PeterW

It is the basis for pozzolans which create seriously strong concrete - it creates a secondary reaction with Portland cement and calcium silicates.

You don’t need frost proofer in the mix in August !! Just add it all, Chuck the water in and leave it for 24 hours.

What was the spec given to the contractor for the blockwork..? If it’s perps full filled and pointed then that isn’t to spec, but if you’ve not asked for that then you’re not paying for it. TBH it only looks like the corner being set up so I would want to see it when they have done a couple more courses before passing judgment.

@vala that wiring won’t work and will go bang as you have connected live to neutral through the item marked ‘BS’. I am going to say I don’t think you should be doing this - this isn’t something you need to guess at, or ask an Internet forum for advice as none of us know how your boiler is wired etc and I cannot give 100% confidence that the wiring as you state is correct. I suggest you get an electrician or a plumber who understands UFH to do this for you.

They are also the site that sells an IBC converted into a treatment plant that is somewhat “dubious” in its capabilities … If I’ve looked carefully, that is a pair of rotomoulded tanks and some baffles with standard pipe connectors - probably £3-400 of parts maximum in the £5k model …

Postcrete does have some aggregate in it - it’s just not that visible and not as much as in a standard 3:2:1 concrete mix. It’s good stuff tbh and does the job well

@Moggaman that is a very light beam, it will bend like a banana as you pick it up. Have you made sure all your seats / padstones are perfectly aligned / level..? Slinging with a Telehandler is the way to go with that load - you’ll need a 5m lifting strop, mark the centre of the beam and then go 1.5m either side and attach the strop. Forks through the loop and lift and it will tighten up as it lifts. Depending on which JCB it is, it could reach anywhere between 7m and 14m total boom, the issue will be boom angle and how close you can get the machine to the building.

Add a half of white cement to the mix ..? 4:1 sand and white cement gives a nice sandstone type finish

Should be in the construction drawings set from architect / AT which will show the joists in section and the firrings

You can’t pump off a rising main anyway. And 3 Bar mains pressure is a lot ..!

Depends what sort of TS you want ..?? If you go with a coil in tank TS then you just tee in to the cold feed into the coil and put a pair of non return valves in - one on the return flow from the loop and the second on the cold input prior to the tee to stop any return flow into the cold unless you’ve installed a PRV.

Sunamp for the UFH is pointless - use the slab as the store and use a Willis heater to provide the heat into the slab itself. You’re only load shifting from off peak anyway and a Sunamp is a resistance heater unit so there is no cost benefit and you’re unlikely to get the payback on installing it against direct heating the slab. You say UFH in the kitchen and bathrooms - what is heating the rest of the house ..? And how much insulation under the screed / slab..?

How would you end the membrane without the overlaps in the valleys ..? I allow overlap both ways plus put a piece all the way down the valley so in some places it is 3 layers.

No issue with an apple being close to a wall - it is how you do espalier or fan trained trees. If you want to go belt and braces then root barrier is not expensive for peace of mind https://gardenersupplies.co.uk/root-barrier-360/

How much water is there ..?? And ignore the clean water crap !!!

Drop a bucket in and clear some out but don’t worry too much. Tiles in the bottom, post in, then bags of postcrete. They will soak up the rest.

Ok so what is the exact span as 450mm which is not a block but near enough with a bit of wiggle, a 170x45 will span 3.83m with a 0.25 dead load. However as the SEng specced the 44x195 at 400 centres and you are paying for that, then you are within your rights to ask for that.

Yep that stuff is fine. Try and get a solid brick or two under the bottom of the post to give it something to bear on.

Sorry but that’s just wrong ..!! They need to take the joists out and start again at their cost. Spacing and size are incorrect - the lot needs fixing as it is non compliant. The quicker way is to get the BCO to agree to a wall plate at the right height using resin bolts and then use timber hangers on the wall plate. The saving grace may be that the cut down joists may fit across the space if the layout allows - it looks slightly less than 4m.

I would go 300 litre TS with solar coil, put a pair of immersions in so you can dump the excess PV in there too. The TS can then balance the oil boiler into the rads etc

Solar yes, small scale wind is not viable for domestic installation.

Use 160mm internal corrugated sewer pipe and foam in place and then foam the inlet and exhaust in place when you have it in your hand. Using 160mm corrugated is much stronger and will take the impact from the concrete pour.

I really like it but … Stairs are wrong way as many have said - think about taking shopping upstairs for example. Also, as they are open to the kitchen you’re going to have some fun with fire protection, especially with the open plan mezzanine. I would spin the bed and make it face the windows in the master - I like it that size too ..! One thing I can’t see is wardrobes so think that through, and also does your en-suite really need a bath..? Think about making the room slightly more square and use the rest for the upstairs WC which is definitely needed. With some careful planning of staircases too, you can lose the (expensive) spiral and use ordinary staircases - flipping the kitchen and dining for example gives you a wall to play with.

You need to insulate and isolate around that brick so the screed doesn’t bond to it and provide a crack plane. 100mm out from the wall is where I would have the pipes usually but I would also make sure you’re not creating issues with that step first.

Trap doesn’t look to be straight ..!!