Russdl

We are planning on using Phantom Screens externally on some of our windows and sliders. They will be concealed in the space available behind the cladding plus the timber frame will be recessed above the windows/sliders that we plan to screen. Their website has links to sectional drawings and further technical bumpf. Never used them before so I can’t comment on their effectiveness, ease of cleaning etc. https://www.phantom-fly-screens.co.uk/power-blinds-up-to-12m-wide.html

@Pete Thanks for the offer! The GRP will be tied to to the slab via 100mm M10 bolts that will be in-bedded in the slab, so not directly tied to the mesh. I guess I'm just worrying over nothing - but that is my way!!

The raft foundation gang have been in today, loads of them and great progress. I heard a cuss as one of the gang had broken the upstand off a piece of the EPS which I was assured would be fixed. When I returned to site the fix was in place, but as you'll see from the pics the fix, using a bit of spare EPS, the depth of the upstand is reduced from the original. We have GRP angles that will sit on the upstand and be keyed to the slab. With the 'fix' there will be a small void between the GRP and that thinner bit of upstand. Should I insist on a replacement piece of EPS that matches the original or will it bit ok with the answer I'm expect when I see them tomorrow, that they will pack it out and everything will be ok? Difficult to see in the pictures, but the depth of the upstand in the replacement piece of EPS is probably 20mm less than the original.

Ok, thanks Nick. Harry did say that out of the numerous slabs he'd installed he knew of about 3 people who'd tested before the screed, so I'll go with the flow, not test it, and keep my fingers crossed.

I'd read that and interpreted it as 'don't bother' though he doesn't use those words. I don't. But I was looking at buying the manifold, fitting it (dangling freely in the air, supported on some Heath Robinson timber frame) and filling all the circuits with water to about 3 bar, because 3 bar is about all I've got. Would that suffice as a test kit?

Harry is the only name I have so far, I'll let you know when I meet them tomorrow. ~~~~~ Doh! There you go, two Guru's with polar opposite views.

Help! Our MBC slab with UFH arrives tomorrow. Whilst I don't know the exact timescale I suspect there won't be many days (if any) between the UFH pipe being laid and the screed covering it. I'd forgotten that MBC don't do a pressure test of the UFH pipes, and I've just reminded myself! Do I need to do a pressure test before the screed covers the UFH pipes, there seems to be a mix of views here?

Aside from the services, asbestos, and the Demolition Notice, we didn't knowingly follow any other rules. As I said, the services were a pain to co-ordinate and pricey. The asbestos was expensive. Submitting the Demolition Notice was easy. Demolition was the easiest.

We demolished a conventionally constructed bungalow ourselves. Getting the services removed/relocated was the biggest game for us, the unexpected asbestos soffits was the biggest and most costly surprise. We got on the roof to remove the roof tiles and slid them down scaffold planks laid on ladders (worked really well). They were very common concrete tiles and initially no one wanted them, for money or free, but we did finally find a taker who removed them from our site. The roof timbers were removed and stored on site, many have been reused in making a welfare unit (shed) and WC (smaller shed) that is plumbed into the existing main drain. All the Critall windows were removed and all pipes and wire - in fact anything with metal in it, and sold to the local scrap metal dealer, which produced quite a surprising return. The walls were knocked down with a mini digger and loaded by hand into an enormous ro-ro skip at the 'clean inert waste' rate. It then got muddy, very muddy, and we ended up with a few skips with mud and rubble which cost significantly more to get rid of. Quotes from local skip firms should give you some figures Regarding legislation obviously you'll need the planning permission and then the Section 81 demolition notice but we never got round to the 'method statement' for the demolition because it kind of fell down all too quickly, and no questions have ever been asked, but I guess as it was us demolishing our house no one was really that interested.

Oh, I'll definitely do that.

@ProDave thanks, that sounds like it could be a good solution. @JSHarris as I was cutting the hole in the ceiling I was thinking that I needed some new blades for my multitool so thanks for that link and the recommendation, I'll hopefully be armed with a bimetal blade early next week and then I'll set about the repair. What could possibly go wrong?

I am, doesn't seem to be enough room to me. That was my first thought. And second thought. I have no clue!

So, I've cut my small hole and found the leak, it's the plumbing for a pumped shower, it doesn't seem to get any worse when the pump is running. How do I fix this? The pipe is quite tight to the underside of the floor above and pretty snug up against a joist. Hints and tips gratefully received!!

That sounds an interesting solution to the current issues, what would be the down side? Greater heat loss?

Likewise John, likewise.

No, neither are foil backed,. I think you're spot on with that, good job I didn't set about the ceiling with my saw straight away!

@ProDave no, that second picture I posted is looking through a downlight hole that is not in the first picture and can clearly(ish) see all around the area of the damp patch. That second picture is looking past the wet patch, to the pipes beyond. There is no obvious sign of damp or drips anywhere (apart from when you look up in the kitchen)

@Declan52 as it happens, we've just been doing exactly that. Great video quality it has to be said but inconclusive results. It turns out that the ceiling we can see is suspended below the original ceiling by about 30mm, so the water has come through 2 layers of plasterboard and a 30mm gap before it's decided to show its face and there is no obvious sign of a leak above the upper (hidden) layer of plasterboard but some dodgy looking plumbing about 8" away. I think as @JSHarris said, the leak could be some distance away. Ho-hum

@JSHarris Thats a very good point that I hadn't considered because my damp patch could be yonks away from the leak. I'll see what I can discover and thanks for the endoscope loan offer.

@ProDave that's definitely my view, thanks for the backing, I'll pass that on to the good lady.

In our current gaff we have a shower pump to boost two feeble showers. The pump has taken to running for a couple of seconds a few times a day for no obvious reason, or maybe there was a good reason because I've just seen this damp/wet patch (I poked the little hole in the centre) : This damp patch is probably in line with the plumbing to one of the showers so I'm guessing that's the culprit. It's tiled above, so I'm about to cut a big hole in the ceiling to try and find out what the problem is. My good lady suggested that I seek your (collective) wise council before I set about it with my multi tool. What's the best way to attack this?

Well done Jeremy for the quick fix. It's really reassuring to know that when I get my Sunamp(s) that 'Sunamp Repairman' lives not too far away ?

What a PITA! I bet you do wish you'd kept the Sunamp PV. I'm just down the road Jeremy let me know if you want a hand with moving the Sunamp.

Could well be, or lack of co-ordination, who knows. Grateful for whatever it was ?

No. No one asked for it or showed any interest in what was occurring I'm pleased to say.