ToughButterCup

Bosch laser innit? I must have re-measured all the spans five or six times, And once with Debbie checking my measurements table (Nearly wrote measurements there before remembering what field day @Onoff would have )

55 or so. Every one exactly 100mm short.

Surprisingly, not me. The supplier's rep was quite open and frank about it: he's even been honest enough to transfer my annotation ( 'This dimension is the internal wall dimension, not taking into account the 50mm timber bearer' ) on his initial plan. BCO pointed out that since there are no POSI Joist guidelines equivalent to the TRADA ones, he can't advise on whether its possible to compensate for the error. Looks like the suppliers will need to replace them. Pity - it'll be costly.

The span at that point is 3646, and the joist supports the first floor.

If I cant take a joke, I shouldn't have started should I? So, folks, what I can I do about that then? Booked a call from the BCO, architect sucking his teeth, suppliers humming and haa-ing.

The price of the raw material is not the only cost to take into account; the biggest annoyance (on our build) was the cost of mishandling the blocks. In other words - the couldn't-give-a-stuff-itis It matters if other blocks are used as a cutting surface , so when the builder uses those blocks there are so many cuts on it that the block bursts. It matters if there is only one supplier: we used more than we thought we would, and instead of just popping down to the BM, you have to arrange a palletised delivery. Despite being repeatedly asked, our builder seemed to take delight it tell us we needed more blocks five minutes before they disappeared off site. It matters if the blocks are laid without care and subsequently, instead of relaying, bashed into place with a piece of 3 by 2 - and so fractured, causing the inevitable burst. Ask about delivery lead time. Its getting longer..... On balance, those carelessnesses added nearly 5% to the raw price. By the way, just been to a local Durisol build. An appreciable number of (as yet unused) blocks were 5mm more 'out' . QA, it seems is becoming an issue. They should not have left the factory.

Elegant. Of the techniques suggested, yours, Ed (the Scottish one) , appeals the most. I'll try the others too just for reference. The post on your blog about checking your laser has got me thinking too. Thanks.

Hmmm. Yes, temporarily just for accuracy. Your point about splitting them made me think though. I might just have to prop them in place and then fix with hangers and nails.

Wallplates are nearly all up now. ?? Can I screw the joists to the wallplate before I attach the joist hanger? I ask because I'm doing it on my own and I think I may be able to fix the joists more accurately by screwing them first and fitting the joist hanger after I am satisfied with the position of the joist.

Finish the bathroom ..........?

Locally I regularly pass a few properties which have been scaffolded for well over 2 months. A couple have been up since the summer. No work is going on on any of them. And if my guess is correct, then there won't be be much happening this month either. Knowing local prices, each is being charged £300 a month, in two cases twice that. A good few thousand spent, and no work completed. What's it like round your place?

Hello , good afternoon and welcome. I am sure a bit of networking will find you a manager. Start with @Nickfromwales, if he doesn't know, he'll know someone who does.

When I'm feeling sorry for myself, I remember folk like you

Naah mate, its " JSHarris switch da lights on bruuuv "

I bought Bosch: weeeellll, no imagination innit? The Bluetooth ones are nice because we can switch them on and off from our bed (line of sight), or you can program them to switch off and on whenever. Key issue for us is that we're already in the Bosch ecosystem - batteries and chargers.... : like I say, no imagination innit

What does your Planning Consultant say?

Are we allowed to choose between methods?

As I understand it, ' start ' is defined differently in different areas. The most common ' start' I've seen is clear evidence of digging. Breaking ground in other words. How about an exploratory hole to investigate something?

There be dragons. Lots of them. And they bite you right in the bank balance. Gold dust.

To you son, a fivver each. Welcome Cherished New Member. In relation to the GCN issue (May their presence be blessed and sanctified in the annals of ecology) here is a reading list. I would not wish to be seen to be advocating illegal behaviour. Let me, however, describe common local practice, witnessed by me. At least one, preferably two full years before you are likely to apply for permission, tip pig manure into the offending pond(s). Problem sorted. Cost £0. Or do what I did last century (1980s) - not object to your children bringing GCNs to 'our' ponds. And then look after them. Leave a few random areas of land around the place completely undisturbed. Lots of cover, no disturbance. Apply for PP. Get shafted (see reading list) And then pay a good few thousand. In our case to an incompetent but qualified ecologist. It took him several months to tell me about an email he had telling us that it was OK to start work. Dont misunderstand that tale of woe. I have observed the terms of our license to the letter. We have taken more care of them than needed. We were asked to put in 1 hibernacular (shelter). We have already made 4, one or two more to go..... We encourage them at every level. They sometimes walk over our kitchen floor, and get growled at by the cat. They are beautiful. Baby newts are like walking flecks of jade: rarely seen, delightful things.

Patience, reading, networking, reading and more reading. The emphasis in networking is on the work bit. It's not easy. Welcome, by the way Ian

I bumped into an article about Bluetooth 5. It seems the standard has significant improvements over 4.2. Hype?

Funny old world. Wyre Borough Planning turned up this afternoon. Because of my post above? Parked on my frontage. And there was bitter old me hoping an artic would come down our single track Lane and scrape the side of his car and do about £5000 worth of damage. No such luck.

Hmmm - well, good batteries or not, it always takes a sincere Hail Mary or five to start it.

I wasn't aware that you could get non-branded batteries to fit...... Thanks @Pete and @Barney12