brick piers??????

[Dirty Doogie]

I'd like to read that manual.
Can you give details.

Hi peter, the manual is called "Building Design parameters in Residential and Low Rise Commercial Structures" Volumes 1 - 3 Published by Queensland University press. It is a 900 page compilation by Engineers and architects and Australian standards Association.

I believe the tome costs nearly $1K. I sort of inheritted it from a professional library and the book must be a few years old now. It has an analysis of the Threbo disaster and structural failures - so when was that?

Half of volume 3 is devoted to critical failure states where despite professional certification something horrible went wrong - a very funny section IMO.

[Woodencha]

Don't be discouraged Bingo - I was very young, pretty broke and FEMALE, but I owner built and lived to tell the tale! (Even sold the house 8 years later for a nice profit!)

That said, it really IS a lot harder than you think. These blokes made plenty of mistakes along the way, AND went to school AND asked a million and one stupid questions. They are just trying to toughen you up and help out where they can. They know what you are about to go through so listen to their advice and take heed. I know this because I live with one of them, and I know he's only trying to help!

For what it's worth, try trusting the pros a bit and get work done by them when you can. What it will save you in stress and time is well worth it plus you can learn a lot from watching how they do things! I could only afford to get the footings drilled by a bobcatter and had to get the roof installed 'cause in Qld you can't do it yourself, but it just about saved my sanity.

Also don't get too stressed about stuff until it's a problem. Don't make decisions about the stumps till you've got the plans 'cause they should tell you what you need to know.

One step at a time. Remember - a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!