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Pitting, also referred to as spalling is the event whereby “pits” or small holes start showing on the surface of your concrete driveway which makes it appear both worn and uneven. Concrete driveway pitting is a common but highly frustrating problem for most homeowners. You’ll see some concrete driveways that’ll only start to pit after a couple of years, but this is not true for all concrete driveways as others will start to show signs only after a couple of months. So how do you tackle this issue? Well, it’s relatively simple to tackle, however if you’re not confident or lack the necessary skills, we’d recommend you get in touch with a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’ll take you through the concrete driveway pitting repair process.

✓ Prepare the pits by cleaning the area, clearing out all debris and more. The small pits can be cleaned with a stiff brush while a sturdy broom will do a good job for larger pits.

✓ Make use of a hose to spray the concrete pits and flush out all remaining bits of waste.

✓ If you’re tackling series of small pits, simply use a caulking gun filled with pre-mixed epoxy and specially formulated for concrete to fill the pits. Clear off the excess eproxy ensuring that its level with the concrete surface. Once done, simply leave for at least 24 hours before the application of a concrete sealant to prevent the wear and tear of the new concrete.

✓ Chisel out a little concrete and clean with a pressure washer. Once done, apply a concrete resurfacing compound mixture into the holes and use a trowel to level off.

✓ Ensure that the repaired concrete driveway is protected from rain and foot traffic for at least 6 hours (or 24 hours for vehicles).

A front porch is a glorious addition that would be a blessing to have in any home. It gives you a good floor space to enjoy your neighbourhood as well as your surroundings in the cool atmosphere of the outside living space. The question however is, how do you build a porch? Constructing the structure can be a very challenging task but with proper guidance and lots of practice, you can also be a skilled porch builder. To protect your investment, it’s advisable to hire the services of a professional for help with your porch especially if you lack proper training and experience. This way, you’ll get to save time and money. This guide is prepared to give you some insight into the porch building process.

lAssess Your Location

• Consider the location before proceeding with the project. It’s essential to select a location that’ll reduce the sunlight coming in.

lPlan The Materials Required For Your Porch

• You’ll have to decide the type of porch you’ll be going for. For example, your porch can be built out of wood, composite decking or if it’s going to utilize some stone flooring, brick or even tile.

lBuild Your Porch Foundation

• Dig the foundations deep to ensure stability while also putting in mind any pipework or cabling

• Fit a damp proof course

• Add the subfloor - this can be concrete or timber

lStart To Lay The Brick And Floor

• Lay the bricks evenly up to the DPC level

• Lay the floor

• Add the flooring protection

• Once done, you can lay the bricks to the window level

• You can fit in a window sill if required before proceeding the brick and block work until it reaches the roof timber’s height

• Fit the linter when you get to the top of where the window will reach.

lConstruct The Roof

• Build a timber framework

• Fit a breathable roof membrane

• Install the roof battens and lay the roof tiles.

• Add gutters

If you’re planning to build a small extension on your property, you’ll most likely want to know the length of time it’ll take to complete the home extension. Just like many other home improvement projects, it’s impossible to provide a specific number of day in which your project will be completed as the duration is based on a number of influencing factors. This includes the size of the development work as well as whether or not you plan to live in the house when the work is being done. In this article, we’re going to give you a breakdown of the processes that’s involved in building a small single storey extension alongside the duration for each so you can have an idea of how long your small extension project will take. Let’s take a look!

✓ A small single storey extension will normally take about 3 months to be completed.

✓ Site preparation is the first step in the process and it’ll take up to 2 weeks the dig out the footings and prepare foundations. Followed by a further 2 weeks to fit the damp course as well as any drains required around the extension.

✓ The 5th week is spent on working on the external walls and putting in place blockwork to deliver cavity wall insulation.

✓ The next 2 weeks will be spent on installing the roof structure as well as internal walls.

✓ Once done. The builders will make the structure weather proof and electricians or gas fitters will be on site to add power to the extension. This will be followed by internal walls’ plastering as well as breaking into your main house.

✓ After this, when the plaster is dry and decoration completed, units or furniture will then be installed.

A patio is an outdoor space which can be used for a variety of stuffs which includes fun time with family and friends, reading time or just relaxing as the fresh breeze blows. With all these benefits and more, it’s becomes more obvious that there’s a need to keep your patio in a tip top condition at all times. If otherwise, you may not be able to enjoy your patio to your satisfaction and probably, for as long as you would want. You simply have to provide it with a regular maintenance which involves inspecting and identifying the damages that needs to be repaired before it gets out of hand. Fortunately, the minor repairs can be done by yourself if you’re confident enough. However, for bigger damages it’s advisable to call in a professional for help. In this article, we’ll take you through the patio reparation process.

✓ Prepare the area. This involves removing the problem piece gently and carefully. If there’s a piece you think can still be useful, store it in the re-use pile or you can start a new one. Once you’re done removing the pieces, the next thing to do would be to start removing anything that’s unwanted from the damaged area like debris, unwanted soil etc, and start sand fitting with some fresh sand. This should be levelled out to ensure there’s no bumps.

✓ With the sand down, you can start by putting the pieces back in together. This should be done gently to avoid any further damage. Do this until your patio

✓

Laying of bricks is a skilful trade which requires the bricklayer to fully understand the process involved in the required building material preparation necessary to construct a foundation as well as to mix the concrete or mortar. As a tradesperson, you also need to fully comprehend how to make use of various materials and master the art of shaping, polishing and cutting it. A typical bricklaying endeavour is expected to include different activities such as preparation of the surface, assembly, installation, reinforcement as well as repair.

As a result, every aspect of the job demands an in depth and extensive knowledge, skills and also experience. To get started in this career path, you can also consider getting a bricklaying license as this will stand you out from the lots from your customer’s point of view. However, to obtain a bricklaying license, you’ll need to have some qualifications which includes an industry experience in the field as well as a trade certificate. These formal and nationally recognized qualifications can be gotten through the Recognition of Prior Learning.

It must, however, be said that several states will require either a building practitioner registration or a bricklaying license to enable you practice as a professional bricklayer in order to ensure that the national standards for quality is always met. In other states, a bricklayer must meet some certain registration requirements or possess concrete licenses. Some will necessitate that you register as a building practitioner to take on certain projects but only to a particular level.

Overall, a bricklaying license will help you meet the building commission’s requirements so as to avoid stern punishments like fines and sanctions. It also allows you to sign legal contracts and agreements, market your services and lots more to steer ahead of competition in the industry.

Wall rendering is basically a process which involves the application of sand, cement or polymer covering to a home’s exterior in such a way that enhances its look while also offering an improved stability. The process is a perfect solution for several exterior concerns mainly due to the support its able to provide. It’s highly beneficial for older homes whose walls may suffer from poor quality because of wear over time, while it’s also greatly advantageous for newer homes as it increases their stability while also enhancing their visual appeal.

Knowing how to apply render is a great skill to have with your home’s upkeep in mind. The project can be done quite easily by any competent and confident DIYer. However if you lack any of those attributes, then we’d recommend you get in touch with a reliable professional for help. In this article, we’ll take you through the wall rendering process.

✓ Prepare the walls. This involves examining the wall, repairing any structural defects as well as stabilizing any movements to prevent the render finish from failing.

✓ External details. This includes the removal of bargeboards, rainwater, soil pipes, alarm boxes and all other external details.

✓ Insulation. In the event whereby external wall insulation is to be fitted, this is the stage to do so.

✓ Developing a foundation for the render to fix to. Apply a render mesh over the insulation, bedded into the first base coat layer of render.

✓ Building up the render.

✓ Render finishes. There are a wide range of colour options as well as various finishes available from very smooth to textured. However, you should note that thin coat render systems are usually designed to be self coloured.

✓ Final finishes. This involves the re-application of the external rainwater, soil pipes and the other external details.

Cladding comes in a range of styles, such as flush, shiplap, and featheredge. Many types of cladding are also available in a variety of colours to suit any property. A cladding specialist will be able to discuss what solution is best for your property and how it works.

How To Put Up Plasterboard

Putting up a plasterboard is a vital process when it comes to home renovations. However as daunting as it may seem, with a good guide and regular practice you can master the skill within a small period of time. If you lack proper training and experience, we’d recommend you hire a seasoned professional plasterer for help so as to get the best result and also avoid additional costs due to possible damages.

Putting up plasterboard is way quicker than wet plastering and also significantly reduces the drying time that can slow down your renovation plans. With a plasterboard, you can delve straight into the decorating stage and achieve a smooth finish. Below are the steps required to put up a plasterboard.

• The first step is cutting the plasterboard to shape which be one of the most challenging parts of the process. This is because you’ll need to fit the board around things such as plug sockets and window sills. As a result, this involves cutting complex shapes rather than just a simple straight line. To get this done, simply mark out the cut required with the use of a tape measure, combination square and spirit level for a better precision. Once done, you can then use a plasterboard pad saw to cut along the marked spots.

• After you made the required cuts, the next step is putting up the plasterboard. And depending on where the boards are going to be put, this could be a very challenging task. If you’re going to put the boards on the ceiling or somewhere very high up, you’d probably need an extra pair of hands for help. To get this done, use the appropriate screws to secure the boards in place if you’re installing them directly on studs. However, if you’d be fixing them onto bricks or blocks, a drywall adhesive is your best bet.