ToughButterCup

They'd be good at reducing the chance of injury. Not certain to, but ..... It was my finger referred to in the OP above. I could be thought to be cavalier where digits are concerned - got eight left of which 6 work. But this the key I'd add - try not to use an angle grinder when tired.

Yes, you are right. The wall collapse took longer. And I still wince on days with a strong turbulent east wind - 3 years later.

Go for a walk. With permission, and at the right time of year, take cuttings from hedges that seem to be growing well. Gardners are generous folk.

That is the trick. For me the art of it all has become judging how long it's appropriate to fume, rant and rave. 24 hours or less seems to be achievable.

There's a good team mix if ever I saw one. I spent my teaching career keeping Wayne ( it was always a Wayne) in on Friday playtime to encourage him to finish his [...] . With a self-build , you have no choice. None. Its the hardest aspect of all the jobs I do. There is so much pressure to get this done before it rains, that done before the chippy gets here, the other done before you lose the slot in the plasterer's schedule. In which case it's quite easy: hand the completing and finishing to the completer finisher on the team ? Keep plugging away.

Pro Wood. You can smell the yard before you get there. Lovely scent. They are local to us, but if you ring them and ask for Mark, he'll know a supplier more local to you .

@craig , the only person I know who looks at windows, not through them. ?

They aren't.

We were charged £3914 for electricity 4 years ago. This week, my neighbour has been quoted £13K for the same specification connection by the same supplier. All they need to do is mole under the single lane road and make a normal single phase connection . Just under 300% rise in four years.

Anywhere. Just start. Everything is linked one way or another, so just make a start : it really doesn't matter where. Sleeplessness is just round the corner - go with it, don't fight it. Waste lots of time on BH - it won't be wasted really. It will give you a very good overview of what can and does go wrong and right.

Here you are ..... One of the many steep learning curves we have experienced. More than one bollock (lets see if gonad gets through the filter ) dropped here..... Loads more images on the thread linked below. This is the thread that deals with it. 3 years later, and I can honestly say that, although traumatic at the time, a lot of good came out of it. Our bank balance hurts more than it should perhaps. But, as they say, if ya can't take a joke, don't start a self-build.

Jealous? Me? Naaaah. NotOneBit. Midges ?

At this remove, that's too hard for us to help you. However, estate agents will have a good idea.

Welcome. Was the annexe ever built? Have you looked at you Council Planning Department website to see how other similar garden in-fill developments are handled? If not, that's the place to start. If so, what's your feel for the way the LPA are dealing with similar applications?

Welcome. The best way to start here is with one simple question - such as (say) How do we dry this wall out ? And perhaps post some photographs. Good luck! Ian

Hello. Interesting project. Tight is the word isn't it? You are new to us so you might well not have discovered the power of the local site search Here's a site search for the term spreadsheet in the title (here) You can also search this site from Google like this In relation to question 1 the answer is, genuinely, anywhere. Just do it. (Stopped wearing Nike trainers some time ago - too old ?) As far as 2 and 3 are concerned, I have no idea, but I'd start by chatting to an SE Now, can I ask an obvious question: do you have Planning Permssion?

Morning, and welcome! Getting moving can also mean planning. Care to share your plans with us? When I did, one or two key resposnses here on BH and some more research resulted in us saving about £17K (using ground improvement piles instead of steel sleeved concrete)

You are in excellent company here. It's bloody annoying when any organisation asks for advice and then be mealy-mouthed about applying it. If they are going to be like that, why ask? @bradders3109 makes a similar point. All organisations can be infuriatingly cussed.

Its unlike you to be quite so sweeping in your judgement.

Mmmm, it takes a good deal of emotional intelligence and courage to initiate a conversation about strategic communication . Here's a helpful framework ......

Those questions are exactly why we chose to work with our architects: they make it very clear and simple. I feel for you @ianfish : it takes a bit of effort on the part of the architect to be open and direct about their terms of business: but most aren't. I have come to suspect that many don't want to be. When during our build we faced exactly those questions (detailed drawings? ... more drawings?) I replied that we hadn't paid for them, so we didn't have any. And why hadn't we? Because ' .... the builders ignore detailed drawings and do their own thing anyway ...' (architect) Only one trades person was honest enough to say exactly the same thing : the chippy who did our roof. "When I see a fookin architect gerout of 'is car pur on sum workboots an' hi-viz on a scaffold, I'll tek sum notice of wharee sez .... " That was me told then.

That's the place to start. Always

In our case, yes it did. @craig 'y boy will be along in a minute - he's got naff all else to do..... (I'll get my coat )

But then you always do.... make an effort ?