ToughButterCup

I'm off to buy a biscuit jointer later today. Strikes me that someone here will know how to make your own biscuits......Anyone?

Excellent. Tonight, let your hair down. Tomorrow chill. Sunday: the papers. Monday ' ...hope[..] for the best and prepare[...] for the worst...' And keep coming back to BH : we're all a bit nosey here

All you need to know in one document. Return of fee; page 4 The only thing you will need to check is that the document hasn't been superseded. Ian

Hi, I'm at Junction 33. Roughly where are you? If you're passing J33, drop in. We are two minutes away. (PM me) So, you've found the Slog-It Club. Most of us here are in the same boat..... Head down, tails up get on with it, no matter how we feel about it. For this build, today is one of the better days. Our Polish builder has arrived in site, and injected a healthy dose of energy for which I'm very grateful.

I tried that, partial knock down of a partially built house. Yep, I got a better version built as a result. Brainy that guy @le-cerveau

Have a look at the guidance given by your DNO online. Our DNO, was very helpful: detailed drawings and a dedicated helpline with a real person (Tracey, a very nice girl, very very nice girl) who knew what she was talking about.

Welcome @Tiny. Sounds like a challenge that, '....raising the roof level...' You could do that down the pub without the same expenditure level. Thought of that? If you are driving past, drop in. Ian

@HerbJ, you were right. I rang up and asked and they (selfbuildzone) added the windows in storage there and then. Thanks

Thanks @HerbJ Ian

We have to store our windows for a short while. They are in a proper warehouse. The insurance cover that comes as part of the storage is poor. I can find lots of insurance quotes for self-storage: but this isn't. Its storage in a warehouse, pending further shipment. I have looked for insurance policies that are suited for this bit of the market: so far I have only found one and it looks to me like a colander. Has anyone faced this issue ? Did you insure your goods in a warehouse (not self-store). I'd be grateful to hear about it. Ian

No matter what the results of the costing exercise are, don't acceptable any figure as accurate. Question each and every single one. For example from our project: QS cost for piling £22k - actually paid £6.5k. 5 expenditure headings which were never applied to the project (Total of about £7k) Wrong assumptions on the part of the QS (among them Muckaway never used, some items on site already) Some expenditure headings missing. And we paid for the QS' work! Bills of Quantities are useful as a general guide. But no more. They are a small-scale risk-reduction exercise I now use a blend of SPONS, Internet research, asking here on BH, and local networking.

+1 to @Onoff's advice. The only thing I'd add is use a blower if you can to clean off the roof: a broom takes ages, and will never be as thorough. As luck would have it, my repair lasted a few years - long enough for me to forget I had repaired it. But you are right, it needs doing thoroughly.

No. Just NO. Simple. No. You know it makes sense (not to).

Thanks @joe90 for the link. Surprised they sell the Grauniad down your way.... As it happens the man himself is also in the news today for unhappier reasons This bit could have been written by @JSHarris ' • Grand Designs don't happen without what McCloud believes to be the essential component of any home improvement project: an architect. "Expert help needn't be impossibly expensive. Everyone deserves and needs to work with talented individuals. If you go to a good architect, your fees will pay for themselves." and most uncomfortably this is all too true I come across people who are very successful in their own sphere, and really believe they can do it all themselves, but they can't." Ouch. Thanks @nod for teaching me that.

I will be watching this one like a hawk. Had we such a system, I'd have sorted out our analogous problem long ago.

Pop round to mine and take 4..... We'll agree a sensible price whenever. You know where I am . PMme. Ian

I heard and read about this early today Debbie and I are donating a small amount. You may like to do the same

Welcome indeed! You've found one of our Techno-Gurus, I see. He's not the only one, there are a few: they take a bit of finding but I'll let you discover them. We've also got some real sticklers for practical detail. For me their words make for difficult reading because they've all become experts by experience. And no matter how much you read their words, there's no substitute for that. Tell us about your first build. What did you learn? What did you get right? What are you going to do again because it worked so well?

I've tried that tack. But I don't understand their response(s) I'm a Domestic Client. And so is @Hecateh So, let's help her. @PeterW, or @JSHarris or @TerryE or any secret SEs we have on here, or secret BCOs, or an architect, or architectural technician will do fine, or @nod'll know or steels fabricator What EXACTLY should @Hecateh ask?

Now that is a BRILLIANT, just BRILLIANT idea. I never knew they existed. Thanks very much @Onoff

Ah, @SteamyTea, the rational approach. I wish the issue could be dealt with so logically and ..... Germanic(ally). And why are the damn things made out of black plastic? Black batteries in the depths of a dark tool tool bag. Now there's a recipe for success.

Have you met anyone as cack-handed as I am? I've only got 8 fingers and two of those that remain are just for show. Plugging anything electrical in to any socket is a process on which I have to concentrate hard. The two useless fingers are curled in toward my palm. They hook onto random stuff - and here's the thing - I can't feel that they do so: if I'm lucky I feel stuff just a little bit. Makes for some interesting interactions with people and things.... One day I caught one on a plug terminal as I connected up.

I thought that running an extension lead - even 110- would be too dangerous (for me, others will disagree) And our local place was having a promo on the Blue Tooth version of their floodlight (Other types and makes are available) Once a battery is on or in a tool, I tend to forget about it, put the tool back in its storage box (specially if it's raining) : and then wonder where the batteries have all gone. I wish Bosch did a double charger like Makita or some other makes......

I made that mistake until I realised that the lights were blinking (Bosch's way of telling you they are about to run out of juice)

But don't you use flood lights / or work lights? I have four. There's another 4 I need...