Auchlossen

I have tried restarting Airport, changing to allow IP6, and a few other internet fixes, to no avail. It seems that all I really need is [maybe] a cheapish Repeater, so I have ordered this e'en which seems to work off a network cable

I have a studio flat separate from the house. The Apple Airport fixed up by my son is not working. I wish to replace it with a reliable device. Internet is provided via ethernet cable directly from the router provided by the Broadband ISP: So wired input. Is the Netgear Nighthawk X3 mesh extender a recommended device? Or is that a bit over the top [£96!] for the service required. Should I also upgrade the base router? I am not a techie, so please simple language.

Just to get back to the original post ? since this is a retrofit, and there is not an opportunity to put insulation over the concrete slab [warm roof], it looks like the 'undesired' cold roof is the only viable option. So I plan to put framing for a plasterboard ceiling, and insert rockwool leaving a ventilated airgap to the concrete roof?

A small part of my double+ garage has a flat concrete roof over it, c. 6x1.5m. Most of the rest of the garage is built in to the ground with studio flat above, so is not losing heat too much. I would like to make it warmer in there to encourage workshop and cycle training activities. Might even put car in there when it gets seriously cold. I had thought of putting Celotex slab there, if my LBMerchant can offer some cheap damaged bits, with double plasterboard under on a timber frame. However concern about Grenfell puts me off this option. Should I just use mineral wool eg Rockwool over the timber framing as a suitably cheap solution?

I used several tall PAX units, hacked bits off the back to build them into sloping ceilings, tho still not qualifying for vat relief. I have bought slab doors from JLewis for one of them, because I wanted a variation from the rather artificial look of the veneer/foil oak finish. The tall ones are tall, as one might expect, and the extra space is no use for shorties. I also had in another room a wall of excellent sliding doors from IDS with coloured glass, bottom runners with gentle stoppers on, which slide beautifully and look excellent.

I would like to re-design outside lighting. At present I have 4 separate PIR LED wall lights, the stainless steel up-and-down tube type a flood further away. Also some manual switched flush led lights over the front door I would like the front door ones to switch on automatically at dusk and off at midnight, or if this is too challenging, then stay on all night. One of the wall lights on a narrow path alongside the house has a c.150deg catchment, so one is past it before it wakes up to one's presence. Needs adapting with a separate Spectra200 detector perhaps. Please advise if this is best strategy and recommendations for specific kit required. Thanks

A roll should last you about 200 years maybe you could sell me on a metre or two?

I went through a lot of anxst on roof window, which was originally going to be a larger oblique quadrilateral with simple insulated timber upstands; but advised to use a commercial system, which meant a simpler rectangle. Fakro DXF-DV6 was the eventual outcome, and my builder's quote was not that much more than Roofing Superstore price. Velux and Sunlux have similar offerings, but Fakro seemed a reputable system. IIRC there were issues about delivery of larger items from RS too. My note says U=0.76W/m2

ex: VAT431 Just a minor mod to advice on 5.wardrobes: these must be built to plasterboard on 3 sides and to ceiling. I have just completed a wardrobe [which is shown on plans] with a temporary panel up to the ceiling, photographed it, and removed it and replaced it as a flat top, which I prefer. The hmrc text [VAT 708 @ 13.5.2] is very specific. And no internal fittings can be claimed, apart from a single full length shelf and rail. I am still on a temporary occupation now for 6 months, and I have been in no hurry to complete the outstanding access path, which BC want to see installed. It has been delayed because its construction is dependent on Council completing work on land adjacent. I need to deal with it now, though, and order final items to be included in claim! The hmrc regs are worth a read through, just in case you hit encounter a pedant like my contaminated land officer, for whom I have just completed a glowing report on remediation, which I should submit for a Ph.D.

Planings are good as a road surface, binding into a solid structure. However I am not sure what your objective is re water. You say you have put some drainage pipes in. The planings will make an impervious layer, they are after all macadam from roads, and will become as solid an impervious as a road when compressed, or even more so if you were to put some diesel into the mix. But if you want to create a free draining bed, then you should avoid planings and also Type1 [whose dust binds down into an impervious layer], and use broken rock as a base.

I used gravel in the plastic grids, particularly for the free draining properties. Both for a car use area, and for a pedestrian access path - ok for wheelchairs. I bought grids backed with terram by Nidagravel, which were a bit more expensive at c. £10 /m2 IIRC, but very easy to use. The irritation is that the gravel size specified for the grids is very small and drifts a little on boots and tyres. I am planning to try a slightly larger size of chukkies [14mm] to see how they ride, and if they bed into the grids sufficiently. Generally pleased with the system.

When I found that BC didn't even want a certificate or report, I rather lost interest in precise calibration.

I am reviving this thread to address another issue. I find that there are some "eco" electric towel rails that are DRY, ie do NOT have a glycol filled liquid inside them, and use a very low wattage element. What are the merits of a dry towel rail rather than a wet one? Here is a good example: Kingston Eco Dry Electric Towel Rail, 600x800mm @ £57 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kingston-Eco-Dry-Electric-Towel-Warmer-Heated-Towel-Rail-Stainless-Steel-Curved-/322330365216 which runs a 70w heater in stainless steel frame. What is the opinion of the kirk re this dry strategy rather than a wet solution please? Has anyone used these Kingston dry rails and can comment on quality?

I went to a local supplier for a Haecker kitchen, like @ragg987 above. I found the price of the units was reasonable, good variety of high quality systems, including some up-and-fold wall unit doors, various drawer systems, and 'handleless' design. The dealer was originally supply only, and provided a very good price on Neff appliances that I could not beat anywhere on line in Europe. Eventually I had them install as well, to reduce pressure on myself. I am well satisfied with the quality and looks of the product, much better than the Howdens rigid basic that I put in the Utility etc.

My plot had 9 TPO trees on it and was impenetrably thick with self seeded multi stem rubbish trees. I negotiated with the Council tree officer to have 3 removed plus one which my arborist said was sick, leaving five [including one mature sycamore!!! and four limes]. Vide auchlossen.blogspot. I found the officials quite willing to negotiate. Their position seemed to be they wanted to preserve a green strip, and that was the purpose that the TPOs were designed to serve. The scrub trees they were not concerned about, and they appreciated that overly dense tree formation required thinning.

I have poor-to-nil mobile reception in my house, with [and due to?] wood fibre insulation and triple glazing. Usually texts will come in, but not go out unless you stand by the Utility room window. As for calls, no chance within the house. I have line of sight to the mast where signals purport to come from/go to. Is there a solution to this problem, which is irritating, even for a low calibre user like myself? Could I pick up the signal outside with some hardware, and re-transmit it within the house? Suggestions in simple language please.

Thanks for advice. My installation is already in. The contractor is pushing for extras. It looks like the installation cost should be around £25-£35 per socket. I am impressed [or overwhelmed?] by the sophisticated installations mentioned above.

Please can anyone give guidance on the cost of installing a data network? I had asked to be installed twin data sockets in LR and 3BRs, and my contractor has put in an additional cost for the labour that seems to me to be exorbitant. The plans were not specific on this matter, and the sparkie had given an overall cost that did not break down items. The cable is inexpensive and I had provided the hardware. I had had put in the cables as a contingency, particularly since it had been suggested to me that e-transmissions through insulated walls are poor, so I wanted to be able to wire phones and the like if necessary; tho actually the wifi seems to transmit ok.

My bid to set up a cooperative purchase was gazumped by a new scheme for tool loan/hire on another thread http://forum.buildhub.org.uk/ipb/forum/167-tool-loan/ So I shall withdraw my co-op proposal above, and I shall seek to hire anenometer. And I would encourage those above who expressed interest to do likewise. Sorry about delay in progressing this, my fibre went down to a record breaking zero for a further few days! Oh the joys.

I have 3.5 packs of IKO slates surplus for anyone within easy reach of AB31, see For Sale pages

Thanks everyone. My preference is for hot wire anemometer, which I believe to be more accurate and simpler to use in a flower pot than a whirly one. and to follow the @JSHarris mode of operation. I see the one that I have specified above comes from China direct so it may take a few weeks. So thanks @Stones and @OnOff for your kind offers, but not the type that I wanted. I think I shall order it now and let Royal Mail look after it whilst I am away cycling. I will contact @Jack @RecoveringAcademic @PeterW in mid Sept and organise terms and arrange handover, if they are still interested. That's 32 tons of topsoil spread in 2 days...the shoulders are getting quite used to raking claggy soil all day.

My supplier BPC has not been able to deliver on hire of test kit, and i have not found ready hire source. So... I am planning to buy a hot wire anemometer like this for £59 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-LCD-Hot-Wire-Thermal-Anemometer-Thermometer-Air-Wind-Speed-Meter-Tester-/381970124376?epid=1640633187&hash=item58ef318e58:g:9jsAAOSwx6pYplFP and using a length of tube or flower pot and gaffer tape to do something similar to the @JSHarris system as above. It seems that the hot wire anemometer is more accurate than the wind vane types. Do others find this method works ok for an amateur. Would anyone else like to share in the investment or buy it on from me? I was hoping to get this sorted before exiting on a recovery holiday, but it now looks likely to be implemented in mid september, since I am focused on other more pressing tasks meantime.

I have a studio[flat] and garage run off the house supply. Solar panels on roof of garage, so solar feeds via its control unit into the studio sub-board. Electrician put in MCB to supply/protect mega ducted underground cable to studio sub-board. There is a lot of potential load here with water heater, mini induction hob, ring main, lights, etc. I have been recommended to have RCBOs in the studio/garage circuits to protect and isolate them individually; tho not for the circuit feeding the solar. I am concerned at the lack of discrimination between MCB in house and RCBOs in studio. What is the preferred option for this sort of circuit?

I have a long winding 45m access path, including a zigzag that would be the envy of any Tour de France cyclist, to achieve height gain between trees and not to disturb their valued roots. I would like to have lighting on the path, and have identified some post lights that might fit the bill, both separate lights and plug and play 'kit systems'. I would prefer to use LED lights. I would like them to have PIR detectors that would switch them on at either end - but that may not be feasible. I would prefer to use low voltage SELV, and to power the transformer within the house, but I am not clear what cable might be required for this - the consensus on the thread 24V DC or 110V AC or 240V AC in the garden? seems to favour 240v since this curtails the size of cable. I have put in ducting, in which I oculd run pond cable as suggested by JSH in another thread here: OTOH 240v seems to present more complex installation issues, which I would be most happy to avoid. I look forward to reading your learned opinions.

I have been looking again at wardrobes. For Wardrobe#1 I am going down the IKEA PAX route: not built in and no VAT reclaim. For Wardrobe#2 I will use a PAX frame and fit nicer doors: I found these 'real' oak doors at https://www.shakerdoors.co.uk/pages/kitchen-wardrobe-doors-for-ikea so my plan is to buy Ikea PAX frame, and if my wallet is not empty, buy a set of these in oak. My only issue is that the visible end panel will be an Ikea 'plastic' panel, tho I suppose I could cover or replace end panel with oak ply, at some extra hassle. These were quoted a wee while ago at £768 for 4 doors [£140 each + del + vat]. I am now looking for sliding doors for Wardrobe#3, and discover to my horror that a 3m sliding door system costs about £1k for supply only of a better quality system with coloured glass doors, and that is without a framework and fittings, which I shall DIY and use Ikea baskets and the like.