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MikeSharp01

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Everything posted by MikeSharp01

  1. MikeSharp01
    Yes but be ready to look for the input (need more input...) it requires. One thing you can say for sure is that it will be better at keeping bills lower than it was although changes in the SAP calculation method, depends on when the original EPC was issued, might mean it does not move as far up the scale as you might hope or might move further. Essentially there is no way of knowing without doing the detail work, sorry.
  2. MikeSharp01
    I hate, well ashamed really, to say it but 'Dem boys have got plenty of jobs' it does help you see why we have full employment and no productivity as everybody is filling in forms and creating work for people who have 'no issues with it'.
  3. MikeSharp01
    Not sure self building is quite Star Trek, to boldly go where no builder (twit, self disillusioned maniac, inveterate optimist - tick whichever applies) has gone before - nope it would not have caught on.
  4. MikeSharp01
    I guess that means you don't count yourself as one - cos we thought you were as bonkers as the rest of us ergo that means there must be others, beyond the self build community who are bonkers to. Or (Can one start a sentence with OR @jack) maybe you include yourself in the renovators category, nuff said!
  5. MikeSharp01
    Great news on the threaded bar front. I was thinking as I drove down (across - as believe it or not our new house is due East of our current one, doesn't seem right somehow) this morning about two things: 1. That these steel threaded bars will be good cold bridges and that you might find just treating the ends with a PU cap to deal with it. 2. That you need to ensure that you mark out the joist positions on the wall plate before you drill the wall, or otherwise control the fixing positions, so that you don't end up with a nut, washer and short length of threaded bar sticking out just where you want a joist.
  6. MikeSharp01
    Great thread - I find it instructive, to remember that stress cuts both ways and in all directions both enhancing perception while often being the root cause of unintended consequences. Reflecting after reading the thread so far I particularly feel that my other half is going through this as well and she still works. Curiously while I am buried in the details she gets her stress from seeing the bigger picture and this past week she has been worrying about the project - why did we do this - remind me, will it be OK. Yes I say, we always said we would do this, the money is in place and I don't think they can take it away - it may not be enough but if that happens we will finish the project out of revenue, it was designed by a proper Architect so the design should be good, it should cost less than it is worth (not that that matters), we have the skills and the time plus life insurance for either of us to finish it if anything happens to the other. To me that looks like all bases are covered. However I get the sense that the my male approach of providing down to earth evidence based practical advice in a situation like this has only limited impact on the stressors she has. I (perhaps we) need to find ways of de-stressing in the affective domain (attitudes, perceptions and values) where I suspect the real stress arises. I am therefore stressed by her stress and I need to help her differently which will, in turn, help me. So if you want practical advice I guess its to try and see things from the other half's perspective.
  7. MikeSharp01
    I use EE with a 4G modem system from Alcatel on site. It's about twice as fast as the phone on hotpot and much better at pulling in weak signals. I paid £25 for the modem on eBay and a few quid a month for a couple of gb.
  8. MikeSharp01
    Just run the stuff you have past the SE and all will be well.
  9. MikeSharp01
    Very True although its a balance think but as long as your studding is as large in diameter as the specified bolts, and approaching the width of the plate you should be fine.
  10. MikeSharp01
    Don't drop acid these days, last time was A level chemistry in 1976!
  11. MikeSharp01
    looks great Ian. Get a roof on I would then you can work in most weathers.
  12. MikeSharp01
    This depends on the threaded bar size. According to THIS table the shear (single - which is what you have I think) strength of M10 studding is 13Kn which is 1,300 Kg (approx) ask your structural engineer, but it should be good for a serious party on the first floor. (10 people to the ton + jumping up and down)
  13. MikeSharp01
    Worth checking, but it won't be a problem if the basic dimensions are he same (diameter), the issue is shear and at 400mm centres cannot imagine you will have a problem. Self tapping coach bolts do exist I think they are called screws rather than bolts though and you need the ones specified for concrete, they will be quicker than studding but perhaps not as cost effective as the studding, what diameter is your studding (threaded bar)?
  14. MikeSharp01
    Mark the holes with the pre drilled wall plate, make sure you drill the plate and then the wall square, blow the dust out of the holes although pull out is not a major issue here you won't tighten the plate if the studding (threaded bar)is not tight you can enlarge the wall plate holes afterwards if needs be, then mount the studding in the holes in the wall with the resin, let them dry, put the membrane on the studding then silicone around the studs, then mount the wall plate and do up the nuts. Bingo
  15. MikeSharp01
    Your OK then,
  16. MikeSharp01
    Are the Durasol the air tight layer? If I were doing this I would put a layer of airtightness membrane behind the wall plate it will be forced against the blocks so should stay air tight there, you can then seal it to the wall around the wall plate (above and below) that way you don't have to seal the individual joists to the wall plate. Around the bolts I would just run a bead of silicone around the holes in the membrane that the bolts come through then squash the wall plate onto it.
  17. MikeSharp01
    Be a bit careful about asking the uni people as they may come in and just slap a blanket ban on microwaves - happened in our daughters hall kitchen!
  18. MikeSharp01
    Just adjust the scale of the 1:200 using CAD package to ensure it scales correctly then overwrite the scale on the map, Job done! They only need the map for information and they won't scale off it as its too big to have any meaningful measure at 1:1250, as a line width is a significant distance on the ground. Actually thinking about it you just need to say the scale printed at A3 (or some such) so might be easier depending, just shrink the image until it prints at 1:2500 at A3, on what print size you went for in the order.
  19. MikeSharp01
    +1 to that, you need to stay in control and not be browbeaten. Once we had a shortlist of Architects I took up references for each of them, then sat down with my other half and made the final choice - which has not turned out badly and although there are some slight issues they are always helpful. After some initial pushing back they have stopped treating us like we know nothing! (Interestingly we were warned bout this in the refs of several of the shortlisted practices.) In the end we chose the architects who had done two local, to where we are now rather then the new place, new builds because we felt we could work with them, liked their work and the fees were not outrageous. .
  20. MikeSharp01
    Good to see you are back on the horse Ian. Not sure you should need treated Joists as it is good practice to have treated timber next to masonry IIRCC but no where else. PS but probably wait for an expert.
  21. MikeSharp01
    The Chimney sounds like it might be the key source of the problems because if it is blocked, and the capping is not watertight then water is building up in the blockage and this may be the whole source of the problem as its a big hole and ends up delivering water quite a way up the walls from which it can run a long away along lintels and the like - we had a defective hood on our chimney and we had dark stains about 6 feet from the chimney, once we fixed it the whole lot dried out. If next door have theirs blocked then this won't be helping your side of the wall either.
  22. MikeSharp01
    Welcome - look forward to hearing more about your plans.
  23. MikeSharp01
    Assume your pour last week went well, don't want any funny ha ha stories about that!?
  24. MikeSharp01
    Looks spanking!
  25. MikeSharp01
    Sorry @A_LI have had a look and can see that the Novia has a water vapour permeability sd of 3m. The calc sheet says to get from sd to Mn.s/g just divide the sd value by the Vapour permeability of still air (0.2 gm/MNs) and you 15, which seems like a long way from 300 and already well below the 40 you indicate might be a cause for concern. It is late and I have had half a bottle of wine so maybe I am missing something? Even the Intello product only makes it to 37.5 Mn.s/g - Polythene will be cheaper than the Novia or Intello anyway!
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