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Our guy used 4:1 with some fibres chucked in. Get the levels around the edge then fill in the middle.

I have never seen these. If you are doing a DPC cavity tray around the perimeter you could just lap any joins, but probably not have any other than change of direction. You could use some double sided DPC tape if you are feeling really keen. Who specified these? Is it a radon thing?

Does anyone know whether there is a cheaper alternative to the below. I was contemplating purchasing a load of stainless steel strip or even aluminium and forming them myself. Seem very expensive for what they are. https://www.fixingsstore.com/visqueen-dpc-joint-support-400-x-100mm-stainless-steel-10-pack-rs074124/p/26435

Can you ask them to show you the "regulation" that requires this, or to explain the reasoning? This "threat" can make a bco accept a sensible compromise. Nobody likes to look stupid. Maybe they personally agree with you but are misinterpreting the rules. Or switch them later. Door 1 to comply with building regs. Door 2 for passive. Or invent your own door which foes both jobs.... somehow. Yes it needs a closer.

Good points. The two strip lights is interesting. The fitter had somehow dissassembled the shelf unit when he routed the existing profile recess. So maybe I could persuade him to disassemble again (if he hasn't glued it up) and rout a second channel further forward and have 2 strip lights. That is if he doesn't rout me a new ****hole for being such a PITA.

You could buy a decor end panel, or squeeze the “designer” for a free one, and line the rear of the cabinet.

Valid point. I am not a fan of the rear shelf lighting often installed as I always feel it silhouettes whatever is on the shelf rather than illuminating it. You always light a picture from above but in front. The front book cover is illuminated but the spines are in shadow. The dotted thing is lit at the top but not on the front face. The other annoyance is now well lit - the three holes top right and left. The 'shelf unit' is only a wall unit without doors so it comes with holes for wall mounting predrilled in the back panel - nobody tells you in the showroom discussions of course. There are some grommets but I have kept some waste offcuts in the hope of drilling my own matching plugs.

Hi all, I am finally back on my building project after a long distraction. I am building the porch at the moment and I am now unsure what mix to use for the floor. I think I have read too many websites different opinions. It will be a basic un heated porch. 2.2 x 1.9m internal floor area. To build up the floor level there will be 120mm insulation and then I was thinking 80mm of screed on top. I will be mixing and laying the screed myself! Originally I had thought of doing a biscuit screed at 8:1 cement to sharp sand. But a lot of other websites seem to recommend 4:1 normal floor mix. So I am now a bit unsure what mix is best Does anyone have any good advice or experience that would help me out? Thanks

Changed the plastic box my compressor was mounted in because of vibration noise, but now there is a little gap and a mouse has taken up residence. Chewed cable or pipe next I guess! Nothing is ever simple! The pump is quite , if you take cover off and press down on it , it’s all vibration noise.

Solido Smart- compressor, sitting on a foam pad, is in a sealed "bucket" which sits atop the airlift tube. This is in free air under the double-skinned plastic manhole cover. Intake pipe is 30ft away in the hedgeline. Zero noise from the inlet, you can't hear the compressor from more than about 10ft from the manhole. Only real noise is splashing water when it's doing it's twice-daily pumpout

I think I'd go for the double door then consider ripping one out. Does a fire door need a closer on if you have a "fire door keep locked" sign on instead?

If you do manage to route out a new one, having two strip lights is even less shadows!! Surely the self adhesive ones only sit a few mm proud, and would never be seen unless you stick your head in the cupboard?

@dpmiller Do you mean the one I labelled as "locking (?) Allen key slot" for the top one, that feature exists for top and bottom hinges but doesn't exist for middle hinge; this is one the main questions I have since I don't know if it's not there to signify that the middle hinge Allen key slot behind the cap is for adjusting something else or its just how the middle hinge was built or if something is lost or broken for the middle hinge (and if so if adjusting the middle hinge to even the load when I am adjusting the hinges to lift the French door would create more problems)

Less shadows the way it is now.

Or manage without any such faff and just have water travel down a pipe, on demand. No tenant is going to use a stopwatch to see when the shower gets hot…..

Yes, as our walls will be some 400mm thick we could support a double door withing the aperture and we considered the FD on the garage side and the passive door in the hall, but what a pain to use, exacerbated by the self close on the fire door. Integral garage a part of our brief. Drive in and enter the house out of the weather. So part of the design. But as it doesn't appear to be possible to make an operational garage airtight or thermally efficient it has to be outside the envelope. Building control also working against us. Nonsense requirement to have a 150mm step between garage and hall - no doubt mitigating risks that no-one has ever seen materialise. Working opposite to the requirement to have a level entry to the front door. By definition there must be a step or slope if the garage is 150mm lower so "level" is not a possible outcome. We're just trying to make sure we're able to manage life with mobility issues should that come to pass - but hopefully it wont!

yes but i was going to have it a closed system and fill from my source with inhibitor to look after the heat pump

I want to simplify the installation of the Radon membrane and if I can do the below, eg run the lower DPC under the inner leaf and across the cavity and then up the inner face of the outer leaf. If I can go with this approach, it completely negates me having to use pre formed door openings OR having to try and bodge it together. The only required detailing will be the 4 corners. The standard Visqueen detailing is shown below, but if you go with this approach, then you have to mess around at door openings. I just want to avoid as many taped joints as possible.

Just testing first LED strip - see photo. Just annoyed that the kitchen fitter cut the profile slot in the centre of the shelf depth without asking. Really wanted the strip not far from the front of the shelf so it actually illuminates what is on the shelf from the front. Is it remotely possible to rout a shelf panel from underneath while it is insitu ?

I would guess that if you want to rent the place out (even if only occasionally) you want to avoid anything complex like that. I suggested Shelly as they are cheap simple and can work standalone for simple things. But you could likely do enough with a traditional timer + pir.

You know you can buy a simple water pressure meter quite cheaply to measure your pressure at different points yourself, and flow rates can be measured by running into a bucket of known capacity (you can measure the bucket capacity with a measuring jug). If you want to get sophisticated with controls then smart home systems allow this - would you be connecting your shelly to a hub ? You may not want the extra complication though.

Bit more sophisticated than that. While this is for variable speed and multi cylinder ICE induction systems, the theory is the same. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326440306_A_STUDY_ON_THE_DESIGNS_OF_THE_RESONATOR_FOR_REDUCING_RESONANCE_NOISE_OF_INTAKE_SYSTEM_IN_VEHICLE

We've recently had our EPC redone and 12.5kw of panels added a few points but surprised me how little it added. We've got a 4kw MCS system and 8.5kw self installed and the Assessor seemed to struggle with getting those entered into the system. He ended up putting the panels in by area as a percentage of roof area covered. I got the impression that assessor wasn't too familiar with anything non standard so maybe there are alternative ways that may get a better score??

You are SO right . Effectively on some things we’ve exceeded UE . But I cheated a bit . Mines a heightmap engine so I can’t do overhang / caves etc - fine for landscapes etc but not insides ( though I’m thinking about how you would do that with a ray marcher for a follow up project ) . But yes ! Everything UE does we attempt . Rain , snow , wind , lighting , explosions , lasers , ice , real big list . Put a video up on YouTube in the next few weeks . Expect Apple to offer me a billion dollars for it …. maybe …. or Mr.Beast ( I.e more money than sense ) . But I’ll take the cash from anyone ; not fussy !

Nothing yet. Over two months for me now as well. Going to call them tomorrow. According to Gemini: Yes, you can chase your progress by calling the dedicated HMRC DIY and House Building VAT Enquiries Team on 0300 322 7073.