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When installing pipework or cabling, floor or ceiling joists may need to be notched or drilled. But this could weaken the floor to such an extent that it becomes structurally unsound.
To find out if this might be the case, you can find guidance on notches and holes in solid timber joists for use…
Image above courtesy of Torquay Town Hall
You may have come across flitch beams. They were most commonly used as a supporting lintel over shop windows and larger spans where timber alone couldn't work.
Typically, the flitch beam is made up of a steel plate sandwiched between two…
To deliver real thermal performance within a masonry cavity wall construction, it’s essential that the insulation is tightly fitted to the inner leaf of the cavity and that individual insulation slabs are tightly butted together. This will prevent cold air from getting through the insulation layer…
While a lack of internet connection on a website can be frustrating, having offline masonry on a building site is worse! The photo below shows newly constructed masonry that’s not central on the excavated trench.
It’s a common problem, most often caused by poor…
Why is it important to have a completion certificate for certain types of construction work in your house? Here's why...
A completion certificate helps ensure building work is safe
When building work has been inspected by suitably competent building control surveyors, with a…
Rebecca Thompson FCIOB, a specialist in heritage conservation and lecturer in building studies, became the 114th President of the Chartered Institute of Building on 19 June 2017. She is only the second female ever to hold that position.
Rebecca used her inaugural address in front of industry…
LABC Warranty have published a canopy roof checklist to provide installers with technical details and help to comply with the requirements of the building regulations.
The checklist includes details for:
Sited Formed Canopies
Prefabricated (GRP) Canopies
Site Formed and…
Demolition is something you may have to do from time to time. Although not generally considered ‘development’, planning permission may be required - so confirm with your client this is in place before starting any work.
There are two types of demolition - partial or complete removal. Partial…
Yes, it is what it looks like!
One of our Building Control teams encountered this DIY toilet installation on a recent project.
The householder had run out of money so had decided to do the internal work himself. The toilet was coupled to the soil stack with flexible ducting usually used for…
One of our surveyors recently sent this photo to us following an inspection at a factory.
Extensions and alterations had been carried out to the factory to create additional space as the company expanded.
Unfortunately, one alteration involved a previous emergency exit being enclosed to…