BotusBuild

They are correct because slate tends to be more fragile than the "cement" tiles when it comes to cutting for the brackets to be fitted (don't let anyone fit by screwing through the tiles!!). A good installer will cut nice clean slots in the slates and use flashing to ensure the brackets sit as flush as possible and the tiles then remain flush to each other - difficult to explain without seeing good and poor examples

I looked at both EPS and woodcrete based alternatives. I went for Nudura in the end. Here is a link to the story of my first floor build done back in November by SWMBO and I after one day's onsite help from the local Nudura distributors. Would definitely use it again. Try to design and build to the dimensions of the materials if you can (to avoid cutting and hence wastage)

I think it all depends on which "professional" you speak to as to what they want. ?

We left you with a poured slab and we were chomping at the bit to get the ground floor Nudura walls up before the end of the year. Well, I am glad to report we got there - almost ? After getting the slab done, I figured I'd get ahead a bit and it would be a good idea to talk to someone about the waterproofing we would have to put on the outside the walls before we started backfilling. To cut a long story short using waterproof concrete in walls such as these is a complete non-starter, so Type-B waterproofing cannot be used. Visqueen's R400 Radon barrier is not an effective waterproofing method and so we now face having to use a Type A and a Type C waterproofing method - basically this will mean for us a waterproof screed being added to the floor with channel ducting where the walls meet the floor and the "egg-crate" plastic material across the screed and up the inside of the walls. That should eat into our contingency ? ? ? But also it meant a dash to get some waterproof slurry to paint round where the Nudura blocks would be laid the following morning and mixing and painting it on under floodlights (it's the dark grey stuff in the picture to the right). Oh what fun!! But, the following day we were up early to welcome out walls, the bracing and two fine chaps (Louie and Harry) from The Fell Partnership who would be helping us Day 1 to get the first row in place. We then scurried around unloading things off trailers and flat beds, and installing the waterbar between those pieces of upright rebar. By 10am we were ready to go. By about 2pm we had most of the first row in and part of the second row (see below). If it hadn't been for some non-standard corners in the design, we would probably have been at Row 3, but that's what you get for following a design religiously ✝️ (FYI - the T-corner is all to do with the design - don't ask yet) On the second day we were left to our own devices, I had to make a dash to collect some extra Nudura parts and some waterproofing equipment (due to the direction our waterproofing system now had to take) so we made a later start but still we were very pleased to get up to 4 rows installed. Day 3 we were ready to begin installing all the bracing system, and after hitting her head SWMBO was made to wear the Christmas present from her children. and on Day 4 it inevitably rained in Cornwall ? , but before our help arrived again we had managed to just squeeze a block on to Row 6 (the final row before the first pour of concrete) After the help on Day 4, we continued to finish things off on Day 5 by constructing part of an internal load bearing wall, and a wall with the only window opening at this level which will be for the family bathroom. FYI - the rest of that side of the house will consist mainly of windows into bedrooms plus some extra small sections of walling (to be determined) Where we were not able to complete things before the pour happened (time didn't allow) was where the internal wall meets the external wall and there are two doorways to construct (this is why I said we almost made it). I will have to do these in the New Year, mixing and pouring the concrete by hand (just under 1 cubic m) so that'll burn off the Christmas pudding ? A week later (during which we had some more high winds) I came back down to finalise a few bits (like lack of scaffold planks and bracing in some places) to be greeted by a snaky ? wall. so that was all straightened up, the rest of the bracing fitted, and the Nudura joist hangers inserted. (Between straightening and the pour we had Storm Barra, but my remedial work held up nicely) I won't bore you with pictures of hunky men doing manly stuff with concrete pumps etc. but suffice to say it all went very well, with no leaks or blow outs so "he who shall not be named from Channel 4" would have been very disappointed if he was allowed onsite. And so, last weekend (after a midweek pour in the remnants of Storm Barra) I was able to deconstruct the bracing and we are now the proud owners of some freestanding, high-wind-proof walls. Really happy at the attention to detail that Louie and Harry paid to ensuring the walls were straight and true before the pour began - right up my street. So now we have a tidyish site again (for a short while) ready for steels installation in the New Year. We have to finish off the internal wall, then waterproof and backfill outside, and install joists and flooring before we can continue with building the upper floor walls. We're hoping that by middle of next year we can start on those upper floor walls. So until 2022, and the inevitable next lockdown, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas ? and a Happy New Year ?

I'm recording everything (bar the initial land purchase - £190k), including the power tools I am having to replace along the way, or invest in to help me build the house. FYI - total cost so far is £82,000 - we have foundations in, and first floor concrete pour into Nudura tomorrow (yes I have checked with the concrete pouring company in relation to Storm Barra)

I saw something similar - the kid picked up mum's bottle of wine and took it away. Fair play to the mother - she smiled, paid and left.

That is quite an interesting topic, thanks again ? I made one of those to dry logs - works well. The heat output is fed into a box with the logs in. 1 year later - we have dry logs. A nice little experiment

Try this for size ... VAT Claim Form 431.xlsx

I used PlanPrinting24 (Hobs Reprographics) - very reasonable https://www.planprinting24.co.uk/

Building a semi-basement two storey house - 135m2 footprint RC slab. Similar build up as Bitpipe's. All insulted EPS will be either buried or covered with stone once complete. Unless you are building on contaminated ground (you shouldn't be!!!!!!!!) then I would think chemical attack should not concern you. With a raft foundation if anything moves, everything moves with it ?

Yes, just had a call with someone as it happens and it looks like I wil have to go A&C as well ?

i will be having waterproof concrete in Nudura wall, then for BCO and build warranty purposes will need the bitumen and "drainage board" system with a french drain at the base of the wall. (All overkill according to the man supplying the Nudura)

I am using Stroma, who seem to be nationwide. I'm paying about £8-900 for the service and at the end, as long as I have all the necessary certifications in place, they can arrange a building warranty as well (for an extra fee of course). So, far, my appointed inspector has been very accommodating, fair, and prepared to offer advice when asked.

I used a combination of tradepipes and Plastics Express

Have you checked the cavity (with your camera) of the bedroom behind that also shares the party wall to see if that part of the party wall is insulated? If it is, that may provide a clue. Where you know the party wall is not insulated, you have to assume that the room in the adjacent property is not heated. That could be were the heat is going. You might want to consider installing insulated plasterboard to that party wall. For example purposes only - > https://www.cutpriceinsulation.co.uk/products/ecotherm-eco-liner-2400mm-x-1200mm-x-25mm-12-5mm-insulated-plasterboard?variant=16705186955321&currency=GBP&utm_source=bingads&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pla&msclkid=43f17af32d6e1872f7c01b71830a6f65&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA | Cut Price Insulation&utm_term=4582764467987335&utm_content=All Items

Looks to be being blown in through a gap around the window frame, which would lead me to believe that is a fitting fault

I can't run any faster ?

Glad to say that the barrow has been fixed to fight another day - and I fixed the squeak ?

... out of the way of the telehandler ?

We have a serious amount of glazing to order at some point in the future (maybe next year) but until the openings they are going into are finished, I see no point taking the risk. It's very difficult to predict anything right now with regards to materials pricing. The glazing ? bank is being filled gradually as we speak. ?

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?