scottishjohn

so to be fair all you grp issues were due to your inexperience of its use grp is the way to go ,if its really hot use less hardener . don,t do it when its frosty wait for a dry day .do not fit new sheeting your going to cover with grp weeks before ,as it will get wet and that will cause adhesion problems ,or rot of boards if you seal it in If you must then it needs to be covered until your GRP day don,t try to do it when its very cold --and damp most professional roofers will not grp a roof unless its new boarding as well ,because of above problems always under harden if anything --but try to be accurate with mix and mix it up very well .lumps in mix is hardener not mixed in and you have a hardener rich bit ,so it goes off quicker in that bit--do more smaller mixs than one BIG mix ,untill you got the hang of how far it will go and how quick you can use it up after your first mix you will see how long it is before it starts to go off . if gel time is too long then make next one slightly more hardener ,and i mean slightly 1% is normal mix ,1.5% -2% is a quick setting mix for very very cold day on a stinking hot day 0.5%--it iwl ljust effect gel time -- it will still harden completly with 0.5%well mixed up seeing your resin bucket smoking,because too much hardener is not funny or good use of resin lean on the roller --should be see through if you have done it enough ,and if surface is wet with resin -you used a bit much --but not a problem + if you laying 2 layers don,t put as much on second time and roll it hard for see though finish I have used a special grp that is uv activated and will go off in any conditions ,but its expensive and only really for emergency roof repairs in winter . it has a shelf life of 30 days and once you open it it will start going off in the daylight .

[deleted by mod] "And how one keeps the walls plumb is beyond me - they are lightweight and have in many cases no inherent stiffness" to say woodcrete has no stiffness just shows how little you know of it ,

LOL most will probably say that about any self build . but if money is the problem and you could do it with no mortgage and were strong in the back and weak in the head ,LOL then that could save alot and spread the coast out over time .I remember my dad built in a double walled brick garage that way around the old wooden one when i was a boy no ready mix in those days ,or even a mixer!!no money for that--so it just happened over a couple of years --it was 40ft by 20ft so me and brother were labours on a sunday morning and we had to make bigger founds outside the old one and built up nearly 2ft at one end

I have no definitive data but if you are using an insulated block 380mm or 440 mm in width that is going to take some wind force to blow it over,never going to happen at sensible dry block stacking heights even the thin one at 330mm --thats still over a foot wide

LOL. yes i,m sure i,m not an Isotex salesman ,although expect some discount ,if i ever get this plot.LOL I like your canadian IGLOOS -- I stand corrected they build hi -rise-- but they will still use lots of bracing , which is not used in Isotex or velox and durisol builds in europe ,australia ,russia . It would appear in far off places, woodcrete is more popular than poly --think its because the poorer people can build it a bit at a time ,mix the concrete by hand and fill the blocks I wonder if in uk it is cheaper to hand mix ? maybe not. seems the mix is not as critical for woodcrete and it drys out quicker cos the water content seeps into the woodcrete drying it out quicker and allowing concrete to firm up quicker and reduce the time the standing hydraulic pressure is a problem ,which is definitely the enemy of poly systems causing most blow outs I am guessing 30 years younger and if it was cheaper to hand mix and no need for expensive pump --I would be looking hard at doing it that way . home from work and do 2 or 3mixs in an evening,soon be done , hunt the net +u-tube ,its all there to see I agree with the wp concrete for basement --but if BC insist on tanking as well ? is that a bit of overkill ? they use external stick on tanking membranes on sips paneled basements in the states not that i like the idea of sips walled basement ,but it must be water proof

and he will be the first to say he built it too high , opinion and connjecture is all you have to support your argument 40 years +of use is what i will take as my proof it works. common sense ,something which you seem to ignoring ,would tell you that professional builders ,who are well used to the system would not be doing it without bracing if it was a very likely scenario .,and all over europe .where as every poly system maker take great pains to make you aware that bracing is mandatory ,what ever the weather it was durisol ,not isotex that fell down suffice it to say he had quality issues with his blocks as well , add excess height and odd size blocks ,theres the reason "unbraced unpoured icf can withstand? Its an important point and worth discussing". no, the makers have already worked all that out and state maximum recommended height at which you pour the wall.

that,s your choice ---been used for 40 years --so its obviously not a problem . what locks them in place --its called gravity and if it really worried you --then just use a bit of "thin joint mortar or low expansion foam on each one ? and if you really want belt and braces only go 5 rows and then fill --its never going to be a problem is it ? If we going to be silly a wayward teenager could set fire to your poly blocks ??,or one with an electric battery powered carving knife woodcrete does not burn ,so another advantage should your house catch fire

the span on that cottage would lend itself to SIPS roof ,then you would have high ceiling living space-- I am guessing the floor will need a new concrete one,time to go UFH ?,so by the time you done top and bottom -all you are not doing is the walls your 600m thick walls have same insulation value ,or less then than a 300mm insulated wood frame --so the new house would give more space internally on same foot print then cover it with stone facia --it will look the same you going to want to change windows at some point --so again -you can see why i,m suggesting you think hard before doing anything

first of all -the airtightness thing is something poly men say -easy sorted - you still have an exterior house wrap, if you are cladding on any type and an interior VCL on all if you really worried you can parge coat --very thin sand =cement to fill up surface - -but then maybe you want to render direct on to it or fit bricks slips to it .which you can maybe you want to hard plaster inside -which will be your air barrier ,and bury electrics in wall--i prefer idea of batons and service void and PB+skim transport cost --ask the supplier straight way you just saved £1800 ? of bracing costs , no need for water proof concrete durisol is not as dimensionally correct as isotex --and has more linking webs ,but still a good product you could, if you can buy cement and gravel mix cheaper than ready mixed, -do it a bit at a time ,and not use a pump at all --thats £500 a day? no one builds poly ICF systems up to 10 storeys as some of the woodcrete do . I,m not am isotex salesman -- ,just i have been studying all the dif systems now for a year while trying to get a plot and being an old fart I like the idea i can build it a bit at a time .. all i,m really saying is do some more homework -all the systems will work ,but whats suits me may not suit you . ?

check out isotex --no bracing needed --for uk you won,t need rebar ,except round window=door openings- you don,t have to use concrete flor if you don,t want--uk agent https://insulhubuk.com/

after tiling for me,less cuts on tiles and nice joints to woodwork and easy to use decorators mastic to fill minor gaps before painting skirting etc

welcome you have come to the right place a plan of property and building AND PICTURES will help you all sorts of good advice on ways you could proceed just to play devils advocate have you considered just flattening it and rebuilding ,as trying to make an old house up to modern stds is usually a lot more expensive than you first think and never as good because of compromises old house will cause try to cost it all out . i understand the money problems --but maybe a good think about final result could make you look more long term maybe you could build around old house and then flatten old one or if you have space in the plot -build new one then flatten old one? so you could do it yourself over time ? i suggest lots of thinking and plotting and planning , maybe a talk with planning /building control about what they will allow ,you will need to involve them anyway if you going to do what you suggest

or maybe price is so tight that its not viable to make more production facilities?. last time i saw this the excuse was that a kiln was down for a refit --and it cost too much for the return on costs to refurbish it which is far more probable. If there was profit to be made --then a new plant would be built we are still in a depressed world economy and investments by big companies are tight

my best mate --who i only meet about 10 years ago ,who is now 74 !!! started when he was 14 still plasters to keep fit,I tried it a few times under his expert eye -- and got shouted at a lot It became very apparent that the way you do it is the key to not only doing it well but protecting the body ,cos yes it is very hard on the body if your technique is not correct . so yes If you intending on doing a lot of plastering getting instruction from a master would be well worth it ,if you can find one If you got bad back and knees + joints--like me then ,good luck

I was going by what you were saying here If they not got the plans yet --it will be a miracle if you get full PP in next month here it would be 3 months MINIMUM after they got the plans !!

planning in most places will require tanking for a basement --so check that out trying to sort a damp basement later will cost many times more a basement is somewhere to use as the utility area -so freeing up living space --maybe that could cut down footprint and save money ? not something I would not skimp on at this stage skimping on getting out of ground is not a good idea --everything sits on that post the plan up would help for people to give ideas, but if they already submitted you cannot change them easily if plans is already submitted --then any changes will cost you money --so get them all at one time. once plan is passed any changes will cause you headaches + money to alter

remember what your wood work teacher told .LOL measure 3 times ,mark twice ,cut once

no need to aplogize in any way -- its all your choices-its your build and your money I have already been chided for a harsh response getting the plan correct before you start cannot be over stressed ,as getting things wrong now will cost you double later

i,M afraid you are not listening to the advice you are being given from many sources you started off by saying "first self build " well if you not going to listen why ask for help? "fabric first " is always the way to get a good build retro fitting some things is very expensive --so do it at design stage post up your plans and then wait for comments and suggestions is the best "free advice "your going to get . If it is purely money --then don't start yet -save up some more .plot is not going anywhere biggest mistake you will make . do some more resreach --please !!

bearing in mind the grass that is sown with is required to grow high and not thick --unless you rip it up it will always be just a field you could under sow it with another type of seed ? maybe the farmer is the one to ask --

a no brainer -- when you want to put an extension on you might have to ask his permission possibly ,have you got a copy of the agreement and have you read it - just buy it

when i was looking at icf not one of the suppliers had any problem with supply only ,most actually promised to give on site training and be there for first pour. just keep looking around at different systems and study all the videos for a few weeks, you will see the differences between the systems the strengths and weaknesses have you got a design +plans ? planning permission? and services all sorted out ? quote for the foundations ? insulated slab ? strip founds ? do all that first before getting too wound up in what system once you have then then its time to send those plans of to the suppliers an wait for the quotes . If you want help post your plans on here and some of the "gurus" will pass constructive comments with suggestions

please note what @nodsays if you start getting contracts in you have not a hope in hell for doing it for that price- if you can i,ll employ them .LOL we are all just preparing you for the realities we all thought we could do it for next to nothing at the planning stage . not having a go at you in any way shape or form

including plot?

well they haven,t -and in some ways they are correct and others they are wrong what the market will pay is always the proof of what something is worth I know someone who just sold a 1971 landrover ,a petrol one for £5500-- ok chassis is good etc ----market has gone mad with somethings . i wouldn,t give you £500 for an old landrover --terrible to drive ,unreliable , and terrible mpg +pollution . everyone to their own