Stair joist loose bricks and odours

[wurzelplummidge]

Hello, We have a problem with odours (cannabis!) coming from next door. We live in a very old terraced cottage and I read that the joists penetrate through the walls.

Sure enough I checked the cupboard under the stairs and found a few loose bricks where the joist has presumably been repositioned - check out the pic. The exposed red brick is sitting loose in the hole, with next door's joist visible behind it. The two smaller pieces of brick between it and the joist are also loose.

I was originally hoping to just fill any small holes with expanding foam, now I'm not sure what to do?! The joist under the stairs is actually not too bad, it doesn't move when someone walks upstairs, the loose bricks are above/to the right, not under it so much.

Should I mortar in the bricks as well as possible myself and/or fill with foam, or call in a professional?

Many thanks as always!

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• wurzelplummidge
• 23 Jun 2012
• 1

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[freddiemercurystwin]

Realistically I think you need to consider getting a Professional in but I'm not sure which one.

Bodie is a hot head but a party animal aswell and things could get nasty if you send him in, going one of two ways, you'll not see him for days when eventually he emerges with a stonker of a hangover and bird on each arm, either that or all hell will break loose and you'll have your neighbours heads being rammed through the wall not just their odours!

Doyle would likely try to get inside the mind of your neighbours and maybe infiltrate their lair by offering to cook them a fabulous meal with a fine wine so that he could trick them. If that failed though and things did turn ugly rest assured a few karate chops later would ensure your neighbours were only able to eat soup for the next couple of months.

My apologies though, sorry, joking aside this is a serious forum and your post is one that does call for careful consideration. I really think Cowley would be your best bet, being older and with vast experience yet amply able to resist temptation I think he'd be the one you could send round to your neighbours, he'd be level headed and worldly enough with many friends in high places to be able to exert some serious 'persuasion' upon your neighbours' habits but if things did kick off he'd be able to handle himself and if not he could always call in his monkey boys.

Food for thought.

 

[wurzelplummidge]

Lolz! I'm afraid I've not seen that film so the references are lost on me!

 

[wingcoax]

Lolz! I'm afraid I've not seen that film so the references are lost on me!

The TV series with Gordon Jackson as Cowley.