BotusBuild

M - we all have those "wood for the trees" moments (pun intended!!) ? Hope it works

... and so, in mid July, we had just a few things to do before we could pour concrete. <CUT, CUT, CUT> That's wrong again, you forgot the three spur walls and you've order some wrong parts. Go again, from the top ... and so, in mid July, we had an unknown quantity of things to do before we could pour concrete ? But before all of that happened, as a family we were all brought together for one of the inevitable things about life - every one must some day some to an end, this time it was my Mother-in-Law, a real matriarch, in the best way. After having gone through several operations and rounds of chemotherapy, her cancer got to the brain, and all other plans went on hold. We were able to get back to site shortly after she passed away in late August to continue. She did get to visit the site, and was so pleased with where we going to be living. So, first on the list was the starter bars for the retaining walls with this amazing double row being installed by my erstwhile wife and with all those complete, it was onto the underfloor heating loops and then the bolts that will locate a couple of steel columns Now, the eagle eyed amongst you will recognise those as M16 bolts (well done to all the bolt nerds), and when a steel fabricator came along, having seen the plans, he fortunately pointed out that they should be M20 bolts. So, if anyone is in need of some 300mm M16 bolts and fittings, tap me up for a deal ? And, so we thought we were ready for a bunch of concrete, until we visited our friendly ICF supplier to talk about the walls and realised I had omitted the shoring for three extra pieces of wall that needed to be tied to the main slab. So after a stupidly self-imposed extra delay, we managed to get everything in place to have some jolly super chaps (Tom, Phil and Ross) to bring along a concrete pump and other wonderful paraphernalia to pour, tamp and float our insulated slab foundation. . We can almost smell the completion of the house ? ? ? ?

actually, make it easier to fix by attaching them to the side of the rafters like this

How about add pieces of wood below the rafters on the North side, the bottom of which come to the same level as the noggins on the E & W sides - see edited drawing.

Thanks. Did it have to be applied by "certified" installers in order to provide any guarantees for building warranty purposes?

What waterproofing was done on the basement walls?

A very late thank you for this - it worked a treat on ours too

I've got a tin mine then ?

@SteamyTea, not sure on the Regs related to this, but as I am building a partial basement, waterproofing is a definite requirement and from what I have read waterbars seem to be a necessary part of that waterproofing (Type B). I will now be fitting one (now I have read my plans again) and so a BBA approved product is the order of the day.

I have now found one short sentence on one drawing that mentions a waterbar to be fitted. Any other recommendations apart from Happy Vally's Triton waterbar. I found this - https://www.sikawaterproofing.co.uk/products-systems/sikaswell/ Anyone used it?

Just had a steel fabrication quote for 3.6 tons of I-beam and column (albeit with some awkward joint angle) for £21,500+VAT. Glad I was sitting down when I read it. Needles to say awaiting other quotes for the work with trepidation and hoping the price of steel is on the way down, in which case I have the time to wait.

We are building with an insulated raft foundation and ICF and I have seen mention of these in various topics, and have scoured my architect and SE drawings and notes for mention of these on our build. I have investigated what they are, and what they do, but its still not obvious as to whether they are needed on not. Awaiting the inevitable differences of opinion with interest ?

Jackon - their Atlas system As used here

I bought a 2-stroke McCulloch a few years ago - brush cutter and strimmer heads supplied as part of the same attachment set. Last year I purchased a chain saw attachment set, and they used to do a hedge trimmer attachment which I was going to buy this year but they have discontinued them ? I would recommend the McCulloch system

That'll do it. As long as this happens your side of the water meter you will be OK ?

You've beaten us to having walls and a roof, albeit on a workshop ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GL-iNet-GL-MT300N-V2-Converter-Pre-installed-Performance/dp/B073TSK26W Recommended by a fellow IT security expert - very useful if you are travelling as well and want to VPN from a public wifi hotspot e.g. local coffee shop or a hotel room

Elapsed time - far too long due to Covid-19 ? We had a local groundworker in who:- Stripped off the topsoil (to be put back at the end) dug the very large hole in which the foundation are now located dug more holes to fit the sewage treatment plant (STP), inspection chambers and drainage pipes (incoming and outgoing from STP) laid and graded the stonework and blinding sand All in all that probably took about 6-8 weeks, over a period of 12 months, but that was because I want to be involved and was restricted in travelling like everyone else. So, yes, I did lay drainage pipes, install the STP and the under foundation Radon sumps - I just didn't do "heavy machinery" stuff. The laying of the foundation insulation (Jackon Atlas) took my wife and I the four days noted in the pictures in the blog entry. Since then we have spent another 3-4 weeks installing the Radon barrier/DPM, and the reinforcing steelwork. We have to install the UFH pipes next, then we will contract someone to provide and pour the concrete. We are currently delayed due to non-Covid issues, but hope to be concrete complete by the end of September.

See the pics (Day1: to Day 4:) in the blog of our build in Cornwall. Wife and I did this with half a day assistance on Day 1 from one of the tech team on site. It's straightforward once you get going

You won't need a more powerful pump because you are splitting that long loop. As Russell has said, just the extra port/s on the manifold and the extra actuators. The extra money will save a lot of time and frustration later. You might get away with a 135m loop length, but go for the 3 shorter loops where you need 270m of pipe.

OK, you've asked questions which have been answered. The advice is clear. It's up to you whether you accept it or not. Good luck

Assuming that all these loops are on the same manifold, then you have to run them all at the same flow temperature, so changing spacing from 150 to 200 for one loop is making life potentially a little more complex. Do you have a problem with splitting the [original length] 270m loop into 2 or 3 loops? If not, go ahead and do that and stick with your 150mm spacing.

1 set is at 200mm ctrs, the other at 400 ctrs. Currently looking to use Nudura for the walls Congrats on your progress

I know - this thing will hold up a block of flats ? My SE has also spec'd two rows of starter bars (wait until the next blog entry), one from the bottom layer, one from the top. Appreciate how you kept yours upright ? Will be plagiarizing ? (or is that learning?)

Started with the twist tool, but it broke, so I put a tent peg in my cordless drill and it is so much better (set to slow speed with the variable trigger speed as well)