ToughButterCup

Welcome back. And, join the queue of questioners (me among them)

This article is interesting enough to read in full, but we’ve not got the time….so here’s a copy of it’s own summary (unedited and in its original format) How do workers, their material, equipment and workplace relate to construction accidents? · Problems arising from workers or the work team, especially worker actions or behaviour and worker capabilities, were judged to have contributed to over two thirds (70%) of the accidents. This points to inadequate supervision, education and training. · Poor communication within work teams contributed to some accidents, due to the physical distance between work colleagues or high levels of background noise. · In many cases, the accident occurred when those involved were not actually performing a construction task, but moving around site, for example. · Workplace factors, most notably poor housekeeping and problems with the site layout and space availability, were considered to have contributed in half (49%) of the accident studies. Standards of housekeeping and workplace layout with respect to safety are low in construction when compared with other industrial sectors. Despite poor weather often being cited as one of the reasons for construction having a poor safety record, this research found little evidence in support of this. · Shortcomings with equipment, including PPE, were identified in over half (56%) of the incidents. Poor equipment design and inappropriate use of equipment for the task were prominent aspects of this. Designers, suppliers and purchasers of equipment appear to give insufficient attention to the safety of users. · Deficiencies with the suitability and condition of materials, including packaging, featured in more than a quarter (27%) of incidents. The operation of the supply/purchase chain at present appears to act as a barrier to innovation as far as safety is concerned. · Originating influences, especially inadequacies with risk management, were considered to have been present in almost all (94%) of the accidents. · Frequently, no risk assessment had been undertaken covering the circumstances involved in the accident. Where a risk assessment had been carried out, it was often found to be superficial and unlikely to have prevented the accident. · It appears that PPE is relied upon habitually as a substitute for risk elimination or reduction at source. · It was judged that up to half of the 100 accidents could have been mitigated through a design change and it was found that, despite CDM, many designers are still failing to address the safety implications of their designs and specifications. Reference Loughborough University and UMIST (2003) Research Report 156 : Causal factors in construction accidents cited in Recent Construction Specific Research (2015) http://www.hse.gov.u…es/research.htm(downloaded February 2015)

And if there are any newts about, I'm yer man. And if there aren't do you need any? I have a few bucket-fulls to spare.

We were awarded Full Planning Permission in October 2015. The point of this blog entry is to describe the process of obtaining that permission in some detail. Bits of the process were painful. I describe the lessons I think I learned. We were awarded Outline Planning Permission some time ago. (October 2014). And that was the moment I bumbled into (the now sadly defunct) ebuild.co.uk. That was a key event. We live in what is a variously described as a ‘…charming hamlet…’ or ‘… a beautiful little corner of Lancashire…’ dating back to the 1600s at least. The road past our door was once the principal route up and down the west coast of the Pennines (so I’m told; I have no evidence to substantiate that). The A6 runs past our house 100 meters away and the M6 is a further 200 meters East of us All the cottages in our row look exactly like one another: chocolate box stuff. Why there are even Great Crested Newts in the ponds. In our research into the processes of house design, we thought little beyond reproducing what we already could see. Pretty little houses. But then, we bumped into the idea of passivhaus. What was this passivhaus (passive house) stuff? How much could we save by designing properly? What… that much? Getting online and networking with a group of people who had done it all before (many of them) or were going through the process themselves was an essential element in providing the much needed support. And then, as I continued to lurk in the network of online self builders, I realsised that self-build groups were allowing me to think, more than that… helping me think Some would argue that a poor bank balance is a problem. A poor pension something worse. But when harnessed to a bit of drive and ambition, lack of money is a useful filter. It makes us (Debbie and I) more determined. Next step; appoint an architect. Here we needed a bit of luck: but I put in the hours and found one. A keen young man – reminiscent of a young doctor, able to listen, understand my wife (essential) , and sharp as a tack. Passivhaus? Bring it on. Cost? Hmm well, lets suck it and see. Wart Number 1. We didn’t explain our evolving taste in house design with the hamlet well enough. We tried, but you can natter to folk, or neighbours all you like. They don’t listen mostly. We talked and talked about passivhaus. Mostly, we bored people. Design duly submitted to the LPA: good feedback from the Planner bit of fiddling here, some nudges there, done, dusted. Waiting for the decision was a nasty experience, especially in relation to what happened while we waited. Read on. Wart Number 2 The Parish Meeting to discuss our Planning Application wasn’t very nice at all. There was some shockingly rude behaviour, some way off-limits commentary, and an obvious lack of preparation on the part of many contributors. Summarising; we should build our house on the edge of the single lane road – like the rest we should not encourage more traffic on our little lane (despite outline permission to build) one person was rude enough to say she didn't believe we were planning two bedrooms because there was space for five cars to park we should not build in wood: it should be stone – like all the rest the wood cladding we proposed wouldn’t weather in exactly the same way as all the other wooden structures round here we should make the house look like all the others we shouldn’t build because of the newts we would overload the local off-mains drainage; “Ah’m not ‘appy wi ‘it” why did we plan for a dining room with eight table settings but have only two bedrooms? “Yer mekin’ this application ter ‘mek munney, ‘ats top ‘n bottum on it” the house would spoil one person’s walk down our lane I’ve written about the delay in communicating the decision to us. And that issue still needs to be dealt with. It seems to me that this is wart three. Wart Number three In a publicly accountable body, it is indefensible to set a decision deadline and then, without explanation, fail to keep it It brings the system into disrepute and de-professionalises the Planning process. Many of us in this discussion group would be severely criticised in our professional lives were we to behave in the same apparently unaccountable way. By way of counterbalance the Delegated report comprehensively unpicked each of the points put forward (read paragraph 9) Wart Number Four Should have read More. And that’s, for someone with my background, is really annoying.

Now that, I'd like to see. ..........

Wot, on Ed's roof? A puppy on Ed's roof... now that would be fun, watching the RSPCA van arrive in the background. And Faye all tearful and demure.

Yes, it's a delicate thing the relationship anyone has with an architect. There's a power relationship there which needs to be moulded into a partnership. Add a contractor with their own ideas and that's a difficult dynamic to manage. That 3rd from last point in the checklist above: Does the chemistry work... did it work when you talked together?

Glad to see you Declan! Ian

We met under a hundred pinpricks of light, and two snarling lions rampant. It seemed to me that we were going to need the shield against which they were leaning. The beasts looked angry, angry at the nervous jollity, the back-slapping, the power dresses and forced open-neck shirt paired with mohair suit. When one Councillor cracked a joke the lions retained their severity. And so they should, because this committee is a money factory. Fortunes are made and lost here. Dreams come true, dreams are shattered right here in this room. So many tight jaws, so much emotion, so much riding on what was to be decided. Tap-dancing on the head of a pin ‘What does Sustainability mean?’ Well, it used to be this and now it’s that, and that’s not fair, that’s not relevant, yes it is, no it isn’t. School playground experience is vital here. Only difference? Money. The squabbling’s serious stuff now, salaries, livelihoods, dreams, effort, emotional attachment, sales, income. And the playground is where those wheedling skills are first learned, and then honed. ‘….Aware of the problem, but not aware of the depth of feeling in the community…’ says the applicant. Titters. Another tap on the head of the pin. And the weasel agent, playground ex-offender, seen it all before, watching, sniffing, weighing it all up. The reactions, votes, smiles of the Councillors noted, saved, filed away for the next time the money factory is in session. Embarrassingly inarticulate Councillors, silent Councillors, somnolent Councillors, chirpy, pushy Councillors all clear that a Planning Premium is in the wind. More money, more emotion, more tap dancing on a pin head. (image used with the permission of the artist: you can find more of his work here)

This checklist is intended as a starting point for your own thinking. It isn't definitive, it is intended as a guide. There's a downloadable pdf (a link at the bottom of this list) version which I'll update in the light of comment. Comment and discussion make this list more useful: please add to it, and make suggestions or offer constructive criticism. This particular list is far from complete - there's a lot to think about getting the foundations right. Soil survey : get one done Topographical survey datum: have two Costed Enabling work Delivery access, how? Site Signage Perimeter Fence How will you pump out when necessary? Temporary sump for perimeter drain Ridge line? Marker system to avoid over-filling Logistics of getting concrete to site, access track, concrete pump, crane and skip etc BCO requirements and experience ======ARCHITECTS================== Architects proposal If relevant, has the Architect ever done passiv before? ======STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS======= SE calcs, but if passiv slab care needed Insulated Concrete Foundations needed? SE and Professional Indemnity Insurance. Strip, pile, pad, raft : which? =================================== Trees? TPOs? Services already on site: dead? marked? protected? Perimeter Drain Drainage layers Shuttering for existing drain runs. Neighbours informed, how close? Party Wall Act Detailed drawings to BC Crossheads in place Trenches checked Levels checked Location of services within the makeup, drains, water, phone, gas, etc Redundant ducting to be included (for use at a later stage)? BC contacted Build up? Detail Steel reinforcement, where, how much, starter bars for walls etc UFH pipes within concrete mass or in screed? Quality of workmanship ======Logistics===================== Calculate concrete volume Route instructions for driver: tricky approach, tight turns, weak bridges? How many loads Load Timing Left over concrete: where to dump? ================================== Shuttering support Levels during pour Height to which to build BC visited and signed off Preparation for the day(s) of the pour Compaction: whacker, bomag, twin drum Damp course, Radon barrier Checklist Foundations.pdf

This checklist is intended as a starting point for your own thinking. It isn't definitive, it is intended as a guide. There's a downloadable pdf (a link at the bottom of this list) version which I'll update in the light of comment. Comment and discussion make this list more useful: please add to it, and make suggestions or offer constructive criticism. Is an architect appropriate at this stage of your project? Will a Planning Consultant do? Do you have to brief an architect? Will an Architectural Technician do? Consider doing some of the designing yourself or perhaps a CAD Technician Is an architect working for a house manufacturer appropriate for your build? Research suitable architects: websites, relevant journals Make a long-list of possible companies Check each architects credentials here Is the architect bankrupt? Check the architects Indemnity Insurance Make initial contact; listen Ask for examples of existing work; visit / drive by Company brochure Work up a brief. Consider budget and don’t forget VAT Will the architect of choice actually do the work? Does ecology come into the mix somewhere? Time scales. Refine your brief, and write up. One side of A5. Send it to the architect in advance of your meeting List the questions you want to ask, and refer to the list during the meeting Meeting: has the architect read the brief? Does the architect listen? Is the architect merely an “Educated Artist”? What does the architect think of as the scope of his / her work? Clarity about Extras and Incidentals Does the chemistry work? Ask for references. Visit / ring/ talk to them Decide Checklist Briefing an Architect.pdf

Let me take you with me on my first steps on the road to cynicism in the building sector. For some reason (sewage smells?) many people appear to delay attention to the soft and smelly until it’s either too late or until they’ve backed themselves into the smallest room in the house; and then, trousers round their ankles, they allow someone to lock the door from the outside. Evidence? Use the search terms refusal and percolation on our LPA website. ‘Refused pending percolation test results’ is all too common. Imagine then my incredulity when, on the recommendation of a colleague, a company turns up to do a ‘PERK test (mate)’ for a drainage field on our land. Just a bit of context…. we live in sight of what was a clay quarry, within cricket ball throwing distance in fact So, there might just be a bit of clay around “Yeah, that looks fine (mate) you’ll get a drainage field on here no bother” he says without so much as lifting a shovel. “Tickety boo ” I say. “Gonna do the percolation test then?” “Aye… I’ll get ‘t shovel from ‘t van” “Where’s your machine then?” I ask. “No need for one (mate)” “I’ll get the tea on then” . Tea duly made…. yer man’s gone A square foot of the turf has been gently disturbed in one spot, and carefully replaced. An alarm bell sounds in the dim, dark recesses of my brain. And instantly switches off. Time for the pub. Friday is International Party Night in our place. Monday – Here are verbatim copy and past unedited (anonymised) passages from the written report; …I can confrm [sic!] that we have carried out a porosity test to determine the suitability of the sub soil. The percolation results indicate that an excavation area of 23m2 for the sub surface irrigation system is required…. …Condition of soil: Loam soil to the base of the excavation…. …Number of excavations: No.3 trail [sic!] pits to a depth of 550mm…. …Percolation values: Pit 1 – 16 secs/mm. Pit 2 – 20 secs/mm. Pit 3 – 19 secs/mm. Average percolation value: 19 secs/mm…. (Condition of soil: Loam soil to the base of the excavation.) The briefest look at H2 Drainage Fields and drainage mounds page 31 to 33 shows the requirement for hole to be dug to 300mm below the intended invert (para 1.33 page 32). In our case that would be a two meter deep hole at least. So, trying to be fair, I suggest to the company that I pay for a properly constituted percolation test. Here’s part of the emailed response from the company . ..However [our report] would be based on the procedure we carried out [reported in the quotation above] to confirm the first report which we have done 100’s of times and never been questioned by Building Control/Planners once. Talking to a different company rep about the matter and he grins disarmingly. And tells the story of a completely built house without access to either off mains drainage or a sewer. Off-mains drainage can be a show-stopper, not a lot of people know that. If like me you aren’t a builder, there’s no substitute for reading and reading and reading.

Finally, 'click'. I might now be able to explain this issue to someone else now.... a proper test of understanding. I'll start with my architect : a 'thermal mass' sinner.

Life saver Ed........... thanks . Ian I found a set of links to timber sizes and two listed their prices, so I add them below with no thought to their order. I do so because our local timber yards are too lazy to put their prices online. They just want you to turn up. Which is a polite way of saying waste-your-time http://www.woodyalan.co.uk/timberpriceseb.htm http://www.wickes.co.uk/Shop/Timber/icat/timber

Thank you, very much indeed. I was going round and round this particular desert without getting anywhere. You've saved me from wasting even more time. PS, the link to the document above is dead, so here is the correct link ( correct as at May 2016)

I've seen German living rooms with a massive flat-screen TV showing a roaring fire on a continuous loop. Talk about naff.

Thanks for this. I will link to this from my own blog. People choose the wrong terminology all the time. And sometimes it causes confusion. But mostly, it doesn't, especially when -as most of us do- we go for a 'percentage' of what someone means. I think when people use the mis-applied term thermal mass , they might mean - it-keeps-its-warmth. If you wanted to tell someone that your house holds on to its warmth well (or conversely stays warm for ages when it's freezing outside) which term would you use?

Fond memories of Skye. Frostbite, mist, midges, sunburn, fell-running, blisters and earth-shatteringly beautiful views. Wind tight, now that'll be something up there......

Hello again. It's thanks to you and your efforts that I'm tracking my expenditure.... you sent me that really detailed spreadsheet a year or more ago, didn't you? I'm really very grateful for that kindness. It's a big help. Ok, so I've adapted it, made a good few mistakes, ruined a few formulae, but hey, you've taught me a good bit about Excel After all that, it'd better have come from you......

I do so wish there were a more elegant way of doing this task. In theory, we should be able to suck it up straight into a database and.... and.... but.

Excellent. Looking forward to it.

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