ToughButterCup

Agreed. But. Lets see what 150mm does. They just look so neat. Thanks both. Ian

I have about 100 meters of m12 threaded bar leftover from earlier traumas. I could use some of it as the support for floating shelves. SWMBO wants shelves. In her panty. I'm thinking using 25 mm MDF (MRMDF) with the 12mm bar inserted into the MDF about I00mm. I say inserted - I mean epoxied. The shelves are planned at 200 mm wide. The bar will be held by the concrete (ICF) How deep should I drill the holes to hold the bar? 200mm? 100mm?

Vee ken not get everysink Korrect.

Borrow another ladder with a ladder standoff - or make your own temporary standoff. Here's an example and make sure the ladder goes way past your gutter, otherwise your knees will suffer (again). Make sure the bottom of the ladder is braced properly (If I can I often use our car for that ) so that the bottom of the lowest ladder (of the three) cannot move under any circumstances. As to the gutter - use your judgement : I'd remove it but I suspect that removing it might cause more aggro for you. Make sure you can step easily from the lowest ladder onto the roof ladder safely. You might like to ask someone to stand and steady the ladder (as well as having jammed the bottom of it against something immovable ) to increase the level of safety. Make sure also that you can use both hands while on the ladder. In other words, haul tools up after you have climbed to where you need to work. Only move one of your limbs at one time: three points of bodily contact at all times. If it's wet don't climb. Oh FFS where do you live? I'll come and give you a hand........

Errrrm, how did you get the ladder there in the first place? And did you hurt your knees on the gutter?

Welcome - at last someone who's prepared to admit they have building experience. What does your instinct tell you? And what does you experience tell you? Put one next to the other. Cogitate. Then come back here and tell us. 4000 + members, and at least 8000 opinions eh?

How often have you over-filled yours ? Is so easy to end up with a boot full of red.

Can I suggest those of us who are spending many thousands of pounds invest in a copy of SPONS Architects Price Guide? Yes it costs £120 ish, and takes some effort to dig in to, but saves fuss and difficult conversations. Far in excess of its cost. It gives you hard objective evidence. For non professionals spending lots of cash, its invaluable. It comes with a license for the electronic version , and that makes for high speed research. Every time I post this response to pricing threads I get a stream of PMs asking me to price something based on my copy of SPONS. Usually I can help, but my copy has vaporised recently. Proof of its value maybe? I have no financial interest in the book

Yes, of course I can Russ. But my common sense isn't that common.

Thanks everyone. Much appreciated. Ian

... apart from knocking the house down and starting again..... I'm told we've all done it, so we've all sorted it out. Help me not to cock the repair up please. Ta!

Fabulous! Is that a sixern ?

Dead jealous. TF means boatbuilder, perhaps? Well, I mean same fing innit?

And so what is your question?

Start anywhere . No matter where. In depth research always leads, eventually, to thinking about fundamental issues. Get those sorted out and expand from there. You say you don't know where to start. None of us did, (except those members who were already in the business). But you already have. Your post shows that. It just looks daunting, really bloody daunting at the stage where you are now. There is no doubt that self building is deeply challenging. Broken into appropriate size bits it becomes more manageable. Waste a few hours reading this site. You'll soon be able to prioritise your own starting points. Its fun, mostly. Just don't take @Russell griffiths too seriously .

Welcome. As to shaking of heads, there's more shaking of heads when when members don't research what we've already posted on this forum. So thanks very much for having done a bit of research before posting here. By the way you lost me me as soon as you mentioned bathroom floor height. The only tiling I've ever attempted has been at night if you understand me. I suppose both forms of tiling for me would end with a massive headache. Good luck.

Our thick and heavy windows glide with the pressure from one finger (treble glazed) In relation to suncool glass, I dont think anyone will be able to help you because we have no data on which to base a response . As for acoustic glass: if you are a meter from the A1 (say) then its a no-brainer. If you have to wonder about the value of acoustic glass, then maybe that's a hint .... not to need it.

You are right. He has done some work and it needs to be paid for. Pay for the work that he has done minus the cost of putting the errors right. You might like to consider taking photographs of the work that has been done to correct the original errors. He appears to have forgone the opportunity of correcting his own errors, maybe that's why he did not want to do the cladding. In other words pay what you think it is worth on the basis of evidence.

I sometimes think that this board should be called or renamed Advice Central. Welcome. Ian

One day I hope to be as kind and forgiving as you are are. In the meantime sneering will have to do. And politicians wonder or continue to wonder why trust has been lost. Maybe I am wrong. They know that trust has been lost. And continue not to do anything about it. Democracy dies in darkness.

It's when injustice doesn't persist in our consciousness that we'll have lost it. Building two houses without planning permission , to me at least, is unjust.

There's a longer list than that: Fingers Teeth Septum Cartilage Hair Innocence Good will Patience Trust Humour

Its the build without planning permission that got to me. Not one, but two ....

Dom strikes again. If this report is accurate, I'll do something about it, I really will.... I'll get @Russell griffiths to cut down everyone of his trees, @the_r_sole to find a way to Appeal the decision, @Brickie, to sabotage his cement mixer, @Ferdinand to write eloquent but rude letters to everyone , @pocster, to smash every pane of his glass, @Onoff to isolate his consumer units, @SteamyTea to rouse a Cornish whirlwind of pasties, @Temp to winkle out the smallest chink in his armour, @joe90 to block the entrance with his digger. That'll teach him not to build without planning permission or pay his rates. So there! Ya couldn't make it up could ya ?

If the answer is yes, to what extent does it matter? Who will ever know, unless you tell them, that you have changed the internal arrangements of your house? The context of your series of questions appears to be related to the possible sale of your house. If that's the case , then there is one overriding concept: caveat emptor.