markc

I reckon this is just an optical illusion as everything appears to be running parallel.

Yes, backfill and compact with end of a post/log/big hamper etc. do it in layers to make compacting easier. If someone is assisting anyway, pull out the other one at the same time, easier to dig on your own than pull posts out

Bacteria boosters definitely improve a “damaged” septic, but looking after it is much better - minimal bleach, even that should be septic friendly. No fats etc. down the drain. That should/will reduce emptying but if it’s filling up with liquid there must be a blockage or restriction, or surface water is pouring in.

the single phase feeding 6 properties when the old barns etc were converted is already struggling, I would need batteries anyway so might as well go the whole hog.

As above, if you don’t live on site, don’t leave anything with any value. Ram locks and chains etc. are soon removed with a thief’s best friend (battery angle grinder).

That board was destined to cup, if you look at the growth rings you can see it’s pretty much the bullseye in centre of the tree and will absorb moisture and expand much more than the outer rings.

It looks like you won’t be able to use a compression fitting and the differing pipe sizes exclude a push fit or solvent weld. Unless anyone else has a suggestion I think you are only left with bonding your gold pipe inside the existing.

Finally got around to starting on the man-cave after almost a year living here. I really wanted to knock down and replace with a portal frame building but the planners are worried it would get converted into a bungalow even after I offered to have a covenant restricting its use to ancillary use. So it’s going to be a messy refurb/restoration. including a lot of stone wall rebuilding, some interesting steelwork to open up the interior, off-grid 3-phase power (local infrastructure would need an upgrade to be grid 3-phase even though it’s an old farm) with large batteries and a lot of PV, portal extension and timber cladding.

Yes and no, yes you need the joint to be weather / wind proof but that is better done further back. My window guy never mastics the underside of cills unless there is a big or uneven gap. They bed the cill into mastic (you can’t do that at the sides or top) so no visible sealant needed.

easiest fix is to sister each joist with the tops levelled as you require

You can drill and fix to the lintel but as you say the straps are to prevent lift so the piers are the only available place, you could double strap on the centre pier for good measure

@qamar as you have already spoken to them (always the best approach) but still no joy, I would put a sign on the garage saying No Parking, access required 24/7 or at all times. hopefully they will be amenable but some do try to push their luck.

Generally all residents have rights of access but not to block anyone in or out, as you have a garage you are entitled to access at any time.

As long as the pieces are roughly the same the pluses and minuses will average out over the floor and will never be seen

Is it a metal C section or I section beam above the door? If so it will be cold and form condensation itself regardless of ventilation above the insulation. Do you know the make up of the roof? Hard to envisage what they have done