ToughButterCup

Thanks... I'm well beyond punishing myself. Thats long gone - firmly in the past. I posted this thread because I thought there might be some mileage for those early on in their build : I hope that this thread might be seen as a wry look at a bit of a cockup, and how, even when it does prove to be one, then there are normally ways round the problem. A few years ago, I would have gone into a proper Teutonic strop about it. Not any more.

Hmmm, yer right ... next thing that @Russell griffiths will be along and tell me that I'm over-thinking it again.

What are the chances that I would discover the omission?

No, the gap stops at the concrete. The wall is still solid concrete. A Dursiol block - imagine a block in plan, 500 wide, 365 deep, the front 220mm is insulation, the rear 100+ is concrete. The balance is the wood-based form encased in Portland cement. Sometimes, when blocks need to be cut (because the wall is not an exact multiple of 500) small bits of insulation need to be cut to fit the cut block. Or not fitted into the cut block as the case may be. I did a double take myself. No, its definitely the insulation missing. In four places that I have dsicovered so far. Bless 'em, they couldn't have given a stuff: and while inside the heated envelope it doesn't matter. But, as I say, when (if ever) little black mould blobs occur, it'll be out with the SDS, quick look with the camera, and a squirt of foam. Here's hoping that its only happened four times .... ?

200mm of Celotex; Perhaps 70mm? It's 0. Zero, zilch, nugatory, nada, nichts, rien. Proper cold spot. @TerryE would blow a fuse, and Mr Harris would sue everyone in sight if someone had done that on his build. However, you are right when you say The aggregate is 10mm in a sloppy (scotch-broth) slump. It's amazing how effective that bit of stone is at stopping the flow of pumped concrete.

But never mind I haven't paid the bill yet.... (despite having followed proper procedure) I have a strange feeling that Aesop is sitting on my shoulder. Bless 'im! This is my fault; naivety coupled with just enough money, and a general bias towards optimism. Let me tell you a story. Sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. Our house is built using Durisol. Cheap, cheerful, targeted at noobies like us. Common on GD. Good U value, easy to handle yadda yadda yadda. By a quirk of fate (the Planners asked us to chop the front of the house off), part of the insulated front of the house is inside the house. In other words, inside the heated envelope. Well ! Guess what! I had a brainwave (can you hear the punch-line building yet?) Don't need the insulation inside the house? Well, chop it out then! Yo Sushi ! Go Team Salamander ! Check with the manufacturers, and the SE (very nice man, very very nice man haven't had his bill yet), it's all OK. @Stones came by and marvelled, @ProDave came by and marvelled. Look ! part of a structural wall cut out and no need for a lintel. Bit like Look mum, no nickers! Ya should have seen their faces: polite concern writ large. Any road up, SWMBO soon had an idea for the space freed up. And off I went happy as a sand boy to dig the insulation out. Now then boys and girls, look at this , and what do you see? I mean, beyond a Teutonic propensity for taking the wall to bits in neat squares ? I've dug out two columns of blocks (the equivalent of one Durisol block) exposing the concrete behind, and cut off only the face of two blocks (LHS) exposing the insulation. So far so good. Now look at this ... Look at the bottom right hand column Yep, insulation missing. Had I taken it out? - Nope. I'm exposing (cutting the face and insulation off) about 2 full square meters of wall. And so far found four instances of this little piece of laziness. Duplicate that randomly over the whole house and ..... ? Look on the bright side Ian ! You'll know what to do when the black mould spot pops its ugly fizzog on the wall inside the house. 6mm SDS , 300 mm long , squirt squirty with my new-found tool of choice. Insulation foam. Ahhh, isn't that nice children? If it you do it all yourself, you know how to sort out cock-ups. Now then, sit up straight and let's see who can go home early ! Not you @Nickfromwales, I want to see you when everyone's gone. .... Again.

OP edited to reflect your clarification. Ian

You have a YT channel. Here's one of YT's answers

Let me get this right ... you're asking us to supply you with a piece of wood 400mm by 28mm? Can I suggest that your request needs phrasing with more care, or that you look in your builder's van for a spare bit of timber. I am aware that English may well be an additional language for you. But asking on BuildHub if we could somehow source a spare bit timber could easily be misunderstood. Tout traduction est trahison

Keeping "Cumbrian" quiet then eh?

Welcome from another Lancastrian.

Our local Enforcement Officer came by and parked his car on my site the other day. Massive grin on his face. And two large A4 envelopes two plastic bags and a roll of parcel tape. Neither of us said anything. I wouldn't have his job for twice what they pay him.

Yes, they can. Just do it. And then forget about it. Our architect provided a statement about the issues you list above in our Design Access Statement. In relation to Solar Panels (we weren't asked for those details), just submit a brochure which includes designs which appeal to you - might be best to choose in-roof. In our case, we were asked for details of our window system: submitted a brochure (any old one) and a sentence about the RAL colour we intended to use. Locally the final issue above (Transport) appears to be very touchy indeed - at the moment. I suggest you look at the online Design Access Statements of successful recent applications. A bit of plagiarism from resources found there wouldn't go amiss.

@zoothorn time for a trip to the pub ... get pissed, wake upon Monday.... Please.

Ich auch Junge. Aber billig sind die nu' nicht !

Thanks @pocster, just what I was looking for.? Ordered a couple for Official Wifely Inspection And Approval. @nod - what difference does the shape of the seating for the bulb-holder (backbox?) make - I mean why would you choose one and not the other? Maybe the rectangular one allows you to set the bulb at a shallower angle : more able to set a cross rather than simple down-light? Anyway, thanks @pocster . You must be a very nice man to care what your plasterer thinks. A very very nice man.

Theres a technical term for that Clive: Gross Moral Turpitude. No, not turpentine, Turpitude.

I'm good at latching on to nipples ; my gun needs a small nozzle to fit into the recessed nipples - that's not the problem. @Onoff, Thanks for the clear set of instructions. I will have a try on Monday. This weekend is OFFFFFFFski. Lie in. Breakfast in bed. Gym. Gym swim swim. Sleep sleep. Eat eat. Doze Rugby.

Both you @joth and @SteamyTea make a good point (if a little unkindly here). The concepts concerned are not easy to get your head round if all we do most days is shove money around our world. Very few of us shove electricity around the place. Or have a clear idea that a commonly available one bar electric fire switched on for one hour consumes a kW and so calling it a kW hour is another way of describing the same thing. So when it comes to kWp, or kW/m squared per annum ... 4 years on, and I'm still cautious about units where electricity is concerned (pun accidental)

To adapt the words of the song "Some girls do, some girls don't ", some days the grease gun lets me, and some days it won't. Today, it won't. Pump grease that is. The number of times I have used a grease gun successfully is far outweighed by the slippery-fingered-fulminating-damned-awful-annoyance-ridden efforts at loading and getting any out of the end of the connecting hose. 'S Friday innit. Off to the gym (to watch a load of stick insects commune with their iPhones) and then the pub. Sod it.

Let me describe common local (Lancashire) practice ; Tree has TPO Developer cuts the tree down on Sunday morning and goes to church in time for Mass Minor local eruptions - questions asked in paraliament (Parish Parliament that is) Months go by: the house gets built Developer pays the fine sets the cost off against tax All's well that ends well, eh?

Oh to be a fly on the wall when a trades person tries that on with any BuildHubber .... And, just for fun, lets time how long it takes our @Russell griffiths to notice that the chippie missed the rafter - twice (at least)

@SteamyTea will be along in a minute he's Mr GRP ... he loves the stuff.

Hear hear! @Mischiefsmum, you'll get lots of support on BH; I would have sunk without the support I get -daily- here.

And that's what matters most. Starting with an emotionally and technically informed connection between you and the build material. It means you understand it at a deeper level. But it was a mistake on my part to assume that such a connection might be shared - at least in part - by key trades.