SteveMack

We've had a UPVC sliding door installed, deceuninck slider24 to be exact so not really a no frills/cheap one; meant to be decent brand. One side is fixed the other is sliding. After installation we immediately noticed there was wind blowing through the top and bottom of the fixed window (but not the sides where it has a brush thing), you could feel it and hear it from the top and bottom. The sliding pane is sealed spot on, not the slightest breeze; first visit they decide to silicon around the outside of the fixed pane (didn't work) and on the second visit they siliconed the inside of the fixed pane which reduced it a little but leaves an ugly view now of a silicon bead that doesn't look like it's meant to be there. See photos. I think it's a load of rubbish what they have done to be fair and I've now asked for the manufacturer to come out as it's poor and feels like something has been missed during the install for it not to be weather tight for wind. The slider also catches on the locking mechanism when it goes across, so much so that the frame is now becoming lose and cracking the plaster/moving. Granted I haven't put a bead of flexible silicon there yet but I bet even that would crack with how much the frame is moving. Assume I'm not being fussy here like the engineer is trying to say I am? He even started saying you need to close the door slowly and don't use the handle as it can make the door flex where you push/pull it. My response was that the product is sh*te then.

Had an issue with blockwork between the garage and the house, the old door has been removed but the bricks are cracked from top to bottom, I sense the builder wacked the door frame to try and remove it. Sorry for unrotated photos, they are right way up on pc but still show sideways on here! Is there a product I can insert in a needle or something into the blocks to hold them together? Not really supporting much, just the inner leaf near a wall with the roof trusses on, but there's no truss directly above these. Alternatively can I put the door on the inner cavity wall which is undamaged? We have a low threshold coming with the door if that helps?

Well spotted, I read as 1998 Will hunt for the graphite ones instead We only have 50mm cavities (1990 house) and apparently even the eps beads can get wet and transmit the water across that thinner cavity. 75-100-150 would work with eps but apparently not 50mm. We're zone 2 it looks. I might get another contractor out to look at it, I've just gone off what we were told when we bought the house.

Correct on the trussed roof for the garage. We can't have injected cavity wall sadly, we're very open aspect and get driving/sideways rain a lot which we've been told is a big no no as it can cross the injected cavity stuff to the internal walls. Foundations are dry though for whatever material I choose, we've just had some work done and it's all block and beam and dry as a bone/soil/hardcore under there (un insulated block and beam sadly however it doesn't affect the other rooms as bad as the office) I've seen the bags of eps beads on ebay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325197138043

Hi, So I've been trying to work out why our home office is so cold and losing heat so fast when it is warm and the last thing I've got to is the cavity wall between the garage and the office. It's a block/50mm emtpy cavity/block then plasterboard however the cavity is completely open and uncovered in the garage so it mays well not be a cavity as all the cold air is getting in the cavity. I'm thinking of stuffing rockwool down there and topping it with cavity closers, would anyone have a better plan, or maybe eps beads instead? With it being a none external wall, will water still be an issue if I fully fill the cavity?

There are some discussions out there about triple glazing actually increasing noise if you get it wrong. Something about making sure the 3 panes of glass are different thicknesses to ensure each one captures different wavelengths without passing them on. You should probably opt for acoustic triple on anything facing the road, it uses a thicker piece of PVB in the laminated layer.

New engineer has just said that, he will give old engineer a call for courtesy and check for any objections to taking the project over. Sounds good anyway. I assume the architect is going to moan for having to redo drawings too? The principle layout isn't changing but the section detail probably will. I'll be glad when I get a shovel in ground on this!

We've reached the point now of appointing a new structural engineer. I've had quotes back for £500 to design the connections from fabricators due to the quantity and type and going off other discussions with 2 new engineers a redesign of the structural element will not only include this connection detail but also save thousands in steel and foundation costs. Anyone know what this will do to our building regs approval? Do I just get the drawings/calcs redone and send off again for checking or will they charge us again for this? Are there any rules I have to follow when I terminate current engineer? He's fully paid and nothing outstanding there.

Morning @Gus Potter I've just messaged the full calcs etc over to you for some light lockdown reading

I've also realised there's no dimensions to give a size to it. Beam 1 is ~6.1M, Beam 2 is ~4M. Beams 3&4 were split from 1 single beam to reduce the weight a little on that beam span hence column 3 being present. Beam 3&4 are quite deep because they need to accomodate a support for an outer brickwork soldier course (The bottom plate has been missed off, he's aware of this, he has agreed to amend further on). Extension is single story.

I mis stated that RHS section too sorry, it's 300mm deep!

Sorry for the slow reply guys, manic week in work. It seems as though I've opened some interesting discussion though so I'll add some more if it helps the debate.. I've attached 2 files, 1 is the layout of the steel and the second is the list of steelwork to be used and forces for which the connections need to have designs. I have an 80 page calcs document too in support of the design. Some factors; house is 2 storey brick and block cavity with a loft conversion which is designed to put all the roof weight onto the gable block wall via steels in loft, so there is increased loading on the gable ends and thus can't use 2 lighter bolted together beams due to uneven load on brick/block skins. Beam 1 is supporting ~80% of the gable wall length of the house. Beam 2 takes out the corner of the house. We live next to open fields and regularly get hit with 60mph+ winds with potential for a lot more if it's a bad storm, beams 1 & 2 are the walls facing the very open aspect.

That's quite a lot of info to type out, thank you very much. I'll update this in due course when I get some answers out of people. Approaching 2 more builders tomorrow hopefully they have some new/different fabricators to try.

Really weird you say this, the SE has just left a job doing commercial designs from what I can tell. The pieces of this puzzle are starting to fit together. I should add, in the SE defense a little I have all the ULS moment figures for the connections for they should be; just zero detail on how they should look :(

It’s interesting you say that, he’s a chartered engineer too!

So, when I spoke with the SE last and stated you need to supply them to solve this... he said, that’s not what we agreed. I stated, you were contracted to provide all the steelwork detail which although not detailed on our contract.... the general consensus from anyone in the industry i.e, my builder/fabricator and architect, it includes connection detail. His answer, well that’s your interpretation but that’s not what I provide! Also, I wouldn’t mind if it was some simple connections I’d have a go as you suggest but they are all moment connections and 2 involve a 6m 305x305x198 uc connecting to a 400mm deep RHS which is holding up 80% of the gable end of the house.

I have a strange situation where by my plans are now beyond initial building control full plan submission. They're accepted, had 1 small challenge about a fire rated window. However.. The structural engineer hasn't provided any connection detail for the beams (5 beams 5 columns) but has stated "All beams to be connected with minimum 4 x 20mm bolts" or something to this effect and then stated, steel fabricator to provide connection detail. However the fabricator has said they don't work like this; the structural engineer must provide the connection designs and they will merely suggest alternate solutions if the structural engineers design is difficult or impossible. They tell me to get another engineer On calling the structural engineer he tells me, get a proper fabricator who have an in house engineer to design the connections as he wasn't paid to do these and it wasn't in his remit. I'm now going in circles with no clear plan of how the hell this extension is getting built Any advice, or guidance as I'm stuck, even the 2 builders I've got quoting are saying it's very odd what's going on.

Having used small claims before I don't think you have a leg to stand on; I may be wrong but from my experiences, consider the following. 1, You got your own engineer to give you an independant opinion (which turned out correct). 2, If anyone should claim their costs back off the incorrect engineer, it's the church, (it's them who had a formal contract, not you) 3, How are you ever going to quantify what you lost when you didn't lose anything, I refer back to point 1, you did your own due diligence before the work was carried out and prevented your loss. 4, Have you considered asing the church to pay half the reports costs once they claim their costs back as per point 2? I know there's a 1/3 and 2/3 liability but that seems petty going to that extent if you want to keep the peace in the long term

Is this from post lockdown 1 still and gradually getting better at all would you say? I'm wondering what it'll be like in June/July next year when I order mine

Funny thing is, they won't do supply only, yet they claim to be the North Wests Rationel distributor on their website. Fyi, I'm only down the road from you in Ormskirk. I don't suppose you know any other companies local to us who do AluClad? Are the prices people are quoting on here zero Vat rated prices? We're a large extend project but hence not vat free

The company in question just responded and refused to give a break down of cost. They've been politely told we won't be continuing with the order.

Thanks for the replies, they've not broken the price down between fitting and material costs sadly I'll go back to them and get a breakdown

4/20/4/18/6.8 tgh/lam Glass to be more specific. I'm sure the laminated part can't be driving the cost.

I think I know the answer to my own question. Ral8017 outer, Ral9010 inner, Auraplus AluClad timber. 1 x 2.3m x 3.4m slider. 1 x 1.6m x 1.6m fixed window 3 x 1.8m x 1.1m guided casement All in 3G with laminate for additional security due to open location. £14500 fitted. I almost spat my drink out when it came through compared to other prices I've seen on here for full houses (albeit supply only)

Finally, have a structural design now. 2 Queries though, who designs the steel connections for a portal frame (both moment and none moment connections)? Structural engineer have said the steel fabricator/architect will do them? Also the method statement for construction his drawings say the contractor must ensure building stability etc, I was under the impression structual engineers produce the method of the structual work?