See if I was in your position, I’d ask if anyone from here could do it for you for a set price. I suspect you’d be pleasantly surprised.

Hey footflaps, I know nothing about brickies or bricklaying but have been watching this thread with interest, (sorry your misfortune has entertained others)
I hope it all turns out well for you, hopefully the STW collective can rustle up brickie near you then we can all be amazed at the wonders of this forum………

The chap coming on Saturday built a friend’s extension and so comes recommended. I’m hoping he can fit me in soon (he’s waiting on other jobs to firm up), but I should know at the WE.

See if I was in your position, I’d ask if anyone from here could do it for you for a set price. I suspect you’d be pleasantly surprised.

I did get the odd email from STWers, but no one was close enough for it to make sense.

Sorry the forum has given you stress, but enough people have advised that you weren’t getting value for money & considering you have to hope your shed will last for decades then a few months wait will hopefully be worth it.

I see the pics [of the brickie] have gone, I hope it hasn’t cost you to much grief 🙁

I’d do it myself, think you’re along the right lines there, how hard can it really be…specially with plenty experienced people here willing to give advice as you go..

I see the pics [of the brickie] have gone, I hope it hasn’t cost you to much grief

Given some of comments about him were pretty rude, I thought it best to remove any photo of him as you never know who might find this thread, e.g. his children might come across it. He’s a nice guy, just not a great brickie.

I think all advice has been well intentioned or just the usual mild-pisstake that happens on here.

Hope you get a solution and its built how you want and when you want.

I think all advice has been well intentioned or just the usual mild-pisstake that happens on here.

It’s all been fine, just I’ve been a bit stressed…

Yo Footflaps, I do think we all mean well on this thread at least, and we feel for you, we really do. ANY building work is stressful, it really is!
Instead, treat it as an adventure, take as much advice as you can, pause a while when unsure: remember, its NOT a race!
It’ll be really cool in the end and all this will be irrelelvant!

Get out on the bike this weekend for sure!

Rustytrowel would know if it is still possible, when I was in tech, a lecturer used to take a few of us to his mates new builds and we would fit the studding, door frames, skirting and so on. Probably wouldn’t get away with it now with h&s & ins. But might be worth contacting your local collage for a team well supervised brickies.
Good luck with the rest of your build.

^^ good idea that ^^

Yeah, great idea…..unless you’re the poor unfortunate in charge of a bunch of lairy 16 yr olds let out into the wild world! 😕

Experience has shown that the initial enthusiasm the lads have for these projects quickly wears away leaving the teaching staff to put right the cock ups and finish the job themselves in their own time.

You might be able to get a decent cheapish job done by a couple of 2nd/3rd year apprentices looking for some extra money and experience.

The client used to sort us with about £10 per day each and we would be marked on it instead of doing it in a class so the jobs always got done. However classes were always made up of 50/50 kids who wanted to learn and kids that were made to attend.
He also used to take us to see his mate in the local police station on the way back to take part in identity parades, yep honestly and another £20 a go.
His name wasn’t even jimmy s.
apprenticeships rule!

Footflaps – where do you live?

He’s in Cambs area based upon earlier posts.

Shame its a bit too far from me, would’ve loved to have waved my trowel at that 😉

Rusty- 50 students between 2 staff is a bit of a mere!!! Then again I’d love numbers like that we I am 😕

OK, Have a new brickie starting Monday at 7.30.

He built the extension on a friends house, so comes recommended.

Hopefully have some decent progress to show soon…

For gawds sake don’t post pictures on here!!! 😆

Result. All the best matey

Ok Flaps, hows it going now with the new guy?
Hope your new brickie has been kinder in his comments about his predecessor than some of us here! 😆 ( though to be fair, for a STW thread, it was VERY MILD indeed!)
Hope all is well, and that you are another step closer to your awesome man cave!!!

An interesting thread, good that you’re seeing any mistakes as learning and still carrying on project managing it. Some good advice and opinions throughout the thread on the build side of things.

I’m a structural technician working on two cycle projects at the moment, one next to the west coast mainline. My initial thoughts reading through were, I hope you’ve checked your house title deeds for building next to the railway and also checked with Network Rail there are no issues being so close. On the rail project, we’re not allowed within 6 metres of Network rails fence line, looks like you’re nearly on it.

Good luck, looking forward to seeing it finished 🙂

On the rail project, we’re not allowed within 6 metres of Network rails fence line, looks like you’re nearly on it

More fear, uncertainty and doubt. Just what the OP needs 🙂

On the rail project, we’re not allowed within 6 metres of Network rails fence line, looks like you’re nearly on it

Hence I went down the whole full planning consent route, with the railway boundry highlighted. The active line is about 100m from the fence, there’s an access road, some waste land, seven sidings and then the railway line proper, so even if it did fall down it couldn’t hit a train.

Ok Flaps, hows it going now with the new guy?
Hope your new brickie has been kinder in his comments about his predecessor than some of us here!

He’s been pretty scathing, other than mix was good. The new guy has taken the pier out and is already several feet higher on the whole wall. He reckons he’ll do at least 10 square meters / day and is already on Trestles to reach the wall.

I hope you’ve checked your house title deeds for building next to the railway

You’d be amazed how dull House deeds are, mine don’t mention access, rights of way (across neighbours property), in fact they mention very little, but then in 1890, no one bothered too much about legal details like where the boundaries really are…

Well done footflaps. I’m glad you’ve got someone decent in the end.

He’s been pretty scathing, other than mix was good. The new guy has taken the pier out and is already several feet higher on the whole wall. He reckons he’ll do at least 10 square meters / day and is already on Trestles to reach the wall.

Ah well, there goes the thread… 😀

I’ll have to do photos tomorrow am as by the time I get home it will be dark. Currently Mrs Flaps is updating me as she’d working from home today, so in charge of tea and biscuits to keep the brickie fuelled!

An interesting thread, good that you’re seeing any mistakes as learning and still carrying on project managing it.

Thanks to the cock up and some excellent technical help from STWers, I’ve learnt way more than I would have had it just gone up right first time, which means when I next to something, I’ll have a much better idea about the details, reading plans, structural features, etc etc.

You know footflaps I wish you all the best with this thread – I mean build – the climax had better result in the mancave of all mancaves, especially after all the chat on here; otherwise….I dare not suggest where it might go Pete Tong.

Looking forward to the photos it would be dissapointing if this thread just petered out.

More fear, uncertainty and doubt. Just what the OP needs

Yes I did consider this before posting, but thought it was still worth it.

Thanks to the cock up and some excellent technical help from STWers, I’ve learnt way more than I would have had it just gone up right first time, which means when I next to something, I’ll have a much better idea about the details, reading plans, structural features, etc etc.

I approach my work in the same light, theres always something new to learn

Good news that the new guy is cracking on at a good rate ! Will be finished in no time by the sound of it.

When you see one days progress by your new proper brickie, you will see why so many people earlier in the thread, who have worked or still work in the industry, sounded like keyboard warriors when they saw the pics posted after two days work by the old “brickie” 😉

glitchy bump

Amazed you’ve kept a level head through this build/thread. Can’t wait to see the next pics.

Day 1 progress (he cut out the middle pier and knocked down one of the corners, before laying anything).

Brickie #2 Day 1 Progress (corner rebuilt from base) by brf, on Flickr

Brickie #2 Day 1 Progress (middle pier rebuilt) by brf, on Flickr

Brickie #2 Day 1 Progress by brf, on Flickr

He’s been here since 7.45 and that corner is already at 1.8m!

I bet you’re relieved you chose to post on here from the off?

Are you going to have much contact with the original “brickie” over the next few days/weeks?

pretty weird looking though, to my eye..

Don’t this things usually progress at an even pace all the way around.. rather than finishing one side and starting the next..? How do you get it all to tie in and support itself..?

(please ignore if my layman’s eye is missing something obvious)

Don’t this things usually progress at an even pace all the way around.. rather than finishing one side and starting the next..? How do you get it all to tie in and support itself..?

There are two doorways, so there is a big break between the walls till you get above the doorways. As for the front wall, that will be built in hand made bricks, so will be tied in using resin bolts / straps (not fitted yet).