zoothorn

I know I should Peter. But after concrete they're putting in a 'drainage pipe' (100mm black) planA was dig up front garden/ all way along to the stream.. awful ruining my front lawn.. but now only 1/2 as bad going direct 4m to hedge I mentioned to them (Highways drainage channel).. so I have to hang on & oversee planA isn't reverted back to. Also Ive got my floor level idea now.. which is 9" below what I asked for. In one way good as it gives me more height (hopefully in both rooms), but a huge pain as it now involves steps down/ levelling off land around, &/ or retaining wall or xyz, BCO problems to solve basically: I spent literally 6 months getting this height precisley correct too as its critical, every height of ab&c follows it.

Terrible conditions here now.. this is extremely concerning. There seem to be 2 schools of thought here on whether the rain is a problem or not. I can't say it makes me half as concerned tho.

Now its hammering it down & for another hour min lookslike too, & concrete wagon's just arrived- dammit. Stressful. Trenches are 2" full of water too (was pumped out 8AM but now refilled it seems).

I can't/ just wouldn't dare mention it CC or builder will pop. Thought rain was gonna blow over but set in now, but, not too heavy thank god. Wagon @ 10AM. Thanks for replies chaps- learnt alot about how concrete works.

@andyscotland grateful for that post Andy, that makes more sense & calms me a bit.. I suppose the assumption might be then that excess water is more a problem than maybe it is, still difficult to understand thios chemical process thing. Actually the forcast has got a wee bit more positive/ huge lump was to be sat over wales all day but possibly now moving thru quicker/ poss even by lunchtime.. so if the wagon comes PM, I might get lucky. But sods law it'll come 8AM & be done by 11AM. 3 hours maybe? that's a vague guess. Big day in zoot's life tmrw you see in fact.. an everyday thing for most of you guys I'm sure.

No but if he has another 4x jobs on, as probably has, he'd just do the internal xyz stuff of build no.3 instead tho & swap days surely.

@Russell griffiths ok thanks a bit more undrstood. Tbh its started & hitting so damn hard right now I'd be very surprised if my builder doesn't call it off.. I mean if its not costing him for the resheduling of the pour, what's the point of slaving away under such abysmal condiitions for hours all 3 of them. I hope for a call. Thanks chaps.

Its wood & it dries, besides, the weatherproof layer will go on asap if its bad weather: its totally different. Water is part of the mix of the concrete, you put too much in the mixer from the bucket & it weakens the mix, no? How is 50-70mm of rain onto & during the pouring out from the big FO mixer into the trench, & pushed about with etc.. any different at all?

I simply can't do this tho. I spent whole morning testing a screw & how to use it: 4mm & my driver gets it in 1" & stops (I cant ratchet the remaining 4+" in by hand/ utterly nuts). 5mm hole = 2" in & stops. 6mm pilot = 2.5" in. 7mm pilot= 3" in.. & I can just about hand ratchet the remaining 2" in as I'm doing 12 & not 50. 8mm pilot is best, but the shaft's noticeably not flush in the hole/ gap. They're obviously meant to be used with a tool I dont have, power compact driver or whatever it is/ I dont know what.. but info doesn't mention.

Look at the forcast for west wales Oz.. pretty much the worst rain day in 3 years Ive seen forcast.

You've said.. but I can't understand how.

But Mr Punter its not this- the rain that's in the trench will be pumped out. Or, if anything left in it will be displaced. I understand this. What is different, is 50-70mm of rain lashing down whilst the concrete is being poured, & the timeframe after its poured > to when it cures. What if 150mm of rain lashes down onto a newly poured foundation? this might well be the case if 3 days of constant rain commences tmrw.

@Carrerahill thanks for that post ^ I appreciate the support re. my n'bors but the stress & cost of going legal on them, &/ or asking solicitors to get involved is too much for me tho. They know this. I just have to live with them being the way they are- if I show its affecting me, they'll just up the anti a bit more anyway. I'll call my builder tonight & just see tentatively if tarps available I borrow & do myself (but how do I tie them all down??).. but either way its me interfering & I dare not ask if -they- do tarps, let alone mention concrete ratios: its asking for trouble: I am after all a lower caste english & he has been very accomodating with my design & plan to-fro'ing over a long time. I can't see how the island bit the trench is dug around, without being covered too, won't just pour all the rain into the concrete.. which means I need one HUGE 36sqM tarp to cover the whole thing + pins/ pegs: £80-£100? & from where at this late stage?

Ah ok.. just the oval design seems just -not- what I need, if I want to prevent any movement/ the very core purpose of the brackets. Coach screws https://www.screwfix.com/p/turbocoach-coach-screws-zinc-plated-8-x-120mm-50-pack/2394g?_requestid=465146 A whole morning of testing one screw into offcut.. & I got it down to a 7mm pilot hole (6mm is too tight, for me) driver it 2/3rds in, then socket ratchet whatnot the rest. So the bolts' shaft top area w'out thread, is 6mm. Is my 7mm pilot hole ok?

Hi Onoff, photo in post couple above.. screwfix link/ mine like this.

@Carrerahill I can't possibly even ask re. resheduling let alone get onto the yard re. the ratios.. its just not my jurastiction. I am the client. Only once they've built will I jump in & do inside work, but this build is 100% not +me involved from their build/ work pov. If I were to get onto the yard.. how do you think my builder will react?! he would go absolutely fkn mad & I'd ruin the good relationship I have with him. Ok I wasn't concerned before but now I am again. I am now absolutely fkn furious with whoever called the police & stopped tuesdays cement.. maybe they even saw forcast & this prompted the call/ the sod husband was an architect + their cunning xyz together at me over 2 yrs now has been SO damn clever/ calculated, as much as its been atrocious. I havent the money, or the resources, the know-how, the dare, or time to go & buy & then put up covering tarps over what 20 sqM? its impossible.

Can anyone please help/ advise? thanks, zoot

Does anyone know how these brackets work https://www.screwfix.com/p/sabrefix-heavy-duty-angle-brackets-galvanised-63-x-90mm-10-pack/86180 They're the only ones afaict @ right height for what I need. Ok in the metal I have one 10mm hole that's spot on for height to use for an 8mm bar across > thru 3" beam > into another similar bracket other side (if that's the right idea?).. but a bloomin oval hole just where I need a normal hole to be above. What do I do here? its the same with the downward side into pad.. one hole is useable, but a bloody oval hole again scuppers me. Are these brackets even suitable?

Ok these L brackets.. I bought some but no idea if suitable/ they have a large oval holes in just where I need round holes, so I don't know how on earth to use them or if suitable at all (but all screwfix had, in the shape of an "L" with a high upper section). I need the extra height one end in to meet my beams, as they'll be sitting 2" off the pad on plastic risers.. for eg screwfix 71671 types I can't use as my beam will be above them. Screwfix 86180 is what I have. ?? As to getting the coach bolts in. I can't get in using any smaller pilot hole than 8mm. Is this no good then?

If I use a power (electric) drill & do 8mm pilots, I can -just- get my bit thru my 3" post top (or 3" beam), & in 1 cm pilot into my beam to be fixed. If I use this mark, take beam of/ drill 8mm pilots again & use a ratchet/ socket bar thing I might be able to. But this doesn't seem right, I shouldn't be doing this surely. I need to do this 12x too. At the moment I can't even join two beams together to make an "L"!

I'm sure but I don't have one & I cant spend out £100 on a driver.. I can't afford it. Actually a friend just called & done a ~similar deck/ joist thing (not with 6x6 beasts tho) & used these bolts: he mentioned a 't-bar' &/ or socket job to get them in.. as he's older school & not so into 'yoof motor things'. I'm not getting with what they're designed to be driven in with, or what pilot hole size (even 8mm pilots.. I still can't use a drill driver to get 1 thru the 3" softwood!). The replies/ reviews say nothing apart from 'excellent blah.. easy in with a drill driver'.

I'm really struggling with this. I've done 1 test of a turbo coach screw into a 6x3 offcut.. & I cannot possibly get it in with a drill driver. Ive done a 4mm pilot hole 1st- still cant drive one in, & then a 5mm pilot hole- still no way. Screwfix jobs recommended on early page somewhere. I can get it only in half way, but I'm struggling to remove it, let alone drive it thru to fix something behind it. What am I doing wrong here? the spiel says 'self driving in'.. no way/ this is impossible without massive force. Have I got too thick screws or something? do I use a power drill?

@Declan52 I'm trying to find what was suggested to fix the top side beams to the top pads.. did you recommend brackets of some sort? (sorry its a needle in a haystack trying to find what was suggested). [Mods: any chance of adding post/ reply numbers ie "in post #54 Onoff refered to X"..? trying to pinpoint something in discussion with only a page as reference is tricky]. Thanks, zoot.

Ok thanks will do.

@Onoff I've cut my 2 notched pillars.. do I need to treat the exposed ends with gubbins, or are these 6x6 tannalised all thru? Rain scuppering progress tho.. I need a dry 2 days, especially to do the resin fixings. Thanks, zoot