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I tiled a floor about six months ago Only about thirty mtrs The customer had already purchased the tiles and adhesive from Topps Paying about 40% more than I do They rang to ask if I could replace three tiles as two were scratched and one had chipped The reason for my post is to warn in advance those that are choosing floor tiles These particular ones are Turkish and not great quality They easily scratch and chip and £36 isn’t cheap I get the Italian slats for between 22 and 30 all in and there is no comparison The glazing is far tougher and they are laser cut You can score them with a broken piece of tile without marking A good guide is that the glaze runs all the way down to the bottom of the tile preventing chipping I think that the shop price puts most off With most asking for 40 to 60 But with the volume most on here are using That can easily be cut down I called into Topps for a bag of adhesive for the repairs as I didn’t want to risk using a different adhesive and grout They stung me for £17 I never pay more than £10 inc vat For Larsen flexible white He said we don’t sell foreign rubbish I asked him where the tile slats where from He didn’t know I think that one went over his head The best adhesive I’ve used is made about five miles from me At around a tenner your going to be be looking at the floor tiles for a long time So shop around

Sounds like our build Wet cast with sash windows i was going to fit the cils afterwards But once they were delivered I decided to fit as we went along I traded a 600 mil dampcourse and folded them from the inside trapping a piece of ply on top Then fastened the damp under the cil I’ll see if I can find some photos

I think a lot of the stress Certainly financial stress Is self induced We all underestimate many of the costs I think that Spons and other guides are to blame They tell us that certain trades will cost £22 per house and certain tasks will take X number of hours Then when we get a quote That’s if we manage to get someone to quote There quote isn’t based on a hourly rate It’s simply plucked out of the air and three times what we exspected Then the spreadsheets are telling us we are over budget The stress starts If I was asked by someone just starting a selfbuild I would say allow more money and more TIME

MY solicitor told me they are not over ruling a legal judgement They are using legislation brought in for a completely different purpose To charge you Council tax As stayed above their stance rests on that all these things that make a house liveable Are possible to put in place The fact that most of us haven’t the funds to to employ a team to fit the house out Is irrelevant to them But not to most of us i can understand that services fire police street lighting schools doctors have to be paid for But most of us are already paying Council tax So why should we pay more on a half built building That isn’t using any of the above services

They are saying that there is no legal precedent The young lady that called down was better than the one I had spoken to on the phone she explained that builders were leaving homes without kitchens till they were sold and evading large amounts of Council tax She said Council are not distinguishing between mainstream and self builders Once the plaster is on Then it is POSSIBLE to connect the services, and fit the kitchen and bathroom The fact that you haven’t done these things are irrelevant Her words I did point out that the house was not liveable with just plaster on the walls Her reply was that is why you will be allowed 50% reduction for the first three months

There actually using a law that was brought in to stop mainstream builders stock piling houses Told us the water and power on is irelivent Once the plastering is finished we will have to go on 50%

The guy who comes to empty our porta loo recomended all these products I spoke to the company that Suplies treatment plants in our area Said absolutely not fill the plant up with clean water Turn the air supply on Put the lid on Check it in a couple of years They said that there is no need for adaptives

We are around 2.5k for 285 mtrs Like NHBC warrantees Unlikely to be able to claim As self builders they would just put it back to the builder ourselfs But As has been covered on several occasions a nessesary evil i had this conversation before starting our build With a friend who was just finishing his build He always intended selling But didn’t bother with a warrantee As he could get one retrospectively for around 3k Hes just sold and said it never came up and was only asked for the completion notice and SE reports I think when we last discussed this Russel pointed out what a waste of money they were If I was to do another self build I wouldn’t bother with a warrantee and add one later if I ever had to sell in the next ten years But then I wouldn’t have nice piec of paper telling me everything was perfect ?

How much was your warranty ?

We Feel ripped off by protec BC have been thorough 2400 for a bit of paper Three ten minute visits If we are lucky He turns up in very smart suit and shiny shoes Unlikely to be climbing up on scaffolds or footings Good work if you can get it

I can’t understand why anyone uses a private BC local authority was less than £800 Private was simalar protect wanted a couple of days notice for inspections Local authority ring befor 10am same day visits

We’ve had three visits foundations Didn’t get out of his Mercedes To muddy Take plenty of pictures Roof got out of car but didn’t go on the scaffold Take plenty of picture Pre plaster inspection No need for visit Yes you’ve guessed Take plenty of pictures Next visits After BC sign off

Go for it None are worth the paper they are printed on But a necessary evil My wife worked for HSB for many years They're not representative They are the most reluctant lender when it comes to self employed or buy to let Ive banked with them since I was sixteen but always had to go elsewhere for borrowing

Very good it reminds me of Micheal Atherton had just gone out to bat for England His wife answered his phone Told the selector he had just gone out to bat But added I’m sure he will be back in a few minutes

If you lay fibre mesh on a 5 mill coat You can add another 5 mill the following day

A lot of the plastering companies have an army of fillers that go in after mist costing and fill everything i skimed our five bed bed in a week Paited our last weekend Just a couple of knocks to fill were the skirtings have pushed the corner in

If he’s rough after 40 year It’s a good job you didn’t get him a few years back

Not sure if it’s correct But we have the same issue with a wooded area and a stream running along the side of the house i put tape around the ductings then empted a strong mirror mix over and under them Not pretty But effective Then covered with gravel

We are rarely asked for sand and cement now Simply because most jobs are specified Breathable Which sand and cement isn’t ive used 300 bags of K tend on ours A weeks work for two of us With my wife taping up Quoins and stone cils most St will tell you that you need a base coat and mesh which will rack up the cost If you are on concrete block You are wasting money We never have any problems with K rend colour match or Stucco Manache We don’t quote for jobs that are specified Webber Batch colours vary wildly Go for a company that are using these renders all the time Not some plasterer that will gain exsperience on your pride and joy

I wish I could I rendered two in the Lake District last year for self builders Both offered to pay me for materials upfront Both insisted on paying the invoice as soon as the work was done Pretty typical of folk on here 30 + 14 days is normal for the site work

I’ve a list as long as my arm of happy custermers That are happy to show off there crisp render Some were done 20 years ago and still look good If they are vague or reluctant Move on to the next quote Your going to be looking at the render for a long time

We give a ten year guarentee But it’s a product guarentee Agaist discolouration If it any consolation It’s rare to have any problems with through coloured render after six months On the rare occasion that we get a bad colour match We Persue the supplier for the materials a stand the rest

I’ve been using through coloured renders for over thirty years The guarantees arnt worth the paper the are written on You are reliant on the contractor doing a good job and rectifying any faults

Unfortunately it’s quite new and all the rage ive recently did a students union 130 mtrs I paid £53 and thought it was a rip off about £4.50 per mtr

Great link