tonyshouse

T&G softwood could look nearly the same stain to a variety of shades before fixing it does look great but overspecified for wood that will never see any weather

Coach screw in blue plug in mortar bed

Here is an offer you can’t refuse. Drill a hole in each bit either 20 or 40mm deep, collect the dust, seal it in a plastic bag, label each one seal them again in another bag. Send in the post or deliver to me. I will weigh the sample, dry it in my oven, re-weigh it and calculate the moisture content. what are you measuring with?

Soffits don’t get any weather are well protected, can’t stay damp, don’t need treating do need cleaning occasionally, need not be expensive

On my house I used cedar for fascias and barge boards, soffits just softwood par, ten years on untreated unpainted no problems http://tonyshouse.readinguk.org/external-woodwork-ten-years-on/ why pay more?

I helped with 36 new flats from a closed down care home for a charity some planning needed for bits but basically pd lots of hassles over trees and CTax

Best advice is to report it to insurers and say that you are monitoring it for two years - photos will do measuring better

5 or more boards or no boards

I have seen a LOT of problems with damp, mould and condensation in and behind fitted wardrobes and built in cupboards on outside walls. problem in my opinion is that the wardrobe effectively insulates the wall from the heat in the room making it colder and more prone to collect condensation which then goes damp and mouldy remedies; don’t fit on outside walls, leave doors open!, take off plinths and leave backs on and ensure air can get out at the top, in extreme circumstances fit small low powered tubular heater inside on a thermostat.

Floating floor for me, maximise insulation, eps dpm/vb on top then floating floor

If you go steps in the insulation then use anti cracking mesh ot it will crack above the steps

Thanks but then I would wonder why first floor even needs heating if g/f is heated, is it an upside down house?

I would use dry sand mixed with cement. How are you getting away with only 50mm of insulation?

On the hop?

No, increasing the heated volume will increase heat losses, increase heating bills plus it is bound to introduce air leakages.

Are we talking steps or slopes? 50mm sounds like very insufficient insulation to me

3 for me

I like that too, if you go for internal I would go 140mm sheet insulation plasterboard or equivalent lining mechanically fixed to masonry, insulate ceiling min 400mm quilt and floor insulation

I do have some shrinkage of wood and wood based windowboards but no draughts emanate from the gaps. The house does seem less airtight than when I built it, but that could equally be old age creeping on at me. can’t raise the enthusiasm to do another air test. I did seal several leaks early on where I realised things weren’t quite done right so I may even be tighter. windows are brilliant, as day one, front door not so good but I made it . no evidence of sealants failing and no draughts round or through windows

Air sealing round frames is crucial to airtightness and comfort attention to detail is crucial many new homes are colanders, very draughty and consequently don’t perform as design intended this is what I did ten years ago - still working, all wet plastered http://tonyshouse.readinguk.org/air-sealing-windows-and-doors/

Agree, don’t use slinkies, trench 2m deep and well apart, 5m if pos, and oversize collection field

Soffit boards should not get wet, 6mm ply would do so 18 will work,

Pragmatic approach would be stick with existing - it will very likely be OK

Is it glass or polycarbonate?

Fill the trenches with concrete, known as trench fill