Cpd

Get some roadside crash barriers, the corrugated type, cut out the desired line with a road / brick saw, dig out the trench - put a load of cement into the trench and insert the crash barrier on its side, cement or tar the edges and you got yourself a maintenance free very long lasting drainage channel. You could make one out of larch but it wont last as long. Also consider where the water is going to end up..... be a shame to flood the new build. @Russell griffiths Cobbles would look great but its a longer job and very few people are going to appreciate the effort.

“I think”Both blue and red are just dyed to show that they have been graded for use on a roof, (health and safety) and cost far more than bog standard roofing battens. I would just use the standard treated batten as its going to last just as long. You will need to have everything ready to go when it comes to cladding as the spring / summer is not the best time to be using fresh cut larch, it will start to warp and change shape fairly quickly if its hot dry weather, you may be ok with using narrower boards but i was using up to 350mm waney edged larch in really long sections..... it all went well and its such a lovely wood to work with. I painted mine as i wanted a cleaner looking finish. Use the biggest ss ring-shank nails you can manage as anthything less will pull. @Crofter and others will probably have more relevant advice as they have done the same style.

Great write up Mr B, i have a hope to one day level my very uneven kitchen floor...... in reality i should dig it up and insulate it first but other priorities are making me look at stop gap measures / quick fix for a 3 year period until ive got my other projects under control.

I am guilty of hanging half way inside the mixer with a spade.... was told to do it that way when i was 16 and have been doing it like that for the last 30+ years without incidence. Not saying its safe mind you.

In the past i have used liquid galvanised paint as a base coat and then a two part paint to finish, seemed bomb proof. Can you not just get the components hot dipped galvanised ? Did this a lot when i was in Australia, you cant paint it for some time after dipping though......

Agree with Russell, but if your determined to go the other way then just cut a 150mm sarking board with whatever angle you like down the middle to create aprox 73-74mm battens. Did this for my shed and it worked really well.

Im sure more experienced people will be along but some of these prices look scary, UFH... i am going to be doing my own and if it came anywhere near this i would be bankrupt. As i said i dont have the pricing experience and look forward to what people have to say so i can get a better understanding. I really feel for you and wish i had some useful knowledge to offer but im in the old damp house renovation game so its a far cry from a new build. Wishing you all the best at this tricky and hard time in yoyr build.

My makita DtD154 is 120mm

No way to pull the 4mm wire out with a string attached and then pull the bigger one through......

What a great start and an even better solution. Self build seems to be a long list of daunting operations that one has to corral into an orderly list, you then need to read the “for dummies” before deciding if your going to learn to be the expert or if its something you can safely outsource. Reading the posts on this forum really sheds some light on the many mysteries of a self build and often shines a bloody big spotlight at potential problem areas. Thank god for BH ...... learning every day.

This is the place to be ! welcome and look forward to seeing your project progress.

In my 45 degree pitched roof i have slate breather membrane sarking boards 50mm breather gap with 50mm x 25mm battens atached on either side of the rafters with the 25mm up against the sarking 50mm calotex foamed and taped on top of the battens 120mm calotex up to the inside face of the rafters 25mm calotex full sheets over the rafter ends, fully foamed and taped. Its a PITA of a job, took for ever and was just awful. I have 4 roof vents spread out along the ridge and x2 soffit vents per rafter gap i am happy that its done, i know its been done with 100% attention to detail and will work to its maximum potential but would not do it again. I went with the initial 50mm calotex because i wanted to be sure that at that layer i had a good seal between the vent gap and all other layers of insulation, i did not want any cold air getting between the layers of insulation. Much easier sealing 50mm with foam and tape than a big thick slab of insulation. if there was ever to be a water leak through the slates and somehow past the breather membrane then i wanted a good ventilated gap to keep things dried out as it would be very unlikely to be spotted from the inside.

I live in an exposed coastal area, with hills on either side of my property facing south west. The hills funnel the wind up the gently sloping ground from the sea and its really quite unusual to not feel a breeze. The hills do cause some morning and evening shadowing so solar is not a viable option. When i get the time and money i would like to put up a small test turbine to gather data but i am sure this is a prime location. Would love to generate electricity from wind. I live in an isolated location but have two houses, a large shed and various caravans / cabins they all churn through the electric...... if i had the data and the available funds i would happily chuck it at a turbine project. I live in hope.

Yes very nice, i have been planning on redoing the blinds in one of our caravans and intend to do the same, hiding it in the back of the overhead shelving.

Not going to get any cheeper than that, would be good if someone knows the quality.

What life expectancy do your post come with ? I use some that come with either 15 or 20 year guarantee ( cant remember) but a lot of the local farmers use cheeper posts that only last a max of five years.

What about marine ply, you can get a lot out of a full sheet at 250mm ?

Great job, hope the weather is good to you.

Greetings from the Scottish west coast, look forward to watching your progress.

Looks good but expensive bags and only 20 liters.... just realised my router is 2400 watts and the very useful PTO is only rated to 1400 watts on this model and 1600 watts on the titan so that is a bit disappointing... may need to rethink my plan. Thanks for the warning and the nod towards the Vacmaster.

Anybody got a discount code for screw-fix, needing to buy a vacuum for removing dust / shavings from my router table £94.99....... https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb431vac-1400w-40ltr-wet-dry-vacuum-cleaner-240v/39587 this one fits my needs but can wait. Cheers

Perfect timing as i have £300 worth of stuff i need from them and have been waiting for a sale. How long will it old as i have a few more items to identify, should be good to to after the weekend. Pm me if you need my details.

https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/product/touchpoint-dakota-lever-door-handle-on-rose-satin-chrome-588428 https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/product/touchpoint-dakota-lever-door-handle-on-rose-polished-chrome-806952

When i was 17 i went to work with the worlds worst hangover, must have still been steaming but hay ho.... was a timber cutter so hanging on a chainsaw all day. Anyway at some point i was hacking away at the brash and noted some sparks, assumed it was a stone until i went to sharpen the saw and then i could see the damage to the steel toe cap of my boot ! Glad i still had the ability to put my ppe on before stumbling to work. Later on in life as a stone mason steel toe cap boots have saved both my feet and my workers feet on many occasions.

Yes i grow it on the Scottish west coast close to the sea and its going great, i have read that there are both hardy and non hardy types so make sure to get the hardy one.