BotusBuild

This has been my thinking over the last few days. I have no need to take on debt to start our build, and I can foresee a situation that, unfortunately for them, work will start to dry up for the competent trades that I might require, and they are therefore more amenable to doing some work on single build plots

Please tell me it happened in slow motion because that is what I am seeing ?

Are there any error messages displayed on the inverter? The power cut may have caused a spike that made the inverter "trip out". Might just need a "reboot". Check the instruction manual

Got my 87.5 (less than 90) and 92.5 (more than 90) the wrong way round. I am wearing the dunces cap for the day But I see that my suggestion of using 45 degree bend has been adopted ?

Erm, if you have a 92.5 degree (more than a right angle) bend at the top "stuff" will surely collect in a small pool. Wouldn't you want all those bends in the marvellous drawing to be around 45 degrees each? Edit: Doh!! Put's on dunces cap and shuffles into the corner ?

Not exactly what you may be after, but https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/fuel-watch/ or go here and enter your postcode https://www.allstarcard.co.uk/tools/uk-fuel-prices/ (You don't need one of their cards)

I'm ready to get power to the build plot. My DNO is Western Power Distribution, and it looks like I am going to need the input of an electrician. Can anyone make a recommendation before I go on the search? Thanks

Is it possible to swap the garage door opening and the 860 length "wall" so the car enters on the other side from the three step?

It is great that this has been raised again in the media, but the big stick approaches espoused here don't work. One thing that we should keep in mind is the impact such measures would have on the poorer sections of society. It would be better to encourage (carrot approach) people to make changes by applying 0% VAT to energy saving measures such as retro-fitting of insulation, or reducing council tax for the year following an energy saving measure taking place (there could be different reductions for different measures). FYI - I have tried everything I can to better insulate my current 1980's house, but have reached the limit and doubt it would get to EPC level D!! Short of demolishing and rebuilding it that is.

That link currently results in a HTTP 404 error

Must be fakes, the S is backwards ?

Got this off fleabay. Will report back in late March after doing some 25mm MDPE work https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professional-8-PVC-Pipe-Cutter-3mm-to-42mm-Ratchet-Cuts-Vinyl-Plastic-Hose-Tube/223827612905?pageci=f753749a-dc5a-4866-98c8-bb9cc34f0495#vi__app-cvip-panel

Like this? https://www.screwfix.com/p/rothenberger-rocut-38-0-38mm-manual-plastic-pipe-shears/48561

I need to cut the blue MDPE (25mm) pipe ready for mains connections, and know that when I get round to putting down UFH pipe, that I'll also need a pipe cutter for this plastic pipe. Does anyone have any recommendations for one to buy - don't need top of the range but something that will last for a single house build Thanks all.

I wonder whether you're allowed to use that method in the UK? Can you combine two of the three defined types (A, B and C in NHBC design document) on the same side of the wall? I'm guessing so as I can't see anything in the NHBC guide to say you can't

Russell, If you put the inverter and a CU in the garage, then you can run just the one cable back to the CU in the house. Stuff you want power to in the garage can run off the CU in the garage

@Conor - re: the ground temp thing, this is exactly my understanding as well. thanks for clarifying that my thinking was not the self-build madness virus taking hold ? Yes, shall be avoiding waterproof concrete. Seems that unless the concrete manufacturer pours and guarantees the stuff themselves, and it's not left encapsulated in something (like it is in ICF), any warranties are relatively pointless.

OK I think that's got the vermin/oil issue addressed ? Thanks for all the feedback. What about the use of insulated raft in basement situations? Anyone care to comment?

My build method choice is ICF walls on an insulated raft foundation (ground conditions permitting). Talking with a supplier of a well known ICF product I have been warned that insulated rafts are susceptible to damage from vermin and oil. This particular supplier is the only one who has mentioned this. This curve-ball has managed to (i) make me question the competence of this supplier as I have never come across this problem in the two year period I have been researching (ii) make me question whether this particular ICF system, by association, is any good (iii) query whether I should just go with strip foundations? Anyone else heard of the "vermin/oil" problem? Anyone seen evidence of this? The other comment from the same supplier was "for a basement there is no point in using insulated foundation because the ground below 1m is a constant temperature". I know that last part of that is factually correct, but I see others on BH using insulated raft for basements, so what are others opinions?

I'm a long way from this stage at the moment. I will need to make a decision as I get estimates for my ICF supply - whether to fit stone cladding slips direct to the outside of the ICF, or to build a stone wall with a cavity behind.

Another 2 questions 1. Where the MDPE pipe exits the insulated ducting, is there available some kind of "rubber seal" that minimizes excess water in the ground entering the ducting? 2. Is the ducting really only required as the pipe exits the ground? Buried at 750mm minimum should surely mean insulating from frost (in SW England) would be economically and ecologically unnecessary.

Coming down today with 2 pieces Heras fencing on the car. Meeting local groundworker at site and time permitting will make trip over to Tehidy

@PeterW - thanks for confirming the simple solution ?

Just got the chamber (in four pieces). Do you glue the insert in the picture into the top of the tube, or use a few long screws?

Kernow, As SteamyTea mentioned, ICF is a method I am considering seriously, although with plenty of thinking time over Christmas/New Year, I have been thinking of using this for the below ground part only. I have visited a number of the self build exhibitions and spoken to reps from Durisol, Velox, Nudura and BecoWallform (If you can get to the NSBRC at Swindon (just off J16, M4) you can see a range of ICF products on display. Key for me is ability to insert rebar for the below ground retaining wall parts of the build, ability to do most of the formwork myself, and I'm trying to build with as little transport impact as possible (i.e. source as locally as I can). Of course, your criteria will be different and that is the key - write a list of what yours are and keep referring to it. May go visit Tehidy myself as I plan a short trip down to site next weekend.