Verandah Posts - DIY?

[Sargie]

Hi All. First post on here, what an amazing forum !

Just bought a house which has concrete block for front verandah and metal verandah posts - yes, look awful ! We're pulling up the concrete to restump the front and are looking at installing 4 verandah posts (its a double front Victorian).

Is this fairly straightforward to do myself? If so, anybody's suggestions on the following are much appreciated;

- How far down do I have to dig to support the posts? Do they need setting in concrete?
- Would I build decking 'around' the posts, or vice versa?
- Are Acro props fairly cheap to hire to support the roof while under construction?

If not, is this a simple job for a general tradesman or for somebody who specialises in this? I'm probably getting a friend to do the decking....

Thanks!

[SilentButDeadly]

Welcome.....

First suggestion is to grab yourself some books. Go the www.skillspublish.com.au (http://www.skillspublish.com.au) and avail yourself of a couple of the Allan Staines books.....they're not the last word in Australian building & renovation but they are very helpful.

As for your posts....depth depends on soil type (so I'm told (: ) but anything more than 400mm deep and round would be fine. Timber posts can sit on Pryda stirrups (Go google for more info) embedded in the concrete.

Decking....can go either way. Personal preference really. Pryda has a fitting to bolt posts to decking.

No idea how much an acrow costs to hire but it can't be hard to ring Coates or Kennards to find out.....or try their websites.

[DvdHntr]

The posts need to go down 400 and set in at least 200 of concrete (not quickset) but that is provided the area of roof supported is no more than 10 square metres

Decking would be built around the posts.

Acro props are around $18 a day each but check with the hire place.