PeterW

Change TF provider …..?? Why do they need a CAD topo of the site ..? Are they doing the full foundation package ..?? That is a standard optical level. To do a full topo with that you would need a surveyors tape and a willing volunteer … You would take a series of readings, with height and direction from the level and then distance from the tape. Long, laborious and prone to error. To do it quickly and easily you need something like a TS12 which is around the £200/wk to hire. You then need to put it Into a CAD format from the read set, and do the full layout from that so probably need Autocad or similar, which will take 2-3 hours of someone who knows what they are doing. £5-600 on a topo sounds cheap now doesn’t it ..??

Unless the joists are planed then there will still be rough surfaces to fill. It looks a bit like D4 PVA from the photos

Multiwipes, but carefully

Search tension rod - have had pricing from these before https://www.brooksforgings.co.uk/products/tension-system-components

Still not sure why you want all the soundproofing ..? Are you looking to block environmental sounds (ie external to the building) or internal sound..?

Most of the STP type digital thermostats have adjustable hysteresis - you can set them based on a 10° C gap so set at 50°C they would come on at 40°C and go off at 60°C https://www.thermosensedirect.com/acatalog/stp_low_cost_programmable_digital_thermostat.html

It doesn’t expand or contract - it is an utter myth ..!!! The 20-30°C variation in the temperature on a 7m slab is hardly measurable. The reason you can get away with 3mm foam is it stops bonding the concrete /screed to the concrete blocks and that causes stress cracks elsewhere.

That may cause issues - 50mm will protrude into the room from below the board / skim / skirt so will make it problematic for gripper rods etc. If you want to improve the thermal performance use PIR. The thermal losses even doubled are tiny, and unless you’re building Passiv standards you won’t notice.

Yep seen it used / specified on commercial jobs and it does work - unlike @dnb I am a pyromaniac and we tried it on some offcuts with a blowtorch !! Quickest way of covering is to use a sprayer but allow for overspray etc and mask up windows etc if you’re applying it to a finished building. Has been discussed before

Steel H frame between the roof lights and then build the remainder in with timber. You won’t get that in engineered joists at a 6m span. Your issue will be one of ceiling depth - a quick fag packet would indicate you need a 305x127 section that would be near 500mm deep when you’ve created a warm roof - add in your upstands for the roof lights and it wil be very thick. Cold bridging through the steels will be a problem so you will need to either use a cold roof construction - and ventilate it - with at least 30mm of PIR on the ceiling below the steels or work out how to lose the insulation height in fascias etc. as you’ll need a lot of insulation to reach a reasonable uValue due to the area of glazing.

Any of the monoblocks are fine - control boxes about the size of a ream of paper on the Mitsubishi, think the Panasonic is even smaller. Valve gear will be identical to a boiler. Why the sunamp..? How big is the boiler cupboard as I would go with the biggest tank you can fit and save your money.

For it to corrode it will require continual moisture and if it’s buried in a wall that is highly unlikely. I would cut it and paint the end - bitumen paint sounds ideal !

+1 to the insulation and just make it 10-20mm less than the cavity and weak mortar mix of 8:1 to hold it in place. Needs a second DPC as per @joe90

Leave them.. and just make sure you use 25mm of EPS around the screed and you’ll be fine.

Drains have to have a lintel over and be flexible to allow for movement. Why would a rat dig in a specific area to get through a gap underground ..?? And do you have a current rat issue ..??

So who’s done the BRegs drawings as some of this such as the detail on the ceilings for fire protection etc needs to be properly detailed.

Speed Pro and Gypliner are the same thing, and at trade price - those builder depot prices are a bit pricy - it’s as cheap as timber but faster to install.

Yep - opinions You’re comparing apples and oranges - hollowcore doesn’t flex, and the battens are solid fixed so you won’t have any flex to worry about. 12.5mm will be fine on 600 centres on battens on hollowcore. I’ve asked before, but do you have any construction plans for this or have you only got the basic architect plans and bare minimum for BRegs ..??

All you (n)ever wanted to know about plasterboard https://www.british-gypsum.com/literature/white-book And it’s 600 centres for 12.5mm - is none of this documented in your spec plans ..??

So it’s worth looking at the planning portal - had planning for a long time, the last amendment was for when the existing barn fell down… http://snc.planning-register.co.uk/plandisp.aspx?recno=106853 Also have a look at the aerial photos - looks like a River running through the basement area..! Money pit springs to mind ..

Down lights need space for the transformers and to be able to tip them into the void so 50mm is your minimum. Why though are you going at 400mm centres ..? There is no deflection so 12.5mm board is fine on 600mm centres.

Could be 20mm MDPE which is fairly standard or it could be “old” 3/4” alkathene which comes up about 21-22mm These aren’t cheap but have got me out of an issue before. https://www.pipestock.com/mdpe/mdpe-pipe-fittings/universal-coupling

no they use Chofu but just because they aren’t a well know brand in the UK doesn’t mean they are sub standard. Grant have a name to maintain - can’t see them partnering with some low budget provider.

Yes - it’s why cost plus contracts can be good.

Errr … it doesn’t bring the prices down that much. The difference is between what Joe Public would pay walking off the street and a reasonable price. If builders quoted the Joe Public prices they would be out of business very quickly. Material markups are anywhere between 10-20% tops which isn’t unreasonable. And you’re running at a GP of probably 70-75%, so a 50% increase in material costs will take out 12% of the margin. Work on a GP of 20% based on materials and all of a sudden a 50% increase in timber costs (85% up this week on this time last year for reference) has just swallowed all of your profit and more. I’ve seen a few jobs recently quoted as open book and a 12.5% material handling charge, but a warning to the client that all materials have to be delivered to site within 48 hours of request or wait time may be charged. Not unreasonable but makes those clients who think that buying off eBay / internet sites to get “deals” has the ability to cost rather than save money