joe90

I am not a plasterer but there is no way I would force dry plaster. They do tend to cut corners on that prog.

If it’s single skin I wonder if wooden skirting would rot? tho you could treat it well before fixing I suppose.

i get what your saying but it’s an old place so does not look out of character. New, perfect grout with those old tiles would look odd (IMO).My build (although of cottage character) is a new build. Don’t beat yourself up, I still say it’s character. People spend a fortune on “distressed” furniture to make it look old. If your floor was perfect it would look too new. I rebuilt an old cottage up in Shropshire a couple of decades ago and did as your doing and used as many old materials as I could .

Never heard of this, have ordered some for my petrol strimmer (that seems to “eat” line).

I have one of those three bladed cutters and as @ProDave says don’t go anywhere near a fence with it, they can be lethal. The one @Roys offered has limited cutting depth so won’t “bite off more than it can chew”.

+1 fir GRP, boats sit in puddles (and flex) ?

Well done mate, see you can do it!

+1, the £195 fee is peanuts in the scheme of things but point the contract note above to your builder and see what he says.

I tried varifocals but could just not get on with them at all, made me feel dizzy and could only read in the central area so reading a book meant constantly moving my head left and right. Was amazed by spec savers when I went back to ask to change back to bifocals who supplied bifocal lenses free of charge and even refunded the difference that varifocals cost ?

When I had my last pair of glasses (bifocals) I held the “reading test” at arms length, optician asked me if this is how I held a book to read and I replied yes (does for computer, dashboard etc and is good fir books ) so just hold it further away!.

Ian you have done so well despite life trying to bite you in the arse at times, shit happens and someone will always come up with an alternative, like me ( as Frank Sinatra says) “ I DID IT MY WAY” and proud of it ?.

Sorry to hear this @Big Jimbo but In all honesty if your heart is not in it 100% then it will be horrible, it’s bad enough self building when you are still very keen and I have to be honest myself, despite being very pleased with what I have done it’s taken it’s toll on me in various ways. But do stick around eh?

Not on the cottage I had in shropshire, second hand , hand made, bowed, bent, different sizes ?

Its called “character “ (like my bricklaying ?)

Oh yes I am, mine is a Vortex, was a little noisy at first but fitting the pump assembly in the ground and some sound proofing and it is virtually silent.

Proper job, well done mate ?, I bet your good at jigsaw puzzles ?

Heating (UFH) can be heated by Willis heater as cheap intro until boiler or ASHP can be afforded .

Some people live in static caravans all the time and yes they are the cheapest option for accommodation whilst doing self building. Minimum number of rooms initially, cheap kitchen and bathroom stuff initially , can always be upgraded later when funds allow. Design it yourself (plenty of help with that from this forums members so don’t need an architect). Get plans drawn up by architectural technician (cheaper than architect).

If when the grout is nearly dry it appears a little rough (grainy) you can wet your finger and very lightly rub the grout to smooth it of.

Try this

Cracking job zoot, see, you can do it, just need a bit of confidence (and a few pointers from buildhubbers ?‍♂️). ?

However, I want to live here a fair while (till they wheel me out dribbling) and have cheap heating bills and live comfortably.

Our rental house in Bristol is a weird build, post war steel frame and poured concrete (even ceilings), previous owner had difficulty getting a mortgage and they had to get holes cut in several locations to make sure the steel frame had not corroded before they were offered a mortgage but many companies just refused. It has no insulation in the walls and feels like a fridge ?.

Ha, Been there got the t shirt. I started my journey by planning a straw bale build but age and Ill health made me pull my horns in. I too looked at re sale value/mortgage and my build I believe is a compromise. Brick and block construction but to near passive standards. With regards to concrete the Romans used it and some of it is still standing so I believe for its life it’s acceptable. I am hoping to be here for quite a few years yet so only 3 beds and 2 baths (if any more turn up the caravan is outside!).

I did not use airated blocks as I have seen so many crack on various jobs, Mortor may account for some but also fixing to them is not rubbish.