MariaD

Thanks for suggesting to create a bridge under the wall. I have already contacted the Water people and their map is not accurate. I was lucky that yesterday a tap bursted so all the water flooded out, people came to fix it and I could see the water pipe where it is located along with gas, electricity and broadband.

Thank you, Conor for the reply. We only have a wayleave for the water main pipe. I know there also a gas pipe, electricity and broadband pipes positioned together in this small area of the site. The conditions on the wayleave say that the council is free to repair and maintain the pipe and that it is granted the free passing of the water. So, couldn't I place over it a wall boundary?

Hi all, I’ve bought a site where we plan to build a house, and I’m looking for some advice. There are utility pipes (water, gas, electricity, and broadband) that run just beneath the site boundary in one area of the site. We’re hoping to install a wall or fence along the boundary, and we’d also love to plant a few trees nearby to soften the landscaping. Before we move ahead, I wanted to ask if it's possible (or allowed) to build a wall or fence on top of or near these kinds of utility pipes and if there are restrictions on planting trees near them. Any advice, especially from people who’ve dealt with something similar, would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hi all, I’m looking for trusted companies that offer slit trenching services around the Waterford area (Ireland). If you’ve had a positive experience with any providers or know of reputable ones, please send me a pm. Thank you in advance.

Hi all, I’m looking for trusted companies that offer slit trenching services around the Waterford area. If you’ve had a positive experience with any providers or know of reputable ones, please send me a pm. Thank you in advance.

Thanks for your reply. I have a few questions regarding your response, and forgive my ignorance in advance if I'm going to ask something silly: What would be the advantage of rendered blockwork compared to applying the render directly on the ICF? Doesn't render normally last 30 years or less? Is brickwork really cheaper than fiber cement or aluminum cladding? My understanding is that fiber cement may cost about £50 per sqm while aluminum is £70 per sqm, including installation. How much do you expect brickwork to cost? How would you anchor the brick wall? Using something like in the video below? If so, wouldn't this method create a lot of thermal bridges and allow water to contact the concrete (which would defeat the purpose of the membrane)? Are there any special precautions you need to take when building brick walls 6-9m high? Don't brick walls require some maintenance, while (from my understanding) fiber cement and aluminum require none?

Hi, I'm researching the best cladding for an ICF structure covered with a membrane. My priorities are in order: 1. Low maintenance 2. Durability (at least 50 years) 3. Ease of installation 4. Pricing 5. Aesthetic From what I've read, fiber cement and aluminum cladding seem to be the best choices. I'm leaning towards fiber cement because it's more affordable and I might prefer its aesthetic (based on what I've seen). Additionally, there shouldn't be any risk of discoloration. I understand that the main downside of fiber cement compared to aluminum is its weight. My questions are: 1. Would the difference in weight significantly impact the stability of the house, require a stronger foundation, or be more prone to loosening from the facade in the future? 2. Have you quoted both options, and what was the actual difference in pricing when labor was included? 3. Is aluminum cladding simpler to install? 4. Would the installation of both be compatible with having wrapped the ICF walls with a membrane? 4. Do you have any real experience with either of these materials that you could share? 5. If you seriously considered them when building your house but opted for something different, what were the reasons? Not sure if it may affect your response, but the house I designed is a 3-storey (the last storey is the attic made livable) with a mono pitch roof. The perimeter is 6.8m x 14.8m, with walls 5.7m high at the back and 9.6m at the front.

Hi, I am looking for information on building a new two-storey house using natural stones for the external (structural) walls. I've read that natural stone may be cheaper than other building materials. My questions are: Do quarries sell blocks made with stone, and how much would they cost? The house would need wall insulation. Would the insulation be added on the inner side? 3. How the walls would be built? I'd imagine stone blocks are quite heavy to handle.

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has experience building their houses with HiTherm precast insulated panels. I know they're commonly used in large building projects and not typically for one-off house projects. However, I recently came across a post in a Facebook group where someone shared their experience. According to this person, the cost is comparable to using bricks. The advantages seem to strongly favor this construction method.

Hi everyone, I’m planning to build a detached four-bedroom house in Ireland and would like the attic space to be habitable. I understand that additional fire safety regulations will apply if the attic space exceeds 50 sqm. However, I’m unsure whether the 50 sqm threshold includes the space taken up by the stairs and hallways, or if it only applies to the rooms themselves. Any clarification would be appreciated. Any help is much appreciated.

Thank you for your reply. Will he travel to Waterford City for the sign off?

I have heard stories where soem people had to hire a second engineer expert in ICF because who they hired wasn't. So they paid more.

I'd like for the engineer to sign off on certificate, so if they are not in the same county, it's probable that they won't travel for the sign off.

Hi all, I'm seeking recommendations for a structural engineer expert in ICF in County Waterford or County Kilkenny. Thanks in advance

thanks for the suggestion.

I do not live close to it and I do not have a digger or a mower. And there is a big patch of gorse bushes, I'd say it covers a third of the site.

I've bought a site with a size of 800 sqm. I've been quoted €3000 from a cleaning garden company to cut the weeds and the bushes to ground level and take the waste away. Is that a fair price? If not, what would it be? Thanks in advance.

I will post one pic of the manhole and the map from Irish Water. The green dot on the map is approximately the position of the manhole. The red boundaries is my site. The blue lines the pipes.

There is a manhole just outside of the border of the site. I have used welding rods to locate the pipe, but I am not very convinced it works.

I did that, they gave me the map, but at the same time they were not sure of the position. That is why, before going to an engineer, I wanted to locate the pipe. Can the land surveyor locate it though as an additional service?

Thanks for the reply. the site is about 800sqm, my main concern is to find a possible water pipe underneath the ground so that I can build at 3m away from that. The site is on a small slope, so I also would like a topographic map to use for planning applications. At the moment I do not have an engineer, therefore if you could point out, in the case you are aware of, all the needed documents that an engineer would ask land surveyors, so that I can ask them. I think I will go with the digital version. Is that more expensive than the paper one?

Hi all, I'm looking for recommendations for land surveyors in the Waterford City area. I need it for a site survey, for the final purpose of building a house. I'd appreciate it if you could recommend/vouch for someone from your experience. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Hi, thanks for replying. Could you please explain to me what CIL is?

Thanks for the answer. No, the asphalt patch is not part of a bigger scheme. Once removed, I want just grass growing. How do I check that he is licensed?

Hi everyone, I've contacted a guy who would do the site clearance for my site. He asked me if I was looking for certificates. What will be removed from the site are the following: Weeds Overgrown bushes (Gorse) Some rubbish Dirt A small asphalt patch. Which of these require certificates? Who can request them, and what’s the cost? Additionally, do I need planning permission to remove the asphalt patch (approximately 40-50 sqm)? Thank you so much for your attention.