ToughButterCup

I bumped into this reasonably informative section of a commercial website: slip testing. I'm told there are better resources, and I'll append the links here later.

Sure you need piles? I have a feeling you could be crossing an unnecessary bridge.... maybe?

Our house design has an internal soil stack. So we need to think about noise. Have a look at this diagram. The brilliant thing about our design is that the wetroom is built onto the front wall of the house - so (below the level of the flat roof shown) there are insulated blocks inside the heated envelope. That means we can cut out the insulation and use the space created for other things - like hide a soil stack. And deaden the noise. But I only get one stab at this little problem. I need to get it right. So I'd like to fit acoustic piping (like this) or (maybe this) additionally encapsulate the acoustic pipe in sound-deadened (proofed is impossible I think) trunking. maybe double the amount of plasterboard on the ceiling under the upstairs bathroom meet and exceed the proofing levels required in Part E Have you had to deal with a similar problem? How did you work it out? Is the general approach outlined above sensible? Do you have any comments. I'm feeling a bit 'exposed' on this one.....

Look on the bright side Gary. Use the down-time to plan your next house. ?

At your suggestion, I looked through my email trail, no joy - consigned to the electronic dustbin. Annoyingly, the company was recommended to me by our architect. He did have the good grace to blanche visibly when, in a formal meeting, I presented him with the evidence. Your best defence is a thorough understanding of all the content here - and the content of all the links. You do know about H2 don't you? Just in case here's the link : page 38 etc seq.

I'd love a photo of the soles of your twinkle-toes. You got summat I want - like really really want (man).

Fame at last. Cancel the Knighthood, don't need it any more. I've started repaying my debt to yer man. ?

@StuPen, : if this is your forever house you can be more relaxed about it. Key issue is are you thinking that you might well sell some time in the future? 2020 isn't that far away. You might like to consider making an offer on the basis of the property needing work done. Paul Usher is highly likely to give you straight answers to straight questions. I have a small digester that's currently being commissioned. Cost for everything - tank - works - pipe - electrics, round about £5500. Digging one out and putting a similar system in - add another £2000. Oh nearly forgot - proper survey £500. (or free but beware of drainage specialists offering free gifts - here, have a laugh or grimace, as you like)

Paul Usher from Klargester. Top bloke. Straight as a die : in my direct experience, rare in this sector. Tell him Ian from Salamander Cottage referred you ( no commercial link)

By chance the other day, I hear some authoritative medical advice about getting old(er) . Keep your hips in one piece. Apparently at my age a broken hip is one of the markers to look out for. Why? It becomes increasingly difficult to recover from a slip and subsequent fall. So a trip to Topps Tiles has added significance: the manager at Morecambe points out the Pendulum Test Value (PTV) classification on his tiles - the range of slippiness extends from somewhere between Wet room approved and deadly. But ouch, the prices! Off to Wickes round the corner. My God what sloppy couldn't-give-a-stuff-staff. Tiles half the price. 'Scuse me Mr Wickes, are these wetroom tiles PTV rated? Wha' ? Tested for slippiness? Yep, 's on the packet Where, show me please. Drags himself reluctantly out of a nice comfy office chair ... Erm, erm, hold on, I ring 'ed office Yeah mate, funny you should ask - our 'ed office bloke said to go to Topps Tiles if you want PTV tiles. 'Ee used to be a manager at Topps Tiles see. Ya live and learn duntcha?

Top Tip. Cable drum frame - DIY . Piccy? (For the Hard-Of-Thinking)

Firstly, welcome. This sounds like an interesting project My answer assumes that your level of technical design skill is about the same as mine. Got an idea, but not sure whether it'll work. Right? Can I suggest you ask a professional designer to do the design? Then all you will need to do is tell her that you want the beams to be exposed. OK, this has cost implications: but that will be as nothing to doing it yourself. There be dragons. Lots of them.

Setting up a choke (venturi?) in this context is errrmmm interesting. Forgive me, I'm bit of a Slow-Bear this morning Your idea fascinates me. How in an extract air duct might I create a venturi powered by the cistern (water ?) feed?

Over the years I've been bought a few pints telling your story . Nobody believed me. Now, I can refer them to the post about it......

.... amount of electrical cable needed for a house of a given size? I'm busy itemising my shopping list of electrical requirements : it's easy (almost) to pick things from a catalogue or online database. And I know my house is roughly 10m by 10m; but at the rate at which I seem to be adding a this, that or the other thing, I'm thinking that my guess at cable needed will be way out.

Boarding out the Wet-room today, SWMBO scribbled a hasty ditty on the wall; it was lost to sight a few seconds later. Never to be seen again in maybe? Not to be out-done, I retaliated under the next sheet of 8 by 4. Deathless bit of prose and a passable Banksy imitation. Took 20 seconds. Wonder if anyone will ever see or read it? Got any suggestions for the upstairs bathroom??

Exactly. The issue is somewhat similar to - and related to - calculating the 'area' of a house. Hence the RICS Code of Practice on area measurement. (2018) Our house has two areas which will never be used by anyone - tucked under the lowest part of the roof (not part of the Net Internal Area) annotated in their diagram as 'Unusable Space' I hear @SteamyTea's voice in my head saying "Whats that supposed to mean?" Here reproduced without permission the RICS definition of Nett Internal Area https://www.rics.org/uk/upholding-professional-standards/sector-standards/real-estate/code-of-measuring-practice/ August 2019

I'd really love to know why the same mix ratio with hydraulic lime is much darker. I got a real shock when on @JSHarris advice I used hydrated lime instead. Beautifully white as Gary says. To make matters worse, I read here that both commercially available types are both hydrated and hydraulic. Further

Right there. That's the problem.

You are right : chartered status is highly valued across the board among Germans. You are similarly correct about the training system. There is ' parity of esteem ' across the three main sectors of the Secondary Education system (there are five sectors in all). That means that, on successful completion of the end of year exams, students can change school to the type of school of their choice (Theoretical, Theoretical Practical, Practical). Th The irony? The system was designed by the British at the end of the war. However, I understand, but regrettably disagree with your perception about German engineering. Many in Germany argue that the diesel emissions scandal was not merely a rogue software team coping with the challenge posed by the American Emissions Standards. That other hoary old chestnut, punctuality of their trains, is now widely seen as what used to happen. (For example) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0007xsx

Really? I mean really? I'm just a bit tired of asking you to evidence sweeping generalisations.

Efficient, well-organised storage is the quickest route to sanity.

Plenty to chew on there, Ferdi. Thanks. ian

My back is only going to get worse. Old war wound dontcha know. ? No, not the Boer war either. So , while framing out the wet room I casually mentioned that I was building in strong points for a couple of grab handles. SWMBO: "Well I don't want the place looking like a steam room for geriatrics" How on earth do I duck and dive round this one? Recessed handles? Hefty towel rails? Help!

OK : dread to think what a Tiger Bay Screwdriver might be then ?