joe90

Have you seen this

Not wanting to divert this thread but I have always thought hydrogen powered cars were a good alternative.

I never thought of it that way!, but too much of anything is dangerous I suppose.

I serviced my knackered jcb last year, checked all the fluids, changed the air filter and greased everything in sight

Another one for a wilo pump ?

I set mine about 3mm and this caused a problem with the hinges rubbing on it and causing a squeak yes 5mm sounds better ?

Yup, ain’t hindsight a wonderful thing, I did use a stop bead on the porch I built and it’s not happened at all. Going to do the same in the conservatory (if I ever get round to finishing it ?).

Regarding cracks, here is my tip fir the day regarding wooden windows. I built angled reveals (cottagey) and suggested the plasterer put a stop bead next to the wooden window, filled with non setting mastic to stop any cracking, he said it was not required......I wish I had insisted.

Although I like woodwork and have many woodworking tools we wanted a “cottage” in brick (although most houses round here are rendered and the planners like “sameness” so had a fight on our hands) I liked the quick erection of TF and having visited @JSHarris was mightily impressed with his build. I also like heavy houses (phew, nearly said thermal m##ss?). We are very lucky that a local builder with a very good reputation gave me a fixed price on brick and block to my specification (passive principle) with me doing all the timber work, roofs, floors, windows etc. ( my second cancer put paid to me doing the roof tho ). What I like about brick is its lack of maintenance and “cottagey” look. I have nothing against timber frame and I suppose I could have had one with a brick skin but the sums did not add . I am extremely pleased with our build and we have very little in the way of cracks, just windows cills shrinking a little. I did pay a decorator to paint and he commented that our build had fewer cracks than any other new build he has been on ? Just had some bad news, the bricklayer who did such a good job and has become a good friend has just had a stroke, he is 6 years younger than me, fit as a fiddle, ex military, does not drink (much). So today’s motto is live life to the full, life is not a rehearsal, we are only here once so enjoy it.

I’m with @ProDave on this one, I have virtually the same set up as Dave, my ASHP delivers 48’ water and that is fine fir all out hot water needs without the need to heat a thermal store to above this temp. I have never seen our ASHP defrost yet (been in six months thro winter).

Ha, we are very near you, just outside Bridgerule. Our wall build up is brick outer, 200mm full fill cavity with rockwall batts, dense block inner skim wet plastered. Your welcome to visit, chat, drink tea and talk all things “building”, we are 90% finished (but feels like it’s still 90% left ?).

I always thought that returns were the responsibility of the retailer?

Our ecologist was great, she recognised that I wanted wildlife around our build and gave good advise. I did not want bat roosts in the house but wanted to have them in the garage next to it, she agreed and I built three bat roosts in the roof of my garage. The planners however, despite my forwarding the ecologists report that the bat roosts in the garage were sufficient for the whole site (the ecologist recommended two bat roosts but I built three) told me they still wanted bat roosts in the house. When we went to appeal over the planning refusal, we won on everything including the council trying to over ride the ecologist.

Welcome and looking forward to seeing your involvement on this forum, remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question, stupid is not asking and you will get shedloads of knowledge from the many members.

Oops, you could always ask for your deposit back (pretty please) and say your contractor wanted to use a private BCO. ?

Might be worth getting an SE to give his opinion (and deduct his fee from the contractors price!).

Post them here and you will get many pairs of eyes and loads of suggestions ?

Yup, I used aqua panel like @JSHarris but managed to use whole sheets for the showers so the only join was in the corner. I also used smaller pieces to make the basin splash back to match

After years cleaning grout out and retiling for myself and others, I now hate tiles. I have used aqua wall board in both my new bathrooms and they are great and sooo easy to clean

I accidentally hit my incoming concentric cable with my JCB when digging, I didn’t “cut” it but folded it tightly, the outer plastic covering was not damaged but it still tripped the local supply. When the DNO arrived they confirmed the cable damaged and jointed a new section. They were great, very understanding and seeing me struggle to self build on my own reported the fault as somewhere else and I never got a bill ?. I cut open the “folded” section and the inner insulation had been split by the folding and shorted with the outer. I am surprised this could happen with a bona Fidi buried cable?. The SWA I installed from meter to house was far more substantial.

Another example of architects not being in the real world, I also had a customer (years ago) who’s architect did exactly that, I changed the plans to what could be built and sent them back with a snotty note. My customer asked “why didn’t the architect know that? ?

And we as self (green) builders are doing a little bit to help. My father always told me “there is no such thing as right and wrong, there is only opinion!”. Watching the news last night I saw that school girl who has addressed politicians about climate change and told them their future is being taken away, good on her.

Like @ProDave our hot water is limited to 48’ anyway ! I don’t think our BCO will be interested in water regs, lucky as we have a huge bath ?. ?

I would give my right arm for the water potential you have!, I have always wanted to generate lecky from a water source. I remember Dick Strawbridge years ago building a water wheel, gearbox and alternator.

Floodlight and big noisy dog! ?