Adam2

We have a bit if a feature staircase coming from a lounge area into a multi-use kitchen/dining/relaxing area The original architect design was a straight run of uniform stairs but we'd like the bottom step to be much wider - same rise. Our BC chap indicates this won't be compliant. This is what we're looking to aim for and below is mock up of the side view. We can tweak things if needed but would like to get something like this - I guess worst case we could always do a simple run of stairs and after sign-off modify them? Beneath the stairs will be a small room so the stair width helps this to be more usable. Thanks for suggestions

For one off big moves we used a hiab - also a difficult site on a hill. Have also checked with a builder on a site near me and for some cash he'll bring his tele-handler round.

Our ICF build also has what seems a lot of rebar in the lower floor levels where we have semi-basements. Also the floor slabs have loads - not just my view but all steel fixers as well. 150mm spacing for verticals and I think 200 for horizontals -lower levels mainly 16mm bar. I think we're up to about 45T total for the house (4 floors ~360m). Issues with rebar and ICF also include labour to fit and time this adds. We also needed a crane/hiab to move ours around to save time after each delivery. Re the engineer - I did discuss this and was told this was all to meet eurocode spec. At the end of the day we have had to rely on our engineer for plenty of questions and that may not have gone so well if we had questioned (too much!) what he was specifying. good luck

This is timely - I have my planks coming next week. We carefully planned the cut-outs so will see how accurate we can get the install - though mostly we have some flexibilty. Just hoping the steels get installed on Friday else we'll be re-planning ?

I don't know, I make a sensible post, go away a few days and it all goes to pot ? No, don't mention the pot ?

Just found out that a manhole in my front garden also serves my neighbour's detached property. Is there a way to find out if this is "adopted" under the 2011 rule changes? I'd rather not go asking publicly at the water co at this time as if it is adopted they may not like me working on/near it.

The could be good use for a corner of the hanging space which is not so useful from the dressing room side. Maybe can make a little cat flap type thing for an automatic hoover to live in:-) It looks like that might possibly work - could be useful - though most likely Bedroom 2 occupants will be in-laws who are prone to walking into the guest bedroom in their own house ?

This would be convenient - though would be a storage sacrifice. If the walls and slab penetrations stay as indicated we could experiment with that. If we moved the bed to the top wall we could re-jig things a bit to reduce the hike

Thanks for the ideas, really helpful. The island was something we had from the original design but the prompts have caused a re-think and based on this and the other points made we've produced a variation which feels a lot better already ?

Sorry - this is just the ducts the MVHR is elsewhere Yes - normally open - we may not even put one on the entrance to dressing room area. The one to the bathroom will probably just be closed for special events (inc my wife's Sunday shower with hits from the musicals blaring out)

I guess your metal trim will be above the membrane? May be an idea to return the membrane down behind the trim and fix to the wall else this could be a path for water - unless you're planning to render up behind the trim or seal in some other way. Maybe good to check with your SE or balustrade supplier on the use of EPS in that position. From my waterproofing co the issue they see with top mounted balustrade is that you need to consider how water will drain from the U channel, maybe your channel has drainage holes on the vertical sides?

Partial height, precise height is TBC but I think likely in the 1.2 to 1.8m range, don't want the space to feel too corridorry In front of the bed is a pretty decent view which makes the bed position feel more logical facing it - the bed position could be reconsidered quite late in the process if it could work in either the current position or against the wall at the top of the image. The original house did have the bed there and I think was OK but will need to see when we get to that level as the house orientation has changed a bit.

The current design is the top image with dimensions. We're OK with this but would like to provide more space in the master en-suite and dressing room so have been playing with ideas. The 2nd image is our current favourite - as you can see we've taken space from the bedroom, and landing. The landing should still feel quite spacious as there is a glass balustrade and a large roof light. We like the idea of an open/walk-through shower with both sides open - image below. Planning on pocket doors into dressing area and then into bathroom. The house shape results in some interesting angles which we are struggling a bit with to ensure we make best use of the space. Would appreciate any suggestions for alternative layouts. We're about to finalise the concrete plank order so ideally we'll have the service penetrations re-cut. The "Duct" in the wardrobe in image 2 is for the MVHR + other services. We'll probably put the UFH manifold in this area also.

Fantastic and that seems like a pretty reasonable timeframe considering so much was done by yourselves + inevitably some CV19 impacts also, congrats!!!

In the end I figured make life easier and just put the 150 duct in there now and be done with it! We can trim to size later

Locally Cemex had a drama - no cement! Cancelled loads of orders and running on a low output basis I think still. Was a company specific issue but not something I had anticipated as they also had the waterproof admix I needed to be used so not easy to swap over suppliers at short notice. Other issue is insulation - have seen 2 sources saying price increases in May and in July amounting to about 15% on top of increases earlier in the year! Getting tough in the build world

You can tell the hairdressers have been closed a while

How will you even get it to that location if you can't get a genie lift there?

I was thinking to have the genie at the top of the stairwell, raise the genie forks to near the top, attach lifting straps to stair part, raise a little, move it so stair part over stairwell then lower the forks

Or even a genie lift? It's not that heavy

Could you make a ramp from timber of scaffold and slide it down, possibly attached to a vehicle

Thanks for the ideas. So if I go with using this in the cavity wall of the garage - it was never intended to be insulated as will not be converted to habitable space - what should I do membrane wise to improve any benefits of this? Or is this only going to provide any measurable benefit if is forming a continuous block rather than lots of pieces stacked on each other?

It's a fair size build with a complex shape - walls changing angle and 4 floors so it does mount up. I'm happy with the process just seeing how we can use the inevitable off-cuts.

Just large rubber or neoprene washers around the bold securing the U channel to the balustrade - I think also with a waterproof mastic or something around the bolts. Your image looks like bolts (pairs? our are single bolts) are near the top of the concrete. I think we needed to leave 50mm from edge of concrete. You may also need to strip the EPS to fix directly to the concrete (more cold bridging I know, unless you do something around the U channel after. Oy you could look at the stand-off fixings, ours are quite exposed so not so keen but in a more sheltered location maybe could work OK. If you side fix, could you put EPS on top of the parapet wall with a capping over this? May also need timber on the EPS for capping connections?

We are building a large pile of EPS off-cuts, many with the plastic web embedded. I understand that recycling is not really an option. Would appreciate hearing what you've done/are planning to do. I have one possibility so far which may be hopeless, let me know ? Our garage will be a double skinned wall with lightweight blocks and externally rendered, interior plasterboard on battens. We could fill the cavity with EPS offcuts. If we did this I guess we'd need a membrane of some sort to improve air-tightness. We weren't planning to insulate the garage as it's on a raised platform so will have no floor insulation - it's not part of the house - attaches to a side wall with an exterior door in between it and the house. Is this likely to have any meaningful benefit - will the hassle of fitting be worth it?