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Well I've just got back from site. The good news first: the frame isn't out of square. I spent a good hour checking the frame and +/- 5mm it was pretty good. I think the "its all to cock" statement by the window team was a bit of a chuck a hand grenade and distract the attention away from us tactic. Not overly helpful! The bad news is the ground floor slab isn't level, neither is the first floor deck. The reasons why are probably a bit of an unknown but as Jeremy said they didn't have a great time with the weather, it was truly foul most days. Regarding the window openings; again there are a number that are out of true. Unfortunately this is a (as is so often the case) compounding of a number of errors. Firstly they had a manufacturing issue in the factory and had to adjust a good number of the openings onsite. Secondly the designer simply misread the drawings from Internorm and got some of the slab recesses wrong. I picked up these errors in advance of the windows arriving but unfortunately the remedial works in some instances just weren't quite right. So moving to the resolution. The guys turned up at 8:40pm after driving all the way from Gloucester. Joe and Brendan looked at the issues and conceded the problems without any hesitation. They are going to apply levelling screed to both the slab and the upper floor. Furthermore they are going to square all the openings with batten and packers as required. Their apporach was 100% no quibble. A refreshing change to many contractors who seem to make shirking responsibility an art! So so in summary; remind me again why we do this self build thing? Don't I have enough stress in my life? #nutter!

I went in on Monday for some milk, Just milk, I came out with 3 sets of Alan keys, some screwdriver bits, some pickle topped pork pies (very nice), an electric cool box, a crate of bottled water, a chocolate brioche loaf (also very nice), a desk bell, some round playing cards, a router and a pot of coffee. I had to stop at Tesco Express on the way back to get the milk that I forgot

That sounds hopeful. MBC have accreditation with the Structural Timber Association. Just in case it's of any use in your conversation with MBC here's the tolerances for timber frames published by the STA. Let me know if you need the document sent to you by DM.

Re window opening sizes: personally speaking I was in the lucky situation of not being in a rush so I made the deliberate decision to get the timber frame completed first c/w all openings then get the window & door contractor to site to do their own site measure of the openings. Their contract was supply & fit so no arguments or divided responsibility. The big problem with that approach is timescale (and added cost for those living in temp accomodation) - it adds at least 4 weeks onto the overall job.

I must have spent an entire working week ferreting out errors of various sorts from the schedule, the drawings, the changed nomenclature, and the requirement that my quadriplegic mate WILL be be able to scoot around in and out of our house on his own without skinning his knuckles. Luckily @craig was sympathetic to that issue. But it only takes one cog in the wheel to make the odd simple error -typo- -poor transposition- to @arse the whole thing up. And I'm spending over £30k. As @Construction Channel points out, some disciplines within the building sector treat the trades with what -at my level- appears to be disdain at least on a par with this.

Who are you and what have you done with @Onoff?!

I thought joe would have been driving the van whilst Brendan was in the back with the chop saw going, cutting wedges as they went. Good to hear there's a reasonably pain free resolve .

Be aware that there may well be safety issues as well. US 230V AC is 115V AC either side of earth, I believe, not the same as the UK system of 230V AC above earth; I think it's effectively a two phase 115V AC supply to the house, with the 115V circuits from one phase and the 230V circuits using both phases in series (it's a 180 deg two phase system, IIRC). This has implications for the PE and the internal wiring and insulation within the appliance, so needs checking. It may well be OK. but it may not. I had a 230V oil cooled arc welder years ago, that was US made. It didn't mind working on 50Hz, but it did need internally re-wiring to be OK on a UK 230V AC supply.

Yes briefly when I visited site this afternoon but using the window fitters level. I've got a 1800mm fatmax level that I know is accurate so I'm going to head to site shortly and take a closer look.

Well the MD and Brendan are getting in the car and driving down to site tonight. So I'd say that's pretty impressive so far! I do actually have some confidence it will get sorted, you don't gain a good reputation (especially in the online bear pit of forums) for nothing!

I'm just disappointed. I very rarely do angry, I find it rather self defeating. I have just written a long email to MBC so I'll see what response I get. This is quite a watershed moment for said company, they are lorded on this forum for their exemplary service/quality and the true test of any companies service is when something goes wrong. I have over 200 directly employed staff so I'm all to aware that when you involve people you get human error. The test is how you resolve it to the satisfaction of the client.

@Nick or @craig may be able to help with this as they are in the business from what I've gleaned the centre U is irrelevant as basically you can eliminate any savings with a poor edge spacer ..!

I did that yesterday :-)

I do not know if anyone is interested, but all the Planning Documents for the project are here: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/planning/searches/default.aspx?adv=0&simple=Grenfell+Tower&simpleBatch=20&simSubmit=Search#tabs-planning-2 The main ones I have looked at are this one from 2012 https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/planning/searches/details.aspx?adv=0&simple=Grenfell+Tower&simpleBatch=20&simSubmit=Search&id=PP/12/03163&cn=143819+IBI+Taylor+Young%2c+Chadsworth+House%2c+Wilmslow+Road%2c+01625+542200&type=decision&tab=tabs-planning-2 thsi from 2013 which was withdrawn: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/planning/searches/details.aspx?adv=0&simple=Grenfell+Tower&simpleBatch=20&simSubmit=Search&id=PP/12/03163&cn=143819+IBI+Taylor+Young%2c+Chadsworth+House%2c+Wilmslow+Road%2c+01625+542200&type=decision&tab=tabs-planning-2 and this from 2014 which revised it: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/planning/searches/details.aspx?adv=0&simple=Grenfell+Tower&simpleBatch=20&simSubmit=Search&id=PP/12/04097&cn=145691+IBI+Taylor+Young+Chadsworth+House+Wilmslow+Road+01625+542200&type=decision&tab=tabs-planning-2 These are details of samples and so on of course, and Decision Notices approving such. F

I want them to have a drawbridge.

I was looking to INCREASE my dormer overhangs if anything when I redo them. Edges and corners leak like a sieve.

I could be wrong but i cant see why it would need an overhang unless it is trying to drip into a gutter, lap the wall below properly i cant see a problem, ill try to remember to take a picture of the flat roof on our current job tomorrow, but along the side it is pretty tight to the wall. (its a rubber roof but i cant see that would make a difference.)

Happens all the time. I can't remember the last time we actually built anything from the plan. It is bloody frustrating as the builder though. They are essentially saying " I'd rather not pay £1500 for the architect to un hide a layer on his cad drawing, so....... how about you do it for free and if I think I would have done it differently you can just change it. "

The 20mm dia rail is pretty proven tbh. Doesn't crud up too much and the wheels cut through most stuff. I keep meaning to attach a couple of "dustpan" brushes to help clean the track every time it opens / closes. Have a look on Pinterest for sliding gates! I designed my gate frame and had it fab'd and galvanised. Around the £300 mark. Kit about £500 as said. Probably come out about £2K all in when finished. Do you reckon they'd go for this? https://m.imgur.com/gallery/KAYGnsx