marmic

ouch. Thanks for everyone's thoughts I fitted all the horizontal external extruded polystyrene insulation yesterday (nearly dark on last ones!). Big fat continuous bead (dollop) of low expansion foam along the gap that ideally shouldn't be there. Then extruded polystyrene pushed in - held in place to stop the foam pushing it up and out with wedges cut from insulation. Will have expanded under sole plate a little. Tub of repair mortar from screwfix (sand cement) mixed not too wet, but wet enough to be forced in with mortar gun using flat rectangular nozzle. Have a conscientious and capable person here on day rates doing this - took most of morning but worked well. I simply don't have time to do everything I'd like as have to work for a living! DPM now down - insulation next then air tight membrane (also for screed) - UFH pipes / screed next week if all goes to plan. My thoughts to reach this conclusion below - not saying I am right, and may not be for everyone, and certainly not professional advice (which i don't believe you will get anywhere for this issue), but I'm quite happy with where we are: From what I've read seems the cartridges of repair mortar not great, big nozzles, and would need too many, and probably not work out well. I did look at one in the flesh - and indeed nozzle too big Didn't have time to procure a true non shrink grout - but from what I've worked out most too runny for what is required. And not designed for this application. Thinking further the timber soleplate has potential to shrink back a little anyway! The mortar used will shrink a fraction no doubt, but will support any load should it need to. No different to mortar between bricks - and with the foam on outside too little or no air will get through and 2 part mixed products probably too thick to work in properly.

thanks all - walls already on..........not a common detail (bit belt and braces if anything - certainly won't have any damp!) but BC approved, structural warranty approved, and calcs bring us to passivhaus high performance. Larsen truss panels (which are mainly insulation!) have all the load on the 140mm. The 'outer' brickwork is just to look nice and hold the insulation & persicope vents! would have been nicer off a raft but had to be suspended. Original plan was preinsulated concrete planks which would have been a lot easier - but had to change after manufacturer moved the goalposts - dpm capability / level tolerance / required topping.

ah... not thinking - I'll 'post' my horizontal insulation in first today - it's here ready and waiting. Each with a decent bead of GP sealant. This solves the problem of overflow! But still need to decide what to put in the gaps tomorrow 🤔

thanks both for your thoughts. 6-7mm ish - zero between sole plate and dpc. Zero of course being the high point of coursing blocks. Just over 40m of soleplate - but gaps not all round thankfully. External horizontal insulation not in yet (arrowed green). This will be cut and sealed in with the required 10mm gap to larsen truss panels and closed off with compriband/similar. Cladding last. blue is dpc/dpm red air tight membrane lapped and sealed to walls and for screed

@janedevon may I ask please what was your conclusion was? - if you are still on here? if anyone happens to be reading this over their coffee and has found the easiest/best product and method to do this would appreciate some knowledge from experience please 🤞. Just been scouring 'screwstation and toolfix' websites and will continue looking once I've sent this - currently very undecided what to use as quite a selection it seems. Thought I'd put the question out there again but bit of a long shot as need to decide quick and pick something up shortly this morning! Can't be too runny of course as it won't fill the gap and will just pour out. Only possible to get to it from inside - but don't want it coming out the other side either - there is a gap there (larsen truss wall panels) which will be filled with extruded installation before cladding. The 'soleplate gap' is outside of the internal air tight layer. Need to get stuck in and completed before Monday (amongst other things) when dpm/floor insulation work etc commences. Non shrink grout is the official line from the timber frame manufacturers - with my skillsets probably needs to be in a cartridge or foil sausage to pump into small gaps (between DPC and sole plate) Their site install team (very experienced) have suggested however most people foam it (but stopped short of recommending). Right or wrong? Thermally better, easy, and will hold / fill gap no doubt and probably go further in. Low expansion foam I like the sound of for doing the job, but it's limited structurally of course. Any thoughts please? Packers are spaced as designed and level is within timber frame manufacturers stated [sta] tolerance - and they were happy when preconstruction check took place. Still small gaps of course Install team actually commented our base is probably in the top 5 for level tolerance of any project they've installed - from self build to large developers. But still doesn't make it perfect with gaps present, however small, anywhere lower than the highest points. From comments I've heard/read in various places it seems quite likely the truth is many soleplates probably end up being fixed out of level pinned down tight to whatever is there - not right either! No comments please about what should have been - yes we know! This isn't helpful! Couldn't have a raft/slab/power floated foundation etc due to soil conditions - would have been so much simpler! Unfortunately perfect groundworkers/brickies are like rocking horse #### it seems - and many think they know better. The company we used did lot's of things well but where they didn't (number of items) they didn't like being told! Levels for example they brazenly stated and argued were within tolerance on scope (fortunately I had the sense to state less than actual max), which they weren't, and clearly didn't like the fact I was capable of checking! Short of a blazing row (was very close) or worse, and/or a long winded expensive court case / delays to whole project etc there was nowhere to go really. If this was traditional masonry build it really would have been fine. In addtion to clearly not fully digesting written scope / drawings and detailed conversations also made extra work for himself (not me) by ignoring suggested sequence due to unusual site conditions (he knew better, or thought he did!). We came to a commercial agreement on items I agreed to put right (not enough in hindsight) and remedial works completed despite not enough hours in a day already! Looking at it optimistically however maybe the cost was lower than if we'd been able to find somebody who could have completed work to perfect exacting standards - but would we have been able to afford this, and could it have been done in time? - probably not based on other responses. Bottom line is we are progressing and all will be fine.....................not a complicated project thank fully... Maybe I'm over particular, but I know what i want/expect! The groundworks stage has put me off ever doing this again unless money was no object! I work in the construction industry anyway (for a manufacturer - not on the tools and not currently housing) so know the score and how things work - which is probably why some so called trades have been a bit reluctant to work on our project as they know I know! not a bad thing as probably helps sift out the dross! Have had 3 people actually now say 'you know too much'! So I can only assume there's a huge amount of poor workmanship still hidden out there in housing, big and small........ rant over!

oh and nails or screws - for batten and cladding? (for the sweet chestnut need to use stainless). trada etc recommend screws for cladding - but most suppliers so far seem to suggest ARS nails, and some supply too

Afternoon all, on the next topic now and need some more opinions please! Plenty of contradictory information out there including from various timber suppliers and 'official guidelines'. So to cut through the uncertainty - what's right, and what's sensible / acceptable? We have timber frame larsen truss wall panels with 38mm studs to fix battens to (through the breather). Plan all along has been to use 25x50 battens. We have full plans approval and I know 25mm cavity is fine. Cladding will be horizontal sweet chestnut (as discharged planning condition) and have narrowed down to feather edge or shiplap. Visaully feather edge probably preferable - but cost, practicalities, and speed all factors too. (Rebated feather edge or half lap out as I need to trust somebody to leave the right gaps - and after the groundworks phase would rather mitigate risk! And I don't have time to do myself as have to work for a living. Waney edge visually was top of list but is out due to increased thickness and corner detail dimensions and how this interfaces with eaves/verge) 1. We will have butt joints in the cladding - how many depending on cladding lengths. (shiplap available longer wth finger joints). The recommendations (tdca / trada / elsewhere) is double battens at joints. And in which instance battens should be min 50x38. But seems possibly to be more precautionary rather then necessary. If I keep to 50x25mm battens and if nail/screw holes predrilled (which is the plan anyway being hardwood) is a butt joint in practice ok here just over the 50mm? Feather edge if green maybe not so good as a machined/dry shiplap. Or just side fix additional batten 25mm thick and ignore 38mm? 2. I haven't checked with timber yards yet but when I worked in timber industry 50x38 simply wasn't a standard size batten. The next question is batten grades - been reading reference to cladding battens are necessary and roofing battens shouldn't be used. This a new one to me. Anyone? Or maybe thinking some 75x25 suitably treated in all locations - again if easily obtainable with out paying stupid money - but feels over the top to me too 3. Fixings - 2 or 1? One makes far more sense to me, but again lot's of opinions and 'advice' out there! 4. If we run with feather edge will we have a problem with movement/gaps making having insect grilles almost pointless! The chestnut shouldn't in theory move like the softwood feather edge I've used in past on sheds etc (where it doesn't matter). Any experiences? Need to make a rapid decision - as whatever I do on the walls dictates what happens at the eaves/verge and the interface between corner of timber cladding at the interface with the eaves/verge joint. Really need to keep to 25mm thick battens as planned unless no choice to go to 38mm. No soffits / minimum overhangs. Need to order metal roof sheets / components urgent which will be made to measure for required dimensions! Hopefully somebody out there has been through same process and has all the answers please!!

ps switched to viking in end due to lead times. we were held up placing orders due to other people/companies delaying us!

no! sorry no idea...........

I feel your pain! Was a difficult process selecting. Narrowed down by decison to go supply and install only. We have Timber Innovations commencing on site next week with a Larsen truss system. I will report back when they are done. Ruled out sips quite early - yes proven systems but just didn't feel right! Careful with rafts all inclusive - I looked at this carefully early days as did seem attractive. If soil survey recommends suspended floor (as with ours) structural warranty provider / BCO may not be happy with raft. (we are on heavy clay and have deep strip footings with beam and block in end after preinsulated slab manufacturer moved the goalposts!) Careful with over enthusiastic proposals. You will also probably find initial dig and sub base will be excluded so any failure / movement this is where the finger will be pointed. And if 2 purchase orders/contracts expected the reduced risk starts to disappear. And you may find an unreasonable written contract by supplier/manufacturer is demanded (read the small print!) - as opposed to a contract in the form of a purchase order from the person spending the money! You may be offered windows too but will want separate contract probably so again not as shiny as it sounds. Might be fine of course and reputation good - but i wasn't prepared to accept risk and sign contract careful too with raft insulation providers - brilliant systems, but i know somebody who had problems with gaps etc which defeats the object! if we had the right soil would have gone with raft without a doubt. would have saved a whole world of grief with groundworker. (I know best - been doing this for hundreds of years guv etc!)

ouch - i've got just under 24m - thought that was enough!

ps - i that the Lindap half round gutter (JamesP) ? Looks good and on my list as a possible. All good or any issues? many thanks

thank you both for your thoughts - very helpful. 99% certain concluded as per sketch. Fascias first and clad over in trim to match roof. Cladding to underside of fascia (of any type!). No additional roof overhang with fascia planted on cladding which means not pushing beyond limits of OSB / standng seam. I can't be only one to have had this headache - move one thing to correct and something else is then wrong! It was more than just about wonky fascias on feather edge! please let this be my last conundrum!

Evening all, We need to fix barge boards and fascias direct to horizontal timber cladding. If cladding is feather edge (visually our current preference) there isn't a flat surface to connect to - is that a problem or am I overthinking this? (if we use a lapped cladding it will be flat). any thoughts appreciated please many thanks