Any builders / engineers on the forum? Is this steel pergola safe?

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With those type of anchors I would say given the substrate material of choice in those countries the only way to be sure of a sound fix would be through bolted with a plate on the inside of that wall.

Shield anchors (chemfix or expandable bolts) should go in with an 80/20 rule, 80% of the thread in the block work, ideally at least 3/4 of the way into that outer course. If the block is 200mm thick you would want minimum 180-200mm length shield anchor, you should have at least 150mm in the wall, and 30mm sticking out of the wall, enough for material thickness, load washer, spring/lock washer, and nut, with 2-3 threads sticking out at the end after the nut.
 
Your right. This is funded by a UK bank so we own it outright in Cyprus (will look to sell it probably and build or buy a house in about seven years), but they say in Cyprus if you earn 1500-2000 euros a month, have a car, no mortgage, you can live like a king. And it's true, they are always moaning they have no money but go past any fish taverna or restaurant and they are always full of Cypriots any night of the week. A lot of them have had land passed down to them which they either sell on or build on. They think because we are from the UK we are loaded, but they have no idea....They don't have a lot of outgoings, have money in the bank, no mortgages and spend their lives drinking coffee, at the beach or doing barbeques.
Sounds great 😁
 
Your right. This is funded by a UK bank so we own it outright in Cyprus, but they say in Cyprus if you earn 1500-2000 euros a month, have a car, no mortgage, you can live like a king. And it's true, they are always moaning they have no money but go past any fish taverna or restaurant and they are always full of Cypriots. A lot of them have had land passed down to them which they either sell on or build on. They think because we are from the UK we are loaded, but they have no idea....They don't have a lot of outgoings, have money in the bank, no mortgages and spend their lives drinking coffee, at the beach or doing barbeques.

My sister in law married into a Cypriot family and while sitting on her father in laws motor yacht (an Azimut 70 if I recall) I was struck by its unusual name but said nothing. Later on in the week we were invited to one of his properties on the seafront for dinner, this was a luxury apartment development with bar and restaurant facilities and he told me the entire top floor was going to be his main residence.

More tellingly this entire venture had exactly the same as his oddly monikerd luxury yacht.....I often wonder which one helped pay for the other. ;) . I could tell a few more tales but that is one experience of Cypriot business.
 
Most of the building work I saw was done by Albanians. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever met a Greek tradesman.
The best electrician is Skiathos is an English woman called Becky the Leccy.

A lot of work here is done by Albanians, and that is not a bad thing. They have a work ethic and charge significantly less than Johnny Greek for a much better job. Ongoing maintenance issues are my concern these days and plumbing and electrics are the 2 areas that are the biggest issue. We found a couple of Albanian lads 3 years ago who do both, turn up when they say they will, understand what they are doing and charge virtually nothing. The water softener is still a bit of a mystery to them but all else is good.

We've used any number of Greek tradesmen over the years and they've all been pretty useless and they never turn up on time and do a crap job. Thankfully now, I have less and less to do with any trades people so it's just the drivers that send me batshit now. Reasonable place to be locked down though.
 
A lot of work here is done by Albanians, and that is not a bad thing. They have a work ethic and charge significantly less than Johnny Greek for a much better job. Ongoing maintenance issues are my concern these days and plumbing and electrics are the 2 areas that are the biggest issue. We found a couple of Albanian lads 3 years ago who do both, turn up when they say they will, understand what they are doing and charge virtually nothing. The water softener is still a bit of a mystery to them but all else is good.

We've used any number of Greek tradesmen over the years and they've all been pretty useless and they never turn up on time and do a crap job. Thankfully now, I have less and less to do with any trades people so it's just the drivers that send me batshit now. Reasonable place to be locked down though.
The problem we have with the Albanian lads is none of them can give me a proper timologio.

How come they charge you so little? Are they putting it through the books??
 
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I was moving around left/right and leaning back in my seat watching that.

I've been on high scaffolding, but not really much chance of falling off.

Those guys on those sites... 😨
 
I was moving around left/right and leaning back in my seat watching that.

I've been on high scaffolding, but not really much chance of falling off.

Those guys on those sites... 😨
Same here!!

The highest scaffolding I’ve been up is on 16 or 17 floors. That was on one of the towers by Euston station last year just before it was demolished.

Cherry pickers are worse. We were 6 floors up on one last week for 3 days
 
In my extensive experience of Greek construction it’ll be done in the weak and cheap brickwork.

The pergola steelwork would’ve been an afterthought so zero allowances would have been made.

In my experience of this the pergola frame should’ve been free standing with tabs welded to the legs to simply tie it in to the brickwork at either end to stop it swaying.

I’ve seen it done this way dozens of times.

ps What’s an IBJ?

Opps meant RSJ, that's my rail back ground kicking in, IBJ (Insulated block joint) :)
 
Same here!!

The highest scaffolding I’ve been up is on 16 or 17 floors. That was on one of the towers by Euston station last year just before it was demolished.

Cherry pickers are worse. We were 6 floors up on one last week for 3 days

16/17 floors is high!

I once worked in an office with a roof garden in Manchester. Circa 20 floors.
I looked out of the open French doors from their office, to see a young guy, 25ish, stood on the outer wall looking down whilst putting his harness on. I couldn't see it connected anywhere.

Never been in a cherry picker.
30/35 years ago, the son of a guy I knew was killed using one of those.
He was working on a street light and something ploughed into the back of the picker, which I suspect was the type mounted to a transit van or similar.
 
16/17 floors is high!

I once worked in an office with a roof garden in Manchester. Circa 20 floors.
I looked out of the open French doors from their office, to see a young guy, 25ish, stood on the outer wall looking down whilst putting his harness on. I couldn't see it connected anywhere.

Never been in a cherry picker.
30/35 years ago, the son of a guy I knew was killed using one of those.
He was working on a street light and something ploughed into the back of the picker, which I suspect was the type mounted to a transit van or similar.
Cherry pickers bounce and sway!!
 
Cherry pickers bounce and sway!!

Horrible things cherry pickers.
Its good fun to be taken to the top of a 38ton crane jib fully extended in a man rider.
 
Try coming down the Nebelhornbahn on an open sided cargo platform ... In a gale!
 
The problem we have with the Albanian lads is none of them can give me a proper timologio.

How come they charge you so little? Are they putting it through the books??

I don't think anyone puts anything through the books, anywhere in Greece,

I've heard stories of Brain Surgeons declaring earnings of €10k per anumn.
 

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