Russell griffiths

You're an absolute font of knowledge @JSHarris ?

Ooh er. Never heard of a heat collector mat. Our other neighbor has 4 pipes in 200 m loops, I'm starting to look into your heating system @JSHarris at the moment. Still loads of research needed. I may start a new topic.

I will pop over and see Anthony and see what he is using, we have also thought about heating from ground source in the lake as our other neighbor has done, but not sure yet as he had to install 800mof pipe which took up a large area of lake bed.

This is the basic outline. We have just over 11 acres, but 8.5 of that is water ?

Anthony Edmonson. By any chance. If so we are just over the road.

Another pic to give you a better idea. The area is in the Cotswolds it's a system of gravel pits that where dug in the late 40s, we own the lake immediately in front of the cabin, this lake is aprox 7 acres in size we have 2 other lakes on site, the build plot is aprox 1 third of an acre, I don't see a problem finding a space that is 10m from water but it will probably mean having to put it under the car park. I will get the hydrology guy on it, we have had a full topo survey done and we actually sit at 88m above sea level, the lake surface is aprox 600mm below ground level and the soil is 200mm topsoil and then gravel. The lake fluctuates by about 100 mm in the course of the year and has an outlet into a small stream at its furthest point from the house site.

Thanks for all your input guys. Thanks to @JSHarris for his explanation on how this all works. @ProDave I'm going to have a dig around on Friday to check level of water, i will try to up load a pic and it will probably explain why our water table is so high. If you look at the wooden looking building with the car parked in front this is where we are trying to get consent for the new place,as far as the leach field goes I have no idea where it is we have owned the site since 1991 and the septic just does its thing, I get it emptied every 2 years. We have loads of space for a new one, we also have a company working with us on flood risk assessment and disposal of rainwater and it was them that suggested the biorock as they said the cleaner discharge means we could stick it different places. I will go back to them. For the money they are charging they might as well earn it.

Ok a bit more info. We currently already have a septic tank (fibreglass onion shaped klargester) and it seems to work fine it has been in place for 25 years, but building the new house it needs moving. So we are going to be forced to use something new, so if this system has worked for so many years can we argue that we can do something similar or have the regs changed that much.

Hi has anybody got any experience with the biorock system, it has been recommended to us by the company dealing with our drainage and rainwater. We are in an area with a very high water table, has anybody got a good system for use where the ground water is only 600 mm below ground level. Cheers russ.

http://www.british-gypsum.com/~/media/Files/British-Gypsum/White-Book/White-Book-C05-S04-Specialist-Partitions-GypWall-CURVE.pdf

Quick hitch perfect.

5:1. 4:1 it really isn't that important just to fill in any voids air pinholes. We used to do it to provide a better key before rendering on a poor surface.

Sounds good to me, the problem is every time you want to use the hook you have to fit the small bucket. If you can take your bucket link and get a hook welded on it it will always be on the digger.

No. Mix it up a bit sloppy, put a rubber glove on as the cement is not good for your skin, cut a hessian sack down so it goes over your hand, grab a good hand full and slap it on swirly pattern or figure of eight is good squish it in all the nooks and crannies. Helps if you put a bit of plastic on the floor. Messy but quick a soft old fashioned broom head is good as well, not the new plastic bristled type.

We put it on with a hessian sack and a pair of rubber gloves, you can push it into any joints that weren't full and you tend not to drop as much as with the brush,but both work very well. Try it both ways. An old fashioned hairy type broom head rather than a synthetic modern broom works better.

Can you not Parge it with a slurry, this way if you want to plaster later it will already have a nice key.

Separate companies. But work so closely with the concrete companies you could ask the concrete companies for a quote for a pump. And you could ask the pumpies for a quote for the concrete. Also whoever is taking your muck away could probably supply your crushed concrete.

After you have done all that digging and dumpering, you will quickly see what a mess things can get in. If you get a pump pour it in one go easy. If you are going to do a semi preparation for the driveway how about using crushed concrete, loads cheaper than type one and it's going to get all messed up with all the trucks on it. Save a few quid to pay for the pump.

That is a really good point, if you are going icf you will be getting to know the pump guy very well,if you have a chat and work out how many times you are going to use him you may get a deal.

Ok then if you haven't started digging, you have plenty of time to have a re-evaluate, from your plan it looks like you are having large drive way. If this is right then you need to get that area prepared so the concrete truck can get to that edge and shoot straight in. You will need the ground completely solid as a stuck truck would be a disaster. I am going to have a stab in the dark as I don't know your dumper size, but bear this in mind you can't heap wet concrete up in the dumper so you will have a very conservative load in it and it's like driving with a bucket of custard. I reckon you will do 18 dumper loads to a truck full. 1) have you considered a pump. If you are spending £5000 on concrete £400 on a pump could be a wise investment. 2) any reason it has to be dug or poured in one go. Why not dig half and concrete and then dig the other half and concrete,you will obviously need your se to design where the joint goes but I have done many pours that didn't get poured in one day.

Just like that.

Can you take one of your small buckets to the local welder and get a hook or plate with a hole cut in it big enough for a shackle to go through welded onto the bucket.

So I could be wrong it does happen on a regular basis, but someone's maths here is not correct, how much concrete are you planning on putting in the skip on that dumper? Do you know what wet concrete weighs? Looking at your layout that looks like a complicated setup with all the trenches every were. In my opinion you must get a huge amount of that concrete poured straight in, or you need a pump, 1 small dumper and 65cube could get all out of control reel quick. Have you got a pic so we can see the layout easier.

Just to change the subject a little you say your having 65m delivered. Are you going to put all this in with your dumper or can you get the trucks up to the trench so you can shoot a couple of loads in straight of the truck. Unless im mistaken 65 m is a big amount to shuffle about in a small dumper. What are people's thoughts.