ToughButterCup

How right was Ed ( @Construction Channel) ? I had to resort to this to keep the bloody pipe still. It was like grabbing hold of a Turkish wrestler..... Those pipe / oil filter grabbers (that red one is magnetic) is worth it's weight in gold to me - 8 fingers in total, 6 that work. I used two crowbars instead of road pins. Thanks Ed. Ian

Ahhh, heard about those but never used them. I'll shred some old shirts then.....

So far I have the design needs to be BR compliant : read Part K does not need to be solid concrete : pad it out with blocks or similar : 100mm of concrete is fine consider how to radius the steps : silicone , plastic ; careful with the landing width line the block with soffit board maybe? consider adapting precast blocks It's obvious that @Ian's point is the key to success on this one. So, I'll get on with the design and post it here. Thanks everyone. Ian

You lot have the bit between your teeth on this one : thanks very much, I appreciate it ✔️....

Exactly @Adrian Walker. It'll need to be designed carefully just like other elements of the build. Perhaps better put my question is; In terms of the construction phase , is it just a matter of proper shuttering and correct concrete mix?

Yes Dave it is.... You know the saying, Happy Wife, Happy Life....

Watching Building the Dream the other day ( Series 9 Episode 8 , 21:50 ish) Debbie saw this staircase and loves it.... The concrete winder that is.... or concrete block or whatever you call it. I like it as well, partly it because it also simplifies the stair run. The bottom of our stairs are surrounded on two sides by concrete walls. To make Debbie's dream come true, all I need to do, I think, is pour a concrete block of exactly the right dimensions to enable a BRegs compliant stair run to be built on top of it. The block itself also needs to be exactly correct in terms of risers and run. And that means serious shuttering and a sore back I expect. Cure time doesn't matter too much, we have some nicely textured wood left over for the top surface. I think I can make this happen. Any gottchas you can think of?

To answer your first question directly - the price depends on trial depth, number of cores and level of detail in the feedback. You cannot do without a proper soil survey. Unless your risk appetite is very high. In which case any reputable piling company will want to do their own survey or insist you get one done. Is 4k (your quote) expensive? Get 2 more done. And when you get the numbers back, be sure to compare like with like. Not always easy

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Re-read Table 7 in @Onoff's response above. Look at the footnote to the table: You have 400 centres I think @Onoff might be suggesting you decide for yourself on the basis of the evidence he presents. I can confirm that the information he presents is accurate . Here is the link to the White Book ready for you to download Almost every single post in BH is offered in good faith. But after reading all the posts and thinking things through for ourselves, every one of us has to take sole responsibility for what we do on our build, unless we have consulted a properly qualified professional who carries the appropriate level of Professional Insurance .

Exactly @AliG : but that's all, annoying. I've had trades in this week for the whole week - (@epsilonGreedy , sorry mate, first week of non DIYMax for 2 full years) and every day I have been either a bit, or somewhat or bloody annoyed. Until Debbie reminded me to keep my eye on the prize: progress.

Yes. Fixed price or day rate? Fixed price: ignore it. Day rate: kick their arses.

No. Some bracing is sensible. As is careful pouring. It's perfectly possible to pour without bracing. It's how you pour that matters just as much as super careful preparation.

Its very common to pour Durisol without shuttering. Most of ours was done without shuttering until......

ICF. Price, simplicity.

I'm using half an old bra. Or a whole one doubled up. You may mock..... you wait, it'll be all the rage soon.⚕️

and and her reply by text Well, that bottoms that out. Silicone it is then. Thanks everyone for your contributions. Ian

Currently the water table has disappeared. But your point is well made. By sheer chance the I/C I'm talking about is right next to the land drain ( see red elipse above) designed to protect the slab from frost heave. All but one of the I/Cs will be next to that land drain. Except one. I'll need to fettle that more carefully. Thanks very much. Ian

... buy it off the roll .... help me would you please? What would I be looking for ? I don't know where to start. Just a simple hyperlink will get me going. Thanks, Ian

A 15mm (ish) plastic pipe for the wire, filled post hoc with airtightness foam. (Daughter works for Open Reach)

Exactly. Lindab throughout for us. Its a bit noisy, but so is plastic. Same but diffrunt as the saying goes.

Let's hope this company might be able to help And as far as @Russell griffiths is concerned, he already is a horrible bloke but his teeth haven't fallen out yet. Mine have. That's at least two BH members who feel your pain. I'm going to start a Self Build Samaritans group. Who wants to join?

Air test ?

This is Lancashire mate.... BMs are skin flints....

Having an attack of meanness. The seals between the risers in an I/C are - to me - expensive. I'll need a good few more soon. Can I use silicone instead?