David.Elliott

Usually brick/blocks are rendered first with a cement based render mix then white set on top. Rendering could possibly be done DIY but white set is a whole mysterious set of skills. Watched a few pros and I'd usually have a go at most things, but not that. When refurbing our bedroom, moving doors and walls etc, I could not get any traction from plasterers for such a small job so I attached gyprock (upright as ceilings were 2.4) with cornice cement and flushed the joins. Quick, simple and...

In the vein of learning more, I could be incorrect (coz I'm never "wrong"). The concrete posts are not usually load bearing, I believe there's a steel post doing the work and the concrete post is purely for looks? Am I correct in that?

For me it'd be timber, coz I can work with it. Using some of the various Pryda connectors with appropriate fixings is a great way to beef up connection points without resorting to "joinery" Built something similar, without a front though, as a shed over a gents diesel water pump on a farm. All over in a day.

It's a comprised lead more than likely, where the old insulation has degraded I'd bet. I'd not use it.

Without being on site I THINK you'll find the only thing holding the bricks on the parapet at that lean could well be the flashing that's in the mortar course. Probably screwed to the sheets. If I'm correct that is about as dodgy as it gets. Definitely needs to come down and no there is no need for the three courses currently making up the parapet. As for getting on the roof, I get that, as we have no knowledge of your age, abilities etc. Where current pricing is coming from I have no...

I'm with Moondog on this... That seems like WAAAY too much money when steel is sub 13$ per lineal metre. I count 5 sheets, at say 7m length so 35m at 13 is $455 + flashing. Where does the 8k come from? I'd confidently reframe and reclad that in 3 days tops and I'm an amateur. Those bricks of the parapet are always going to be a challenge. There must be a way to remove them and not replace. Photo of the front would be ideal.

Should be able to dig down and drill for dowels whilst wall is in situ. Once upon a time footings for new homes were poured before the slab, ie: separate. To split the work over two days. Usually nowadays with extensions the pour is small enough and with concrete pumps it's easy work to do in a day. So you should be able to leave the existing wall in place. But the thing to consider is the difficulty of removing the existing wall rubble through the door/window of the new wall. However...