epsilonGreedy

Ok interesting to hear you think that photo example is dye free. At the recent NEC show the manager of a handcut fancy bricks company recommend a weaker mortar mix than usual for his bricks. I think he said 1:1:4:4 cement/lime/sharp-sand/normal-sand which gives more options to create the right base colour without a dye.

Costwise dye or white cement cost about the same though I would prefer to use traditional mortar ingredients. I have been wondering if dyed mortar might change colour as the sun bleaches component elements of the dye.

I have not got that far yet, the Cambridgeshire county border is not so far away. Where did you source your sand?

Ah so it is a legit term though rarely used. My site is flat and just a small rise from trenchfill to dpc, just 149 steps to go.

I understand from the Chemcraft doc that dye usage can be reduced by using pale grey or white cement with sand introducing the base colour.

A sand color to match buff bricks like this though the yellow is less vibrant in reality

I am following progress on a single build new my home, no site office or portaloo, just a pair of brickies who have got the walls to 10ft now. There are diverse degrees of regulatory conformance out there in the real world with fencing, signage and a portaloo seeming to be the consensus minimums.

@ProDave Geewhizz, I thought quick stage was for little jobs like doing ceiling electrics or fitting first floor joists. Did you dispense with regular rented big boys scaffolding?

I think the static caravan is his principal residence now that his other house is rented out. I will be using the Mrs Prodave story to inspire my OH.

I consider that to be a good result. Can I infer my imaginary dialogue is mostly consistent with prevailing BuildHub community interpretation of CDM2015?

Having read through ChemCraft's Guide to mortar pigments I understand that 1kg of pigment to 25kg of cement is typical. This equates to about +30% on top of my budget for cement. Does this sound about right or have I misplaced a decimal point?

Having spent a couple of hours reviewing the excellent CDM2015 mega thread and the synopsis by @recoveringacademicpinned at the top of this forum topic, I want to test my knowledge of CDM2015 as it pertains to my self build scenario. I will attempt to demonstrate my interpretation of the regulations through an imaginary conversation with an H&S inspector who has just arrived for a surprise site visit. Preamble: Let's assume the following build history. (1) Simple brick and block 2-story house 3 bed house on a level site. (2) The walls are now 9ft high and scaffolding is up. (3) I have done 85% of the work solo. (4) On the day of the site visit I am the only person on site. The H&S Official (HSO) arrives. HSO: Hello can I speak to the site manager? ME: There is no site manager appointed, can I help I am the owner of the plot. HSO: I really need to speak to your main builder or project manager. I am conducting an inspection of this site under H&S regulations. ME: There is no main contractor or project manager, I am doing everything well virtually everything. HSO: This does not sound plausible, anyhow we have been advised there has been a failure to notify this build to my office. ME: I consulted your regulations at the start of the build and concluded notification could not be submitted because I am a domestic client and there was no person functioning in a CDM role qualified to submit. ME: I had intended to make an enquiry with your department how to submit as my situation seems to fall through legislative gaps. HSO: I do not find your answers acceptable I need to speak to the appointed principal designer with regard to CDM 2015 compliance. ME: I read through the CDM 2015 regs before the build commenced and concluded the regulations prevented me from appointing a principal designer. HSO: Do you expect me to believe the house designed itself! ME: No. I designed the house using public domain references and guidance however I do not conduct business as an architect or structural engineer and so your regulations deem that I am not a suitable person to appoint either myself or another as the principal designer. I am just a computer programmer. HSO: How did you get building control plan approval? ME: I must be a clever computer programmer, I also paid a semi retired builder to review my final plans but his role was brief and tangential, it did not involve creative input. HSO: You are telling me this build has progressed without a main contractor, principal designer, architect or any appointed overseer of CDM 2015 compliance. ME: Yes. I am equally surprised that your regulations resulted in such an outcome, I was looking forward to undertaking the role of principal designer with its associated CDM compliance function on this site but your laws prevented that. To be continued... Would I be heading for jail?

This illustrates a point I made earlier, regular trades will customize their safety kit for the risks they face. Ground workers will worry about nails, twisted ankles and falls into trenchwork, brickies face similar ground risks up to 5ft plus say caustic cement risks or loose clothing near a mixer then above 5ft they might adopt the concerns of a roofer. The hands-on self builder probably needs to vary their safety dress code as the build progresses.

This is surprisingly succinct for a public sector publication. With regard to the definition of a "Domestic Client" is says... If I live in rented accommodation elsewhere but have title to the new build plot and intend this property to become my only home, does the new build site become my "own home" from the moment a JCB digs the first foundation trench?

I am weighing up the risk of stumbling and falling from height because some H&S prescribed armoured footwear deprives me of sensory feedback v. the risk of foot injury from wearing light trainers. If someone can recommend site footwear that protects the foot but does not feature soles akin to hobnail boots then send me a clickable buy button.

The H&S rebel lurks within me so I thought I would rely on statistics instead. Has a safety boot saved you from injury onsite anytime in the last five years?

Is the sole flexible enough to feel ladder rungs or the edge of a trestle plank?

Think positive, when that weld breaks the falling beam won't hurt so much

Thanks for this pointer and SIGA are near enough to visit in person. They have an excellent demo project using artificial slate, how could any Conservation Officer object to this! http://www.sigaslate.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/HERITAGEIMAGE.png

These are more like it, also since starting this thread I have been looking at Roofing Boots. We self builders have an extra challenge here unlike specific trades who can customize their footwear for their specialism.

I am reassured to find that others are puzzled by the description. Prior to reading through the 150 steps to building a house I had been contemplating what firming up or reinforcement of the upper edges of trenches could be required in order to prevent soil edges breaking away and dropping into unset concrete. For example how would concrete be tamped down from a crumbling trench edge?

I am beginning to wonder who governs the governors of conservation. Take a local GP who is a far more highly trained and respected figure. Any disgruntled patient can drag a GP down a path of malpractice woe without paying a fee and yet these conservation officers can kill a building project on a personal whim or a debatable interpretation of history.

In my case the condition applies to a new build.

I am beginning to think I should use different boots when a working day at the site predominantly demands climbing scaffolding and working at height. Over the past week I have been clearing out a 2-story barn in preparation for my selfbuild and this involved many trips up and down a cast iron spiral staircase. I found heavy boots to be a liability because I could not feel the profile of the stair steps. I know that rock climbers abandoned heavy boots long ago in favour of softsole grippy climbing shoes which has got me thinking I should do the same. This feels like a safety trade off between a crushed foot or a broken neck should I slip and fall off a scaffold ladder.

Don't think so because 17 steps later there is a step described: First lift of scaffolding required. My interpretation of foot scaffolding is that it is something that assists earlier during foundation preparation or the concrete pour.