ToughButterCup

Clive, thats brilliant. Looks like it'll do the job much better than my current litter picker. Stuff slips through the jaws because (I think) I can't get enough grip, and sometimes if I do get the right grip level, then the jaws cut through the material. Maybe the jaw lips could have a small ridge on them so that, locally, the grip pressure is greater there than elsewhere in the jaw? I ask because - on occasion - I have to lift quite heavy 'litter' - dead rats.

I turned our collapsed wall into minced (digger-crushed) Durisol (woodcrete) for adding to MoT1 : nice and soft - you could walk bare foot on it all the wasted insulation went to all-comers who wanted it for God Knows What and insulation for outdoor kennels Additionally my anger was re-purposed wherever possible as hard physical shovelling or parge-coating over-ordered cladding as internal boarding and a coat rack So far only 2 skips filled, and one more to go I think.

I read your headline: and decided to tell you not to buy a landrover ... like I did.

@IanMcP, a little time spent searching for the term ICF on this site will give you the spread of answers you are looking for.

Good grief. A prime example of someone using a large bank balance as a substitute for thought. I bet there's a good chance Eve Wilder will not even notice the transaction in her monthly bank statement.

I'm not sure anyone can do that; those who have built with ICF generally only use one type of ICF, not a range of them, and none of us can know in advance which system would suit anyone else. I built with one type, and would use the same again, but only because of the hard-won experience with it. I know what to look for, what to avoid and (to a limted extent) whom to avoid. Go and visit a series of sites and a range of differenct ICF manufacturers. Sniff the air. Listen to the bull-sheet (there's a lot of it about). Something will click. In simple terms, do your own due diligence. Nobody else can do that for you.

Angle grinder. 3mm blades.... cheaper , quicker maybe?

Change that word slightly to picky , then that's exactly what's needed. Attention to detail. Everything to be said in favour of that.

Now that @Jilly, thats below the belt. Having watched a couple, the only peron I would wish such a procedure on is Donald Trump. Follwed by a prolapse and an anal fistula or two

The cheapest bike shed is an excellent bicycle insurance policy. Sorry I'll get my coat

Your project appears, at this remove, to be complex. To me, that means you should consider appointing a local planning consultant. We are merely interested (not to say nosey) amateurs Have you looked at Martin Goodhalls blog. Here's what he has to say about Class R

Of course they will. The Trump right will have a landslide in Murika, Alexander Johson will spout more lies - peepl will believe him, and @nod will have finished another self-build.

MODS, please delete the post referenced above. Reasons as follows Too much reality. Its Christmas Boastful claim of refub experience Inappropriate reference to domestic arrangements ( @Big Jimbo doesn't do the washing up) Innapropriate violence towards TVs. 'Nuff said ?

Takes guts to admit that. Respect.

Ask your screed company..... they'll have guide lines for you to follow. @Adsibob : consider you don't follow the guidelines and summat dreadful happens to your flooring (as a result) Who pays for the repair?

Hi, welcome! Can I suggest you consider talking to an architect anyway? I make the point not to start the usual arid discussion / bun fight / slagging match about educated artists and over-charging leeches (commonly used epithets for architects here). My suggestion is about the bit of logic which runs thus; Know why you are not doing what you might reasonably be expected to Honestly and thoroughly following that process will give you more confidence in your eventual decision. Start with - I'm not going to do this for reasons I dont want to explain' means that you could well spend the rest of your life with a little niggle .... I wonder what an architect would have suggested here? These days, archtects do not need to be local. Ours works both a few miles away and several hundred miles away. In both cases, we WhatsApp, email Chat. For knowledge-work, location is increasingly irrelevant. Good luck Ian

Nothing. For now, enjoy the buzz. Remember it, film it, bottle it, keep it safe. Guy like you with a sensible name.... nay borra Jimmie! Ian

This appears to me to be the key issue. Could you share the exact wording of their Decision Notice in relation to the word 'habitable' please.

None, none at all. Their stuff is pricy - flush plates for example are stupid - rude almost. But in the scheme of things .... you've just got so much other stuff to sort out, by the time we were fitting the stuff, I just winced and moved on to the next issue. Price-inelastic I think is the term. I have a feeling that house-churn is so much higher here than over there (Germany) that those two companies feel justified in charging through the nose - or wherever.

Yes, possibly. Research research research. Pays off almost every time. My other half is the researcher in our family. I have re-named her the Glow-Worm. All I ever see of her is the reflected light of a small screen in her face. A gentle glow.

The issue is price point. We decided on Geberit and Hansgrohe - it was far more expensive than we had planned for - because of the quality ; in Geberit's case their support documentation and videos are superb. We had to save up for six months or so, and bought at sales and when offers were available. I still wince at the cost, the plumbers commented favourably and also sucked their teeth when we told them the cost.

Toilet papaer? Don't use it. We have two Geberit AquaClean loos, principally because of my injured back. You can vary the water pressure and the durationof the cleaning 'cycle' from a few to 50 seconds. When they come round my mates use the loos even if they don't need to go: and one of them has been known to wash his botticelli twice in succession just for the fun of it. On first use, the female of the species has been known to squeal. My only regret is not buying the version of the AquaClean that has a BlueTooth remote control. Just think of the fun you could have with that. There's one with a blow-dry facility. Oh God, @pocster is going to read this and ......

Here. Your plan is exactly what we've done. By chance retirement and getting full PP occured on the same day. I could not have done the build without BH. Beware optimism bias. You cannot read enough of BH to help you plan. Think of it as planning time. Have a read of any of the blogs: they're probably the best place to start. Good luck Ian

Evidence. Put up or shut up.

Heeeyyyy! Excellent. Now, watch out for the carpet police. In-out-in-out-in-out with impunity up to now. Not any more. BOOTS OFF ! ? A big milestone and a Friday too. Pub tonight?