BotusBuild

I'd welcome input on the LoopCAD designs I've done. This first one is the Lower Ground - 3 bedrooms (to the left) with a bathroom (blue loop), ensuite bathroom at the top right, hallway/stairs where the yellow loop is, and a large other room with the two loops on the right. Where the manifold is, is the plant room. I've used 200mm ctrs guide for most rooms, 150mm for the two bathrooms. All the loops will be tied to the reinforcing mesh in the insulated foundation slab (U-value - 0.11, 250mm concrete) In the drawing below is the upper floor, which will likely be laid in spreader plates between floor joists, all loops 200mm centres.

Piers, I changed from an Architect, who couldn't start with us for 6 months, to an Architectural Engineer (I suspect same as a techologist/technician). He has been helpful and is certainly more attuned to the "how". One thing to note - I paid to get hold of the editable drawings from the Architect to give to the Engineer. A waste of money in retrospect - the Engineer could probably have re-drawn to his satisfaction and I wouldn't now have drawings with "bits" and dimensions that I need to keep asking about that the Engineer then says are from the Architects drawing ? HTH

... and an intriguing rusty corrugated roof. Is it marked on the title deeds as "here be dragons"? ? Good clearing. I recall we found about 5m "extra" around our plot edges when we cleared the undergrowth (and overgrowth!!)

An alternative might be a nut and washer either side of the plywood to hold the bolt vertical?

The simple question is how to hold the four bolts in place while the concrete is poured? I'm guessing someone has had to deal with something like this before, so be interested in seeing your solutions. Wax paper cones and polystyrene cones are two things I have found in my searches Here is the proposed connection - a steel column that will sit on a 250mm insulated raft that will have two layers of A393 mesh reinforcement. The column is sited flush with an edge of the raft.

On my SE's drawings are a series of dowel bars connecting 3 smaller slabs that are outside the envelope of the house to the main house slab (insulated). Has anyone had to install such dowels in their build? I would appreciate a chat so that I can understand how they work, and hence the best way to install them. (I am building myself and not having contractors wherever possible)

First fit of door? Do it off the hinges Second and subsequent time? slide a dust sheet underneath and just get on with it

My Architectural Engineer and Structural Engineer have both only supplied PDF drawings, and have stated they will not provide editable (.DWG) files that I can use to extract measurements from in order advise suppliers. The former claims it would invalidate his insurance. Should I be relying on the figure in the PDF's? Am I making an unusual request? Has anyone else been able to get such files from their professions? Is my eye for detail not suited to the building trade and should I be relying on measurements taken on the ground (which I can understand when it comes to ordering things that go in holes like windows and doors, but they're not on (or in ) the ground ? )?

Agreed Jack. Just pointing out the wonders of acronyms and the different names we have to put up with deciphering ? (and I thought the IT industry was bad!!)

Ali, The Radon/DPM (Damp Proof Membrane) shown in blue on your diagram is, I believe, the DPC (Damp Proof Course) you referred to in your original post

Looking good Adam. As I will be building a part basement lower ground floor, likely using Nudura, I would love to learn more about the waterproofing system/s that you used.

I sincerely wish you the best of luck. Maybe I have just been unfortunate, but after 2 units and 3 receivers, and having someone else test them as well I cannot bring myself to try and get it resolved.

Finally got so brassed off with Huepar that the whole frigging lot has been returned - absolute waste of my time. The support was absolutely lacking in actually doing anything. Going for something else - GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

A problem many of us have from time to time - too close to the action ?

Welcome and good luck - hope the muscle pain disappears soon ?

Welcome and good luck Adam

Thanks

The restrictions have made me think about more use of contractors if the delays get too much. We will be keeping this is review as time progresses - and the end of the fixed rate on the mortgage approaches ?

I thought - the more the merrier ? The plan is that the contents of the right hand meter box will end up in the garage

I left the site in November 2019 with the two trees felled, and we had decided that the design and approved planning application were not quote to our liking, so we took the decision to put in a variation of condition which went in for consideration in December 2019?. Little did we know what this would mean to progress; as we are building very much at the DIY end of the self build spectrum, and not living close to site, by the time we had the go-ahead we were in Lockdown 1.0 and unable to get to site until July 2020. But before that, I'd already started the applications to install water and electricity, so in the first few months of 2020, I had lined up the water installation and had most of the things in place for the electricity connection. The water was due to go in at the end of March, and as you can expect, this was postponed. However, by keeping in touch with my local ground worker, the two neighbours and hte water and electricity folks, we were able to get things lined up to get both connected in the same week in July. Also, our local ground worker convinced us to push an access straight from the lane down to where we were building - I recommend listening to the experienced ? As well as getting things in place for our return to site, we took the opportunity to source a caravan that we could put onsite in order to make it easier to be able to travel straight to site and not have to rely on being able to use the local TravelLodge - little did we know how useful that was going to be. So, in June and early July a couple of short preparatory trips moving the caravan to site and setting up, connecting the water standing pipe, installing meter boxes, then in July - October, we made several trips to clear and burn vegetation, feed and water the water and electricity teams, have meals with our "to be" neighbours, take delivery of a septic tank dig a lot of holes lay drainage pipes fit a septic tank fill holes with stone fill holes with spoil and finally start digging a very large foundation hole for the insulated raft foundation 20201012_094541.mp4 And then we hit Lockdown 2.0 - another month of enforced "stay away from site", then in early December, I returned for two short visits to finish off concreting in the drainage pipes that will end up feeding through the insulated raft. And so we find ourselves in Lockdown 3.0 during which we are sorting out re-mortgaging to a lower fixed interest rate, which we always knew we would do, but we had hoped to be a lot further along ? choosing insulated raft supplier determining steel re-inforcement requirements and, due to delays, considering moving slightly along the self build spectrum towards more use of subcontractors ? And so as I write this with the Calcutta Cup on in the background wondering how long it will be before the travel restrictions are lifted, but planning for a late March trip West.

So, Huepar support have been great at answering emails and making suggestions about my problem receiver, but they have been absolutely SH1TE after they offered to swap the unit. I have heard absolutely nothing since that offer was made despite several chasing emails (all polite!!) So, moving on, I am looking to find out if anyone knows of and can recommend a different receiver that will work with the Huepar 603CG laser level

As a sailor, that is very apt

More like a Merlot

SWMBO would like the latest sink taps included in the plans - anyone know where these can be sourced?

Anyone done it? What did you use? FYI - I'm DIY'ing as much of the build as possible to minimize costs I will be needing 10's of L shaped pieces of rebar (all about 2m long) as part of the build. I figure there must be a straight forward method of making 90 degree bends and have come up with: 1. hydraulic benders (expensive bits of kit) 2. manual benders (two arms hinged together that you bolt to a large piece of wood) 3. As above but also calls itself a pipe bender (so I am a bit dubious) 4. A bar with 3 prongs at the end (a hickey bar I think its called) - vary in price from £30 upwards 5. One of these (this one up to 14mm rebar) for about £70-80 Then I saw this Youtube video (skip first 15s) - brilliant. Now searching for a "forged eybolt"