ToughButterCup

@scottishjohn, the Peer Review process is a commonly accepted corner stone of all informed, objective discussion throughout the world. It provides an opportunity for informal feedback among peers. Peer Review actively hinders vested interest (because reviewers don't know who else is on the review team) . It isn't perfect. But it's the best that exists. So, about that list, then. Got one?

That'll teach you to ask @Russell griffiths won't it? ?

A reading list would be helpful, please. Peer reviewed and publicly available would be good, thanks

Here you are, dad.

Naaahhh, that's Mein Kampf ya twit.

Or, tip the bin men well. I always make a point of a cheerful / cheeky chat and a smile when they come round. Asked for a spare wheelie bin, the following week one turned up: no explanation, no fuss. Been leeching stuff into it ever since.

Welcome Welcome to sleepless nights Welcome to frustrating builders Welcome to "Christ that was close" Welcome to " How much? Do you think I'm stupid?" Welcome to "Darling, can we move that window 3mm to the left - no - right please?" Welcome to the doctoral thesis on Bathroom Tiling by @Onoff Welcome to one liners by @Nickfromwales Welcome to @Temp's caution Welcome to nerds R Us Welcome to obsession.

Welcome. Hope you have a keen sense of humour.....

Perhaps this could be seen solely as a Planning matter, not a compliance issue? The Planners did actually help solve the matter. I very much doubt that decisions at that level are taken purely randomly: a rationale for the decision was given - you may not agree with it. Pick your fight.

While I agree with the sentiment, its absence is an easy win for the BCO. No sump? Oh dear.... Pick your fights: this isn't worth fighting about And all for £14 and a trench

Hi, you might ,like to re-save the image in jpg format and upload that too, @Big Neil, more people will be able to view your image. At the moment, its a '.tif ' (tagged image format) Ian

Quick answer, about a year. But it varies. Best way to find out what really happens is to do some leg work. Look online and read some bat ecology reports prepared for your LPA. Look at the dates of the survey, the dates they were submitted and the dates of the decisions. That should give you a rough local lead time. Next, network like mad in your local area. Find out who NOT to employ as your ecologist. Take a local estate agent out for dinner and pay the bill. Believe nobody until at least three people tell you the same story. The local bat group (of worthies) will tell you too much. Don't tell them you are applying for PP. Next, find an excellent ecologist. One with an eye for detail (Probably a woman - - - yes yes I know, but stuff it, I don't care). Find out how much she knows about the local gossip.... what's the LPA's ecologist like - a bastard? lazy? crisp? efficient? slow? Ask around about the ecologist - you are looking for sensible price and reasonable service. And an eye for detail. And one that can communicate efficiently. Avoid one that moans about being up all night doing surveys and that consequently they are too tired to see to detail and bother. I have a strong feeling you've missed this year's 'bat-cycle . Use the enforced wait to plan. Good luck Ian I forgot to add , in my direct experience, common local practice is to kill any interfering wildlife, and then apply for PP. Me, ..... bitter? No. Wiser.

Bet that went well...

Thank God you wrote that. What needs doing, how, when, where, to what spec ? - Thanks Terry. Another 'Oh dear what a pity ' moment avoided a few days before it hits us right in the bank balance

And there's me wanting to know what fussy is.... POSIs... and of course I should have thought... So, that's that sorted out in my mind. Thats what interested me ... all the nails I bought are twisted Would not have been obvious to me Whaaasan MI? Why should they need cross-bracing? The longest foul water run for us is two meters

This week has been difficult and pleasing in equal measure. Never installed a joist before, but now 8 are up, sitting there waiting to be nailed in place. No nails yet - just push fit. Fussing them into level-ness was interesting. Mostly I managed to get them level enough to of split the laser beam - half on, half over the top. But doing that job made me look at the joists in great detail. The top surfaces have some very small bumps and dips above and below the laser line. Nothing substantial. Since I don't know what I don't know, should I get the belt sander out and make sure that the bumps are levelled out? Planning to nail them in and then put temporary boarding on them tomorrow: quite exciting because it's a bedroom - somewhere to put up guests?

I like to give evidence-based answers. This isn't. Durisol incorporates insulation within it. In the terms you ask '.... measure for measure...' I am certain that when I stopped researching the issue ( For any given thickness of wall, is Durisol better at insulation than comparable technologies? ) , there are (or were) some comparative tables. I remember being distinctly skeptical about how the comparisons were done. The author wasn't identified, and neither was the organisation that funded the production of the table. In terms of its strength: better than EPS, or than other wall construction methods? Durisol use a specialist SE: give them a ring and ask for his (it is a bloke) contact details.

Because thats what the guidance for POSIs says the gap should be.

The guidance I have read about strongbacks (in the context of both Easy Joists and POSIs) is that a strongback can only be installed during the construction of the floor - while the joists are exposed.

@Big Neil, that's a Meat Head. Here's a strongback, @Moira Niedzwiecka Its a bit like a spine.... Ian

Yeah folks, I know I don't need them. But I think I'll put some in just for the experience...... (Loads of old 4 by 4 dumped on the site from when we needed to shutter..... ?)

I don't need them in my floor because the span is less than 4 meters. But should I put one in anyway?

Lose the paranoia. Just get on with it. The onus is on them to give you proper guidance. Until then.....

Thanks everyone. @Dudda, that's exactly what I want to do: install the track and then make the shutters. And, if price is to be believed, I'll just be installing some stainless steel rods (resined in) in the concrete ready to carry the two tracks. M20, I suppose. Next, I'll need to beg borrow and steal enough money to build the shutters and install the tracks. I'm going to fantasise about this as a job for when the house is built.....or until SWMBO complains about too much insolation. Whichever comes first.

We'd love to install some external shutters on our South facing windows. Bit like these. Common in Germany -suppose that's why I like them - anyone installed something similar, or had external shutters installed? The end in mind is to reduce solar gain on on two 1800 wide South facing windows: one in the kitchen and the other in a bedroom. The kitchen shutters will be operated from outside, the bedroom from inside. Thanks Ian