ToughButterCup

It's all @Construction Channel, @Barney12, @Triassic, @vfrdave ' s faults. I have decided to try and slate the roof of our little piggery. The key factor in my decision is the simplicity of the roof. It's five meters long and dead straight (now) Well, got to save money somehow. And as SWMBO says, it keeps me off the streets. I anticipate going into a lot of detail, so this post will be one of a few: I'll make a little navbar within this and subsequent posts. (There's nothing to link to yet, so the doesn't work). Why do that? Because it will make it easier for potential roofers to follow the threads. This (will be) one of a series [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] The background We have an old piggery which is not subject to Building Regs that has been knocked down (under Permitted Development) and rebuilt (badly: there's a really big curve in the west wall - one of the reasons we sacked the builder). Again at @Construction Channel's encouragement I built the roof like this.... using recycled wood from the shuttering disaster (another reason we sacked the builder) By the way, I colour-coded the recycled wood : red paint means there are or were nails in the wood, green means that the recycled wood is metal-free). Ask me why I do that now The roof now looks like this: I re-used some OSB left over from the shuttering and covered it with normal 'shed' felt. I thought I'd do a quick review of what others have posted about slate roofing (all summarised from BH posts where the term 'slate' is in the title: 'slate' in the title and content brings up too many results) @pudding posted a useful shopping list here for a similar project. As usual, there's good advice on costs and the causes of costs . There's reference to the roofing superstore. @Temp reminds us that battens need to be treated and meet BS5534. @pudding (and I) forgot to think about eaves protectors: but they're fairly cheap. @vfrdave's post here continues the concern about verges, his post raises issues I didn't even know about (unknown unknowns) ; drip profile, drip beads, Kytun dry verge, (and how to trim it, thanks @JSHarris) Nails. @Construction Channel's special subject when he gets on to Master Mind. Answer? Copper. Want the detail: it's here @Barney12 s post is the one that set me thinking about whether I could do it too. Several people suggested he look at YooChube videos: so here's a link to 20 or 30 relevant videos. @RichS advice on the above thread chimes well with what I have heard from several sources: take your time on the first (bottom) course. The issue of plastic slates is discussed here: they're news to me. Maybe I should consider them: shame there's no discussion on price in this thread.Size matters: there's a whole whirlwind of slate-related technobabble (just as bad as JavaScript coders) here, but within the post is this gem about traditional roofing ; and then there's the normal self-build concern 'How much? Ya jokin' mate' @Leaway asks about verge end caps. I don't know what a verge end cap might be: but this kind of explains what one is, and this link explains it properly (google image search) Then there's this quite important post about doing it yourself started by @Tin Soldier. It certainly put lead in my pencil about the whole issue. It's a must-read. Next: weighing the job up.

Like the maps of bygone years, this thread should be tagged Here be dragons Why?Here's the catalogue of woe from BH And in the interest of balance and full disclosure, my company has just arranged to insure my windows while in storage at a site in Birmingham for free.

Now all you need to do is be tough on costs and the causes of costs, then! Excellent.

That was - was - our model. I would be the first to wish you a speedy house sale at a sensible price, where the transaction runs smoothly and the money is in the bank a whole month before you need the proceeds. Have a fall-back plan in place for delay and sudden changes in the housing market. Good luck! Ian

A whisper in my ear about Farrow and Ball paint being better than all the rest.... Is it? It's 'ouch-that-hurt' more expensive than the competition......

Not sure whether to be flattered or worried Nick......

Could I ask whether you have considered mortgaging (or re-mortgaging) your current property? Good luck! Ian

Yes. That suppliers have never heard of one doesn't surprise me at all. Talk to an installer - a person low enough in the food chain to really matter - and the story will likely be different. In our direct experience, there are many suppliers who care nothing about anything other than a sale. Nothing.

My Polish builder (Daniel) says he suspects the primer was not put on properly ... Or the wrong (AKA cheaper) primer was put on instead.....He has seen similar damage in England, but not Poland Czejs !

I may have mis-read some aspects of your post Where the minor change is too small to check, then don't worry: do it, but evidence the change. Where the condition is explicit and obvious if you don't comply, follow it. Briefly put Theres already too much to worry about in a build.

That's interesting @SBS Dave,... What's the point of a time delay on an RCD?

I should perhaps have explained more clearly that it is possible to pile close to underground assets provided that the asset is insulated from the vibration by an air gap. I don't think that the diameter of (in this case) the pipe makes a difference to that principle. If the costs of CFA piling is an issue, then it might be possible to persuade your authority to allow a different method to be used if the sewer were to be suitably insulated from vibration. Just a thought......

Thats interesting.... The second busbar obviates the need for the flying neutral, then? (excuse the possibly stupid question) Ian

This thread has made my brain ache. And thus the more enjoyable. Just like being back at work all this just-in-time learning. I have done a good deal of YT research (mainly John Ward's stuff ) However, I think I learned just enough (in the last 24 hours) to be able to talk to the sparky and maybe - just maybe - understand what he says. I have got this far with my thinking and wonder if any of you might nudge me a step or two further, please? On the don't buy a dog and bark yourself principle, and in the context of our piggery (not the main house) Ask my electrician to fit a CU with RCBOs only If possible compact RCBOs If possible RCBOs that cut off Line and Neutral at the same time (Double Pole RCBOs) In our piggery, I anticipate needing circuits for LED lighting, 10 standard sockets, and a car charging point, and a couple of spares. But I bet I'll have missed something, so make sure there's space in the CU Which takes me to @JSHarris point and @Onoff's response If I need more than 40 amps, then I'll have to use the bigger form of RCBO. I really like the Schneider range of CUs because they have lots of room in them and the terminals are on the left and right hand side. That makes it easier for me to work in them (under appropriate supervision) because of my Bend-It-With-Beckham hands. What have I missed? Before I forget, thanks very much @Onoff and @JSHarris Ian

Hmmm. Do you mean get casters that have a single central threaded bar and bolt as it's attachment method, or substitute four machine screws and nylocks for the supplied screws? If the latter, then I will have to make some bigger pads on which to fasten the casters, and maybe sleeve the machine screw Thinking about it, I'll bet you mean four machine screws and nylocks don't you....

I'm about to make make a 'cart' or trolley on which to store timber off cuts. There are many videos on YT. which are extremely helpful. Thinking it through, I reckon that the weak point in my eventual design could well be choosing the wrong casters. I think the eventually weight will be about 100kg to be distributed over 4 or 6 casters; the cart will be stored in a dry container with a level floor. I need to be able to turn the cart round on its own axis - lack of space is the issue. Any advice?

@Onoff, I have watched the video, twice. With the the best will in the world, I'm never going to understand it. Which makes me ask; Do I ask my sparky to fit them? What reason might he give for refusing to fit them? [ A refusal from a sparky is a big deal for people like me] Ian

@Adamantium, is the SE insisting on CFA piles? If so why? I ask because SEs recommend what they know about and or specialise in. And so do all professionals. Our SE (Tanners) were thoughtful enough to include one sentence in their recommendation. Paraphrasing: despite the Soil Analysis Recommendation , other piling methods are available. The important thing is not the method it's the outcome The matter of the distance from the Water Company's assets: we had an exactly analogous problem. So we read their policies carefully, and after a bit of research found out that if we did this (image below) all would be well. And indeed it was. As to piling mat. Are you on a slope? If so, make use of it in helping make the piling mat. Ian

@JSHarris is right. And it's exactly the problem we had. My heart sank when I realised we needed piles. . Read this . It might go some way to reducing the rictus grin and sucking of teeth about piling: well the cost of them: intial quotes - silly money. Evental cost £6.500 for 64 piles. This is written in haste: concreting today, so I'll come back to this later. With luck we'll soon have caught your stumble.....

Right. Thanks @Nickfromwales Now the key question: the one that'll make the coming week bearable or Hell. It's up to you, Nick. Can I light the fire to provide a bit of radiant heat?

Yes: and then it bubbles up into the top-tank (for the hot water)

4 exactly as you say

We have an open vented central heating system with gravity fed hot water. For reasons over which we will draw a polite veil, we (well 'I') drained the radiators, refilled them, flushed out what I could: and ............made the heating problem worse. At the very best time of year for that to happen. So, in a fit of rage and frustration, I re-drained the complete system took all the radiators off and, at long last, discovered what the problem is. I don't know what I'm doing. Anyway, here's the thing: 's gonna get cold in the next few days and I'd like to stay married. The 'boiler' is a multi-fuel fire. It has a back boiler which is now empty. Please tell me I can light the fire anyway, even though there's no water in the heating pipes. In other words use the fire as a simple space and running hot water heater...... If I can't there's a nice warm hotel right next to where SWMBO works, and .... well you can guess the rest.

Thats really interesting. Presumably there's an idea PVA - water mix (or maybe no added water at all ? ) Anyway thanks for the advice.

Gate worktop ( for very small workshop) a few small boxes another small gate some shelving