown below. The Weatherstruck & Flush type`s are formed with the blade of a trowel. The Bucket Handle profile is formed with a semi-circular section jointing bar, the Recess type is created with a joint raker or chariot. Tooled joints offer better resistance to rain penetration. Other topics Brick bonds Brick types Copings Retaining walls Pointing Mixing mortar

Kings Heath Builders Directory

Drainage

Types of pipes & Fittings Fitting an Aco channel Fing new Gutter The first step when planning to fix additional drainage points to an existing system is toidentify the type of system, ie, is it a dual system with separate foul and surface waterpipelines, or is it a combined system, where foul and surface water are mixed togetherand carried in the same pipes? Checking the system: While the pointers listed above can aid in identification of a sewer system, the actualclassification of a drain must be checked below before installing any drainage 1 - Lift cover and check layout of drainage within chamber 2 - try to identify fittings that are likely to be connected to the chamber under inspection.These must be upstream of the chamber, and may be rain water pick-ups, kitchen wastegullies, toilet stacks, linear drains etc. 3 - put a garden hose into the fittings and see if the water appears in the chamber. For indoor fittings, such as baths, wash-basins or toilets, try turning on a tap or flushing the cistern. If in doubt, a drain dye can be added, turningthe water a distinctive colour that will be readilyidentified if it passes through the chamber under inspection. Fittings and Access Points There is a huge range of fittings available for all types of drainage systems. These include gullies,hoppers, traps, bends, and junctions as standard items, as well as access chambers,roddingeyes and inspection chambers which are designed to grant access for inspection and/or maintenance. Manholes tend to be larger chambers , with half-pipes known as 'channels' setinto the base . Access points: Rodding eyes Access Fittings Inspection chambers & Manholes: Must be installed at * head of run * bend or change of direction * change in pipe diameter * junction, unless all runs connected to junction can be rodded from another access point. Drainage Layout Click here PAGE 2
Further references: Building Regs 1991 England and Wales especially Part H Building Regs 1990 (Scotland) Building Regs 1994 (Northern Ireland) BS8301 - 'Building Drainage' - BS code of practice BS8005 - 'Sewerage' - Guide to construction of new sewers BS EN295 - Vitrified clay pipes and fittings BS 65 - Vitrified clay pipes, fittings and ducts BS4660/5481 - flexible uPVC pipes Sewers for Adoption Design and construction guide for developers Fitting an Aco Channel

Mixing mortar

Mixing mortar
**

Mixing of the ingredients is usually done in a mechanical concrete mixer.

The dry ingredients are placed in a drum and mixed to a uniform colour.
Water is finally added and mixing continues to give a uniform
consistency. Mortar should never be remixed, nor should old mortar be introduced into a fresh banker.Old mortar should not be ‘freshened up’
or ‘knocked up’ by adding more water.Once the water is added to the banker
of ingredients,the chemical reaction of ‘setting’commences. It takes up to
about 3 hours to reach an ‘initial’ set(or get a skin on). This is the point in which the mortar should no longer be used for building. In practice mortar should be used within two hours of mixing.
To ensure the correct consistency in the mix a gauging box can be used.
This is a four-sided box or bucket which is filled with sand or cement,instead of roughly from the shovel,thus ensuring that 5 parts sand & 1 part cement(for example) is exactly the same measure for every mix,this way of mixing your mortar will give the same shade for every mix.Mortar can be mixed by hand but only for small job`s. Consistency between bankers is difficult to achieve with hand mixing.Water is added and the whole mixed to an even consistency.

Waterproofers

Water repellants prevent water penetrating
the pore structure provided there is no pressure
behind the water. Modern
water repellants are based on synthetic
resins which coat the pore sides, preventing
water from entering unless under pressure.
Modern
chemistry has given us synthetic resins which
are capable of blocking off the pore structure,
even under considerable pressure, but
be aware that they are not all ‘equal’. For example,
there are waterproofers based on EVA-
ethyl vinyl acetate, available in a liquid &
a powder form. Both are simply added to the
mortar mix in the recommended proportions,
but the liquid form is quickly washed out of
the pore structure whereas the powder form
is more permanent in its effects.

Accelerators

Accelerators are chemicals added to a mortar
to speed up the reaction between the cement
and the water, known as ‘setting’. If a very fast set is required
it is better to use quick-setting Portland
cement.

Frostproofers

Frostproofers are nothing more than accelerators.
Acceleration of the ‘set’ generates more
heat, thus protecting the mix against
frost attack. An accelerated setting time
also means the mortar has a shorter time span
during which it can be frozen.

Rain
Rain makes bricks and blocks unsuitable
for building, the excessive moisture content
leaving mortar in beds and joints so
sloppy that it runs out – particularly the
binder, leaving a weakened mortar behind
and trails of binder down the face of the
wall.
If frost follows rain, then the water in the
mortar & the bricks or blocks may freeze.
Masonry just built should be protected
from penetration by rain. Waterproof covers
should be placed on top of the wall &
weighted down. A good overhang beyond
the face of the wall may be necessary.

Repointing

When repointing theres a few basics to keep in mind to unsure that it will last after all your effort:

First you must rake out the old to a depth of at least 1/2 inch to be sure of a decent bed joint.Sometimes when existing pointing is perished you can remove it by simply using a wire brush & running it along the joint.Generally when raking out i will use a 4" bolster chisel rather than a plugging chisel,this has the obvious advantage of removing 4" of mortar with each strike of your lump hammer.
Once you have removed the old mortar wash down the area your about to repoint,theres 2 reasons for this,the first is to remove all the dust from the joints so your new pointing will be sitting on a solid joint & the second reason is to dampen the area before you point to stop your new mortar having all the water sucked out of it by the old brickwork causing it to crack & fall out.
Now to start the pointing.You will need to mix 4 parts sand to 1 part cement,any stronger on the cement will cause it to crack & will give you a green type colour in your joints.a top tip that ive used for many years is to add a small amount of pva to your mix(about 1/2 cap) .This will ensure good adhesion to the existing,stop it drying out to fast & make a waterproof barrier to your joints.
The style of your pointing is set by your existing pointing & theres a referance to the differant styles of pointing in the brickwork section

Mixing mortar

HOW TO MAKE A WENDY HOUSE

HOW TO MAKE A WENDY HOUSE

One:

The Floor and the Frame

The Wendy House.
This wendy house is basically a playhouse with a few feminine touches added. A wendy house can give children hours of enjoyment. And with a little imagination, customized touches can be added to create a unique and special environment.
This house stands 78" high, is 92" long and 48"wide with a 28" wide deck along the front.

About the lumber.
The lumber sizes referred to in this project are the finished or 'actual' sizes.
The floor base is constructed of 1 1/2"x 5 1/2" treated stock. The floor is 3/4"x 3 1/2" decking boards.

All the framing is 1 1/2"x 2 1/2" stock with the exception of the ridge beam (1 1/2"x 3 1/2") and the posts (1 1/2"x 2 1/2" treated stock).

The Plans.





The Floor and Frame Cutting List.



The Instructions.

one: The pieces
Cut all the lumber as shown in the cutting list above.

two: The base and floor
On a level, flat piece of ground make a rectangle by nailing the two longer joists (a) to two of the shorter joists (b). Nail another four intermediate joists (b) in place evenly spaced (see above floor frame plan). Use 4" galvanized nails.

Check that the floor base is square by measuring diagonally from corner to corner. When the diagonals are equal, then the base is square.

Cut the decking to length (20 lengths @ 92") and Lay and fix to the base beginning from one side. Use 3" galvanized nails.

three: the wall frames
Lay out the bottom plates (d) flat on the floor to form a rectangle 48" x 92". Lay the top plates (e) on top of the bottom plates and mark the stud positions on the edge of both plates (see above plate and stud layout diagram).
Separate the plates (d & e) and lay the studs (f) in place. Cut and fix nogs (g) between studs (f) as shown in 'the plans' diagram above.
Nail the wall frame together.
There will be four wall frames in all, the two end frames and the front and back frame.

Stand the frames up in place and nail together, ensure the bottom plates are straight and fix to the floor.

Check all corners are vertical (plumb) and fix temporary diagonal braces to the insides of the wall frames.

four: the roof frame
Centralize the two ridge supports (i) on top of the two end frames and fix in an upright position.

Balance the ridge beam (j) on top of the ridge supports (i) and fix in place with nails (angled) through the ends of the ridge beam into the supports.

Fix the 10 rafters (k) in place (5 each side) beginning with the end rafters and then the intermediates.

Fix the lower rafter supports (m) in place at the lower end of the top rafters (k). (see diagram below ).

Fix the lower rafters (l) in place on top of the lower rafter supports (m) and so that the top of the lower rafters (l) are at a point 12 1/2" up from the bottoms of the top rafters (k). (see diagram below)



Nail the beam (n) to the end of the lower rafters.

Fix three posts (o) plumb under the beam (n). One post in the middle and one at each end.

Go to page 2

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Branch junctions are a simple and cheap method of connecting a newdrainage spur to an existing line. However, they do not enable access to the system for maintenance and/or cleaning and so should only be used with suitable access fittings or for spurs terminating with a rodding eye. For spurs where access is required via the junction , consider the use of an access chamber, as described below.

There are two basic forms of branch junction, determined by the angle of the incoming spur, namely oblique or square. These are shown in the diagram opposite. Oblique junctions have the spur joining the main channel at approximately 45° while square junctions have the spur coming in perpendicular (90°) to the main channel, although this is 'softened' by the adjoining spur being slightly curved. Branch junctions may be single or double affairs, depending on the number of spurs to be connected to the main channel.

The illustration above depicts how a new drainage spur can be connected directly into an existing underground pipe by breaking into the pipeline and installing a branch junction. The section of pipe to be removed is bestcut out with a power saw, so ensure you have ample working room.Cut out a section 10-15mm longer than the length of the branch junction. Access Chambers Access junction with single 45° oblique inlet and raising piece These access fittings are ideal for making single connections, and by using raising pieces, they are suitable to a depth of around 600mm. They typically have a lightweight aluminium cover and cost around £40. They should be set to level on a 100mm thick concrete bed but do not normally require a concrete haunch before backfilling. They come with one or two side inlets set at a variety of angles to suit most situations. Generally 300-450mm in diameter, and 225-300mm deep, with raising pieces generally 225-450mm deep. Installation Both access chambers and branch junctions can be 'inserted' into an existing pipeline by using sliding or adjustable couplings. A sliding coupling is a normal coupling without the central register. This allows the coupling to be slid completely onto an existing pipe, unlike normal couplings in which the central register ensures the coupling is positioned correctly when joining two pipes. An adjustable coupling is a bigger and more expensive affair. They have adjustable collars at each end of the coupling, which are tightened by means of a large 'Jubilee Clip'. They are ideal for awkward connections, or for connecting two different types of pipe. The process of installing an access chamber is illustrated in the following pop-up window. Note that a branch junction can be installed using an identical process Page 3 The process of installation is slightly different for the plastic inspection chambers (commonly abbreviate to IC) than for the simple access junction illustrated above. Because an IC has inbuilt couplings, short lengths of pipe, 300-600mm long and known as 'rockers', have to be used to connect the IC to the inlet and outlet of the existing pipe. These plastic inspection chambers are further discussed on the Manholes page. Once installation is complete, raising pieces can be added to an access or inspection chamber as required and the cover fitted. The new spur can be connected up to the new drainage point via straight pipes, bends and couplings as required. Any testing required should be undertaken before the backfilling is done in layers 150-225mm thick, each layer being compacted before placing the next. Saddles Saddles are a way of connecting to an existing pipe by actually breaking into the pipe via an elliptical or circular hole, rather than cutting out a whole section of pipe and replacing it with a branch junction, access chamber or IC as discussed above. Generally speaking, only pipes of at least 150mm diameter are 'tapped' for saddles, and more often, it is the larger pipes, diameter 225mm or more, that are considered to be viable candidates for a saddle connection. Pipework connected via a saddle is always of a smaller diameter than the receiving pipe. For instance, a 100mm diameter pipe may be saddled on to a 225mm diameter but a 225mm pipe would NEVER be saddled onto a 150mm pipe. A saddle is most commonly tapped into the crown, orsurface, of a pipe. A starter hole is made in the receiving pipe, and then enlarged until the spigot of the saddle just fits into it and sits comfortably atop the receiving pipe.On clayware or concrete pipes, creating the hole is a fairly skilled job; on larger pipes, a core-cutter may be used to drill a receiving hole, or a series of smaller holes, say 10mm diameter, may be 'stitch-drilled' to the required perimeter of the hole. On smaller pipes, especially 150mm and 225mm clayware, the hole is normally started with a transverse cut made by a power saw and gradually enlarged with a small hammer. Extreme care needs to be exercised to avoid fracturing the pipe, which would then need to be removed and replaced, a possibly expensive operation. Plasticware pipes are much simpler to tap, and less liable to fracture. A starter hole is created with a power drill and then a jigsaw or hacksaw blade can be used to enlarge the hole to the required size. a saddle connection must be properly sealed to the pipe to prevent a collection of debris & effluent. With clayware saddles, a mortar jopint is usually created, bedding the saddle onto the receiving pipe, and then haunching and backfilling around the saddle with concrete. Plasticware saddles vary bewteen manufacturers; some are solvent-welded, others incorporate a collar that encircles the receiving pipe. Page 3

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Installing New Taps

Installing New Taps

Would you like to save money & still improve your bathroom- & be able to take pride in the fact that you did it yourself? Decided to start a home improvement project can be a little frightening but with the right tools and information, you will soon be on your way. You will have the confidence to do it yourself and know that you have done a good job.

The first step to getting started with your new tap project is getting the information to do the job. You need to consult the web and/or educational books to make sure that you have all that you need to make this process happen.

You need to make sure that you have the correct tools available. This will include:-

A basin cock wrench or pipe wrench
Philips-head screwdriver
Flat-head screwdriver
Slip-joint and adjustable pliers
Adjustable wrench
plumber’s putty
New flexible faucet supply tubes
Thread sealer

Your next step in this process would be to remove the old tap. To do this, you will need to shut off your water supply either under the sink or at the main water-supply valve. The hot and cold water supply tubes will need to be loosened. At the tap stem, loosen and remove the compression nut with a basin cock wrench or pipe wrench. To remove the tap all that you need to do is remove the nut holding the tap to the sink. The tap should just lift off.

Chrome-plated brass hardware may start to decay after time so you may wish to change that as well. A bucket should be placed under the drain to contain excess water still in the drain. A new plug may come with your new taps. If this is the case, you might like to change that also. This will give you a consistent look on your new design.

You will need to wrap your tap stems with a thread sealer,ptfe tape. Before inserting the tap stems into the correct holes install the rubber gasket to the base of the faucet. Don’t worry if your tap did not come with a rubber gasket. A bead of putty will do the trick. When you have the tap in position you can thread the washer- nut and mounting nut on to the tap tailpiece. Tighten these nuts by hand.

You may now attach your supply tubes to the tap stems. Make sure that you apply thread sealer to the shut off valve threads. Tighten the coupling nuts to the supply stems. Be careful not to over-tighten the nuts. Reconnect the hot and cold water supply stems.

Now turn on the water. You will need to check for leaks while the water is running.
Now sit back and enjoy your new bathroom taps.- You can take pride in the fact that you just installed them yourself.

garden pond

HOW TO CONSTRUCT A SIMPLE GARDEN POND

Tools Spade or shovel Concrete mixer, or wheel barrow for smaller ponds Garden hose with spray nozzle Bucket and hose water level or carpenters level Materials Heavy gauge polythene sheet (enough to line your size pond and extend at least 150mm (6") beyond the perimeter of the pond comfortably). Gravel/sand mix and cement. A pond of 5 square metres (6 sq yards) will need .3 cubic metres (.4 cubic yards) of gravel/sand mix and about one and a half 40 kg (80 lb) bags of cement. An array of flat stones (enough to go neatly around the edge of the pond). A can of spray paint for marking pond perimeter. Instructions 1 Mark out your desired shape of the pond with a can of spray paint.

Using a spade level out the marked line, following around the perimeter of the pond. Dig about 200mm (8") wide and 50mm (2") below existing ground level at the lowest point. This is now the shelf around the perimeter of the pond and is where the flat stones will be placed once the concrete has been poured. 3 Dig the pond out from the pond shelf, sloping gradually down to the centre (saucer shaped) to a maximum depth of 400mm (16"). Lay the polythene on the bottom of the pond and up over the pond shelf leaving at least 150mm (6") spill past the pond edge. 4 Lay the flat stones temporarily around the shelf of the pond to ensure they fit in place and that you have enough. Remove them out of the way about 400mm (16") from the shelf edge, until the concrete is poured. 5 CONCRETE In a concrete mixer, (or wheel barrow for small pond) mix four parts fine gravel and sand mix, to one part of cement. Pour enough clean water to the mix, to make a fairly stiff mixture. If the mixture is too dry add more water. If the mixture it too wet, add more gravel/sand mix and cement to the same ratio as above. Spread the concrete over the entire polythene liner starting at the bottom of the pond, and finishing up at the pond shelf. The concrete should be at least 50mm (2") thick. Use a block of wood for a trowel, as the edges on a conventional trowel are too sharp and likely to pierce the polythene liner. 6 Lay the flat stones around the edge of the pond shelf, pushing them slightly into the concrete. A large overhanging flat stone, strategically placed, can provide shade for fish, but be sure it is fixed firmly in place, and capable of taking any weight which might be placed on it later. 7 After a couple of hours the concrete should be stiff enough to allow the pond to be filled with water. When filling, place an old sheet, piece of polythene or similar in the pond, so the flow of water does not scour the concrete. After filling remove the sheet, and leave the pond to set for about a week. After the week is up, empty and refill the pond three or four times to reduce alkaline level. You can empty your pond by a bucket for a small pond, hire a pump from any hire centre, siphoning using the garden hose. To siphon - Connect one end of your hose to the garden tap and place the other end at the bottom of the pond. Use a rock or weight of some sort to keep it submerged. Turn on the tap to enable the hose to fill up with water. Once the hose is full of water and has started to run into the pond, turn off the tap. Unclip the hose from the tap and put your thumb on the end of the hose so no water can escape and no air can get in. Carry that end of the hose to an area lower than the bottom of the pool. Take your thumb off the hose and the pool will start siphoning. The lower the area is below the pool, the faster the pool will siphon.

Basically, a deck consists of boards laid on top of bearer timbers which, in turn, are carried above the ground by various means. Deck boards are typically 19-27mm thick, 75-200mm wide, with a gap of up to 10mm between succesive boards. The bearer timbers typically 75/100x50mm or larger, at approximately 450mm centres, although site conditions generally dictate this dimension.
The diagram above illustrates a basic deck construction. The boards are attached to the bearers with annular nails or screws. The ground beneath the deck should be dressed with a gravel or a geo-membrane to keep down weeds, and the 6mm mesh at the open ends is invaluable for keeping the inevitable crisp packets, Mars Bar wrappers and autumna l leaves from lodging at some inaccesible point beneath the deck.
For fixing decking against walls, a timber referred to as a 'wallplate' is anchor bolted to the wall and joist hangers are used to carry the transverse bearers. Joist hangers are available in a range of sizes to accommodate most bearer dimensions and are affixed via galvanised nails or SS screws.
The bearers can also be carried upon brick or block supports, known as 'padstones', laid on a 75-100mm thick concrete bed and tapped down to level. Alternatively, they can be carried on treated timber ot concrete posts sunk into the ground a minimum of 450mm and concreted in position before fixing the bearers by means of carriage bolts. Timber posts can be rebated to accept the bearer, as shown opposite.

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On sloping ground, the joists/bearers can be carried on a pier of concrete blocks, laid on a concrete bed 75-100mm thick and mortar bedded, or on posts firmly concreted into the ground, as shown in the diagram opposite. An elevated deck such as this will need steps for access.

concrete slab floor 1800mm x 1800mm


A step-by-step example of how to make a concrete slab floor for a 1800mm x 1800mm (6ft x 6ft) garden shed.

The steps for this task are:
Making up the formwork (the frame that borders the concrete and stops it spreading).
Positioning the formwork on prepared level ground.
Fixing the formwork in place with pegs.
Digging a trench around the perimeter of the project.
Mixing and pouring the concrete and placing a piece of reinforcing steel rod.
Screeding and finishing the concrete.
Dismantling the formwork.

Materials you will need:
Approximately 12m of 100x25 or 100x50 for the formwork, brace and pegs.
Three 40kg bags of Portland cement.
0.2 cubic meters (7 cubic ft) sand.
0.3 cubic meters (11 cubic ft) gravel 20mm diameter and smaller.
Handful of 75mm nails.

Make up the formwork out of 100x20 or 100x50 lumber. The lumber should be straight but a low quality grade will do since it will eventually be discarded. The formwork is the frame that borders the concrete and stops it from spreading.

Cut two pieces of formwork lumber exactly 1800mm (6ft) long and cut another two pieces approximately 2400mm (8ft) long. Nail the four pieces together so that they make up a square with inside measurements of 1800mm x 1800mm (6ft x 6ft).

Ensure that the formwork frame is square. This can be done by making the diagonals equal length. Simply measure diagonally from corner to corner (see Step 1. picture) and then measure the other opposing two corners. The formwork frame is square when the distance between the opposing diagonals are equal.

When the formwork frame is square, nail a piece of lumber on top of the formwork frame from corner to corner, to make sure the formwork frame remains square until pegged in place.

The formwork is now ready to be picked up and carried into position, but first make sure that the ground has been prepared, that is, made level, with all vegetation and any soft ground removed.

Lay the formwork in place. Ensure that it is level and then secure it by hammering pointed 50x50 (2x2) or 50x25 (1x2) pegs at 900mm (3ft) intervals against the outside of the formwork.

Nail the pegs to the formwork but not all the way in, as the nail will need to be pulled out later.

Dig a trench around the perimeter of the floor area about 100mm (4") deep and about the width of the spade wide or about 200mm (8"). This is like a 'footing' to give the perimeter of the concrete floor more depth and strength, as that is the part of the floor that will be supporting the shed walls.

Saw off the tops of the pegs so that they are even with the top of the formwork. The area is now ready for concrete.

About concrete

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H. S. E.

Act 1974

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 , also referred to as HASAW or HSW, is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the United Kingdom. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing the Act and a number of other Acts and Statutory Instruments relevant to the working environment.

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• Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 [560kb] ^[2] This is current at September 2006. Please see the Disclaimer.

Statutory instruments are the secondary types of legislation made under specific Acts of Parliament. These cover a wide range of subjects, from control of asbestos at work, diving, escape and rescue from mines, ionising radiation and working at height.

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Buildit - for tips & tricks of the building trade

Fitting a new water main is a fairly easy project to undertake:

First you must dig your trench750 mm( 2`6") deep,which will need to be inspected by your local water authority so dont fill it in whenyou finish.You will need to dig all the way under your garden wall,hedge or border of your property so that the water board can pull the pipe to the main without digging inside your property.At this end leave around a metre of pipe for them to work with.
On entry to the building you will need to fit your plastic pipe inside 4" drainage fittings where they may be concreted or if you have to turn a corner to ensure the pipe will not kink or turn to quickly.All pipes inside the building will then need to be lagged with pipe lagging to make sure they cant freeze during the winter months.At the end of your pipe fit a plastic to copper fitting.Usually this will be a plastic to copper stop tap but this will obviously depend on the purpose of your new mains.Then you will need to call the local water company for them to come & inspect that the work is up to the standards they require.They will then book the job in joined up to the mains.Normally all in all this is quite a fast process & from start to finish will take a couple of weeks.

preping the ground

There should be 4 layers to all residential flexible block or
brick paving installations, whether on a drive, patio or for
a path. There are complicated assessment methods used
in the paving industry to determine 'ideal' dimensions and
specifications for each application. We find that the following
specification is adequate for 90% of residential applications.

he surface needs to be dug off to a depth of approx. 200mm. average depth of paviors 40mm bedding 100mm sub-base Remove all weeds and other unwanted organic matter. Excavate any soft spots and fill with compacted sub-base material. If the area of the paving is troubled with weeds, you may treat the excavated sub-grade with a general weedkiller such as Sodium Chlorate, but it is unlikely any normal weed will be able to penetrate the upper layers.

If the excavated sub-grade is suspect, clayey, riddled with Mares Tails or other pernicious, deep-rooted weeds, an appropriate geo-textile can be laid over the sub-grade. These geo-textiles can act as root barriers, and help to keep the overlying sub-base material from sinking into a clayey or softish sub-grade. If you require a kerb, this is a good point to construct it. Road kerbs, plain or decorative edgings, small unit kerbs, or setts laid lengthways are all suitable. The kerbs must be laid on and haunched with concrete in order for it to restrain the body of the paving and prevent it from disappearing into the garden. If you do not use a concrete bedded kerb unit at the free edges of the pavement, you MUST lay the edging courses on concrete and haunch them as you would a kerb unit. Note: Kerbs for flexible block pavements are normally laid on a concrete bed directly over the sub-grade layer or in a shallow channel excavated into the sub-base to ensure a full 100mm depth of bedding material. Bedding the kerbs over the un-altered sub-base results in too shallow a bed and haunch. The sub-base is the load-bearing layer of a block or brick pavement , and should never be omitted. Having said that, existing sub-bases that are sound and competent can be re-utilised. The sub-base should be a minimum 100mm thick, but can be reduced to 75mm for paths or patios on good ground. Following completion of the sub-base, the edging courses of the paving should be constructed before placing the bedding layer and the blocks /bricks. The perimeter edges of the paving can be laid in a different colour, or even a different block/brick, which should be laid on a concrete bed and haunched to prevent lateral (sideways) movement of the paving. These edges 'frame' the body of the paving and must be strong enough to withstand the lateral forces generated on a pavement by traffic. Note: Edging restraints for flexible block pavements are normally laid on a concrete bed directly over the sub-grade layer or in a shallow channel excavated into the sub-base to ensure a full 100mm depth of bedding material. Bedding the blocks over the un-altered sub-base results in too shallow a bed and haunch. There is an exception to the above recommendation, and that is when an edging course is laid against an existing solid object, such as a wall, in a position where it can not be overrun by a vehicle, as shown in the diagram opposite. In a situation such as this, it is acceptable to lay the soldier edging on a 50mm concrete bed, solely to ensure that the blocks will not move or settle when used as a level guide for subsequent screeding of the bedding layer. SAND There seems to be more confusion regarding Grading of Fine Aggregate Percentage by mass passing B.S sieve Sieve Size Overall Limits Additional Limits for Grading C M F 10.00 mm 100 - - - 5.00 mm 89 -100 - - - 2.36 mm 60 -100 60 - 100 65 - 100 80 -100 1.18 mm 30 -100 30 - 90 45 - 100 70 -100 600 µm 15 -100 15 - 54 25 - 80 55 -100 300 µm 5 -70 5 - 40 5 - 48 5 - 70 150 µm 0 - 15 - - - Sand grading limits - from For general on-site construction purposes, there are two main working categories of sand, namely building sand (aka soft sand) which is primarily used in the preparation of mortars, and grit sand (aka sharp sand), which is used as a bedding material for paving. Naturally there are intermediate sands and applications thereof, such as jointing sand, but these are the two most regularly encountered categori Building sand tends to be a fine sand, often with a clay content of 10% or more while a grit sand will have a low clay content and a greater proportion of larger grain sizes. Finally, two specialist sands; jointing sand, as mentioned above, is used to fill the joints of block paving and is specially selected to have a very low clay content and have grain sizes that will generate a high degree of friction, thereby giving stability and resistance to loading in a block pavement. Page 3