ToughButterCup

That factor is so important. Unless you are a serial selfbuilder ( @Stones for example ) you are highly unlikely to be a repeat customer. Most of us here are ordering more wood / blocks / screws / plasterboard than we have ever done. But only a few grands worth. Once. And that's it. There's so much 'normal' work around that self builders have become the icing on the cake for a few tradespeople. SPONS is an excellent guide. But that's all - a guide.

You say potatoes I say patatoes. Interesting innit?

Could I suggest you consider using Solar PV rather than solar thermal? A little while back, I worked through the same questions as you are currently investigating. Just a quick site-wide search will bring up more than convincing evidence in favour of PV in relation to heating water. However, it would be useful to see if the technology for solar thermal has moved on since I looked into the matter..

Ok.... erm, why Gary? (sorry mate)

I'm putting 70mm of insulation under my joists. Using 100mm screws and insulation washers. Pesky little things insulation washers; they don't tell you which way round to attach them ..... Wrinkly side-up or smooth side up? Theres a bit of me which thinks that I should have the smooth side uppermost. But you know me and thinking about stuff. Too much too often. Does it even matter?

We can guarantee noise because of ice movement on our flat roof. It took ages for me to reassure SWMBO: the sound is close to an air-rifle shot. Off putting.

Well if he wasn't, he sounded as if he was. Needed SmellaVision to be sure really.......

Welcome. Busy then?

In one memorable episode poor Willy lost his pullover I seem to remember. I still wince - poor lad..

Here you are boys

Take heart. We needed piles for our build - and initial quotes came in between £22,000 and £17,000 - which, as you say, would have made us fall at the first hurdle too. Persistence is key. 6 months research got the piling job done for £6500. Its just a matter of stickability. .... So you have a limited budget. What's new? Every Man Jack One of us on here has exactly the same problem. Change the parameters of your build and make it happen for £165k. It'll be hard, but not impossible. You will get loads of help, sympathy and financial advice here. Loads of it. Oh, and bad jokes from @Onoff

Welcome @Kate12. When you get used to the idea of Fabric First (took us a while) then you need a way of evaluating the different ways of building. In that task, PHPP is your friend. You can change many of the parameters and look at the outcome(s). Once you get in to it, its great fun. Buy it and run it yourself if you're comfortable with spreadsheets or spend £200 or so to get someone else to do it for you. Anyway, best of luck.

Bit expensive maybe. This stuff is a bit cheaper - but still expensive compared to beach. We're hoping to use it, and Ecover as @PeterW suggests.

I'm thinking of publishing the definitive work on tiling using only this thread and its photographs. Due to be released on on an unsuspecting public by the well-known publishing house Floggit and Runn Should sell well.

It will work, and work well. Here's why I know. Three years ago I bought an offcut of Astroturf the size a garage... bit bigger in fact, and laid it outside our kitchen door, on the patio. At the edge of the patio, there's a boot-wash, and a hose. Its easy and quick to de-mud boots and shoes without taking them off. But what to do about the wet boots that need a bit of a drain-off before getting in to the kitchen? Thats where the AstroTurf comes in. Its is a Godsend. I thought of it as a second line of defense before getting to the kitchen mat. We find that people automatically scuff their boots and shoes on the AT before getting into the kitchen. Of course our kitchen gets a bit dirty: I'm in and out 20 times a day, but you dont need to take yer boots off. 3 years later, you can see some light wear - and one or two Dock leaves have grown through it over the last two summers, and the Great Crested Newts love one particular corner. Not going to begrudge them that.

Oh FFS..... twerp. This is the correct link..... to Impey screed floor former

Dont tell me .... the name of the panel is a secret just between you and the Welsh plumber.... ? PS, just had a thought ... might it be this Impey Graded Screed Floor Former? (Apologies for the error earlier)

Thank God for BuildHub

We're just handing on what others gave us some while ago. And warming our hands on the glow coming from your post.

I have just gone up to look at the hole in a bit more detail. Took a photo and its vanished into thin air.... There's a 300 by 300 (by at least 100mm deep) lump of polystyrene round a large diameter drain hole Whats a Might you mean a 'plug 'ol grating thingy ?

Exactly correct. I have 25 mm to 'play with' The question becomes, how much more do I need to dig down to create a sensible ( 2% ) fall over the area which I expect to need to drain. Spot-on-John I'll go and take a piccy and get back to you all in a few minnits.

25mm is all I have between the slab and FFL. I'm planning for the almost inevitable stint in a wheelchair, so I'd love to able to wheel myself into a wet room. No, I did not keep a dropped section for the wet room. My question is: how much of the current slab should I dig out - given that I have a 25mm head-start as it were....?

@nickw, what's the price differential between the different types? There's more to an ICF block than its price. Ease of handling, ease of re-order, lead time between (re) order and delivery, quality of the blocks, skill level of those using it, storage dry? wet?, what happens in frost? , training support, chemistry between you and the rep(s). I'm sure I've missed some things. Price is important but.....

I've got 25mm left. Between the slab and FFL. And we want a wet room. Ain't gonna happen is it? Well anyway thats what the man from Topps tiles said. Yes, yes, I know. And if you look at some of my earlier threads (2 - 3 years ago) you'll understand why. Moving swiftly on, I need to dig out. By how much? (PS, I've got the drain hole in the right place - and for me thats a success)

Hold on to the fizz you're feeling now. Guard it safe. Cherish it. Polish it every now and then. Keep it ready for future access. Pub tonight then?