Carrerahill

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Any tips or tricks? Did you roll it?

I will do. I'll probably make a start on Sunday.

I have solved this. So this is where I am: 12mm exterior grade hardwood core ply laid, it is flat, seriously flat, really happy with it, and I was tempted just to varnish it and be done as it looks nice too! The only bit that needs a little tweak is where I got a little carried away with my router blade depth when removing a 150mm x 900mm x err 5mm section to run the sheet right up to the back door and over the 2x6 floor plate which the door partially sits on I intentionally set it 5mm higher than the sub-floor level so when I ply lined the floor, assuming 5mm ply, it would come in at the same level, but I had no reason to think, back then, that I was going to need to find 14mm so my fridge cabinet sat at the same height as the wall cabinets, easiest solution was to raise the whole floor level 14mm - so taking into account my flooring and the ply I needed min 11.5mm - so 12m ply it was! Anyway, I must have leaned a little heavily on the router or something and ended up maybe taking 7mm - result is that the bit that slides over the 2x6 was flappy! So I just poured in PVA, trowelled it out, put the ply down and screwed it down, it is going nowhere, but it has created a 2mm dip to the door, not to worry I have 4Kg of F Ball Feather Edge compound on its way, might even arrive today - I will also do the screw heads with this. I have Ardex flooring adhesive coming too and an A2 trowel. The actual Amtico will be here tomorrow too, we went for their mid-rage the "Form" and the friendly chap also found me some discontinued 2.5mm stuff in the back of the warehouse I could have for £10 p/m to go under cabinets. So the plan is to mark out the kitchen cabinet layout on the floor plus say 30mm saftey margin, ping a central line across the floor and start with an Amtico "plank" either side and work my way out, once over the cabinet line I can stop and finish it in the cheap stuff. The stuff I went for is 235mm x 1505mm so it should look smart with the large format planks, we have 225mm Oak in the living room and hall and it looks brilliant, I have never had so many comments about a feature of a house in all my life! I have spent hours and hours and hours researching and coming up with a strategy, sitting on flooring forums and talking to suppliers and even fitters - in the end I have come to the conclusion that it is just sticking some bits of plastic to a floor and as the prep is excellent, although really the prep wasn't hard because I built my floors blinking level, it will be fine! If I can build an extension I can lay some Amtico. I think Amtico installers just like to make out that their skill is far more advanced than it maybe is, I also was given horror stories when I decided to lay my Oak, apparently it was all going to warp and buckle and the whole lot would need ripped up. I think much of the horror story stuff is from poor prep, not dealing with the sub-floor properly, particularly where concrete and screeds are involved and using incorrect adhesives. I think the skill in Amtico is laying out borders or putting motifs into the floor but at that, it is just a keen eye and careful cutting.

I'd have that though (not for welding though), OK so not 600mm off the deck but it's been isolated significantly from the ground and lifted up a bit and that is real timber!

I considered a timber garage but decided against it for all sorts of reasons, when I was still on the timber build track I researched and confirmed, from fairly early on, that it would be built on a dwarf-wall of either concrete or block up to the height of about 600mm minimum. I had many many reasons, when I design and build something I want it to last, I want to know it will survive for many years. I even considered that in the future some muppet might bank up earth against a wall not realising the implications of building ground levels up around buildings, or the fact we get so much rain, or the fact that timber structures arguably need more care through their life to maintain structural integrity. I just didn't think timber was going to be ideal, I also do some welding in my garage and decided a timber garage and me welding and angle grinding away was going to be a bit dangerous. I then decided that given I was going to build up 600mm anyway I might as well go the other 1800mm! The block garage was also going to be far cheaper and less time consuming. Can you lay brick? If you have never laid brick then it can go two ways, majority of people who try DIY brick/block work make a complete mess of it and there isn't a straight bit in sight or you will have an aptitude for it and make a great job. I ask a friendly bricky for a job price. I gave my bricky the size of the garage, showed him where the main door and side door would go, how many lintels and he worked out how many blocks it would be and how much he would charge me. What are the dimensions, makeup and concrete mix of your slab? Was it designed to have a brick/block structure on it?

I agree, a nice solder job looks so smart. On my first ever pipe soldering mission I think I used steel wool, no flux and ended up with pools of solder on the floor - I have come a long way since then. I taught how to solder pipe by an old gent (who has since becaome a good friend) who explained all the do's and don't and the first thing he banned me from using ever was steelwool! Yeah wet pipes are a pest, in those circumstances if I must "close" a system with solder joints I solder in a T with a solder on drain valve into one of the ends of the T with the plug removed, this allows the water to steam out.

Depends what you want. There are bricks and there are bricks. I just used the local merchant - they had or found everything I needed. It got to the point I didn't do too much shopping around as they know me now and I automatically get discount and free delivery etc.

I'd get on well with you Jeremy!

What he said! Clean clean clean. Also, I like the La-Co flux, it is non acidic so you don't have the old worries of acidic flux being left in joints and eating them over time. It is also handy for longer them work that may not be live for months. https://www.screwfix.com/p/la-co-flux-paste-with-brush-in-cap-125g/61072?kpid=61072&ds_kid=92700048793290397&ds_rl=1249404&gclid=CjwKCAiA7t3yBRADEiwA4GFlI_RF0ft0G1SubltEtdC4mClKiPPV5r8XBbpoTsDn-OX4IFqW8Fea9hoCKzMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds I have dipped stranded wire that had gone near black into this stuff and heated it with a soldering iron and it looked like brand new copper a second or two later! However, steel wool is not actually an accepted method of cleaning under BS EN1254. Plumbers do use it but it was always frowned upon, the issue is if you leave a little steel wire behind it can be included in the solder either fully or partially encapsulated, if the latter then the steel will rust essentially creating a pinhole through the solder, chances are it will be find, but a single strand going through the solder can become a leak fairly quickly (less than a year). The recommended method of cleaning is a wirebrush wheel, or a scotch pad - sand papers and anything using grit is also frowned upon for the same reasons. I always use scotchpads, I have used 1200 wet and dry but I then rinsed the pipe with a little water to remove any abrasive paste (which can act as a separating agent as it will just cook on with the heat). I will accept, it is all possibly a bit pedantic, but I do see the benefits to not using steel wool so have always just stayed clear of it for this work.

Do it in copper, bend the pipe where possible, solder everything up (add valves after so heat cannot damage them). The number of cupboards I see where a kitchen installer or "plumber" has thrown in a total mess of plastic pipe and stupid big connections and it takes up most of the space and you are scared to shove anything into the cupboard for fear of knocking the unsupported pipework. For under a sink you can use about 1 length of copper and a tenners worth of solder joints. If you cannot solder then I highly recommend getting a plumber (preferably a gas engineer as they can all still solder). I am not fussed about solder joints looking beautiful, a few solder snotters doesn't offend me but a quick wipe round with a rag cleans them up and makes them look decent. The result is solid pipework, slimline joints, and it just looks the part.

That is it.

Screwfix do a Rothenberger one for about £12. Does pretty much all the normal sizes.

I don't know the formula, but I do know that some radiator manufacturers have a table which list their radiators with all the different outputs at 5°C increments from about 35-85°. I found most of the rads were listed at maximum potential output and not realistic outputs with normal water temps. So if it was me, I would be looking for some manufacturers datasheets listing models and there outputs by water temp.

Yes this stuff is 3mm I think, I was just more concerned about under the WM and DW (pulling it forward and damaging the first row). I have however just done a wastage calc and with the stuff left over I can floor right into the WM/DW bays (albeit integrated DW it may still need to come out in the future!). Thanks for your thoughts.

Got you.

Before you pull the box are you sure that the bearing cannot be changed in-situ? If you remove the drive flange you may find that you can change the bearing in place - fairly common on a machine like this to have a box like that. Nothing to lose and may save you a fair whack of work and a bad bad!

We are going to put Amtico in our kitchen. About 30 years ago my parents had Amtico installed in their kitchen, in those days you called up Amtico and they designed it all (borders etc.) and sent people to install it, so it was an Amtico led job and therefore their guys (or approved installers whatever they were). What they did was lay cheap blue tiles of the same thickness as the Amtico under the kitchen cabinets and appliances, makes sense to me, my parents have quite a long cumulative length of kitchen cabinets/appliances so it would have been costly and wasteful to install the good stuff under them. I am thinking of doing the same thing, I have spoken to some installers and suppliers today and they seem perplexed by this idea. For me it makes a difference of around £500.00 if I use the Amtico under cabinets or use something like this: https://lifestyleflooringuk.co.uk/malmo-stick-down-skara If I use that stuff I can effectively floor the whole kitchen from wall to wall but with that stuff starting around 100mm in from the plinths. Has anyone else seen this done? What other options could I go for - I had contemplated having the Amtico laid short of the walls where cabinets will go, then before the kitchen goes in pour in some self levelling compound or such to build the area up and create a wall to wall floor covering. I could even use one of the resin types. Or do I just leave those areas of the floor raw ply and give it a coat of varnish to protect from any spills or small floors etc.

No, get someone in to do the whole contract of this stage, big contractors will use a wood faced metal form-work system like the Gilpi system which will be their own kit - they will do the lot. You would probably just need to supply a prepped site. I highlight the "wood faced" aspect as it reduces the water content against the form and improves surface strength of the concrete. Unless you feel really confident. But concrete form work (temporary works) is a whole speciality in it's own right and will be holding back a huge weight of concrete desperate to escape, so really... I wouldn't!

Yep, we often have to spec duct penetrations which will be water tight to commercial (usually city centre) buildings with basements. They still don't call the "basement" contractor - any proper concrete contractor worth his salt will know how to deal with this and will be well versed in these matters. If they are not, don't hire them. I wouldn't be blase about any aspect of construction from the foundations to the ridge tile, each does it's own job and play an important part, what I am saying to the OP don't be getting hung up on a "basement" contractor - as soon as you give someone a name like that they double their fee!

Yes! I grew up with open fires, I have a WBS, I have access to wood, have chainsaws and a hydraulic log splitter, I season all my timber for 18months min, usually more like 24-36 depending on stocks. Now for me that is just normal life, something I have been doing all my life. Then you get people (like our idiot neighbours) who saw we had one and decided to get one too, so they get it, occasionally fill low lying land to the back with thick smoke from damp wood, or stench out the area with the smell of burning flooring off-cuts or other rubbish. They buy wet wood in B&Q at £15 for 3 bags and burn that, you hear him out with a hatchet battering at a log for 30minutes to get 2-3 logs. I ask myself, why did he get that, he has no access to wood, he is a lazy sod anyway who would never prep for it and he just makes a mockery out of a WBS. For him it was a nice little warm box of happiness in their front room. No thought into how he would fuel it, no thought into maybe even building a log shelter, so the whole exercise for them was a total waste of time and money. Ban those idiots.

Or read the Star or Sun or Express where apparently, wood stoves are being banned, cars are being banned, your going to die, Dennis is going to unleash 20" of snow on us while tornados rip through the land.

Yes, for now! -Once we enter the real Orwellian dystopia we will have other things to worry about.

They are not banning smokeless or wood, just trying to limit it to cleaner fuels. Wire in.

I'd just get in a concrete contractor in and get it poured - almost every commercial building built in cites have basements, they don't use a specific "basement" contractor, the guys doing the pour just form a basement in a big hole - nothing special - that will open up your choices.