Russell griffiths

I have stopped burning second hand wood as the nails do my nut in, not just cutting it up, but they fall through the grate and lock the ash pan in place as the nail heads seem to be a perfect fit for the gaps in the grate. Be cautious with a 40yrd skip unless you have a big machine on site, they are very tall and hard to load, we used to use 20-30 yard instead.

Can you explain the risk with ICF not really with you, and what is the risk on your site ? if I look at the Lego blocks you are talking about I can think of so many reasons NOT to use them, and that is without trying. What are you going to do regarding block length? Will you be limited to building to block sizes, if you cut a block will the next row lock on top or not. How can icf be 3 times more expensive are you really adding up all the elements correctly lets say you have built your block structure with no problems, then what? you then need to add insulation to the outside to the whole structure, how?? you then need to cover the insulation, again how by the time you have brought your insulation and fixed it on you will be wishing you had never started. Not as far as I’m concerned you will need a structural engineer willing to sign off on it to design the lintels. What about foundation design, how heavy will it be. What about gable walls how will you cut them.

Im really not seeing why you are looking at this what you and @scottishjohn are talking about is in principle already in use. You want, a concrete core with insulation stuck on the outside you want it easy to erect without many skilled trades its ICF blocks, has been around for years and used by many on this forum whatever make you choose there basically the same stack the blocks up using very simple principles ( no forklift needed) fill with concrete. Job done full BBA approval fully mortgageable im completely for thinking outside the box, but come on leave those blocks for building retaining walls.

Insuring your digger is down to how you view risk. My excavator is worth around 7k and it’s never been insured on my site, until I started the new build, for a few quid it’s on my policy as a named piece of plant. The reason for this is 1. It cost bugger all. 2. The risk in my opinion got a lot more severe, lots of different people appearing on site every day, and a big blob of a house springing up attracting lots of attention. So the chance of a theft increased in my opinion.

Do you have a budget for the renovation at least if we know this we can tell you if your in the ballpark, and a picture would be handy. Why not a picture of the whole plot frontage as we might be able to give you a clue regarding planning.

If there’s an expansion gap, then why do you want to fill it ??? surely your floor covering and skirting will cover this or am I missing something. So many questions, so little time.

Nudura.

Get ya hand in there you softy.

You have two capped off sections there, have you not opened them up for a bit of turd watching.

I think there are a few on here that have converted postal buildings one way is to use icf and enclose the steal beams within the concrete core of the blocks.

Poor old @Conor comes on for a price on brickwork costs and all of a sudden we are trying to reinvent the wheel @scottishjohn

I would excavate all the top soil down to a solid base then dig a shallow trench around the perimeter then add 150mm of type 1 on the flat bit,whacker plate solid. This way when you pour your slab you will have a thicker section around the outside. Use a heavy grade mesh not the thin stuff 150mm concrete through the middle 300 around the outside. Peter beat me to it.

Good lord, who makes these prices up.

There is a company near me advertising this, without insulation under that slab you might as well cut your money up and throw it out of the window.

What sort of money did they want for 8x4 @willbish

I haven’t used it but I did look into using it for a few things, the one reason I decided against it is that if only available in 2.4 long you will have joins everywhere. i would visit a local sawmill and look for something like Douglas fir or larch, try to avoid speed grown white wood and a clear preservative on it before painting. Should last years.

Core drill will be fine, I take it those old vents will be blocked off.

Go and look at them on site, pick it up, shake it about it was glaringly obvious to me what ones I wanted to avoid, I then poked and prodded the ones left and narrowed it down. I have picked all my materials so far like this and haven’t fitted anything yet I don’t like. I decided to spend good money on structure and if I end up not being able to afford the heated toilet seat then so be it, i don’t think such an important component should be skimped on.

Type 1 and a whacker plate.

I went beam and block because of bad ground, I did want a slab, now the house is up to roof level I’m very happy I went beam and block as it has allowed me to move pipes and services about as I have got used to the shape of the house. I have moved the water main to a completely different room i have swapped the location of a toilet in our en-suite i Will add another duct to take an incoming electric supply from a remote located solar plant that might be added later 3 things I wouldn’t have been able to do easily if I had a slab

Bricklaying (overhand) so stood on the inside of the wall is a pain, you will need a conscientious bloke to do it nicely and it will take a bit longer. If you are going brick I would definitely ask the neighbour if you can erect scaffolding in their garden.

That’s not as bad as it would seam. its a day course and covers lots on insurance and the things you are not allowed to do like the electrics, it basically points you in the right direction before you start your build.

Here’s an idea there’s s house in Cirencester that has loads of odd jobs that need doing, you could come and practice on it. No college fees. Free tea and biscuits staff a bit grumpy

If you need to build in this location can you not design out the hard bits and design in a way to construct it without going next door very much. So a timberframe kit, pre covered in the appropriate membrane then clad with a fireproof outer cladding cladding installed on site and panels lifted into position you then only need to go next door to fit corner trims gable barge boards can be fixed overhand from on the roof. Not somthing i would like to do much but would save on scaffolding. Is there a reason to build up to the boundary, it’s something I did a fair bit of in London and I would really avoid it if possible.