jamiehamy

Hmm, surely you just need to pop in some dowels into a slightly oversize hole? Resin fastening rebar is not only time consuming but is not offering anything here - apart from costing a lot. Still baffled as to why they didn't just finish the wall before pouring but you are where you are. That piece of half cast rebar annoys me - what poor workmanship - it's essentially a lintel that has being cast in two parts. I would absolutely put a fresh length over that on a concrete chair or something and cast it anew. As for resin fastening rebar - its your money but if that's what the S. E demands, fair enough but if not, dowels are what should be needed if you want peace of mind. The cement in the concrete will embed it and do the job as it would in any other area - resin not required.

Don't labour l what I think is a sore point! ;-)

Ah well - moving on swiftly! I went with a mix on application method rather than glass capsules. You need a special applicator gun - standard one won't do I'm afraid. I've not done it yet, it's on my endless list of tasks! http://www.screwfix.com/p/fischer-fis-vt-vt-vinylester-chemical-mortar-resin-380ml/14364 http://www.screwfix.com/p/rawlplug-rawlplug-resin-gun/30939

I'm using Fisher FIS VT to embed threaded rods into the Icf core for a steel beam - not sure if it's also suitable for rebar. It can be applied in wet conditions which might prove useful. In terms of the need to tie in pours (and lack of Durisol guidance) , I wasn't aware this was a general requirement unless a retaining wall in which case rebar will already be cast in? Is it a retaining wall or an S. E requirement to do this?

Hi folks, For our curved wall sections, many people here and that have visited have commented on the lovely grain pattern on the ply I used for the curved wall. I don't want to varnish but willing to do a lacquered paint finish if the grain will show through - any recommendations on a lacquer? Not really sure what I doing be buying or best way to apply? I saw a staircase at a show where it was lacquered blur with the grain showing and it was lovely.

For the avoidance of any doubt - 'Wow! actually?' ;-)

Lol - sorry, I must have clicked the wrong quote button! Was meant to the actual picture! Doh!

Happy BPC customer here.

Wow! Actually?!

Looking great, well done!

I was already in way back from Screwfix! I'm probably going a bit slow this morning but how do I make this joint solvent weld? @Nickfromwales

I took the whole thing out and replaced it - last chance pretty much. We will always be able to access most underfloor areas but it's not straightforward. Unfortunately I thnk the other one that is currently inaccessible is the same - no idea what's gone wrong - I did a couple of testers before doing them properly - this was about 18months ago before the slab was poured. Maybe I was a bit frugal with the solvent. Grr... The last one is going to be a ballache however if I have to go under the floor, I'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and do the pipework to have the main bath and shower at floor level... I quite like having it raised but does make bath access a bit tricky. I'll see what the water level is like tmrw night and make a decision. The remade join is holding nicely as per pic.

Down the soil pipes...! Filled it right up to nearly floor level and the water had to come out one of the three tank sections - found it after leaving it overnight, got under and could see it. Def the solvent connection.

Getting ready for the final soil test at some point and couldn't get any pressure to hold. I filled the system and put coloured dye down - and identified the issue - see pic. I know now ( @Nickfromwales) these fittings are not ideal and I may remove the whole stack and fit a proper boss fitting, however I'm wondering why the join failed? Not enough solvent, disturbed too early, or are the grey and brown fittings not compatible? They are both pvc ? The other accessible one was the same hence my concern before replacing like for like. I've checked all the remaining solvent weld joins which thankfully are above ground and no issue - but they are all grey or grey or white on white. Any thoughts? Thank you.

I've said this before and will repeat - that type of statement is nonsense. Utter nonsense.

Yes, but most did feel pretty well made. He was maybe being over cautious. I got quite a few different items as samples - the led wall light that had three settings was good quality - touch switches less so.

Yup

That's my issue with this whole idea that we save the planet by changing from buying 1.3m new petrol cars a year in the UK to buying 1.3m electric ones. Of course it helps in one respect assuming generation from fossil fuel stops. But Until we address our greed for goods and treating even high value items like cars as disposable, we are not taking the issue seriously enough. As much as I like old cars I do feel that running them until they are truly dead is better than trading in after 3 years and scrapping after 10. My cars have 188k,193k and 234k. I feel no guilt that they are theoretically worse for the planet. Too much corporate opportunism in 'saving the planet' for my liking. Thi k about it - if manufacturers can sell over a million cars a year basically replacing like for like, imagine the bonanza they are in for to when electric really takes off!

Fwiw, BPC initially specced two MhRV units but we ended up going for a single Hi Flo unit. Aside from cost saving, this was significantly easier to install - I dread to think what sort of space wasting spaghetti junction might have been required otherwise!

Mine were made in Norway and Lithuania according to the stickers. Faulty lacquer, wrong colour, wrong spacer bars, warped frame, burst spacer bars and incorrectly fixed glass. Don't for a minute think it's just a UK thing...

Ah yes - something I hope never to have to do again! 60year old concrete with copious amounts of rebar!

Hire a core cutter and you'll have it done in a day. If you can do it from the outside the have an assistant pour water on it to make it much more pleasant. If no rebar then around 15-30mins each? I'll dig out some pics for you - we had to do 5 through heavily reinforced concrete, one wall being 500mm thick... Goggles and ear defenders an absolute must.

And Sips is so different to traditional timber framed how in his mind? The method is different but underneath its pretty much the same as traditional timber frame surely? Osb, insulation and timber studs! One of these 'three bags full' moments?! Hope you weren't counting on stone sills!

Pic of a trial fit. Before you say anything - the inset on wall to be remade to centre on bath! You can see my awkward soil pop-up on left - with AAV this is too high so will be building that bit out to level on basin - no hardship as provides place for Bath smellies etc...

I did consider this and I could have done it in theory but would have been very tricky as I have basin, shower and washing machine all terminating in the one soil pipe - which isn't quite I'm the right place - I don't think I could manage it neatly, and would still require/want the shower area raised. If I put the bath on floor I couldn't fit the floor mounted tap or uplights... Next by time... Lol