epsilonGreedy

At 10am this morning my solicitor emailed to say the plot sale was complete. As a new member of the Conveyancing Cynics Association I emailed back seeking clarification, I tested this concept that ownership of land can be effected in this country by asking "does this mean I can visit the plot right now and erect a site boundary fence?", he got back within 15 minutes and said go ahead. I feel the need to blog, could an appropriate forum authority command that "New Blog" button to appear for me?

My plot has detailed planning permission with a number of conditions that required verification or clarification. Today all of these have been satisfied through reports, technical investigations and proposed building materials. The dialogue associated with the condition satisfactions is posted online by the planning office. In the case of sample bricks for which a 1m squared board was created and presumably inspected, as a new plot owner am I allowed to propose an alternative brick example board?

Errrm, I will get back to you on that one. In the past 3 months I have scrutinized dozens of Georgian period local buildings in an attempt to tune into the local style though so far my eyes have been drawn upwards to slate roofs, sash window reveals and cast iron external soil pipes. Time to walk around the village again to examine the first 500mm above ground. Rendered blocks up to Dpc sounds nice and cheap.

Hey slow down and leave something for me to do.

My motivation is not to shave 1% of the brick order invoice by dealing online. Instead I am looking to save 20 to 50% by locating a substitute machine made brick that still creates the required conservation visual impact. I have found some good examples at BrickHunter however before becoming a named lead via such a site I wanted to understand the business model they use. https://library.brickhunter.com/wienerberger-marziale-65mm-machine-made-stock-buff-light-texture-clay-brick https://library.brickhunter.com/bea-clay-products-sexton-sulphur-66mm-waterstruck-slop-mould-yellow-light-texture-clay-brick https://library.brickhunter.com/wienerberger-smeed-dean-bermondsey-yellow-rustica-65mm-machine-made-stock-buff-light-texture-clay-brick

This is not stated explicitly. My concern is that having taken delivery of a 60 brick sample pallet of the arty crafty handmade heritage bricks specified in a satisfied planning condition they are more highly aged and crumbly than I anticipated. I also think that a few courses of grey/blue bricks below a buff brick elevation looks good regardless of material brick worries. Due to a minor concern of flash surface water flooding an enviro report recommended the DPC should be 300mm above ground and so substituting handmade buffs for grey engineering bricks will reduce the brick bill.

This is a large step in the right direction.

Great so now it would be historically accurate to have engineering bricks and multiple wives.

I am doing some research into the historical use of grey engineering bricks below what we call dpc today, this is in preparation for a conversation with my local conservation officer. Does anyone know if these were used as far back as 1800 in domestic properties? So far I have found a reference to engineering bricks in canal locks.

The House Builder's Bible warns about the shady world of independent "brick factors" with their undisclosed referral commissions. I wonder if these online brick library outfits are just 21st century brick factor wolves in HTML clothing?

Good hear I am not the only one who prefers the more costly wetcast version, my local caststone fabricator said it is typically specified for public buildings because it more hard-wearing. My previous commodity Bryant Homes house had the ordinary stuff and over 10 years the caststone turned grey then green on the north side as dirt and algae took up residence in the rough surface. I had not considered bedding it down on dpc material the reason been that with the rear 60mm of the cill hanging over the cavity and presumably taking some of the weight of the sash frame it seems preferable to benefit from the adhesion of the bedding mortar. However the same fabricator advises that the bedding mortar should be lime based which is less adhesive, so hay-ho I better wait to see what the architectural technician specifies in the BC drawings.

I have a gaggle of boring questions... Is £44 / meter a good price for a deep 210mm profile designed to slot under a sash window that will be setback by a full 100mm brick reveal? Would you fit as the brick courses go up or retro fit once the roof is on? Is protecting the fitted cills during build with sliced open plastic pipe a good option or is it better to buy something designed for the job? http://www.ockwells.com/products/external-protection/artstone-armashield-protection And from an aesthetic angle... Does wetcast artstone look utilitarian or posh? I like the wetcast variant and apparently it is stronger, less porous and does not pick up manky weathering stains so quickly. I am thinking of going for a paler Portland colour rather than the stronger bathstone yellow as seen on the other 100,000 Wimpy and Bovis homes produced annually. Has anyone opted for different colour?

How steep are the tuition fees at your hands-on academy and is your parge coating course eligible for a Government student loan?

Is the origin of "polish style" an attempt to create the illusion of coving without the material expense? Whatever, I like it.

This is true and I intend to keep the holiday mood going as long as possible, so far I have have had two factory tours. Most holiday makers in York go to the viking exhibition, I had a personal conducted tour of a brick factory instead. Modern sash window manufacturing at Barnesdale Windows in Donning Lincolnshire was even more interesting. A holiday is just a break in routine.

I hope this is a positive thread. I have lost 6lbs following making an offer on a plot and since then I have been mentally and physically buzzing around on a high. Last week my fitbit clocked up my highest weekly step count of 102,600 and this is before the build has actually started. Currently I am practicing laying bricks, measuring the plot, visiting suppliers and generally waylaying any bored navvy, tiler or brickie for a chat.

Not sure as yet, someone here did mention a Humberside independent about 3 months ago. I followed up and he was keen to visit the plot and advise on where to sink the tank. The 2-year lock in price was good too. Noted though will the 10mm option be dependent on decent cold water pressure feeding into the combi or does it have its own pump? I have no experience of living with a combi boiler and had previously associated them with 1990's entry level rental properties.

@recoveringacademic Have you had a chance to consider Nulok any further? @PeterWHave you had a close up and personal experience with the Nulok system?

He is cheap so I will need to keep an overwatch and double check the electrical science. I have 4 months before the wiring starts but the regional power company has already created a plan for the assumed power meter location with associated trenches so I need to keep thinking 4 months ahead. Same goes for LPG gas tank hole, grey water drainage trenches and soil pipe drop locations.

About the same distance as the electric supply. Plan view distances to HW outlets are: Downstairs toilet = 2m Master bedroom ensuit shower & washhand basin = 6m Kitchen Sink = 14m Main bathroom (seldom used) = 13m Best add 2m to all those numbers to account for vertical ups & downs plus radius of bends.

Crikey, I need to be careful.

My solicitor has mentioned the current 5 month delay in getting newly created plot divisions registered and published at the LR. My neighbour purchased his plot in November and the price data has only recently become public domain info, something to do with the new computer system perhaps?

As a development of my recent interior layout discussion thread here I have decided to move the kitchen to the front of the house. If the consumer unit remains in the utility room the result of the layout change will be a 13 meter horizontal run to the electric cooker. Is this a sign of a poor home circuit design? At present heating will be via a combi boiler hence no HW tank or heating element. The only other high capacity circuits will be an infra red patio heater and a provision for a garage car charging port. p.s. This is a 2-story newbuild 1500 sq ft in size, so all options can be considered at present.

Denplan is a comprehensive monthly payment dental care scheme and includes 6 month check ups, hygienist, x-rays and ad-hoc treatment arising. It is the largest such plan in the UK and so is a good indicator of the going rate for such cover. You would need to spend £240 p/a with Westfield to cover predictable annual dental costs and would still be exposed to random £50+ costs for anything that involves a drill.

Your monthly premium range looks low, the typical forum member is going to pay £25-£30 monthly for dental cover alone. I lost my first tooth at the age of 55 due to the non interventionist policy "we'll keep an eye on it" of my previous Denplan insurance dentist.