Temp

My understanding.. Unfortunately if your builder isn't registered for VAT there isn't a way for you or him to reclaim the VAT paid on materials. Nor to any subcontractors... So if your builder hires a VAT registered subcontractor, like an electrician, the electricians bill and any materials he supplies will be at 20% (to your builder). However if you were to hire the VAT registered electrician directly he can 5% rate everything to you that he supplies. This is because the 5% rule only applies to labor and materials supplied to the "final customer" by the person/company doing the renovation. If it had been empty for 10 years, and the builder was VAT registered, you could also claim the 5% back charged by the builder AND the 20% you paid on any materials using the self build reclaim scheme. Unfortunately I'm pretty certain this doesn't apply to properties only empty for 2 years.

When you say the float is "ON"... Is its internal switch closed (conducting) or open circuit? If ON corresponds to open circuit then there is another possibility... Switch and relay contacts can have a MINIMUM switching current for reliable operation. Switches designed for mains voltage or currents in Amps don't always switch currents of uA reliably. It's to do with the materials the contacts are made of and any plating like gold or silver. This could only be the cause if ON corresponds to open circuit.

Google AI said..

Yes the "plus" is different. I found this circuit for the plus which shows switch between 9 or 10 and GND pin 7. No pull up resistor shown.

Not if you follow that diagram. One side of the switch is shown connected to pin 1 L. (Sorry I called it VCC earlier.) However that assumes the float switch is literally just that, a switch. It may not work if the float switch is a powered device. Sorry for editing this post a lot. I'm waiting for a train and hate typing on my phone.

If the float switch is essentially just an un powered switch with two wires I believe it should be connected to pin 7 (or 8 ) and VCC (pin 1)...

Lot depends on the land it has to cross. Is the connection in a country road or A road etc

We installed a system even though our house probably isn't very air tight. Would do so again. Not for energy saving reasons but simply for the air quality improvement it gave us. First few nights it felt like waking up in a tent.

ChatGPT suggested.. But watch out for earrings and the like disappearing into the trap.

Modern wastes typicalpy have something in the middle of the plug hole to operate the mechanism and that provides more places for hair to get caught on. A good old fashioned plug on a chain type might work better?

What do the instructions say? May not need it. I suppose you could make a slightly runny mix of flexible adhesive and use a paint roller to apply it to the bottom of the tray. Regular mix on the boards.

I think cladding with something is the way to go. Perhaps fix pressure treated battens on some sort of non rotting stand off and timber cladding. Or that artificial wood made from recycled plastic?

Check the regs on overhangs. If that's ok and the weight is ok I think it will be fine. To prevent this put a strap around them to keep them tied together. In the past I have used a strong Tesco bag for life and duct tape!

Is the wall retaining higher ground behind it?

I can sympathise. I think we applied for a line through BT who arranged for OR to do the work. BT called weekly to say their engineers were "working on it" but I could still see the wire we left at the bottom of the pole and knew it hadn't been touched. Eventually they stopped calling so I called them, only to be told it was all finished and working. The girl wouldn't accept my assertion that I could see the wire was still unconnected. So next step was to ask them to test the line, which they did and decided it was faulty. I tried to explain that it hadn't been connected but they wernt having any of it. The computer said it was all done so that was it. In the end I agreed to them sending a fault engineer which they said would cost £75 if the "fault" was in my house. I gladly agreed to that. The old boy that turned up insisted on testing the line at my master socket and wouldn't listen to me telling him I knew exactly where the "fault" was. In the end he made a few call and told someone to send a team out and we were up and running a week later. What a shower.

While the plasterboard is down I think I would fit a vapour barrier before replacing it (in addition to adding ventilation above the insulation)

Old thread alert. You cannot reclaim VAT paid in error to a contractor for labor. The contractor must zero rate it to you. If you get a quote for labor that includes VAT its best to get this corrected before accepting it. If they are reluctant then you can show them the relevant pages of the guide. If its still a problem you can try issuing them a certificate.

Are you obliged to replace your septic tank with an STP under the regulations? If you will be sharing replacement costs won't it be in your interest to Ake it easy for them?

Get a drawing from your SE. Are they really expansion joints or contraction joints to ensure cracks form where you want them? I think 20mm foam will get pushed about and ripped up when you flow concrete. May have to use a form board, pour one side, remove board of replace with foam then pour the other?

Can you "part" the hedge with ropes to make a gap so it doesn't have to be lifted so high? Even dig out some of the hedge and replace it later?

ChatGPT says a typical domestic STP weighs 150 to 500kg. Something like a telehandler should be able to lift that over a fence or hedge depending on the reach but you need someone who knows what they are doing. Can you get a telehandler close enough? perhaps rent a chain hoist at same time. An excavator might also be possible if it a very light STP but they are less capable than a telehandler when used as a crane .

It looks like you have about 6 branches each at 45 degrees off the main run down the side. I think technically you should be able to rod each of these branches but they look quite short. Will probably be OK. The BCO might want to see it pressure tested. Toolstation/Screw fix sell a simple kit with hand pump quite cheap if you need to do that. Make sure all traps have water in them for the test and any open pipes and vents are capped off.

Should be OK if imported legitimately... If a Turkish manufacturer sells you plasterboard inclusive of delivery to the UK then the place of sale for VAT is the UK. The supplier should charge you UK VAT and remit it to the UK Government. In that case you can reclaim it. If they sell it to you in Turkey and you arrange to collect it and ship it to the UK you should pay UK VAT and any import tariffs/duty etc at the border. You should also get able to reclaim that VAT (but not tariffs/duty). If you you were to buy plasterboard from a DIY shop in Turkey on holiday you would most likely pay the Turkish equivalent of VAT _and_ UK VAT and import tariffs/duty at the border. You could only reclaim the UK VAT. The key is to ensure they have a UK VAT number and you get an invoice/receipt for any UK VAT paid.

and or find some 35mm ID Stainless Steel pipe and epoxy a 22mm length into a hole to suit the OD to prevent the worktop being crushed. Whatever you decide I would paint something on the walls of the hole to stop water affecting the worktop.

Would a bore hole supply be cheaper?