PeterW

And that spons block price includes labour but it takes much longer. Cash rich or time poor..?

So don’t pour a full load but bear in mind you’ve got to be a min 450mm below ground level with any foundation, and most services will be within the first 300mm at most below the surface, pouring a 600 x 600 into a 900 x 600 trench gives you lots to play with. One course of blocks and you’re into engineering bricks anyway so easy money.

Nope - think how bubble wrap works as insulation and you’re half way there. There is very little space for a convection current to create in the frame and conduction through uPVC is poor so you will probably find the frame is a better insulator than the glazing unit.

Strip foundations - which is what your BCO is talking about - have to be a minimum of 2w where w is the width of the finished wall. The depth of the strip that most SE’s will specify is a minimum of w so either you have some skinny walls or your BCO is taking the regs and adding 100mm ... The biggest issue with strip fill is laying foundation blocks - you also need clearance and your brickies will hate you if there is no clear edges and they are having to hand ball foundation blocks from ground level to -750mm all day. A rough approximation from Spons shows Trenchblock at 305mm as £47 per square metre. The same linear metre with trenchfill is about £56 based on £80/cube for concrete. Trenchfill will take a couple of hours to complete - trench blocks are roughly an hour per square metre so 4-5 days depending on complexity. I can’t see why you would use strips and blocks based on that.

Most estate agents exclude any appliance details as they can then not be sued for misrepresentation. Surveyors ignore them too - had a survey on a repo and had to advise the surveyor the flue was missing from the boiler ...! A gas service is as good as the day it was done - I would just ignore them and if a solicitor asks then they can get it done and give them £150 off the price ... it’s not a legal requirement for selling, only for renting.

Start searching eBay for sinks - new ones come up pretty often for less than £75. Keep to a brand such as Franke and you won’t go far wrong. Avoid the sheds - quality is appalling .

Thats what makes them energy efficient - the hollow chambers act as insulation, so the more channels the better.

I had one with no soakaways ..! 18” of pipe straight into the founds and nothing at the end of it... £6,000 later, the NHBC coughed up which included a new drive as that’s the only place it could go... I’ve been impressed with how blown bead seems to have filled all cavities properly and also stopped any ability for draughts through that route where rigid or batts could do if not fitted properly.

Well if it’s temporary then it’s wrong ... and if they need socket covers to try and get below the maximum then that is just scary ..!!

Nope - can be done right at the end but fixing any issues is a nightmare once they are fully plastered. You have to consider that holes into ceiling voids such as downlights will create problems if there isn’t a air barrier above the ceiling. The BRegs standard is woeful anyway - failing it is like leaving a standard window wide open so it’s not acceptable to be failing what is already a poor standard.

Yes it’s behind the plasterboard and is retained. Look up Gerband for examples.

Taping is where you apply a tape between the window frame and the brick/block/timberframe to restrict any airflow. It’s the more modern and quicker method than using foam and mastic. In frame seals should stop any air leakage between the sash and the frame. Most have double, triple and sometimes quadruple seals on high end casement windows.

I was just typing the same response as @Nickfromwales..!! Cost will be to make them compliant - and no, the purchaser won’t ever know they bought a colander until they find out the heating bills...

Like this..... http://web.archive.org/web/20150424130649/http://www.ebuild.co.uk/topic/11760-any-borehole-experts-here

Heaven forbid..!!! I was assured that NHBC Building Control and Warranty Services were entirely independent ........ really ...... ?

You can make 30mm disappear anyway ... 2.2m will go in most cars with the seats down and boot tied down.

@zoothorn it sounds like you are reasonably happy dealing with wood so why not go with solid wood surfaces and paint the cupboards ...?? A paint finish means you can “hide” any alterations to the doors or drawers, and timber work surface is easy to work with. As I said before, Homebase have this https://www.homebase.co.uk/acacia-oiled-hardwood-kitchen-worktop-220-x-60-x-2-6cm_p400774 Looks good, easy to work with and can be waxed with Osmo or something similar as it’s oiled. Laminate worktops need precision cutting and you can’t sand out any imperfections - £150 for worktops and paint and you will have that kitchen transformed.

cheap carb or brake cleaner is good from your local motor factors. Spray can means you can blast it through too More likely is that the fuel has dissolved some of the rubber diaphragm and that has got stuck in the needle ports so you need to open the needle valves up all the way.

You’re putting all the timber into compression which is it’s strongest a long as you don’t compromise the structure by drilling too many holes in it. 1300kg is nothing - you could stand that on a 4x4 fence post at each corner and it wouldn’t move ... until you pushed it ..!! The structure below the cabin needs to be braced to stop it racking or twisting. Quickest and cheapest way is coach bolt 4x2 timbers into a cross between each leg. Slightly more expensive but just as effective is to use wire and strainers. 8mm Stainless steel wire is more than up to the job and easy to install - it’s also less conspicuous than timber too. The trick is to create triangles and then work out how to retain each corner and you will build in the strength.

This stuff ... Polyurethane but in gel form https://www.toolstation.com/shop/p78519

Ok For a commercial premises they need to decide what it is for rateable value. Firstly read this : Empty properties You don’t have to pay business rates on empty buildings for 3 months. After this time, most businesses must pay full business rates. Some properties can get extended empty property relief: industrial premises (for example warehouses) are exempt for a further 3 months listed buildings - until they’re reoccupied buildings with a rateable value under £2,900 - until they’re reoccupied properties owned by charities - only if the property’s next use will be mostly for charitable purposes community amateur sports clubs buildings - only if the next use will be mostly as a sports club Contact your local council to let them know when your property becomes vacant. Then read this Small business rate relief You can get small business rate relief if: your property’s rateable value is less than £15,000 your business only uses one property - you may still be able to get relief if you use more Contact your local council to apply for small business rate relief. And finally check this : https://www.gov.uk/correct-your-business-rates Chances are the building is below most / all of those thresholds and you just apply for small business relief and crack on ...

Pick a handle style that does a Euro Cylinder handle too and buy a couple of spare handles that are blank. Fit Euro cylinders with thumb turns on the back of them from a decent locksmith and you can get them with a landlord or master key. Each room has its own lock and then the master does all. I’ve done exactly this set up with an activity centre bunk room previously.

Legally a carbon monoxide (CO) detector is only required where fixed heating appliances are used however there is nothing stopping you fitting one near any gas appliance. They can also be standalone however as Aico do one that is interlinked and matches their fire and smoke detectors it makes sense to link them.

https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/product/dry-powder-fire-extinguisher-1kg-145652

I use small dry powder one as you can hoover it up when you accidentally set it off ... Also works with every fire type.