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You "might suggest".....?!? Jesus. It's in the MI's so is a required standard, not bloody optional!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is an utterly shite installation, and without the clamps and the bends ALL secured with tek screws, it's dangerous. Who's going in that room? Are they expendable? If so, ignore my advice and plod on. :shakeshisheadindisbelief:

These are often standard drawer boxes from Blum etc. Have you ended up with things that don't fit? Did the supplier have a showroom or any information on the drawer depths?

Standard detail tbh. IKEA do more about utilising every last mm, literally, but apart from that this is the norm.

Looking at our narrower drawers, it is apparent that when closed the drawers finish 40mm short of the actual back of the cupboard. (This is on a 300 depth drawer.) So 40mm of space we cannot access or use, Not what I was expecting. Any comments ? Should I complain ?

Well for the middle person to get out past others that are seated, then I imagine you would need at least 900mm. In all honesty I have been to dinner at people's houses where you would need other(s) to move in order to get out. Ditto restaurants. The problem is (1) most uk houses are of limited size, so talking ideals is great if you are a multi-millionaire, live in the country, or somewhere where housing is cheap, but I rather think it very difficult to achieve for most people in the UK, and (2) the use case of people for dinner is occasional and rarely more than 6 or so people for us. Most of the time the table is serving no more than 4, so everyone can get out at 650. Is the use case of fat uncle albert sat in the middle needing the toilet that critical ? On the other side of the table is a walkway down the room, so permanently limiting that because fat uncle albert comes to dinner twice a year seems unjustified. The table can be moved to-and-fro of course but the lighting will be fixed. Wall gap 900 + table 900 + seated person on other side 500 is 2300 which then leaves a walkway of only 600, or 900 with no-one seated. Every trade robs space - the brickie stole 25mm, the plasterer 15mm, the kitchen fitter 15mm

Fix without them?

fan motor breaking down when it's hot?

It's been recommended I use KompeFix ventilation strip to keep the wood wall battens and horizontal cladding apart - presumably to avoid trapping moisture between adjacent wood and allow for a little movement. That is: https://www.russwood.co.uk/shop/product/kompefix/ It's only GBP 2.22 per m - which sounds OK value until I figured out I needed about 750m / 1,700 quids worth. Are there any good alternatives?

yeah have considered horizontal, have always had a preference visually for vertical. Think vertical should be easier too as the longest length wouldn’t be even half as long as the widest for horizontal. I got some samples from millboard of their new cladding range, but wasn’t overly keen and they couldn’t guarantee it would last even 10 years but said it should last much longer. I will certainly be looking at cement cladding boards too before I decide. Did consider uPVC but someone across the street from me has it on their dormer and it’s warped and split all over, so that’s out. timber would be hardwood or modified softwood and would then get no further treatment from me, I quite like the silvered look it gains over the years.

ASHP, all electric, but have a stove which gets used infrequently. Voltage moves about a fair bit, grid is currently 244V can be as high as 153V. Used to get a few short power cuts, but our battery now hides this.

That's why they pay teachers so much, not, because making the obvious obvious is not at all simple - learning styles, language skills, neuro diversity, prior skills, current capabilities and much more are all factors to be taken into account - and that's just the learner.

So slow ! Like a bitch with a chain around her ankle chasing you for payment

Congratulations on a lovely build, I'm jealous of how well you've kept to schedule! I think this is a really good way to reflect on costs - you've achieved a better house, got exactly what you want, all without paying over the odds - plus you're lucky enough to have enjoyed the self build experience along the way.

I take you are not electric only but have a fire or oil heating my grid voltage is very stable here all the time

Hi, My builder has just used cement to fill the join between the two walls. The cavity block wall and the stone, rubble and lime mortar wall. I can see the damp penetrating the blockwork but the lime mortar wall dries well as it should. Can someone advise what I should expect for this area of the construction? I can’t see this as being acceptable. Photo provided.

Are there no downsides to not signing off - can you claim the VAT back from there.

Any suggestions Our LG Therma V 12kw U32, about 10 years old works fine.... ...except when it gets warm and sunny when the unit suddenly decides it will trip the fuse with leakage overcurrent, it does this even if working at low power, heating or cooling. Any ideas why we might be getting leakage current only when the unit is exposed to hot sunshine? Thanks

Historic politicians came from a very small pool of the very rich and privileged. So not really a modern issue. Isn't that another issue itself?

I did my VAT claim with the temporary habitation, I needed the cash. I could have waited until full completion if I wanted to.

Yes, this is (I think) more of a modern problem. In the past our politicians were somewhat more serious. You may disagree with various historical politicans and they may have made disastrous decisions and mistakes but it seems (at least in hindsight) that they took the job of being a politician seriously. They would sit for hour long serious TV debates where they would delve into complex matters. The interviewers and opposition acted in good faith and followed up. Look at the TV debates of the 70's and even 80's. The vast majority of government work carried out by the professional civil service and their advice was taken seriously. This was why someone with no particular ecperice ofnhealth/defence etc could fulfil the role. Now, as mentioned, politicans don't act in good faith. It's all soundbites, misquotes and blaming the "deepstate" for stopping you doing what you want to do (mainly because it's a massively stupid thing to do). One of the Trump appointees - possibly homeland security, recently floated the idea of cutting the number of federal customs and border staff at airports im cities that weren't cooperating with ICE. At the time everyone thought it was just some off thr cuff remark because to cut staff at NY, Washington etc airports - some of the biggest in the US, would cause absolute carnage with most of the economic fallout being borne by the cities that the travelers were eventually heading for rather than the ones they first landed in. Anyone with an ounce of understanding of international travel, tourism etc would contemplate such a scheme. Anyway, it looks like they might be serious.... Because Trump's primary criteria for appointments is personal loyalty rather competence.

What did you do that for🤣. Is it a excuse to sit down for a beer.

I have followed this exact advice. Job's a good 'un.

Yes - they could be excluded in the same way as "no washing on the balcony" in the contract. But I can't see that sticking for ever, once they are in safe use.

Can you specify that they must not use one. As pointed out above, it is not just the wiring load, there is also the problems with the kit cluttering up the place and possibly falling. It is not unusual to make minor changes to contracts.