The Home Improvements Thread (2)

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Is a 7mpa concrete brick adequate for building a single brick boundary wall with double brick columns?

Wall is about 25m long and 2m high
 
SAguy said:
My back is knackered after getting this done over the last week.
Previous owner buried the tank 50cm into the ground, with the bottom outlet against the foundation of the house :rolleyes:

Before:
View attachment 669495
View attachment 669487

After (yes, fake lawn because dog and Cape Town):
View attachment 669489

I was worried about the angle of the standard downpipe bends not working to get the downpipe routed into the tank, but I was lucky - just made it.
View attachment 669491

Still need to secure the booster pump, it's leaning forward so that's why the pipes are bent.
View attachment 669493

My plumbing skills aren't very good, so was happy to find these speedfit pipes and fittings. Not cheap but made it easy for me to DIY the two taps I have running off the pump.
View attachment 669499
Click to expand...
Who did the lawn? I need to do it in the next couple of weeks. Which type of lawn did you choose?
 
The_Mowgs said:
Who did the lawn? I need to do it in the next couple of weeks. Which type of lawn did you choose?
Click to expand...
I had Easigrass do it (www.easigrass.com), they did a decent job. Removed top soil, put down a crusher base, cement the edges, put down a weed barrier and glue down the edges and joins. Can hardly see the joins. They also then brush sand into the grass afterwards to fluff it all up.

They worked really well, and were a great bunch of guys that came out - but depends probably on your location on who you get. These places can promise you the world, but it all comes down to the guys that are actually at your place that day.

Cost for this job was just under R50k for about 80m2, half of that was the grass itself and the rest was labour, weed barrier, sand, etc...
 
alqassam said:
Is a 7mpa concrete brick adequate for building a single brick boundary wall with double brick columns?

Wall is about 25m long and 2m high
Click to expand...

Since its not load bearing in any form, then it should be suitable yeah...
 
SAguy said:
I had Easigrass do it (www.easigrass.com), they did a decent job. Removed top soil, put down a crusher base, cement the edges, put down a weed barrier and glue down the edges and joins. Can hardly see the joins. They also then brush sand into the grass afterwards to fluff it all up.

They worked really well, and were a great bunch of guys that came out - but depends probably on your location on who you get. These places can promise you the world, but it all comes down to the guys that are actually at your place that day.

Cost for this job was just under R50k for about 80m2, half of that was the grass itself and the rest was labour, weed barrier, sand, etc...
Click to expand...
Thanks. They have a office about 2km from my house. Will go and visit them.
 
SAguy said:
My back is knackered after getting this done over the last week.
Previous owner buried the tank 50cm into the ground, with the bottom outlet against the foundation of the house :rolleyes:

Before:
View attachment 669495
View attachment 669487

After (yes, fake lawn because dog and Cape Town):
View attachment 669489

I was worried about the angle of the standard downpipe bends not working to get the downpipe routed into the tank, but I was lucky - just made it.
View attachment 669491

Still need to secure the booster pump, it's leaning forward so that's why the pipes are bent.
View attachment 669493

My plumbing skills aren't very good, so was happy to find these speedfit pipes and fittings. Not cheap but made it easy for me to DIY the two taps I have running off the pump.
View attachment 669499
Click to expand...
Nice, do you mind linking to the fittings you used?

I've got 2 tanks I need to connect together but I'm not sure what fittings to get. Got one of these but the thread is different to the ball valve so it doesn't screw on that well.

Getting tired of manually switching between the tanks every time :D
 
The_Mowgs said:
Thanks. They have a office about 2km from my house. Will go and visit them.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think they are franchises though - so hopefully the quality is consistent wherever you are. I just make sure to treat the guys well when they working at my place, coffee, lunch - it's a few extra bucks, but in my opinion gives better results at the end of the day.
 
chickenbeef said:
Nice, do you mind linking to the fittings you used?

I've got 2 tanks I need to connect together but I'm not sure what fittings to get. Got one of these but the thread is different to the ball valve so it doesn't screw on that well.

Getting tired of manually switching between the tanks every time :D
Click to expand...
I used pretty much the same fittings, but (and the boffins can correct me here) there are two different thread standards on those pvc fittings. The one you linked is BSP, which may not be the one I bought.

What's worse is that because those fittings look the same, they end up all thrown together in one section at builders. Your best option (and is what I did after 2 wasted trips to builders) is to take everything you need to connect to and test every single fitting. I found it annoying that they couldn't just have made a sample connection setup in the JoJo section and you can work from there to get all the fittings you need.
 
SAguy said:
I used pretty much the same fittings, but (and the boffins can correct me here) there are two different thread standards on those pvc fittings. The one you linked is BSP, which may not be the one I bought.

What's worse is that because those fittings look the same, they end up all thrown together in one section at builders. Your best option (and is what I did after 2 wasted trips to builders) is to take everything you need to connect to and test every single fitting. I found it annoying that they couldn't just have made a sample connection setup in the JoJo section and you can work from there to get all the fittings you need.
Click to expand...
Ah, okay, thanks.

Yep, I usually go to the Cape Gate Builders Warehouse and for some reason they decided to put the plumbing section on the opposite end of the irrigation and pool section.

Suppose I'll have to go in every now and then as these fittings usually get sold out pretty quick. Couldn't find anything on the website with the same thread as the ball valve.
 
chickenbeef said:
Ah, okay, thanks.

Yep, I usually go to the Cape Gate Builders Warehouse and for some reason they decided to put the plumbing section on the opposite end of the irrigation and pool section.

Suppose I'll have to go in every now and then as these fittings usually get sold out pretty quick. Couldn't find anything on the website with the same thread as the ball valve.
Click to expand...
Builders at Northgate in Milnerton has a lot of these fittings, at the back right corner where the building materials are. Bit of a drive for you maybe but you should get what you need there. Unless your ball valve has a different thread to the norm...? I have these: https://www.builders.co.za/Garden-&...i6Pa8co23ed_gM6Sl4PDMBxch1zpbvuoaAsScEALw_wcB
 
Best way to fasten new skirting boards? The old ones were nailed in and was an absolute nightmare to get out., big chunks of wall came with it. We had some other ones in the house that was done with some glue (no more nails maybe?) but that also doesn't really do the trick, over time they come lose. I was thinking just drilling in a hole and using a screw and plug and filling the hole with some wood filler, but curious what others might say.
 
prOd said:
Best way to fasten new skirting boards? The old ones were nailed in and was an absolute nightmare to get out., big chunks of wall came with it. We had some other ones in the house that was done with some glue (no more nails maybe?) but that also doesn't really do the trick, over time they come lose. I was thinking just drilling in a hole and using a screw and plug and filling the hole with some wood filler, but curious what others might say.
Click to expand...

All of mine are now fixed with Nail In Anchors ... so I drill holes in the board and wall, and counter sink the hole in the board a bit, and use the anchors then use wood filler to fill the hole. You just need to make sure you space the holes at the same points on each board so you can find them at a later date... :)

I tried No More Nails and its rubbish....
 
ToxicBunny said:
All of mine are now fixed with Nail In Anchors ... so I drill holes in the board and wall, and counter sink the hole in the board a bit, and use the anchors then use wood filler to fill the hole. You just need to make sure you space the holes at the same points on each board so you can find them at a later date... :)

I tried No More Nails and its rubbish....
Click to expand...

Perfect thanks, that was what I was thinking.
 
On the topic of skirting boards, can anyone recommend a cheapish mitre saw for the job? Kept hiring one - and at the cost I paid in hiring so far, I could have bought a decent one.
 
xrapidx said:
On the topic of skirting boards, can anyone recommend a cheapish mitre saw for the job? Kept hiring one - and at the cost I paid in hiring so far, I could have bought a decent one.
Click to expand...

What size skirtings are you using?
 
xrapidx said:
14cm
Click to expand...

ok... that limits your choices a bit, you need to find a mitre saw that can do 45 degree cuts out to 140mm...

I was going to suggest a small like R700 one, but its limit is 100mm.... so way way too small.

I'm using 140mm skirting as well, but I'm lucky to have a radial arm saw at home that cuts out to about 350mm...
 
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