ToughButterCup

Restrictions ? Yes Crazy? Within reason - almost The most difficult windows for us were those that are about 300mm wide : the issue was manufacture of the windows, not how to insert them in ICF. (In our case Durisol).

'... requires ...' indeed ! Do nothing. Let him do the work.

Quite. I would not dream of asking others if they were appropriately insured.

Here's a direct answer to the title question https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/16/energy-bills-for-uk-new-build-homes-higher-due-to-poor-construction-standards-analysis-shows?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

we decided to use The lighting sector seems overfilled with ' designers ' , and people who have no qualification in design ( let alone lighting design ) and think that the more they charge, the more seriously they ought to take themselves. At least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask.

Builders' Merchants are a minefield for self builders. Here was my take

And yet, and yet ....

😔 Too knackered

Hello. Have you got a copy of the relevant Manual? Page 20 of this manual appears to answer your question

There's one thing about diggers where I'm not wistful though.... The number of nipples she had. More of them than a sow, fewer than a Labour Ward. Some of them so hard to get to I needed to remove my hand to get access, and then spend ages trying to latch onto the slippery little thing. On successful connection, pump like Hell with my 'wrong' hand to get some grease in. And then realise I'd pumped all the grease I had. Rinse, repeat. But she would always demand more. And the older she got, the sloppier the connection. Good training for life eh?

How right you are. 6 years ago that happened to me. And by chance I was put in touch with a local company: Allan's BobCats Hire. He came out that evening , sorted it. After selling my digger - it still hurts - I've had dozens of hires from him - just because he went that bit further. That digga the only tool I've owned where SWMBO said -unprompted- "That's really useful..." Is it OK to feel wistful about a digger?

Get a woman. No need to be related. Anyone of the Monstrous Hoard will do - anyone over about 20 to 25 . She'll know A what?

Yes. I'd call that a dry mix . Not sure everyone would use that term but hey.... you get used to it. Your suggestion above is perfectly OK. A really good reference site for this sort of thing is by a guy who runs this website (Paving Expert) here..... He's a Lancastrian (of course)

Maybe the advice was given in the context of increasing adhesion of the limestone block. You can - as @nod suggests above - dust some cement on top of the sand before laying, or make a weak mix of cement (only) and water and coat the bottom of the limestone blocks before laying. In simple terms, make the blocks 'stickier' before laying them. I'm edging a path with limestone setts at the moment. I 'butter' each sett before laying it. Bit of water and some cement in a bucket, mix well ( weak gravy ) and drop the sett in that mixture while I'm laying the current sett. I was very surprised to see the amount of 'butter' some of the setts absorb. Occasionally I forget (gone for a coffee) that I've left a sett in the bucket with the cement mixture in it. Half an hour later it's noticeably harder to take the sett out of the bucket. Here's a video of the type of thing I mean ( but a slightly different technique again)

Thats what politics is for .... looking at the broader ( than a 'wind farm' for example ) picture. Dysfunction is an amiable - affliction : it's like @MikeSharp01 says '... something has to give ...' You say dysfunction, I say give. (Oh lets call the whole thing off : like @SteamyTea suggests)

Welcome. Life-span? What have the manufacturers / installer claimed the life-span to be ?

Systems and people show themselves for what they really are when things go wrong. Not when all is smooth and lovely.

Ugh. SWMBO has hidden the SunAmp behind a (moveable) linen cupboard. Thanks @Russdl

The relative dampness (or dryness) of the materials (in this case , sand) makes a noticeable difference. Bagged contents might be damper than normal (water is cheap) A paddle mixer might help?

Your question is close to "When will you be finished ?" There's not a month goes by without us being asked. I don't think people want to know the answer, they just want to say something to show a bit of interest. My reply.. "If you see me using a strimmer, I'll be finished"

Look up the terms 'SUDS' and 'Rain Garden' . You'll find masses of stuff to help you.

There is another approach. Kindness, small droplets of it first, followed by careful nurturing, building trust. Followed by discussion. The only fight worth having (your name for for it above is 'concern') is the one we all have with ourselves trying to make today - (and that alone is hard enough) a success. Talk, listen, reassure, build a bridge.

Exactly. Make yourself - politely - a difficult target. Very politely.

Yes. I had a close look with a graphics package. The hole - and more importantly its position - might be: might be suspicious. Where's the path in relation to that 'feature' ? If it's not a hole, but a sheet of plastic (DPM ?) , is the DPM the vector for the water from a leak source elsewhere ? Leaks are worse than having a truculent tenager in the house. Much worse.

Hello. Welcome. Tell us a bit about about the research you have done for yourself: who have you talked to , what research have you done on your LPA website, what professional advice have you sought? I ask, because - as written - you give us precious little information to go on.