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Black 65mm duct if you can find an offcut. If not a bit of black rainwater downpipe. Do not under any circumstances use blue water pipe and then get offended when the electrician refuses to feed cables through it.

As above, the boards need to be independent to move as needed, it’s pretty easy to pre drill a hole in the centre of the top batten so that your nail has the best chance of going through the joint in the boards below, should it miss it will only go through the very edge of the lower boards and any spitting due to expansion and contraction will be hidden behind the top batten. I have done the back of my cabin like this and it’s been up for over six years without any boards spitting, the same with my shiplap single line nailing, totally stable after 6 years with absolutely no splitting. All the holes on both the shiplap and vertical cladding are pre drilled, the shiplap are oversized by a mm to allow a tiny bit of movement. I have seen lots of board on board with spitting and cupping and that’s why I use this system - it works and has not failed me yet and I like the look.

Hi I think all rafts will require starter bars from the reinforcing in the slab as this ties the two together. The structural engineer set out how much rebar and the spacing, more below garage as this is below ground. I have laid all the blocks myself my son has helped to move them around. I had 3 helpers with the pour and was lucky Dennis from Isotex came down for the first this gave and understanding of what is required. I just asked for an S4 mix as this is what Isotex recommend. The pump driver had done a lot of ICF pours of different types so very good walked around scaffolding with me during the pour and was watching to make sure the flow was right. Fixings for windows and doors are easy got a pack of light restraint straps from screw fix No 68348 cut them up and screw them to the back of frame and then into blocks. I would not screw through frame as this is over the insulation so you wont hit the concrete as this is near the inside face 40mm in. I found having a box of assorted glazing packers use full for leaving up block every 2ed or 3ed course to keep walls plumb. My build is moving on but will be winter before finished I hope as doing most of the work my self. Good luck with your build post some pic when you get started. Keith

How was it supplying enough air to keep the fire going without the intake duct?? You have been really through the mill and badly let down by the installer and now the complaints procedure. I don't blame you for not wanting to drop this.

It's a reasonably mad thing to do. Less mad than a thatched roof. (those poor souls without trees) Less mad than a horizontal deck. (what are people thinking) Practically the membrane handles the rain fine. We had over two inches today (30C and clear skies the rest of the week...brutal) and it's bone dry below that membrane. It won't handle the UV in the long term though or the weight of the storks perching on it waiting to collect all the frogs after the rain stops etc. That's what the wood is for (UV barrier and the mechanical protection). The paint / grooves are to then keep the wood decent for as long as possible. If it fails...whilst we still own the place...I'll chuck the usual rukki roof at it. ? The Swedes can't make their minds up which way the grooves go (groove up to stop water going onto lower boards or groove down to create a bigger capillary break). My cutter is square so have done with groove down. (Google translate works well) https://www.traguiden.se/konstruktion/konstruktionsexempel/tak/underlag-av-trapanel/faltak/principlosning/ MTS have some plausible sounding guidance: http://www.woodcomponents.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/MTS-Cladding-Detail-and-Design.pdf The Kiwis make a point of one fixing per board only. https://www.renovate.org.nz/1970s/walls-and-cladding/wall-cladding-original-details/timber-cladding/ https://www.buildmagazine.org.nz/index.php/articles/show/vertical-board-cladding @ProDave you're supposed to fix to the battens to allow the boards to move. Timber expands and contracts a lot across the grain. If you fix the boards to the battens then each board can expand and contract independently (sliding a little). If you fix the boards to each other they don't have anywhere to go when they expand and contract. Something has to compress/buckle or stretch/split. One fixing per board (rather than two) reduces the tendency to split even further. This single fixing doesn't work for wide boards on the top though.

better, U=0.18W/m2K, do not compress mineral wool as it increases the thermal conductivity by an unknown amount

So how does that work? Your single nail fixing by reckoning goes bang into the gap between the bottom layer boards? So either you are trusting to luck a bit, or you used long nails to go through the top layer, through the (gap in the) bottom layer and into the battens? Me, I have wider top boards fixed with pairs or screws that just screw into the bottom boards.

Service void before services: Note the gap in the vertical battens at 450mm and 1200mm above floor level. This is to allow socket and light circuits to run horizontally without having to drill the battens to do so. Similar view with some cables in. That's a bundle of AV cables that I wanted to take the shortest route. AV cables are not confined to safe zones like other wiring. And here are some pipes as well in the service void, hot and cold water for the kitchen sink.

Maybe.... And don't worry it goes on and on and on.... Hopefully our TF will go up in the next few weeks - contract signed last year. But today, we heard that our groundworks contractor had been contacted by his lorry driver who is due to do the muckaway to a local farmer. The lorry firm is worried that they haven't the usual certificates about the soil.... This is from an open field that has had a few sheep and horses on it for the last 100 years or more.... to someone who is happy to take as much as we can send them.... The joys of self build! Simon

here is my attempt this reads in a csv file with the products, the store and the web address, looks them up scraps the price data off and displays them. It gives me this output I need to get it working for B&Q and any other shop that want to add, next task is to save the prices to a CSV, that is appended from the last time the program was run.

I used a Vitrex Ultimate Diamond Blade when I had my tile cutter. I used a few over the years for roof tiles, porcelain floor tiles and sandstone paving with no problem.

Rubi 250mm is £60 or so normally ..?? https://www.buybrandtools.com/acatalog/Diamond_Blades_Marcrist_Rubi.html#aRT_2d30949

No, don't have it, but used to use it and it will be all very sensible but nothing cheap for you. Basically are there any ways to protect the pipe from wheel loading? A reinforced concrete slab is a good solution and is not expensive. It is just concrete with reinforcement in it. Alternatively a steel plate. Off the wall solution...buy a ready made drainage grate system (car strength) and use it as a duct. Some of these. Other makes tend to be cheaper, but may not be better.

If the tiles are hard it will wear the diamonds down. Get a softish house brick and dress it across the spinning blade, this will pull the adhesive from the blade and expose fresh diamonds.

No it doesn't. It means doing them in batches of 10 to half then full. Which is fine unless you are one of those silly sods who buys yuuuuuuuuuuuugggggeeeee tiles that weight 35kg each, in which case you deserve every cracked muscle fibre. How many broken tiles will that pay for? You are Twonald Dump and I claim my £5. Suggestions: - Are your tiles OK eg flat? - I'd perhaps take the old blade into the shop to compare. Is it worth looking at a Screwfix "Trade rated" option, or call the Dewalt helpline to check how often you should change blades? F

Screws or nails? I specify screws and then find the joiner is trying to provide his own nails or even nail gunning. NOOOOOH The reason is obviously that nails are very much quicker and is what they are used to. BUT good screws will cut a hole and reduce splitting, self countersink, adjust in our out, and come out again if necessary. If a board cracks or distorts it can be adjusted or even removed without ripping the wall apart. I only buy the ultra modern screws that do all these things. they seem expensive but there is no wastage, the slots can be used as often as necessary for in/out. If they have to come out again having hit a nail etc, then they are as good as new. I last bought Ulti-mate and they were almost a pleasure to use. Twice the price of the cheapies, but at 10p for an 80mm it is incredible engineering, and comes with a head that holds the screw at any angle. Downside of a screw....the head is on show.

i might actually write a python script to webscrap the price changes over times (though i can't go back)

Hi keith65 .... well impressed. Any part of the isotex walls going to be below ground? I hope to start on my project soon and I am keen on a woodcrete ICF and isotex is a clear front runner in terms of the woodcrete, insulation, touch and finish of their blocks. Got a few Qs 1. I see steel bars protruding from the raft to tie into the blocks ..... was this specified by an architect, structural engineer or Insulhub ? I've noted other builds, albeit on flatter ground that didn't require these steels connecting the raft to the walls. I am on avery gentle slope ..... 2. How many hands were needed to dry stack the isotex blocks and how many needed during the pour? 3. During the pour, was the concrete consistency / slump checked and if so by who? 4. Were the concrete suppliers / pourers experienced with ICF builds ? 5. Assume fixtures such as door frames, windows are attached to the concrete ..... special attachments / long screws to reach the concrete through the woodcrete and insulation ? or is there a recommended method ? Hope your build was a success and you have moved in or about to this summer. Any tips to give us a heads up would be much appreciated....

Hi @patp Have you looked at KB Kitchens in Wisbech we are only at the pouring foundations stage but have sent out to a few designers and they have come back with the best looking lay out so far.

Thanks for your replies - I am relieved there are options to meet these requirements. I have confirmed with the planning officer that we will meet M4(2). I'll discuss with BC the exact details. I can fully understand why accessibility is best considered early on. The planning officer is 'recommending approval' and it has now been passed to a senior officer for review. Fingers crossed!

Make the temporary kitchen from whatever is going in the utility room if you have one. Or do the utility room now and cook in it. A further utility worktop or a spare cooker hob for when the new £6000 one in the posh new kitchen goes phut, would be useful.

Before you bring the excavator in…. Do video with your narratives of the roads and adjoining properties pointing out any visible defects or potential issues. inform your neighbours with a note (so it’s in writing) what you’re doing and when and to contact you at anytime if they have concerns. Communication is key! Ideally establish size of existing foundations so the excavator is big enough to pull out rather than using a pecker which will make a tremendous noise and vibration to neighbours. pull the Existing founds away (from neighbouring properties) to point of pick up by a grab lorry where they can if need be broken up into smaller sections.

Since we moved into the property in May, all our neighbours have been friendly and helpful and I get the impression they want us to get on with our build as our property is outrageously hideous and certainly lowers the tone of the "hood".

Not till tonight, I am not on split shifts untill tomorrow. Cooking is easy. It really is. It is just a case of being organised and not overly ambitious. The rest is physics.

2 tails and earth- use a short length of 32 or 40mm waste pipe.

Steamy Tea.Should you not be churning out 200 meals or something ? 200 meals in 4 hours....impressive. I can burn toast. That's about it.

Our screeding company provided a checklist for us to go through before they came. That form had a question about distance from delivery point for the wagon to the floor to be screeded. I was surprised to find out that, as @nod says above 100m is fine - unless thats 100m vertically I suppose. ?

We get our fats and oils collected, sometimes we get money for it. I seem to remember that it is only financially viable when crude is over $120/barrel (currently $77). A few years back (2006 I think) there was a spike in oil prices caused by lack of refining and storage capacity, unfortunately this was miss reported as 'peak oil' and the world went crazy for bio fuels. This lead to speculators moving in and buying up farming capacity to grow oil crops. Thankfully it did not last long or we would now be back to 1970s food prices. We currently use about 100 million barrels a day. There is 1.7 MWh of energy in a barrel. About 50% of a barrel can be converted to gasoline or diesel, so my car, which uses about 500 imperial gallons a year, or 2,270 litres. That has about 9.7 kWh/litre, so about 22 MWh. So about the same energy as 13 barrels, or 26 after refining. I think a standard oil barrel is 22.5 inches diameter and 33.5 inches high (55 US gallons), so an area of around a quarter of a square metre. Could fit a years worth of transport oil in my small shed. Can see why we use oil.

Do you not need a structural topping to go over your insulation? i thought you did, or have you changed the floor build up. As nod said you can pump the traditional screed, my lads where fantastic and would cover your area. I would allow £22 a m to supply and lay yours, maybe a bit more if area is small, as they need to allow for travel and setting up the pump. The lads I used came from Swansea and will travel to you.

Thank you. It is coming 1 hr from where he is located but will ask him if he can do it early next year.

Just been reading up on it, sounds very good and seems to be a big push on it in Northern Ireland which is heavily reliant on heating oil. At a similar price to oil and with 90% less co2 output making it lower than natural gas or electric it's something I will be looking into for my build...... Everyday a school day... Thanks Nod

I'd punt that it was a special for somebody who can't complete and they are now left with a hideous pig-in-a-poke that no one will want. It's not really Lincolnshire. More blingy London suburb that is actually Essex. I'm inclined to think it was a holiday place for Max Mosely, who has passed away recently, and is an estate fire sale. If Lincolnshire was like Nevada, it would be a cathouse.

That looks a bit more like it. Yes, that's counter battened. You can seal the windows with either a sealant - Soudaseal 215LM is made for window and door connections for example - or an expanding foam tape. It'll depend on the acces you have and the gap space. I would be inclined to also use an expanding foam tape between the window frame and reveal as a primary weather barrier. At the top of the window opening, ensure there is a ventilation and drainage gap for any water to drain from behind the cladding. Others on here have given some really good suggestions about ways in which you can finish the reveals around the windows. The cladding I've just installed myself actually uses reveals similar in design to yours, which I chose because I liked the look. Mind you, I do have large roof overhangs over all my openings (500mm on one side and up to 1000mm on another). Here, however, is a nice example of the suggestions made by @markc, @ProDave, and @Gone West, which is no doubt better from a weather protection perspective: HTH

The last six weeks have been a bit of a slog but have finely got the roof finished, PV fitted and first floor cladding and windows fitted. Scaffolding came down yesterday 3 weeks longer than planed big hole in wallet. First floor chipboard flooring down so will start on the ground floor windows and studwork. But now back to real work as well.

Hi its been a hard week or so it seams but have managed to get the roof cut in and ready for felt and batten so progress made if but slow. I went up to the train station platform to see how much of the view the house blocked as this was the only objection to planning from the ANOB the nimby group.

Hi Have done the final pour today and fitted the glulam ridge beams, all went well so happy days will get the wall plates fitted tomorrow and will start the roof weekend. I PU glued the blocks for the gables so the beams could be sat in place and this worked a treat. Also managed to get the floor joist fitted this week. So good progress?

Hi have got up to wall plate and braced the walls, also fitted the pole plates to the walls for the floor joist so the fixings will be set into the concreate. The second pour was Thursday and all went well, so will be building up the gables over the Easter brake and then onto cutting in the roof. So making some progress.

Had plenty of rain so far since starting but not sailed of down the Tamar yet

Hi Have done the first pour today and all went well and no blowouts so happy days ? Must say a big thanks to Dennis from Insul Hub for all the help. Sleepless night before hand and concrete came late as a brake down at plant but all done and cleaned up by 2pm.

Hi Walls are going up a lot of shifting about as small sight and no space and access for forks so all hand ball. Should be ready for the first pour this coming week. I have the bracing and rebar to cut to be ready. Looks like we may get some dry days can`t believe the rain we have had since we got started.

Sorry Joe90, forgot to reply. The pic below from early in the build might help illustrate. There are two box ring beams, one at floor level (sitting on the rammed tyres) and the other sitting on top of the bale walls. The trusses sit on the top one. At each doorway and window there are posts that connect the two ring beams. In addition, there are webbing straps (the kind used on pallets) looped around both beams. You can see them in the interior pic. And yes, visitors will be very welcome when it's finished!

For me a large part of the "solid" feel of a door is how well it sits in the frame (jamb) when closed and the mechanism of closing. I noticed this visiting Switzerland, Austria & Germany last year and realized it was because of the rebated door design and rubber seal / baffle that all the doors use there. As well as a much more satisfying action on closing and opening, there's absolutely no "rattle" to the doors when closed which made me seek this style out for our renovation as we have a trainline nearby which mostly don't notice except around 4am there's a heavy goods train of some sort that can rattle the current lightweight doors. This is about the only supplier I found in UK for European doors, happily not too far from us https://www.doors4uk.co.uk/what-is-a-european-style-door-with-frame-and-architrave As you see there they sell the benefits of reducing drafts and energy saving -- not so relevant if the whole house is well insulated and draft-proofed (not to mention building regs + MVHR require 1cm gaps under the door anyway), but it's mostly for that well engineered rattle resistant sold feel I'm going for them.

Thought I’d resurrect this thread again as a warning to anyone thinking of having an installation done by an mcs, Hetas and Recc registered installer, do not be lulled into a false sense of security! carrying on from where we were the installer paid a visit in late January, he spent 5 hours looking over the boiler and making various adjustments however there was no improvement. In March Hetas sent an inspector who very quickly got to the route of the problem. Along with other small incidental omissions it turned out that the boiler had never been fitted with an air intake duct so was in fact a danger to us and was marked as do not use. Hetas have no power to make installers do anything and definitely not to remove and reimburse you which was what I was looking for by this time as the condition of the boiler had deteriorated due to continuous burning. The installer couldn’t supply any calculations as he clearly hadn’t done them but in reality we had found the cause of all the problems we’d been experiencing. The installer wanted to come and install the air intake and as far as he was concerned that would be his obligation fulfilled but we would then have been left to carry the can for all the ongoing repairs it was needing which were going to be a lot so we refused to allow him back and closed the complaint with Hetas. We then moved on to the Recc who at first appeared to be going to be more helpful, they asked what outcome we were looking for and we said we wanted it removed and a refund. They contacted the installer and requested that he do this- to no avail, we were then put on to arbitration, paid £120 for the pleasure, put forward our case, we were no longer complaining about the lack of performance but about the incorrect installation and the fact that our home and our lives had been put at risk. I submitted 19 pieces of evidence including the report from Hetas and photos of the state the boiler was now in, the installer was allowed his defence in which he questioned the nature of the complaint, he believed we were still complaining about the lack of heat, he made several comments about our ability to project manage the build, he accused us of throwing all the trades into the ring to sort themselves out, accused us of not building the house to the spec originally stated, accused other trades or ourselves of removing the air supply, accused us of having no understanding of house building and so it went on. I replied to all of it in the negative and commented that he was questioning the integrity of everyone involved in the build in an effort to save his own skin. I showed everything to various people who could all see what he was up to, everyone apart from the arbitrator! Today I received the award from the arbitrator, I am supposed to allow him back to install the air supply, to install the air supply which he omitted to install nearly 3 years ago, to a boiler which has now been through the mill and is on its last legs, to a boiler that he couldn’t find anything wrong with on his various visits. If I allow him to do this and it still doesn’t work properly he has then to refund me! so I let him come in and make all the holes he needs to install this and then we have to patch it all up, in all probability the boiler would have been fine if he had correctly installed it to start with at the time before plasterboarding etc had been done, it’s also possible that it would work fine if I allowed him to do this but it’s knackered, plates inside are disintegrated, runners off the feed drawer , drawer front broken, screw feed probably needs replaced and igniter, it’s out of warranty now so this would all be down to us. We’re left £14k out of pocket, have 7 years left to pay on a loan from energy savings trust and will have to fork out for a new system. The arbitrator completely ignored the complaint about the incorrect installation and reverted back to the original complaint made to Hetas about the performance which was not what I had asked them to look at. If I want to dispute the award I have to go to the high court in London even although I and the installer are in Scotland. What a mess! I have now bitten the bullet and contacted a litigation solicitor as I am determined not to let this go.

In a particular bedroom where I occasionally sleep with my mistress I require complete darkness at night and daylight daytime . The room is at the front of the house so spectators could get an amazing view . I don’t like this as they should pay for the privilege. So ! I was looking at a roller blackout blind for at night . One with a frame so no light bleeding around the edges . For daytime though I was thinking of a blind . Been told by a blind manufacturer that a horizontal typical blind won’t fit in the recess with the blackout blind ( recess depth around 20cm ) . Maybe a vertical blind ? . Can be angled to let daylight in but prevent perverts getting a free eye full ( unless they press their face right up to the window ) . Anyone else have these issues ? ( with blinds not potential customers )

Id been advised it was to drop towards the back end of the year and then got another email this morning from a large supplier warning of more price hikes with timber by far and above the biggest hike... some timber products OSB in particular due another 40% rise in 3 weeks ?

I found they just all bitch to the council no matter what . It really depends on the area I think . An obnoxious, arrogant, superiority complex , affluent area where I live means there will always be neighbour aggression . An area where everyone bakes cakes , loans their car , shares their partner would be much less hassle .

Neighbors will bitch no matter what . (expletive deleted) ‘em and just do it ! . They are going to hate you before the build , during the build and after the build anyway.

I have not had a freezer for 20 years or so. I did have a 24/7 Tesco nearby. Dried and tinned food is just as tasty, and takes no energy to store it. Also, if the door falls off my cup board, my food is still fine. The first friend you make if you own a restaurant is your refrigeration company.

The fashion used to be to shop every One or Two weeks 5 or 6 years ago. Hence when i was designing kitchens i would always allow for a large fridge freezer in the kitchen, with a wine cooler (for drinks), and a large fridge freezer in the utility room. However, i think a lot of people now shop on a more regular basis, especially people who's kids have gone, or who are older. For a family house i would still kit out for lots of food (frozen and chilled) but perhaps not in a smaller place. I had just realised that i have not helped at all.?

Why would you spend money on so much bling and not have integrated appliances in the kitchen - gives the impression of fur coat and no ..............