SteeVeeDee

Can tuck pointing be done successfully using opc?

I'd like to build using lime mortar instead of opc. Reasoning being that its just a softer and more natural product. It seems "alive" whereas opc just seems dead and lifeless. I know its not realistic though so am resigned to opc. We're on deep, moderate, clay here so I feel that lime would be a better option since it can handle the movement better and will need far less movement joints, which I hate the look of. I suspect that using Lime for new work will just cause loads of drama now and in the future for certification and selling.

Depressingly true. Is anything as good as it used to be?

They're okay. I've done a few side-by-side price comparisons and I can get better quality for lower price.

I contracted to a plumbing company for four years. They're like anything that's made from plastic i.e. cheaper and quicker but not better. The stuff literally wears thin and then fails. It gets chewed out by rats. It blows and explodes when jetted. It gets pierced and broken when rodded. Its affected by ground movement and the joints slip. Nothing wrong with it in a general sense, and I use it myself because its the industry standard, but its a downgrade. I didn't think I'd get in to a conversation about how amazing plastic pipe is when asking about the ideal gradient for drainage. I like details, and finding out the pluses and minuses of any building component so I'm grateful for the input. I appreciate the conversation points and I know that using clay is potentially an unnecessary extra expense. I personally will prefer to use it in the main run where its underground. I will change over to plastic where it enters the house.

It is when it runs under suspended floors...

I think plastic is good in general, and always what I've used. I've never actually fitted a clay system entirely, only small repair sections to connect the fernco to. Its not infallible though and I don't want to cut corners for my own home. I've seen some real horror shows when working with drainage engineers, and dealing with human waste isn't glamorous. I'm fine to use it where its accessible but I don't want to have to be digging up my own driveway in 20 years, with my wife is giving me the side eye.

Contracted to a plumbing company for four years straddling covid and had to attend a lot of dig-ups. Particularly when family all came back to lockdown together and the drains were wroking harder than usual. Also been building extensions and doing renovations for circa 25 years. My information comes from personal experience.

My bad writing skills strike again! The drop to connection on the existing manhole from ground level is 1.5m. I've not done the length yet but it has a 90* turn that I will 45* each side of the new manhole, probably 10m and 5m ish. I can measure it later. Water is very hard. We'll get a filter for drinking water later but will be impractical for a whole house filter given the likely water demand, although I'd prefer it. Roof will be pretty big but mot a mansion. Fairly typical 6 bedroom detached. Plastic is easy to use but it goes brittle over time and the seals perish. The seals also often get nicked during installation although thats from being careless, which I rarely am. I'm 45 now and don't want any major works when I get old. I've regularly seen clay pipework in practically new condition, despite being over 100 years old. Plastic pipe literally wears out and breaks up when jetted or rodded. I don't mind plastic when it is easily inspected or replaced but don't want it anywhere underground. The gutters and rwp will be cast iron. My wife would prefer copper gutters and rwp but the mobile mechanics will have that away in no time.

https://www.iansstaircases.co.uk/ No connection. Used them a couple of times and my uncle has been using them for years.

Hi, I'm doing a main sewer connection for foul and surface drainage in the next few weeks/month. We're in a deep clay area and the sewers are all combined systems around here. The house just now is four bedrooms with family bathroom, w/c, and kitchen. It will later likely be (drawings still in process) 6 bedrooms, 3 en-suite shower rooms, main bathroom, kitchen, w/c, and utility. There may be a toilet in the detached garage later as well. There is an existing manhole on the edge of the garden that is well built and looks to be 80s/90s. They left a stub so that i can join on. I'm wondering what the ideal gradient is? I've got a connection to the main at around 1.5m and don't have that far to travel so have plenty space to make it the ideal pitch. I keep seeing maximum or minimum gradient but I cant find the ideal. Is it halfway between the max and min? I'm mindful that clay can heave, although we have moderately mobile clay here. I think I'm going to use clay supersleeve from the existing manhole to my own manhole but open to advice. I'll build my manhole by laying engineering bricks or concrete liners, and run out a section of clay so that I can then convert to plastic. I'm going to use plastic up to the existing house for cost and convenience but I will change this to clay when I do the extension and renovation later. Steve

I was forced to learn roofing on-the-job a few years ago and its one of those things that is much harder than it looks! One important thing I learned the hard way is to slate/tile at angles and not in straight rows. That way you can access the upper parts and not have to crawl over brand new slates and risk breakage. That view while up on the roof must surely justify the hard work?!?! The glacial pace is a familiar feeling for sure. Doing something on your own takes way longer than a squad coming in and hitting it rapid. Building your own home must be one of the most heart warming things to do in a lifetime. I look forward to following your build. I'm Scottish but living in Gloucestershire so imaging the fresh air and clean water!

Ideally I'd buy the windows in but they've got really expensive over the last few years. The machinery will be used for all the other joinery and cabinets so will be well used. I'll sell them afterwards.

I'd prefer to be demolishing and building new but the house has a mortgage. I won't be able to do the work within a tight timescale that would be acceptable to the lender, if at all. We could wait ten years and pay the house off before demolishing but then I'll have had to do significant amounts of like-for-like repairs without major improvements by then. If money was no object then I'd be doing it differently.

As long as the guage and overlap work out then cut them to suit. Ideally you'd re-hole but that can be frustrating and you lose a few due to inexperience.

Hi Dunc, Looking good there. I'm glad you went with a kit rather than SIPs. Is the ground floor going to be a slab or is that the solum oversite? How is the build going? Steve

Hi, 1950s detached with 1.5 acre garden bought from probate that needs substantial repairs. The house has had only two owners since it was built and neither has been particularly keen on maintenance. For example, a missing roof tile just got an animal feed bag put under it and the valley rafter foot and wall plate under it is now rotten. The roof covering needs replaced, the rafters and ceiling ties are very undersized, the purlins aren't strutted very well, and so on, and so on. The plumbing and electrics are original, the oil boiler is from the 90s, the insulation is only in the loft, and I've no idea where the surface water drainage goes (despite trying to trace it). Makes sense to demo an existing single storey extension and garages, build new double storey extension to double-ish current size, refurb what's left back to bare walls, new roof structure. Going to be a lot of work but I'm a qualified carpenter and experienced builder contractor so I'll be doing a fair amount of the work myself to save money and ensure quality. I'm aware that I'm not an expert in everything so grateful for any advice received, particularly design, mechanical/heating/cooling, services, etc. No longer working on the tools as part of a lifestyle and career change which is also an unusual feeling since I've been working in my family business since I was very young, and I'm paying instead of billing. I'm planning to buy some second hand machinery to make the windows, doors, cabinets, and joinery so am keeping an eye out for those. I'm a qualified joiner but have never worked full time in a workshop. We had one when I was a young man but I spent more time fitting onsite than making in the workshop. I'm confident in my abilities but to be brutally honest I hadn't planned to be coming off the tools, to then stay on them and not get paid for it. Realistically I don't think we'll get started for two years. My wife is very impatient but I'm a realist. We have engaged an architect and had some very preliminary drawings but there will be quite a lot of work to get those correct I suspect. Lets see how it goes. Steve

I'll be decommissioning my septic system and running in to a mixed system sewer at a manhole on the edge of my property. I've only ever used plastic drainage in the past but tempted to use clay since it's my own home and we're not moving again, unless its when we get very old and downsize. The actual pipework price looks to be around 60-70% more expensive when the lengths of 1.6m are considered. However, any fittings are extremely expensive. I've still got a few weeks to mull it over. I've got a natural tendency to gold plate my work and so double bluffing myself which is irritating.

I've never thought that SIPs were a good idea. Cheap and fast rarely equates to good.