Gap in wall

[mikeey84]

Hi all, currently decorating one of my 1st floor rooms, and have noticed that a section of the wall (outside wall, solid wall, 1920s terrace) is only 1 brick thick, the rest being 2 bricks (9")

It seems, from the concrete on the floor, and the chimney on the roof, that the breast has been removed at some point.

I would like to make the wall flat, as the wall goes back to full thickness at skirting level, and creates a little shelf that collects dust and mould due to condensation.

I am planning to stud and insulate and board it, but am worried about that fact that the 1 brick thick portion may not be strong enough. Am i better to get some block work in there tied into the rest of the walls?

 

[LegoLayer]

first off i would get it checked out,,,just ask for a quick quote from one or two builders and you will get free advice on what to do and if there's anything above needs sorting because your description sounds a little dodgy

few blocks
few 25kg bags of sand
one bag of cement
wall ties,plugs and screws

depnding on size should be around £50 for materials and you could pay a brickie another £50 to block it up,,,,,done

 

[stuart45]

See if the stack above has been supported. Quite a few get knocked out without any support put in.

 

[tony1851]

you could pay a brickie another £50 to block it up,,,,,done

I doubt a brickie would even bother driving out to wherever the OP is for £50.

 

[LegoLayer]

you could pay a brickie another £50 to block it up,,,,,done

I doubt a brickie would even bother driving out to wherever the OP is for £50.

if he was local to me i would have no problem laying a few blocks for £50

i blocked up a door and window last week for £20,,,took me less than an hour,,,he was happy and i so was i


me and a mate built a block double garage in a weekend,,,charged the guy £600,,,,the garage cost him £2000 in total,,,,,good money for us and a bloody bargain building for the old boy,,,,,,,thats pointed block work too


blocks are easy laying so no need to over charge

 

[noseall]

I think it is fair to say that some people lay blocks so that they can put food on the table whilst others do it so that the know what it feels like to be a bricky.

blocks are easy laying so no need to over charge

Have you ever laid 7n dense solid blocks in a narrow deep trench in clay sucking mud?

I suppose as long as they are light-weight fellas at waist height then yes - a piece of pi$$.

 

[LegoLayer]

I think it is fair to say that some people lay blocks so that they can put food on the table whilst others do it so that the know what it feels like to be a bricky.

blocks are easy laying so no need to over charge

Have you ever laid 7n dense solid blocks in a narrow deep trench in clay sucking mud?

I suppose as long as they are light-weight fellas at waist height then yes - a piece of pi$$.

iam a bricklayer mate

laying blocks in deep trenches doesnt bother me one bit,,,,you dont have to point it up so i get to lay more at the end of the day,,,,,easy money,,,,,give me footings any day of the week save the moaning for the young lads scared of abit of mud


but this thread is about internal block work,,,,,,,i do this type of work at least once or twice a month after day work or at the weekend so my prices are fair enough for my time

 

[tony1851]

,i do this type of work at least once or twice a month after day work or at the weekend so my prices are fair enough for my time

Ah, so you have a day job.

If you were self-employed, you wouldn't survive on that hourly rate.

 

[LegoLayer]

,i do this type of work at least once or twice a month after day work or at the weekend so my prices are fair enough for my time

Ah, so you have a day job.

If you were self-employed, you wouldn't survive on that hourly rate.

day work my friend

could you explain why i wouldnt survive on that hourly rate?,,,whether iam self-employed or employed?

 

[tony1851]

day work my friend

could you explain why i wouldnt survive on that hourly rate?,,,whether iam self-employed or employed?

£20 for an hour's work bricking up a door/window?
Does that include your time travelling to and from the job?
And how would you achieve continiuty of work?
And all overheads ? And tax??
I don't accept that a self-employed brickie could survive on those rates.

If you were well-pleased with the £20 (cash) for bricking up that door, then give up the day job and go self-employed.

 

[LegoLayer]

day work my friend

could you explain why i wouldnt survive on that hourly rate?,,,whether iam self-employed or employed?

£20 for an hour's work bricking up a door/window?
Does that include your time travelling to and from the job?
And how would you achieve continiuty of work?
And all overheads ? And tax??
I don't accept that a self-employed brickie could survive on those rates.

If you were well-pleased with the £20 (cash) for bricking up that door, then give up the day job and go self-employed.

you dont understand one bit my friend,,,,,,,,£20 an hour for a brickie is alot self-employed or employed,,,,travelling or not

ive been in the trade for a while and worked in every style of brickwork,,,,building,refractory,house bashing

 

[mikeey84]

Hi All, nice to see my post started a debate about the economics of brick laying!

Luckily my wife works as a teaching assisstant in the construction dept of the local college, so I am sure we can find someone who wants to earn a few quid!

The wall seems to be bowing slightly on the outside, but I am not sure if thats just my paranoia or not. Plus none of the walls are very straight given the houses age.

Given the state of the floor and the wall, it seems like the stack was removed a while ago. Next door share the chimney, so i will pop round and see what set they have, but for the sake of it, I think a bit of block work tied in would put me at ease, especially as the wee one is going in there!

 

[tony1851]

you dont understand one bit my friend,,,,,,,,

I do understand, my friend...........

If you have a day job, then the odd £20 cash for a small job at weekends or evenings is a nice extra if you have some spare time.

But how many of those little jobs would you need to keep going if you were self-employed, allowing for all your overheads?

 

[LegoLayer]

you dont understand one bit my friend,,,,,,,,

I do understand, my friend...........

If you have a day job, then the odd £20 cash for a small job at weekends or evenings is a nice extra if you have some spare time.

But how many of those little jobs would you need to keep going if you were self-employed, allowing for all your overheads?

your still not getting it mate

day job,,day work,,employed,,self-employed

if i was employed or self-employed i would charge the same amount to block up a door,,,,ive done this and will do this again and again


being self-employed you get to understand doing small jobs at a decent price gets you the bigger jobs,,,,,,,,,so you dont have to survive on the smaller jobs

so even if i was employed or self-employed bits of block work are priced the same


you said i wouldnt be able to survive on £20 an hour,,,,,,ive survived on £6 an hour self-employed,,,so £20 would be comfy,lol