Sometimes, you won't need to hire us and can complete common home projects yourself as a Do It Yourself project. This guide tells you how...
Here's our handy 5 Top Tips Guide for a variety of DIY projects. We're always happy to give help & advice - just drop us a message and we'll advise you as best we can. Brew a cuppa and have a read!
A septic tank, or sewage treatment plant, is installed for any property where there is no access to a main sewer system. The septic system is a critical part of your infrastructure, it is essential that it is built & installed correctly to ensure trouble free long-term use and operation.
The French drain is a simple, yet very versatile construction which can be used to drain run-off & standing water from problem areas in your garden or basement areas. The process is fairly simple; it just requires a little preparation and planning, the right tools, materials and know-how.
1. Look at underground safety. Before building a French drain in a specific area, you must locate all underground cables, pipes or other installations that could make digging dangerous in that particular spot. Other things you must take into account: the source of the water you will be draining, the greatest amount of flow you can expect to get, and if it is a hazardous or contaminated source.
2. Check. Check. And check again. You will also need to establish whether or not your French drain would cause hardship for neighbours in terms of groundwater runoff. Running excess water onto someone else's land could lead to issues. Ideally the French drain should runoff in a relatively unused section of land, away from any buildings, into sandy soil which allows water to pass through easily.
3. Find a downhill slope. In order to work well, your French drain needs to be constructed on a slight downhill grade. This allows water to drain away from the problem area through the force of gravity. If no natural downward slope exists, you can create a slope by digging progressively deeper as you work your way along the trench.
4. Gather your tools and materials. You'll need to stock up on a few basic tools and materials. You will need: A roll of water-permeable landscape fabric, A perforated plastic drain, Washed drainage gravel, digging tools or call in diggers4hire.com to dig your trench.
5. Dig the trench. Digging the trench is the least complicated step in building a French drain. The width and depth of the drain you dig will depend on the severity of the drainage problem and the digging tool you're using. However, most standard French drains are approximately 6" wide and 18" to 24" deep. Periodically check the depth of the trench as you dig, to ensure it is consistently sloping downwards.
6. Line the trench with landscape fabric. Once you have finished digging the trench, you will need to line it with the water-permeable landscape fabric.
7. Add the gravel. Shovel approximately 2 or 3 inches (5.1 or 7.6 cm) of gravel along the bottom of the trench, on top of the landscaping fabric.
8. Lay the pipe. Place the perforated drain pipe into the trench, on top of the gravel. Make sure the drain holes are facing down, as this will ensure the greatest drainage.
9. Cover the pipe. Shovel more gravel over the pipe, until there is 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 cm) between the gravel and the top of the trench.
10. Fill in the trench. Fill in the rest of the trench with the displaced soil. At this point you can finish the trench in whatever way you like: You can lay soil on top, reseed with grass or even cover with a layer of large, decorative stones.
Building a gravel road takes planning, preparation and the use of specialised grading and compacting equipment. Ideally, you want a smooth, uniform surface that can handle traffic flow, heavy loads and heavy weather without breaking up or dipping.
Whether you're planning to build a short stretch of road on a smallholding or a network of gravel roads covering a large area, you have to get the basics right if you want the road to last. Follow these basic rules of gravel road construction and you’ll be on the right track.
1. Assess road use: Before you start the construction process, it’s important to consider the types of vehicles that will be using the road. This will help determine the ideal path and width of the road, as well as the required depth of the base material.
2. Get the right machinery and operator: If you want to build a road with a long service life, it's obvious you need the right machinery. Also, all heavy equipment is safer and more effective when properly managed. What may be less obvious is the value of hiring an experienced machine operator.
3. Use suitable materials: You want a dry and stable base, so soils with high clay content or moisture are not suitable. The road top should have the best quality gravel consisting of a combination of fractured stone, sand and fine particles with a binding characteristic to form a firm surface.
4. Compact soils properly: Along with grading, soil compaction is the most important process in gravel road construction. It reduces the volume of water and air in the soil, creating a harder, denser, and more durable surface. A well compacted soil can more easily resist the stresses created by traffic flow and harsh Bulgarian winter weather conditions.
5. Build a solid base: A good road is built on a stabilised base. You can then compact the soil to create a firm foundation that will not collapse under the weight of traffic.
6. Construct in layers: The best gravel roads are constructed upwards in layers from a stable base. If you start with a poor base, the entire road is compromised, and no amount of top dressing or grading will rescue the situation.
7. Design for the worst-case scenario: Be sure to design and build your road with the heaviest vehicles, highest traffic volumes and worst weather conditions in mind. A clear line of sight is especially important in misty and high rainfall areas.
8. Proper drainage: Good drainage is absolutely vital. A road with proper drainage will last longer and require less maintenance. A properly shaped crown and shoulder, ditches, culverts and drains are all responsible for channelling water away from the road surface.
9. Maintain regularly: Maintenance in the form of regular grading keeps a gravel road in good, drivable condition, ensuring safety and allowing for efficient transportation.
Build strong, crack-free concrete pathways and slabs with these 10 Top Tips.
Tips include forming edges, levelling, smoothing, curing
and other vital steps in creating a first-rate concrete pour
WATER PIPES - WINTER CHECKLIST!
Start Outdoors
Locate The Shut-off Valves
Check The Heat
More Tips For Freezing Weather
Thawing Frozen Pipes
Partial water service indicates that a pipe is frozen somewhere in the house. A complete lack of water service can be the result of a frozen water meter or a frozen pipe leading from the water main in the street to the house. A meter or water pipe that feels extremely cold is most likely frozen. It’s important to clear frozen blockages as soon as possible to minimise the danger of pipes bursting in some inaccessible spot. The resulting leak could cause serious and costly damage.
Follow the important steps outlined below to help thaw frozen pipes. In some instances, it may be best to call a professional plumber.
Indoors
If a water pipe has frozen and burst, turn off the water at the main shut-off valve in the house.
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