Right I have now bought the brickie tool, what to do next??

[ddcmp]

basically i wana build a 8metre by 4 metre x 2.5 metre high (3.5 to the top of apex) breeze block workshop (i have an okayish largish garden)

 

how deep to do the footings and what mix to use for the foootings? i done a little research and came up with 1x6 OPC cement and Ballast

 

how do i level the footings - do i just make it fairly level or perrrrfect?

 

will also need to wait for that brickie to arrive i hope its as easy as they show it on tv lol

 

i have ordered 4 packs of blocks 2 tonnes of sand and have 6 bags of cement ready and waiting (il buy cement as and when needed

 

i got 1000 pounds to do it in, already spent 300 quid the quotes i had were all 1300> for labour only WTF its only 280 - 360 blocks and 2 days for a competent brickie

[ddcmp]

well 2 days if they actually work from 8-4 unlike most who work from 12-2

[steveg]

I'd recon about a foot deep should be ok for the footings - for a single storey house the minimum requirement is 600mm, which is about 2 foot, but as its only a light weight building I wouldnt think you'd need much more than a foot, but it realy does depend on the soil - if you hit something hard early on then you'll be fine, if the ground is really soft then you need to keep digging a bit more. Make sure the bottom of the trench is pretty level - step it if you need to change levels, dont slope it.

 

Put a post on the outside of each corner at the correct level and level to the top of that. they need to be pretty level or you'll find it really hard laying the blocks.

 

If the tool you've ordered is one of those plastic things that you put on top and fill with cement then place the block on top, i really wouldn't bother! Spend a while learning how to lay blocks, after you've completed a couple of courses you will be quicker doing it without the tool!

 

Steve

[ddcmp]

Its Clay Soil and il need to step it probly 3 times as its on a slight slope. can you elaborate on the posts part...?? stick posts in and use a string line (as i am stepping i will need to use posts on both ends of the steps?

 

the tool is the one you have described (put on top and fill with cement and hten rest blocks on top.... il probly use it a while and get fed up then try ding it alone and get fed up agin

[steveg]

What are you planning to put in as a floor? Is it going to be a concrete slab?

 

Unless its an extreme slope i'd aim to make the foundations level all over - even if it means that part of it finishes quite a way underground - its fine to build it up in blocks underground and then back fill with soil.

 

With posts on the outside of the corners get some small posts and drive them in until the top of them is level with where you want the top of the foundations to be. If the sides are quite long put one half way down as well - you can level between them with a strait edge and spirit level. When you are sure they are all at the same level its quite easy pouring concrete to the correct height. - Don't forget you really need to do the whole concrete pour in one go.

 

Steve

[OutToLunch]

Right I have now bought the brickie tool, what to do next??

 

Apply for planning permission?

[Tricky_Dicky]

That brickie tool is actually pretty good. My brother in law put up quite a large garden wall with it and it looks excellent, but obviously will take some time.

 

A building of that size will probably need planning permission, it also matter where in relation to your house and boundaries you are planning on building it.

 

I presume you have done the calcs for weight of the roof and angle things like that and also know how to fit an apex roof. If you haven't, I'd go with a professional.

[Martin]

quotes i had were all 1300> for labour only WTF its only 280 - 360 blocks and 2 days for a competent brickie

 

Try doing it yourself (even with your Bricky tool) and you will soon realise why brickies charge so much

 

But seriously though, that is quite a big project so even if you don't need planning permission you will almost certainly need to confirm to building regs. Seek professional (building) advise - try your local council!

 

mb

[ddcmp]

nah ive checked planning permission is only required for outbuildings that are going to be used to live in, and also if they are above 4Meters tall with an apex roos (3 Metres with a flat roof)...

 

when u say pour in the footings in one go, can i mix and pour then mix and pour and mix and pour till done? or just pour pour pour??

[TechSupp]

From what I remember you require planning permission if its 20m3 or greater and its a permanet structure (your is, ist brick whereas prefab concrete garage is not!) and as said its location to current building lines etc.

[ddcmp]

No outbuilding on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation.

Outbuildings and garages to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof.

Maximum height 2.5 metres within two metres of a boundary.

No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.

No more than half the area of land around the "original house"* would be covered by additions or other buildings.

In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres.

On designated land* buildings, enclosures, containers and pools at the side of properties will require planning permission.

Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission.

[ddcmp]

those are the only rules to keep within, also obvously electrics need to conform.... but thats bout it as far as i can see... worse comes to the worse il put a flatish roof an cover with loftboards and felt them up.

[steveg]

By pour in one go I mean same day basically - as long as you just keep mixing and pouring it will be fine, you just dont want to mix a bit, go and have 2 hour lunch breakthen come and do a bit more.

 

It might be worth seeing how much mixa-mate or one of the similar companies charge - they bring a big machine that mixes the exact ammount you need as you require it.

 

Steve

[Martin]

nah ive checked planning permission is only required for outbuildings that are going to be used to live in, and also if they are above 4Meters tall with an apex roos (3 Metres with a flat roof)...

 

But as i mentioned above, have your checked the Building Regulations???

 

From Exempt buildings...

 

Shed

In order to be exempt your shed must satisfy the following

• Must be detached.
  
• Internal floor area must not exceed 30 square metres.
  
• More than 1 metre from the boundary or constructed of brickwork or blockwork.
  
• Must not be used for any other purpose (e.g. Kitchen or living / sleeping accommodation).
  
• If built of timber and is not more than 1m from the boundary, the floor area must be below 15 square metres.

 

...you are a couple of square-metres out!!

(I chose the above web-site 'cos your profile says you are from Leeds)

 

I would check with the Council first, otherwise you may be forced to demolish the building

 

mb

[powdarrmonkey]

Ok, I've finally had enough and have to weigh in....

 

1. Stop.

2. Re-design your shed so it fits planning constraints (if you knew maths, you'd have worked out that your planned floor area is 32sqm, which is more than the 30 permitted)

3. If you're really going to do this stupid thing, get a competent builder to tell you it's stupid, and then build it for you.

4. Alternatively, do a couple of years labour with a building firm so that you learn what you're doing, and then build it. There's an awful lot more to be considered here than just 'how do I lay bricks and pour cement'.

[ddcmp]

hi powdarrmonkey,

 

i asked for advice, saying 'its stupid' doesnt actually help. i am a plumber by trade, one year from my nic (electrics) qualification, have block paved over 100m2 of land perfectly (mine, friends e.t.c) and there is nothing that i dont think i can manage doing by myself (obviously with help from friends and family) i am not a guy that gives up and will take advice from everyone but i hate comments like the one you made.A standard builder has learnt from experience exactly how i have learnt my fulltime job (i have no qualifications apart from 3 GCSE's. I am not building a bridge for gos sake, fine i will do a 4mtrex4mtre shed and then do another one at the side (which will fulfill building regs) i just wanted to see if anyone else has experience which some have been giving and been very helpfull. My english probly isnt very good and these kids will probly outdo me in an english test but i dont give up, maybe il post a picture once finished. end of the day only one person can have a problem and i have already had a word with him (my far neighbour (im in a detached house) anyways rant over. Do you know how hard it is to find an actual competent builder their all cowboys id rather do it myself, save the cash and fund my gas safe course next year.

 

i dont give up mate, i dont go out, i dont even go on holidays.i plan my next challenge!

[powdarrmonkey]

hi powdarrmonkey,

 

i asked for advice, saying 'its stupid' doesnt actually help. i am a plumber by trade, one year from my nic (electrics) qualification, have block paved over 100m2 of land perfectly (mine, friends e.t.c) and there is nothing that i dont think i can manage doing by myself (obviously with help from friends and family) i am not a guy that gives up and will take advice from everyone but i hate comments like the one you made.A standard builder has learnt from experience exactly how i have learnt my fulltime job (i have no qualifications apart from 3 GCSE's. I am not building a bridge for gos sake, fine i will do a 4mtrex4mtre shed and then do another one at the side (which will fulfill building regs) i just wanted to see if anyone else has experience which some have been giving and been very helpfull. My english probly isnt very good and these kids will probly outdo me in an english test but i dont give up, maybe il post a picture once finished. end of the day only one person can have a problem and i have already had a word with him (my far neighbour (im in a detached house) anyways rant over. Do you know how hard it is to find an actual competent builder their all cowboys id rather do it myself, save the cash and fund my gas safe course next year.

 

i dont give up mate, i dont go out, i dont even go on holidays.i plan my next challenge!

 

I think there's a fairly major difference between block paving and building a permanent block, brick and wood structure like you're planning. It's absolutely no concern of mine how many qualifications you have: if you try and build something without good advice from a builder (which, as far as I know, none of us are), it's probably going to fall on your head. More problematic, if it falls on someone else's head, you are liable. If nothing else makes you stop and think, that should.

 

At the moment you're going to end up with an unsafe, legally dubious building and you have to recognise that. You can't just throw some bricks together with nil experience and hope for the best. Get a brickie who you know isn't a cowboy because s/he has a good local reputation.

 

Hiring a proper builder doesn't mean you can't get stuck in with the construction yourself, it just means there is someone else around who knows what they're doing. They'll probably be glad of the help.

 

(I'm not your mate, either.)

Edited June 30, 2009 by powdarrmonkey

[elsiegee40]

i will do a 4mtrex4mtre shed and then do another one at the side (which will fulfill building regs)

 

Building 2 4x4s next to each other will still exceed the permitted floor area... you can't get round it by breaking the floor area into lots of smaller chunks. Planning requires the total floor area to be less than 30 sqm

 

powdarrmonkey was abrupt, and I can see where you are coming from. However, I too would have concerns about an extension being built when you need to ask so many questions about the technicalities.

 

I have a feeling that a bunch of edugeeks may not be the right people to ask for the answers. There must be more relevant forums that can give you the answers you need.

 

PS as for the foundations, our conservatory was a minimum of 60cm, but once they started digging (our soil is clay too) they decided we needed 1 metre.

[ahuxham]

Good luck with the building. All my admiration for someone wanting to build their own. No fun in getting someone else todo it, adds a sense of accomplishment.

 

My uncle did everything around the house. Built the extension, built the pool, made all the cabinets, tables, side tables, beds himself as well, did all the raised borders etc etc. Took him almost four years, but I've never seen someone so proud in himself and I thought everything was grand.

[ddcmp]

il pop a picture up once ive finished......do you actually know what goes into block paving? i see building a garage/shed much easier than paving....by the way whoever asked - i do have a cement mixer and a whacker plate (from all my block paving projects)

 

if i list all the things i have done it will take me ages but i have mastered skimming (using 10 bags of thistle finish as my training instructer - cost : 50quid as opposed to 700quid to go to a couse for 5 ddays. Took my 2 years to do the insides of my house (dul rewire skimming plus built an internal wall of BRICK 3metre by 2.4 metre plus fitted kitchen and bathroom all real wood floowing carpeting ripped cielings down and drywalled and plastered, retiled the roof replaced all soffits and drainpipes. e.t.c guess what my house is still standing, the water drains nicely. the tiles are still up on the bathroom walls and the silicone is stil white in the bathroom (after 4 years of me and family bathing)

 

the only thing i havent done yet is laid foundations well level foundations but i think i got my answer now from this forum and my usual diy forum (use posts and a stringline)

 

I will make the garage as large as can be within regs and hopefully post a picture in bout a month or 2 depending on how tired i am digging the footings (have you ever dug in clay)

 

i only said mate sarcastically, i would dream of having someone so negative as a friend, id say something like common powdermonkey lets clean your drains coz your house nearly got flooded last week in the downpours and youd be like no way its too dangerous and hten go and spend 300 quid on a 'roofer' unfortunately im not a rich person that i can spend 1300 on labour for 2-5 days work (id rather do it myself and save the cash then i can fullfill my dream of paying off my mortgage and having a few more kids.

[krisd32]

I will make the garage as large as can be within regs and hopefully post a picture in bout a month or 2 depending on how tired i am digging the footings (have you ever dug in clay)

 

why don't you hire a digger then?

 

But i definately think your asking in the wrong place here. diy or builders forum would be the right place to go!

or get someone in to do the groundworks correctly then you've got peace of mind throught the rest of the project!

[ddcmp]

digger hire 150quid, or myself 1hour a day i can do at least 1 mtre will take me 20 days or less if i call the friemnds round for tea party (thatls cost 30quid!) then that saved 120quid (150-30) can buy my daughter her wooden play thing with the swings slides and tunnel

[krisd32]

digger hire 150quid, or myself 1hour a day i can do at least 1 mtre will take me 20 days or less if i call the friemnds round for tea party (thatls cost 30quid!) then that saved 120quid (150-30) can buy my daughter her wooden play thing with the swings slides and tunnel

 

Fair point! Round here you can rent a digger for around £50 a day so wouldn't of been to bad and saved you being tired! getting the friends round can also be a good idea though. call in some favours!

[ddcmp]

ok so i have checked my councils regs and it is:

Detached Garage (exempt if)

It does not exceed 30m2 floor area and is either: -

 

a. more than 1m from any point of the boundary of its curtilage or

b. Constructed substantially of non-combustible materials

 

 

so i can build a 7.5x4 as opposed to my initial 8x4

 

concrete blocks are none combustible so iit can be right upto the boundry

 

so im calculating it to cost 500quid without roof and door (i already have a double glazed window)

 

roof will cost quite abit i think and door will cost 100ish so im thinking 1100-1200 all in. thats electrics insulation, boarded up inside skimmed plus a nice concrete base...i can then dump all my tools inside and lock the door till the next project!

[dalsoth]

Post some pics when its done, good luck