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Hi all.. Came across this site while trying to find info on a current patio project that I am undertaking.. Refreshing to see that there are still forums out there that are active. Came across so many that aren't so this is great. We moved to Suffolk from London right before lockdown started, from a 1 bed flat to a 1900's detached house with land. What a luck that was! But as with any house ownership, the list of stuff to do never seems to shrink and only ever seems to grow! Looking forward to getting advise on here from everyone!

...remedial action within a reasonable time.... it says. Perhaps you should suggest what is a reasonable time. I'd suggest you have already given notice and sufficient time for them to consider the remedy. You have now to give a target programme. So...you look forward to his formal proposal by ...date. 23rd September? Which is to include his programme for the remedial works. Failure to do this will result in omnibuswoman considering having the necessary remedial works by another contractor. You the builder will be liable for these costs, consultants and other costs arising, and also liquidated and ascertained damages caused by the delay. I hope it doesn’t come to this and look forward to receiving your constructive proposals ASAP. Something like that, and refer to the contract

I think it is technically all sortable. Time and timber to straighten the joists , strengthen them, and to spread the load. It is unlikely that the builder will agree, as all the signs are that he doesn't understand structures in the slightest.....and he doesn't know how little he knows.

And that is going to be at the cost of the builder subject to architect/SE recommendations. IMO

Oh dear. Why on earth would they cut continuous long beams? As others have said. Halt any more work and any more payments and get BCO and if necessary a SE to look at what has been done. In an ideal world it would all be re done, but now it has been built up on top of those joists the easiest solution is likely to be to get a SE to specify exactly what to do to make the present work safe and stable, and then watch them like a hawk to ensure they do that exactly, even things like using the screws or nails that the SE specifies, not what happens to be in the back of the van. P.S our joists also have more sections of I beam at mid span acting as noggins as well as those in my photograph above the bearing points.

If this is wrong what else is wrong. I had an issue I identified. I got an independent SE to come and look at that issue and he identified several more. Get an SE in to do a review of the whole building.

I did wonder that myself@SteamyTea But I imagined not as it’s a question of negligence which he is unlikely to have been indemnified for.

one of the things with a passivhaus ‘style’ house is that once its operating the temps are the same throughout the house. Probably a degree different across rooms (upside down house), whilst you manage solar gain etc. our downstairs north facing bedrooms track very similar to our living area.

No. Firstly he prob hasn't got PI. He is a builder not designer, as far as we know. Secondly he has not built as designed or competently. Insurer would decline and walk away.

Anytime

lead directly on the paper Then curl the edge of the membrane under the slate

This is exactly what I did. Bedroom has no wardrobe just bed, bedside tables and dressing table (looks less cluttered) his and hers wardrobes (hers bigger than his 🤷‍♂️) either side of walkway to en-suite which had bath, toilet, basin and walk in shower. Worked very well for us.

yes, it looks as though this is the relevant part…

Downpipe installed. Not quite how I imagined it, but functional ^^

Directly onto your timber valley

Whereabouts in Suffolk are you? We may be winning the county race 😄. We have: me, @LSB, @GaryChaplin, @zzPaulzz, @Nick Laslett, @G and J, @JohnnyB Apologies if I've missed anyone.

Like so many of us here. (Unlike @Pocster who has taken so long he has forgotten what he did 🤣).

We did, and I may need to fall back on that if he starts developing sloping shoulders…

It's not a protected word, unfortunately in the way that Architect with an A is. On the continent a Chartered Engineer can put Ing in front of their name. In due course we may learn the builder's name and remark what a decent chap he is, accepting his mistakes and remedying them....or otherwise. If he did happen to be qualified in a recognised (and relevant) body, he could be disciplined and even lose it.

yes, this is the most concerning part as, on a quick review of their new website I was surprised to read that he is a qualified engineer. It didn’t specify what kind of engineer though, or qualified to what level. I will continue to insist that a fully qualified structural engineer is the arbiter of what is needed, and how it must be done.

A lesson learned. The intention was to make sure it was on record that the surface water sewer that this all eventually leads to once carried animal waste, and that was fine for decades, so they shouldn't complain about any rainwater I'm putting down there. In the full document there's a subsequent section of proposals, so it should have been clear what was current and what is proposed. Ho-hum. Ha, I'm encouraged that that's pretty much exactly what I've done. From the email I'd drafted about a revised drainage plan: "The new version has the word "historic" added to paragraph 5.1 describing the animal waste that once used to be discharged in the western lean-to, and a new paragraph 6.11 that explicitly states that no animal waste is to be discharged on site." Thanks for the thoughts all, I'll email them both and let y'all know how I get on.

Well his attention to detail on the structure is poor so his attention to detail of the harder to get right passive elements must also be questioned. Is the builder due to complete the rest of the build? Did the architect have any supervisory capacity or was it all passed to you and your builder so you are the project manager etc. In terms of fixing the problems. You are roughly at the stage I was at when we discovered all our problems and were able to address them. But it did require me to stop the build for a number of weeks. Therefore don’t be too disheartened. As everyone kept telling me, at least you caught it at a point it is fixable. Had you not then these problems would be built into your home and hidden away.

Too subtle for some pencil pushers. Yes I found the EA easy to deal with, crack on.

If you are going to bring an independent SE in (And I strongly recommend you do) get them in separately and before you have the builder and architect on site. They will write you a report with their opinion on the structure and remediation. You send that to the architect, the original SE, and the builder. Give them a chance to review it. Once done you get them on-site. Who instructed the builder? (You may have detailed this)

I agree! I certainly have no plans to fund any remediation to correct errors his team made when they built it.

As above. I would not have even mentioned previous animal waste. I would just have mentioned previous rainwater drainage that has proved satisfactory.

why even refer to the past use anyway?

correct, should be at a min doubled up studs under it. i'd want written confirmation from the joist supplier that the builders 'method' of fixing the 2 cut halfs is correct. NHBC state multiple studs to be used on load bearing walls. https://nhbc-standards.co.uk/6-superstructure-excluding-roofs/6-3-internal-walls/6-3-5-load-bearing-timber-walls/#:~:text=individual studs%2C rails and head,a maximum of 600mm centres I'd pause and get an SE in, deduct his cost from builder retention, and look over the lot before anything else is covered up.

Just joined the site. I’m Col, electrical engineer by trade but been around the building game my whole life. About to embark on a couple of self build extension where I will be doing it all single handed, so hoping to get loads of advice on here. Thanks.

Welcome Col!

Be okay if was just a partition but that looks poor for a load bearing stud. I can't believe the cut in the middle of joist is designed like that. How many are cut like that? Whats the bottom of that stud sitting on, is the floor below load bearing?

🤣 well at 12.2k worth of posts, that is an achievement! 🤣

Welcome ! Post away . I won’t offer any useful help on your project but you’ll enjoy my posts nonetheless! 😊

In my case the SE (who is on here, we’re in Scotland) wrote a detailed report. This was sent to the architect, their builder, and their SE who did the original structural design. It concentrated everyone’s mind to address the issues.

This was the last one that I did

You need A1f building paper This will stop the lead from sweating At £70 a roll many roofers will just Chuck a length of membrane in there But if you are going to do that you may as well use the cheap plastic valleys that all the mass produced houses are now using

Agreed as above. The bco won't necessarily know all these things, and doesn't appear to have spotted errors to date. Are you holding payments? Do so..it concentrates the mind. Have you put in writing that the work is unacceptable? Do so. An email will do for now. These things are wrong, you insist hheg are put right within the next x days. No payment until then AND you will pursue them for any further cost in rectifying the works. Lawyers can do the same later. It is horrible and unpleasant but essential. You can limit and phase costs by first requesting an inspection and verbal report.

I think you would normally have solid full height blocking between the joists at the wall junction, maybe x 2. The scraps of OSB don't help as I think it needs a continuous bearing. Why did he not just run the OSB all the way along? If the decking is glued to the joists you may need to move the bottom of the joists to get them upright. I guess they are just nailed? I would want this agreed with your SE.

As per @DevilDamo. Excavation within 3m. Make sure you get a decent contractor as the existing wall will need to be made stable and safe while the work progresses.

Replacement is treated as new. You will “at least” be excavating within 3m of their building and to a deeper level.

Yes you should have a Party Wall Agreement. Get a quote from a Party Wall surveyor. They can act for both of you or your neighbour can appoint their own. You will pay for all. You could just ask your neighbour to consent, but from what you suggest they will not.

20%?? I’d be tempted to put it in the cavity if this was true.

Mostly bollox. For UFH, it’s useful if you have good insulation below and good thermal conductivity above - think tiles, lvt etc. You can use e.g. solid wood flooring, but it’s more of an insulator, so slower to warm up. Amtico and most ‘R11’ is pvc, so fairly thermally conductive. The ‘cost to hear a house’ is a function of the overall wall/roof/floor u-values, you would need the whole build up to tell. Actually, I revise my opinion - total outrageous salesperson BS. Ask him ‘what u-values would we be looking at’ and see him flounder.

we have a passive equivalent slab using block and beam. Marmox perimeter to eliminate any thermal bridging, 150mm PIR or if you have depth 300mmm XPS for same price.

I fitted grommets in the boxes and used 25mm oval conduit, as per the electrician’s instructions

This is the way we all end up, but most of us are too terrified to begin the process all over again 😂😂😂

>>> I found EA good to deal with directly in the past both for advice and site visits. Jeez, I'm on 18 weeks and reading their acknowledgement letter more carefully it says: "Your application should be allocated within 6 months..." !!! FFS. This is for simple output from a treatment plant to a ditch that the rest of the neighbours are using.

No I’m not qualified in any way, and am having to learn enough about each element as we go along. I have engaged a plumber, electrician and plasterer for these skilled tasks, but HWMBO and I will be doing battens, plasterboard, second fix carpentry, flooring etc. It’s a steep learning curve, and wouldn’t be possible without the enormous amount of fantastic information here on BH, and on t’internet more widely. I’m managing the work at a pace that allows me to learn enough at each point to take it forward with sufficient confidence, but of course there’s no substitute for experience. What I lack is the knowledge about where to plan 10 steps ahead. Luckily I have some people I can ask for help with that thinking. I guess I’m doing what most builders do at the start - make the mistakes as I go and learning from them. What I’m not doing, which I think is less common, is hiding or covering up my mistakes behind a facade or some expanding foam. I try to put things right as I go along. By the time I’ve finished the house, I should just about know enough to build one 😂

And the amazing thing is that, despite those numbers, @Pocster is known more for quality than quantity.