BotusBuild

In need of a sanity check/advice please ... Previously I have seen 150mm as the diameter for inlet and exhaust pipes for an MVHR unit. I haven't yet got a final design or spec for the system we will install, but want to leave some suitable holes in the ICF wall when it is poured. My thinking is to leave a pair of 200mm diameter holes to be on the safe side as I can't imagine needing anything bigger. Brief build info if it helps - the finished floor area will be approx 260 sq m, 3 bed, 2 bathroom, open plan kitchen/dining/lounge, entrance hall, hall and stairs, Workroom, Store room

I used 100/110mm blue twinwall for the water, and 50mm black for electric and comms (2 separate ducts). I bought it as a coil, but what you have linked to will work as well. Your groundworker, if you are using one, should be able to advise 🙂 TIP: If you buy it with draw string in, make sure not to pull it out. I used the tin stuff that was in ours to pull through some stronger blue pull chords. Tie them off securely and label well and clearly until it is time to feed things through

Paul, [the following is neither advice, or legal guidance 🙂 ] I am self-building, quite literally. I consider myself to be the domestic client (although that could be SWMBO), and the principal contractor. I therefore know where problems may occur for pretty much everything I am doing myself and I don't do RA's fro each little job, and neither have I notified HSE. Three items so far I have not done myself - groundworks, erecting steel and pouring concrete. In each case I have met with the people carrying out the work, before they start, shown them the site, what I consider to be the "danger" areas and risks, and then asked them to confirm if they are comfortable with accepting responsibility for themselves and anyone/anything they bring onsite to perform their work. In each case they have, and I consider myself to be covered. I have experience only one accident on site requiring medical intervention - a gash to a leg from re-inforcing mesh. Others will be along shortly to tell me I've got it all wrong 🙂

= reciprocating saw? I presume you mean something like THIS, or a power tool equivalent?

That sir, is very neat 👍

We'll be creating stud walls soon. All the timber is 38mm thick of various widths and lengths. What diameter and length of nails should I be using as a minimum? Going to be hiring a first fix framing nailgun and the hire company has available: 1. 2.9x50mm 2. 2.9x65 3. 3.1x60 4. 3.1x76 5. 3.1x90 I think I probably need option 4 or 5, unless someone can advise otherwise.

As soon as SWMBO decides where the sockets are going, we can arrange something 😉. No holding of breath, please.

Been mentioned by my friendly local electrician, and so I will need to check whether putting standard in conduit is an option

I certainly am using ICF - Nudura, and received delivery of next floor kit before it went up 15%. Not sure exactly when it will be going in place. But I am happy and wiling to provide a film set when I want channels cutting in EPS for my low smoke cabling and water pipes 🙂

This will save me hours !!!!

Feeling both silly and satisfied at the same time right now. I read the (bleep) manual before starting, setup the two levers on the drill and set to drilling 26 - 30 holes in concrete. 14 holes in, over two days, and a lot of aching joints and muscles last week, I started up again this morning before the rain comes. 2 more hours done and I think that lever is showing a drill, not a hammer. Flick. OMFG. 10 minutes later, 2 holes done. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. The rain is now arrived, so waiting until tomorrow so as not to mix water and electricity. But now looking forward to the job 🙂🙂

m-2 is "per metre square", not per metre of depth? If I'm right, then the 9% improvement is irrelevant of how thick the slabs are

which is CLS timber 🙂 and what I intend to do (the metal sidetrack is curiosity only). SE doesn't specifiy whether treated or not, hence the OP Untreated is my preference purely from a cost perspective, and it seems logical to me (but never let logic get in the way of a good building reg!!)

Plus 1 MF out performs timber I should have said, this studwork will be supporting the upper floor. Is the metal/MF robust enough for this (I am basing my query on the flimsy partition stuff I have seen in office refurbishments over the years which wouldn't support floors)

CLS untreated? CLS Vac treated? CLS Tanalised? Something else?