iSelfBuild

As promised, more photos here - My Mother took bury photos, this one shows the weathering one month on the best:

They look great, I'm not on site but I will get my Dad to take photos and send them over. I think the finish is dressed on the fascias not rough sawn - we joined a few together to make deeper boards. This was taken a week after SIOO (just the front boards are treated here not the gable) I'll get my Dad to take another photo from the same angle which will be one month on.

They are indeed, we treated the fascia boards ourselves. I'll get some photos for you ASAP.

Siberian, grade A/B, dressed finish, 142mm half lap treated with SIOO.

Rob looks like we are shelling out £4.90 for our larch per m I had the MD of Russwood on the phone today trying to get his order but he won't budge on price which was closer to £6.00 per m!

Nope, the 75mm XPS fits tight against the external OSB. 50mm battens screwed into the studs make them structurally strong enough to hang the larch cladding on the counter battens. Yes I'll take some detailed photos next time I'm on site. Fantastic! Have you got photos? Did you manage OK with the slider? I have some adjustable fixing brackets for the window cills that you can have for free if you like. They were quite expensive and my Dad has decided to not use them because the way the cills hook tight under the rebated lip on the windows.

We actually used 200mm hexagon head screws to fix our vertical 50mm x 50mm battens to the framework, because they are holding 75mm of external wall insulation on. Then we used 25mm x 25mm horizontal battens - which take the vertical larch cladding.

Thanks Nick and Peter!

Is this the baby? http://www.screwfix.com/p/floplast-wc38-universal-compression-waste-reducer-white-40mm-x-32mm/69077 I see a review mentions they used it for 35mm copper

Yes it came with a short stub of 35mm.

I bought this bath waste: http://bathsupermarket.com/pop-up-bath-waste-for-traditional-freestanding-bath It's 35mm - does anyone know where I can get a 35mm to 40mm flo plast solvent weld adaptor or a compression fitting? I need to extend the short stub of 35mm chrome waste into a trap under the floor and then boss that in to 40mm solvent weld. I can't seem to find anything online... Thanks!

We have treated the larch fascia boards with Sioo and so far we are very impressed. Impressed enough to get our Siberian Larch pre-treated by Russ Wood. I'll take some photos next time I'm up on site, it really does seem to work to be fair.

You might want to try Wolfenden Concrete too who are in Barnoldswick: http://www.wolfendenconcreteltd.co.uk/durapile I visited them last week and spotted them producing piles there, I'm not sure if they install as well... their site doesn't make it clear.

Thanks TerryE - The kitchen walls are back to the brick on one side - I hacked all the lime plaster and lower band of modern render off as the walls were sodden. They are now pretty dry. On the other side they have tanked the wall with modern render and bridged the old slate DPC. Hopefully removing the lower band will help it dry out and I will patch it in with renovating plaster above the DPC. Really don't want to go through all the effort of smashing it off as it's a mega strong mix. The quarry tiles are not too bad - any good ones will be salvaged for a pizza oven I'm going to build in Scotland.

Thanks Nick, don't be saying sorry mate I am moving in but it won't be for too long. Do you think the EPS + Weyroc will be best for the damp walls? I should really do the best option for the damp. I thought a drafty ventilated timber floor would help dry things up down there? There is no insulation under the floors in the house, or in the walls (twin skin) so it's never going to be a well insulated house. I really fancy a new build next, I find renovating old properties stressful.... everything you remove uncovers about 10 more jobs.

Thanks Chaps, Why would you avoid the ventilated option? On reflection I think the ventilated option will allow the lower part of the walls to breath better? It probably will be cheaper than the concrete and EPS options... I'm renovating this house for profit at the end of the day but I still want to do a proper job. The area is only about 10m2.

My kitchen floor is pretty damp, there are quarry tiles lade on a lime mortar over soil. I am planning to raise the floor 250mm so it is level all the way through the house with the dining room and lounge. Would I be best taking up all the tiles? My plan was to take up the perimeter tiles allowing me to knock off about 500mm of the damp render on the inside of the kitchen. Id then probably pack the soil back in or perhaps it would be sensible to use gravel? I was then thinking of laying a 30mm weak and dry mix of sand and cement to level the whole area as it is quite uneven. On top of this I was planning to lay a damp proof membrane lapped up the walls, 200mm of EPS and finish with a 18mm moisture resistant floor board. Does that sound sensible? Or should I be trying to do a ventilated floor with joists - I guess the advantage of the joist option is I can build a sleeper wall slightly away from the existing damp brickwork. When the 500mm off damp render is knocked off it should allow the wall to breath if I add in some air bricks. The EPS option might just make the floor and walls sweat?

Thanks guys, I decided to do it all my self in the end. I have replaced the dodgy parts and given all the timber about 3 coats.

bahsupermarket.com - fantastic service and great prices!

Hi Guys, Some of you know I am involved with importing windows. Slowinscy is my supplier and if anyone want's to see the windows fitted then please get in touch. You are correct that they won't sell to the public and insist on going through a distributor. There is lots of photos on my Facebook page of the Marconi Max Oak - https://www.facebook.com/LakelandDBG/ The product is fantastic and the price is fair, it won't be as good as a deal now due to the exchange rate but I got my lodge windows at 1 - 1.40. If this post is not allowed then please let me know!

We bought loads of low expansion foam and a gun cheap from http://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/

Hi Ian, You might want to try http://www.roger-bullivant.co.uk/index.cfm. They are a customer of mine, I supply their reinforcing, plastic spacers and lifting systems (precast concrete is so glamorous). I'm not sure if they do one off residential projects but it might we worth a shot. They are a very professional outfit and they have an office in Chorley. Rich

£200.00 lighter after buying 5 litres of Sioo wood protector and surface protector...

I have also had a price from Silva: Siberian larch - http://www.silvatimber.co.uk/cladding/siberian-larch-channel-cladding-21-x-146mm.html £20.00 m2 The price seems pretty good, I will see if they do a half lap profile.

Thanks Jason that would be appreciated!