ToughButterCup

I've still not recovered from this little wind-related incident 2 years go. And that came from the East (the opposite of the prevailing wind direction), and was turbulent as Hell .... in July. I still ' hear ' the collapsing empty Durisol blocks. And Durisol still - STILL - haven't amended the false claims on their website that you can build without props. (retrieved March 2019) I already know won't get any sleep tonight - Salamander Cottage is effectively a concrete bunker. How stupid is that?

Focus on up-wind stuff first. Wind shadow stuff not too important. Can't praise windy.com enough. Switch all the bells and whistles except wind and gust off. Best use of JavaScript and CSS3 I have seen so far.

A few thousand? What are you planning? An estate? A garage? Do some due diligence locally. Read through all the local planning applications, at least those that are in situations close to yours. Network. Done well, it's hard work. Read. All the recent applications for similar developments to yours. Pick four or five local planners: listen / read all you can about them: don't forget their contributions to Planning Committee Meetings Make a shortlist. Talk to them. Get prices Listen. Get references. Attention to detail matters. Most women are better at that than most men. (Yes, I know - couldn't care less). Planning consultants aren't short of work.

Apologies @PeterStarck here she is - all yours for 3 minutes and 8 seconds.

But, since I was six, I've been trained to do the opposite. Cos Carly Simon told me I'd be abducted by the bears (1.07). 4 tiles later, I unlearned the habit. Funny that innit?

If anyone has any doubts, pick up the phone, talk and ask for references. I did. My main concern was about payment: the company is not (was not at the time) set up for credit card payments . We agreed payment should be made on delivery.

I'm with Russell on this one; top hung, nailed. But get a quote for both designs, then you'll be able to make an informed decision.

I dealt with Nulok in June of last year: here's the address on the invoice Lilyash Limited 83 Rathkeel Road, Broughshane, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, BT42 4QE

Yes, the in roof solar was placed on counter-battens. Really simple. (Thank God)

@Big Neil, yes. The subject of good deal of merriment and tooth sucking here.....

Hello @Big Jimbo. Here is the relevant section of our Planning Application arguing why we should be given permission: Wyre Borough Council (our LPA) did not have a Local Plan at the the time. ' ... It is pertinent here to consider the reasons for approval in terms of how this materially affects the development’s design to be considered in the reserved matters application. ... Paragraph 49 of the NPPF requires that housing applications should be considered in the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development. [...] as the Council is unable to identify a 5 year supply of deliverable housing sites, NPPF paragraph 49 states that, "relevant policies for the supply of housing should not be considered up-to-date if the Local Planning Authority cannot demonstrate a 5 year supply of deliverable housing sites." Development that assists in meeting housing needs is in accordance with the requisite policies of the NPPF and as such the Local Plan policies can, in this case, be given significant weight. In this instance, it is considered that the benefit of providing housing towards the 5 year supply can outweigh the lack of connectivity especially as the site is very close to the A6 and there roads are not particularly narrow. ... ' More simply put: if an LPA can't demonstrate a five year supply of housing (evidenced by a Local Plan) then permission should be given because we contend that our house will help with the housing supply. Here is the full documentation (called a Planning Statement) , and for the sake of completeness here's all the other online documentation. I am not quite sure about the extent to which a draft plan or a plan that is under review allows the same general argument to be made. My guess is that an unadopted plan, or one that is under review does not have the same status as a Local Plan. Best of luck.

And sometimes you can find ' second hand ' culvert piping : you'll need to ask around and pick it up with your own trailer .... How deep's the ditch?

Aaah ha! Thanks very much indeed @lizzie. Tell me, what do you if a 'bulb' blows? Can you just remove the diffuser?

FFS ! 96mm? Oh I geddit - you ordered the wrong size joists dinya? ?

If you are doing the pulling, get a BRAKED pulley, @epsilonGreedy. Debbie had to haul hundreds of DURISOL blocks up to the third lift. Bless her, she wouldn't give in: on the odd occasion the brake in the pulley saved her. And me - from a lot of form filling. Mind you when the rope was wet and there was 25kg of concrete in the container being lifted, despite the brake, it did go back down again quite smartly. Still wince at the memory.

Thanks. I'm starting to enjoy it all a bit more now. And just as I'm getting reasonably competent, and frankly a good deal less worried about guidelines and authority, I'll have finished....

We've met. ...... You know I'm a meat-head

That's it, right there. You don't need to say anything else. Unless you can get one of those £xxx fixed deals over n years. But they are only given to mates (they often went to school with) round here. @Declan52's bang on there. Should see my rippling six pack and biceps now! All the girls flock round when I go to the pub now. 'Get yer pecks out then ....'

Both top and bottom board clips point ' into' the POSI ..... but I like your thinking. That a relief then. Excellente tennente!

Just buy it and sell it on later. The business case for any reputable DIY scaffold is compelling All of your questions are very reasonable. Debbie will be the first to tell you that its our best investment in a tool - up there with a digger. Get the Kwikstage company to design the scaffold for you. In terms of using the stuff, like everyone else, we took it slowly at first, and within a week we were at the top of the third lift feeling completely confident . Yes, its hard work, but I took it as an opportunity to get a bit of resistance training in.

We have done both (into DURISOL) . I just followed the designer's instructions. Didn't have to think about it at all. Just make sure the dimensions sent to the designer are accurate to within 5mm or less. Ask me how I know..... dare ya!

Buy second or third or (etc) hand and re-sell. Going rate in NW Lancs £15 per panel and 'foot' - but commonly priced at £25 delivered. HERAS is one of those just-do-it topics. You are just too exposed to too many risks without it.

Grrrr.... 'ow 'dya solve this annoying little problem then? The edge of our mezzanine is supported by a doubled POSIs. The joists are joined by a simple metal plate (made by Cullen's), part of which is nailed on the top of the joist - like this. In profile, the clip looks like this So far so good - until you come to put floorboards over the top. When a clip happens to ' land ' in the middle of the floorboard, you just cant slide the board into place. I've tried using those very very expensive floorboard jacks - three of them. Nada, nichts, nuffin. So (read this bit while checking a BCO isn't looking over your shoulder) I nailed through the top chord (5 nails) and removed (angle grinder) the top of the clip. Boards slid in like they were on rails. And they were in turn glued and screwed to the top chord. How do normal ( for that read ' experienced ' ) people solve the problem?

Welcome. Perhaps you could ask the VAT folk direct: we aren't qualified VAT advisers. Since this is your first post, you might like to introduce yourself in the relevant section of this site, here.

@lizzie : got a minute? Photo(s), please.