ToughButterCup

I am fitter now than I was 4 years ago because of the build. Knees and back were knackered last century. I am well aware of the signs and need to '' listen ' to joints and muscle groups and adapt what I'm doing accordingly; spend the first few minutes of each day cleaning up ( to warm up - get slightly out of breath for 10 minutes) mixing concrete - use a mixer scaffolding - use proper ladders (well-designed steps) and work slowly parging a wall - break it into sections and taper the work kneeling for extended periods - use proper high quality kneeling pads have a day on paperwork if I'm tired enough to be unsafe lifting (scaffolding for example) - straight back, bend knees or get the digger, or use a pulley have a quick 10 minute kip after lunch if needed if it's really hard work, get Debbie to do it.

Hello, and Happy New year.... You've just joined the Learning Curve Club. I've joined a few over the years, and this is one of the sharpest and most painful : Hits ya right in the bank balance when you get it wrong

In fact its an answer....

An ICF roof? Well, when that happens I want a deckchair and a ring-side seat during the pour.....

Its that time of year when hope takes the foreground - at least for a bit. I hope to at least move into Salamander Cottage, it'll be messy, but we'll be in.... be more relaxed about the inevitable knocks enjoy the achievements more be kinder to @Nickfromwales (at least in public)

Welcome [ embarrassed at my rudeness, I also stand up] My name is ...... (not Michael Cane) Ian [I blush at the stupidity of the joke and sit down again] One thing you are not is a WouldBe self builder. You are a self builder. You have your first badge: Lurker. Who in their right minds when about to invest (say) £200,000 doesn't lurk a bit first? So, sew the Lurker badge on your dungarees and work towards your next one: Architect Botherer. Lots of us have that one. 22 years waiting, eh? Debbie bought our plot in 1985 for £1000. Canny lass .....

My reading of your post skidded to a halt here....... You need to get a grip of the asbestos. Find out how much that will cost to dispose of - properly.

Tell ya wot. Re-visit this thread in a year. And tell me then that you care about anything other than a valid, direct, well-written instruction with dates for compliance. Welcome to self-building.

Well said. I'm trying hard to enjoy these (what I call) micro challenges . They do grind away in the background all the time. Without BH support I would have ' lost it ' long ago.

Aaaaah, stop whining dad. @janelondon, @lizzie and me we are all nosey as Hell. One of these will sort you out. In my case it stopped a bill for £9000 dead in its tracks. (Evidence of malpractice / criminal negligence) Even a Luddite like you can make one work...

Locally - thats the extent of my experience - charges vary widely. Its normal to ask for three quotes in every cost heading during the build.

I'm almost sure the answer varies by organisation providing the service.

Y' awreet lad ? ( @Nelliekins ) Also a southerner in GOC, also using ICF, also got a monolith's worth of concrete dumped in 't frunt gardin, also had an SE who flounces when his 'calculations' are shown to be Gruffalow Balls, also got 'experts' around us whose expertise is probably in breaking wind - and most telling of all - we have both seen what's round the bend, because the building sector sent us there to have a look. Thus far, we survived. Welcome, Ian

Welcome. We haven't met (until today). I am delighted by your attack - I could do with a bit of that now. May I gently nudge you into considering the potential ramifications of building quite that close to an SSI, please? Some on this board consider me to be a real curmudgeon where ecology is concerned. It's not an epithet I would use; but then I do have a track record of public near heart attacks where ecologists are concerned, and at the same time, a deep love of all the wild life that surrounds us. Especially the humble Great Crested Newt. I am fascinated by ecology, but not their human guardians. At this remove, I'll keep it short. You may well be required to do a desk study. That in turn may require a survey. That is likely to cause a delay. That delay and process will hit you right in the bank balance. Research the attitude and approach taken by the LPAs ecologist. Bastard? Sloppy? Dishes out RAMS statements left right and center? Or measured, even-handed, efficient? Choose your ecologist with great care. My direct experience of male ecologists is that they have been lazy, did not pay attention to detail, and found simple communication really difficult or impossible - get a female ecologist working for you. Sexist, yes, I know - but stuff it, I couldn't care less. I merely relate my own experience. Adders are the most beautiful things - and I shiver when close to snakes. But not adders. Good luck! Ian

Opening is already there. And it's Durisol. Nice meaty concrete to fix to.... Yes, I can see that it's a later on project so what's left of my brain is already whirring away about build-up-to-it projects

Oh what have I done, what have I done? Gone and opened my big mouth. ? Right, well, floor plans and piccies next, then......... But first, a Problem Statement I am not getting younger. We both anticipate confinement to a wheelchair at some stage, it's doesn't stretch credibility to expect that infirm close relatives might also want to stay at home with us. The house has been designed with this in mind: to that end the downstairs area has been built to facilitate easy access for a gurney. A downstairs office area doubles as a bedroom. A wet room will be constructed in the adjacent room. Folding doors, set in a floor and ceiling track, will form a privacy screen to the rest of the house. Design, build and fit a door which enables easy and BR compliant access to the wet room. does not interfere with the other door that also gives access to the wetroom uses readily available parts is designed to be as simple as possible is close to invisible from the living area has an easy to operate spring push mechanism to assist door opening does not lock shut, but does remain positively closed can be built mostly with DIY tools, and employ expert help at appropriate times The door can easily be fitted late-on in the build process because access to the downstairs wetroom can be made from the second door. Better dig into the Building Regs first then eh? Piccies later this week.

We are in last minute re-design territory. Very gently Debbie almost managed to slide the term 'hidden door' past me. Almost. She's losing her touch. To cover my OhFGSness, and lying a little too easily through my teeth, I said, that would be no problem. Well it is a problem. Loads on YooChube, though. The design brief is to incorporate (hide) the door in a simple set of shelves; the aperture is more than wide enough to allow a wheelchair through. Ideas? Horror stories? Anyone made one, perhaps?

Sore point perhaps? Oh dear, how sad never mind.....?

I dare ya! The sobs, the wailing and gnashing of teeth, the retribution, the sound of pots and pans bouncing off walls - why it will keep us all entertained for a good few weeks

Illbruck ?

A Durisol block is 86% air. I have had 'raw' Durisol exposed to all weathers for far longer than expected. Frozen while soaked too. I still have a stack of spares outside, uncovered for just over two years Nada. Nichts. Nothing. Rien. Boringly inert.

Plain: (A1) = standard Blue : (BS whatever) = '... is what self builders buy ...' Red : (BS whatever) = ' ... is what they use on new houses ... ' is what Scott Montgomery (our woofer) told me yesterday.

EV ?

I'm going to try not to do anything. Handcuffs and zip-ties will help in that respect.

Digging into the paper referenced above just a little more deeply shows; The publisher's explicit aim is to ' ... share with you all the possibilities that consistently contradict (emphasis added) the theory of man-made global warming (AGW).... ' https://climatechangedispatch.com/about-us/amp/ (accessed Dec 2018) Does not name the author of at least some articles published Does not name the editor(s) of the site Solicits financial help from readers Appears not to maintain their website professionally (many internal links are broken) The internet is an excellent medium for sharing ignorance.