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These two threads might be of interest. These beads do come in a few different colours. https://likov.com/ps2-flex-colour-2d-window-reveal-bead-with-protective-lip-g177

I had a 10.5m steel for the ridge and did not want to just box it in. So made a frame, similar to a skateboard halfpipe, covered in red faced plywood, then glued and pinned 4mm birch ply. Have two long pendant light fittings, one over island, other over dining table. Your friends might well be right. Will try and find recent photo.

Just came across this whilst browsing through the blogs - I'm planning our UFH and we'll be having a screed; what is the blue foam surround and is that part of the screeding process, or associated with laying the UFH pipes? I ask because I'm planning on laying the UFH pipes, but having someone in to do the screed. Congrats on your build progress - looks amazing.

Can you not use slabs? Thanks for the suggestion, Nick. Yes, I could do, but I like EPS beads because: EPS will fit perfectly into all the awkward shaped edges, on top of cavity trays, into a badly built section of cavity that is 165mm wide (ref: one of my threads from months ago). If my trench blocks get wet, I think wet/damp EPS will be better than wet/damp mineral wool. It doesn’t have to be stored on site. It won’t get wet during installation. It won’t be installed by the brickie, who’s on a price for the job & who’s motivated to work quickly & cut corners (ie leave gaps in the insulation), so he earns himself a paid day off at the end of the job. We’ll be able to start putting the roof on sooner. Perhaps the brickie/brickies will enjoy laying the blocks & do a better job if they don’t have to faff around with fluff. The internet says EPS will be cheaper (so I’m assuming, if it costs more it won’t be loads more). The internet says EPS has a better R-value (& that will be as compared to the expertly & patiently prepared mineral wool that was lab tested to deduce its R-value). I reckon I can procure EPS installation service myself, so I won’t have to rely on the builder to deal with it, nor pay him to watch it being done, nor pay his margin. I get to choose who does the work & it will be easier for me to arrange to be there to oversee it when it happens @Iceverge likes EPS & I’m an @Iceverge superfan.

Thanks. You've no idea how happy I am to hear that this amount of sqm to plaster isn't totally off the scale! I've got our builder getting quotes from someone he trusts and does a good job. Although our builder is great, and has been fair with his costs, I'm always nervous when a new sub-contractor comes along to quote and may think 'oh great, a self-builder, they must be loaded' (I really have no idea where some of these people get this idea; some of the builders we quickly discounted were clearly testing the water on their visit to site, saying to expect an average cost of £3-5k/sqm - we didn't go back to them...). Friends have said to expect £20k. I'm trying to manage my expectations. I'm interested in your ceiling of birch plywood (we're having a birch plywood staircase) - would you be able to post some photos please? How did you fix it to the ceiling (are screws visible/a feature)? What about light fittings etc?

& here’s a detail for where the 3 degrees centre section meets the 42 degrees section. I’ve added in some L shaped plates (green) to prevent rain being blown up the roof & into the vent void. This same detail could be used where the the 42 degrees sections meet the backs of the 3 degrees flat roof sections over the dormers.

I’ve added to a drawing I found online to show how the ventilation & drip edges will work at the apex of a standing seam roof, at 3 degrees .

I have a similar size home, about 800sqm needed skimmimg. It was a job for a highly skilled professional and really appreciated the quality of the final result. I did all the plaster boarding and fitted our main ceiling of 60sqm in birch plywood. I used a wind up lifter for the high ceilings. It is a big task. Back in 2018 I paid £7.00 per sqm, I supplied all the tape, plaster and beading. Pick a number a double / triple it?? Window reveals need to be included. Get some quotes for whole job. @nod will share same advice.

I’m sorry to make the task of resolving these problems more difficult but, there is no way I’m going back for a new planning permission. I don’t want to spend time explaining the long history of how I eventually achieved PP for something that I actually wanted to build: I need to focus on what’s ahead. That's not far off what happened, yes. I don't know anything about site poured lintels. I think I ought to minimise the number of technologies I must learn about to get this house built - I'd really want to learn about it because I wouldn't trust a builder to do it properly, if he thought I didn't understand the process. My learnings about works up to DPC (mostly from BH) saved me at least £7,000 after the builder took advantage of BC's requests for changes & tried to rip me off. I like glulams too. Are these OK to stick through the inner block leaf, so they're flush with the cavity (wrapped in VCL, of course)? Sorry, I can't visualise this. Are you talking about the long inner walls that the rafter ends sit on or the gable end walls (that will have ladders going over them, for some roof overhang)?

Thanks again for this, @Iceverge. I like what you’ve drawn. Sorry, the roof can’t be at 45 degrees because this would stretch the flat roof section at the top & make the building look very different from the approved plans. 400mm EPS in the walls is appealing, but it would make the inside too small & it can’t happen because [I’ll be in big trouble with you when you read this] the substructure is already built. For the benefit of anybody reading this whilst researching your possible self build, & to save @Gus Potter & @Iceverge the trouble, l will just explain: building the substructure before your superstructure drawings have been finalised is a very bad idea.

He may have used a pump-up pressure bottle to inject, vs drain down and fill via a towel rad / other. Service guys don't like getting wet.......

He says he topped up the glycol levels so that makes sense.

Or, does the trim that sticks out pull away? To reveal a neat line? Thanks

thanks for the replies, i had been looking into slim surface mounted units, so this may work or i might build a sort of back box out of pir, for behind the downlight. i took one out in another part of the house and despite being led i was surprised at how much heat it generated. thanks again carl

I'm looking for about 10 of these but cannot find them in small batches ANYWHERE to put plywood support boards on my metal studding. Is anyone able to recommend an alternative option other than Gypsum manufactured thats obviously for plot builds. Thanks in advance https://www.buildingmaterials.co.uk/british-gypsum-gypframe-service-support-plate-130mm-pack-of-100?utm_source=awin&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Bidnamic&aw_affid=786113&awaid=23859&gclid=CjwKCAiAjojLBhAlEiwAcjhrDm9gjrTeKZ_KTtTMXfM1dQPM4YLAXvXgpMYS_5HxoF-6Nmamr8yC8RoCP2UQAvD_BwE&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23034865346&gbraid=0AAAAA-gP1JMg_UupKCO1lM5rX8GrEievz https://www.british-gypsum.com/products/metal-products/gypframe-service-support-plate-18-mm#standards https://www.british-gypsum.com/products/metal-products/gypframe-ga4-steel-angle

It's worth investing if there's a leak there. Is the rafter wobbly in any way? It might be worth propping it if it is.

Hi All, I am going to render my window reveals but have a few questions I cant answer by looking around... I see window reveal beads but I dont really fancy the trim that seems to be left stuck onto the window, it looks unsightly and will be a different color to my windows...is there any alternatives here? Or..could I attach a cement board to the reveal then render that? Negating the need for the beads? Thanks as ever!

1. Just start ringing local spreads tbh. 2. I'm no fan of taping and jointing, other than in a non-domestic setting. Plaster is the way to get the best finish, subject to the spread not being shite. Scotland folk often say that plastering is not common practice, so you may have to ring around a bit / lot. 3. Don't screw through cables or pipes! Select the correct length screws for each room.

Flexible tile adhesive. Always important to decontaminate the underside of the tray as they come covered in dust and mould release agents and so forth. I get a cotton dishcloth (old school ones are best) and use a bit of the tile adhesive made up a bit wetter and scour the underside of the tray until you see the adhesive wanting to stay on it. Then butter it a bit and you know it's going to stay put.

We've just mapped out the wall areas to calculate the sqm area to be plastered (a time-consuming task we've been putting off tbh!). Well, the answer has come out to be 880sqm - house is 260sqm but with tall ceilings and upstairs in the roof space (this figure hasn't yet had the doors and window areas removed from it, but as an overall ball park figure it gives a figure to work from (noting they all have deep panels around them, plus we need to cater for wastage). I'm looking to fit the plasterboard, and concerned about how costly the plastering would be. A few questions: 1. What sort of plastering cost should I brace myself for? 2. What alternative options are there for achieving a good finish? (just want to make sure I'm aware of all the options) 3. Any tips on fitting plasterboard? (any at all!) Thanks

The effect of the graphite is accounted for in the lower thermal conductivity compared to standard EPS so not dependant on application.

Its a purlin cladded in wood. It was here when I purchased the property. Perlins in above it are all oak so I am hoping this one is too.

Talking of reading the photo, is that a notched 'plated' purlin bearing on that rafter/Truss? Or is it some sort of decorative 'trunking'?

One possibility is that - for whatever reason - the system was drained down during the servicing and air entered the pipes. The plumber will repressurise but as some of that trapped air gets circulated around it will eventually find it's way to an automatic air vent, either in your pipework or in the heatpump. As that bleeds out you can get a drop in system pressure. Some systems can take quite a while to purge themselves and require a couple of top up cycles. My own system takes ages to get rid of all the air, but that's because it's crap.