ToughButterCup

Just before I go and buy a wheel lock for my trailer, anyone got a recommendation, or an on-no-account-buy-this-one? Thanks! Ian

Spend £1000 on advice. Work out who is the sharpest self-employed planning consultant around - by reading their applications and looking at the results of their applications. A real eye for the nitty gritty detail is what you need. Then go down the pub and listen. The go to the local golf club and listen. Not all on the same night Ian

Yes, me.PM me for details. Ian

OK, me with my spaz hands : got eight fingers of which only six work properly and two just get in the effin' way all the time, I'd just love to have the excuse to buy one of these magnetic hammers. Picking things up to hit with a hammer like as not results in bloodied thumbs and fumbled miss-hits. Yes they're overly expensive, and yes, it'd get nicked, but everyone knows that my lad's the local copper and his missus is the local CSI. In frustration and sheer anger I bought £300 worth of pure joy - a DeWalt nailer, so the £50 these costs is peanuts.

Good luck with that. I find a simple way of making your problem 'real' to administrators is to say something like; " If you were in my shoes, knowing what you know about the internal workings of your system, how would you resolve this particular problem"?

Oh a little learning is a dangerous thing. Sounds like a few phone calls are need today. Thanks for the nudge Dave. The guidance in Working Platforms for Tracked Plant: good practice guide to the design, is clear . I need to get a Competent Person to design the piling mat. The question remains, however, to what extent is a piling mat similar to the base of a passive slab? I need to know exactly what a passive slab is. Glad it's raining today..... don't feel guilty about desk-based research

Making a sensible guess at what it might cost We already know from the previous Blog Post that , at the moment, Stone Columns is the preferred method. So, it's straight to SPONS for a look-see. Here's a link to the book, it's expensive, but it's saved me more money than I care to count - and here's the twist - it's increased my level of confidence no end. Because I know what a reasonable price is likely to be. Here's the link to a post I made about it recently - goes into more detail than I do here (I don't want to repeat myself, people get bored so I'm told). This blog post will illustrate how useful the book can be: or how useful it is to me. SPONS - the hardback book has a few pages on piling (Chapter 7 p.238 et seq), and when you buy it you also get the licence for an online version - and that allows you to search for 'piling' across the whole book. Suddenly you are aware of all sorts of things to do with piling, as well as the charges directly attributable to piling. So, for example I find that a CFA team consists of 3 blokes (sorry 'people'), their rates of pay and so on. Very absorbing. And that's useful because it begins to redress the 'expert' , 'customer' imbalance. Fuller information promotes partnership and engagement. I accept that some may not want that, but I do. Many piling methods need a piling mat. Some don't (Surefoot for example) See also my previous blog post So the key for me at the moment is how to sort out the piling mat. The Basics There are two elements to piling: the piles themselves and the piling and the area which needs to be prepared for the rig. It's called a ' Piling Mat' A piling mat is simple: its a level area about 2 meters wider than the plot so that the piling rig can strut its stuff. (I'll post the exact specification later) So in our case that's about 14 meters by 14 meters. That needs to be costed. Here goes: area affected - (10 by 10 plus two meters each side for wriggle room , that makes 14 by 14), say 200 sq m, lets keep it easy for those of us who only just passed maths O Level. The SI report makes it clear that we have at least 2m of made ground everywhere. What's the spec for a Piling Mat? Well, if you pay £45:00 you can find out. BRE (2004) Working Platforms for Tracked Plant: good practice guide to the design, (etc.) For costing purposes we can have a look at SPONS now (page 163) '...excavate to form piling mat; supply and lay imported hardcore – recycled brick and similar to form piling mat...' Spon's Architect's and Builders' Price Book 2016. CRC Press Assuming the site needs to be dug over to a depth of 1 m and then compacted, I need a price for 200m cubed . That translates to a price of £1600 to £2000. First quote £11,000. Yeah, right. The piling itself: The SE will tell the piling company what they need to support, and the SE needs the Soil Investigation and the Topographical survey To Be Continued

@Daedalus £7,000 as opposed to way over double that No, it isn't in the price and when the next blog entry comes (soon - betcha can't wait!) be prepared to be shocked, stunned and not a little amazed. Thanks to you I have downloaded the Design Guide. (Need a copy? I'll only charge double what it cost) I deliberately went up to Darkest East Lancs to look at a piling mat, and realised I had been looking at them for years - all over the place. Thanks again for the nudge.

Neither did I. The subject is very interesting indeed; piling has a long history too. And locally we don't have far to look for evidence. On especially low tides at Lancaster, in the Lune river, you can see stumps of the piles used by the Romans when they stomped about up here. Wonder if they were vibro(s)?

Here she is Declan. You a Led Zep fan too then? Blow me down it just had to be a German rig didn't it? and if I ask the driver very very nicely he might let me drive a pile or two. But then Declan, size isn't everything as many people have said to me. I can just see @MrsRA wanting a go too now she's a part-time digger driver.

Here you are......

'Forewarned is fore-armed' say some. Others 'do your due diligence'. Bottom line - do some background research. Here's mine. (With as many internet links links in as I can to help you with yours) If you can pick a hole I what I write, or see that I've missed something, I'd be so grateful if you could tell me. Method We already know that we have to pile. Does the SI report give a hint at which type of pile? Have a look at this Phase 2 SI Report: Concrete Design page 12, point 7.4: (SI = Soil Investigation) Phase 2 S.I. Report - Bay Horse, Lancaster - G15002b.pdf '... therefore the most practicable foundation type would be a bored pile solution [...] on this basis, concrete in contact with the ground may be designed to ACEC Class DS-1 AC1s of BRE Special Digest 1 - Concrete in Aggressive Ground...' So now we know: they need to be concrete of a certain spec (Help!... no idea what the spec means) and that the piles should be '... sleeved in the upper portion to allow for ongoing settlement of the fill...' (Point 7.3 page 11). What a difference a bit of research makes........ read on There's no substitute for a good SE: one who engages with the customer's needs rather than merely doing the job (PM for details if you like). One line in their email to me suggesting we use a form of piling that is a good deal cheaper than traditional piling (Surefoot). And, in one sentence the SE had potentially saved his fee. They cost about half or less than traditional steel piles. Initial conversations with the company lead me to go and have a look at an installation. Here's what piles (if you can call them that) of that sort look like. So, after checking that there was no conflict of interest between the supplier and the SE, we sent the detailed information to Surefoot. Disappointment. Our ground (see the SI report above) is too 'made-up' . Hmm, back to square minus-a-few. Lesson learned? Keep looking. And that means hours on 'Tinternet. Hours of time apparently wasted. Hours of time which at the time that 'feel' wasted which could be spent doing a million other things . And then a post from @Calvinmiddle suggested I look at national piling contractors. And that lead me to Town and Country Vibro . Instantly another set of unknowns and another research blizzard. Blizzard? Yes, that's how I feel.... I can see a few millimeters in front of my face, I can just about read my compass, I know where I'm going but there might be a crevasse one step in front. What in heaven's name is a stone column? Can it really be as strong as a pile? Why the Heck does the SE specify a safety factor of 2.5(ish) What is 'ground improvement'? How much? Why all the sales guff full of well-know management waffle? What does it actually mean? I really wish there was a Course in every Management Department in every British University which had a compulsory course called Cut_The_Shite_Out _Of_Sales_Speak. It just gets in the way. So, it's hours of YT videos.... bottom feed (my favourite) top feed (mehhhh) vibro (hmmmm) Gordon Bennett is it that quick? A few phone calls later and I'm standing on a building site somewhere in deepest east Lancs with Dan. For reassurance you understand. And a chat with the rig driver. Which lead to a quote. (Cheaper than Surefoot) Which lead to a site meeting at our place, which was well handled: there was a proper check list - whereas up to now a site meeting went something like this... "Well mate y'll need 5 meter piles and we'll do the calcs for ya, 'kin SE's they're a waste of time and money" A swift, polite Bye Bye. Or (and this takes some believing) "Your plot's the same as all the others round here: you'll need four meter piles , and I reckon the jobs going to cost you £20K" He had neither asked for nor seen any SI information - it was offered but he said "No need to bother son". It was the epithet 'son' which really got me. On arrival on site, he got out of the best kept top-line Mercedes I have seen for a long while. I was almost rude in showing the contractor the door. Almost. Piling design: TCV did that, and sent to our SE (Tanners) and that's where we are now. Stone columns (ground improvement) is the method. We need a piling mat: and that's another story.

Unbelievably useful post in terms of getting my head round what needs doing. For example; '.... but all it required was four lengths of timber to prop it in place, then backfill with a dry mix concrete / fill the plant with water. ...' @Stones, how much of your digester will be proud of the ground? I ask because @PeterW arranged things so that all of his is hidden (somehow, must ask him) @Oz07, what's a shadow gap?

Vigorous aerobic exercise for an hour will sort the irritation out.

That's the size of our house............

Nothing deters them. One tippy-toed through our kitchen the other evening. Bless her. Stunning dress on: orange against black, kept her peace, just looked beautiful. Lesson there somewhere.

Yes, @Ashburyselfbuild, I'll be on that (Barnsley) course sometime soon too, with my builder, architect in tow.

OK lads, thanks. Here's my Method Statement (RAMS) . I'm using Ed's reference: LDCA Technical Specification for Field Drainage, and H1 of the Building Regs (as applicable) The job is to lay a pipe across an open field. The pipe takes the discharge for two properties from the digester (sited more than 10 meters away from a water course and other buildings) . That means the discharge water is classified as clean. I think the worst case scenario will be when the farmer decides he wants to deep-plough the field. The land drains which already exist (2) have been surveyed and checked: both of those run in exact parallel, and the pipe I'm laying runs in parallel with them, so there's no fear my work of cutting them. Both of those drains appear to be buried deeper than 1 meter. There is no track in the field. There are no underground services. Our pipe run will be in a dead straight line. I'll use a corrugated plastic pipe. There is at least 5 meters fall over 100 meters run, so I can '...run with the land...' (above) The farmer has assured me that no stock is due to be put on the field this year. The hedge will be dug out and temporary fencing installed pending reinstatement. Access and egress to the work will be through the hedge. The fall to the field to be made up with the spoil from the digester hole and other locally dug materials. That material to be removed at the end of the job. The trench will be dug by machine. The farmer and land owner will be given an accurate sketch map of the pipe position and depth. Ed, ( @Construction Channel) what's the maximum depth that ''deep ploughing' might reach? Wikipedia has it at 50cm.... Do you agree? I recon the risk of that happening is small, though.

and just like Bernard Cribbins, I'm left wondering how deep it should be? The job? Connect the outfall from the digester to the stream 100 meters away. Across a field that -in season- has cattle on it sometimes. I asked the farmer how deep he wanted it. He had no idea. I've looked at the Regs, and there appears to be no clear guidance. So, I'm asking you for advice, please. I'm thinking about the bloke in the bowler who might come along and scratch his head (0:28)

I intend to build using Durisol ICF blocks. That company has teamed up with crsfuturebuild who in turn appears have teamed up with isolohr I thought I had our floor slab sorted out, but. Anyone know anything about isolohr or crsfuturebuild? Both systems are German: they get everywhere these pesky Germans.

Hmmm, thanks for the nudge. Got a site diary, but it's so full of sludge and 'notes-to-self' - your idea is so much simpler and better. Just decided that (I use Box) it would be best to use the resident BoxNote file format because I can update that from any device - even my very poorly specified phone. In other words, I don't need an editor on the machine I use to make the entry, because the editor is resident in the browser. (Needs to be HTML5 and CSS3 compliant I think) Ian

A success related issue.... excellent! Are you living in your property? Paying Community charge yet? The answer to those questions would figure large in my calculation. HERAS can be bought for about £15:00 a panel; one foot and one link plus panel about £20. I'm sure you can do the maths.

You just want a new one. Nothing wrong with that. Face it. - You worried about facing Faye..... just a little bit... just a teeny weeny little bit? Hmmmm?

Your little scrap with Torridge is the first thing I remember about you, Joe. Victory is all the sweeter for you now I suspect.

If anyone wants to know why I keep coming back here (as opposed to keeping quiet) this thread is a brilliant example.