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Thank you all. I did consider beam and block but went against it because of the cost and probably most importantly I'll have to get the builder back on site. I think hardcore and then type 1 or type 2 would be a better option and cheaper. How deep does the trench needs to be for the patio perimeter retaining wall? Dig until we reach clay?

Thanks @ProDave The finished surface would be outdoor tiles. I don't think anyone in the family prefers timber decking so that's a no. Is there an alternative to timber suspended construction? Thanks

Hi For a new build, I need to raise the patio area to be level with the internal FFL. The current difference is about 1.5 feet. What kind of fill dirt would be the most appropriate (and cheap) to fill the patio area? The patio and the step down garden area are splitting the 5 meters garden space? It doesn't seem like 2 meters is sufficient for step down garden area. What are you're thoughts on this? Facebook seller is only charging delivery £60 for 15 tonnes of recycled screened top soil. What do I need to consider in regards to the soil quality? After all I don't want someone dumping unusable soil that I then have to pay to get it removed (had enough fly-tipping on site over the years) Thanks

Thanks @JohnMo

Hi I will have a gas boiler and a hot water unvented cylinder. The hot water feed that goes to UFH manifolds, does it come from the boiler or cylinder? Thanks

I really appreciate the information you provided @Temp it's not as straightforward as I initially thought. Like you said there's a lot to consider and plan. Thank you

Ignore this, it's Friday and had tough time at work. I can't seem to edit my posts even though I'm logged in.

Thank you @Temp This is very useful information. So since the hot and cold pipes have to be split for a feed to basin and shower, where are the pipe joints? In the insulation under the screed or notched into the wall? If in the insulation, what happens if the pipe joint leak starts leaking and need replacing? I was thinking about walk-in wet room with linear drain but not going back to planning.

Hi We have UFH on both GF and FF. Both floors are block and beam. The FF will have 25mm insulation and then 50mm liquid screed. On the FF, the gas engineer will run the pipes to the bathroom and then the plumber will use joints to re-route the pipes to the sink, bath and shower. Where do the pipes to sink, bath and shower need to be placed? 1) within the insulation under the liquid screed 2) etched into the concrete block wall behind plasterboard 3) up the wall and across the ceiling Thanks

Without a doubt.

Thank you @JohnMo

Thanks @JohnMo I have had a right telling off from the online community about only using 100mm insulation on GF. This is what the architect put down on the plans. He never suggested using more insulation nor did the builders and it was too late when the online community started advising using more insulation. I'm an inexperienced builder/diyer so I relied on architect and builders for advise. There were a lot of complications do get the planning application and one of them being the stone house being too dominant among other 2/3 bed houses built out of brick. My house is still dominant with the roof ridge being a lot higher than the neighbouring house built in the 1940s. I can't increase the insulation now due to ceiling height. . Sorry just for clarity, did you use flexible electric 25mm conduit for both electric and Hep20 pipe (hot and cold water)? When you say "I cast my cold water pipes into our slab", do you mean within the insulation under the slab or as you said into the slab? Thanks

Hi My understanding is that the continuous hot and cold water pipes, flexible gas pipe and electric wiring have to run in a separate conduit to the kitchen island. Both the gas engineer and the electrician suggested using a 40mm solvent waste pipe as a conduit on both GF and FF. Would a waste pipe as a conduit be OK or is there a better conduit to consider? Would it be better to place the conduits directly on top of the BB floor and clip it down to concrete blocks? Or would it be better to create a channel within 50mm insulation and place another 50mm insulation board on top of it? We have a block and beam ground and first floors. Both floors will have UFH. On GF, we will have 100mm insulation with 50mm liquid screed. On FF, we will have 25mm insulation with 50mm liquid screed. What would be the best way to take the hot and cold water conduits to the bathrooms on the FF? option 1: Straight up from boiler/cylinder and run 40mm conduits on top of the beam and block FF. option 2: Run conduits across the GF and then up straight into the bathrooms. option 3: ceiling between the FF BB joists. option 4: some other way. Thank you

Thank you. I would have liked a chimney as it would have given the house a bit more character, however, the builder talked me out of building a chimney. Trying my best to insulate and airtight the house but I think it's below par compared to what other buldhub members are using.

Thanks @Mr Blobby The sewer runs through the back garden towards the garage. The lounge side soil pipe would just about be the furthest away from the sewer. It won't completely be hidden. At the back of the house is a field which will be developed sooner or later. I was considering taking the lounge side soil pipe outside and dropping it at the back corner (dining area) next to the rain gutter downpipe. Twists and turns but it'll be higher up. Obviously, keeping both rain and foul water pipes completely separate. We will be installing an inspection chamber. Do all soil pipes need venting or just one? Can the vent pipe be smaller in diameter than soil pipe which I believe is 110mm? The lounge side is a gable end. There's no window above the FF on-suite bathroom. How high does the vent pipe needs to be from the on-suite window?

Thank you all, this is very useful information. AAVs are not on the plans @Mr Blobby. We've not yet extended the pipes to bathrooms to the FF. Does a window and a mechanical vent do an equivalent job as a AAVs? If not, then I'll probably will have AAVs on the pipes if I decide to keep them internally. I don't mean to brag but our dominant (which was the objection in the original planning application) stone house with bay windows stands out on the street with brick houses. Therefore, I can't see people taking much notice of the pipes. Furthermore, the pipes will be obscured by trees in the garden and adjoining house. Thanks for YouTube videos, will check them out. I was looking at the drain air testing product on Screwfix but didn't get it because of poor reviews. I'll check out Horobin.

That's correct. Will definitely buy the kit.

Thanks @ProDave Those walls are load baring with steel beam on top of them, which is taking the load of concrete block wall on the FF. If I remember correctly my BC said he will next call out when loft insulation goes in. He never mentioned anything about air testing. However, I will buy the testing kit for my peace of mind.

I don't think there's any better place he could have put them other then running them externally. That's news to me. They are big pipes, big diameter. Who would do the air testing? Plumber? Thanks

Thank you for the comments. The most concerning are the ones in the living room and in the kitchen. The third is in the garage. All three are in the corners. All three would need boarding up. I suppose my main concern are leakage and the noise from while the waste/water gushes down the vertical soil pipe? The other concern is a leakage, which would cause a stinking damage.

Will the MF framing be screwed into the beam or blocks? The beam and block company has advised not to drill into the beams as that would undermine the strength of the beams. Is the attached gyplyner clip that @nod is referring to? Does it get screwed to the block or beam? Thank you

Hi My builder has followed the architect's drawings and fitted four big brown soil pipes internally. I can understand one of these is required for the cloakroom on the ground floor but the other three are solely for the first floor bathrooms. I understand I can hide them with a timber frame and plasterboard. However, I can't see any benefits of them being inside. Therefore, I prefer put them externally straight out of the bathrooms on FF. Does anyone see any issues with running the soil pipes externally? At the moment the soil pipes are just sticking out about a 600mm from block and beam GF (both GF and FF are block and beam). We have not yet installed the UFH. Would it be better to cut down the soil pipes flush with block and beam floor and cap them off? Your comments are highly appreciated.

Thank you @JohnMo

Thank you @JohnMo The garage will have 100mm reinforced concrete floor and then there's weight of the car. will it be better to run the pipe in conduit closer to wall or should running straight across the garage be OK? Thanks

Hi We have a boiler in attached garage with a concrete block cavity wall joining the house. The GF cloakroom is just on the otherside and the staircase is infront of the GF cloakroom. Both GF and FF are beam and block. What is the best location for the pipes from the boiler to the manifold? 1. Between insulation on GF 2. Ceiling between the beams With both option, will have to create an opening in cavity wall for the pipes. Secondly, the plumber has suggested running a Tracpipe gas pipe to kitchen island with or without a conduit (with preferred). Pipe length is about 15 meters from gas meter to kitchen island. I've been able to source an alternative brand Teslaflex from Screwfix. I've never heard of a flexi gas pipe. Are Tracpipe/Teslaflex good alternative to copper? As always, your suggestions/comments are highly appreciated. Thanks.