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Very good question, looks like you are on the ball! Below is a typical Strongback detail: If you want to make a hole for a duct in these you'll likely have to add some plating detail or the like. It all looks quite doable..if your ducts are not too large. Can you dimension up your sketch / photo and mark on the hole and diameter you need to make? Plating with ply each side with glue is an easy option if your duct is not too large a diameter. There are plenty ways of getting around this, but we are looking for the simplest and cheapest option. I say glue as if you just use nails when you calculate the forces you often need lots of nails and the nail edge and end distance just takes loads of time to detail. The nails are just used to clamp ply until the glue cures.

Thanks for the responses. The external walls are being built up with ICF. The way the standard interface works, is that the hollower bears 80mm onto the concrete core of the ICF wall below. We then build up ICF walls from this level for the next wall pour. The main objective is to stop the concrete from the ICF flowing freely and uncontrolled into the cores. If there is no 'stop' there, there is nothing to prevent it. Airtightness in my understanding shouldn't be effected in reality, as either way the cores will be sealed by the external wall pour. It's more to do with managing the flow of concrete into the core.

I can see where you are coming from. Avoid blockwork. This is so fraught with tying difficulty. It sounds like you are ok with a solid baluster wall, it's going to look ugly! You should be able to much more easily sort this using a timber solution. As an experiment put two studs up , one attached to the wall to the left of the top of the stair stringer. One in line with the nose of the last tread, line each side and glue ply to that, give it a wobble! Check your BC drawing in case a diligent (no9t pragmatic) BC officer pulls you up about future provision of a stair lift, if applicable to you.

Hiya. You are getting there. At my end my main concern is that you don't introduce lateral forces into the existing house wall. These forces would be in order of priority: 1/ The loggia pulling the wall outwards, (inwards load is less of an issue but still needs a quick think about) especially as it is introduced mid floor. Your wall ties and masonry definitely won't be designed for this! Do this at your peril! 2/ Adding vertical load to the lintels over the openings below that they were not designed to accommodate. 3/ The loggia adding to the sideways sway forces in the plane of the external wall. These forces will be fairly small. But for due diligence always worth having a look at, just in case! I can see you are getting a handle on the terminology in terms of how we describe the different forces on a connection. I'm not going to do this for you, rather, let you get your own head around this first. Your starting point is to consider the roof like a big deep beam, very stiff in resisting downwards loads and any horizontal loads, which may arise from a bit of horizontal wind load on the roof. These will be small. Then think about all the other loads that could be applied to that, maybe the logs will rest against the columns? These will likely dominate. I know this from designing grain stores etc. Often we don't want to indulge in excessive calculation of say wind load when we can just cut straight to the chase and identify the dominant load case and design for that. Once you have identified the loads put them on a sketch. Next we turn to the member sizing. This is pretty straight forward, a little more complex if the logs are going to rest against the columns. Often I'll clarify with a Client that they are not going to later infill part of the walls, this changes the game as it can suddenly pick up much more wind load. ! In summary though, sizing the posts is pretty straight forward. The key bit is the connections. To make progress I suggest you split the forces into two different groups. The first group is the vertical and horizontal loads in each direction. That would be X, Y (Horizontal) and Z in the vertical direction. The next step is to ask yourself can I keep it stable using purely pinned connections. Just think about a single bolt as a representation of a pin, and see if that works for you. The connection between the base of the post and the straddle stone is nine times out of ten going to act like a pinned connection, thus in all likelihood your straddle stones need to be checked for what we call over turning. I'll not explain here, it's a lot to do with the passive soil resistance. I hate to say it but ask AI for an overview. In summary though, my own view is that if your loggia sinks bit or looks like it's going to fall down and gives warning of such then it would be fair to treat it as a structure of limited life span. So long as it does not compromise the structural integrity of the house, then we can be pragmatic and exercise engineering judgement. Once you investigate this a bit more then you'll be in a better position to decide what you want to do. The knee braces do work well, they are simple and cheep connections to make. With a bit of thought, if you laminate the timbers up yourself then it can be massively elegant. All you'll need is timbers off the shelf from the merchants, the right glue and some decent foundation pads at the corners with a couple of beefy fabricated steel shoes.

With any pumped showers (your’s is likely to be a pumped unit with integral twin impellers by the sound of it) you have the huge problem of the volume of stored water in the CWS. This single body of stored aka gravity cold water feeds both the hot and cold, one going via the HWC, so you need to be careful here (or just not give a toss and just want it to work on the day?). You’d need to run the existing shower for 10-12 mins and monitor the water level in the CWS, and this will let you work out if it’s capacity would cope if two showers were on simultaneously, and make your plans from there. How is the hot water feed T’d off the HWS? Has a 22mm Sussex flange been added on top, or has someone added it fully properly and fitted a tank boss 2/3 of the way up the side of the HWS? You can’t connect both 15mm feeds together off a 15mm pipe, FYI. The second shower should be chosen wisely, so don’t go fitting something that outguns the existing one, just match it and then the stored water volume in the CWS won’t become the end of your ‘quick fix’. I used to fit walk in baths for folk and the salesman would brag about how they would fill in no time at all; due to the massive 3.0 bar 22mm twin ST pumps they would power-sell….. Bath would get around 1/3 full, the CWS would go bone dry (with just the piddling cold mains float valve splashing a pint or two every minute back into the mud and feathers), and then you’d wait for the incoming water to the bath to turn to Bisto. Which they almost always did. £2-3k worth of upgrade then needed, to increase capacity for both CWS and HWS, plus changing all the 15mm pipework to 22mm, and a long list of people on the salesman’s voicemail. Didn’t do that for long as it was just shocking. If you can add an electric shower, and add capacity to the CWS quite easily, then fit one of these: https://www.plumbworld.co.uk/mira-elite-se-pumped-electric-shower-98kw-white-chrome-11941001-65-1261689?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=shoppingfeed&utm_campaign=googlebase&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22933019676&gbraid=0AAAAAD_lDOgr-ri4UN_SMQRQ_4_HsN5ab&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4ObmsvqblgMVMZtQBh0qiAX5EAQYAyABEgJpCvD_BwE 10.8kw, and as it’s pumping out of a CWS it is absolutely NOT affected by how good a cold mains you have / if someone flushed a loo / if a washing machine fills / etc etc etc. IIRC there are jumpers inside which can be used to limit the shower-time, via audible beeping before automatic shutdown, to ensure the CWS cannot be drained. Lots of angles here, none ‘cheap’, and if you tell me how cut throat you are happy to go then I can advise accordingly

Xscuse the mess, while I'm thinking out loud, I'm thinking of building up a block wall at the top of this stair opening, instead of a timber balustrade and newels when I put in the finished staircase. I can cut and tie into the blockwork behind the plasterboard and mortar onto the short bit of block at the end of the steels, but I need to carry on the block to at least the end of the trimmer about 450mm that the staircase will bear onto, so it will carry on over the two steels a little. What I don't know is if this blockwork would be structurally sound enough to satisfy BC, and whether it will stand up to being leant on etc, . Height wise I'll build to 1m. What options would there be for anchoring the block over the steels? Would welding rebar onto the steels and using hollow blocks over with concrete fill be an option or is that bit overkill?

Mice can get through a hole the diameter of a pencil. Any holes you find, stuff with cheap stainless steel dish scourers. For example: https://www.savers.co.uk/household/all-household/cleaning-products/cleaning-sponges-dish-cloths/super-bright-stainless-steel-scourers-6-pack/p/574155

With some of the Rationel frames you can couple them in a stack. Have a look at their install literature or ask their tech dept.

Since I realised there is a single story stone building at the centre of my house (subsequently extended upwards and sideways with solid brick) that is built with earth mortar I've been reading up online. Research says that this was used extensively across Europe in stone buildings (eg 75% in Scotland pre 1850, 25% after) but use has been underestimated because it is usually covered to protect it. Or where exposed to the elements has washed out. I'm only at the beginning but the advice in the following article is to try and repair it with something as similar as possible so I'd be cautious about assuming lime putty (which I think I read came later, but please correct me if I'm wrong). https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/earth-mortars/earth-mortars.htm There's a reasonable amount of information online if you search "earth mortar" and maybe "renovation".

I now have two quite heavy triple glazed rationel windows I want to place directly on top of one another, this is to provide air flow for a double bunk bed for the top and bottom bunk area, so each area the lower bunk and top bunk both have a window that can be opened on hot nights to let cool air in. Is this possible? Seems like there won't be enough stud support for the upper window. How might this look? Do I just have to ensure there is a suitable gap between the windows for the stud work to carry the load of the top window rather than having them too close to one another?

Assuming this is a pumped system (twin impeller shower pump) on a vented system then you run the risk of emptying the loft tank and the DHW cylinder. This at best caused an air lock, at worse, the cylinder can distort and fail. If it is a mains pressure system (invented) then no need for a pump. On a combi system (instantaneous), then most struggle to run one shower, two will give trouble. So it all depends what you actually have already.

Thanks John

Or for £50k + add additional £440, so £880. I will my IC car for now then.

They will chew through that just as they will cable. Focus your spending on buying mouse traps/that spray.

Thank you, Indy. You have been most helpful.

Just thought of this: according to contemporary accounts incl ballads, and evidence in palaces, the nobility did lots of hunting and sports. Then as you say they fought or caught diseases.

At the moment a flat rate of £200 a year for EVs under £50K. If over £50K you pay additional £440 per year from 2nd to 6th year of ownership. An EV registered before 2017 pays £20 per year. From April 2028 the Pay per mile tax at 3p per mile, this is additional to the flat rate tax. So for 8K miles a year the cost will be £200 + £240 = £440. 15K miles per year is £650. (For sub £50K vehicles).

Absolutely- I tried my best to trace where the sink & dishwasher pipes exit, but strangely nothing obvious outside though. Yup need to put traps. They seemed to leave the other cables (grey slightly thicker dishwasher one, & a solidcore grey flat one) both under there too.. & just went all guns on the one fridge grey cable. Thanks, Zoot

Well well, I've never heard of such a product before- considering I can't find the exit point outside, for the sink & dishwasher waste pipes, nor can get access inside to where they go out.. this seems sensible. Or easier perhsps: some 20mm black flexible ribbed conduit to sheath the cable in: hoping I might stumble across something suitable in due course tbh. This episode does make me paranoid about car electric cables tho. Surely a car has ideal nooks & crannies for mice. Saying that I haven't eve4 had an issue with any car before tbh. Thanks Onoff. Zh

insurance sure, but tax? I know EVs have a new per mile tax, but it’s tiny compared to the tax you pay per mile in an ICE car (fuel duty) so feel that’s irrelevant. What tax do you mean?

Maybe, like me, her only affordable full EV option would be a very used Nissan Leaf or early small bettery (and extreemly unreliable) Zoe. Then her range anxiety makes sense. I have a real dilema in that I desperately need a larger vehicle - our Kia ceed with a four bike roof rack barely copes - but I don't want to waste money on an ICE MPV or window van. The only EV that would suite our lifestyle (at least, one that I can ever hope to afford one day), is the Nissan ENV-200 mpv. On the rare occassions they come up for sale, they are £5000+, and also cost lot more in TAX and insurance. That's just imposssible to justify for a vehicle where battery degredation is a real worry. One of the rare EV cases where Jezza Clarson's 'you'll throw the battery away in 3 years' might come true.

Try here - Osmo Polyx Oil

Who are you planning to sell to? If you are targetting people who are moving from a city flat to a house then they may be actively looking for 'decent' showers that match those found in modern flats (almost always pressurised systems).* Obviously dumping the tank and pump for a new pressurised system has a cost but it might be worth it if it attracts buyers. (While a pumped shower can work, my experience of them is that they are noisy and that in itself is a turn off) * Showers came up amongst my very mixed income group of London adjacent friends recently and I'm sure we are a weird group compared to average but decent showers was one of the things we all actively looked for when looking for a new property. Just in case it matters, I'm the only one interested in the detail. The others were just wanting a nice shower not concerned how that happens.

You could fit a digital shower, but that would be >£500 Regards Tet

Hello. I've been glad to have found your post on this thread and your recommendation of "Osmo Polyx Clear Satin". I have similar stairs. They were treated last in 2012. I've just gone to Amazon UK to find your recommendation but have been presented with a bewildering array. Could you, please, point me toward the page for the product you used? Thank you. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=osmo+polyx+clear+satin&crid=38GL4LC7ZG23R&sprefix=osmo+polyx+clear+satin%2Caps%2C258&ref=nb_sb_noss_1