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A concern with the bridle cut that isn't an issue with the modern fixing approach is he possibility of the post splitting due to it shrinking more than the beam

Good question. There are posts at each end of the beam which will be fixed lower down to the wall. The bridle cuts at the end would have to be like this I expect

If it's a pre-existing structure, will you have enough clearance to get the bridle cut post in place?

I could drill and peg at the join to fill the gap, but I'd have to be very careful not to blow through with the drill and there would still be a small unplugged gap left

I'm making a simple porch frame to go between two walls and I am pondering between a bridle cut and a simpler to make bolt held option (M12 x 250 Stainless). The two options are at the bottom of this post (but at the top of the porch post :-). Vertical posts are 145x145 and horizontal beam is 95x195. Although it's more effort, I am currently leaning towards the bridle cut. It would prevent any light passing though a narrow gap that could open up through shrinkage. It's much more work to make though and the finished result will look identical bar any gaps. Silly?

Mine is that we should all do our bit to minimise water use and flooding. So have you plans for water butts? Also, if your ground can take it, to have your paving drain naturally to ground. The rain landed there for millions of years and we should try not to rush it away downstream.

is there any case for extending the underground drain over to the carport ? Might you be washing the car under the carport ? Would you have use for a ground level drain gully to take ground water running away on any adjacent hardscaping ? (just wondering about taking the water away from the main building rather than towards it) PS Just looked at your 3d image - seems you do have a hard surface between carport and main building - this would normally run off away from the house - potentially to a ground drain ? Do you plan to have a tap (and electric light & power) to the car port ? Lighting under the walkway ? You could bury the services or take them across inside the walkway structure ? Garden/external lighting planned ?

I’d probably go with the wired option if there’s any doubt about the RF signal. Having the cable installed while everything is accessible seems like a sensible bit of future-proofing, especially with foil and Aluclad potentially affecting wireless performance.

The wireless senso comfort and the wired version are different. If for whatever reason you decide to swap you will need to buy another unit. I went with a wired senso comfort in the hallway. The only connection to it is from the control box on the landing next to the cylinder. That unit takes its temperature reading from a sensor on the north wall of the house. Sealed through the airtight boundary into the loft. That wont change regardless of which version you want.

Good to see that things are progressing well. That DPC and insulation looks the nuts

Thank you

Welcome. Have fun with your build.

Finished, after a few false starts.

Please do. Fibre insulation 'sucks' a lot of rain. Visqueen and block/brick offcuts will keep a lot of it off.

Hi Everyone, Looking forward to learning, and hopefully in time, contributing to this site. We finally completed on a building plot with Class Q to existing steel barn. Planning submitted for a smaller property and now awaiting outcome. Original planning had unhelpful BNG attached as plot area had been miscalculated. Recently had DNO's come to quote for providing services. Will post cost outcome in relevant section but suffice to say your experience/ advice will be more than welcome as their fees are nothing but extortionate.

When you or your builder start talking about 'soakaways', be sure you are on the same wavelength. IIRC the PavingExpert site used to have a really good 'primer' re soakaways. Apart from anything I often see 'soakaways' (or reference to them) which don't comply with the rules re proximity to buildings, boundaries, neighbours and so on. Equally a shallow pit full of rubble may function as a soakaway for a while and then cease to do so. If you go the soakaway route get some good drawings and follow them. Also, given that conservatories may be exempt from quite a lot of 'the regs' (and may also just not necessarily be built well) beware of excavating around something which may have very minimal footings. Do test-pits first. Given the extent (or lack of it) of the job and the price quoted, if it were mine I'd be looking at whether I could do it myself and do it carefully, prudently and in line with 'the rules'.

Get several quotes. Some scaffolders have lots of kit and the timescale is secondary. Others have very little and effectively hire it to you. If you will need it to be adapted during the period, discuss that too. It's amazing how quickly they can do what they do when it is "included".

Do you no what the controller does? Is it likely to make them brighter than they are with the live n neutral wired up?

Likely to be a single-ply membrane. I can see the fascias being Aluminium flashings of some sort. The underside needs to be a flat ceiling, though I'm not sure if it can be plastered as it is essentially outdoors...

^ wot he said. The coated board is amazing stuff, ours was exposed for quite some time with no ill effects. But if you can get scaff up handily, I'd do it...

P5 Egger Protect is fine outdoors, as long as you are ‘weathered in’ in <90 days. You can control the weight by asking that only x number of blocks are landed in any 1m2, or prop from underneath. However, given the grief to date I think a birdcage is the best solution here; you may not appreciate the condition of the new deck after the brickies have been on it for the duration. Birdcage isn’t expensive and they shouldn't need it for that long.

I thought that as well, but whenever one challenges it certainly amongst online trade forums, they get pelted for not understanding how the business works, overheads etc. no, I fully understand all of that but can’t wrap my head around when a days labour for such a task went to a grand. I appreciate life is hideously expensive, we’re all living it, in the uk, but is a grand a day genuine value? that said, drainage does seem to be a very lucrative market so perhaps it’s just market economics.

They would tell you to do that. In addition to the quip about weight and blocks, the next thing they'll say is "Oh, don't worry about the rain and the chipboard - it'll be fine. " Birdcage - keep going

It will need flexible fabric over the crack. The movement can be extreme. But yes, this will work.

We originally decided on the left, but that has changed to the one on the right. The left is more muted though 🤔 Yes. We could only source yellow or a different yellow here in Hampshire. I wasn't planning on doing that?