Carrerahill

Is there no support on the RHS as the vertical take a bend to the horizontal? If not, I would get one on to the bend as it changes or the force and weight of the water will probably eventually push that joint down.

I'd add this worry to the back of your queue, I really would.

Torness?

Had something along these lines not been written I'd have done it myself. Spot on I'd say. I'd say the risk is possibly to areas, rural predominantly, which would tend to "expect" power outages during storms. That is to say city supplies etc. would not usually be affected. It is times like these that I really am glad we have a WBS. Even those with self generation ability cannot always operate in island mode and effectively regardless of the £10K's of power generation equipment they cannot generate a watt. My backup plan is a UPS with a big battery(s) to run critical circuits (at present can support about 500W for 12 hours) and WBS for heat and cooking although gas should remain unaffected. I suspect that when everything becomes electric the government and the big firms will have control over almost the entire population, they simply want us, the people, to be totally at their mercy.

I used 3M foil tape, the performance spec was impressive with low to high service temps and all water proof and all sorts. It was not this one (the one I got was £7 per 50m x 50mm roll), but it gives the idea. Tapes are used for a lot of sealing applications on buildings and it makes no sense to use cheap tape that will separate off the product rendering its application a total waste of time. https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/aluminium-tapes/1444035?cm_mmc=UK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-PLA_UK_EN_Adhesives+%26+Sealants+%26+Tapes_Whoop-_-Aluminium+Tapes_Whoop-_-PRODUCT_GROUP&matchtype=&pla-339158924057&s_kwcid=AL!7457!3!413164779971!!!g!339158924057!&gclid=CjwKCAjwguzzBRBiEiwAgU0FTzT31fJeUDGa02jVApEOhFhdgdc_Ah5Py2jkHAfPlB_0g6yCRR64CRoCqg8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

That is an issue - I like to "bench build" as many pieces as I can, but let's face it, there comes the time you need to fit it to your building permanently and this can cause alignment issues you describe. Another option is to try fit the whole system - then mark every piece with a number and an alignment mark. That allows you to set elbows and Tees to the correct angle as you solvent weld them.

I would say, although not ideal, as long as the pipe went in and ended up with a good welded joint to the the coupling, it should be OK. I sort of pressured tested all my PVC work by reaching down the brand new, clean, soil stack and jamming the 40MM waste up at the boss with toilet paper, I then ran the sink and bath until I knew the whole network of pipes was sitting full over water. Maybe you could alleviate some fears of your own with a similar test. On hand-over/completion of projects, say a big office block the architects and consultants and anyone else within the "design" team usually have a big party, there is what is called "the big flush" where everyone was to go to the WC's and kitchens and tea points and simultaneously flush all the loos and run all the taps. It was a bit of a gimmick at the system had been tested already, but it was to emulate a busy working building, once it had been done everyone would return to the party as normal and contractors would the go round risers and basements and plant areas looking for leaks or failures.

I hear you! Some pipe runs can be done easily but when you need to slot new pipe in between existing fixed points it can be a bit of a mad dash to get it all fitted snug and lined up before the solvent starts to cause the PVC to bite.

Casambi/Shelly.

Well that is the Amtico part of the floor down, it looks great, I am very happy with it and considering it is my first DIY Amtico adventure I am quite pleased with myself. I now need to do the cheaper stuff around the perimeter which will be under the cabinets. I do have some photos but don't have the time to email them over and what not, I will soon. So in summary, Amtico is very much a DIY job unless you are going for a complex floor with motifs etc, where maybe I'd not want to risk it, although, if I had plenty spare lengths I might risk it... I would be happy to lay a border with what I now know. So, if you are thinking about it - go for it! I used Ardex Universal adhesive spread with an A2 notched trowel, I used a Marshaltown 4 inch jointing knife to scoop it out the tub and generally spread about the place before hitting the whole area with the notched trowel until I had 100% coverage but notched sized lines so there was room for it to squeeze out into the troughs and not so much adhesive the flooring just starts to slide about. I'd do it again in another room tomorrow, as with most jobs, the time is in the prep, the flooring actually goes down very fast and cuts very easily - if I was doing it again I'd setup a workbench with a "cutting station" on it.

True RAL should be RAL - a lot of manufacturers list a RAL colour but state it is not actually a RAL colour - it's just a close equivalent. Commercially within buildings colours are matched on all sorts of items all the time and although we come across the odd mismatch its usually about bang on - I am confident the RAL system at a commercial level is very accurate. RAL powdercoat and wet finish systems need careful mixing to get a good match between the two systems.

I'd say yes. Anthracite is an "in" colour, so lots of things are specified as Anthracite now and it looks right to me from what I see. Google RAL 7016 - Anthracite Grey I'd say your cabinet is damn near RAL 7016.

I had bags of Sure Rend in the back of a car in my dry garage over winter, I moved them the other day and the usual puff of fine dust ensued, the stuff feels nice and powdery, however, the stuff went out of date in October last. Drat. I was hoping to do a bit of dry dashing to the back of the garage hopefully over the next few weeks - the scaffolding is up and and weather is better. I know cement has a use by date, but my understanding was that if it was still dry it was fine and have often used out of date cement, I might not build a bridge with it, but I have never had an issue, one of the reasons cited was that a product in it to reduce cement burns wouldn't be effective - I ignored this and accepted the risk. So what are your thoughts on a lime based product that is out of date being used? Before you ask, I have asked the manufacturer but not heard back yet. http://www.enewall.co.uk/surerend-top-coat-pre-mix/

My favourite place, I have been going since they were in a little industrial unit across in the main part of the industrial estate selling small stuff.

I think I'd have done that too - as I said above, your work is already done there and looks good - pig to strip it, you then run the risk of damaging seals etc. when you disturb them. Problem solved.

When do I get my badge?

Sounds like a plan but a pig since you have done such a nice job of all of that! I would be mad! I'd probably have thrown something out the window - like the time I fell through the joists and destroyed a days worth of copper plumbing fully soldered, fixed and insulated which soon went flying out the back door much to my wifes, who was sitting reading a book in the garden, surprise. Alas, the MKII plumbing actually was better as I used more radiused bends and less solder joints which in my mind = less water noise & less failure points! If you do end up solvent welding bits make sure you clean the lubricant off the pipes seriously well. Keep calm and carry on. My accident cost me £45.00 in copper pipe, not including the joints, solder, flux, gas & wasted time! The best I was left with was a handful of 800mm pieces that were still sort of straight, I suspect you will get away with another £15.00 worth of bits and some spares you can use elsewhere! I do suspect having a solvent weld joint for the Y will be better in the long term, I feel there are more permanent and may last much much longer. They are also cheaper!

@Christine Walker if you decide to go along this sort of route PM me.

It depends, I think I would have gone for it if it was me starting now, but my thinking would have been if I was starting now, it would have been some holes in the ground, some concrete, maybe a bit of drainage, some block and a load of timber delivered and just cracking on. Our original house is still secured with the original doors and windows have been bricked up so if anything a little more secure, I will not break through until all the dusty works are over and this also means we don't need to heat it until we more or less start using the space. It depends on your personal situation, finances, where do you live, if you are middle of a town or city in time of social unrest then a potentially weakened point of entry might not be so good - but if you can do plenty of it before you need to weaken your security then less of a worry. Maybe your in the sticks in which case it removes quite a few issues in my eyes. Be prepared for delays, and perhaps material supply issues, we are heading into better weather so at least the site won't be hammered too much by weather. Will you have a lot of free time potentially, or can you work from home etc meaning you will still be occupied 9-5 and can you afford to buy the materials and potentially live off savings if you don't earn, maybe this isn't an issue due to reserves or income throughout the crisis.

Do you have a bit of land, acre or two? My great grandmother had a Baby Browning with Pearl grips on her farm not far from where you are. I still have farming family within a stones-throw from you.

The issue with alarms and CCTV is that if you don't have some neighbours likely to run out and have a look or at least peek out the window then an alarm isn't that great - I don't think the police come out to home alarm calls anymore. So you are better investing in means to make your property difficult to gain access to, fencing, locked gates just make it difficult, make it less appealing. Think about the process of a break in - someone passing who wants some cash and an iPad or someone who comes in a van wants to take a lot of stuff. So the opportunistic thief will be put off by decent secure windows and doors, the latter you need to make it as difficult and visible as possible for someone to park near your property and get stuff out. So if you were on holiday or at night could you close and lock a gate at the entrance to your drive or something. Potentially have some sensors that if someone approached your property a light comes on in a room upstairs. Ask a local farmer for a handful of fired shotgun shells and chuck them around the place outside, evidence of a 12bore would worry most!

Sounds a bit amateurish.

You need to run the covering be it cladding, render, wet dash, dry dash etc. down past the slab basically. Our garage is is about 1/2 done in dub coat (base coat) of a dry dash system, those walls are bone dry to about the bellcast, then the walls get damp in the rain, however, I will be using a smooth finish from the ground up to the bellcast and this will run over the bottom block and onto the slab (I intentionally sat my slab high so ground level would not touch the wall or even near the top of the slab). My hope is to have a fairly dry garage when the dry dash is complete (to be honest it is now except in heavy rain where rain literally leaks through the walls. On the 2 sides I need to bring the ground level up fairly close to slab height (door walls) I will ensure best practise to reduce damp transfer - the slab at the main door will butt up to a channel drain the full length, sealed to the slab and the pedestrian door wall will have a channel of gravel right along about 1 step high down from the slab height at the side door. Think of the whole combination of materials like a jacket and hood. There would be no point in having a separate hood and tucking it into the jacket, likewise in very wet weather there is no point in having a jacket over a pair of jeans, the water just runs down the jacket and soaks your jeans, but that is how many garages seem to be built, what you now need are the waterproof trousers, your feet may get wet but the rest of you will be OK and your feet will dry out.

Basically what he said, except replace "house" with "extension". One issue I foresee is I work from home anyway!

We nearly went with them then ended up going with Wren. I was happy with most aspects of my experience to date, I spent too much time talking to everyone I know who has recently bought a kitchen, time on forums, on Google etc. and I decided, they are all as bad as each other really. We went for the mid range, 25 year warranty or something - I reckon if it lasts 15 that will be good enough service. Some of you will go, "Oh no - you didn't go with Wren did you, overpriced rubbish" well yeah I'll take that, but then we looked at Ikea, I know Howdens stuff and I could not even be bothered going to Magnet so we just agreed then and there to go for it. The designer was a decent guy, we had some common interests, I know where he and his parents live - I know that sounds odd but the point I am making is the guy was really really open and friendly and I suspect that if I was to approach him in store and talk nicely to him, he would raise details with his manager who might lean on the factory etc. if anything went wrong. I am prepared to look at everything that arrives and try and have some sort of checking system in place, my thinking is that as the guys bring it into the kitchen I can quickly look at each item and sign it off, I could even be that annoying customer who won't sign on the screen till I am happy everything is there and if there is even a screw missing have a call put into HQ and or have them click the relevant tab to say customer not signing as incomplete etc. So I reckon it is like car dealerships, there probably isn't such a thing as the perfect firm.