ToughButterCup

Until there is Parity of Esteem among post 16 courses. @nod , @SteamyTea, @IanR (?) , @ProDave and @ToughButterCup will continue to blow our collective fuses

Tiny bit niche for us yokels. But why dont you review a good few online PP submissions online and see whose signature is on a range of them. Select three, ask for a fee proposal and you are in business.

Reading the entire thread I started to wonder how much work you have done (or had done) for a, or as a Domestic Client under CDM 2015? As far as many trades people go, Domestic Clients are second class citizens (customers) for a whole host of understandable reasons. On your own project - as a Domestic Client - you will not have the 'clout' that a company has. Unless you are like Gary ( @nod ) who can be as blunt as he wants because he's worked directly with and for people who have been good mates for years. And knowing him, he has a good handful of favours in his back pocket. OK, he makes the odd error like lettinng his OH go into a tile shop unsupervised. But .... 2 months.... have a look at Robin Clevis on YT, and the build of his own house. Even he didn't manage that time frame. I would love you to be right though.

How do I know what I want until I hear what you say? How do I know what I think until I hear what you say? Or here at ours How do I know what I want until I hear what she says?

Looks wonderful.... probably because somebody has a good eye for color...?

Welcome @Will_OB. You have one key advantage. An established network of contacts in the trades and professions. And a track record of working with them. Priceless.

Oh please come round Gary, and shout that really loud for the rest of the family to hear. They'll believe you. But, wimmin; - They will do what they do do. Phhhhhhhhhh.......

I blame you. How mamy years married? And you let her go into a tile shop. On her own. Unsupervised. Just before Christmas. Thats just male negligence. Sorry mate but someone's gotta say it.

Octopus worked for us ..... pronto-ish.

Every MVHR company I talked to could not / did not want to see the point that I made to each of them - very politely. There is a conflict of interest inherant in the way systems are designed and marketed. The supplier designs the system. The only way round the issue is to ask another (2?) companies to quote for the same job. Compare and contrast, post here and we'll confuse you some more 😑

Send him to Lancashire please . He'll never ever want for work. Lucky you are indeed

...and her conclusion was.... just the once, that'll do. I hope

I think this is another of those -pics-please- questions Barry.....

The answer to your question depends on who is asking you. HMRC - a few months (6?) after the house is officially listed for Valuation (Has an official rateable value) BCO - when every bit of paperwork has been signed off Purchaser - when you agree a price, and are paid irrespective of the state of your paperwork SWMBO - several years after you think it's all finished You, as soon you think you can bear it The Local Authority Valuation Officer: when she '...feels the time is right....' subject to confirmation ( BP 180/100 remembering that bit) When the questioner tells you exactly which bits of paper they need to give you some money Not what we all want to hear I expect, but there's my hard-bitten p!ssed-off take on your question.

I suspect we're a bit more exposed than you are Gary, so we swopped our horrible, but oh-so useful container for these lumps of limestone. The difference is that we are expecting to have to defend the front of our house because of the open-front design: there's no wall between us and the single-track road. Have a guess who hit one of these first while parking .... well, we had been to the pub. And it was just a 'touch' I'm never ever gonna live it down. 😑 She was in the car with me.

What a lovely person you must be .... Could I suggest a different approach? Work the problem out for yourself (the heat calc suggested above) put your calculation in a post on this board, we'll check it (well the nerds will) and then Tell The Builder What You Want Done. and when you've done that Ask whether he still wants the job or not. And if he does, tell him to get on with it. Deference, partnership, customer engagement, intelligent discussion, shared interest in heat calculations - and builders - almost never mix. Harsh? Yes.

Welcome @John Mcnamara.... good to see your get-up-and-go.... Ian

Well, @Jaybird, I wish I'd discovered this particular Commentriat before we'd started building 8 years ago. So, you've started out right! Well done. Good luck, and try to forgive @Pocster as often as possible. All artists should be much forgiven. He's doing his best, but my God, imagine being married to him! Ian

Bloody hell, much more attention to detail than me....

@Pocster, please, just for me, show us a photograph of something - anything - you've finished. Just the one'll do. Ta!

Oh yes @Alan Ambrose, and McGruer yachts (Helensborough) , German Beaver-Tail slating, and irreverent gargoyls. Oak frames lend themselves to small bits of architectural wood carving. Loads of inspiration in older North German houses. One famous one is called the Dukatenscheisser. Literally translated, the DucatShitter. The saying goes that the house cost so much that they had to get the ducatshitter to pay for the build. History repeats itself doesn't it.

That @markharro looks a treat ... and you've bothered to paint the battens black. Please take a photo when its finished eh?

Rain screen membrane: Intello Pro Clima (might have the brand name wrong, Intello do a rangeof membranes) - £50 if you can buy as little as 20 sq m OR some left-over roofing felt , £0 Stapler, staples - not much wood - cheap as you like (pallet) £0, expensive as you like - high tanin content £200 + screws or nails for nail gun £20 both One person day to fit £200 Shadowgaps increase over time (wood dries out), so its essential to use a rain-screen membrane of some sort.. the cheaper it is the quicker it will need to be replaced.

Oak framed houses, highly varnished wooden boats, vintage motorbikes, Omega Seamaster watches, pre-war Leica cameras, Umbrian villas: all make me dream . My god we lusted after an Oak Frame build ..... but couldn't afford to build its garage. Not envious, just hope it goes well for you. Seems I'm just going to have to follow your posts then innit. 😐

Hello, - a serial builder eh .... What brings you back to the torture-chamber then ?