ToughButterCup

That's the loneliest place in the world . You (we, I) have been told / made to understand that self-building is a privilege. Given to few. And we should be grateful - stop moaning and "JustBloodyDoIt." Self-building is as big a character test as doing a PhD, or handling a long-term relationship break down, or surviving a major operation. A full-on build's knackering. You're among friends here. Don't ever forget that

Quick. Ring up the Guinness Book of Records. Make your claim to be the first person to lower BP by consuming alohol. Hic! 😳

I don't know -personally- of anyone who'll work for you. But here's a list of companies who are in that sector. Ring them - maybe they'll know one that is close to your site. I bet the sector is quite small so its likely everyone knows ( or knows of ) everyone else List of companies in the sector.

Forgot that. Thanks @SteamyTea

Ugh ughhhhhh...ferkkkin'urgh... How many hours have I wasted looking for a tool - not finding it - but really needing it - NOW - pop down the BM, buy another - 3 days later find I've got 2. Now a TOOL FINDER.... that'd cheer me up proper...

Never a truer phrase, you Southern Softy. follow me for more apposite and gratuitous insults #oldfoolsaremoreexperiencedthanyoungerones #southernersaresoft

This time of the year gets to me - sometimes. And in the context of self-building, its dark for longer, wet for longer, cold for longer, windy for longer than I'd like. Optimists say that some of that can be sorted by proper clothing, and decent site lighting. But wetness can make a site misery quicker than anything, cold can stop concrete and mortar dead. Wind is a bastard on a scaffold. Self building's a character test. The push to complete never lets up despite all of the above. I suspect that a few of us are having to 'dig-deeper-than-normal' these days. Got any ways of picking yourself up when things are more than merely gloomy?

Yes. Cladding our piggery in the rain. We've run out of contraband (Siberian Larch), so we're having to be creative 😐 That's the advantage you have that we had too: you can actually drain water somewhere

Oh bloody Hell, @Pocster . I feel genuinely sorry for you. There's something insistent about a leak isn't there. Every damn forecast is watched for -will-that-rain-make-my-leak-worse. Reeeely annoying. Your idea appears to me to mean : - I could create a sump - But I know how it feels - if you can't see the leak, there's no leak...... As you say above, I prefer control too. Just reassure me would you (this thread is so long) have you tried leak tracing dye? (£10 from Screwy's)

M6 Preston area. PM me if you're passing. 2 minutes from the motorway. Ian

Irrespective of sector or industry, efficient communication is not valued at best, and ignored at worst. Trades folk, professionals and customers in our sector all have so many ways of foockingitup: you have my sincere sympathy. Think of it as a rite of passage. A hardening-off process. Thats the best I've got - from someone who spent many years teaching people how to attempt to communicate well. Its Friday. Is that a help?

And @Big Jimbo, more importantly than that, you will have solved the Conflict Of Interest problem : the person fitting it, won't have identified and designed the answer to the problem. Thats exactly what should happen - far more often than it does.

I don't know @Oz07. I suspect that animal behaviour determines the cycle you refer to. Or rather your local ecologists perception of the relevant cycle. Our neighbour resubmitted the survey we commissioned and paid for on our site one year after our Ecological survey. The only details changed were the address. Oh, and the cost. To him, the report was free of charge. Copy - paste. Bats and GCNs were the main focus. Locals here would suggest you get someone to demolish the roof before you apply. When the demolition takes place, you need evidence that you were on holiday abroad. That's standard local farming procedure. Not joking - evidence provided if needed If it came to it , it would be fair for you to fund the fine for unauthorized demolition. Bitter, cynical? Me? Yes.

Yes. Read as many Ecology Reports as you can on your LPA's website. Read them carefully, especially where several applications occur within the same area - a square mile or two. And look at the relevant maps at the same time. Look at the author, the language used and the conclusions drawn. The sector does not apply standards consistently. In my case to the tune of about £6000. In haste - here's a reading list

Attack of wind son? 🙃 Hope you're recovering