G and J

Thank you. So busy trying to get the new pad ready for habitation that I am struggling to find time to research the things needed for sign off.

Hi folks, there are 28 more sleeps left in our bloody awful rental before moving in to our new pad. Our aim is to get signed off early June, and to get signed off we need an EV point. Ours is going to be on a pole about 5 feet from our electric kiosk, the SWA cable is already in place. I find looking on Google for EV charger points completely bewildering. I understand electrics, and I would probably understand all the various factors if I put the time but I have zero time to put in, I just need one. Therefore I would be grateful if anyone can recommend a pole mounted EV charger untethered, single phase so I guess 7kW, for a couple who don’t have an EV and don’t plan to get one any time soon.

Our architects practice suggested something similar, albeit on a timber frame build, Geoff's view was "not keen" for similar reasons, apthough he accepted it looked very neat, but when we sat down with the senior partner to do the final sign off his view "do you really want to do that" and so reverted to external box gutters

Agreed, in this case at a very specific point allowing for the steels/load points but also allowed the screeder (traditional dry screed) to go home for the night!

We"ve literally just had 88m2 of 1200 x 600 tiles laid by an very experienced (read older just like us!) on 100mm screed, which was laid early dec 25 and has been heated by the ufh Has been laid on a decouplinging mat as recommended by the supplier, whther we needed to is perhaps questionable as in the tilers view slab "would have cracked by now if it was going to". However having it allows more peace of mind (for all of us) in not having room thresholds, especially given size of tiles, and allowed a slight overlap (75mm) of the expansion strip in the screed, which then facilitated cuts working out to give best aesthetics.. In the end our view was they are not coming up again in our lifetime (we hope!) so in the scheme of things.......bit of a slipoery slope cost control wise, but we're at that stage of the build to better understand spend.

Crumbs, this post brings back memories. We got sign off for a cold, unventilated roof, but we went for a ridge vent anyway. Turns out just having a ridge vent gives ooodles of ventilation. Making the roof truly airtight would have been impossible. So our airtight layer is the VCL above the ceiling plasterboard. Hopefully this will keep our steam out of the loft.

It depend on your timescales, but building on the above, if you get a good starting trade (in our case groundworker) they can then recommend follow on trades and /or go round local building sites (individual projects) look at the work, get recommendations. Both have worked for us (apart from a decorating "hiccup"!) Eg our screeder came about because our groundworker introduced us to a builder working on a single build nearby, the screeder recommended the plasterer, the plasterer recommended the tackers and so on. We chose to wait for good people, but in practice we were't waiting long as we tried to be identifying the 'next in line' as early as possible. @Benpointer may be able to share how he went about it.

Well this got me thinking, as one with aspirations of moving in before completion....so in case it's helpful fir others and with the caveat of "check with your own insurers" our insurers have confirmed our site insurance is valid until we have a completion certificate regardless of whether we move in or not....phew!

@craig thank you

Could you tell more? We've got the same thing (Smart Visoglide plus), not a huge issue but if there is an option......

We paid what will end up being about 3% of the build cost. 3 stages, survey and prelim drawings; planning application (local RIBA architect, knew planners, edge of conservation area, active town council); building regs drawings, which we pushed them hard on the get the spec we wanted rather than the one they may have done as the norm. No detailed SE calcs, but they made it clear at outset we'd need to source that and likely costs, also outlined in they initial quote other costs (pp and building regs apps etc). Handled NMA as part of package. They also gave us info on local private buiding regs co. and tendered this for us; intro to SAP assesor. Their drawings were then used (provided by them) by the timber frame manufacturer. The gap for us, given that we were/are self managing and were erecting frame, was overlays that combined the SE's (excellent local individual) foundations design with the frame (SE also looked at frame design and steel calcs for his own (and ours!) "peace of mind", all good) and section drawings. All worked out but would have been easier if they had all been on one diagram...certainly for those of us with less "experience".

That’s going to be expensive. What are you running down there to need that fat a cable?

Bloody well hope so! I’ll be installing the unit in the next month so we’ll start to get an idea then.

Silence, came the stern reply. Oh well, next month maybe. Back to me plumbing.

@flanagajI'm already feeling very apprehensive. Being a catastrophiser, doesn't help matters I'm not trying to make matters worse here, or suggest that you and your wife aren't capable.....just giving my take on it.....I attended the first and last pours (we had a couple as narrow site and had to work forwards). I had never seen it done before, was there purely as an observer to "mark the moment". Geoff had two people with him who were uber experienced and were used to working with the guys supplying the concrete. All calm, having done the prep and then super frenetic activity to make sure everyone safe and mix right, in the right place, levelled etc etc. There is no way that I would have wanted to be involved. I know for us all control of costs is important, but this is an area where, even though Geoff is capable, we really felt the benefit of having the experienced guys taking the lead. We can after all if necessary, wait for "the" kitchen, tiles but.....