ToughButterCup

I have a strong feeling that there are many of us who have done a bit of research privately but, unlike @jamiehamy, not told anyone else. I think we - that is this discussion group / board - should provide a space for us to 'dump' our research notes. A simple repository of unedited, un-filtered information. I will personally commit to check and summarise that information and publish it here for comment by all. My question is: do you (that means anyone reading this thread - anyone at all) agree that we should provide a work-space for anyone to contribute? The end in mind is clear. We should examine whether or not it is possible for us collectively to provide some sort of crowd funding organisation for self-builders? For my part, I'll have a word with the Forum Management Group and see what the mood is there. Who knows, I might have read this thread wrongly.....

Start somewhere. Anywhere. And keep going. How about talking to reading about groups of people who have done something similar ? How about setting up a section of the site devoted to the research / thinking / discussion process ?

And that would cost? £5000? 100 of us £50 each. @ProDave moves in. Too simple?

How many of us are in this situation? I know of three (including me) : many of us are asset rich, cash poor and risk averse. While I know its unlikely (and may even be unwise) for members to follow Dave's and my example by being up-front about it, I have evidence (PMs , private visits) of a few more of us in similar circumstances. We all need to get our old house sold to fund the current build. But that process appears to be grinding to a halt. Which brings me to @Stones point. This crowdfunding thread is a good place to mull over the issue within the context of self-building. My estate agent mate reports a significant slow-down in sales across the piece in't north west, Morecambe, Lancaster, South Lakes area. With the some highly niche sectors being buoyant. Rentals on the other hand are going strong. And wouldn't many of us love to get to the stage where we could camp with some dignity in our new builds? And to do that with the aid of a small injection of capital would be just the thing. Similarly, when the 'old house' gets sold and we're a bit more cash-rich, wouldn't we be more likely to lend a couple of thousand to self-build projects?

Hello, this is a nice party isn't it? Tell me how do you know the host? Oh, well, we're both meta middlemen. That's nice. Ermmm, sorry to be so ignorant, but I've never met people who called themselves middlemen No, no, we're both meta middlemen. Ahhh, I see. Can I get you another drink? You look like you need one.

Use heavy gauge plastic ties to link the panels: quick snip and the jobs done. Cost far less than the clips. Quick to replace too. What are you going to do when the wild wind blows? Who / what will be endangered by a blown over panel? HERAS feet can be anchored any way you like, and since its windy here, I tie them to my digger or Land Rover or 'moor' them to a tonne bag of sand (or a mixture of all three) when its really blowy and put sand bags on the rest of the feet. Since I suffer from Great Crested Newts I also attach the TAF to the HERAS

I'm happy to recommend the same one as @Nickfromwales. Buy the laser receiver too. The receiver is almost essential when the sun's bright and -to date- I have used it over a distance of 20 meters or so. Used it after @nod's tutoring in establishing a datum level. Even I can use one successfully. Of course, if @nod were to leave his Hilti laser around somewhere, I'd look after it for him.

I suspect that we're not long behind you, Dave. I'm not relishing looking at Debbie in the eye on the day we have to move out. The worst of it is you (we) can't get off this particular train. We started on the basis of what, at the time, were a sensible set of assumptions. And fundamentals on which those assumptions were made changed. Its that same change process which offers hope for the future. It wouldn't take much of a change to make the outlook a good deal more positive. And then there's luck. I dunno about you, but I still feel very lucky to be able to have started a build. Maybe a little more is not too much to hope for. Its not as if we are trying to build an empire. Not to have started would have been forever to regret not trying. To live diminished by demonstrable lack of guts. And that's not for us.

Yeah, but @lizzie, he hasn't finished it yet. @Onoff's unofficial role on this forum is to make the rest of us feel really good about not finishing stuff. Coupled with his infectious enthusiasm, and undoubted breadth of experience.... all I have to say to Debbie is 'Well @Onoff hasn't finished his gate or bathroom or... (make something up) yet, so I dunno what you're moaning about.'

Yes, they will be visible, but not all of it (them) The points you make about the invisible parts are excellent. Thanks. As you will know, the budget has recently shrunk a good bit, so galvanising is out I am afraid. So it looks like the red leading (iron oxide) and internal wax oil is the most likely. Yes, I know it won't look the best, but......

Building on this thread, the question the fabricator has asked me whether we want the steels painted or galvanised? Well, I suspect that galvanising, while excellent, would be too expensive. The steels hold a structure (a curtain wall) that is external to the heated envelope, and they form one corner of the house. Has anyone got any experience of painting steels? What's the best paint to use? Is it the sort of job that a self-builder can do well enough? Got any trade names for an appropriate paint? We are about a mile or so inland (and more importantly down wind) from the sea. Blown salty wind is only a problem in winter. (I can taste it)

Thats about what it would cost here too.....

Hmmm, it's a pity that it appears to be for iPad only. Does anyone know of an equivalent for other operating systems?

I agree with the above comments. And add; do be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling them. I'll explain why if you like: just trust me.

Let's look at this positively. Many would argue that squirrel nut soup (made many a one with young children) is delicious. Now if the squirrel had just been gathering nuts, what's not to like? The only issue I could see is how to use the tail. I know; washing up brush.

Folks, what's an ICERT? What are dead tests? And what are (is) TT earthing? I loathe electricity. I really loathe how stupid it makes me feel. Loathe it. Big time. Loathe it.

@JSHarris, that set of posts written by you (one of which is here) were instrumental in giving me just enough courage to make a start on this journey / saga/ comedy/ set of hiccups. Its just that I feel -at the moment - every day I need to screw up my courage more than usual. Reading posts from people like @MikeSharp01 , @Onoff , @Construction Channel and many others, it is completely clear that they have forgotten more than I will ever know about building. So, the slope is steep. But not impossible to climb. And a grease trap looks like fun because its simple to build. (Did I really write that?)

I can feel a post coming on entitled ' Perceptions, Uses and Affordances of Delay in the Self Build Sector ' But, thats for another day.

You aren't the first to suggest I over-engineer or over-think stuff. I'm just like anyone else who knows sod all about what they are doing , and prepared to make enough mistakes.

Right. I have an old useless coal bunker made from concrete rings. Now I know what to do with it. I've got a digger, I've learned how to make concrete, I have a load of 393 reinforced mesh left over. What could go wrong?

I think I'm getting into the tough on spending and tough on the causes of spending phase of the build. I can see the logic behind installing a grease trap. But boy do I resent paying for one! It's almost as bad as buying socks. And looking at YooChube, people are being very creative about solving the problem. I'm tempted to use Ed's ( @Construction Channel) mantra: How hard can it be? Its a plastic box with mesh for the hard bits (quite like a pre-pump filter for a water pump) and an arrangement that slows the flow down as much as possible. Add some baffles. Draw the water off at a lower level than the input level. Here's a model Tempted, tempted I am

Plenty of time left....

Buildhub is the only dedicated self-build stress relief zone I know.

Then there are those intending to turn the visit into a day out; and by 10:00 have realised it's the opposite. How much? Stupid prices! They think we're a gold mine don't they? By 12:00, they're cross, by 1:00 they're off home. We begrudge the time now. Unless we plan to meet up with mates from BH. That's always a tonic.

Tell us, do! What kind of car do you drive? A pantechnicon? Most of us would give our eye teeth for a garage that size. Good luck; I'm wincing for you....