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@FM2015 I'm just about calming down. Breathe.. It's up, the walls are straight/ plumb, but the day had some issues. Used hoppers and a 360 until it broke🙈. I'll write up a blog, but we got 12.3cube in the walls, the 360 gave up with about a cube to go. Managed to finish with a manatu, buckets and shovels. Also managed to pour a foundation wall for the path with offcuts of the ICF. So beer time.

With the great weather in the last two weeks, following on from the slab pour, we will endeavour to pour the walls of the house tomorrow. I'm thinking I won't sleep tonight. Mentally listing all the things I wanted to do, and re ticking them off. First 7 cube is arriving at 8.30. 🤞 I'll leave this picture with you....

I've always been a cynical xxxxxxx and a glass half empty kind of guy The benefit of that (!) is you assume everything that can go wrong will go wrong and you don't trust anybody to do a good job

I have one of these and it's still in use and looks as good today, as when it was delivered 2 years ago. It has a point of delivery bar code that Royal Mail and delivery companies can use to prove delivery, but as with most things delivery people don't know that, so they will still put a sorry you weren't home ticket in the mail box. But a good sized box. https://www.smartparcelbox.co.uk/

No, but top tip is to place it well out of the way or works and vehicles as some day it'll squished by a 8-wheeler. And on the outside of your fencing so postie can actually get to it. We got a basic metal one from B&Q or the like and screwed it on to one of the main gate posts at the entrance. Turned out to be too close.

Dunning Kruger Level 1 folks all over the place, here as well as everywhere else. They are normal. They are me - sometimes. We don't have to look too far from our own doorstep to find many others - (the local pub will do ) In relation to what we do - self building - I know I spend my time mostly on the way up to Mount Stupid [ as in : How hard Can It Be? ] and too often sliding down into the valley of despair. [as in : Look at the Mess I made Of This, Help Me Here Please! ] The brilliant thing about BuildHub is that there are so very many generous people here who - seeing members like me flailing around in the Valley of Despair - who are more than prepared to grab me by the scruff of the neck and pull me up the slope of enlightenment. To me, that's the definition of Kindness. We can all see those - others always (?) - at the peak of Mount Stupid ( for example I cannot imagine how @SteamyTea puts up with my stupidity about electrical terminology) . But all too often I lack the kindness - the effort - the time - to help folk make the next step along this particular rollercoaster. Even when I can see the plot of route they need to take. To suceed, all I need to do is nothing. [ As in stuff it, I know the answer , but I'm not going to contribute to the discussion ] So, @MikeSharp01, we are becoming something of a joke eh? [ As in sliding to the Valley Of Despair] Who do we ask to help us on the next step towards Sustainability?

What often gets overlooked is the alternative and even more maligned approach: proper regulation. If the regulatory framework had been constructed and governed properly this crisis may well have been averted. It's not dissimilar to the financial meltdown and is only the beginning I fear as so many other companies are massively leveraged, many of which are inflation linked too.

Well done. I see that method of pour only works on a single storey building. What gave up on the digger? Is it yours or hired?

Ace well done.

That's not about to take off. Good job you're on solid granite with 30 tonnes of concrete and counting.

It’s single wall pipe, vs the multi-layer. All ‘fit for purpose’ but if I posted you an off cut of the other you’d immediately see the difference. The bottom line is, this will be 10 bar capable and rarely see more than 1.5-2. I’d say you can sleep soundly tbh.

keep digging until you find virgin ground or hit 3m in which case call in the pilers.

The other thing to think about is how much hard standing to put down. Any soft ground will get destroyed especially if it’s wet. Same with verges on the road. I put a lot of hardstanding down right around the house so we don’t have a muddy bog that gets trailed everywhere and into the house. The downside is I’ll need to do something with all of this come landscaping time.

Absolutely no issue Roofing isn’t difficult We’ve laid the 4500 + slates ourselves The workshop pictured was mostly done by my wife Due to me braking my hand + slates ourselves The majority laid by my wife Most builders will have done some roof work over the years

I've had some pretty terrible roofers work on our houses in the past. If you're otherwise happy with this work, I really wouldn't be overly concerned.

Roofing does not always need a high level of skill. He should be fine. Have Building Control inspected any of the work?

On a small build or extension doing all the work is common. Raise your concerns and tell him you will be having it inspected and if it isn’t right he will have to put it right and pay for the inspection. If it’s all done correctly then the inspection is at your cost. there is a good chance the local roofer would do a worse job so have a contingency but don’t cause problems beforehand

The pipe in that pic is of Pert pipe, so basically like a garden hose. I use Pex-Al which has an aluminium liner and is tough as old boots.

Hitting the news https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ditch-barmy-windows-rule-that-makes-new-homes-darker-ministers-urged-w8mld79j5

I've been doing a bit of searching. and gleaned that the diverter in this thread is indeed the same as the CoolEnergy one, and if anyone wants to deal direct with the chinaman you can have one from the manufacturer direct. I'll not post a link but you'll find it on Aliexpress from "Runhu" and it'll cost you about £140 including shipping and vat. photo of internals The fan is a bit bigger than the iBoost's by the looks of it, and the general build is so similar that I'd opine they could be the OEM for it too, lol

Yes, a metal box that will shed the rain, and a plastic storage box next to it for parcels....this must have a lid that will shed water, and drain holes. You will find that drivers will happily drop a packet into a box full of water, A nice address sign next to it may help....a bit.

Done in an hour. Very clean neat job. Nice lads too.

Why not just get the mail redirected, and a sign saying so on site. £76 a year.

Octopus are really helpful in my experience. But there are hoops including needing extra documentation about your FIT install if your solar install is FIT.

Ah, so you have an electric system sitting on top of the the underlay? Trying to picture the build-up. What thickness is laminate?

My limited experience is that there's no issue with electrics within the insulated wall/roof, as long as cables are appropriately sized. I didn't need to run MVHR ducting with the wall/roof so didn't need to consider the compromise, but I would avoid if at all possible - maybe less of a compromise in a 450 thick wall, but that is an unusually thick "Warmcell" wall. With Touchwood/Wilkinson providing the MVHR design & Install, all the I-Joists are delivered pre-drilled for the duct runs. Plumbing can't go in the external wall/roof, but I didn't find this too much of a restriction - false walls for concealed cisterns, boxed in baths and vanity units provided sufficient cover for most of my plumbing. I ended up with only one room's wall and ceiling requiring a service void to run some plumbing through.

It’s definitely worth checking. When they are short they are less strict with other issues, with people on all levels of build. Also, worth looking at other angles for why you should be allowed to build on your land. For example, disabilities, sustainability and how you can mitigate the flood issues. You’re doing the right thing using a planning consultant. If you can’t build for now, get a barn or garage there so next time you try you can show it has buildings on.

+1, ply is more tricky to fit than T&G but is clean, neat and very durable

Yes @Temp...good point. I've been encouraging people to read this book for many years.... It's been in print since 1950 ISH. Essential reading for politicians.

Been used in narrowboats for decades. There are different grades of ply, and different surface finishes. You can get fire retardant plywood. https://sheetmaterialswholesale.co.uk/sheet-materials/plywood/fire-retardant-plywood/

Found a pic. Obv would have restricted the flow. The screed was next day, I found this, and another like it. the plumber wasn't interested in coming out to help. It straughtened nicely* and I trust this more than a splice. The ufh has run for about 3 solid days subsequently so seems OK. * removed the clips and eased it to a smooth curve. Then crimped the dent back to tube shape . Eased the curve some more then clipped it down.

change the mental model from "FF is colder than expected" to "FF is leaking heat energy faster than expected". Now, if it is leaking fast, how is it leaking? Probably via windows, conducting or convecting (drafts) or perhaps through the walls. Any of these mean the air will start to cool down *long* before the concrete floor starts to appreciable cool. After all, the high tog carpets are keeping that concrete nice and cosy warm as discussed as where. So somehow we need to get more energy into the air to replace the loss. This could come through MVHR (unlikely to shift enough energy to make a difference), natural convection (very possible if doors are left open), directly heating the air (FCU, humans or electrical appliances in the room) or if they're not enough it will come from material of the building, first walls and ceilings (unless they have high tog wallpaper on them) and last of all from the floor (as that's insulated with carpet). Anyway tldr you could have zero concrete on the FF or a million tonnes, but if the whole house heat loss is 5kW, all going out through the roof, the GF UFH needs to supply a steady 5kW regardless of the quantity of concrete in there. It'll just be a steeper energy gradient (i.e. colder upstairs than down).

TBC, do you want to swap 'sails' to 'Proper' Sail? Was wondering recently what to do with the *heavy* dinghy sail in the shed....

I have mine wall mounted with a vertical channel every 2 panels with a hinge mount to the 6 panel frame. I have 2 sets of wooden beams for winter and summer settings, less than a hour to change each set of frames for 6 panels from one season angle to another. The hinges are at the mid point with equal weight above and below so as long as there is no wind a set of 6 panels will pivot using one hand.

I think the issue in not the use of a particular underlay, but the use of a particularly thing particularly weak laminate flooring. I am not a fan of laminate flooring, preferring proper engineered wood flooring, but I have used a good laminate in our sun room without such issues. the tongue and groove joint in yours appears too weak to be fit for purpose.

As a gas safe registered engineer it makes me so mad when you come across installations like this. They need to be strung up on the city walls! And have the nerve to ask for more money to set the stat up as well! I fit viessmann boilers alot...the stat is only working in the mode you have it in as he has not selected the right tick box during commissioning! Also viessmann flues are not meant to be screwed, they are designed to allow expansion in the pipework. They just need to be fixed with an appropriate bracket at every joint...not hung off one zip tie. If I was inspecting this boiler from just that picture it would be classed as At Risk and with your permission be turned off. Go straight to Gas safe. Highlight the issues that people have raised. Then take issue up with plumber and builder. If he installs like this for you then he is doing it to everyone and his work needs to be got on top of. It doesn't matter if you have that certificate or not...its completely worthless if its certifying something that is not certifiable!

All depends if the dead are the occupants of the house. This installer has clearly decide that he will define some new standards which he feels will be “perfectly fine”. His work is terrible.

Sitting on the toilet has your back to the entrance. Also from a practical view it becomes a pinch point the room, I would have sink and toilet on the same wall.

Feedback states some of them weren’t very good, which compounded Jamie’s problems

All painted up and plumbed in. Really pleased with the way the rounded corners turned out. You keep wanting to stroke them. I used two coats of Rust-oleum kitchen cabinet paint (which went on well with a brush) over Zinsser primer. Knobs off Amazon. Room still looks a bit bare but will get a mirror, towel rail, shaver socket etc after the shower is done.

roofer is a failed brickie.

Your partner. Forget everyone else. Honest - not tongue in cheek.

The local cats and crows are now lining up and will walk over your screed just when it has most effect.

Ah, Mike, we're just procrastinating. And the time to procrastinate is now! Don't delay !

Wrong end mate.