Carrerahill

But then again, builders in the central belt of Scotland can't even put walls up properly so that doesn't really say anything...

Been thinking a lot about this today, to the extent I have hardly done any work! I am tempted to go for one of the timber options - question is... which one. My thinking is if I go for option 2 but I wonder if this is seen as a bit of a bodge, albeit it I could construct it very carefully and make sure it's sturdy.

Neither did I until last year, then looking at my building warrant drawings I saw "40mm insulated plasterboard" - I thought this was just poorly written and meant some insulation then PB - but no, they make it right up to about 150mm I think! So that is what I am doing my ceiling with. https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/product/celotex-pl4025-insulated-plasterboard-1-2m-x-2-4m-37-5mm.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA4t_iBRApEiwAn-vt-2Se-YUgDUcezZG-USHSv1-qocyATnDPBL_jlSLNG0f6SJfaNEc3ChoCyngQAvD_BwE

Having been involved in a loan before for someone we instructed a solicitor to draw up a "contract" it was loose in as much as neither of us even really felt it necessary we just created it and filed it, end of. It was just a safety net, it didn't even stipulate payment terms or anything just a very broad form of protection. So it was written, signed, witnessed etc. I cannot remember the full details of it, it was over a decade ago, but it was more of a security that if something happened to the person the money was lent to, their estate would accept there was a liability to me there was also something that said the loan had to be repaid within 3 years and at that I then had the ability to take them to court if they didn't meet this obligation, the period was more like 1 year, so we picked 3 to give a very comfy buffer. I think a small legal firm would charge £250 for something like that and just add it to the final sum (which you must also agree on the legal document). EDIT: Just realised someone resurrected an old post... sigh.

What you are looking for is standard practice in Scotland, I have never seen a roof in Scotland without boarding (sarking) on it, well once by a major house builder building cheaply. This is just my garage and it's fully boarded!

I have been working on the prep works for the extension over the past few weekends, yesterday saw the biggest development in edging me closer to the construction stage. Basically I have an existing sunroom which will form part of the extension, to prepare the area for the build I had to demolish the inner block-work to enable to me re-jig things ready for the build. Long story short I am now down to DPM on the inner wall which equates to about 220mm below floor level - what I have now is a room with a suspended timber floor with a 200mm gap around the perimeter, 100mm cavity and 100mm was the block - see here: Let's try not to pay too much attention to the soaking poor blockwork, the rotten timber that is soaked from the door threshold not being correctly constructed and water pouring down the blocks etc. So from this you can see where we are, the bottom photo is showing the long side of the sunroom and you can see the joists run long span across it and out of frame is a knee wall which supports the floor joists half way. So I need to get this all ready for a timber frame, so I started thinking last night and I have come up with some ideas. So a brief description of where we are right now: We have on the short sides of the sunroom a 215mm wide wall up to DPC, (i.e. block built 215mm face down)100mm of the joists bearing on this, a knee wall in the middle, also 215mm wide, joists full bearing on this, and then as per the bottom photo, a joist runs parallel to the block wall. I need to build a 5x2 timber frame kit onto this, leaving a 50mm cavity between timber frame and blockwork. Here are my options: Option 1: Lift the floor (I need to lift some of it anyway to get under and do plumbing) and lay longer joists so that they extend to within 50mm of the block wall, that leaves me my 50mm cavity to the end walls and then on the long wall where the joists run parallel simply nail blocking out sitting on the the wall and nail a joist to the end of these spaced 50mm from the block wall, I can use some brackets to make sure it is solid as the full joist will be hanging over the wall held only by the blocking, however, the timer kit will partially bear on the blocking which is bearing on a wall, so I see no issue. I can then run 5x2 round the perimeter of the room to act as my sill plate for the timber kit to be built upon. There are already battens attached to the bottom inside edges of the joists with 50/60mm Celotex in-between them, so with the floor deck off I can clip UFH pipes to this and biscuit screed the floor to top of joist, then lay whatever I need to lay on top of this to take a tile or maybe hardwood floor, ply/OSB over joists, or just normal 18mm caber? This gets me to where I need to be, ready to build a timber frame! Option 2: Leave the floor as it is more or less (still need to lift some of it to do plumbing) and attach a 6x2 to the top of all the walls, so about 100mm would bear on top of the wall on the DPC and about 50mm would overhang the wall into the cavity reducing my cavity to 50mm, then I can nail a 5x2 on as a perimeter piece but step it in 11mm so the OSB sheet can go on top and leave my 50mm cavity. So the timer kit is basically built off the wall. I can then do my UFH within the joists as described above. Option 3: Remove the whole floor, reduce the height of the inner walls by a block or 2 and put in a beam and block floor, Robslee have done a design for me, I can sit the beams out to within 50mm of the wall for my cavity, the blocks would rest on a pad at the long wall wedge so I basically end up with a block and beam floor 50mm from the outer walls all all the way round and hard up against the existing house wall with a little piece of insulation. I then would lay blocks on there side to form a 215mm sill round the 3 external walls, put down 50mm insulation, UFH pipes and a 60-75mm screed. The blocks around the external walls would just be to contain the screed, I could then attach a 5x2 sill plate to the block and I could even bring the screed up to the top of the sill plate (I would also use insulation to insulate the block to stop cold bridging. All these options would work, I do like option 1 and 3 the best but I had not really budgeted for option 3, option 1 and 2 only really require some more lengths of 6x2 for joists (which I have in the garage I think) and I could probably have the floor sorted ready for the kit by Saturday night (not including the UFH stuff) which lets me start getting the sill plate down and get some "site" measurements for my timber kit. The downside to option 3 is the weight, looking at the spec from Robslee and working out roughly what the screed would way I reckon it's another 4 tonnes minimum - OK this is spread across the 3 short walls and one whole edge of the floor would be spread the length of the long wall I am just being cautious. There is possibly another option - Option 4: The suspended floor has, from what I can see so far and measure a 650mm void below it - there is concrete over site on a DPM. Do I take all the blocks I have from the wall demo, and place them into the void, backfill with hardcore and sand and then DPM it again, insulate it all and pour concrete over site again but this time up to floor level? From the garage build and the demo works I reckon I have enough block and rubble and hardcore left over. Also bear in mind that whatever I choose I really want to be rolling with these works again at the weekend so I need to bottom out details ASAP. I also have a baby due in 6 weeks so speed is a major factor here.

Land Rover(s) possibly an old tractor one day and a visiting MG-TC when/if it comes to stay for weekends. Could you tell from the oil soaked board there was something old and leaky in there! Protecting the concrete is something I need to address before the concrete get's totally stained. I am going to get a few gallons of concrete sealer/hardener stuff - then I can make up my mind - to paint, or not to paint!

I got my quote in for my windows and I spoke to the supplier, who is also an installer and he confirmed the 50x50 strap method - however, he can supply the windows with pre-fitted insulated firestops which I may just go for. I will need to confirm the detail with him but assuming it will fit then that will do. I think I am going to get the window with a stub sill and then build a concrete sill up under the window when it comes to block-work - I am going to sit down with CAD and carefully work ou my sizes so I am full courses to the underside!

Here are a few update pictures, I know we all prefer pictures!

Being a Project Manager/Clerk of Works for a build can be good way to save some money and potentially ensure a high quality build, however it depends on your background and or aptitude to research and clearly understand building processes and details - so on the flip side, it could cost you. Although you will never know every detail of every part of a build if you have good construction knowledge one way or another (say you are a General builder, architect or consultant engineer) you then stand a good chance to act when you see things being done incorrectly - however, little or no knowledge and experience in the industry can lead to issues going undetected. That is not to say you couldn't educate yourself, to a point, but it depends who "educates" you. Plenty of contractors out there talk utter rubbish. I had a concrete contractor stand and talk drivel at me and also quote an eye watering price for concrete. Had the price been about right and had I been unaware of many things concrete related I may have gone for it... what I would have ended up with would have needed to be broken out and redone! The worrying thing is, a totally untrained man in a van can claim to be a ground-worker, turn up in a van, place concrete for our builds, possibly poorly, then our entire build sits on this for the rest of it's days! As for quotes, 20 quotes is excessive. As an example, I got 3 concrete quotes and 2 bricklayer quotes, I was able to raid the QS's folder at my firm and get pricing details, historical quotes etc. and I also generally know what I should be paying for a cube of C30-40 concrete etc. I also know what contractor day rates should be so when I was quoted nearly double from one chap I was able to ask him for his breakdown right there on the spot and trip him up horrifically as it worked out he wanted to be on about £1200 a day for himself - my laughter upset him a little! I even had the Tarmac rep in here, I liked his price actually - so don't discount getting the concrete yourself for your builder to place - it also lets you guarantee you are getting the concrete type/spec you order.

Ouch!

OK I am listening... let's see if I have interpreted what you are saying correctly. I would install the window into the timber frame... That then keeps it in the "warmer" side of things, then I have to firestop/cavity close between the frame and the block, but what do I do about rendering back to the window as I now have a big external reveal... or have I totally misinterpreted this? The BC drawings I have do appear to show the window unit sitting on a wooden batten within the cavity... but a call to BC can soon agree any small details like this as I have already found.

Thanks. This is exactly what I saw on a site and how I was thinking of doing it - although thinking to the future they are going to be a pest to get back out for replacement... I was thinking I could screw from inside the frame out into the battens so in the future the window can be removed from the inside.

Hi All, I am currently doing my timber frame drawings and sorting out window opening sizes etc. and it got me thinking about the installation - the plan is to get the timber frame up and install the windows almost immediately to secure and weather-proof the extension long before the block-work goes up around it. I know it is common practise to install windows into the frame before the masonry goes up so I wondered if anyone has an installation detail or some good photos showing how they sit exactly and the sort of depth into the cavity they sit. I don't want to install them then find I have them in the wrong position. I was on a site recently and I saw how they had installed them, albeit from a bit of a distance and it appeared to me they had done this: Typical timber frame sheathed in OSB and wrapped in a building wrap, then circa. 50x50 rough treated had been attached to the outside of the opening round the timber frame, so basically like a picture frame over the top of the building wrap, this I assume was to acct as the cavity closer, the cavity was 50mm, so my assumption was that the window was then going to be installed flush to the outside edge of the 50x50. Then, when the masonry went up, the back brick face would be hard against the 50x50 (as you would expect a cavity closer) and the masonry would be brought right up to the edge of the window frame. The render would then go on thus "sealing" the window in and a bit of mastic at the end (as appears common on new builds around all doors/windows) to seal the UPVC to the render. Does this sound correct? Would you attach band to the window and then fix it from the inside of the timber frame? In theory it sounds fine to me but I just want to check. The next question is the sill, the supplier can supply me with a stub sill or longer versions. Do I get the sill, then build the masonry up to the underside of the sill, bit of mastic and job done? Or should I be thinking about a proper concrete sill to the top of the masonry? I will be able to ask questions of suppliers and people involved when I get there but I need to get some of these things clear in my head before I start the frame drawings as it could make a difference to exactly where I place a window to ensure I get get a whole block or brick up to the bottom of an opening etc.

How long is a piece of string? There is no such thing as a standard foundation detail, this really needs to be fit for purpose. However, assuming ground conditions are good, I would go for about a 400mm x 150mm found, you could get away with 300mm but I think the 400mm will give a nice footprint. I would also be tempted to build up above ground level to DPC in brick or poured concrete so your kit is not sitting in the ground. As for foundation depth, it depends what you opt to do, if it was me I would go down to the same height as the house founds, and pour a 400 x 150mm found, I would then use trench block to get you most of the way out then build a wall up to DPC level in brick or block, then fit my treated sill plate and build kit onto that. You then don't need to worry about the based of the build getting wet. You could run external cladding down over the wall slightly so you cannot see the base brick. Don't be tempted to go trench fill next to the existing house unless the house is trench fill in which case do go trench fill! Addendum: I know some people may say that the found I speced above is too big for the type of build going on top, but I am designing the foundation in isolation to anything else, I would want to know my foundation is going to support itself and withstand and movement without cracking, the fact that the build weight will be less than a conventional build is actually another factor in the larger foundation size, without the weight above it, the found could be more susceptible to ground movement and thus failure.

I tend to use the aircrete blocks (same size and shape as a concrete block but, lightweight and can be cut with a hand saw to the awkward shape). Go for a fairly weak mortar mix, particularly where it joins the existing brick so someone can if they want, reinstate the lovely old feature with minimum damage to the brick. Just brick it up and leave an air-vent towards the bottom and put a little vent over it. No need to plaster or anything. Don't be tempted to use timber - it can get damp and rot as well as giving creepy crawlies a nice place to live, although the block can get damp it won't rot and will dry out well. Remember to get the chimney capped with a proper vent cap - I cannot stress how important this is.

If it is going to come out the WC and into the existing vertical soil pipe then you would not need any AAV or vents as the existing one would do all this. If you are going to tie into another section of the soil pipe not served by upstairs vent then you will need to consider AAV. I have also seen a vent done with a reduction boss, and run out on 50mm, my building control officer is letting me alter the vent to our soil pipe as I said I don't want it going through the roof of our extension, so it is going to be reduced in height then taken at a 90° in the new extension ceiling void, and then go out the side of the extension to a wall vent.

Having been through this several times before I think I would redevelop it a fair bit but I would, as usual, do much of it myself. I would also try and keep most of the garden on the same level just graded, walls and changing levels and things are a pest in this size of site. Looking at your site I would be tempted not to lower that drive way (not sure what you are going to level and would you still be able to drive a car into the garage?) as although I am sure it would be "fine", lowering a drive and building a retaining wall really ought to be carefully considered and designed, if a landscaper or builder claims they can do it, and I am sure they can, I doubt they will actually design it as such and just go and build something, potentially leaving you with a mess, or potentially dangerous development. Owing to the proximity to the house I would not want to work on any major level changes as you could create issues with the retaining wall potentially taking on ground shift forces or if very well built ground heave could occur as the expansion zone has been reduced - you then end up with cracked walls, potentially foundation issues and the list goes on. So you ask what we would do, well here is my (albeit not knowing how you use your space, access requirements etc. utility routes...) fairly quickly thought up proposal: It looks like there is a slight level increase before it dips down to the garage (is that what you meant by level off?), I'd hire a 1.5ton excavator (and driver if you think you will just make it worse!). I'd strip the lawn's and create a pile of the good topsoil - get as close to the perimeter wall as you can but be mindful of the founds, I would not go deeper than the founds, I would probably stay about 50-75mm above them. I would also dig some deeper areas in the middle of the lawn, big square holes that bricks can be carefully packed into. Try and retain mature shrubs and the little tree because its nice to keep some of it, I hate seeing total destruction of a site. I would then pull down the driveway retaining walls and fill the holes you have dug - do it neatly and pack the brick in like a big thick wall and you will not have any subsidence issues. Break up the concrete into fairly small pieces and place this on the inside of the perimeter wall down at the subsoil level that you have just exposed - you don't want to load the wall up too much, but this layer of concrete will allow drainage and help stop the ground pushing on the wall, I would also probably dump in a ton of pea gravel and create a drainage boundary potentially even creating a gravel boundary so the new lawn isn't hard up against the wall and can't push on it. As a detail you can research this. I used a backfill of lean concrete to create a retaining wall protection zone - as said lots of details on Google of how to protect your wall and each type and soil type calls for different approaches, but of course it depends how much higher you go, you could grade it off to about the same level . Now, depending on what is under that concrete will depend how to proceed, if it is laid on good hardcore, or crush or something then leave it alone, but scrape the high spot and lower it beyond the finished level you want. Think of the make up, if you go sets or slabs etc, workout the makeup, i.e. good base of hardcore compacted, blinding compacted, then cement/sand mix plus height of paving product. If what is under the concrete is poor then scrape down about 150mm and drag this out onto your lawn site, spread as evenly as you can and drive the excavator over the site to help pack it as you go. You can then bring in hardcore and makeup the ground for your drive - hire a compactor for the weekend and whack it as you go, depends what you are left with but you could need 6-8 tons of hardcore, ideally arrange for it to come when you have the digger. Now depending on where all the brick and concrete and scraping got you will depend how to move next, if the site is looking a lot more level and will nicely grade level or with a slight fall to the wall for a new lawn then great, if not you need to bring in some more material. Once you have your sub-layer level sorted pull all the topsoil from the pile down and grade it out over the site, hopefully you now have a much more level site and will not actually need a new retaining wall between lawn and drive if you get it right, and I would for sure be keeping the lawn's it's a nice thing, so many people trash gardens with paving the whole bloody lot. Concrete jungle. Horrid! So ideally after a weekends work you have a slightly raised lawn area, slightly lowered drive area, compacted hardcore and you are ready to do your drive - at that I would possibly be tempted to pay someone to lay the drive but it depends on your time, how many able friends you have. With the drive done you can then lay a new lawn and plant up the garden as you want. If you also want to change the perimeter wall then you could look to re-face it if it is in good condition, it could be smoothed out and rendered but it looks pretty good as it is. and is in-keeping with the rest of your street.

That will do! I did consider this, but having only seem images of it, and seeing the profile of the batten in the top, I just assumed battens were needed - but I don't necessarily see why - once tiles sit on it and screwed down it is not going anywhere. I also like the idea of the ventilation, I used a breathable membrane so assuming a bit of a vent up top will work well. The Manthorpe I looked at look like it needs supported by a batten, can you further comment on your install - sounds good to me, lay it in, bracket in, tile down, screw down, move on - job done.

I have been thinking... if I use dry ridge I could get the ridge on in any weather (well maybe not hurricanes, snow and ice). So although I have put the end units on with mortar - I did these first so I could do the dry verge and also to attach a string line - I was thinking I could always use the DR system for the rest... Face my reservations head on and go for it. So I have Marley sentimental ridge tiles, I can get something like this: https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/product/manthorpe-roll-out-dry-vent-ridge-system-black-3m-pack.html The fixing of the ridge batten is my only "unknown" for now, I actually have a big bag of ridge batten brackets, the type you would attach to the rafter and it creates a little up-stand to which a batten can be fixed, that system would pose an issue for me as I would need to take the top row of tiles back off to fit these and I am not really in the market for undoing my work. However the datasheet for the system linked to above doesn't appear to come with brackets or even use them in the installation process. I have a 6x2 ridge beam on which the notched rafters sit, so not really that far down is a solid timber, my membrane covers this, my thinking is that I could cut pieces of batten to fit between the rafters and sit on the ridge beam, I can use this to build up to the required height a batten on which to fix the dry ridge system. Thoughts please gents.

In all honesty I don't really like them - I am a old school, if it was my house I would but for my garage considering I can hop up onto the roof to maintain it going forward I am not too fussed. I used a flexible dyed mortar from Instarmac which should remain in good nick for many many years. However, I did use dry verge! I know the benefits of the dry ridge, the installation benefits and the longevity of the system, I am just being a Luddite. I can be like this some times. I still prefer CAT5 and a cable from a socket than Wifi yet I like ICF's! Go figure!

Been a while since I posted but the garage now has doors, a full roof, gable end cladding (timber to the front, UPVC to the rear) and most of the fascias and things on - 2 ridge tiles (front and back) but the cold weather kicked in and I don't want to be setting ridge tiles in the cold as the mortar would probably get damaged and I know I can frost-proof it but to be honest the membrane has only had 1 rainstorm it could not cope with and the leak was only via a batten nail hole. I'll get a selection of photos to post. I am also about to start the rear extension which I hope to have done by spring.

Transpired it was a Marley - discontinued. I ended up doing my garage in Russell Pennine's which looks great, but I still need Majors for the extension roof.

You have not answered my question - but don't bother. Your evasiveness says it all. You didn't need to explain the principle behind the basis of your original comment; it's the manner in which you deliver your comments time and time again - you have an issue, you know you do hence the deflection and you don't like that you were called out on it. Across your posts it is clear you don't like that many people on this forum can afford things you cannot - you are obviously doing your best in this self-build world, but due to the nature of this type of endeavour it takes a fair bit of money, even if just secured finance, to build a home that most people could only dream of.

You have a real chip on your shoulder don't you? You have made very similar comments like this before which I ignored as a one off, perhaps you were in a huff over something but you do have an issue. What I don't understand, is what someones class has to do with their ability to peel cash from your paw. Explain that one to myself and other members of this forum please? Conversely, IF, I were to say, "I don't like working class hammer wielding monkeys stealing my money" in context of trades working on my build, do you think that would be acceptable? They can steal plenty money too! I could make some very controversial remarks here that would sting a bit, but they would be quite true.