SuperJohnG

I have a 4.6m opening (west) and a 3m opening (North west) in our design off our open plan living area. I had originally planned for Bifolds as I wanted a full opening in both areas, however in more investigation with air tightness, sight lines etc the Bifolds might not be the best option, albeit I still favour their large opening. Hence I have been looking at sliders for months now. There are a few options available(for the larger 4.6m opening) where I have 2 fixed panes at side with two sliding doors in the middle (50% opening in middle), or a single fixed and 1 slider (50% opening but only at one side) or you can get a triple where all three slide from IDsystems which seemed to make sense as then i have a 66% opening that can be anywhere, but cost is a good bit higher. I think the single slider will be the best option (for the large opening) as I can then view with no sightline from couch area, or same from dining table which make sense, and I would make the opening side at the dining table. For the smaller 3m opening I am unsure yet, havent really thought about it. I am still hankering for a full opening somewhere with bifolds. I was hoping to see some pictures and get real world feedback on what matters once you are living in there and highlight anything that I am not taking into consideration. Thanks

I've heard of Norstone being mentioned before but otherwise I have no experience of any. But following with interest.

I find this a complete joke. And it is unfortunately pure and simple that the people you are dealing with don't have the confidence and hence comprtence to do the job. Your SE NEEDS to size the beam. I.e. the section of the beam (its called I value or second moment of area) and it sized based on where the loads are applied to it. However prior to them doing that they need a good survey so if you have that I don't see the issue? It is worth noting 'sizing steels' and measuring the size of the where the steels are going are different things. How did you dig the founds if there is no design? I am a mechanical engineer and deal regularly with approval and certifying fabrication drawings for large structures. One bit of advice I'd give is to build in some tolerance undersizing (the lengths not steel sections) as you can always shim it to meet but you can't make it smaller. I do know good surveyor in east Kilbride who may help and provide definitive lengths etc if you are looking for a new surveyor.

I like their Instagram and actually had a chat with Ryan today and hoping I can get them to the right price area for the pvcu units. However my architect wanted to steer me away as he said their HSE was terrible. Their two fitters got a lift up with a large window on a telehandler...on one job of his. They fell off and so did the window which broke. One of them had a trip to A&E. But thats the only story I have heard.

Haha...its a ittle too far away for that

@Pm1987 sounds disastrous. Thanks for taking the time to give us a heads up. Not the first bad story I have heard about Ecohaus internorm.

Welcome @Pm1987. Another member here from Ayrshire (stewarton) whereabouts are you? I'm just about at the start...might get the foundations in before Xmas.

Me unfortunately

But it gives me an idea of what soli beating pressures are whichnis really what I want to know. Ultimately if I have to give someone 1k I want to knkw what they are undertaking and how technical it is to warrant the money. Sticking your thumb in some mud shouldn't need someone to charge 2k. In reality ill get the SI done to get an input for tanners to design the foundation system. Then as you say the SER SE will include it. I should maybe xheck what they require as its a different engineer (likely the one doing the superstructure) It's, as many things I have found in the housebuilding, a very wooly process where there is no defined rules. Which ours me somehwat out my comfort zone, I'm a Chartered Mech engineer and driven by process and value add. So if there is a need for soemthing I like to know its justified and why it is required.

Thats definitely helpful. Thanks @A_L Helps me define the conditions.

Just to follow up - I did watch a Building the dream the other week, where a couple used Aluminium cladding which looked like wood underneath it was very trick looking and they have a large overhang just like you. I'll try find the episode, it was an ICF house by the sea.

Different colour of cedral then? I am hoping to use Cedral or similar for soffits and fascias, but struggling to find anyone to quote me on it, which is a pain.

I'm trying to get prices for a Soil survey in Ayrshire, Scotland. Prices currently ranging from 1000-1500 plus VAT. The only thing I think I want from the survey is for someone to tell me the load bearing capacity....I don't need percolation tests as I don't have any soakaways and the land isn't contaminated. I completely begrudge the money as really it's looking in the hole and saying what it looks like, which is no more than an an hour or two on site likely looking at test pits and likely they will take no liability on. I just need the right info to pass to Hilliard Tanner as he will do the foundation design for me (Insualted passive slab). so do you actually need it? will BC ask for it?

@AliG Did you find someone in the end? These guys are actually 10 mins from my site, I've dropped him a mail just in case he fancies a homer. But doubtful he'll come back.

Welcome to the forum! Plenty of good information here. Sounds an interesting project

As a nice offset here to break it up I would look into red cedar or siberaian larch. You can get quite a nice design which will make the whole thing pop.

@AliG possibly. but don't forget whilst it seems expensive you have to think about how much more straightforward it is than strip founds after you do a ground bearing slab, add insulation inside, do UFH, then screed. Much more labour intensive and longer to do in my assessment (I've done neither before by myself)

I got two quotes for insuakted raft. Simple t shape 185sqm footprint. MBC - 39K (210sqm Econnekt - 36k. (195 sqm) Both didn't include site leveling, they assumed coming in to a ready cleared and levelled site ready to out the hard-core down onto. Consequently I am semi diy similar to @LA3222. I think I can do it for somewhere between 20-25k. (108-135 sqm). Ill try and remember to update with final prices. Kores system (what MBC use) is without a doubt the cheapest route. By miles in my experience so far when compared with econekt (izodom system) and isoquick. Food for thought - try scottish suppliers for your kit. I have found this much cheaper in general by comparison. I nearly died at MBC price when compared with my SIPS pricing. (Different systems yes but still able to reasonably compare). For comparison I've a 300sqm SIPS kit 1 3/4 story T shape. 73k supply and 18k erect from SIPS eco. SIPS@CLAYS were very similar and they are still in the running.

Re: washing of towels and drying them everyday...thats crazy. Maybe you should just send the family away for a holiday somewhere...it might actually save you money! ?

Thats a lot of power. I recall as a child my dad telling me to turn the lights off behind me...it would do his box in. I never understood what the drama was. Some rooms we had were running 8-10 of those old 80 watt reflector bulbs. I never understood till I got a house and had a bill to pay. As a general approach to reducing usage I think we as a nation don't realise how wasteful we are and how little changes can help. E.g. I use facewash every morning..normally for years three pumps on the thing to get the foam, don't know why it was three but thats what I always done. The penny dropped one day and I used only 1 pump - face clean as normal. But now my face wash lasts three times as long.. hundreds of wee simple changes add up. (Bit of a random story,lol)

@LA3222 currently echoing exactly your comments above. In good news I checked my protek account and albeit was originally refused as it was SIPS ( i was originally told over phone it was a no to sips around 6 months ago then around two weeks ago online again)....they seem to.have now given me a price for it...they just hadn't sent an email to say it had now changed. £2900 odds....i don't have BC as the LA do that in scotland. Its still a sore one but 400 quid cheaper than self build zone

@LA3222 thanks. Weirdly - Protek will not quote me....saying they don't do structural warranty for SIPS?!

@Simplysimon no probs. Where in Ayrshire are you?

@PeterStarck @MikeSharp01 @jonM Can I ask who your warranties were with? Struggling with doing a SIPS kit and passive slab and finding warranty suppliers who are happy if you don't have a main contractor. @LA3222 you got one recently too I believe?

I've only just came across this thread after being on here a year We have a 4 acre plot in East Ayrshire, just between kilmarnock and Glasgow. 4 bed house- planning a SIPS kit and insulated raft foundation. Rendered exterior with a Siberian larch clad annex. PP granted and just in for building warrant Hopefully get foundation done this year and possibly kit up, but may delay it until March for better weather.