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I've always held this view. I've seen a lot of new builds post completion and a good deal of them suffer severe shrinking. Primarily down to the shear speed they put them up nothing gets time to dry properly.

Thank you for letting me join this forum. I've been reading for a while now, on here and Ebuild, and am now at the stage where I have to start turning vague thoughts into reality. We moved earlier this year to a home which was individually designed in the late 60's. We are looking to add a large double height extension with garages and an office on the ground floor, and living space above. We also need to replace the roof and some of the drainage so there might be questions coming about that in the future... In the meantime, we have a boiler of some age that keeps breaking down. I'd like to ask your views on alternative replacement heating systems but would like to ask it in the right section of the forum - would that be "General Alternative Heating Issues"? Thanks Gillian

It will look fantastic. Start saving large cardboard boxes up if you have lots of building work still to do to lay down on it to protect it, we brought a loads of Corex first of all but were advised that we needed to take it up every evening to let the floor continue to dry, I the end we used the boxes from the kitchen for two months which protected it from any damage.

I let my masonry build sit for close on a year and let it dry out fully. Have had a few tiny cracks but nothing major. I know most builders are on a rush to get the house handed over so they can collect the money and leaving it this long isn't an option. I used tapes on all the window and door frames and membranes taped to the walls to seal the floor. All holes for lights etc in the ceilings are all sealed up so am pretty happy with how mine has turned out. As you say it takes time and dedication that most here are willing to do. Didn't need an air test to pass the regs, brought in now in NI though. As far as sealing a block wall up a scratch coat and skim finish would be a better option than parge coat,plasterboard and skim in my opinion. Don't get why you build block then stick plasterboard to it.

When I was an apprentice, we picked up a mini, and "parked" it in an impossibly tight space facing the wrong way in a 1 way system.

Right then, I'll PM you my address!! Will stock up on the 'redbull' in the meantime - you may need a few.

Best price i got. Could maybe have push sun renewables another bit but didnt want to deal with them after they messed me around with the in-roof system. This is what we got. Hope all is well, your 4kw system will contain. 16 black mono 250watt SolarWorld panels with German mounting kit. SolarWorld factory insurance is included with our system 25 year performance warranty.SMA inverter with 10 year factory warranty with online monitoring to give you peace of mind.I boost system for heating water over summer months with 5 year warranty. The guy i dealt with was called Mark and also a rep Paddy. Mark Bailie <mjb240@icloud.com> Patrick Kelly <patrickjkelly100@gmail.com> Hope she gets sorted. As its getting close to the cut off. D

We all know that by "Redbull" he means "ale". Let's face it, he always means "ale".

I'm just lacing mine up too - it's a two man job and I'm only half the man the Welsh plumber is but that's only in physical stature .....

You are my father in law and I claim my £5. I hate negotiating more than just about anything else in the world.

yeah 30th of september is the deadline.

I love negotiating, it's my favourite hobby! If I could make a business out of doing other people's negotiating for them - buying cars and the like, I'd be delighted. As far as the build has gone, I think it really helps to know your stuff (as much as you can anyway) and drop in technical bits and pieces where you can. I think it warned some of the salesmen that I wasn't about to be taken in with any old nonsense. I also always told an anecdote about another salesman that made assumptions about my level of knowledge and lost a lot of business through it. Bribery always helps too, of course As does charm and banter.

Used to be known as Bath Empire .... Caveat Emptor https://www.reviews.co.uk/company-reviews/store/bathempire

There's a lot more work with a wetroom, but it's easily doable and is a very nice solution. I bought my last 1800x850 Wetroom former from Diamond. Very good tray and went in without a hitch. I'd fit a different trap to the one that came with it tbh so I know for the next job to ask for it to be discounted accordingly. Low profile trays are quick, easy and negate tiling. Cheaper too if money's stretched so maybe one with a tray and one as a Wetroom

I have Ecohause Internorm windows. The installation was a rip off at over 8k, which I accepted as I thought I would get a premium job with easy comeback on damage or problems. The installers were subcontracted idiots who fitted windows badly and damaged nearly every window. I have just had magicman out to repair them, which he has been unable to do. Just to make it really clear Ecohause Internorm have been terrible to deal with and have offered an expensive and substandard service.

OK, if nothing else this shows you the enormous amount of space you have to play with between bed one and the master bedroom - You can move the master door around depending on if you want to retain the cupboard on the landing. Firstfloor plan .pdf

Not a great photo but only have what's on my phone bbq is to the left

We can all think of ways to save money but think of all the "surveyors " etc it would put out of a job!

I had fun with some timber merchants the other day. Managed to persuade one company (who have forklift offloading so for my site quite an advantage over the HIABs of the other guys) to come down to within £10 of their competitors. Then agreed to go with them and reminded them that I had several hundred pounds in credit with them. Thought it best to leave that wee nugget of information out until after the haggling was done