If you face the tricky business of hollowing out an old building and retaining a masonry facade, you may have noticed CIRIA’s best practice guide published in 2003. You may also have noticed that it cost £110. If that made you wince, we have good news! The Construction Fixings Association has used bits of it to produce its own guidance note “Fixings for the Retention of Masonry Facades”, and you can download it free from

www.fixingscfa.co.uk