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Parapet walls behave differently to conventional cavity walls because of their location at the very top of a building where both skins of the parapet are outer skins, and as such are exposed to moisture.
Traditionally constructed parapet walls can become saturated with rain and are also subject…
Whether they're for waste, recyclables, gardens or glass, the rise of the wheelie bin is causing issues of its own. More space to store the wheelie bins is needed but did you know that the requirements are contained in the Building Regs?
You could be excused for thinking that Building…
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…
The building regulations specify limits on water use for newly constructed homes and those formed by converting existing buildings. Water usage from WCs, wash basins, sinks, showers, baths, and white goods such as dishwashers and washing machines are all included in the requirement…
Judith Schulz and Neil Hitchen of ARUP explained their “Top 10 design specification concerns” at a recent conference that forms part of LABC’s “Professionals in Construction” conference series. This conference focussed on controlling the spread of fire in high risk buildings.
ARUP gave an…
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…
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…
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…
One of our surveyors had a bit of a shock recently when visiting a site for a domestic extension.
They were called out to inspect reinforcement prior to concreting foundations but hadn’t been to site previously for an excavation or commencement inspection. The ‘builder’ proudly stood back and…
A quarter of heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the roof. Utilising roof insulation in a loft, attic or flat roof is a simple and effective way for your customers to reduce heat loss and cut their heating bills - but only if the work’s done properly. The level of insulation…