Tony K

And am I doing the right thing by applying the slurry to the cleaned path surface, and also to the underside of the slabs?

Evening. I am going to update this old concrete path by laying slabs on top. The path is stable and the levels work. My plan is to give the path a good clean, then, on a slab by slab basis, paint a layer of slurry primer straight into the path, then add my bed mix (I'm thinking 5:1) then back butter the slabs with further primer, then lay it. Is that effective? I can't think of a reason why it shouldn't be, but am not experienced in this area. Also, any tips on the best slurry? I've seen various recipes involving cement, PVA, various mix additives etc, but never used any. Cheers

I think perhaps my main concern is that I plan to have bookshelves in there and actually put books on them. Knowing me, that will be where most of them stay for years at a time, and I don't want them to get damaged while I'm ignoring them!

Do they make a noise at all?

Thanks. Are you thinking of this kind of thing? Timloc AeroCore Through-Wall Vent Set with Baffle Terracotta - 127 x 350 (dia x length) Also, is there any benefit to fitting one at each end of the room to get a through-pull?

Evening all. As part of my SB I have built a (very) small garden office, around 2.5m x 2m. As per the attached detail, it is single skin blockwork with 100mm PIR insulation inside. Though it is omitted from the detail, the outside will be wrapped in breathable membrane and then clad in timber, and I will use batons between the PIR and the plasterboard internally to create a service void. The building has power but no plumbing. It has a glazed door but no other openings. There are no trickle vents in the door and no space to add them. I need both to heat this room and ventilate it. I am thinking of a small electric heater for the former (I know they are not cheap to run, but I don't think I will need to use it much given the size of the space), but I am a bit stumped when it comes to ventilating it. I have considered a simple air-brick or open vent in the wall (maybe one at each end to get a through-draft), but will that not cost me a lot of heat? I am not sure if there is any logic to an electric extractor fan. Would that not also require an open vent to draw fresh air in? Any suggestions gratefully received! Thanks. Garden Office Details (1).pdf

Perfect, thank you.

An update (and request for help) on this. My warranty provider are happy for my plumber to supply confirmation of a drainage pressure test, as he has PL insurance and is gas-safe (what the latter qualification has to do with anything I really don't know). The plumber is happy to do it, and provide me with a letter from his company. Does anyone have an example of a drainage pressure test letter we could base ours on? Thanks

We are staying in the SB so I am happy to have flat roof cover excluded from a warranty insofar as I don't need to sell it. I just need the warranty so I can get the final drawdown from the SB mortgage and finish off the landscaping etc. Plus I imagine it will have some implication for standard domestic house insurance cover, which I will take out instead of the far more expensive SB/Building site insurance I have been using. What I have regarding the roof is a guarantee from the firm who supplied and installed it. The EPDM itself is not their product, they just bought it and fitted it. They have given me the following: Namely the installation of the synthetic rubber EPDM roofing membrane will prevent the ingress of rain or snow for TWENTY YEARS from the date upon the said works were completed subject to the following exclusions: 1. Storm damage in excessive weather conditions such as falling roof tiles, trees. In the event of a storm roof must be checked for damage by xxxx. 2. Damage caused by lightening, fire, hurricanes, high winds or earthquake. 3. Deliberate or accidental damage. 4. Defects in adjoining areas such as defective tiles, coping stones, pointing, porous brick work render, roof windows and any abutments. 5. Deficiencies or movement in the building structure. 6. Damage caused by the leakage of fuels and oil. 7. Lack of maintenance up held to the gutters, outlets and gullies ETC and at least a 2 yearly inspection completed by xxx only at a minimum cost of £ 85.00 + VAT 8. All other products used other than EPDM come with their own guarantee and will not be covered by the 20 year product guarantee. 9. All workmanship is guaranteed for 10 years. 10. The guarantee is only valid when full payment has been received and first inspection completed within a year. The firm seem long-established and the fella who runs it seems pretty good, but I am not treating the guarantee as serious. For one thing, it can be swerved if I don't get that same firm to undertake bi-annual maintenance that I could very much do myself. Also, I particularly like phrases like 'deliberate or accidental damage'! Isn't that just 'damage'?! Regarding no2, yes, exactly. I have found the warranty inspection firm a bit difficult in that respect. They do the bare minimum, its all very automated, and as a first time self-builder I certainly could not have relied on them for a clear understanding of my obligations. @nod they have already rolled over regarding the BC officers notes. The BC officer gave me a simple email listing the things he had seen and approved, and that was sufficient for the warranty inspection form it turns out, even though they were asking for the actual notes before. Final question @nod @EdHat - If I go for an indemnity for the roof, what I am covering myself for/against? Cheers

Yes, quite possibly the same company or at least under the same umbrella. To be honest it was all such a long time ago that I looked at it, and in the blur of getting finance, planning permission, building regs approval, legal stuff, etc and so on, I don't think I really dug too deep into my options regarding the warranty. I have a nagging feeling that I just took advice from buildstore (who I went through to get the SB mortgage) and didn't question it. I'm sure it is possible to do much more thorough research than that. Whether there is much point I couldn't say. Others will doubtless know.

When you say 'take cover' I presume you mean you are about to get a warranty rather than you plan to run and hide from what I am about to confirm?! I am with build-zone for the warranty. The inspections and report for them are done by Approved Consultant Services Ltd. I went with them on auto-pilot following a referral from the SB mortgage firm really.

Yes, I can understand that. My roofer is still in business and tells me that if he had known of the requirement he could have facilitated it at the time, but its been over two years now and his federation might not do it. This is one of a number of things that would have been helpful to have known in advance. I am not sure how much of the knowledge gap is down to intermittent communication from the warranty firm, and how much is stuff I would have know if I were more experienced.

Afternoon all. I have my Building Control completion notice for my SB. I now need the warranty. A separate firm undertook four visits to site on behalf of the warranty provider. The inspection firm have asked for a few outstanding odds and sods, including: 1. Building Control site inspection notes. I used the local Council, who were fine, but when I asked for the file notes they told me they are not in the public domain. Leaving aside that I am not the public in this case, I have followed their advice and emailed in asking for a copy. Hopefully this will suffice for the warranty inspection firm. 2. Evidence of a drainage pressure test. They will not accept the Building Control Inspectors sign off, or a specific email from him confirming that drainage meets his satisfaction. They want evidence of a test specifically. They say: 'We also require evidence of 3rd party inspection confirmation i.e. Building Control inspection records or CCTV evidence for the entire drainage within each dwelling. If these are not available, or if you prefer, a drainage test can be carried out on site by an accredited gas safety plumber or similar. This should be an air pressure or water pressure test, and written confirmation that it passed is required from an accredited tester. We can also carry out a flow test on completion if deemed necessary.' When I pressed them on what end result they need, they say: 'The end result we are looking for is some sort of certificate or letter to state that the drains have been tested at completion. No particular qualification but the letter needs to be from a company, and we will need their PI insurance details.' 3. An Insurance-backed guarantee for my flat roof. I have a guarantee from the supplier/installer covering it for 20 years, but they want it backed by insurance, and have suggested a couple of firms. Are these things common? Is there anything here I should beware of? Requirement 1: I hope to get the inspection notes from the BC dept. soon. Requirement 2: The BC dept. notes may contain something helpful, but f not, I will pay someone. I have found one local drainage firm who want about £350 to do a pressure test. My plumber will do it for much less, but I am not sure he is 'accredited'. Has anyone experienced this before? Requirement 3: I will ask the roofing firm if they have insurance to underpin their guarantees, and hope that they do, and that it serves to tick this box. Again, anyone been down this road? Cheers

Ha! My wife says I don't understand subtlety! I think that's what she said anyway. Wasn't really listening properly. Which was your post again? 😉

I know a couple of people on the other side of it, they have been long term renters, then their landlords decided to sell their places, perhaps due to some of the regulations everyone here is concerned about. When that happened, these people found there was very, very little by way of rental property available locally, and that it was very expensive. Doesn't sound like the situation suits anyone.

Not so far it hasn't! It is exactly the sort of things you list that I would miss if I used the ones I have found!

Thanks, I am aware of that. I am thinking more of the actual monthly sums - what would be my total income and outgoings each month once all factors are correctly included, and approached in a sensible manner. That sort of thing.

Morning all. I always planned to sell our old house when we finished the SB. I am now considering whether to rent out the old house instead. I had some interesting and useful advice on here recently about the possible headaches associated with renting out, but ultimately it comes down to the sums. I have sought financial advice, but local firms seem either capable and coherent but incredibly expensive, or the direct opposite. Online searches seem to generate long articles and the official HMRC guidance, but no simple tools to draw up ballpark figures. Does anyone know of, or use, good online calculators for this type of thing? Thanks

Afternoon all. I'm looking to assess heat loss and cold spots etc in the SB. The cost of hiring a thermal camera is surprisingly high, enough to make me consider buying one instead. Internet searches provide a wide range of options and prices. I have also seen attachments for phones, but am not sure how good they are. Does anyone have any experience of using this type of kit? Any advice on how best to proceed? I don't imagine using it repeatedly, but I may use it more than once to check the effect of any alterations I make to the building.

Both in terms of volume and pitch, I would describe the noise from my ASHP in the very cold evening as more than enough to scare most people away from buying one. It's certainly not something I'd be happy to live with moving forward. Thanks for your comments all, general view seems to be that the reflective surfaces are a key issue. They will all be addressed as part of the landscaping etc anyway. Has anyone experimented with home made acoustic enclosures, acoustic mats etc? I should probably think about them before I finish the landscaping, rather than after.

Thanks, I think I've found the discussion in question. Something I've never been clear about is which part of the ASHP unit the noise emerges from (if it comes from one part in particular). If the noise comes from the front then would I achieve anything by adding acoustic matt to the wall behind the unit?

Standard cavity walls, block, insulation, block. Double glazed windows.

Evening all. Having researched it to death in advance, after one month living in the SB I've now got a better idea of noise levels from my ASHP. As can be seen in the photo, my garden is small, includes a tiny office (to the left of the photo) and is unfinished, as is the external wall of the house (summer jobs). I was extremely limited as to where I could put the ASHP. It is near bedroom windows, and perhaps closer to the wall than is ideal in terms of rebound echo. Anyway, up until this week the noise has been fine. Obviously, the windows are closed in the evening, which helps. I have always intended to apply various noise mitigations as appropriate once living with it. This week, once the temperature dropped close to, and then below, zero, the ASHP became really, really noisy. It is quite noticeable indoors, and almost overpowering outdoors. I have seen it complete its defrost cycle (I presume. It kicks out a load of steam) and there is little or no ice settling on it, and I've no reason to think it's faulty. When the temperature returned to normal briefly one night, the noise from the ASHP reduced considerably, only to increase again when the cold snap returned. I am thinking of pinning some sort of sound proofing to the wall behind the unit, partly to lessen noise inside the house but mostly to affect echo. The garden will have six to eight inches of topsoil and then grass on it in due course, and the office will be clad in timber, all of which I think might help. I have considered building some sort of acoustic enclosure, but not yet researched any details. Does anyone have any experience of attempting these things, and/or other suggestions? Cheers

Is there such a thing? I recently moved in to my SB, and whilst it is a joy, I am of course experiencing a raft of small teething issues related to actually living here with the family. Chief among these is the best configuration of the ASHP, mhvr, underfloor heating, water heating, and suchlike. Each constituent part has a range of possible settings, and my knowledge on each is basic. If I've learned anything from the many insightful and detailed discussions on this forum, and also from the many YouTube channels from people sharing thier experiences, it's that a reasonably detailed level of knowledge is required (more than I currently have, despite having learned the basic principles), and also that there seems to be an element of trial and error over time. Has anyone ever engaged a consultant to assess their overall domestic apparatus, and advise on the options to achieve greatest efficiency? If so, who, and did you gain much from it?

Thanks @ProDave. If it's not too personal a question, what was it about the whole thing that makes you say you would not want to do it again?