ToughButterCup

There's a local group who have done just that. A very welcoming bunch they are too: regularly hold Open Days. Right next to the M6, Lancaster North. Worth a trip ?

Yes. But, by the time I'd hit the bloody rebar I was so committed, so annoyed (with my own lack of forethought), soooo over-focused. And to think I used to give lectures to hundreds of students on the role that emotion plays in the learning process. ?

Ermmm, had a look - nuffin.

Shut yer face Graves. ? Sounds like you've done it more than once.....

Remember those joists I put in? Well they've come back to bite me again. Trousers on this time. Because a quirk of fate often known as lack of experience , instead of putting in a duct through a wall ready for the MVHR ducting, I have to drill a series of large holes (160 square) through a concrete wall - easy you'd think. Why the fuss? Well, while putting up the POSIs I could have foreseen the need to drill through the wall, but - yes reader, you are there before me. Because I had my nickers in a twist about getting the first floor in, I just had to get the damn POSIs in. Just had to. So, I put the bloody things in - the first 50mm from the wall (so proud of myself for getting that bit right) and carried on, pleased as punch that I was doing it on my own - reasonably successfully. 400 centres. Comes the time to drill the holes. Got the hammer drill (a trusty Teuton Special), got the long SDS+ drill bits. Shoo shoo ! Can't get the drill and the bit between the friggin joists can I? 400 mm centers nowhere near wide enough. Poke it through the gaps - Naah - only let's me drill 10mm. Bugger. I know, pop round the other side and stitch drill from there. Whoo hoo, all's well - except the damn drill keeps binding half way through. The drill kicks and binds - often. Because of where I have to jam myself to make the hole, the kicking drill hits my top lip, thumps my thumb - I've only got 8 of the damn things left for Gods sake. Humour was in short supply. I'd only gone and forgotten how much bloody rebar I'd put in the friggin wall. Enough to ballast Boaty Mc Boat-Face. The drill was binding on the rebar. Warra pillock! Out comes the other Teuton. The Zigger zagger (chop saw). Buggers the blade up in short order. Out comes the third bit of kit all the way from The Fatherland (well, ermmm China) . New Diamond blade, new battery, that'll get the bastard. The rebar is deep in the wall, to reach it, have to hold the angle grinder by the base. Sparks, noise, masses of dust - me suited and visored like Darthvader, can't see a thing. The grinder jams and jerks . Pinches my hand in the hole. Hard. The dust clears to find me hands jammed between my legs in pain, swearing like a trooper and sweating like the sinner that I am. Anyone know how to tell if there's rebar in the concrete you're about to drill? Please? Pretty please?

Hello @ChrisSig. I know exactly how you feel. I've been there. The imminent change in the rools is not as bad as it sounds: it'll make no difference to the hundreds of thousands of other people who are in exactly the same situation as you. It will make differrence if you are proposing to sell. But, for now don't worry. Nowt is going to change on the stroke of midnight. First, follow @Temp's advice. then follow @ProDave's In terms of unhappy-chappie farmers and bogginess (what's new?) - offer to dig a drainage pipe (£250 per day plus machine hire plus stone, pipe and some form of membrane ) to the nearest sensible place : where does that bank lead to ?

By any standards, this thread contains ,for the most part, a good discussion. Good because anyone who chooses can engage with the core ideas and make their own mind up. Were I not full-time on my own on my build, I'd have a good go at summarising it : the process of doing that well would teach me a great deal. Here's a go at a one (OK, 2) liner; Because the term Thermal Mass is both commonly used and seen by some as problematic, its use should be qualified. That qualification should be given with reference to factors commonly understood to be involved in Thermal Stability. In other words, ask the person using the term for clarification.

If I could offer a hopefully helpful word or two. The term 'lead' doesn't matter. You'll need them to work together - well. Start with either trade, doesn't matter - if they're at all experienced, they'll know who to work with. But do check them both out thoroughly. Good excuse to go down and have a drink in their pub, and listen. You can safely leave unconnected panels on the roof. Good luck! Piccies, please! Ian

Except in Wyre District Council. @Sensus quite correctly rehearses the law as it stands. But, 25 meters from where I write this post is a long-term demonstration of what really can happen. Long story short (its Monday morning innit?) there's a problem for the Council in showing that ' ... actual residential occupation of the caravan ... ' is taking place. I laugh about it now - wiser, cooler heads on this forum reminded me to focus on my own house.

Which is code for ' Wish I'd had the chance ' . An insult is always more revealing of the person making it than insulting. You can take more from the clear demonstration that you have had the guts, grit and determination to see it through. It's a clear statement of success. Enjoy it every time you see it. Ian

@Sensus, I'm guessing those who are still with this thread might need a bit of help.... ?

Conscious that some may prefer a slightly less detailed treatment of the same concept, can I draw attention to this thread (2016) ?

Last time ... I'm going to lock this thread if there are anymore comments like that - from anyone.

To me, that's easily seen as an ad hominem attack . Please dont. Theoretician or not, that point has nothing to do with the core discussion..

None of us can know how much thought, research and further reading members do on their own initiative as a result of reading this thread. It would be a pity therefore, if contributions were to lose their focus.

This is the sort of thread from which readers can learn a great deal. That process would be made easier without ad hominem comments.

@TerryE, you'd be the first to tell me to KISS

Its insured for loss on a self-build policy. I tell everyone that they use the scaffolding at their own risk. I suppose I should get folk to sign that I've told them - but to date I haven't done so. I did fuss like a mother hen when trades folk are on the scaffolding. I hate anyone else being on it. Including Debbie. I cant wait to get it down and sold.

I was very pleased to read this in the user manual and fitting instructions Now, that makes sense. Yes Dave, I've thought a lot about that. But our back door is right next to our Great Crested Newt Highway - and while newts wont (or better put, shouldn't) account for too many additional 'switch-ons' we get lots of nocturnal activity on the south side of our house (its a wild-life corridor). Is it possible to 'tune' PIR to sense only (say) the heat coming from a car engine or human, but not a small rodent?

Can someone take us through the basics of these apparently useful switch systems, please? I have a very simple use-case to sort out. You know the kind of thing: return home from the weekly shop: both hands full of heavy bags, you open the back door. It would be good if a sensing switch automatically put the lights on. And there's the first puzzlement for someone like me. Should the switch be triggered by heat (PIR, I assume) or by the movement of the door? And then there's a whole host of considerations that only @Onoff or @ProDave will be able to explain: Momentary Push Switches (whassat?), dwell times, dual switching, timer switched circuits to name just a few. Can you wire a normal (one gang) On /Off switch to a circuit which also has an occupancy sensing switch? If you can, which switch has precedence? The more I read the tanglier the story gets. Whats one of those switches called that you get in stairwells sometimes: all you can do is press the switch and then the light stays on for (say) 20 seconds while you fumble and fail to find your keys - and then it switches off? It seems this time, that the simple must be made complex before it becomes simple (again)

Do you mean - at the ridge and the wall plate - the roof is in contact with the wall. Everywhere else there is a 10mm gap?

Thats what 'got' to me. The wall rocked from side to side as if being hit by a huge hammer - 10mm back and forth maybe more. Mind you then final pour, I couldn't have cared less. I just prayed for no bursts - a 20mm wobble is nowt - but a burst 3.5 meters up is no joke.

Gary, the work rate you and Deborah pump out is something you modestly gloss over. How long did it take you - two full years - bit more? OK, so you are a building professional - you have the networks. And access to mates who maybe owe you a favour. And that's important. But you both work full time for God's sake!

8 by 4 panels of EPS. Until they blew away across the site. ?

But what about fuel consumption? Does it really save fuel? I bumped into this the other day - pretty light on hard evidence - but claims expert status. Is there any properly constituted research we can read?