Temp

I remember seeing a YouTube video that showed bearing replacement on a machine that needed the drum cutting open. I also remember being impressed that was possible.

I've actually got an EE (and others) mast in line of sight and about 500m away, but it appears to be set up to service the A14 to the south of it and not our village which is north east of it.

That's the right thing for the bottom of a stack but I don't think there is one with a T- joint on it as well. Normally if you have several stacks you use one of those rest bends (aka large radius bend) at the bottom of each stack to send the waste outside, then run a pipe along the outside to connect up all the stacks and feed them to the sewer. Usually each connection will have a manhole on it. You can have a large diameter (eg 110mm) horizontal pipe connecting two stacks together above the rest bend but I don't think there is one bit of plastic that does both bend and T-junction. Would be a bit unwise as you wouldn't be able to access it if there was a problem. edit: I think any connection into the stack above the rest bend has to be 450mm above the bottom of the rest bend.

I'm going to have to do something about our mobile signal. It was so bad yesterday that I couldn't connect to 3 to find out what the balance was on a pay as you go account. In frustration I downloaded their app to try and get the info that way but the buggers won't let you use the app to connect to the 3 server over wifi !! They force you to use mobile data to connect on the grounds of "security".

This is the sort of brush we use but not sure if exactly same make. Looks like this one needs a separate mop handle.. http://www.belhygienic.com/mobile_product_info.php?products_id=2678

I'll try and find out which cleaner we got last time but I usually just Google for the cheapest alkaline tile cleaner and buy a 5L. The wholesale cleaning supplies companies are cheaper than the DIY stores. You can also get narrow stiff brushes with a long handle specifically for scrubbing grout lines. Allows you to do it standing up. I get best results if I dry the floor as much as possible after cleaning and rinsing (either mop it dry or use a wet vac) otherwise water seems to collect in the grout lines before evaporating leaving any remaining dirt behind concentrated on the lines. Alkaline cleaners are quite aggressive and if used full strength will probably remove any sealer on there. So after a full strength clean you might need to reseal. Lots of stone and grout sealers around. Lithofin is probably the most widely available brand but there are probably cheaper out there. Applies with a paint roller or pad. Smells the house out a bit.

Ed, Sorry if this is obvious but....Planing an Building contol are totally separate things. You must get planning conditions discharged by the planning department at the council but you can choose who does your Building Control Approval.

Sorry I meant when the grout lines eventually get dirty an alkaline cleaner works better than say Flash floor cleaner.

I recommend a professional alkaline tile cleaner for grout lines. Works better than regular supermarket floor cleaner. Make sure grout is well sealed before it gets dirty.

The planning condition is to protect the front hedge row so the planners may want an alternative method of protection in place if you remove it. If you want to keep the planners sweet I would ask them if you can amend the planning condition to allow you to remove the hedge and replace it with a "Tree Protection Barrier to BS 5837". We were required to agree tree protection measures and if I remember correctly we wrote a "Tree Protection Method Statement" which amounted to a site plan with a line in red ink where a temporary barrier would go and a one paragraph note stating that the barrier would be a "Tree Protection barrier to BS 5837". Google found that BS standard here... https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/idoxWAM/doc/Other-1592559.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=1592559&location=Volume2&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1 However we didn't actually build the barrier exactly as described in the BS. We just used whatever scaffolding poles and boards we had to hand. Nobody ever came and said it wasn't quite right construction. Edit: It might sound like a lot of work writing Method Statements and the like but it took us only a few moments and it ticked all the right boxes with the planners.

Check all the rads get some heat? I wonder if the system is full of crud because nobody put corrosion inhibitor in it? If it's not been used for a long time perhaps it's all settled out so it only takes one or two tvr to shut off to block the flow?

Humm I didn't spot that.

As I understand it the council are obliged by legislation to maintain a record of street names and numbers/names. The fees vary a lot. Google found one where the fee was £25... http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/planning/address_management/fees_and_charges.aspx For some reason renaming costs £31 so pressing the delete key costs £6. The emergency services also use the council database

Click on "Room in roof" here then "next"... http://www.governmentgrantsforinsulation.org.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAiAtorUBRBnEiwAfcp_Y1ozihyXuXSR_j-iLI5IyZF7GTiZZLwPEVAJYOoIy4miNeBWNdbaXBoCl64QAvD_BwE The devil will be in the detail. If she has had other insulation work done already she might not be eligible? Is that the scheme she has already been refused? If so it seems odd. It smacks of the energy companies not wanting to take on "difficult" properties. Perhaps write to her MP. Ask the MP to write to the surveyor for an explanation of why the property isn't eligible.

Try the council. They may have grants for what are called "hard to treat" properties. Usually this means houses with solid walls but I guess it may also cover her situation.

I half remember that an over flow is a building regs requirement? ort perhaps it's a water regs thing? Either way our BCO didn't object to a basin without one. There are some fancy waste outlets that have a hidden overflow built into the waste. It involves an inverted syphon/loop of pipe hidden in the wall or base unit.

If the tap is a mono block some are supplied with "rigid" copper tails that are almost touching each other. These can be bent/ splayed apart enough so you can use isolation valves with compression fittings to connect them up.

I don't believe you will need planning permission but I would write to the planning office. Tell them the replacement will be the same size, shape and use similar materials to the house. You don't normally need permission to block up an opening or add doors and windows so I doubt planning permission is required to make it an "indoor facility". I believe you _will_ need Building Control Approval but providing you follow the building regs that shouldn't be a problem. You will need to achieve specific insulation levels and it would be easier if the electrics are installed by a qualified electrician and the windows by a FENSA approved installer.

Builder 1: The only option is for you to buy the materials in your name and reclaim the VAT yourself. If the builder purchases anything in his name neither of you can reclaim the VAT. Builder 2: Both his labour and the materials he supplies should be zero rated to you. So there is nothing for you to reclaim. The builder will reclaim any VAT he has paid. Regarding your objective: Best option is ONLY to use VAT registered trades (Builder 2). If you buy anything yourself (perhaps second fix items) then reclaiming the VAT isn't very difficult.

PS I would get them to cut the door say 5mm shorter in height so it doesn't scrape on ceiling. Check no downlights in the way etc

You can get sealing strips to go on the bottom of the door. In our experience they last a few years but have to be replaced. Likewise at the hinge. We still get some water escape but it less than what drips off you when you get out of the shower. Fair bit runs off the door as it opens outwards. We have had issues with steam causing the ceiling paint to blister off despite having a gap above the shower screen and door for it to escape. Recommend using Zinsser waterproof paints.

New article in The Times today says that investigators have not been able to find any record of independent tests on the combination used on Grenfell tower, either in the UK or abroad. This combo was used on 299 similar high- rise buildings. "Somehow or other, those materials have got onto 300 buildings without any tests being done or test results being produced." Related... "A 95 year old man is being treated in hospital because of stress after being asked ( told?) to contribute to the cost of removing unsafe cladding from the block of flats where he lives."

I might be wrong but as I understand it there are some difference between a Warranty (NHBC or other) and an Architects Certificate when it comes to actually claiming.. In theory if something "fails" and you have a warranty, then your NHBC registered Builder (and failing that the NHBC) should fix it. In the case of an Architects certificate I think you would probably have to argue the failure occurred because the Architect had been negligent and take him or his insurance co to court if they disagree. So for example suppose your roof tiles turned out not to be frost resistant, fell apart after 5 years and you find the tile manufacturer has gone out of business. I believe the warranty should cover that but I doubt an Architects Certificate would unless you can prove the Architect was at fault. Warranties aren't perfect either. I don't think warranties cover some things that might be considered due to poor quality of the workmanship. For example bad plastering/wavy walls probably wouldn't be covered by most warranties if they are structurally sound. If your Architect was supervising the build then you might be able to sue the Architect for failing to spot the bad workmanship. Likewise missing insulation probably wouldn't be covered by a warranty because it hasn't "failed" but again the Architect might be responsible for not spotting it. Perhaps someone can correct me if I have any of this wrong.

You don't have to give the mortgage company an exact breakdown of what all the money will be used for. In fact I would avoid doing that to give you some flexibility. As others have said the amount they will lend depends on the likely final value. If you use a builder as a prime contractor it's important that the payment schedule you agree with the builder is compatible with the release schedule of the lender. They should not be the same, you want to arrange for the lender to be some way ahead of the builder both in time and value if possible. Remember it's normal to retain something like 10% of what you owe the builder for snagging, our architect suggested that this 10% should be retained for 1 year after completion and our builder agreed. It's not unreasonable to retain 10% of each stage payment for this purpose rather than subtract it all from the final stage payment. Again this needs to be agreed in writing up front. That might also help with your cash flow. Many self builders have been approached by their builder half way through for an advance payment, perhaps to "help with their cash flow" or similar reason. I would never pay the builder in advance but you might consider paying for something like the windows (eg direct to the window company) if they need a deposit or final payment on delivery. Just so long as you get the invoice/reciept in your name so you can reclaim the VAT. Remember to write a letter documenting that you have agreed and made this extra payment and that it will be deducted from the next stage payment. The one thing to avoid is ending up in a situation where you have paid the builder 80-90% of the money but he's only done 40% of the work. This can easily happen if there are a lot of changes along the way. If in doubt a Quantity Surveyor will (for a fee) come and value the work done.

My thinking is that the history shows units used up to end December whereas the total shows units to 29th January ish. The difference is about 1100 units which is consistent with about a months use (Decembers consumption was 1300 units).