Moggaman

Sorry, you mean get rid of heating upstairs ?… bit of a gamble on the west coast of Ireland for me!.. thing is, even tho I will try hard, I know the quality is not going to be top end so I need the back up of having the heating system upstairs …I am self building

It’s my second time building.. this time it’s for good.. building it to A2 rating but am putting in UFH upstairs .. if I never use it, so be it… but I can’t put it in after …

Yes first floor.. sorry for bad description

It’s detailed in the dwgs… rep of Ireland .. not uk.. maybe that’s the diff ?. 150 wideslab first floor , 50mm insulation, then 75mm screed!…

The sand might work.. if not option 2 with the insulated liquid screed seems to be an option…

No that’s not it.. steps between slabs I’m afraid

Steps!..10mm in places

Hi. I have just got my wideslab precast laid on my ground floor blockwork. I wasn’t around when it was dropped in. Bottom line is it is not very level. Maybe 15mm difference in level in some places . My drawings show a 50mm layer of insulation on the wideslab and then the floor screed with UF pipes in it. It’s clear to me that I won’t be able to lay 50mm insulation across the floors without leaving voids under it. Is there a fix for this ? thanks

For the rafters , battens, ...it’s a slate roof

Stupid question maybe... type of roof nails needed for timber work...round wire nails...do they need to be galvanised ...?what am I ordering I guess is the question? thanks

Hi I have 2 12m long 203x102x 23 UB as purlins on my roof build as i have a room in roof scenario. Are the beams required to be shot blasted and primed or can they be left raw. Also, i have 2 No 203 x 203 x 46 UC in the house holding up hollowcore..again do this need to be shot blasted and primed? My engineer was like '' it would be no harm'??? Any thoughts.

Thanks . I presume that means the walls are plastered before the false ceiling goes on?

Hi. I am about to put wideslab precast flooring onto my block walls. The detail shows the wideslab being wrapped by a Siga Majpell type material. The wideslab will ultimately have a 150mm suspended ceiling housing the MVHR and services. The majpell will ultimately come down the block to 20mm below the ceiling.. the sand and cement render will then lap the majpell.. do I need to tape the majpell to the block first before plastering or just keep it in place and lap the plaster over it. the other option is to bed the slabs in mortar creating a seal horizontally. Then airtight paint the block below the slab to 20mm below the finished ceiling level and plaster over this. Where the slabs run parallel to the inner leaf , I can either paint that before slab goes in or fill the gap with a wet mortar seal to create a seal on the block . Appreciate any comments.

Is the problem with having stats in multiple rooms, that for instance , u might leave the spare unused room at 17 degrees and then set the other zones u frequent more often to 21 degrees and this in effect causes an airflow from a lower temp to a higher temp? the alternative strategy u refer to is having the whole downstairs on one stat?..and likewise upstairs and hope the house is so well insulated that it retains the heat well?

Hi. I will be putting UFH downstairs and upstairs in new house. Just wondering 1. Is UFH downstairs generally one zone..what I’m asking is will there be one stat downstairs ... if so how can u guarantee a constant temp between the kitchen abs back bedroom for instance . 2. What parts of floor do you not put UFH under?... under kitchen island?.. kitchen cabinets?, bathroom /walk in shower?. thanks

Hi. I have read a few threads on the wrapping of the precast slab sitting on the inner leaf .A lot of the time it refers to hollowcore.. I will be using wideslab slabs and as a self builder , I am looking for input on the detail. I believe the wide slab doesn’t have the same air issues as HC... generally I have been told that builders in my area bed the slab in mortar and don’t use membrane. For me it seems, bedding the slabs, then taping the underside of slab to external wall and airtight painting the extent of the wall down to just below the suspended ceiling might be the plan?. Upstairs , probably tape joint as well although I will be pouring a screed . I presume u cannot bed and use membrane at the same time, logistically it would not work with the slabs on-site? Thanks

I agree .. I am meeting him later this week but want to figure out some options in advance ...why would it be strange to put a full length ridge beam above the wall? I’m suggesting bringing the wall up to within 150mm of the ridge, fixing a timber beam onto the wall to take fixings from the 9 x 2 rafters that sit on it. Wouldn’t the roof load be spread across all of the upper floor . The ceiling joists of room would need to be fixed to the block wall either side though..unless the odd ope is left in the blockwoek?

I’m not with you?..

Conor, see below plan. The purple arrows point to block walls which run from one gable to the other. This wall is sitting on wideslab precast flooring. Could I bring the block wall all the way up to the level of the ridge beam and then fix a wall plate to the block wall. This would only be another 700mm extra in height. This would mean it would be supported all the way across the house. I could use lightweight block also if the loading was too much?. This wall (gable to gable) is also buttressed by other walls.. cheers

Thanks Conor... the reason I went 2.4m was that I thought it might need to be braced as low down as possible. Can I ask, the ridge beam, it will bear on the block gables at the end.. my house is 12.5m in length., they will require supporting I presume 1/2 way..what did I support on .. 2nd, did your rafter need intermediate support from the ridge to the wall plate...5.23m is my longest distance from the ridge to the wall plate . Thanks . I appreciate the response.

Hi. I would appreciate any input. I am fretting about the build ability of my roof. It is a straight v roof but because it is room in roof, there are large spans.. I will talk to an engineer but am just trying to get an idea.. will I definitely need I beams running the length of the house to support the roof? thanks

Hi. I am pouring a concrete sub floor next week. The internal rising walls are left down 125mm internally to ease radon installation. engineer has given me 2 options ... 1. Don’t get the blocklayer back to lay a block on the radon before pouring, therefore pouring the floor straight over the internal walls.. blocklayer will then blocklayer house from this floor up. Blocks below floor are on flat and above subfloor will be on edge so blocklayer has a few mm to play with when setting out the blocks after pouring. 2. Get blocklayer back to lay a course before sub floor pour. This means continuous blocks from footing to hollowcore footing . I presume option one will mean that a partial amount of wall load and hollowcore load will be transferred to the floor. thanks

Are they labelled ‘for steel cutting’ etc...

Hi. Can you suggest a general good cutting disc for my mini grinder. A bit confused by the types. I will be cutting light steel, like mesh , drainage pipes pvc etc.. I have the disc shown... it says stone on it... am I correct in saying that is a general one? i know a diamonds needed for concrete etc. thanks

Hi. I am building an airtight house with masonry. There will be hollowcore slab which will have membrane at the external wall for sealing . My question is relating to the air transfer between ground and first floor. My intention is to have a suspended ceiling off the hollowcore, 150mm hollowcore and a structural screed. Does the screed act as an airtight barrier between ground and first . I ask because I will have underfloor downstairs but havent decided if we are going with any heating upstairs ... so one floor may be 21 degree and the other 18? thanks