Ralph

High levels over time is what causes problems like asbestosis. I would not worry about what you've described at all and it sounds like you are generally being careful anyway.

We fixed priced our build with the builder 18+ months ago. We have been told that the price now would at least 15% higher now. That's just with materials and labour costs. There are some new houses going up not far away where you put a deposit down at the plot stage and pay a fixed price once it's built. The fixed price difference between those that put their deposits down and few months ago and those that did it last week is apparently 20%+ and they all have massive delays.

I feel for you. I find it very difficult to let this type of thing go, it's stressful. I can only imagine the increase in people putting in summerhouses and partying at home instead of the pub is going to see an increase in this type of issue.

Also remember that the level changes during the year, with us there is a huge difference between now and January

It's not in yet but I think it's going to be a unit with a PRV and stopcock in a box down the bottom of the garden.

Thanks @Russdl that's very helpful.

This is exactly what we are looking for on our oak treads, they look great. We tried Fiddes with a white and a grey tint and the Osmo grey. The whites were awful, like we had smeared PVA glue on them. Greys were not bad but it was on offcuts that we had not fully sanded. Can I ask how you applied it? Did you thin out the first coat with turps or wipe off after painting, anything like that? Many thanks

Scottish water have said "our Network Engineers have recommended you fit a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) between the stopcock and your property." From what you've written I'm wondering if they fit one on the their side of the boundary box but we also need to fit one on our side. We're connecting to the network pipe that comes from the reservoir and supplies the town about 5km from us. It runs through the front of our plot.

Sorry if this is a dumb question but do you put the PRV inside our outside the house? We have 15 bar coming from the main so need a valve before the water company connect us. Also what are the chances of failure with a PRV? 15 Bar / 217 PSI seems like a lot of pressure. Thanks in advance

I think we may have the same account manager, excellent customer service.

We had to put down tons of hardcore and dig a drain to get the water away. Ended up putting in a pipe and filling in that ditch with hardcore to keep the water away. There was no way the machinery would have coped with the level of clay mud.

Concrete is very clean, no problems there. I can't imagine the car will be in there very often to be honest. it will be more used as a workshop and occasional home office.

I've been looking at https://www.watco.co.uk/products/epoxy-resin-floor-paint for the garage floor as it's not too expensive, has anyone used it? A mate has told me to avoid water based epoxy like this but I'm not sure why.

I bought a cheapo used petrol one a while back and it came with a flail chain attachment. Used it once and never again. The speed that it could fire small stones was unbelievable.

You could also go halfway with something like a Scotframe hybrid type kit. It can include frame, windows, plasterboard, doors, stairs and skirting etc. You still need to actually erect the kit and fit everything. Then you have cladding, roof, electrics and plumbing. But you should be able to fix a chunk of the cost at the outset. Ours went up pretty easily but I think the prices have taken a bit of a hike since then.

SSE refused to give us a meter until we had a UPRN for the address, I think it was £100. The irony being that the PO wont make it live until it's occupied and the address for planning was something like "land 200m to the west of xx farm" which has now made it on to some address databases.

83% of new houses in Scotland are timber frame, albeit with a a brick skin. With cement fiber cladding like hardi plank and cedral the only issue I've heard with mortgages is if you mix the blockwork and cladding. Our original design had 80% cedral and 20% blockwork and we were told it may be an issue. Currently ours is standing seam on the roof and first floor and cedral on the ground. We are still with Ecology but we'll soon find out if that is an issue when we move! My personal view on "green" building is to do the best you can without unnecessarily kicking yourself in balls. You adding a big concrete slab to your house is not going to register in the scheme of things given how much is being used in the world right now. Especially if it means you can have an efficient home for many years to come. Personally I don't have any children so take the view I can splash concrete about and probably drive a Humvee and I'm still greener than most people (joke, sort of).

So theoretically you could just tell them to remove the pole from your property as there is no wayleave. Or offer to sign a wayelave if they move it to a less problematic location.

If the pole and junction box is on your property do they have a wayleave in place giving them permission? They should have but often don't. This may then give you some leverage, if of course the pole is serving more than just your property.

Give them a call, they were happy to answer lots of my questions. I've found them to be very helpful and pleasant to deal with.

Yes, it's going to take a lot more than bunging in some loft insulation to make ASHP viable in the average UK home. Even those built in the last 10 years.

I'm not sure there is the political will for this but it's interesting. I assume this would also apply to oil? https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-21/u-k-homeowners-could-be-forced-to-ditch-gas-boilers-in-new-plan

A family member was convinced that we had dramatically increased the footprint after seeing the footings then coming back to see the kit up. It's very deceptive.

100 seems to be the minimum recommended, we ended up with 200. There's a point where the cost benefit is so reduced you're better spending money elsewhere.

All it does is prevent cold bridging between the screed and the blockwork. I think It's slightly lower than the sole plate, hard to tell now that the screed has been poured. On the outside it comes up past the sole plate.