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Posts Tagged ‘ground<’
Did you know that the roots of trees can sometimes spread to 2½ times a tree’s height, and that the moisture they draw out from clayey soil can cause the earth to heave? Miss the point of this and plant a tree close by your house, and you’re inviting cracking and subsidence. Rather Find a Landscaper on Mr-Skill who knows what they are talking about.
 If you have heaving clay, and like to garden around your your house then the following may prove useful:
- Avoid the problem in the first place by NOT planting strongly-growing trees like poplars, oaks and willows near to buildings. Plant shy-growing flowering shrubs instead. These may not get tall enough to foul your gutters either.
- If you inherit a tree that’s not grown too big already, then you could try what some London Gardeners still call pollarding. This involves pruning it back annually to keep it smaller. Remember, there’s a ratio between tree height and the spread of roots.
- Don’t leap out of the starting blocks and get a Gardener Quote to chop a tree down the moment you spot subsidence.
 Trees take a long time to grow, and the problem could be the clay itself. An alternative could be to cut the roots back, and see whether this helps first.
- If all else fails and you are forced to cut down a tree, then seek advice from your local council first, because it might be listed and require permission to remove. Chop down deciduous trees in wintertime when the sap is low. You’ll find the job far easier when there are no leaves.
Chopping down a tree sometimes seems like an attack on nature, and the birds that nest there. Don’t try to do the job yourself because tree-felling is definitely dangerous. Use a Gardener on Mr-Skill instead. And finally, please do plant a suitable replacement tree further down the garden.
Tags: Building, chop, chop down, clay, crack, dangerous, earth, fell, find a landscaper, flower, Garden, gardener quote, ground, grow, gutter, heave, height, house, london gardeners, oak, plant, pollard, poplar, prune, ratio, root, shrub, shy, small, soil, spread, subsidence, tall, tree, vigorous, wall, willow, winter
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Posted in Bricklaying on Jan 09
Sometimes we come across customers trying to crack walnuts with large sledgehammers. By this, we mean people trying to turn a rowing boat into an ocean liner. Take simple brick paving jobs, for example. If it’s not a heavy traffic area you could even do the job yourself, thereby avoiding the  need for a London Bricklayer or other specialist.
- Obtain a supply of decent quality bricks. By this we mean a product that’s well baked through, reasonably rectangular, and of a pleasing appearance too. Don’t be put off if the colour varies though. In fact, variety can be a large part of the charm.
- Mark out the path or patio and excavate to twice the thickness of the bricks laid flat. Remove any roots you find. Lay a plastic sheet in the hole to discourage weeds. Mix dry cement powder with two-thirds of the soil dug out, in proportions of four parts earth to one part cement. DO NOT MOISTEN this mixture. Mother Nature will do it for you.
- Compact this mixture back into the hole until it is level, and one brick’s height below the ground. Sprinkle fine dry sand evenly over it to about half an inch thick. Lay the bricks in whatever pattern
 you prefer, tapping these down firmly with a rubber mallet, and adding / removing sand as necessary to create a level effect.
- Fill any gaps with brick pieces. Use a hammer and chisel NOT AN ANGLE GRINDER to cut these down to size, and remember to wear thick gloves. Finally, excavate a frame all around the paved area the width of a single brick. Mix all the remaining earth with dry cement powder – in a ratio of three parts to one this time – and tamp it back in. The mixture will harden naturally over time. Cut away any surplus plastic sheet.
How that for service from Mr-Skill? There’s no need to ask us for Bricklaying Quotes if you’d like to do a job like this yourself. Should you decide that you’ve got better things to do though, we can help you Find a Bricklayer working in your area, and We Won’t Charge you a Penny for this service either.
Tags: brick, bricklaying quotes, cement, chisel, colour, compact, depth, earth, find a bricklayer, ground, hammer, harden, height, job, london bricklayer, mallett, naturally, path, patio, paving, piece, plastic, proportion, root, sand, sheet, soil, tamp, thick, traffic, weed
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Posted in Bricklaying on Nov 25
We get queries from time to time from homeowners concerned about the efflorescence on their walls. Sometimes these walls have been rendered, while at other times they are raw masonry. In all cases the powder is caused by leeching salts contained in the raw materials. So there’s little point in trying to Find the Builder who built the wall –  although you could help avoid the problem by employing a professional bricklayer, such as those whose services we advertise here.
The ground salts are contained in natural products like sand, clay and stone. When water penetrates the material it carries the salts out to the surface. There the water evaporates leaving the characteristic white deposit behind. This can largely be avoided by preventing water intrusion and applying a surface sealer. When you get Bricklaying Quotes from Mr-Skill, you should discuss such matters and agree solutions.
• Brushing the efflorescence away is only a temporary solution, although theoretically all the ground salt will leech out in time.
• The permanent solution lies in preventing water from entering the material in the first place. If it is  intruding from the outside, then this is relatively easily cured. If the wall is a retaining one though then a big job lies ahead as every London Builder knows. That’s because a leak is only stopped at its source, and that’s behind the wall!
• If you are lucky, then the problem is the result of a permeable surface on the weather side. The solution in this case is to allow the wall to dry out, thoroughly brush the surface clean, and then apply a proprietary clear sealer.
The Bricklayers advertising on Mr-Skill are properly trained and know how to mitigate against irritating efflorescence. Their rates are generally lower too, because they compete among themselves for work. There is no charge for requesting quotes from us and no obligation to accept them either. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect consumer-driven solution you’ve been looking for?
Tags: bricklaying quotes, brush, clay, clean, deposit, dry, efflorescence, enter, evaporate, find a bricklayer, ground, intrusion, leech, london bricklayer, masonry, natural, outside, penetrate, permeable, powder, prevent, render, retain, salt, sand, seal, stone, wall, water, white
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Posted in Bricklaying on Nov 10
United Kingdom soil is always damp provided you dig down deep enough, and when it gets saturated, capillary action causes moisture to rise up to the surface.  If that happens and you rest a cardboard box upon the ground, the water dampens the cardboard too. Similarly, moisture naturally rises up through porous brick walls, and that’s what we call rising damp.
A damp course is a physical damp-proof barrier above the ground on which the walls of a building rest. It may also be a vertical barrier to prevent rainwater intrusion from outside, although this is less common. The earliest horizontal barriers were inserted using slate which being dense is impervious to water. These days cheaper plastic strips are more common.
If you are planning to Find a Builder outside of Mr-Skill we recommend that you carefully research the details of what they propose by way of damp courses. Should you source a tradesman through us though, there is no need to worry. That’s because all our craftsmen follow the practices of the best London Bricklayer Firms.
 A horizontal damp course should be laid between two brick courses at least six inches above the ground at the highest point, and it should never be covered afterwards by soil because this can counteract it. Should the brick course subsequently fail, then there is little point in getting Bricklaying Quotes. The only workable solution is to arrange expensive chemical injections.
This is why we always recommend employing qualified, Rated Bricklayers such as we provide at Mr-Skill. The pleasures of saving a few pounds on a bricklaying job through employing glorified handymen is easily forgotten, after you receive an expensive chemical injection repair bill.
Tags: barrier, brick, bricklaying quotes, capillary, chemical, course, damp, damp course, dig, earth, find a bricklayer, ground, horizontal, injection, intrusion, london bricklayer, moisture, plastic, rain, rise, rising damp, slate, soil, surface, vertical, water
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Climbing ivy is undoubtedly a sight to behold as spread out across a wall and creates an environment in which the birds may nest. But it has its disadvantages too. Snakes and spiders and even rats may use it to gain access to your bedroom, and it can also cause damage to bricks, window frames and gutters.  Are you of a mind to get rid of yours? Then you may need to Find a Gardener on Mr-Skill to do the work for you. That’s because standing on a ladder all day is dangerous, and the job is laborious too. Not convinced to call in help? Then here is what you need to do…
• Pull a test sample of ivy away from the wall to determine how thick it is, and whether it tears off without causing damage. If it comes away easily then you could continue. If not, then you may need to get Gardening Quotes to have poison applied by an expert, and perhaps even call in a builder afterwards to make repairs.
• Returning to ground level, lop off all the vines as close as possible to the ground before proceeding to peel away the cut branches. Be careful here, because a sheet of ivy can come loose unexpectedly, and this will be heavy and surprisingly dusty too. Do not attempt to deal with the tiny hand-like suckers yet.
•  Bag the cuttings and dispose of them at your local council dump-site according to the bylaws.
• After approximately two to three weeks, remove the suckers with a stiff wire brush covered with approximately two tablespoons of household laundry detergent. Every Gardener in London knows all too well not to miss the deadline. That’s because beyond this period the suckers oxidize, and are stubborn to remove.
So there you go. It’s not really all that difficult to get ivy off a wall. It’s just a messy, time-consuming job. Not in the mood to do it anymore? Then speak to Mr-Skill about the services of a Rated Local Gardener.
Personally, I find the patina of natural brickwork far more appealing, especially on an older building.
Tags: away, bag, bird, brick, builder, cutting, damage, danger, detergent, dispose, dust, expert, find a gardener, gardener in London, gardening quotes, ground, gutter, heavy, help, ivy, ladder, loose, lop, peel, poison, pull, rat, repair, sample, snake, sucker, tear, test, vine, window, wire brush, work
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Posted in Electrical Work on Jun 26
At Mr-Skill, electrical safety is paramount to all of us, and this is why we recommend that you Find an Electrician on our Pages if in any doubt at all. We use this wonderful source of instant energy so many times a day that we too easily forget that it could also be dangerous too. Avoid risks by having your home installation checked once a year (or sooner if in any doubt at all).  You can ask for competitive Electrician Quotes any time of the day or night here, and we’ll reply soon.
Electrical safety is especially important in the bathroom. Stick to the following safety hints when you are there. Enjoy greater peace of mind. Remember that water is a conductor that can take electricity to ground through you, and that wet skin reduces your resistance.
o With the exception of professionally installed and grounded shaver sockets no electricity outlets are allowed in bathrooms. This includes connections to light fittings, plugs inside illuminated cabinets, and extension cables brought in through windows and doors.
o Shaver sockets must be positioned a safe distance from water sources. You ought not to be able to reach across with hands outstretched. My Brother, who is a well-known Electrician in London refuses to  install these fittings at all. Bathrooms are small, he says. Besides, what’s the point of it, in these days of rechargeable razors.
o Only, ever install ceiling light fittings in any bathroom, and make sure that these are fully enclosed. If you must install a light switch inside the room, the only ones permitted are insulated pull-cord types.
o Under no circumstances install electric heaters in the bathroom of your home. A power shower must be connected directly to the mains distribution board, well grounded, and without any joints in the cable.
We’re in a more serious mood today. People get hurt, maimed or even killed by electricity in the UK every week. If what we wrote this time makes you more cautious then maybe that is good. Remember, it costs you nothing to get Electrical Quotes from Mr-Skill. Please be careful with electricity.
Tags: bathroom, cable, care, careful, cautious, conductor, cord, danger, dangerous, electric, electrician london, electrician quotes, enclose, energy, extension, find an electrician, fitting, ground, heater, hurt, joint, kill, light, maim, outlet, plug, power, safe, safety, shaver, shower, skin, socket, water, wet
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Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Jun 20
The easiest way to put up a wooden fence these days is to set a few poles in concrete and attach pre-fabricated panels to them. In practice, there is a bit more to it than that though. In fact, unless you really do enjoy hard work, perhaps you  should Find a Carpenter instead? These are the basic steps involved.
o Contact your local council first to check out whether there are any rules involved, or whether you could be crossing over underground services. Obtain agreement from your local neighbours too – who knows, they might even decide to make a contribution.
o Select your fence panels first. Taking account of the spacing of the poles between, determine how many of each, and how many cross braces you will need. As a general rule, you will need one more upright than the total number of pre-fabricated sections, and three times as many cross braces as you have panels. Order this material in, plus enough bags of ready-mix concrete and enough screws, nuts, bolts and nails.
o Hammer in temporary corner pegs (use anything that comes to hand) and connect these with twine. After the inevitable discussion with the neighbours, lay the poles out on the ground at the correct spacings.  Begin at the more prominent corners, so that odd-sized panels are less obvious. Dig out holes for corner poles. If your ground is heavy, perhaps you should reconsider the decision not to get Carpenter Quotes?
o Set the corner posts into the holes, making sure that they are vertical and braced by scrap timber as need be. Fill the holes with concrete around them, and leave strictly alone for the next twenty four hours. The next day, stretch twine between the corner posts to ensure straight lines, dig the balance of the holes, and set the other posts in concrete too.
o Two days later, bolt the cross braces to the posts, making sure that they are perfectly horizontal. Attach the pre-fabricated panels as you go along so that you can see some actual progress.
That’s it really, although my mate who works for Carpenters in London refuses to believe that amateurs could the job themselves. I say they probably could, presuming that they are not perfectionists, and are determined, fit, energetic and strong.
Tags: bolt, brace, carpenter london, carpentry quote, concrete, corner, council, cross brace, dig, earth, fence, fence panel, find a carpenter, ground, heavy, horizontal, law, nail, neighbour, panel, peg, prefabricate, rule, screw, service, set, spacing, twine, upright, vertical
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Hedges are far better than wire fences and ugly concrete walls. They also add a touch of countryside to grungy UK city grime while making space for birds to nest in too Trimming them is easy thanks to  modern power tools. In fact, now that I think about it, I could not find a single reason not to plant a hedge, especially since Mr-Skill makes it so easy to Find a Gardener. Here is what you need to do.
o Choose what to plant. Indigenous is robust, and hawthorn popular because the plants are so cheap. Other options include blackthorn, field maple, guilder rose and hazel. All these flower in summer too, which is exactly what you want.
o Decide when to plant. If you can, buy the plants out of season when they are cheap and let them acclimatise until planting time. This is between October and Christmas for light sandy soils, but after the Festive Season if you have heavy clay.
o  Prepare the ground. Dig it over and get rid of weeds or work them in. Leave a layer of mulch on top to discourage new ones and help Mother Nature and her earthworms to do their work.
o Set out your plants and protect them too. In wintertime, the hares and rabbits are hungry and they will dine alfresco off your hedge unless you fence them out. Tender shoots also do not like frost. At an appropriate time plant out your hedge. Remember to add spiral guards to keep them growing straight and tall, and frost protect them until spring.
Did I stimulate your interest? Good. The world needs many hedges. They can be hard work planting-out though, and you my have other things you need to do. No worries then. Get a Gardener Quote on Mr-Skill instead. Could life be simpler? Or the neighbours be more jealous?
Tags: bird, blackthorn, christmas, clay, country, dig, earth, fence, find a gardener, find a landscaper, flower, frost, gardener london, gardener quote, gardening london, gardening quotes, ground, guilder rose, hare, hawthorn, hazel, hedge, landscaper london, landscaper quote, landscaping london, landscaping quotes, maple, mulch, plant, prepare, protect, rabbit, sand, set out, shoot, spiral guard, summer, wall, weed, worm
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Posted in Electrical Work on Apr 07
Electricity is always looking for a place to go to ground. Because our bodies are 95% water, they make excellent conductors. Do not play games with this dangerous modern convenience. This is because electricity is a killer. Rather get instead.
Electrician Quotes  As adults, we know enough to turn off mains before working on electricity, yet mistake still happen. Hopefully we remember to wear insulated shoes and keep one hand behind our backs to prevent a shock going through out hearts – but what about our children when we are not at home?
There is only one cure and that is prevention. The only answer is to unplug every appliance with an exposed element before we leave the house. But, what happens when a child removes a light bulb and explores live contact points with little fingers. What must we do? Even an Electrician from London could not prevent that from happening.
- Do not touch your child. You could be shocked and become unable to help further. Turn off the electricity at the mains. If this is not possible, push your child away from the source of shock with something non-conductive, like a wooden broom.
- Check that your child is breathing by feeling for a pulse under the jaw while resting your hand gently on their chest. If breathing has stopped completely apply CPR. If it is intermittent or shallow, do not do so. Comfort the child while calling for professional help.
- In every case regardless of the outcome, do not scold your child. Explain what happened, and how to avoid it happening again in future. Then book an appointment with a doctor immediately.
Prevention is always better than cure. This includes knowing how to do CPR for different age groups, and resolving to Find an Electrician to do electrical work around your home instead. Let’s make safety first.
Tags: breath, child, contact, cpr, danger, doctor, electrician london, electrician quote, electricity, find an electrician, ground, heart, insulate, light bulb, mains, prevention, pulse, safe, save, shock, touch, unplug
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There is really nothing quite as tastily healthy as crunching on a salad grown in one’s own garden. The gentle British summer provides the perfect climate too, and besides, it is a  perfect excuse to get outdoors instead of getting Gardener Quotes. Like most other things in DIY good preparation is the secret – here is how to go about preparing the soil for your own personal veggie garden:
o Select a site that is good for growing vegetables and suits your garden layout at the same too. You are looking for a sunny spot here, because most vegetables originally come from warm Mediterranean climes.
o Dig the soil over to a depth of six to ten inches, the deeper the best. All you really need is a pick and a shovel – if your back is not what it used to be though, might I suggest you Find a Gardener on Mr-Skill instead?
o  Mark out the area with some old wood boards you might find in a builder’s scrap bin. Spread two to four inches of weed-free organic compost across the surface of the soil (the more the merrier really), and push this into the loosened earth with a hoe or similar. This will improve the structure of the soil, provide nourishment, and allow water and air to reach the plant roots.
o Rake smooth, water well, and let the ground rest for a week, removing any weeds that may appear. Now you are ready for the fun part, which is setting out your seasonal seedlings, and watching them grow into plants.
Not quite the scope of work a Gardener in London might attempt. But still a great deal more fun than popping down to Sainsbury’s or Tesco’s, don’t you think?
Tags: air, bed, climate, compost, dig, earth, find a gardener, find a landscaper, Garden, gardener london, gardener quote, gardening london, gardening quotes, ground, grow, hoe, landscaper london, landscaper quote, landscaping london, landscaping quotes, nourish, organic, patch, pick, plant, plantling, rake, salad, seedling, shovel, soil, sun, veg, vegetable, veggie, warm, water
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