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ToughButterCup

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Everything posted by ToughButterCup

  1. ToughButterCup
    Because it's a protected species, @MikeSharp01 Here's the guidance (Accessed March 2018) And here are the words ' ...You must consider how a development might affect protected species on or near a proposed development site when reviewing a planning application....' The irritant for me is that the GCN is really very common: it says so on the official database (see OP) . And demands very significant levels of expenditure . I personally don't mind making allowances for GCNs; we've done a huge amount more than the law requires to accommodate and further encourage them. But in policy terms, I think the time has come now to use RAMS statements rather than simple exclusion as standard.
  2. ToughButterCup
    Set within the Brexit narrative, the author of this article argues that the humble GCN (Great Crested Newt) is a good way of looking at UK Planning issues. I draw your attention to the article because it's not as Ya Boo Sucks as many about the GCN. The article is light on the planning context: it makes no attempt to square the circle - how do you build more houses and not put pressure on the local ecology (GCN or otherwise) ? My principal beef with the article is the reference to an ICUN Database entry and failing to draw attention to the following entry in the record on GCNs. The GCN is of least concern ' ... Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a degree of habitat modification, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. Some subpopulations are threatened...' (Accessed 2st March 2018) The CGN is of '... least concern ... ' : I know that very well indeed. The damn (beautiful) things stomp across our living room carpet whenever it's warm enough - across our kitchen floor only to get growled at by our brave tomcat, and get squashed on the road outside our house every time there's heavy rain overnight. The GCN as political football.
  3. ToughButterCup
    @Juj, because @Alexphd1 did (think out of the box) and because he bothered to post about it, he saved me a few thousand quid. Be they ever so humble - simple wheels for a scaffolding - that means that I can put my scaffolding where I want it, when I want to. And, because of local labour shortage, it means I can be a little more independant (code for DIY) . Where's the saving? Scaffold installation cost and monthly hire fees after the first month. Minus the loss on the scaffolding resale of course: probably a few hundred quid plus the VAT. That's easily recouped (here at least) because of labour and skills shortages. @Alexphd1, on your way down the M6, J33? Bottle of excellent malt waiting. Ian
  4. ToughButterCup
    Tell me more, please @albert... just a quick reference to an online explainer would be brilliant. Thanks ian
  5. ToughButterCup
    Not sure. Guess.... yes.
  6. ToughButterCup
    That's a really useful post @epsilonGreedy. Thanks very much indeed. It's so useful to have the theory as a starting point, and even more useful to have the experts cast a jaundiced eye over the guidance. The guidance does contain the following sentence ' ... These quantities do not include any allowance for wastage. ...' (Not that @Declan52 suffers from jaundice )
  7. ToughButterCup
    @stevet, you'll get a better response if you target your question (or any question, in fact) First, show us what research you have already done. Like this, maybe.... I've run a BH site-wide search for Jen Wen windows. In addition, I've done a Google search and found this (Because we don't want to tell you what you already know) In terms of quality, I'm interested in [......] (Why get responses about quality issues that are irrelevant to you ?) End to end customer service is also important to me: @Crofter, @Gimp, @AliG, what was your experience? (Naming people flatters them -you've searched for and read their content- targets them [they may have set up an alert for mention of their name] because you have named them; and asks them directly for feedback) Then If there's no response, drop those members a PM. That way everyone's clear what you have done, what interests you in particular, and begins to build bridges - who knows what might happen? A quick note on terminology and tags Jeld-Wen Jeld Wen Jeldwen Jeld-wen JeldWen ......... Which ? Because nobody knows how people are going to type your key term; the site search uses tags to search for content more quickly. Use the tag facility under the heading: it will speed up the search system we run. Put any relevant tag in - every tag helps. Ian
  8. ToughButterCup
    They offer 8, 10, and 12mm rope. The spares list I have doesn't specify the diameter. The person who fields sales calls doesn't know the correct dimensions (they used to employ a lady who knew the product range inside out and backwards). Getting the diameter correct means the difference between over-firing, and not. So I'll order some of each and experiment.
  9. ToughButterCup
    Just on the off chance, does anyone know what the diameter of the fire rope for the Fire Door is? I have the manual, (it doesn't say what the diameter is) I have rung the supplier; the lass had no idea what the diameter is. So, as usual, I end up on BH asking everyone else. Phhh....
  10. ToughButterCup
    A good mate of mine is upset: in my estimation, justifiably. Here's why. It would appear that -with impunity- falsified Percolation Test results can be submitted as acceptable, valid evidence in the Planning Process. I hasten to add that this case refers to one outside our Local Planning Authority. What happened? Planning permission was awarded on a plot near his house. A pre-condition for the award of planning was the normal Percolation Test. Because the plot near his house lies on the same type of ground (heavy clay) my mate knows that the percolation test must have failed. But that's not the issue What is the issue? The Ombudsman considering the case says that the simple submission of results (any results, true or false) is the sole responsibility of the applicant. Since there is no system internal to the LPA that checks the test results, any results can be submitted: even false ones. The Ombudsman says ' ...It is important to remember that the obligation to provide accurate information lies with the applicant. If Mr X’s suspicions are correct and a problem arises, it is likely the Council would be able to control it, either through planning or building control enforcement, or perhaps more likely, through environmental health action.... ' So you can build a house based on bogus test results, and sell it before the problem becomes apparent. And everyone around the plot has to suffer the consequences even after the builder has sold the house. How is that system fair?
  11. ToughButterCup
    Excellent idea.!
  12. ToughButterCup
    Most people do not read. Especially on a computer screen They skim, pause, read, skim on. STOP at KEY words. Then think and possibly respond. Look at the dense text you present above. You know it inside out and backwards The reader doesn't, and probably doesn't care either. Your message is a high-stakes one. Sent to someone who doesn't give a toss. She has 55 others to read before having a nasty commute home. If it's a high-stakes message, make it visually easy for people to access your message. Thus 1. The architects drawings (above), refer to details under these headings as do the structural drawings and calculations in terms of charring. External walls within 1000mm of a boundary. and are clad with fire cement tiles and are in line with the architects specification the tile specification will be as Marley Thrutone and are rated CLASS 0 as is required within 1000mm of a boundary. Details here. There are loads of other visual tricks to apply. Here's an online resources which, with a few tweaks, will help Make it easily legible to a tired, pissed off, distracted idiot. Make it easy for a local Donald Trump to read.
  13. ToughButterCup
    Delays can be made to be useful. Plan.
  14. ToughButterCup
    Interesting list @Ferdinand. As a backup to your list, can I suggest this set of lists: I drafted this post out of sheer irritation while in a Parish Council meeting.
  15. ToughButterCup
    That banking 'incidents' skill. Phenomnal. It just taught me to be similarly careful about remembering 'things'
  16. ToughButterCup
    Your architect doesn't have that experience? And nobody else in the practice has experience either? Or your architect doesn't feel able to have a professional discussion with colleagues about it? My (remaining) finger-tips are burning.
  17. ToughButterCup
    Yes, they will. We have decided to build in what the trades call the wrong order. In our case, for the builder, the term 'wrong' meant Not what we always do, and we don't want to think about what you , the customer wants. Out of caution, and in the light of experience locally trying to find labour, we asked our (now ex ) builder to put the roof on first. "Nah, mate, can't do dat. 'S aw rong" "Thats interesting, tell us why? " A quick email to and phone call with the SE, a chat with the architect resulted in a simple drawing from the SE, explaining where the temporary support needed to be installed while putting the roof on before the first floor. Exit the builders stage left : they would not guarantee they could find a roofer before rain ruined the first floor. That flushed them out didn't it? So, it's back to the full-on DIY self-build means self-build experience. If I can't take a joke, shouldn'a started should I?
  18. ToughButterCup
    I bought a puffer as you advised some time ago. But this time, I thought I'd be a smart-arse and get a compressor (my mate was selling his) and so it was 'any-excuse-to-use-it' time. From now on it's Drill Compressor blow Brush out Compressor blow Brush out Puffer In fact, just like it says on the tin. In pretty pictures for idiots like me who don't read. I think I'll adapt a resin nozzle for fitting on the end of the compressor gun so that the jets blow sideways too. Lesson learned. You could get a part time job as a teacher @Onoff.
  19. ToughButterCup
    Welcome indeed. You'll be aware that getting rid of water is the key to any build: all sorts of water: from interstitial condensation to foul waste. We'll follow your story with interest. Ian
  20. ToughButterCup
    Knowing which one to use and why, and much more important, why not to use the others. I'm thinking about (say) a BCO asking me which chemical anchor I have used - and being able to respond to the challenge 'Why didn't you use [xyz]?' And trying hard to avoid the @ProDave scenario outlined above. I've got a few chemical anchor jobs Wall plate for the main roof - (likely the glass capsule idea you outline above) Threaded bar for the edge protection fittings (M12) - might well drill right through the concrete, bolt and plate both sides instead. (Foolproof) Threaded bar for the rim joists (M14 / M16) In terms of making holes in concrete and using chemical anchors , I remembered @Onoff's advice to clean out the holes properly. So I bought a compressor and blasted the holes out thoroughly. Or so I thought. Debbie, bless her, suggested I clean the hole out with an old toothbrush as well. Cue embarrassment. Loads of secret crud came out. Further blasting, more crud still. @Onoff, thanks for the nudge about the pull tester. If I can hire one, great. If not I'll just drill right through the wall and put a large washer under a nut and lock nut. Overall, that'd be cheaper. Thanks very much (as always)
  21. ToughButterCup
    Thankfully SWMBO did ours the other day. I would now have been dead had it been the other way round. Dead. Has been. Ex-alive. Watching with interest
  22. ToughButterCup
    Man riding ? Auto-correct has a sense of humour ?
  23. ToughButterCup
    To date, I've only used Fischer. And I learned the nozzle game the hard way (geddit?) : planning to use a whole tube at once is a bit of a dark art isn't it? I'll look at the Hilti stuff and maybe try some, but I bet I end up taking @JSHarris advice. Our concrete is all bone dry. I know, it's just me: I like to know why I'm doing what I'm doing, and why I'm not doing what I might reasonably be expected to be doing. And that's not a recipe for an easy life.
  24. ToughButterCup
    Or perhaps I should have written: Choosing the correct one isn't easy I need to embed threaded bar in non-cracked concrete. That's why SEs and others say 'You need a chemical anchor'. Have you looked at the range of them on offer? Which does what for whom under what circumstances isn't made clear at all. So it's off on yet another electromagnetic adventure: and apart from suppliers websites (which I automatically distrust) there's precious little to engage an interested but skeptical customer. True enough, I did find this . But the authorship of the site isn't made clear and there's a lengthy disclaimer. (at the bottom of the page). I trust that just about as much as I trust Donald. Screwy's , TS, and local BM sites and others aren't interested in anything other than sales. Fischer do a technical support site (just a phone number), but they only focus on .... you guessed it. Why does styrene matter (as in styrene-free) ? Is generic stuff just as good as branded ? Who or what is Vinylester? (yes it's is a resin produced by the esterification of an epoxy resin with an unsaturated monocarboxylic acid. but what the Hell is that? What's the difference between high performance and normal stuff? Why is there such a price range? Cheap = bad, expensive = good ? What's good enough (for my job)? Does anyone know of a site which simplifies this mess of advertising claims erm, (sorry) , information ?
  25. ToughButterCup
    Scaffolding, with buried HERAS (rubber block) feet, scaff clips and effort. The key word is temporary isn't it? I'm assuming the end in mind is the Habitation Cert; pretty, nice later. Bury (fairly deep) HERAS feet at suitable intervals (second-hand £5 each) , and slot the standards in the central hole of each HERAS foot. Backfill the hole: no need to use concrete. Clip the ledger (handrail) as appropriate. You might well need brace the standards. That way, everything can be made to disappear (Kerpow!) later.
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