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Showing content with the highest reputation on 10/14/19 in all areas

  1. Just sack the prick if he says that to you. Are you under some disillusion that they're the only building team in Wales? I would stop work now and meet up with #1. If you carry on as their pet, instead of their customer, FCUK knows how the rest of the build is going to go, or more importantly what it will do to your health. As you stated, you haven't paid anything yet so a quick reminder of that wouldn't go amiss here I think. It's quite nauseating to hear how you are being talked to / treated here if I'm honest. You SERIOUSLY need to hit the reset button here and cut off the problem AT SOURCE. That means a meeting with #1 before any more work is carried out on site. If you don't stand up for yourself now then you will be almost at fault for allowing this to become business as normal. Get a handle on this now, as it will grow horns and you'll regret a lot of the decisions made, after paying for them of course. I wont say exactly what I would do to the (expletive deleted)wits who have caused you such other grief, but the dog shit would have been packed into the holes in a dozen engineering bricks...... one for each window. The one thing I cannot tolerate from anyone is them being obstinate or just plain rude. Those types soon realise what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object
    6 points
  2. Your friend is talking crap. Floor slab goes between the blocks, not on it, so basically it could be anywhere from 0-18" from now, assuming he doesn't start excavating even further.... Get a can of spray paint and mark on your existing wall with "FLOOR LEVEL" with a line and an arrow - then there is no ambiguity.
    3 points
  3. @zoothorn Fair enough, I'll take that on the chin and move on. Good luck with your project.
    2 points
  4. The speedfit cold form that Toolstation sell (but keep limited stock of) is the same as the Hep2o ones, I've used a lot of them rather than putting in joins everwhere and its been just fine. When passing it through a wall its best to use a bit of conduit as to not score it. I've found a dishwasher waste pipe to be the perfect size for the job and comes in handy lengths rather than having to buying 25m of the dam stuff.
    2 points
  5. BFO drill bit, wiggle:
    2 points
  6. Well the 21 days consultation in nearly up, with two objections (so far! i am sure a couple more will come in). Interestingly it is not the objectors that i thought it would be, and tbf i can see their reasoning, but i don't think that the objections have a basis on material planning grounds. I got word from the planning officer this morning, who indicated that they are likely to put in a recommendation for approval at the planning committee's delegation briefing, which happens next week. If the wind is in the right direction i feel that i could have a decision by the end of the month, fingers crossed as its been a long process!
    2 points
  7. With respect, most of what you have written here does not reflect such a rosey situation. It may be how it's portrayed / worded by you, but there is some writing that's on the wall here I'm afraid. Next time there is a kettle brewed maybe ask #2 to sit alone with you, away from the crowd, and discuss 'next steps' to your OWN satisfaction. You need to slow the pace between client & contractor here, and ensure you retain a voice. A loud, polite but firm voice. It sounds as if there is more momentum than clarity here. I thought you were going to have a heart attack over your concrete pour!!!!!! That wasn't in ANY humour.
    2 points
  8. Potentially Wise words from the wizard...... probably saying what some of us are thinking as we flinch reading this thread. I do hope it goes well but the way this contractor operates is something I personally could not cope with.
    2 points
  9. Hi all. First post, appreciate any guidance ? We have a Samsung Ashp which provides all our hot water (via immersion when needed) and underfloor heating. We continually get e911 flow issues, and have tested and swapped flow switches to no avail. Having read the some documents for months as can't get a plumber who wants to deal with it, I think it's plumbed incorrectly which may be throwing the flow issues. The switch is on the wrong side of the flow meter, and there should be (but isn't) at least 150mm before any bend or fitting either side, I think. Can anyone clarify that I am correct, or barking up the wrong tree? Setup image attached. Thanks
    1 point
  10. Topical update. My plasterer was so worried about this that he phoned building control, and they confirmed they do not require any special paperwork for an ASHP install.
    1 point
  11. How much do you need? I could give you a length.
    1 point
  12. I don't know, but flexible plastic 20mm electrical conduit has an ID of 16mm and is pretty cheap: https://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-corrugated-conduit-black-20mm-x-10m/50443 £5.29 for 10m is pretty reasonable, even if you end up throwing some away.
    1 point
  13. I'll line 'em up, you knock 'em down. Wtf do you get 4 years from? And the rest. Anyway, I think the results prove the method in my madness! Seriously though I learnt so much from doing it thanks to all on here.
    1 point
  14. I'm sorry but I can't help thinking that this thread some sort of wind up?! @zoothorn it seems to me [and please forgive me for being direct but I agree with many others above that the flavour of this thread is somewhat disturbing - ] that you are quite liking this attention and regardless of the sound advice being offered, you are more than happy to just crack on with the worries / concerns. You need to be mindful that peoples sympathies will soon turn if such advice being offered is being met with continual indefensible comments. For the sake of everyone trying to assist, please do what @Carrerahillhas suggested and save us for all the dramas because I can't help thinking they are self inflicted and you are not interested in changing anything. As I said earlier, this build will just lurch from one drama to another and I for one will not be investing anymore of my time in it if you don't seem to be helping yourself.
    1 point
  15. Please. Will the scale model take 4 years also? ?
    1 point
  16. 1 point
  17. 20mm flexible electrical conduit has a bore of about 16mm, and is pretty much ideal for protecting 15mm pipe where it goes through walls. Likewise, 32mm flexible electrical conduit is sort of OK for 22mm pipe (it has a bore of about 25mm, so the pipe's a bit of a sloppy fit).
    1 point
  18. As Jeremy says, try and create the hole at an angle. The Cold form bends do work very well at creating a reasonably tight radius without kinking. I'd also be putting a sleeve (or wrap in wadding) where it passes through the block work but I've seen plenty of "professional" [cough] installs where they don't bother.
    1 point
  19. Can you angle the hole through the wall to reduce the angle of the bends?
    1 point
  20. 120mm radius: tgl-coshh-tech-hep20-performance.pdf
    1 point
  21. I have just had mine done by a VAT accountant and he was brilliant, he also had a VAT solicitor who oversaw my claim and recovered another £800 (minus fee). Others on here have used him and got good results. I simply supplied all my receipts in no particular order, he even contacted some suppliers who did not supply a proper VAT receipt (that I had not noticed) to get the right paperwork. It scared me that HMRC will fine you if you make an error (something I am very likely to do) so it was paying the relatively small fee to get it done properly. His fee was more than recovered by it being done properly. Andrew Jones the VAT man Ltd.
    1 point
  22. Welcome @Davidkw. A couple of places to start: https://www.gov.uk/vat-building-new-home , https://www.gov.uk/vat-building-new-home/eligibility, https://www.gov.uk/vat-building-new-home/how-to-claim. We also have a large and well-maintained thread on the forum here about the VAT reclaim process but I believe that you need a few more posts (to be an established member) before you can have access to that. @newhome in particular is very knowledgeable on the subject. And @JSHarris has a sample claim spreadsheet that he has provided to some others here. Some members, including @jack, are following current cases about exactly what triggers the 3-month clock on claiming after the completion of a build. And there are some companies various members have used to assist in the process (for a fee). @joe90 has used one recently for example.
    1 point
  23. One of these from Screwfix: https://www.screwfix.com/p/drayton-rts3-24003sx-frost-thermostat/9578r I have it set to come on at about 5°C, the mid-point on the dial. I'm pretty sure it's never come on, though, as the temperature in the shed doesn't seem to drop below about 8°C, even in cold weather. That's probably because it's fairly well insulated, plus there are two 300 litre pressure vessels in there filled with water at around 8°C or 9°C. There's a lot of heat stored in the pressure vessels and the filtration tanks, plus there's usually a fair throughput of water, so the shed doesn't normally have much time to cool down.
    1 point
  24. The two I have fitted recently have B as 900-950mm, but longer trays and full screens on the end. The latestalso has a 20mm upstand. Had a chat to the fitter at subfloor level, and I wanted it to be minimal and water retaining but not flat, and wheelchairable. You can always take 5mm off by using more screed or glue, but not add it back on. This tray is 900 x 1800. The sloping roof also means my shower is positioned so that spray would stay in with no door. I will probably remove that door and cap the screen end as I think I will not find a magnetic door seal easily. You could make A into a shower curtain or a hinged or multifold screen.
    1 point
  25. If that really is the case throw him off the job. He sounds like an arrogant fool - you pay his wages - you call the shots. Find a some Polish guys and get them in to blitz it I don't want to offend you by saying this, it is not meant as such, but it seems like your possibly not fully aware/understanding of the various stages and building works and then in your naivety stressing out about things that probably require no stress. I saw a post further up this thread where you were discussing deeper founds to allow for more play and allowing for an inch here or an inch there. I don't think that is the case, I think the guy is just going to build your extension as drawn, he will know where floor levels need to go and will make that happen, yes sure, heights to an extent are dictated by heights of stages of the build that precede the floor, but at the same time a foundation is not a good indication of final floor level as so many things can influence this. This thread has grown a bit, disjointed too, could you by reply, please list a summary of your current concerns in simple short sentences. Let me kick this off, if I have understood you correctly, i.e.: 1. Concern that extension floor will not match existing house. 2. Concrete is under 2 inches of water 3. Drainage - please elaborate your base concern here. With this we can look at the way forward. If the guy is working in your garden then surely you go out and ask a few innocent questions of him?
    1 point
  26. B = min 1000mm A = Moot, as it isn't stopping all of the water. 300mm fixed panel would stop water getting at the corner of the floor / tray junction. In honesty, this is too small a tray to be open. Minimum tray size for 'open ended' is 1600mm AFAIC, but 1800-2000mm better. Plus then you wont need the A panel.
    1 point
  27. Our screen is 900mm wide and I wish it was 100mm wider. Splashing only happens around the first 100mm past the end of the glass panel. I went for a 900mm wide panel to maximise the entry space, but in reality a 1000mm panel would have been fine.
    1 point
  28. Not sure how helpful this photo is . After a year no obvious sign of corrosion
    1 point
  29. Consider having an ALL OFF switch when leaving the house and to include a servo to turn off the water supply into the house when activated (controlled so it won't work if the WM is being used etc) Wouldn't want a flood in that room! I know this can be done with Loxone.
    1 point
  30. If that wall is "cold" couldn't you just redo in insulated pb? You'd need some back box extenders for the electrics. Probably not what you want to hear as a suggestion...
    1 point
  31. The key points in that report are that poor ventilation caused by, amongst other things, badly installed/commissioned/used mechanical ventilation has contributed to high humidity levels (especially in bedrooms) and the occurrence of mould on walls. We are still going up a learning curve when it comes to ventilation in mass built homes, I think. From the time that man first built shelters, up until around 20 to 30 years ago, dwellings had pretty good ventilation, courtesy of fires. A fireplace and chimney is an excellent and powerful ventilation method. It wastes a lot of heat, but it does shift a great deal of air. Once we shifted to building houses without fireplaces, improving airtightness and relying on central heating, we lost a key means of ventilation. We've been creating building regulations to try and make up for that loss of "natural" ventilation, but the evidence seems to be that those ventilation systems may not be working well in practice. There seems to be a fair bit of evidence that building inspectors haven't been properly checking that mechanical ventilation systems comply with the regs. This doesn't surprise me, mine wasn't the slightest bit interested in the commissioning report I produced, and others here have reported much the same thing. I'm sure your system is working as well as it should, as you spent a lot of time getting it adjusted and commissioned so that it complied with the requirements in Part F. I suspect the wall is just getting a bit too cool, and the vagaries of air flow around the room, and behind the bed, are conspiring to cause the problem you're having.
    1 point
  32. Matches the holes in the bricks to tie everything together.
    1 point
  33. Norrsken, a bit pricey.
    1 point
  34. I agree with Patrick above. However, i just dont have that gift, and i always end up winding them up. The truth is, i think our planning system is broken. The National and local policies are all written like laws. Open to being interpretated in many different ways. It's quite easy to have one planning officer who is ok with crown roofs, and one who is not, sitting next to each other in the office. I have a local planning officer, not young, who passed a large crown roof, 2 doors away, but told me 2 months later, that he would not allow them on mine. You are at there mercy, and whims, and that is just not right. Once you get a job with the council, you don't get sacked. You can spend your whole career going from department to department being rubbish. Don't feel too sorry for them. My highly educated, very clever daughter, (not my words. She was identified by a government dept at 12 as being so) joined a council. 30 in the department. After 2 months she advised the council that the dept could be run by 10 people with spare capacity. She advised that the 2/3rds of the people who consistantly worked from home, achieved 2 peoples work. She sugested a proformance pay structure, and no more home working. She identified that people working from home, were logged onto the computer system for as little as 12minutes a day. These people were earning in excess of 30k a year. A huge proportion of the money we put into the councils bank accounts is wasted. Sorry.
    1 point
  35. 0 points
  36. Really? @pocster, you're slipping!
    0 points
  37. Have you considered coving?
    0 points
  38. watch 4 episodes of GD back to back. I vowed never to watch one ever again. A few months ago that was. Fings ain't vat bad 'cos I've no; divorce in the offing (well, I'm pretty sure that's the case) nowhere near 8 years on the job yet got 3 million to burn a build where the professional fees are more expensive than my build haven't (recently) had a life-threatening disease SE who really cocks up a roof a builder called Chaz drive to build on a cliff-side got enough money to buy myself loads'a Festools have to go and have a blood transfusion every 4 weeks a wife with crazy 'Raaather Left-Field ideas dwaaahling' Imagine the sheer unadulterated horror of Kevin waltzing down your drive to document the fookoops with quite so much smelly glee. Stop moaning Ian. Can't be that bad, now can it? Head down, arse up ,go.
    0 points
  39. Give Beckham a ring .....?
    0 points
  40. Understandable. I claimed a couple of extra items in error (receipts had claimable and non-claimable items), they spotted and just adjusted the claim. I got a strongly worded letter about it but that was it.
    0 points
  41. Just cruel..... Funny, but cruel.....
    0 points
  42. 4 episodes ? I truly hoped you played Grand Designs Bingo. Plenty of game cards on the net like this one:
    0 points
  43. Internorm have big discounts at the moment but no Marju!!!
    0 points
  44. Give Beckham a ring, see if he'll fettle it with his right foot? No? Ok, I'll get me coat.
    0 points
  45. Just draw rectangles to represent the various tray options and overlay on your CAD drawing which will have the UFH pipes shown exactly. ?
    0 points
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