Originally Posted by OldJuddian (Post 13175524)

... I am sure it will look great eventually, but the cost keeps going up.

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 13175511)

In another thread, that took a detour into discussing the price and practicalities of selling scrap metal, I made this post (with the post that I was replying to, for context), discussing a recent project of mine, which more properly belongs here. :)


There were several complications in my case, including switching from a "package unit" (all the machinery in a single metal box installed outside, up against the crawlspace wall), to a "split system" with the furnace in the crawlspace, and the condenser unit outside, away from the wall. The package unit had needed a roughly 2'x3½' hole in the wall for the ducts, and had been located just behind a row of railroad ties, which also provided a little protection from vehicles parked in the adjacent parking area, at the end of a branch in the drive, as well as making an edge to the garden bed on either side.

However, the ties were in the way of where the condenser unit would need to go, and so had to be removed, leaving the unit unprotected from vehicles. Also the area next to the house was slightly below the parking area, leaving it at risk of flooding. So by lifting up the condenser unit onto a plinth, I could [1] protect it from flooding, and [2] from being bumped by a vehicle, and also [3] leave open the possibility of eventually having the parking area concreted, or paved with blocks, without risking the condenser unit sitting even further below grade.

The well-regarded local heating contractor I was using had literally no interest in addressing any of these concerns or issues, which is exactly what I had already anticipated anyway. So between signing the contract for the new unit and the contractor coming to install it, I removed the old package unit, paid a bricklayer to brick-up the brick "veneer" layer on the outside and the concrete block wall on the inside, dug a foundation for a roughly 8'x8' wall of concrete retaining wall blocks, built the square retaining wall plinth and filled it with waste hardcore and the clay from the foundation trench, packed it down well, leaving a very slight dome, covered it with thick sheet plastic tucked under the top course of concrete blocks, and covered it with a layer of crushed granite. After the condenser had been installed on the pad supplied by the heating contractor, I surrounded it with more crushed granite, leaving the wall capstones, the crushed granite, and the pad the condenser unit sits on, pretty much at the same level. This was the result (well apart from the final topping-off with crushed granite.) https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...2d70bebd35.jpg

​​​​​ ​​​​​The back left corner also still needed to be finished in this picture, as there had been a gas pipe in the way.

Originally Posted by Steerpike (Post 13175579)

In a few thousand years, some future archeologists are going to dig this up and wonder what 'God' this represents, on this huge altar! "The God of Trane"!

Originally Posted by ddsrph (Post 13181212)

Winter has almost brought my project to a standstill. I did manage to frame and pour all seven post caps and installed all but two of the aluminum support posts. About 450 more brick and pour the seating wall that will connect all the post together. I will then do the stone post cover but plan to farm that out just to speed things up. That is if I can find someone to do it for reasonable price. The artificial stone I chose is easy to install if I have to do it myself. .....

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 13181246)

It's looking good! :)

It takes time, and/or (usually "and") money to complete a project properly. :nod:

Originally Posted by ddsrph (Post 13181526)

I initially planned to farm out the block and brickwork but a ridiculous quote made me determined to do it myself and I am glad I did. Block and Brick building turned out to be a lot easier than I thought.

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 13175511)

In another thread, that took a detour into discussing the price and practicalities of selling scrap metal, I made this post (with the post that I was replying to, for context), discussing a recent project of mine, which more properly belongs here. :)


There were several complications in my case, including switching from a "package unit" (all the machinery in a single metal box installed outside, up against the crawlspace wall), to a "split system" with the furnace in the crawlspace, and the condenser unit outside, away from the wall. The package unit had needed a roughly 2'x3½' hole in the wall for the ducts, and had been located just behind a row of railroad ties, which also provided a little protection from vehicles parked in the adjacent parking area, at the end of a branch in the drive, as well as making an edge to the garden bed on either side.

However, the ties were in the way of where the condenser unit would need to go, and so had to be removed, leaving the unit unprotected from vehicles. Also the area next to the house was slightly below the parking area, leaving it at risk of flooding. So by lifting up the condenser unit onto a plinth, I could [1] protect it from flooding, and [2] from being bumped by a vehicle, and also [3] leave open the possibility of eventually having the parking area concreted, or paved with blocks, without risking the condenser unit sitting even further below grade.

The well-regarded local heating contractor I was using had literally no interest in addressing any of these concerns or issues, which is exactly what I had already anticipated anyway. So between signing the contract for the new unit and the contractor coming to install it, I removed the old package unit, paid a bricklayer to brick-up the brick "veneer" layer on the outside and the concrete block wall on the inside, dug a foundation for a roughly 8'x8' wall of concrete retaining wall blocks, built the square retaining wall plinth and filled it with waste hardcore and the clay from the foundation trench, packed it down well, leaving a very slight dome, covered it with thick sheet plastic tucked under the top course of concrete blocks, and covered it with a layer of crushed granite. After the condenser had been installed on the pad supplied by the heating contractor, I surrounded it with more crushed granite, leaving the wall capstones, the crushed granite, and the pad the condenser unit sits on, pretty much at the same level. This was the result (well apart from the final topping-off with crushed granite.) https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...2d70bebd35.jpg

​​​​​ ​​​​​The back left corner also still needed to be finished in this picture, as there had been a gas pipe in the way.

Originally Posted by Steerpike (Post 13175579)

In a few thousand years, some future archeologists are going to dig this up and wonder what 'God' this represents, on this huge altar! "The God of Trane"!

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 13175599)

If only I had thought earlier, I could have picked up a road kill carcass and buried it in the plinth as I was filling it up. :rofl:

Originally Posted by Steerpike (Post 13182077)

This is what passes for Condenser installation around my parts! This is outside a 3-story apartment building. There's a set of 4 that's even more precarious that I see on one of my daily walks, I'll have to grab a shot of that one!

Originally Posted by ddsrph (Post 13189404)

In the first photo is the copper pipe coming up from ground the water supply line? It looks very freeze prone. The tap valve looks ancient but if parts available and easy fix. I would show the photo to people at a plumbing supply house and most likely they will recognize the model and can sell you the appropriate parts to fix. You may have to turn off water to whole house. In fact when we are going to be gone for a few days we turn off our house water routinely and turn off power to water heater for additional safety.

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 13189418)

Yes, the ascending pipe is connect to the blue (wrapped insulated pipe) in the second pic that just disappears underground and that is the incoming water supply line.

This is in East Anglia, burst pipe due to freezing seems to be minimal. It barely goes below freezing at night.

It was fine, and now it has developed this leak. Landlord says he will "look at it" next week - I'm more concerned about my water bill tbh.

Also, it seems I need a universal key thing of some sort to turn off the water supply in the hole in the ground that holds the meter, and I haven't got one of those. So if I just leave it for my landlord, am I going to be faced with a giant water bill I wonder.

If it just needs unscrewing and a rubber washing replaced then no big deal, but I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. I have little knowledge and even fewer tools.

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 13189430)

Yes, it's almost certainly just a washer - turn the water off, take a spanner to the hex cap just below the handle, and you'll probably need a screwdriver to remove the screw holding the washer in place. In theory it's an easy 5 minute job, .... once you turn the water off, and assuming that you have the right size replacement washer - they can vary. Try looking for a bag of mixed washers in B&Q or at a plumbers merchant.

All houses should have a stopcock, but in practice not all do, and some are concealed. In one house my parents owned the stopcock was under a trapdoor just inside the front door. My house in Wimbledon had the stopcock in the kitchen, but I only fond it when I ripped out the old kitchen cabinets! :rofl: As part of the major remodeling of that kitchen I had the plumber move the stopcock to under the stairs. It wasn't a necessary modification, but I try to make sure that every home improvment project I undertake actually improves things in some tangible way. :o