ultramods

Have you seen the Ali Dymock videos on YouTube? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3Ehgwo2_tY&list=PLyBa0yFBQO7Mc6sAZOMd-xujGuorZAs--

I watched the new episode last night. Really didn't like it, the new extensions looked like they had been added a few decades ago.

That's what I suspected

when I was considering ICF a few years ago I remember reading about large pre fabricated concrete floor panels/cassettes that had ducts build in (added before the concrete pour). I'm not sure how expensive or practical there are.

As @CC45 has said easier in an internal partition such as behind a cupboard or a void in bathroom/ensuite. If the first floor is going to be beam and block you will need to design in holes to allow the ducts to pass.

Here are my observations: External access to plant room/pantry? Internal access to the annex, thinking about when MIL is older. The reading room so close to the family/living area and with the void, do you need a snug somewhere, sometimes in an open plan house you do need a quiet space to get away from the noise. Bedroom 2 (difficult to know based on dimensions and bed position) would ensuite door be moved around the corner nearer the entrance door give better room layout/space. Ensuites and bathrooms on first floor, consider roof windows if property is overlooked. If this isn't going to be forever house consider putting bath in first floor shower room in addition to the shower by stealing space from the laundry room. I'm not keen on the front elevation, if it was me I would be looking to make the house look like one barn or a series of connected barns. Would a farm house in the area really have had barns built so close to it?

What sort of depth of top soil would you recommend?

Thanks. The trench is 400mm wide and I can get rid of the clay soil.

Thanks. The trench is 400mm wide and I can get rid of the clay soil.

I have flat area in the garden that becomes a pond whenever it rains heavily. I have dug a trench 15 metres long by 600mm deep. The trench is current level with no slope/gradient. The discharge/exit pipe is 400mm deep, this was put in by the builder, to get it deeper would mean adding 20 metres of additional pipework and digging up an existing lawn. The perforated pipe have 360 degree perforations. The perforated pipe and stone/gravel will be inside a non woven punched geotextile membrane. As the exit point is not very deep, I am struggling to decide on the best option: A: Fill the trench with the gravel to create a slope/gradient for the perforated pipe to sit on, then more gravel around and on top of the pipe, followed by 100mm of top soil. B: Fill the trench with the clay I excavated to create a slope/gradient for the perforated pipe to sit on, then add gravel around and on top of the pipe, followed by 100mm of top soil. ? Fill the trench with the clay I excavated to create a 400mm deep level bed, then add gravel to create a slope/gradient for the perforated pipe to sit on, then add gravel around and on top of the pipe, followed by 100mm of top soil. D: Fill the trench with the clay I excavated to create a 400mm deep level bed for the perforated pipe to sit on, then add gravel around and on top of the pipe, followed by 100mm of top soil. E: Put the perforated pipe at the bottom of the level 600mm deep trench then fill with gravel around and above pipe, followed by 100mm top soil. And advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry I wasn't on the forum for the last couple of weeks. I have replied to your message.

Is the entrance to the open plan area on the left hand side of the kitchen? Will you have a TV in the family area, if so where? What is the depth of the room?

We are just getting started with the garden, we have about 600 sqm of garden space (wish we had more). So far we have planted a laurel hedge at the back of the house to provide privacy as most of our family room, dining and kitchen are at the back of the house. Plan is to grass the whole area first, then start to add various flower beds. We will be planting in a modern modern style similar to some of the Charlotte Row designs https://www.charlotterowe.com/

What really annoyed me with them is that they delivered my kitchen (gold delivery) with around 4 cabinet doors missing. Within a couple of weeks the cabinet doors were delivered by a third party courier, however 2 of the doors were damaged. I was in no rush for the kitchen, if they had contacted me and asked if I wanted to delay the delivery until the complete order was ready to be delivered professionally by their own delivery van I would have opted for this. I should also note that even in the original delivery 1 door and 2 plinths were scratched and needed to be replaced. Also the top corner of the integrated dishwasher door is starting to show signs of degradation, presumably caused by steam when dishwasher door is opened.

Possibly not, I tried it last week during the day and couldn't see it against my staff