# Forum Home Renovation Brickwork  Building with bluestone blocks?

## hamjam

I've got plans approved to build a two storey "garage / studio" at the back of my property. The approval is for a timber frame and a weatherboard and tin exterior on a concrete slab.
The new building would be about 13m by 6m, with a double garage size opening on to the street and through to garden.
There used to be old stables on the land and from the demolition I've now got a huge pile of the bluestone blocks which formed the stables floor. So.....I got to thinking about whether I could use the blocks to build some of the new structure.
I'm assuming I'll have to go back through the whole Planning / Engineering / Building Surveyor routine, but I wanted to know whether anyone had any information on building with these old, irregular blocks?
 The basic concept would be to just build the ground floor with stone and leave the first floor as tin and timber. I'm the owner builder,
Is this something I could have a go at myself? (yes I know how much they weigh!!), particularly as the wall would be right on the street.
If it's a solid stone wall would you expect it to be sufficient to support the first floor or would it still require the timber framing?
Unfortunately the stones are right in the middle of where the slab would be poured. To avoid moving them twice, is it possible to do the footings for the external wall, build the walls, then pour the internal slab?
Thanks
hj

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## Terrian

Wow, very few people know how to build with bluestones any more, a few of the brickies here will know much better than me, thats for sure, your motor mix does have to be quite strong and pretty dry, The bluestone wall would be ok for the ground floor, but you will need  to have the specs done professionally, and  go through the whole council approval thing again for the building. 
It may be better to sell the bluestones (could be worth up to $3 or $4 each) and use the $$  elsewhere. 
I use to now a guy who 80% of his work was building with bluestone, but  alas, that was  too long ago, and I have lost contact with him...

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