Mr Punter

Shame that last joist is not a glulam or LVL. Are you planning on plasterboard to run up to the underside of the glazing channel? I think with channel you will need a continuous sheet of ply as the fixing will probably only just get the bottom edge of the top chord. You could look at the stand-off type fixings instead of the channel. Are you going without handrail? Although it looks sleek it is not comfortable, although it will mean that it does not get approached or leaned against much.

Aluminium is often powder coated and is very difficult to re-coat. I did enquire a few years ago when we were looking at an office to convert to resi. The place had a lot of blue powder coated windows and we were able to get a quote to have the colour changed, so it is possible but quite expensive.

I use the Screwfix fire rated stuff for all my foaming needs. For no expansion, do you need Gripfil type stuff?

Never heard of it. Is there a downside other than cost?

I suggested Celotex as dormer cheeks are often a lighter weight construction than the main walls - maybe 89mm - so sometimes the extra insulation can help prevent a cold spot. If you are planning on the render being continuous from blockwork to render board then you could look at stainless eml over the render board with a big lap onto the blocks or an expansion gap bead between the 2 materials. Another option may be to tile hang or lead clad this bit but it may look a bit crap.

Our local recycling centre charges £4 a bag for soil and hardcore and £4 for plasterboard maximum 1800 x 900. Apparently there has been a huge increase in flytipping since they introduced this.

I really hate it when trades decide to dump some of their own crap in my skips. Or the ones that just launch whatever rubbish they have, filling the skip with empty cardboard etc or every day, carrier bag with empty plastic bottles with lid replaced, sandwich wrapper and newspaper. On my last project I made sure all cardboard was flattened and stored in the dry. We had a firm come to collect it. We also had a local wood recycling firm collect timber, pallets etc. Still had to pay but half the cost and at least it is being put to good use. Plasterboard went to a separate skip.

From outside render, renderboard, 38 x 50 counterbatten fixed with long screws through, membrane, Celotex - thickness to suit, existing timber frame.

Do a test area - like a WC or just a corner. Unless the concrete is dusty or polished there should be no need to scabble. Maybe try a different self level compound and / or primer / PVA.

Looks like a super location. What style of house are you building? Any chance of you doing a blog?

It may be that it is outside of building regs but there is still a requirement that it is structurally sound, particularly if it poses a risk to people or property. That is a very large wall. I think you should ask a structural engineer to take a look and report back to you with the cause of failure and the most economical remedy. Perhaps your buildings insurance will cover repair or rebuild costs. Check the policy wording carefully.

Hilti gun. Maybe a bit of car body filler needed around New Year.

Should you run a course of brickwork around for the bitumen to dress up, or does this upstand get done in timber? Make sure the detail is OKed by SIG. I used adjustable pedestals from Castle Composites but the minimum height is 30mm. They also do fixed height ones down to 10mm.

It took me 4 months to resolve a small discrepancy involving a couple of strips of land that needed to be transferred between me and a limited company owned by me.

You will not damage a wall by excavating a driveway. Use a tracked excavator 6 tonne minimum with a pecker and a decent operator. You won't need to pecker near to the wall, just use the machine to lift those bits up. Let them know what you are doing and get it done in a day and mucked away.

Tiles with pedestals in each corner leaving space under for water to flow.

OK @Barney12 wins the Top Trump Sunamp tidiest install (I assume pipe insulation omitted for clarity) (sorry @JSHarris, runner up) and not a bulge in sight. Best slam dunk since the cat flap.

Is the 2753 kWh/annum the amount of energy it "loses"?

I have got a bog standard unvented cylinder and it is rated C. It does not give the annual figure, just says 85W. Does this mean 745kWh/annum?

I last used a firm call Ahmarra who manufacture doors and doorsets in Portsmouth They can do any size you like.

We have done similar where we had some steel framework from the ground up to the first floor floor zone. We packed the webs with timber - shot fired - and face fixed the joist hangers so they could be levelled with the other ends of the joists which were sitting on a soleplate on masonry.

I have done a town centre project where there was a risk of fire during construction (before plasterboarding) and this could have spread to neighbouring buildings. We had a risk assessment carried out and a solution engineered for compartmentalisation, which included Fermacell (the timber frame firms choice of board) to the flanks, part of the front and rear and some of the party walls, fire resistant flooring in the end units, 2 means of escape from the site. At one stage we were also going to have fire treated joists but this was proved not required. The Structural Timber Association have some guidelines to follow.

You can get oak stair nosing with a groove at the back but I don't know if it would fit with your floor.

Windows are a frequent issue and annoying as they are on the critical path for construction. Specification and window schedules, delivery, unloading and distribution around site, installation, weathertightness and correct operation can all go horribly wrong, especially where the windows are large and made overseas.

I imagine the fitters are not used to installing glazing units - probably almost always install factory glazed windows and doors.