Extending a Brick shed.

[davegsm82]

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for some advice on extending my brick shed at the rear of my house. Currently it is 2 x 3 Meters approximately, I am looking to extend it about the same again as it's not big enough for the work I do on motorcycles and cars. Truth be told it's not even big enough to hold all my tools!

The original shed is a single brick thickness with a concrete floor, it used to be a coal shed.

The main thing I need to know is what depth and dimensions I need to dig foundations to? I'll be mixing the foundation concrete with a traditional Belle mixer, what mix proportions would be best?

Also, since the longest wall will be about 6 meters long, is there any problem with being just a single brick thickness?

A little background on my skill level would probably help I suppose, basically I've not done any brick work before but have a friend who has and will be helping me build it. I've mixed and laid concrete before so that's no problem.

Thanks in advance.

Dave.

 

[Skimmers]

going on say 2.4 high id say 700/800mm deep 400 wide you can put some lengths of rebar in there but just keep digging till you get too good ground
as for wall you'll need piers every 2.5m use concrete blocks what roof is it having flat pitched etc
mortar mix for block work 5/1 with febmix

4" or 8" block your laying?????

use class B bricks for DPC min 150mm out side level to damp
wet cast floor with steel mesh dropped in job done


concrete lintels for doors windows

 

[davegsm82]

going on say 2.4 high id say 700/800mm deep 400 wide you can put some lengths of rebar in there but just keep digging till you get too good ground
as for wall you'll need piers every 2.5m use concrete blocks what roof is it having flat pitched etc


mortar mix for block work 5/1 with febmix

I didn't hit clay for quite some time last time I was digging, would it be better to put some hardcore down first if I can't get to anything REALLY solid?

I was thinking of leaving 1 brick length of the existing wall as a pier. won't affect my working space and saves putting one in. That pier will be about 2.5 meters from the end walls in either direction.

Roof will be flat pitched with an angle towards the garden probably, not sure what angle, will need advice on that too.

4" or 8" block your laying?????

use class B bricks for DPC min 150mm out side level to damp
wet cast floor with steel mesh dropped in job done


concrete lintels for doors windows

Will be 8" Block, hadn't thought about DPC, is it just class B bricks below ground then 150mm above and then anything else above?

Won't be having any windows, just the existing door, don't like people looking in, and they would.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[davegsm82]

Bump.

Any further advice on this before I literally dig myself into a hole?

Dave.

 

[Skimmers]

As for footings id dig till i hit hard ground your using big blocks more wight.
id dig a test hole to see what its all about
if its to deep then id poor a concrete raft footing or pile footing or normal ring beam.

ring beam is normal for most builds if its over 1m deep forget it think about the graft humping it all out then concrete in. Id pile it or just put in a load of re bar tie in a cage pour in and( poke it )

then dig out over site hardcore sand blind DPM then pore floor
normal is about 3 course of class b then off you go with blocks.
air bricks under DPC

 

[davegsm82]

Hi Skimmers,

Sorry I've been a complete numpty and put 8" instead of 4", not quite sure how I've managed that, so yes, it will be normal 4" blocks, not 8.

Thanks for the advice, makes sense now.

Dave.

 

[Skimmers]

well if you need a groundowrker/brickie let me know

 

[davegsm82]

You're a bir far away, 350 miles or so.

If I wanted to pay someone to do this, how much would I be looking to pay? (including materials). I'll almost definitely be doing it myself, but I'm just curious.

 

[davegsm82]

Dragging this thread up as I've eventually managed to get round to starting it.

Have sourced the bricks, 'Scotch Common' so will be getting those delivered this/next week hopefully.

Dug the foundations, or at least as far as I could which is about 14-16" below average ground level. Beyond this it's absolutely *solid* clay which I can't actually get through successfully.

I've been told that this will be deep enough, and looking at the shed which is standing, this is the level of the current foundations so I'm happy with that. The foundations under that look to only be 3-4" deep and maybe 10-12" wide.

So then, I'll have to lay the foundations next, any tips for an amateur builder?

Dave.