Declan52

Realistically unless you dig down and put enough insulation in then the ufh won't work as well as you want it to. But as you have said digging all that out it will not only be expensive but the can of worms will be truly opened . You will be digging out maybe at least 250mm to cover enough insulation, some hardcore and dust to get the floor perfectly level then your slab with the ufh pipes in it. You would be better putting the money into trying to seal the house up so you don't leak as much heat which will mean your house will feel much more comfortable to live in. Any stone floor will feel cold to touch unless your heating is on all the time which will cost a lot of money. Things like new 2g or 3g Windows and doors, small things like sealing all the holes in your envelope from light switches to plugs to downlights. Then depending on how much renovation you are planning maybe lifting floor boards and sealing up around the joists on the outside walls. Kind of depends how far you are willing to go.

A picture would help.

There are plenty of dry stone options using either real stone if you can get it cheap or concrete blocks. Either way doesn't require a concrete foundation I used a dry stone concrete block on my drive. Only thing is it might be an expensive option as you won't really see much of it. Gabions and stone and some wire to tie it together is about as low tech as you can get.

A flat trowel will pop it of.

I just swapped out the dpc that I put on top of my hardcore with a radon barrier type. It's lapped up onto the top of the founds so your first course is built on top which means it's sealed.

How big of a slope are you taking about?? Can the trees be cut down??? If your on chalk at 1m deep why are you even looking at beam and block???

Why is it that when you watch these programmes about a self build and they have budget issues they always blow money on stupid stuff. You would think some one on the grand design team would have a word and say maybe you should look at this type of thing as yours mate is way too expressive and won't actually work. But then that wouldn't be good TV I suppose. Plus they are bound to have watched grand designs and seen how things can go tits up really easily but they never seem to see it when it's heading that road on their build. Some times you just need to take a step back and question each decision you make before you give the go ahead.

Wouldn't need to every get a leak or it will be a tsunami coming down the stairs.

And don't forget eco house being said every 2 mins which grinded on my ears before the first break.

So if the left side is only ground floor why is he making you build walls beneath what I presume are going to be internal timber walls. The beam and block can easily carry that small weight never mind 125mm of reinforced concrete.

Why beam and block, is it poor ground conditions??? Can you not fill the founds with hardcore then put in your concrete floor with mesh and have it polished up. Then you have a smooth platform to set your timber frame on. Can you put up the first floor plan so we can see what the purpose of the walls that are in red and yellow are carrying above.

I didn't think it would be as quick as that, pretty impressive.

This is the kind of setup I would be looking if I install an ashp in the future. I basically use my pellet boiler in this fashion but use its onboard time programs to just heat my thermal store. There is nothing in my system that can cause the boiler to fire up other than me hitting the button. Can you just use the simple controller that comes with them to provide a set time that the ashp works. As in it comes on at 4am to 10 am then comes back on at 4pm to 8pm. These Time periods would be adjusted once I figured out how long it takes to get my tank to 45-48.

The block wall will give you something to act as a shutter.

Bed first block, put tie in , bed next block and continue. A tie every 3 block. Then plumb and leave it till the next day. Still not sure the purpose of the concrete base. Your going to cast concrete then build on top of it, why not just build on top with the blocks. You will be able to attach the balustrade to the blocks.

You only build the first course and put maybe 2 of them fixings in. Let the motar go of and then build away the next day. What is the purpose of the concrete base???

This is the L shape brackets I used. http://www.intertoolsonline.co.uk/timco-builders-metal-work/builders-metal-work/fishtailed-frame-cramp/fishtailed-frame-cramp-150

You will need a L shaped bracket that will act as a tie. We would have used a hilti gun and shot a nail in. You will have to use a drill with a self tapping screw. Is it only the bottom or is it at the sides as well???

Take the bulb out and put your mobile up and take a few pics.

Have you an agricultural wholesale place near you. They will sell gates like that at a price you couldn't make it plus they will be good quality and not that expensive as farmers value each of these the most.

I think what has been suggested above is your only route left. You have been nice and reasonable so far and gave them every opportunity to fix the defects. Your going to have to pay for a surveyor and let him loose on the complete house and produce a list of all the faults. This could be quite a lengthy list going by what you have already told us about. Get your solicitor to write a letter containing the list of faults stating that they have a set period of time, 6 weeks maybe, to fix these issues or your going down the legal route plus you will get the local paper involved. There seems to be more coverage given to these stories now with plenty making the national papers. Your only going to get one chance at this so you need to find all the hidden issues.

So the cement content isn't correct. It doesn't matter what they substitute it with if it doesn't have the correct amount of cement it won't set.

How come they built the bloody deck. What arse thought a deck with top that can't drain would last any length of time in the UK. Im with Jeremy I thought you had bought this house and it was some diy specialist joiner by day drunk by night type guy who built that. No such thing as sold as seen. You get the same warranty that every other person on the site get. Plenty of people have used social media to apply pressure over bad workmanship but once you go down that route there's no going back.

Think it must needed a splash of water and polished but it might have been close to 5pm and they just went Nah tools in the boot and hit the road.

Cutting it back won't stop you putting your foot through it again or the timber rotting.