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I wouldn't worry, even if they do contain asbestos you haven't been smashing them up or cutting with a grinder etc. Although the threat of asbestos is real you have to remember there are loads of people out there who worked with the stuff, demolished buildings with no protection and many of use breathed `fresh` air with brake dust from vehicles. The main point is minimizing your exposure and being careful has done just that.

These guys turn around asbestos samples very quick, and they can offer you advice about whether you should touch them yourself https://www.artisanenvironmental.co.uk/services/asbestos-services/asbestos-sample-analysis/

Have had asbestos tiles in demo/refurbs. They have never bent like that photo. Always came off clean or snapped. So first check them out. If asbestos reinforced then I think they are low risk, and I don't think need any special training, but you do not want dust. Plenty of people have been unaffected but plenty have suffered. There will be a leaflet online from HSE saying something like: wet the area, wear disposable gloves and mask. then do the double bagging thing. If you are not a business, then you can take them to the municipal tip and hand it over for safe disposal (all contaminated stuff seems to go to Peterborough)

yes, asbestos tiles usually hard and snap, and probably would not have come off so nicely. get a test though.

£35 for peace of mind seems pretty good.

Minimum wage Minimum effort

If you allow more height in your build up you can use a cheaper insulation design it in now. If I was doing mine again I would have 250mm of eps. I have 200mm now. It’s cheap as chips compared to pir insulation. Buy direct from the factory, eps 100 not the flimsy stuff you find in wickes.

I loathe this government's behaviour. The sleaze, the mendacity, the venality, the nepotism. I'm almost sure many within the government hate it too. But -initially- I could not have made a better job of keeping folk off the streets. And I'm grateful for that. What really irks is the bad example - not to say dishonourable behaviour -the inability to give a straight answer - shown by many in high office: it chips away at my preparedness to forgive, to move on, to be magnanamous.

Yep Exactly My wife and daughter work in a private hospital which was taken over by the NHS All staff where told No holidays for at least a year and way back Switch your app OFF when entering the building A friend who runs a groundwork’s company has staff still off work because the are worried about Covid One is his brother He knows at least two have watched the England games down the pub He’s talking about selling his yard and plant and closing his business down

Tried reading LOTR, gave up. Fell asleep just past the opening scenes of the first film. What complete b@l@cks! Give me Warcraft any day. If I wanted to hear people speak funny I'd go to Bristol or Cornwall.

Now , now , no need to be horrid to @Onoff

Its more the height that was the issue because its a 1.5 story house and the roof slope clashes with the top of the cylinder. Just need to expand the plant room footprint further from the roof. As a bonus it will actually simplify the UFH pipe routing.

It's a hat ....

I don’t understand the confusion. Builder was instructed to build an opening that is 2372mm in height, from the bottom of the opening to the top. The bottom was to coincide with a level which was 170mm above the top of the slab. Builder has constructed an opening that is 2380mm in height and only 162mm above the slab. So by packing out the bottom of the opening with some cement board - which is what I asked him to do this morning - he would fix the issue. Simples. Builder has a complex personality issue which sometimes gets in the way of things. Complex.

Yes . Getting it in the frame and placed correctly will require God like skills

Yeah . I found a slightly smaller wheel . So 1 ‘ as is wheel ‘ and one smaller wheel will *just* fit ( less than 1mm of play ) ???

Probably 'oven ready' like so many other plans - targets are one thing delivering them seems not to be an issue - the target is the target - I will only be in power for a short time, I will speak great words and leave it to the next bunch to make the hard choices, after all nobody will vote to be taxed to the hilt so we can de-carbonise will they?

&...the manual refers to"flow control":

Really? VID-20210720-WA0021.mp4

Thanks all for the replies, really helpful - I do plan to ask the BCO. I'm thinking if the BCO is OK with standard wallboard it might be almost as easy to just skim it rather than fill the gaps with foam/intumescent acrylic caulk. P.S. will have smoke/heat/CO2 detection in the plant rooms.

Combi for DHW. ASHP for cooling and heating with cheap low grade heat. Combi for heating for the depths of winter. Hybrid ASHP’s can have either gas or oil burners to do exactly this. Controls will be the difficult part. Personally I would fit the 4 splits upstairs to purge unwanted heat and see what effect that has on the overall overheat issue. Nothing beats air-con in bedrooms afaic, ( I’m looking at a 5 split system for my own house atm ). I think it would leave things manageable with the splits absorbing and exporting excess ambient heat from the upper floors vs it just stagnating. Note: the 4 and 5 way splits operate with intelligent load shifting, and only allow full potential to one problem area. The remaining units have to share the residual kW power rating so some rooms suffer the lower output. Basically you cannot exceed the output of the main unit. Eg you may have a 12kW outdoor unit and 4x 3.6kW cooling capable units but they’ll never all achieve full potential.

It's not got to be 1 continuous piece get that out of your head straight away. You be also not got to square the tops off just lift the nogs up so they finish at peak level or higher. You're over thinking this.

I just looked Boron up in the Periodic Table, it sits next to carbon in a middling position so nice and nonreactive and covalent next to my roofing membrane. I wonder how something chemically next door to carbon can be so poisonous? There are days I miss @Jeremy Harris

I last used Wykabor 10.1 to treat approx. 40 meters of glulam ring beams and a load of untreated CLS. Here's the data sheet Interestingly it does say: However I do suspect this only applies to wet application, not once the product has dried after application. Possibly worth a call to their technical department. HTH.

Ok so you’re probably now split zoning everything … and gas is cheaper than ASHP for heating to a point so need to be careful here.

There's the unbranded option https://www.boron.org.uk/Boron_shop.htm They do explicitly state that there's no problem combined with breather membranes. Of course, you have to navigate the world's most user unfriendly website if you want to buy anything.

The tiles I found in my kitchen that definitely contained asbestos came up incredibly nicely!

My plot was, at one time in a similar situation. This was before I bought it, and it was all resolved by the previous owner, during the Outline planning stage. But yes, the council did consider the suitability of the existing neighbour's driveway as a means of access to my plot. They refused that idea due to poor visibility splays, and insisted that the then existing opening onto that driveway be closed off. That could have been the end of the development potential, because any newly created access would also have sub-standard visibility. However, they eventually accepted that a new access could be created. That took a couple of years in consultation, and I wasn't party to the details, so can't give any tips for a successful outcome, but I'm mighty glad it was all sorted out by the previous owner. But there is more. If your neighbour has a mind to be difficult, then the driveway you want to access could become a ransom strip - that is to say, you will only be allowed to cross that land in return for a sizeable consideration. Properties subject to a ransom strip, or to adverse possession, can be temptingly cheap, so get advice from a solicitor before you buy, and only go in if you are sure about the position. Your plot will almost certainly not get the planning permission you need unless you can demonstrate suitable access to it, and if your agreement with the driveway owner is not watertight, things could go badly wrong.

I'm probably strating the obivous but use stainless screws otherwise you'll get a rust streak down your render face.

you can get some fat EPS plugs but I treid them and didnt get on very well with them, they made a bit of a mess of the render and pull out resistance wouldnt be very high. https://www.fastco.co.uk/fischer-fid-50-insulation-fixing-art-no-48213-pack-of-50.html?kw=pla-59448214701+c&fl=1000&ci=144812953870&network=pla&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6NmHBhD2ARIsAI3hrM1TU-dVJiD8hMpChoejXGQjU8m9s8xEtg47TpU_4l6u9GTLvhqfn78aAiEHEALw_wcB my EWI is quite thick so came up with a way to avoid going all the way through, for things like lights I used long rawl plugs, drill a hole in render and EPS about 70mm deep, air spray to clear the hole, fill hole with squirty foam PU glue (mask face of wall first!), insert long rawl type plug watching for PU being splurged out, leave to set, then screw in with a relatively thin screw that only just bites the plug so as not to put too much rotational pressure on it. Worked well and the plug held without spinning and took a pretty strong fix but dont ask too much of the render. otherwise fix right through to solid substrate, with a plastic rawl plug the thermal bridge won't be too bad, barely worth worrying about. watch for point loads on the render face and dont overtighten

Agreed - I am not personally a mechanical engineer (I'm electrical) but I work in M&E so my colleagues are mech guys and in M&E project meetings we must sit and listen to the other disciplines discussions - needless to say, you pick things up to a point you are familiar with other building services. We are currently the stage 4 M&E design consultants and checking engineers for a D&B hotel, our guys designed it with one system but the M&E contractor wants to use Mitsubishi for the ASHP's, now this is for heating 4000 litres of water with pre-heat cylinders and heated buffers and all sorts, its a big system but the change to Mitsi is a nightmare, the whole system is having to be redesigned and re-calculated by the M&E contractor (who is now regretting it I think because they are spending more manhours on design than they will save on kit). They are also going to need to have a booster immersion tank to bring the water temp up to the hotel spec temp because the Mitsi system won't get it hot enough. Things got a little heated recently between the PM and the M&E contractor, where the main contractor PM wanted to know what exactly the issue was, we stated that the system we designed was based on various temps and figures and flow rates from manufacturer A - but M&E contractor wants to use manufacturer B - because of the massive variances in the way these things all work, its not just comparing apples to apples and I think it is this issue that is creating the minefield. Gone are the days where anyone with half a brain could spec a gas boiler or cylinder etc. and as long as they got water volume and BTU's etc. right it would probably work, I think annoyingly we are entering an era where these systems are going to need to be properly designed, at least until they become more common and more importantly widely understood by all.

I was going to say it's probably more important that it's imperative there is a right of access or that the owner of the driveway is willing to share it - legal work required to get it onto deeds etc if agreement is reached with no existing right of access. We have a right of access over our neighbours driveway - 3 properties in total onto a cul-de-sac. No issue with planners but the owners of the driveway were not happy at all but they realised eventually that they could nothing about it. Didn't stop legal threats beforehand etc.

Ok, to clear this up, and stop you trolling, can you show us your heat loss calculations for your house, and your DHW useage. Then show us all why it is not possible to have a HP system deliver the same outputs. Then show us the difference in running costs, and installation cost, rather than vague and misleading statements. If you are not willing, or able (which we both know is the real reason) to supply this information, then you don't have anything to contribute.

This. Look at the massive variability in estimated heating requirements that different companies will give on the same property. It isn't the tech that's the problem, it's the industry.

hmmm, i was just thinking of a drive, but when does a private drive become a road? harsh and unfortunate for the ones building the 3rd property

We need a "disagree" emoji to save time replying to such rubbish. Which would be less than a third of the kWh of Gas/Oil required to heat the same property. Same price as Gas, cheaper than Oil or LPG.

Yes. I know someone who built a house served by a shared private road already serving 2 houses, and to add his 3rd house to the same private road, he had to update the visibility splay to current requirements. Also up here if it gets to 5 properties, you are expected to upgrade the road to highways standard and it is then adopted.

Interesting questions, i would say the access was existing and therefore cannot be regarded as new even though the build would be and use would increase.

Arresting the spread of fire from open flames is the consideration here. If it were a multi storey dwelling or adverse scenario requiring fire intervention then your BCO would have already stated so. Have you actually asked your BCO ? Our opinions here are worthless btw. That person is signing your build off not any of us If you don’t have any mandatory stipulation(s) then just consider risk vs mitigation, and focus on the salvage of the fabric of the property, eg if a fire started there.Buying a FR plasterboard is £10 more than a regular one. Why skimp?!? Fill gaps with intumescent acrylic caulk not FR foam as that has far better integrity. FR foam is for very small gaps only. On every single one of my full M&E installations, early prevention ( detection and intervention ) via deployment of optical, ionisation, multi-sensor and heat detectors in every habitable and plant space is standard practice. Each type of detector is selected to suit the space. Finding a fire before it’s become involved is the number one focus of the owner, and prevention of the spread of flames and cold smoke is the focus for means of egress and escape, eg the preservation of those routes of escape ( for 30 or 60 mins whichever is applicable ). Talk to your BCO.

I use Barretine Premier Protects against wet rot and most boring insects Good for spraying and clear also Around a tenner per liter

This was what I did for 35 years and the family business continues without me. Therefore i will only give a few points, and you must do as you wish. ie this is some of what we would tell you for nothing if discussing a design and build contract. Taking a project from 5 years ago as an example. This was a 4 storey nursing home, so quite like yours in size and scale. It had to have brick facing. I analysed about 6 different ways of building it. polystyrene timber lightweight steel structural steel masonry. mixture of the above We ended up with timber frame, with light steel a close second, the differentiator being the multitude of small, standard rooms. BUT for an office you should have, in my opinion, great open spaces, so I would propose structural steel as the likely favourite. You can still infill with pod offices if you like, and change them in the future to suit fashions. I have never met a 'sustainability consultant', unless you mean a Breeam consultant. I sat and passed the exam simply to satisfy clients and planners that I knew of what I spoke, but didn't agree with most of what they proposed. In fact we have always renegotiated Breeam planning conditions, by pointing out and deleting the crazy bits. You clearly have architects and other consultants, but are asking this Buildhub community for help...can I ask why? I don't think many here are likely to advise on how to pour a wall, if your consultants cant help. Perhaps that will become clear of you tell us your role for 'your client'.

Yep! far too much easy money made available. Furlough was set too high so why work when you can stay home for almost the same, Why stay open and trading when you can stop paying rent and rates, claim a percentage of profits and cover your regulars. We have had local tree surgeons and jobbing builders walking in with tons of cash to buy machines and bragging how much they are getting for not working! ... great when first thing we get is "As suppliers to the Rail Network you will be expected to continue as normal" ... blaaa blaa blaaa so working straight through, no money for anything, no grants, still have to pay rent and rates, not seen as key workers, not allowed into supermarkets etc as key workers, no money to implement covid measures, Covid police visits every couple of weeks and its all those having to stay at home on furlough who are the real victims! arghhhh .... rant over.

Mark, thanks for that

A polite way of telling you they don’t care or need your business At the moment When the first lockdown started BM that where showing as closed still delivered to the sites At the moment they picking and choosing and looking after repeat business Whilst the pandemic is the cause The government has prolonged this with its handout scheme

Can you photograph the bottom bit with the tundish in more detail please?

Yes.

Seems so, one trick to fill the top of the brick at the end, is to use a trowel that has level mortar on it, slide it into the gap, then use a second trowel to cover the hole and slowly slide out the first trowel

Sounds like it,neee a pic to clarify as @markc says.

Pack of 10 x 6mm x 1 Metre Stainless Steel HELICAL Bars for Repairing Masonry Walls https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FGVP59R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_BMPR7KH25NRTD50ME5F5

Have you a copy of the Home Builders Bible? Pretty much does what you ask, using a model house to base the numbers around. You can also get hold of SPONs to price individual elements. However, may be worth getting a QS to independently draw up a costings worksheet from your plans - we did this (£1500 plus a PHPP analysis) and it was money well spent as I was able to target each individual element and set my self the goal of beating the price. Regarding getting sub trades vs a single contractor, not that complicated really. You just need to break the job into logical stages by trade and then go get quotes to compare. On our build we had the following trades/contractors in the following order (quite a few trades overlapped at end) - Electrician (site prep for relocation of existing power, supply to caravan and container/site office) - Groundworks (demolition, site prep, basement & services) - Scaffolding (design & erect, 12 week hire) - Timber frame (design, supply, erection & return to insulate & finish airtightness detail after doors & windows fitted). - Windows & doors (supply & fit contract) - Roofer (supply & fit, also fitted the velux that I purchased directly) - Render contractor (supply & fit) - Guttering contractor (soffit, fascia, parapets, guttering & downpipes) - Front door (supply & fit) - Electrical first fix - Plumbing first fix - Joiner (boxing in, door frames, pocket door preparation etc) - Plasterer (supply & fit board & skim coat) - Decorators (supply & paint) - Tiling (I supplied) - Plumbing second fix - Flooring install (supply & fit) - Joiner (hang doors, cills, skirting and architrave) - Resin flooring - Kitchen (supply & fit) We then moved in, and about a year later started - Landscaping (laying patio, prepping for driveway and gates, wall building etc.) - Resin driveway and gates were by separate specialist contractors. - Internal & external glass balustrade & balconies (Supply & Fit) - Electrician still coming and going to finish driveway lights, external power etc. As you can see it was mostly supply and fit (that way everything is VAT free). We supplied some of the groundworks material (EPS & GRP light-wells), Velux windows, MVHR I fit), first & second fix timber, internal doors & ironmongery, bathroom fittings (Megabad), bath, sinks, tiles, wood flooring and all the landscaping materials. I'm sure I've forgotten something here but you get the gist. Key to my success was getting a fully insulated airtight timber frame that included felted roof, floor decks and all internal stud walls as this took away any concerns about the structural elements being in multiple hands. We shared the TF design with the SE doing the basement spec - that was my main concern but both elements came together without a hitch. Main frustration was trades getting delayed on other jobs and throwing out your schedule, but you just need to roll with it. It also gets a bit busy near then end with plasterers, joiners, painters, tilers, plumbers and sparks all trying to get done!