Tony K

I'm sure you're right, and I've got no problem getting someone in. It's the order of events in my particular build that makes me think about doing bits of it myself. I need to excavate my site to three different levels before I do anything else (lower slab, higher slab and garden are all different). I'm happy enough using a dumpy level to get the levels right, but in order to delineate between the three areas I will need to do some sort of initial setting out just to mark out the three portions. Once I've reduced the site levels I will get a surveyor in to set out formally, then the piling firm can come in. The laser measure might help me do my initial marking out?

What would a professional leave me with? Do they tend to place steaks in the ground, use string lines, spray paint? I'm just thinking about the correct stage to get the surveyor in.

I did get a site survey, largely to establish the actual shape of the site as much as the size. Using that survey I plotted the footprint of the building onto the site, which you might be able to see from this very blurry image... I am comfortable with height measurements, and have a couple of set points of reference to use as a datum for height, its setting out the footprint I need to focus on. I have to excavate the land down 600mm approx anyway prior to piling, so I presume I would excavate, then get the surveyor to set it out? If I use a surveyor to set out, what will I be left with on site? Is it likely to be string lines etc?

The time has come to do the setting out! I have an L-shaped bungalow, very tight to the site boundaries in all directions and split level at the corner of the L. These laser measures offer a 'pythagoras' function, leading me to wonder if this is all I need for setting out... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Distance-Portable-Digital-Measure-Backlit/dp/B01IEYDN3E/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2OSYZXWSFV0CH&dchild=1&keywords=laser+measure&qid=1590420833&sprefix=laser+m%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyVlVHUjNRSkZaWEpOJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjA3MjIwVEEzQks4TVIySzdMJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAyNTUxMzcySENIVE5SUUVWTkQmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl I am not sure however if it will be able to tell me if the measurements are horizontally level, which of course will be crucial in determining whether my linear measurements are the correct ones. Anyone used this type of thing for setting out? Or got a better suggestion? Thanks

@SuperJohnG That is incredibly helpful, thank you. We are about to start the footings. The heating etc is therefore theoretical at this stage but about to become very real later this year, hence my looking at it in more detail now. The building will be as airtight as I can get it, and has been certified (on paper at this stage) as meeting building regs, but an overall Uvalue is not stated (it's split into the component parts of the build with a score for each). I will of course be going as far as I can to ensure very good airtightness and insulation throughout the build, but not to passive standards. @Conor thanks very much. I will look at some of the products you and @SuperJohnG have recommended.

I've struggled to get quotes, but that's perhaps because I've been looking for someone to design an overall system. Do you think I can just buy the separate components, or is this something that needs to be designed as one overall system?

Hi My selfbuild is 100m2 single storey. I've got a quote for £25k all in from what seems a good guy at a good firm to supply and install... MVHR throughout. NIBE 2040-12kw air source heat pump. NIBE VPB 300 litre unvented hot water cylinder. NIBE UKV 200 litre buffer vessel. Underfloor heating. Heat recovery unit. And all the various bits and bobs that go with it to form a working overall system. Apart from this one quote, I cannot get any other prices to design a system, supply and install. I can search for seperate MHVR, ASHP, UFH etc and probably save some money, even with labour to fit, but if I do that am I missing some very important element of overall system design? Or is it the case that these elements can be installed without any great overview of how they operate together? Thanks

I imagine the wood effect ones would not lend themselves to sitting on adjustable feet, and would instead have to have a very slight run away from the property threshold.

In planning terms the General Permitted Development Order has bits prohibiting... (i) the construction or provision of a verandah, balcony or raised platform This is defined in the guidance as... A raised platform is any platform with a height greater than 0.3 metres and will include roof terraces.

It is. @Mr Punter has confirmed, and looking at his photo I'm certainly interested in using that method. In my project the outside floor area was going to be a raised timber deck with a 700mm storage void underneath, accessed through this kind of thing: If I use the tiles however I'd presume I would be better with a solid patio base. That's fine, I'll do that and create voids, accessed with these kind of manhole covers into which tiles can be set:

Sounds more and more like he'll need planning permission. The council has absolutely no power to address trespass, damage to your property or any party wall issues though. They are all private civil matters. I'm not sure if it's as simple as saying that no work can be done to your wall without your permission, but that's just because I work in council planning enforcement and as per my advice above, we don't deal with civil issues, so it's not my area of expertise. I'd think it should be exactly as you say, though it can be an expensive business if you do end up in PWA dispute though, so avoid it if possible. You'll get plenty of people advising you to put your objections in writing early on, so there is a solid record if you do ever end up in court. Those people are right, but my experience is that these things can turn very sour and linger for ever if handled too formally and coldly. I see it so often. Whatever the legal rights and wrongs, you need to live next to this guy. Get him round for a cup of tea and have a friendly but clear chat before you start firing off emails and solicitors letters. You can always ramp up the formalities later on if needed, but it's hard to repair the damage to the relationship if you go too heavy too soon.

Ha! I thought it was some technical term, a bit of kit required to install the tiles! I'm allowed to vote and drive a car you know.....

That's very interesting. I hadn't even thought of that kind of thing. What are 'legs' in this context please?

I'd put the joists on blocks anyway, there will be a bit of a void under the deck (70cm or so) which I will use for storage via a hatch.

It's not a massive deck. I wonder if my best bet is getting enough timber flooring to do both the inside and the deck, then trimming the longest tongues off of the boards so I can use them externally with little gaps between them, like normal deck boards (albeit expensive ones)?

Thanks. Apart from not seeing nails, does this have any other advantages over using normal timber joists?

Hi, I plan this sort of thing: The inside of my place will have timber floor as a finish, made using engineered or real wood flooring stuck down on self adhesive underlay. This in turn will sit on a vapour barrier, on top of the screed. The flooring will have T&G. The question is, how to achieve the external deck in such a way as to make it look like a continuation of the internal surface? I surely can't use the internal flooring outside? For one thing it may warp, for another the T&G will prevent rainwater passing through it to the ground below. It looks like the example photo may have just plumped for external deckboards as close is colour and size as possible to the internal floor, and used really tight little gaps between them for drainage, though I can't be sure. Is there a trick to outside decks that continue the inside timber floor that anyone knows of? Ta

@Gummo I presume this is not just an odd choice in roof finish, and that he is instead thinking of creating a raised terrace or balcony to sit out on. If so then, for my sins, I deal with this kind of thing as part of my day job. Building Regs: The work may require approval under the Building Regulations, and wouldn't normally get approval unless it had guard rails around it to stop someone falling off. I say it 'may' require BR approval....It certainly would if he inserts a new door to lead out onto the roof. If, however, he intends to climb out the window to access the deck then it becomes a bit more debatable, as the actual building work taking place is very limited. The local Council building control team would have to form a view. Planning: Planning permission might not be required for the work if its just a roof over the void (depends on the depth of it), but it certainly would be if he wants to use it to sit out on, and/or if he installs a guard rail. Also, check if the planning permission for his extension itself: Did it include a condition that the roof not be used for sitting out on (this gets more likely the more recent the permission, you can check on the Council website). If so, he certainly also needs permission even to use the existing roof for sitting out on. If planning permission is required for the work then it will almost certainly be refused due to overlooking, or only approved with a condition that no sitting out can take place on it. Structure: In any event, any structural impact upon your property is a private civil matter between you and him, and not something the Council can help you with at all. General: We all have bad ideas sometimes, and he has certainly had one here if he intends to sit out on it. If that's the idea, then tell him asap that you don't want him to do it, that it will affect the value of your property (it will), that he is likely to need but not get planning permission, building control approval, or both, and that you won't let him screw anything to your wall. An awkward conversation to have, but if he's told you about his plans and you don't say anything now, you are only making it worse later on when you do.

Thanks. I'd looked at road planes and they seem designed to work with steel stakes, though have yet to find a place to hire them out.

@LA3222 Thanks. What you describe sounds like a significant headache! In my case I'm adding the UFH later on, once the slab is set and the walls and roof are in place. It will live in the screed. Hopefully this will save me some of the complications you describe! Another consideration for me is that my slab is L shaped and split level. I intend to cast the first, lower slab, then once it cures build a 700mm block wall in the corner of the L, where the upper slab will later join the lower one. The SE has designed rebar to come up from the lower slab through the hollow blocks. Then I will form and cast the upper slab. This is all fine, but of course I've got to do two separate pours, pay for the pump twice etc. I'm sure there are ways to create vertical formwork in place of the blocks and so allow one pour, but based on the experiences you describe I'll be keeping it simple and sticking with two distinct phases.

I have thanks, yes. It isn't too complicated, waste pipes and a soak away connection. I plan to put the pipes in after the piles are in, then cast the slab.

I was wondering if that was an option. That way I can diy the formwork if needed and then hand over to the experts for the pour. That said, I presume I'll be getting the formwork level all around the top edge, and that when the concrete is pumped in I would just have to slide a long straight timber across the top of the formwork to get a fairly level top to the slab? Or is it not that simple?

Very useful advice, thanks @LA3222 I should also add that I will be using a concrete pump simply because there is no vehicular access to the site. Don't know if that makes the job any easier or harder.

I might have an option like that. The guy in question is a piling contractor recommended by someone on here, and though I probably won't now use him for driven piling (because I probably won't be using driven piling) he also offered his services on a day rate to help with the slab. I can't vouch for him myself other than to say he seems nice and helpful, but @Patrick speaks very highly of him. You're welcome to his contact details if you like. In terms of doing it all myself, the concerns for me are around the time it would take me to get it right and how unforgiving the concrete is if I make a mistake, though I will look at @LA3222 very impressive work.

@Dreadnaught I don't know about you, but I'm already getting the feeling I need to persevere with getting groundwork firms to do it. Have you got any quotes for your job so that you at least know what savings you'd be making by doing this yourself?