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Interesting thread. However at the risk of getting stoned by the residents here...... ”Are we normal?” Do we represent the “average person”? My personal belief is a very strong “no”. We are “special (needs? )” people. We spend thousands of hours sourcing the best possible outcome at the lowest price. None of us are going to accept a “packaged” solution with a packaged price. We crave understanding, detail and cost savings. If we’re spending money we want to understand what, where and when. So, can you take our ethos and “sell “ it to others? No. Lets get really simple and split the demographics into three: 1. The “average”. They’re just not that interested. They’ll pop off and buy a house from a major developer. They care little (or more important have little desire/drivers to understand) issues like insulation levels. They’re just not going to see the value in paying the premium of your services. 2. The “rich”. Will simply go to a high end developer/contractor/retailer/supplier and buy what they want. They’ll happily be taken in by the high end showroom and ego stroking. 3. The “weird”. Yep that’s us here. We’re mavericks, despots, control freaks, suffer from immense OCD and (as we say down here in Devon) are as “tight as a ducks arse”! So were where is the niche angle? @Construction Channel already nailed it. You are simply talking about being a ‘developer’. Build houses to make a profit and that’s sounds ALOT simpler than it actually is, you’ll need some deep pockets. Ill get me coat.

If you feel strongly about it, please bring it up with one of the admistrators. Preferably Ian, (the dirty bugger.)

One forum I use had the "naughty word" filter set to change the name of any popular car, like BMW, Audi etc, to Landrover, simply because the then forum owner was a Landrover fanatic................ We could do the same here, as long as we don't make the mistake that Ebuild did that prevented anyone from using the word "stopcock"....................

@BBCRenovationShow Welcome to the forum. I would like to see a show renovating some of the houses built to substandard by the major companies. You are very prolific in "outraged of WC2" tabloid heartstring twanging. But I am fed up of consumer so-called champions rabbiting on about problems just generating so,etimes overdone outrage. Let's have some programmes about solutions. I am sure that many of us would take part in that ... say in a similar style to the former Radio 4 Punters but with an answer. 5-10 minutes on the problem then 15-20 on the solution. Be a giraffe and stick your neck out. Ferdinand

MK on the kinetic switch bandwagon now: https://www.mkelectric.com/en-gb/Products/WD/Echo/Pages/default.aspx Good things come to those who WAIT!

@MirandaPoth hello and welcome. We went for Internorm windows. We are quite exposed up on a ridge and wanted the most robust we could find....will be fine I'm sure once we sort out the leaks on the big sliders LOL.....not sure if its an install problem or an issue from the problems we had with our slab not being level. We await expert opinion on the cause and solution. Leaks aside they are beautiful windows. They do not usually have these issues with their windows and are now trying to help resolve it. I hope we can sort it soon as its holding up my build now and I want to get on and get moved in. I do urge you not to wear rose tinted specs, its so easy to be excited at this stage and think all are great and it will be wonderful and problem free - no-one is perfect, including the frame and slab suppliers, everyone is capable of making mistakes and you need to watch and check and check again everything with everyone at every stage not only at drawing stage but on site too, I didn't at first and was probably a bit naive about it all....Lessons learnt - I go to site pretty much every day now even if just to show my face and check around and try and field issues before they become headaches. I have/had some major problems mostly sorted but compromises have been needed to deal with some of the things and inevitably a lot of the extra cost involved has fallen on me too. What is important is that the relevant suppliers sort out their cock ups promptly when notified not try and pass the buck. Some are better than others at this as I'm sure a browse around the forum will tell you. Latest cock up example that I have to sort out as relevant contractor long gone..............found out this week our (now sacked) groundworkers did not connect the toilet in the en suite to the foul drains the pipe was just left coming out under the slab and covered in sand etc so would have just been draining (slowly) into the ground under the patio....thank goodness we have not put the concrete base down for patio yet and so when our 2nd fix plumber alerted us to the problem of toilet pan not draining properly we were able to go and dig about outside and find the unconnected pipe. Now have to dig a new trench and put another manhole in etc Could have been a nightmare. Thank goodness for a plumber who took the trouble to tell me he thought we had a problem. You need eyes in the back of your head with some of these people! Thankfully have lovely new groundworker who I have a lot of faith in. Have you got some PM help from Peter via MBC lined up like Derek? If you are a rookie like me then some prof input and the excellent help available this forum will make a huge difference to you. Finishing line looking tantalisingly close for us now......so want it to come quickly am so fed up of living in a rented house....2 years and counting! Good luck keep us in the loop with progress.

Well, at last we have finished our renovation and have had an offer that we have accepted. It took longer to get here than we ever thought, over 17months, but I think it was worth it. After Christmas and our little party, we had the estate agent in who had already sold one of the neighbours houses and before we knew it, the photographer was there and the next day it was online! we still had a few snags to sort out but we soon had those done, apart from the wooden mantle for the lounge fireplace, which we hadn't found yet. After a couple of weeks, we had a good offer and so we are now in the hands of the solicitors. I am hopeful to have it all completed by end of April. Our buyer was in the middle of selling her place to a first time buyer so I am keeping my fingers crossed that there are not too many problems. We did say we didn't want a chain, prefering a FTB or cash buyer. So here are a few of the photographs of our amazing house, together with the origonal shots, if I have them. The dining room. The lounge. Our lovely bathroom - Am very pleased with this The back bedroom. I am so proud of what we have acheived. it was our first big renovation and we had to take on many challenges that we had not done before. But apart from the builder (who did the structural work on the side gable wall and removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room) and the plasterers, we did the lot ourselves! Poor OH has still not recovered, although his knees are much better now that he is no longer crawling round the floor doing plumbing/electrics/boarding etc. Whenever I mention another nice place I have seen on Rightmove that needs renovating, he turns a strange colour of pale and goes to lie down. I think I shall have to wait for a little while before looking too seriously. I hope you have enjoyed sharing this experience/blog with us and maybe have learnt some things on the way; I know I certainly have. I shall be sad to see the house go - it has always felt a friendly /warm house, even in the middle of winter. But onwards and upwards! Maybe we will eventually find a plot and can build our own house or, if not, a renovation for us rather than for profit. And whatever, I shall make sure there is a blog on Buildhub! Cheers, The Mitchells.

Yes I did. I said a Welshman called Nick said to get in touch. There was a nervous pause, then a sigh, then he mentioned your name. We both laughed nervously and then got down to business.

Pretty sure the ones I have are DDR3. I'll look when home (from the curry house ).

Well Ian is talking about dwanging his joists on another thread. That sounds very rude to me.

I enjoy making new customers squirm when it comes up. Keep a very stern face and go of on one that they think it’s fine to assume only men would work in such a place. I can only keep a straight face for so long but it is great to see how they react to it.

I have a set of Peltor ear defenders with a built in FM radio. Best things I've ever bought, as I can listen to the Archers in complete peace, even at home...........

That would just ruin my fun of correcting people , it’s one of the things I remember from college that I thought might be useful in the future. Along with brainstorms offend epileptic people so they are now called “mind maps”.......

Perhaps we should add it to the "banned words list"?

Inspection chamber! Man hole is a very sexist term supposedly

@lizzie thanks for the welcome and for your excellent advice! Much appreciated. We'll be living on site in a caravan (oh joy) so will be very close to the action but yes of course things will go wrong. We will be vigilant and learn as quickly as we can. Good luck with your windows and hope you get to move in very soon!

Any thoughts on this, apart from how much is the wire. I don’t mind spending good money on a good tool, but I hate feeling shafted buying the consumable bits when you have no choice.

Thanks Liz, I have seen your shower room photos on the other thread. Lovely.

Well, ya learn summat every day

Well with my floors ( using I joists) we only used noggins ( not in wales or USA,) on the bottom cord, the top being held by the glued flooring, also these noggins were spaced to support the edges of the plasterboard.

Well I am one of the converted ones ?. I only used copper but found hep20 brilliant for my build, no joins, push fit ends, better flow due to continuous pipework. What’s not to like ? i used to to be a Luddite but I’m better now!

Sorry. Thought most bath flexis would be to 3/4". So same fitting but 1/2 x 15mn. Can't get the staff.

Only those north of the border know what Dwangs are. To everyone else they are noggins. (even in Wales)

Longest

@recoveringacademic I think the idea originally came from Tony Cowling as the "Tony Tray": http://tonyshouse.readinguk.org/tony.htm

Fair play if that sauna switch can handle 850degC!

What makes you think they might know anything about garage floors? PS if you saw the BBC prog 'worlds most extraordinary homes' this week that Porsche collector's garage was the sort of thing everybody needs - amazing.

Most of my things are ‘finished but not quite’. That was the hubby’s specialist way of working. Definitely not a completer finisher and my total lack of DIY skills constrains what I can do to fix them. I bet we have all Belbin role types on here When I’m next down your way (family still live there) you’ll have to give me a guided tour of the finished project . Well, it might not be the next time I’m down perhaps but maybe sometime in the next 5 years

Low smoke T&E is good for I think 90deg. Ordinary for up to 70degC. At nom 50deg ambient you want to be applying a derating factor Ca to the cable don't forget. 0.71 for 70degC pvc. At 55degC it's 0.61. Obviously for 85deg rubber the derating factor is less.

Lizzie, you sound like a the perfect client. Wants something different, knows what she wants and open to new build methods to achieve this!

I doubt it I wired a house just over a year ago, easily twice the size of mine. The Hot water tank was in the plant room at the opposite corner of the house to the kitchen. There must have been 20 metres or probably more for the hot water to get from the tank to the kitchen tap. This was a plumbers house by the way.

Actually, I think he'll need to start again well before he's finished!

She wishes I'd take longer sometimes...

If you read the specs it says 40degC. That's manufacturer's instructions. It'd be a silly man goes against them in the event of an issue.

Go right back to the start of 1588 photos and 10 videos and you'll get a feel. Started life as a non square room with the ceiling 6" higher one end than the other and the concrete floor 60mm higher than the rest of the house! So new floor, ceiling and walls: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk23FYzd

You really should. It may not seem like he has achieved much but what he has completed has been meticulously planned, drawn out, marked, counter marked, modelled and built to an incredibly high standard. I know because Iv been here the whole time. The whole really really long time,

If you go for a "make" then MK is 40deg: https://www.mkelectric.com/Documents/English/EN MK Technical Specifications/T02 LOGIC PLUS Tech 355-389.pdf As in Click Mode: https://www.scolmore.com/_pdfs/spec_bros/Mode Switches.pdf I think you'll struggle for a standard white plastic jobbie. Something like a sauna rated switch? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Surface-mounted-Sauna-Toggle-Switch-IP54-All-in-one-Frame-Insert-Cover-/122932662577?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10 Or intrinsically rated / hazardous area one, maybe this: http://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/4574079-16a-2-pole-zone-1-light-switch

DId I not say something like this a few days ago @recoveringacademic RA Construction Ltd....

I have been pondering your comment on people re-do their bathroom every 15/20 years Nick. Does this mean as soon as On/Off has finished he will have to start again!!

The only 'early fail' component in the dual port SA units is the electrical immersion heater which they say should be good for 10 years, and iirc is warrantied accordingly. They've actually adopted a better setup IMO and have chosen to fit 3 x 1kw immersions rather than a single 3kw one so triple redundancy. Probably to do with a more even heat transfer characteristic.

If it's an unvented system then it's building regs that require/suggest the annual inspection, specifically Part G3, and is buried in the detail referred to here: It's the "maintenance of services" bit that often specifies an annual service, for safety reasons, as it's a pressure vessel. The Sunamp has too small an internal pressurised volume to fall within these regulations, so is, AFAIK, exempted from them, under this section of Part G3:

Wales is down hill from there.

I'm going to measure all my pipe runs just to make you all feel BETTER. I bet I've got the longest!

Yes I am, no need for anything else in my opinion. All pretty easy to get too, but had forgotten to specify where the drain cock is (opposite the feed). Not ordered yet. I shall see what they quote as because of one thing and another, it will not get sorted for a day or two. She is away on holiday, so no 'advantage' there at the moment, and she is a redhead that has the decency to dye it blonde.