ToughButterCup

Ahh, old bits of MDF ... just imagine what Val Singleton could have made with your old wardrobe..... and earned a living showing us all the ones she made earlier. Bless.

My current nightmare, trying to get our facia straight. At the moment it's as straight and level as a propeller. If ours was as straight as yours I'd be happy as Larry, @Omnibuswoman. Your few mm here or there... pah! When I get back from the gym, I'll take a photo that should cheer your Sunday morning up....

Perhaps you meant ... suggest... above? and I've tried the following technique on many occasions (while arbitrating between warring factions in the same building).... If possible, get your neighbours to come round to your place, and at the same time, someone else to slam (close) your neighbour's door (shut) while they are in your place. That way they'll understand your problem. There's a chance that they'll - on their own initiative - close the door more carefully. Cheaper by far. With care, the answer to your problem might cost nothing at all. Win, win.

Hmmm, full of [...] a bit harsh. He was writing just before the end of the Second World War. And much has changed since then. But, consider this. If we use Maslow's ideas as a starting point for our own thinking, then - at least it's a start. I'm OK with the notion: I can't think about working on my self-build until I've had enough sleep, eaten a sensible meal and I'm not in fear of my life..... It fits my life experience, but I wouldn't be able to generalise that without M's help.

?, again.

Ours too: lovely bloke....

Could I suggest you let the ground workers -just-do-it- and if the BCO wants to sound off later, then fine (for the reasons explained above). I have had several interactions with BCOs where their comments have no basis in guidance or common practice: but have adverse consequences for me. Now I have taken to asking the BCO -while still on site- to agree my notes and action points before he (or in one case she) leaves the site. That process seems to work well. Exactly the same process as managing your own line manager.

What an arisole. What gets me is that it's so arbitrary.

A near neighbour regularly (6 times a year or more) goes to work early on Sunday mornings. Has asked me to come on a few occasions ... the job? Fell all the trees in area X : leave them where they lie. Off site by lunch time at the latest. Proper tree surgeon in to chop them up, stump machine in when they have finished. Full PP within a year or so, sometimes a little more. Thats East Lancashire for you. Never happens in West Lancs. Ever.

My BCO suggested we connect one short bit of rain gutter to the foul drain to provide a small amount of flush to the pipe. Works well, I think.....

1 in 2 for 5 yards. " ... (think I want(ed) to avoid a backdrop) ..." BCO: no comment The whole foul drainage system needed 31 cubic meters of top cover dug by hand during the first lockdown. Oh dear, what a shame, never mind. I had nowt else to do.

?

'S all a big plot to help you fall in and go for a swim..........

Mine is: but I installed it in (what became) someone else's garden. Oh dear, never mind, what a shame. Couldn't make it up could ya?

Ya wot? Have you got written evidence of that? Because if you have I have a strong feeling that such approval could well be considered unprofessional. I think it highly likely that the EA would disapprove. I really hope I'm wrong.

Nahhhhhhh, sure its just you mate. Theres an art to complaining Good on ya for having the balls.

Oh how I know that feeling. It's horrible, jangly, itching powder down yer shorts, fart hard infront of the Bishop type of feeling. Not facing - directly - the kind of challenge that you have, could well lead to the kind of post that I have had to write: broadly they could all be titled ' Living with my mistakes '. Another one in that series is brewing later today. There's no easy way of putting this: ask him with a smile - for the invoice. You could say that you're just being cautious. Is there an empty cardboard box for the waterstop material : in the skip maybe? And if he gets defensive, then you'll know your builder better won't you? And you'll pay less. (no evidence) But if he shows you a valid invoice, then trust is beginning to be built. Just a thought: a time lapse camera - and permission to take images from the builder - saved me a few thousand quid. In the end I used two cameras......It might also reassure you.

And do you see any of the results of SE's advice being ignored? Once anyone steps outside the design offered by a professional, then they become the designer, and any money you've paid to the SE is thrown down the drain. Yes, builders often ignore SE's advice and get away with it. But I have yet to see anyone who admits to a calamity being caused by their own disregard of an SEs advice. I am not an SE. Get a couple of SEs advice ...

All that matters is what the SE specifies. That company has the Professional Indemnity Insurance. We are - at best - interested , reasonably well informed amateurs. You might decide to seek the opinion of other SEs.... In our case we did and in the process saved ourselves a significant amount of money. Which is now a kitchen.

The thread is the thing. Length can be cut and ground to whatever you need. Buy yourself one of these and put it on a hook in the workshop / garage/ shed / drawer. And put it back after use and hide it from your male children. I think I must have bought four over the years. Funny how they just vapourise.

No need to panic at all. None. "Please Mr Builder, could you show me the invoice for the Koster Quellbend Waterbar, please? " " Ermmmm, it's in the post...." "Oh, no invoice? Hmmm, well since it was in the spec, and there's no invoice, and no other evidence, how are you going to remediate the problem?" Do not pay without evidence. Yes, it looks like you don't trust the builder. My response (now) to that kind of challenge is - how do you expect trust to be built without evidence? It really isn't your problem - yet. I used to trust builders: laughable I know. But just scan some of the stories I tell here on BH .. it isn't pretty. Arm yourself first, pay later.

Does '...this...' above refer to Koster Quellbend Waterbar ?

No. For a condition to qualify as a pre-condition , the Planners must state that the condition as a pre-condition. You may pass Go, and collect £200. Congratulations. Welcome to the Sleepless Nights Club. You get used to it after a bit.

250 feet ... in the daytime. Thats asking a lot of a laser. But nothing to an optical instrument ... If you are set on lasers, at that distance, I'd use the laser rangefinder I use for shooting . That one's a bit expensive for what you want but there are many for less than £80

Whatever you do, do not pay (or even offer to pay) more than about 30% of the bill. Get another company (ies) to list the errors for you, and to quote to put them right. Ask the builder to list the errors. Just that list alone will be of value to you. When you have that information, go back to the original builder and ask for the works to be brought up to standard. If he refuses, or drags his feet , get the works sorted out by a proper roofer. Pay his bill, deduct that amount from the original builder's bill. There is no substitute for doing Due Diligence. Its hard niggly naggly work. Following people up and having to nag them most likely. But its either that or suffer low-quality work.