Grosey

Correct, UFH will be installed away from all soleplate areas. This is a block and beam 1st floor, are you suggesting the DPC as you are assuming this is ground floor, or because I need to protect the soleplate from the moisture leaving the screed? When I say gripfill I basically mean some form of glue, haven't got any further in to specifics yet? Looks like general concensus is 7+ days of screed drying before I place any sort of mechanical fixing in to it? And the longer time the better?

Hi, everything I can find online in relation to screed drying times is regarding when the final floor finish can be laid. I want want to know how soon after a screed is laid (both liquid flowing and sand/cement) can I start to build up my studwork, particularly fixing sole plates using a gripill & thunderbolts?

Got myself a roof!

Day 1 of roofing, took best part of the day to actually get the trusses on site. But at least it's a start! Roger in place as always to offer a reference of scale ???

Foulkes Jackson Fewings in Launceston did mine. http://www.foulkesjacksonfewings.co.uk/ Michael Foulkes who set up the company and then sold it is still in business as a sole trader and may be a less expensive option? He's in Looe. http://www.michaelfoulkesstructengineering.com/

The balcony side I plan to insulate from underneath, internally there will be 75mm celotex then 75mm screed. If I wanted to insulate the balcony and have a warm roof I think I could only fit 25mm celotex due to the type of doors I'm having. Underneath is garage/workshop officially but at some point I plan to convert this to habitable rooms.

Hi Mr P, thanks for your comments Cavity closers will be added next week, and the cavity around the front of the balcony will also be closed. 100mm kerb (block laid flat) will be installed in the doorway and sliding doors installed on this. Not there yet as it would be a serious trip hazard! Looking at creating a fall towards the front of the balcony and then a gutter. Either with concrete screed over the whole balcony then Asphalt. Or some fibreglass companies are on about installing firrings then t&g chipboard to create the fall.

Someone did mention to be about bodge fixing a GoPro to the Syma drone I already have, which will massive upgrade the photo quality and hopefully give me a viewfinder too. Probably the compromise I'll go for.

Haha thanks, although my £30 syma isn't quite in the same league as yours (Phantom is it?). Although my little tacker has given me the bug and now I want a big boys toy! Trouble with mine is it has no live viewfinder, so I'm basically flying blind pointing it in a general direction hoping for good footage!

Just wondered if I could have peoples thoughts on a flat roof solution for my Balcony. Felt Mastic Asphalt Fibreglass Other? Finished floor will eventually be slabs or decking on top of the flat roof solution. Glass and stainless steel balustrading also to be added at a later date - another question is how I fix this to the deck without compromising/piercing the roofing system, but that may be best for another thread?

Finally up to wall plate this afternoon. Trusses coming on Wednesday! Attempted a little videography with a cheap Drone, had more fun filming the dog as you can tell ?

Yeah that would be great, we've only seen a sample and it's a big commitment to base on 6inches... ? Difficult to find many photos of the light oak installed anywhere online.

I'm planning to use Marley Cedral in light oak to mimic brand new red cedar, it's coming up to crunch time now so glad this topic popped up now offering alternatives. This is the look I'm after, will let you know what I choose in the end. A few few other options I haven't heard mentioned a great deal - Canexel - Hawthorn timber appear to be UK distribution, they do a variety of claddings. Got some samples, not that impressed. Trespa Pura - www.performance-panels.co.uk - got samples, very nice clean product, sort of immaculate finish.

No, it's not something I'd even thought about till I read this thread. My site is not particularly exposed... famous last words?

Just bought a 14ft x 7ft Hormann L Rib sectional insulated 42mm door in Anthracite including fitting, for £1750 ex VAT.

It is a soak away for a septic tank for the semi detached house you can see behind. Has been there for years as the plot had basically always been wasteland. Was made aware of it during the purchase but was not advised in any way that it would cause any sort of a problem. It will be approx 4-5m back from the rear wall of my property, and is 4-5m above my garage floor slab. Another retaining wall will be built at this rear garden level. As I said before, building control well aware as it's been exposed during all of their visits, nothing has been mentioned other than re-covering it properly in its current location. Attached photo shows the location a bit better, its underneath the membrane halfway up the bank, it'll be further exposed and pushed back to the right (on photo) even more. As as far as I was concerned a soak away is basically just draining water albeit polluted, it's been soaking directly downwards for years and not out through the front face that was dug out, so now that I've built a wall with copious amounts of tanking I perhaps naively assumed that it would not present an issue?

Building control haven't said anything about it being an issue where it is. We exposed a portion of it during excavations but that will all be dealt with and buried again in due time. So im guessing the short answer is no - you cannot flush your toilets with other people's rancid poo-water! Would anyone look to do anything with this free water supply or just channel it away appropriately?

If anyone has followed my blog you'll know that my house has a whacking great retaining wall. A land drain was put in to it and it hasn't stopped running with water since it was installed, during the recent rain it's absolutely gushing so I know it's working well! I was already considering rainwater harvesting but considering the land drain pipe is already running exactly through where my underground tank would be could I also incorporate this in to my grey water system for flushing toilets? Another point to consider is that this land drain is directly underneath a soak away for the septic tank of neighbours behind me - see picture of exposed soak away.

Just a few more updates, the monsoon on Monday has caused delays this week but luckily we had some contingency time built in here. Another week to get up to wall plate with the roof trusses arriving 5th December. Can't wait to see the trusses in place and finally get a look at the full size and shape of the place.

Agreed! Construction started with steel work going in the foundations 7 weeks ago.

Hi where abouts are you? Saltash here.

Block & beam 1st floor installed the past couple of days...

Fortunately that whole ground floor you are looking at is basement/garage. So hopefully my electric and plumbing routing issues around these beams won't be too significant.

A few people have said that, being my first build I perhaps don't know how good I've got it with my builders. They are a great bunch of blokes though and have a lot of pride in everything they do.

Yep.... meet Roger! A muddy building site is his new favourite place to be...