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Posts Tagged ‘repointing<’
 Dryer times of the year present an ideal opportunity to get some of the more labour intensive, exterior jobs done around the home. One such job is cleaning your gutters.
Gutters can easily be blocked at any time of year by leaves, moss, feathers, dirt and other rubbish which has blown into them. A London roofer would also point out that seriously neglected gutters may have weeds growing in them, trapping a high volume of debris and blocking rainwater from accessing the downpipe. This then overflows onto the walls and windows of your home. Excessive leaking or overflowing from your gutters will cause damp on the outside of your house and mould on the inside when the rainwater is absorbed by the bricks.
Cleaning your gutters regularly will enable rainwater to flow away quickly and easily, and will prevent these expensive and unsightly problems from occurring. When your gutters have been cleaned out, you may want to consider covering your gutters with a fine wire or plastic mesh. Specially produced gutter guards and covers are also available from London roofing service companies, and these precautions will prevent quite so much debris landing in your gutter and reduce the need for cleaning in the future.
Dirty gutters may not be the only reason that rainwater drips from your guttering. Leaks and cracks in the guttering sections (“runs”) and misaligned joints may also be allowing water into your home or splashing down on the entrance to your front door. Cast iron guttering can look attractive, but also rusts after a period of time, and loose brackets attaching the guttering to the wall of your property will affect the angle (“pitch”) of the guttering runs, and either not allow the rainwater to drain away, or – if too steep an angle – create a splash-over scenario in heavy rain, when the fast travelling rainwater meets the end caps. You should repair and replace as necessary, using the services of a local roofer in London if the work is too demanding for you.
While you are cleaning your gutters, it is also a good time to cast a watchful eye over the condition of your roof to ensure that there are not any loose or damaged tiles, and also to check that your brickwork is in good order for the winter ahead and does not required repointing. If you notice that your roof is damaged or the grout between the bricks needs replacing, use the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of the page to receive tradesmen´s quotes from local roofers in London and local builders in London.
Cleaning and repairing your gutters is a job that those with a head for heights might wish to take on themselves. Alternatively, there is an excellent selection of tradesmen in London featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory who would be happy to offer you a tradesman’s quote for getting your gutters cleaned quickly and efficiently.
Tags: brickwork, dampness, drainpipe, Find a Builder in London, Find a Roofer in London, Guttering, Guttering & Drainage, gutters, mould, repointing, sagging gutters, tradesman
Posted in Dealing With The Four Seasons | Comments Off
Posted in Handyman Services on Aug 10
 London's old buildings are notorious for letting too much hot air escape! London´s notorious autumn winds can make living in an older house or flat pretty uncomfortable – and more than a little chilly. Although draughts can get into your home through doors, letter boxes, cat flaps and even key holes, windows provide the most noticeable access to the cold breeze as it whistles through gaps between the window and its frame, and your curtains sway in time with each new gust of wind.
Rather than just snuggle up underneath a blanket and turn the thermostat up, draught proofing your windows is a cost-effective way of being comfortable when the winds begin to howl. It can also save you money on heating bills, which in turn makes its own small contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. You can seek the assistance of a local handyman in London (as two pairs of hands are always better than one) or you can attempt this job yourself.
Depending on your type of window, you should find a suitable insulating tape at your local DIY store. Normally coming as a roll of self-adhesive foam rubber, strips should be placed on the frames of outward opening windows so that the window compresses the foam when it is closed and forms a seal. Care must be taken to ensure that the foam is not too thick, or the window will not close. The same principal applies to old-fashioned sash windows, although this is a much tougher job to manage alone, and it is recommended that your local London handyman gives you a “hand” with draught proofing sash windows.
Single glazed windows that do not open but somehow manage to let draughts in, can be secondary glazed by the application of window film. Although the primary function of window film is to add privacy to your home and create an attractive appearance, it can also provide a barrier to draughts. There is also secondary glazing film available in selected DIY stores, which is applied with self-adhesive tape and then shrunk to fit with a hair-dryer. Glazing film however, is incredibly easy to a) fit incorrectly and b) damage once applied, so is only suitable as a short-term fix.
If you have draughts coming through double glazing installations, it is quite possible that a seal within one of the units is broken. In this case, it would be better to consult with a local window fitter in London to obtain a replacement seal rather than installing any of the substitutes on the market which may not have been specifically designed to be effective on your type of window units.
Most window draught proofing jobs can be done from inside, but if you have a London handyman helping you out, ask him or her to check the exterior masonry (if it is accessible!). What you or they are looking for is gaps between the window frame and surrounding masonry. These gaps can allow draughts to enter the building and, if big enough, will also permit rain water to accumulate – which will eventually rot your window frames – or worse still, damage your brickwork through the freeze-thaw process.
Your London handyman will be able to offer a quote to repoint areas of your external masonry which are damaged, and you can use the Mr Skill “Post-a-Job” facility to compare their estimate of the work required against other London handymen quotes from tradesmen featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory.
Tags: CO2 emissions, draught proofing, energy efficiency, Energy Saving Trust, environment, find a handyman in London, freeze-thaw, Home Maintenance, Insulation, masonry, mortar, repointing, save money, Window & Door Fitting, window film, windows
Posted in Handyman Services | Comments Off
Although we are in the midst of a London summer, now is the time to plan forward and deal with any damaged brickwork or repointing that is required on your property to prevent erosion during the wind and rain of the autumn and freeze-thaw effect during the winter.
Replacing Damaged Bricks
 Replacing a damaged brick is a quite straightforward job – in fact the hardest part can be to find a replacement that matches the bricks surrounding it. Often, a chat with your local builder can prove fruitful in the pursuit of a suitable brick or two, or an old trick – depending on the condition of the brick – is to remove it, reverse it and mortar it back into the wall. It can save you a little money if the brick is generally sound, and will save you the trouble of finding a brick similar in style and colour to the rest of the wall. We have prepared a simple Project Advice item on replacing damaged bricks which you can access by clicking > here < or a simple job such as this, is one that the highly rated builders in our tradesmen’s directory can resolve in just a few hours.
Repointing Brickwork
Repointing your brickwork is a job that requires a little more dedication. Although this can be quite a therapeutic occupation over the course of several weekends, in order to completely repoint the side of a house you will need scaffolding, a selection of specialist tools, quite a lot of safety equipment and be fairly confident that you can use a trowel consistently over the duration of the job. This is not a job to be done up a ladder when inadequately prepared on a Sunday morning, and except for the very ambitious DIY-er, (for whom we have prepared a Project Advice item) this is a job for which it would be far better to employ the services of a local builder. Even though the cost of using a recommended tradesman to repoint your brickwork will be more than doing it yourself, the final effect will be worthwhile and add value to your property as well as giving it a much nicer appearance.
Painting Your Brickwork
Depending on your personal preferences, you may like to leave the finished job just as it is, or now paint the wall(s) of your house with a paint that further protects the property against the elements. A good tradesman will be able to offer professional advice on which product is most suitable for your property, depending on factors such as orientation, protection from neighbouring properties or trees and environmental considerations – e.g. if you live opposite a council depot and find you get a lot of salt or chemical corrosion during periods of heavy gritting activity.
Whilst checking over your brickwork, it is a good idea to keep an eye out for any signs of subsidence. Normally, vertical cracks will appear in the brickwork in corners of the wall or surrounding windows and doors. If you feel that there is a possibility that your property is suffering the effects of subsidence, minor problems can be cured by crack stitching and replastering. If in doubt, speak with one of the local builders featured in our tradesmen´s directory.
Whatever level of work you plan to undertake on your property, now is the time to put your good intentions into practise. These tasks are much harder to perform when the weather changes and you will be glad that when the winds blow and the rain falls, your property will be draught-proof and dry.
Tags: brickwork, builder, Construction, crack stitching, doors and windows, freeze-thaw, Home Maintenance, mortar, Painting, replastering, repointing, subsidence, tradesman, Tradesmen´s Directory
Posted in Dealing With The Four Seasons | Comments Off
Posted in Building A-Z on Jul 27
 Crack Stitching is a technique used by local builders to repair walls and prevent further damage when a property has suffered from subsidence. Even though the cause of the problem may have been removed, the effect the subsidence will have had on the property is normally unsightly, with vertical cracks showing in exterior masonry. In cases where the damage is slight, a good builder may recommend plastering over the damage, but for a permanent and effective repair, crack stitching can be the most cost effective.
A good builder will initially calculate areas of the affected wall on which “bed plates” can be introduced. These will be stronger points of the building which will be able to cope with the redistribution of structural stress. Your local builder will then grout reinforced rods into areas of the wall which are still sound, and connect them using chemical bonding materials. This operation redistributes the tensile areas of the structure and promotes future stability, whilst allowing for sufficient flexibility to account for natural building movement in the future.
Once the rods are in place and allowed to set, a good builder would then put you in touch with a recommended tradesman in order to plaster over the affected area, providing a little more stability to the structure, and delivering a nicer finish.
If you witness cracks forming in the exterior walls of your property – particularly in corners and the surrounds of bay windows – now might be the time to find a builder in our tradesmen´s directory. Our recommended tradesmen are happy to offer no-obligation builders quotes, and with the facility within the directory to search by postcode, you could have your local builder assessing any potential damage within just a few hours.
Tags: brickwork, builder, Construction, crack stitching, Home Improvements, Home Maintenance, Kerb Appeal, mortar, Painting, renovate, replastering, repointing, subsidence, tradesman, Tradesmen´s Directory
Posted in Building A-Z | Comments Off
Posted in Building A-Z on Jul 27
As any good builder will advise you, the “Freeze-Thaw” process is responsible for much of the damage caused to masonry and brickwork during periods of inclement weather. Most masonry – bricks, concrete blocks, stone and mortar – has small holes in its composition. These holes fill with water when it rains which freezes as the weather gets colder.
 Frozen water expands as it turns to ice and exerts pressure on these weak spots within the masonry causing them to crack a little. As the ice thaws, and the water runs away, it leaves a larger hole which again fills with water when it rains. If this rainwater freezes once more, it makes the crack a little bigger, and the process continues until such time as the face of the brick falls away or you discover water seeping through the joints in your masonry. There are a series of remedies that can be undertaken with the help of your local builder when you witness this happening.
A good builder will recommend that individual damaged bricks are simply replaced and that cracked mortar can either be repointed or, in extreme circumstances, the local builder would suggest crack stitching. Once the surface of the wall is sound, it is advisable to employ the services of a local tradesman to repaint the wall with a sealing paint which adds further protection against the elements.
This process of freeze-thaw can also cause long term damage to paving, drainage systems and garden walls, so if you see small cracks appearing in any of these items around your home, it is best to consult with one of the highly rated tradesmen that appear in our tradesmen´s directory.
Tags: brickwork, builder, Construction, crack stitching, drains, freeze-thaw, Home Maintenance, Kerb Appeal, masonry, Painting, paving, repointing
Posted in Building A-Z | Comments Off
 Although bricks are built to last, sometimes, due to the freeze-thaw process or other damage to masonry, cracks will appear or bricks begin to crumble and it is time to replace old bricks with new. When the task involves just one or two bricks it is a job that a skilled handyman can do themselves, however if there are a whole series of bricks to be replaced, it is better to use the services of one of the recommended builders listed in our tradesmen´s directory, in case the problem affecting the bricks is more severe that simply aging.
In order to do this job yourself, you will need a masonry drill, club hammer and chisel, and some sand, cement and hydrated lime to replace the mortar you will be removing. For health and safety purposes you should wear goggles and gloves whilst doing this job, and place a dust sheet below the area in which you will be working. If you are considering replacing bricks above shoulder height, it is advisable that you hire some scaffolding rather than attempt to use a masonry drill up a ladder. Most of these items can be acquired from a local DIY centre but, if in doubt, it is always better to ask a local builder for assistance.
The first step is to remove the damaged brick, and the simplest means of doing this is to drill several holes of around 100mm into the brick and the mortar surrounding it. Then, using a club hammer and sharp chisel, chop out the brick. Care should be taken in corners and around adjoining bricks to ensure that a clean hole is created and no damage occurs to neighbouring bricks. You should dust out any loose mortar or brick dust and then hose to wet the area where the new brick is going to be inserted.
To mix your mortar, you need 3 parts building (sharp) sand to 1 part cement and, in order to make the mortar less likely to crack, ¼ part hydrated lime. Mix with a little water until you have a firm paste (similar to marzipan) and spread a smooth layer of mortar along the bottom and sides of the hole you have just made. Before inserting the brick, soak it in a bucket of water. This will prevent the brick drawing moisture from the mortar which could result in it cracking once set. Place a layer of mortar on the top and sides of the brick and manoeuvre it into place.
As you place the brick into the hole, excess mortar should protrude from the joints around the brick. If it does not, not enough mortar has been used and you need to remove the brick and apply extra mortar. Once the brick is in place and level, scrape away any excess mortar with a trowel and use it to fill any voids in the joints. Once the mortar is tightly packed in, let it rest for 15 minutes and then use the trowel to point the mortar and leave a nice finish.
Tags: brickwork, builder, Construction, freeze-thaw, Home Maintenance, masonry, mortar, renovate, repointing, Tradesmen´s Directory
Posted in Bricklaying, General Building | Comments Off
 Repointing brickwork is a major task, and not one to take on yourself lightly. To be effective in both totally repairing the cracks in the mortar and improving the look of your property, the whole side of a house needs to be done at one time. Inasmuch as this is not a specialised job, the work involved and the tools required mean that it is usually far better to have a team of recommended builders working with you to provide the help you may need to get the job done quickly, and supply a professional finish.
This is not a job that can be done up a ladder. To be able to use tools such as an angle grinder in safety, you need the support of scaffolding. Furthermore, you will need a fair amount of water and mortar, and carrying those items frequently up and down a ladder is exhausting and may lead to accidents. Even if you attempt this project alone, you should speak with a local builder about hiring some scaffolding and any specific tools you do not already own.
When starting a repointing project, a good builder would start at the top of the building and work along a selected number of brick courses. Once the top few rows are completed, then move down to the next rows of brick. By doing the job in this order, you prevent dust falling down onto wet mortar when grinding away at old cement. In order to remove existing mortar, you should use a small angle grinder with a mortar raking blade attachment rather than a hammer a chisel. Not only is the power tool quicker and more effective, using a hammer and chisel causes vibration and may start to loosen the bricks.
Our recommended builders suggest that you use the angle grinder to remove mortar from the horizontal joints first – followed by the vertical joints. Each groove should be 10-20mm in depth, and you should take care not to score any of the adjacent bricks. You may feel more comfortable using a brick jointer to remove the final pieces of mortar. Once the grooves are cut, remove all the dust between the joints with a soft brush and then wet the inside of the joints with a water sprayer.
You should make sufficient mortar to last for the number of brick courses you are repointing. To mix your mortar, you need 3 parts building (sharp) sand to 1 part cement and, in order to make the mortar less likely to crack, ¼ part hydrated lime. Mix with a little water until you have a firm paste with a similar consistency to Marzipan. Carefully repoint the horizontal joints and then the vertical joints, taking care not to put mortar on the bricks themselves. Once you have completed the process along the first rows of brick course, move down and repeat grinding and pointing until the wall is completely finished.
There are a number of finishes you can give to your brickwork (illustrated above). Remember to keep the same style consistent through repointing and the effort will be worthwhile, with a draught-free and secure wall that not only looks good, but improves the “kerb appeal” of your house and adds value to your property.
Tags: add value to your property, brickwork, builder, Construction, damp proofing, Home Maintenance, Kerb Appeal, mortar, renovate, replastering, repointing
Posted in Bricklaying, General Building | Comments Off
Posted in Hiring Advice on Jul 22
When hiring a local tradesman, there are a number of factors that you should consider to ensure you get the job done efficiently and economically.
Hire the Right Tradesman for You
 One of the most important considerations when hiring a local tradesman is communication. For example, if you want a wall constructed which is 8 feet long and 4 feet high, you would be unhappy if what was built was twice as high and half the width you required.
Although qualifications and memberships of trade associations are valuable, recommendations – particularly through our tradesmen’s directory – can count for a lot more. Overall, select a local tradesman that you feel you can trust to competently get the job done in a satisfactory time frame at a reasonable cost.
Check Feedback and References
 The recommended tradesmen which appear in our tradesmen’s directory are only given ratings by homeowners who have used their services through this web site, and therefore we believe that the feedback given to our recommended tradesmen is genuine and reflects on their good standard of work.
If a tradesman is not yet rated, it does not mean they are suitable for your job. They may be new to Mr Skill and could be able to supply references of their own. It is in your best interests to check the authenticity of all recommendations to ensure you are comfortable that the tradesman is able to do the job.
Insist on a Quote
 As Mr Skill is a regionally based web portal, the recommended tradesmen featured in our tradesmen´s directory can be isolated by postcode. The benefit to the homeowner is that they can chose from local builders, electricians, gas fitters and other tradesmen who are immediately in their vicinity, and who will have no problem paying you a visit to offer their tradesmen´s quote.
In it is your best advantage to meet with, and get quotes from, three or more of your local tradesmen to help you make your selection. It is also beneficial to have local tradesmen visit your home in order that they can see the job at hand and any obstacles that may be presented to them. This will also give you the opportunity to establish communication, check on references and allow the tradesman to establish a level of trust.
Verify Information
 Once you have provisionally agreed for a recommended tradesman to be awarded the job, double check on their public liability insurance and also on your own home contents insurance to ensure that any accidents that occur during the work are covered. In the case of a recommended builder subcontracting elements of the work out to other tradesmen, you need to be sure that their work is also covered by the builder’s public liability insurance and, if dealing with gas or electrical tradesmen, that they carry the right credentials.
You may also want to insist on a guarantee for their work, and go back over any references to determine whether that guarantee has ever been called upon. If you are responsible for supplying the materials for the job, your local tradesman cannot be held accountable for any faults therein, however, he should have advised you on the correct materials for the job before you went out to buy them – another reason why good communication is so important!
Get a Contract
 For larger projects, and those which require you to pay a deposit or cover the cost of the initial materials, it is recommended that you agree on a contract with your local tradesman before work commences. This contract can cover a comprehensive explanation of the job, the timescale for the completion of the work and payment schedules. It is also advisable, for major projects at least, that a percentage of the total charge is withheld until such time as the work has been inspected and passed by the Local Authority Building Control or other authorised body.
A typical builder’s contract is available through the Federation of Master Builders web site, and although it may not be entirely appropriate for the work you require to be done in every case, it gives a good overview of what should be included.
Placing your Job Posting
Placing your job posting is the first step to hiring a recommended tradesman from the tradesmen´s directory. You need to make you requirements as clear as possible from the very beginning to attract tradesmen who are capable of doing the job and deter those with inappropriate experience from applying. Add as much description and measurements as possible.
 An Example of a Poor Post “Cutting back conifer trees and shrubs in small garden, and weeds.”
In this post there are no details of the size of the conifer trees, how many there are or whether the “weeding” comprises of light hoeing or removing deep rooted bindweed. The term “small” is also relative – small compared to Great Windsor Park maybe?
 An Example of a Good Post “I have just acquired a one-bed flat in old Edwardian house in Southborough, with high-ceiling rooms but very old fashioned decor. Want quote for stripping wallpaper off living room (17′ x 13′ approx) and bedroom (14′ x 12′ approx) walls only, filling & smoothing any minor cracks/blemishes, and then painting with high quality paint. Ceiling and woodwork all OK and do NOT need painting. Ideally, would like job done within next 10 days.”
This post contains exact measurements of the walls that need stripping, the fact that the customer requires a high quality paint finish and a timeframe in which he wants the job done.
Needless to say, the latter post received more quotes that the former and the client got a job well done at a competitive price.
Summary
Do not feel awkward about requesting references, quotes and checking the tradesman’s credentials. All of the recommended tradesmen on the Mr Skill tradesmen´s directory are aware that these items will be asked for and are accustomed to homeowners requesting them. Furthermore, a contract protects the tradesman as much as it protects the customer, and it is in both parties interest that there is a written agreement of the work to be done, with timeframe and costs included, before any work commences.
Posting your job on Mr Skill is the first opportunity for communication with our database of recommended tradesmen. By putting a greater amount of detail into your post (include if you wish that you will be seeking references etc) you will attract a greater amount of attention from local tradesmen. Thereafter, follow the remainder of our tips and advice for hiring a tradesman and you will find that your jobs are accomplished more efficiently and economically.
Tags: brickwork, builder, Builders Quotes, Construction, crack stitching, damp proofing, doors and windows, Gardening, Hiring Advice, Home Improvements, Home Maintenance, Insulation, interior decoration, Kerb Appeal, lintels, masonry, Mr Skill Ratings, Painting, Post a Job, Public Liability Insurance, References, replastering, repointing, roof, Tradesmen´s Directory, ventilation, window film, Work Contract
Posted in Hiring Advice | Comments Off
 External appearances influence potential buyers : Image courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives A report released last week on propertytalklive.co.uk, shows that there are now 43% more properties on the market in the UK than there were at the beginning of the year. Despite this growth of property stock, the latest quarterly release from Nationwide Building Society show property prices continuing to inch up month on month. However, for Londoners, the picture for people trying to sell their property is bleak. According to Liam Bailey, head of residential research at international realtors Knight Frank, 68% of property bought in the capital throughout 2009 was purchased by overseas residents. This makes it incredibly difficult for vendors in London to sell their homes locally, and trying to remain price competitive within the London postcode region is often not enough.
Adding Value with Home Improvements
Adding value to your property by making home improvements can lead to obtaining both that quick sale and a higher level of profit. London based journalist, Lucy Denyer, recently wrote in the Sunday Times regarding the vendor of a flat in Highbury Park, North London, which had been on the market for many months without attracting much interest. The vendor decided to employ the services of some recommended tradesmen to reduce the size of the bathroom and create a feature dressing room for one of the bedrooms. The property was sold the day it went back on the market for £360.000, having originally been valued at £290.000.
Kerb Appeal
Not everybody will have to take such drastic steps to improve the saleability of their property. Paul Gosling, writing for the Independent on Sunday, notes that many people ignore the front of their property, yet this is the area of the house that potential purchasers see first. “Kerb Appeal” is one of the most overlooked areas of selling a house, and vendors are recommended by John Woodward – property services manager for Woolwich Property Services – “… to cross the road, look at the front of their house, and think about what would put them off”.
Repairing broken masonry, installing new guttering and replacing flaked, dowdy paintwork with a fresh coat of bright gloss can make all the difference to how a potential purchaser views your property. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and there are many local tradesmen throughout London now using their skills to help people sell their homes than ever before. Good builders these days need to have comprehensive skill sets themselves to remain competitive, and vendors should get a series of builder´s quotes before proceeding with any exterior facelift to their property.
Finding the Right Tradesman for the Job
To find trades people for the jobs that you may find too difficult to do yourself, Mr-Skill.co.uk has an extensive directory of highly rated builders throughout London that will offer their quotes for free. Please review our section “Hiring Advice” section, which demonstrates some good and bad examples of how to post your job in order to get the best tradesman – at the best price – to do your job.
Tags: brickwork, Construction, crack stitching, damp proofing, doors and windows, driveway, Gardening, Guttering, Home Improvements, Home Maintenance, Kerb Appeal, masonry, Painting, refurbish, renovate, replastering, repointing, roof, Windows and Doors
Posted in Improving the appeal and value of your home | Comments Off
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