zoothorn

Following the stream course, yes excatly Onoff. But just off the crest of the slope, twds top (so a small step onto boardwalk only).. not down next to stream (well another mini walkway will go here, last job/ easy/ copy twunt n'bor's). The lay of my land isn't easy to see from my photo. So I'll take 3 pics in panorama from opposite side of stream, high up near hedge & post up (pun intended).

Well I was thinking -either- my preference plan.. not really terraces in mind Peter. I had these 2 plans only: 1] a ~2m (max) high retaining wall to increace width & flatten for a lawn area, halving the slope to stream.. a slimmer walkway next to stream too (I'll do this whichever way I go: far easier, I just copy sod n'bors you can see, in pic 3). Or 2] the walkway instead of retaining wall. Surely hugely less work you see (I can't think how to do the retaining wall anyway, & with a few tons of earth to shift down to fill etc its a huge SIGH every time I muse on it). If walkway proper bolty-solid, like the dune affair, & say 1m wide, it'll sort of do the 'widen-the-lawn area' thing itself (the main goal), albeit wood instead of ground. Once I get the line of posts in on the slopeside.. I'm off & running. The short ass posts on crest-side can be whacked in. Then to cut & fix the wood xyz joisty bits etc.. no sweat (I hope!). Its just choosing the right approach to inserting these posts.

Fab help chaps, as always. Ooh I want a flippin digger me now. Seriously, if I had the room to store it, & not this 'risky' slope to tumble down..

No Joe this is different. The prior thread altho has similar 'upright posts' but is a different kettle of fish: that was one idea to support a log cabin at the very end. And is still current. You see its such a HUGELY tricky bit of land all of this lower garden area, especially at the end. If only I had someone here who knows about 'structural landscaping'. I've had 2 builders: one mused for a while & said "no Id not be wanting to do the job" (just too tricky slope & such minimal flat 'top' width). Then my builder, who determined a solution so quickly (concrete blocks > pillars ontop in 2 mins flat).. I wasn't confident he put enough thought into it. He could be right tho.. but I can't afford his quote of £900. Forgive me, but this is an extremely difficult connundrum for me with such minimal width & 2 b'stard slopes in the mix. If I get it wrong, I don't have the funds to redo it. The more 'prep' & research I do the better.. the right plan of attack might come into focus.

Well its about 3m maybe 3.5m. The property is a looooong thin strip you see. The brook is down one long side (border to n'bor).

Thanks for replies. Useful ideas, I will YTube to get actual how its done. I still want to know how the chap might have done these dune walkway uprights. If I rule out a digger shunting in (too far away/ nature resrve too), rule out motor-auger (noise & heavy ass thing to take 300m to site), rule out concreting (surely sand would just fill making you go mental). So.. hammered them in? but I can't see any sign of tops being whacked. Anyway if anyone has any -other- ideas about what to do with this fkn slope. Surely my idea of a walkway can't be the best idea. But in order to get a digger in, it needs to cross my lawn- doesn't that fk it up tho? Its also such a huge curve of a slope, with such minimal 'flat top'/ workable area.. I'm not sure anyone would want to get a digger on it, but I could ask my nice n'bor who has one.

No the 1st 2 pics are a walkway I saw. It is in sand dunes well away from vehicle access (& a nature reserve too- maybe ruling out anything noisy). I was using this as a possible idea to copy, at the edge of the slope area on my garden (3rd pic). As you can see I have a dreadful slope making everything I can think of (in lieu of how to make it useable like how to to adapt it, how to shape it, or how to add to it) impossible -for me- to get any idea, let alone the best idea. Ive spent years thinking on it, but I haven't the knowledge to know what to do. I see this dune walkway & its yet another possible plan. Its the best thing I can think of.. but tbh I've still no idea. This is why I was ideally asking if there is any sort of 'architectural landscaper gardener' (or anything/ anyone in this sort of vein) who might be able to help with what I could do with this wretched slope. The RHS edge of picture frame (3rd pic) the ground goes steeply up/ a bank ontop of which a hedge > then a small road: so you see I only have, as it is, a matter of mere 3m flat area width.. until it slopes hugely down to a brook.

Ive googled post hole machines & augers (is the auger the "bit" ie the attatchment business end?).. & if you're right Ferdinand, having no help & never using one maybe I'm going to struggle if they're heavy things. I'm not used to 2-stroke petrol things too.. a strimmer was a n'mare to get working. So back to the dune walkway & how it the vertical posts likely put in. Considering walkways were approx 300m away from the nearest vehicle access, well into dunes, does this rule out any methods (likle for eg use of a digger to help can be ruled out/ nature reserve etc)?

Hi chaps- anyone tell me how the dickens these vertical pillars I came across would have been put in? Ive put in smaller 2.5" diameter posts, with a 2-handle heavy tonker, in a line, sleepers behind/ as a low border retaining 'barrier'. But I need to get a line of bigger posts in, with this nice dune walkway as a rough guide, either for a bigger retaining wall.. or a walkway. Are there any 'landscape architects' on here (if such a job exists, or nearest to it) who could help me I wonder? I've a tricky gdn slope which has eluded me as to a solution, for 2 years since Ive bought the house, & now I must crack on & .. & do something: the area of gdn is unuseable as it is due to the slope. (pic 3). thanks- zoot schmooter

@PeterW hi- ok understood Peter, in retrospect re. the float idea, to get this + a lesser structure below it later by myself.. surley be more problematic & likely not £save over orig idea. A line thru this idea then. When you say a "single" TF structure.. what do you mean, single story/ single course? Ok final plans thus (my cam used from pdf images, 11/ '17!). Its the LHS section of house. The lower room2 'box' is set -down- a foot, in order to get max internal H in room1. A knock-thru door into room1 from adjacent main house bedroom. Room1 = proper room, room2 = basic workspace.

I keep looking at all extentions I drive by, for ideas etc (not said 'yes' to this design for 100% definite yet: waiting months for a quote naturally gives you time to think!). One I saw y'day was interesting: ~similar 1st floor room to mine, timber clad this was, pitched roof & window at end etc. But this has a vacant area below- no room- instead two RSJ supporting uprights at the outer corners. Simple as that. Is this another feasable idea? my thinking is thus: if the weight is put solely on these two corner points (& perhaps two horizontal beams into the side house wall at 1st floor height?).. then surely the beauty of this, is it minimises the footings- no ground floor needed at all. Then, if I went this route & all built & signed off, I could come along afterwards: put a slab floor below > 3 simpler non-cavity timber walls (joining to RSJ uprights & onto side of house) & door for my workshop.. without need to involve Planning. Might this be the best, most cost-effective idea for my 2 rooms I wonder? the thing is the below room, just needs to be a very basic 3-wall affair with some sound insulation, ie a light structure is fine/ I just don't -need- a 2 course cavity affair here. Just a weatherproof 'glorified shed'.

Hi chaps- took few days off/ just got replies.. thanks. @MJNewton just ordered the Haynes manual off ebay/ great idea that (other one was £35 a bit pricey). Ok good so I have an overview of the groundwork, reminding me of when I worked on a new build albeit when I was 17 or so. Now to the "architectural consultant" (I'll call A.C). What he's done so far, & 1 year+ since last contact, is: 1) come out & chat/ see my sketches [basically its my design], 2) do proper plans > submit for PP, 3) redo smaller plan (non-material ammendment), 4) get bat survey organised (one email sent afaict "another one for you guys".. not meant to have sent to me too afaict..), 4) some calls + an email or two. That's it. He's been good enough not to hassle me since, tho did get a bit annoyed at the time as I was not understanding the general process/ steps (no info out there to help- hardly surprising), & mentioned an approx £1.5 figure when we started.. but what do I do now tho? approach him, or forget it? what if anything else, does he do? should I offer a partial ammount? is he meant to be on board for the duration of build, if so in what capacity? what is a 'project manager'?, do I even need one for a small extention? Q's Q's.. You see how totally unable I am to understand what to do, next (apart from a blind guess), in every step.

Can anyone give me a rough 'overview' of what is between the trenches.. & a floor onto which the walls/ the structure is built? Just a rough idea? I'm not yet needing dimension specifics, I'm -way- off this. IE what happens once the trenches are dug. For eg, & these are complete guesses.. 1) concrete is poured 2) a frame of somesort is added within 3) something is put on the concrete 4) 100mm of insulation is added 5) a layer of concrete ontop Thanks, zoot

Hi Onoff- well according to my builder: he said that even considering just a single story in block ie w'out the top floor room.. the footings' D had to increace to standard D & W regardless of whether another story was added ontop. I guaged from this, that a std footings D & W was therefore needed. Is this not the case then? I will look into it, but whatever it might be.. let's just presume I can obtain these 2 figures. So, its the step between having the trenches dug >>> & having a floor my builder can come onto & build upon.. is what I need advice on. At the moment its a total blank (bar some form of a concrete pour). Re. an architectural "..." I do/ did have an "architectural consultant" but no idea what this means, what his job actually is (bar drawing a plan > submitting it) who drew up plans, which I thought I needed in order to do the project & submit the plan to the PP dept. I've had no idea about any of the process in how to obtain PP, get quotes & the other factors re. a simple extention.. a massive frustration. If -only- there was a simple step-by-step guide, anything, just to help people like me know what to do. I have got PP.. but only due to luck via a series of entirely wrong moves, bc there's no-one or no info out there for me to know what to do. So I need a quote: but I need a plan, in order to get one.. so I need to spend £1.5k on an "architectural consultant" or someone like so, to get a plan (plus £600 on a fkn "bat survey" in order to establish if it can be built at all). So I do all this.. get PP.. then wait & get quotes in finally.. only to find I can'tt possibly afford any (bc I had no idea what figures Id be dealing with).. so I've spent £2.3k on nothing. This was the catch22 position Ive been in for a year+. NOW, a year+ on, with thoughts on my own input into build (knowing that I'm alot more capable than a yr ago), & maybe getting a n'bor to dig trenches etc... I MIGHT just be able to afford it. Hence my thread. And I will plough on & try & understand the damn steps/ process, but by hook or by crook I WILL get this built. I have PP. And so HAVE to now/ I cannot live without a workspace.

MJNewton- very useful info there: actually I sort of thought this -may- be the general idea, ie as long as the regs are fully complied with & up to a decent std.. then not neccessarily a pro need do it. So this is why I need to carefully separate all things I can do, & see if my builder happy to separate off / happy etc. To be honest its the only way I can afford to get the extention built. As to the electrics, I take your point on board absolutely (I think I do need to create at least one new 'spur' rather than extending existng ones), so will consult my nice 'leccy chap in village (who encouraged me to jump in & do basic things- wire in cooker/ rewire sockets/ new factplates/ new backboxes etc I did fine in kitchen) as seems sensible him do in retrospect as he's qualified, although I know I could probably do job with prior research: the consumer unit is ideally positioned adjacent to the extention, just a drill thru stone wall behind > & into new build. So I need to consider the groundwork then. If say I get builder to mark out > then my n'bor chap with digger etc.. its the stages from here until I have a floor my builder can come onto & do the build, I need advice on.

Hi newhome- this is indeed the basic idea I had in mind, succinctly put to "a quote pls to build up to watertight". I'm sure my builder would provide me a quote for this. Then the consideration is whether its feasable I could, for eg, do the groundwork, & the bigger Q being: could I perhaps then do a block outer course (on my lower story, only 1 door to navigate around) > organise scaffold up (pro/ Id not attempt this, presuming my original builders' scaffold need be removed to start a block outer course on lower story) > get builder back to do 1st floor blockwork?

But this is what I'm asking about. The forum, & many build projects in general I see on tv shows, the majority of threads on this site.. have a certain ammount of 'hands on' non-pro input: many total self-build projects: its the very essence of the forum afaict. So how do these get built to 'regs' without being a pro hand involved?

Hi chaps thx for replies. nod- Yes I definitely do. Whilst in 'theory' I could cut timbers (chopsaw), fit together/ c'tex fill.. & in 'theory' fix 3 prefab'd walls to slab & so on (even the dividing floor being timber & me being skilled enough to cut to correct lengths, I could in 'theory' put up too) I'd not even consider attempting. Bc Ive no experience in doing such a project whatsoever, I'm totally on my own: the stakes just are far too high etc. I have an ameinable builder you see, whose done £5k of work here (chimney rebuild mainly, & other stuff). Ive mentioned if I could do some parts, & he agrees no problem suggesting an 'itemised' quote I can "pick & choose from". He totally understands I have a ltd income, & couldn't afford the whole thing pro done, & sees I have some wood skills too. We get on well. Maybe asking if he can leave the wall c'tex to me.. is asking a bit much as Id get in the way I guess/ fk up their flow. Ok so let me just ask you guys on this- the foundations. I'm sure my builder would help marking (or someone competent if not him) out the footing outlines for me. Ok let's assume I get 3 footing trenches dug in correct place/ depth & width etc. The process from here to have a bed on which he builds the walls: is it feasable to organise 1) the concrete pour, 2) the next bit > up to having a surface > my builder then comes in?

Hi chaps, I'm waiting on a quote for a basic 2 story extension (wales- you have to wait!) which I've asked to be itemised, so I can pick & choose: the idea being to get my costs down > so I can just afford the project. IE I get a separate quote, for say the easier pg1 bits like the groundwork, from a cheaper builder. What I'd like advice on, at this early stage, is separating out the 'easy' parts that conceivably I could do myself. Having done my kitchen -with fab help on here- I know that once the timber frame walls, membranes & ply outer/ the dividing floor/ & roof up & its weatherproof.. I can celotex the walls/ the easy job of all surely. And I can install the electrics, as will be minimal: 1 double socket per story & 1x strip light, is all the extension requires. And the pB.. proven I can do too. I'm thinking from start up, & looking at how at each & every step, I could either jump in like this & do myself. But I've no idea even whether I'm "allowed to" (from a building officer/ regs pov), my not being an electrician or indeed a builder 'qualifications', to do any bits myself. What's the situation on this? And also, I do have a neighbour up the road (a nice one- woohoo!) who proudly owns a mini digger.. could I get him dig the 3 footing trenches I wonder? maybe then, & I'm itching to find this out, could I even get the concrete poured/ the foundations done 'myself' instead of my builder? I've no idea on how difficult a process this might be to oversee &/ or well.. if its feasable to consider or a loony idea. Much appreciate any replies. yrs zoot

@CRees Hi how did your extension go/ did you buy the property? Id be very interested to know, as Im in same boat/ west wales in need of similar sized extension I'm waiting on a quote for.

Thanks for the link- that really helps with the construction Q's. How its a 'self-build' Im not quite sure (seems morelike an advert for a specific build Co) but now I have an overall picture of the way a TF building's made (so the outer brick in eg above.. is on optional cladding situation- ok!). I think I need to to another thread on build steps > to see how to minimise costs of my humble extension. I'm still overbudget, but with careful planning & advice, & using the skills I have.. I hope I might just be able to be afford it. Terrific info mr. 'sole thanks!

The r-sole (!).. ok great that gives me a bigger picture of what my TF build's structure. But what about the actual wall material? I just cannot visualise what consitutes the "meat" of a TF wall structure, which would replace the "meat" of a solid/ denser, brick or block wall construction (especially so if you're confident the TF build is 'no less solid'). And why is the word FRAME used? if I could see an eg of some sort of heavy-duty, solid-wood maybe, metal-bracket-braced "frame".. onto which xyz wood additions are added.. the word would make total sense & clarity. But I see no such thing, &, confusingly, the above image of a TF wall construction.. has a brick course within it.

.. and 3) I need to establish the wall material to know what the sound-proof 'properties' of my lower room is too. Can anyone tell me how a 1st floor & roof is supported on a TF build? if it were a block, the joists span the 4 block walls (of the ground floor in my case) .. the load so my logic states, pushes evenly down thru the solid walls' structure. But TF have no solid walls.. so how is a load above supported?

Many thanks Ssimon (had thought no replies/ no usual prompt happened, hence just seen reply). Ok understood. So, if my builder has specified TF build, as seems to be the case.. Im trying to establish what then comprises the actual substance my walls will be made from. Apart from "FFS- wood u dummy!" as an answer.. you see a brick course, in your diagram link suggests this is part of a TF build. Or is it? or if not, it would likely be replaced by specifically what exactly? You see I need to establish how my walls will be constructed. Out of what material. This is SO massively important for 2 reasons: 1) solidity- the end of my house is the most targeted for weather of any house in the village, elevated a bit & end of a small valley that narrows. I need to establish if a TF build, whatever exactly this means (Im still not sure if it comprises brick or not) will be strong enough. 2) how much, if any, of the build I could feasably do myself to reduce my costs.

Thanks simon. Great link/ gives me many answers.. but one remains nagging. On a traditional build, is it right that 2 courses of block with a cavity are the norm, the roof joists laid across the -inner- course. Which is the same for the timber frame eg/ info here.. bar just the inner course, which is made from timber onto which the roof load sits-? If so I can't see much difference between the two, apart from a lesser weight & material cost, of solely the inner course. Is that correct? If so I can't see how "timber frame" builds are deemed so different & coined as a separate 'method' of building at all. You see I'm waiting on a quote from builder who suggests 'timber frame' to reduce my estimate, but I don't know whether he'll be using a block outer course or not.. so meanwhile (a huge wait, as per normal, for his estimates) I'm best not pestering him on these basics & just crack on & find this info out myself.