Jump to content

epsilonGreedy

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    3877

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    6

 Content Type 

Everything posted by epsilonGreedy

  1. epsilonGreedy
    I timely dose of reality, I will show that photo to Swmbo and try to read her face.
  2. epsilonGreedy
    It has been suggested to me that I should get onsite asap and live in a large touring caravan. Then when winter sets I should in drive the caravan into a completed garage (minus door) as the garage will act like a large awning and also take the sting out of the weather. Has anyone done this? It feels unconventional but I cannot find fault with the plan.
  3. epsilonGreedy
    In that case global warming scientists now have some free time to contemplate the subtle differences between scientific consensus and the truth that societies choose to accept. On a matter as critical as global warming there is no point in indulging in further self reinforcement group-think at some annual global warming shindig, the challenge is to persuade the rest of mankind to act.
  4. epsilonGreedy
    The book has ignited a new perspective on the history of homo-sapiens and a method for speculating about our near future, should we be concerned this endeavour incurs some element of risk? @SteamyTea is frustrated his views on global warming are not universally accepted and his proposed solution is known as intellectual imperialism. Some here think that scientific method has delivered 300 years of enlightenment and progress and freedom from tyranny. This is not true, 300 years ago France possessed many essential ingredients for enlightenment and progress in greater quantity than Britain but it did not happen in France because they practiced State controlled intellectual imperialism which could not deliver even a working steam engine. Enlightenment and progress occurred in Britain instead of France not because of scientific method, it was due to freedom of expression and our political culture. As to tyranny, it is alive and flourishing today. Google Lindsey Sheppard.
  5. epsilonGreedy
    I called it an algorithm that helps scientists reach consensus. If you knew what the scientific method was you should have concluded that I do.
  6. epsilonGreedy
    Before your scientific method came along to save the world and provide an indisputable universal truth, the human race was doing quite well. In 70,000 years minus your 300 we had the agricultural revolution, the appearance of art, writing, national constitutions, the wheel, Roman engineering, Religion, money and the Duomo in Florence. The scientific method is just a consensus algorithm that allows second rate minds to play science with the big boys. Archimedes did not need the crutch of scientific method when he jumped out of the bath, he just knew.
  7. epsilonGreedy
    Generalizations are to be expected when attempting to surmise in a book 70,000 years of history while also sketching out a new general theory of humanity. Many readers do not like the absolutist interim claims in the book and the audio book is worse because the professional narrator uses an over confident vocal style unlike the book's author when he is interviewed live. The most vociferous criticisms originate from the intellectually lazy 20th century social scientists typically those on a State backed salary or pension. Yuval Noah Harari threatens such people with new uncomfortable theories that also question the ability of existing social structures to fund their existence. The second book ties up some loose ends from the first.
  8. epsilonGreedy
    I am not there yet, digging starts 9th of July and so actual pipe connection geometry will be figured out in the following month. Here is the NHBC standards doc that triggered the thought http://www.nhbc.co.uk/Builders/ProductsandServices/TechZone/NHBCStandards/TechnicalGuidanceDocuments/53/filedownload,65363,en.pdf I will try and route your question to my Architectural Technologist as he is currently sprinting to the point where he can issue an invoice and so seems keen to engage in such chats currently. Yesterday he said that in principal he is ok with foul drainage runs through the foundation plan.
  9. epsilonGreedy
    There is a causal relationship here. High Street retail is in its death throws, its remaining function to satisfy those who demand compulsive retail therapy between episodes of Jeremy Kyle.
  10. epsilonGreedy
    Protek allows a degree of risks mix & match though this falls short of your stated requirement. You can also trim the premium by bumping up the excess to £1000 if that suits your attitude to risk. The elective parts of their cover are: Hired Plant Own Plant Site Facilities Facilities Contents By default I got Construction All Risks, Public Liability, Employers Liability and Personal Injury cover. As you say the insurable risk rises over time, from not a lot and difficult to damage accidentally to very high i.e. a sleep deprived amateur self builder having a go at copper pipe soldering with a blow torch in a weather tight building with lots of exposed wood but missing a fire retarding lining of plasterboard. I guess it would be too expensive to support an insurance product where the self builder tweaked the rebuild sum insured each month. If I could design a self build insurance policy just for me, I would only want public liability and employers liability prior to first scaffold lift then full self build construction cover as things get serious and expensive to recover.
  11. epsilonGreedy
    Your typical mid-ranking test tube shaker who has just missed the next best thing since penicillin in his petri disk because he is distracted by a Guardian editorial probably lacks the cerebral horse power to comprehend a Brief History of Humankind and Homo Deus. Scientific Method is for the easy narrow focus stuff e.g. Black Holes. Comprehending the history and future of Mankind is far more difficult and I would accept the opinion of those who have shaped history over the test tube shakers any day.
  12. epsilonGreedy
    Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama all recommend the book, that is good enough for me. https://www.gatesnotes.com/Books/Sapiens-A-Brief-History-of-Humankind
  13. epsilonGreedy
    Ok will do re. demolition costs. Just spoke Mark at Protek who clarified some things. The advice on VAT covers multiple site insurance scenarios such as renovation where VAT is not reclaimable. In my case the demolition and some rebuild costs would include non reclaimable VAT even for a self build. Mark's principal point is that if my rebuild costs were significantly understated then my whole site insurance cover could be deemed to be under insured. I will rerun the quote for £1500 per sqm rebuild costs and no percentage taken off for below ground indestructibles.
  14. epsilonGreedy
    As my insurer would eventually face the cost of the claim would they not be motivated to deal with this situation?
  15. epsilonGreedy
    I think you would enjoy ploughing through Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari. At the end you might end up agreeing with me on the definition of truth.
  16. epsilonGreedy
    Yes and yes, plus £180k rebuild cost for a 2-story 140 sqm home, Spons say -6% on regional cost variation for me. With Protek there is only a Public Liability option but this includes employers public liability. See my other question about under-insurance.
  17. epsilonGreedy
    I am getting a mixed message from Protek insurance about rebuild cost. My initial thought was that it is extremely unlikely a site catastrophe would simultaneously wipe out my service connections, drainage or footings hence I can live with the risk of not insuring the first £25k of rebuild costs. So if my total disaster (asteroid impact) rebuild costs were £200k I could sleep soundly with £175k of rebuild cover. The woman manning the help line at Protek initially challenged this view and said I would be under-insured. I think she meant that if I claimed £10k for a weather related roof incident I would only get £10k minus 12.5% which is the relative degree of under-insurance on total rebuild costs. Later in the same conversation she reversed that position. She also said a pro rebuild would be subject to VAT which needs to be factored in, surely this would be reclaimable if disaster struck prior to a completion certificate?
  18. epsilonGreedy
    I tend towards minimizing insurance cover in all matters, for example I never opt for accidental cover on home insurance. My philosophy is personal responsibility and as it happens I have never made an insurance claim in my life. So onto self build site insurance. I have parred down my Protek quote to under £350 by removing cover for a site hut and personal tools. Bumping up the excess to £1000 knocked another 15% off the premium. I am now looking at a £30 option to add £25,000 of legal expenses cover. This feels like a good move but I cannot come up with a scenario where this would actually be used in anger. In my case there is no main contractor to sue. All I can think of is if my concrete did not cure or a helping hand fabricated a medical injury. Am I over looking other potential self builder legal battles?
  19. epsilonGreedy
    The truth is whatever a majority in a society chooses to believe, the world was once flat until someone sailed around it. With regard to global warming best focus on persuasion rather than reaching for definitive truth.
  20. epsilonGreedy
    There be tyrannical dragons. Rather than promoting a single State sanctioned version of the truth, the solution lies in freedom of expression and the narrow casting diversity available on YouTube today. Broadcast media is a failing 20th century invention.
  21. epsilonGreedy
    I was imagining something along the lines of Three Men on a Roof with @recoveringacademic in the role of Griff Rhys Jones. How will the dog get up there?
  22. epsilonGreedy
    Where is the ecstatically jubilant emoticon? ??
  23. epsilonGreedy
    Que voice of Captain Mainwaring: I was waiting to see which man would spot that deliberate error. ?
  24. epsilonGreedy
    The rodding access point design I mentioned is a solution to the problem of two toilets joining at a Y junction under the foundations of a house but to me it feels like it goes a long way to mitigating the downside of through foundation foul drainage runs even without a Y junction.. According to the NHBC standards such a Y junction is not allowed without an external rodding point at the start of the run. You are not proposing such a Y junction so maybe your idea is legit?
  25. epsilonGreedy
    I am in a similar position to the OP and found a solution. It is possible for the drainage run to start with an inspection chamber. The OP could have a couple of ICs under the car park side of the house, these would run under the foundation and the soil stack would join as a branch into the existing drain pipe.
×
×
  • Create New...