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Not directly related to building as I’ve never done anything during the winter with my place being a renovation, but I’ve always struggled in the darker months of the year, from my birthday in late October right through to the end of February. one thing which always perks me up is when things start to grow again, snowdrops, hellebores, crocus and followed by the other spring bulbs, you know better times are on the way. Appreciate the full on self builders won’t have much of a garden, but you can always have a walk round where you live. The dull days really don’t help, and this January has been the dullest my 10 year old solar panels have experienced so far!

Done. I've been assured it will be fully repaired. I wonder if my definition of fully repaired is the same as the renderer's 🤔

Well I could not view the image or the vid, but you need to put patination oil on lead to prevent the oxidizing.

I had the first extended Christmas holidays where all I did was normal household maintenance this year! It's so worth it when you make it out the other side, I actually look back through the photos I took and chuckle at the shit shows, and emotional lows I went through, the most frustrating, the small victories, and the moments of dispair. Amazing how much relatively short periods of time soften all wounds! Keep at it team

The roofers have just finished welding the lead flashing; I've 2 questions: 1. How do I clean off the white staining? (the flashing on the garage rooflights hasn't had this appear). 2. They've only welded the folds at the corners. Should I expect (or ask for the vertical mid-section overlaps to be welded? IMG_9456.MOV

I'm not sure what records you have - thermal photos etc - but I'd be wanting to make sure that the cavity is sound if such exists. That depends on construction method, but that means that it is properly sealed to the window. Key indicator - cold bridges and detectible drafts around the edges. A smoke pencil may help detect drafts. At this time of year a thermal camera from outside may be helpful. if it were me, I would be thinking about plasterboard backed with PIR, even 10 mm, but I think your window openings make that impossible. F

Can I nominate a pub in South Wales? Preferably one I can walk home pissed from.

Yes

Many insurance policies include legal cover. Asking them for the legal help might be more valuble than talking about whether they care about the specific repairs. Would only go this far if normal push back on builders doesn't work. Mortgage company would be very interested in things that could affect long term value of the property but as a new build you should in theory already be covered and as long as the leak is fixed then the rest is cosmetic and I doubt they care about that. Not sure I would want to contact mortgage company for something minor like this (so long as the leak is fixed). All in, redoing this bit of plasterboard is not a huge or expensive job so as long as you are persistent with them consuming their time it will be cheaper for them to do the work rather than argue.

HI Suffolk-folk. Anyone fancy a pub meet-up?

I am no expert, just a punter like you, and do agree it needs to be re boarded/plastered. It may indeed be revealing to see what lies behind the plasterboard - do take photographs when it is removed. You could consider speaking to your insurers - perhaps you already have. Clearly an insurer will not cover new build building defects. However you would expect them to insist any rectification/repair work is carried out fully and properly including replacing damaged plasterboard etc and replastering/painting. So you could then approach the builder firmly yourself and in addition point out your insurer will also not accept anything else. You should also be asking for the rectification/repair work to be guaranteed by the builder. I would be looking to make sure you have written/email communications between yourself and the builder documenting the problem, the cause, the necessary rectifications and repairs, and the further period for which these are covered by the builder. It may be helpful to have a friend or relative around with more building experience. I have found some builders try to ignore what owners say - I sometimes had to pay our structural engineer to basically say exactly the same thing I had already said to the builder, before the builder would act. (PS If you were selling you might possibly be asked about build defects in a buyers questionnaire or survey, and should be able to give them the guarantee for the rectification work etc.)

It's not the BC system that failed here but the builder, as you say. And if the builder causes a problem, however much it is unforeseen by them because of lack of knowledge, it should fall to them to resolve it. They have overstepped their ability. Your design but they thought they knew better? Or have I missed your point? what was the fault with the BC system?

How about a build hub local support network I’ve met a local lad building similar to me, we meet up once a month and drink tea and walk around his build, as I’m a couple of years in front of him I’ve been able to point out some things that worked well and some that didn’t. we have all been able to exchange some left over materials and also lend / borrow some tools. since meeting a couple of years ago we have also been out to the pub a couple of times with the wives. it’s handy to find someone in a similar situation who feels the pain you might be going through. I know it helped his wife to come to ours as she could see that there is actually light at the end of the tunnel, even if it’s just a distant glimmer. im in Cirencester if anybody wants a coffee or wants me to pop in and offer encouragement.

🤞🏻

Yes, this all sounds postively weird! I've recently had the National Grid out to our plot. We will be an infill between what are currently the last two properties on the line of the (overhead cable) run. The NG inspector suggested taking the supply from the last pole in my neighbours garden, but given the trolling we had through the planning stages I'm sure they wouldn't give us a cold let alone a wayleave. So the answer for us was to pay for a new pole (mid way between the last two on the run) and make our connection there. The pole has been "planted" and the connection is due next Tuesday. Didn't seem to be a problem for NG - from enquirey to installation much quicker than a water supply. Sounds like properly bad luck for you...I wish you well.

Can someone explain what this Section 37 is? I can't see why the DNO won't just upgrade their network and quote for the work needed. It almost sounds to me like there is a party being uncooperative and not allowing them access to something and they are having to force it through some legal process?

You're welcome, and always here to help, listen and advise (where I can)

@NSS not stupid at all - that's exactly what we discussed when the site inspector came today. All depends on the neighbour now to grant permission to use their pole and dig their garden - great shout though

Thanks Roger, I will look into that - no harm in researching it

There is no discussion to be had. Not least because of that 'droop' - never mind what's hidden behind the once-wet plasterboard - they seem to be proposing to hand it back to you looking worse than it did when you bought it. Say no and stand your ground.

....and ended up with 50mm PIR (only, as far as I read) in the walls? Since SAP for new-build is a whole-house affair (with back-stop - worse - U values for each element if I recall correctly) unlike refurb, where it is 'walls must be x; roofs must be y' etc.) I am not saying 50mm PIR would not 'hack it' but it sounds like half or less what I'd have used. What was stated in the archo's dwgs? My U value calcs are only rough ('fag-packet' rather than software) but the lightweight blocks must be a lot better than the standard blocks in my default to get 0.25W/m2K. Was there really less than 50 PIR (say 100 rockwool) spec'd initially?

I think this unfortunately illustrates what had been wrong with the BC system for quite some time. Get a design SAP passed and then the specification gets changed during construction with often those changes not even mentioned at the end and an "as built" SAP comes out of the sausage machine. The latest changes have tried to tighten this up with photographs etc and more attention paid to what actually happened on site. It is however still catching people out because some builders just don't think it through. I designed and spec'd two houses that had high efficiency gas boilers for a client. His contractor changed these to electric boilers because the gas connection was going to take longer than the electrical one. Didn't need the gas connection at all now......No one asked if that would be OK. That caused a hell of a fuss upon completion I can tell you.

That definitely won't just paint over. As above the ceiling board in the alcove has sagged and all the joints are shot. A lot more work than a bit of filler and paint.

https://acwservicesltd.co.uk/electrical-services/solar-assisted-heat-pumps/

Is that tape and joint or proper wet plaster? Looks like tape joints and those crappy paper vs metal beads on the corners and edges.