markc

There is no right answer for all materials, blade protrusion depends on the material being cut and the surface finish (thats the material itself, not splintering etc.) General rule of thumb - unfinished chipboard and OSB full protrusion to clear the blade gullets of resin faster. Melamine - approx 1/2 tooth. practice/test cuts is the only real way to be sure

Piles should go straight through any (shallow) clay layer isolating the structure from heave or shrink

Thats good to hear (read), my girlfriend and i were discussing cost to get water tight a few days ago (we are still looking for a plot) and were hoping for similar figures doing a lot of the work and project management ourselves.

HSS have REMS crimper for hire, think its around £110 for a week, not cheap but you could do a lot of joints in a week.

Having put up loads of commercial buildings with PCCP`s (pre cast concrete panels), the cast in ducts have always been a nightmare. Either colapsed during the pour/curing, didnt align with the next panel etc. or trying to break into a duct for a box opening etc. has been known to crack the panel.

Wow! i like his style (insert round of applause)

Whats holding the shutters in place? ... i see a bust out coming on.

The builder should be able to sort that while waiting for the concrete to turn up, or while leveling and finishing is in progress

Under-batten with packing where needed to level the underside or side batten with 3x1 or even 3x2 (makes hitting them with fixings easier) along the joist length. Only needs to be one side of the joist.

Welcome and good luck! What area are you looking? I have been looking for that bungalow around west Yorkshire for quite some time and i have your entire budget to spend on it ... admittedly i do want a larger plot but i would welcome a difficult site and poor access etc.

I have to agree with all of the above. 8x2 wont even self support at 7m. Unless the walls and wall plate are exceptionally strong they will bow allowing the roof to fall in. Bottom cord / ceilng ties is the way forward.

P.S, havent seen a K12 (pretty sure thats what it is) in a long time

Hi, My company is Promax Access so i can definitely help you. The switch will probably have 3 terminals on it, if so, swap the outer two - if the problem reverses then you just need a new switch. if not, let me know.

OMG! the lock rebate looks awful, yes ive seen much worse on new build houses but anyone selling `pre-hung` doors etc should be geared up with the necessary tooling and jigs etc. I would complain and want a decent discount as a minimum.

Tarmac needs a good well compacted base to prevent areas sinking. Concrete is much more tolerant but sub base problems result in slabs tilting and becoming uneven etc. Tarmac shed water as long as it has a slope or camber but must be very well rolled to prevent water ingress and busting the surface when it freezes. Smooth concrete sheds water but is very slippery with grease and leaves etc. tamped concrete can hold water is the corrugations and form an ice sheet when frozen. I would say tarmac will be cheaper but not as hard wearing.

Tony, Bringing the edges down to form a ring-beam makes insulation difficult. If i was doing a similar build i would excavate as for a ring-beam but level the top of the hardcore, sand blind, DPM, 75-100mm insulation and then a 75-100mm slab on top. Maybe overkill (i do it often) but it would be nice and warm and last for ever. I would be interested to hear other peoples suggestions

Real or engineered, the top surface is still a natural product and will dent and scratch. Even manufactured laminate (MDF with a printed surface) will still get damaged but cant be sanded etc.

No need for real `footings` an insulated slab would be perfect for this

No problem adding packs under cabinet legs, much better than taking flooring under the cabinets. If you need piece of mind, stick a small screw through the foot into the ply. Also go a bit over on ply thickness to give yourself a bit extra adjustment.

I dont know of any requirement to have fencing at all, however you need to take all reasonable steps to ensure no one is hurt on your site so it is prudent to use some kind of fencing and post danger / No unauthorized Access / Deep Excavations / trespassers will be shot at dawn etc.

Apart from the missing drip groove, the tiles in the photo are correctly fitted with staggered gaps to prevent (or at least make it extremely difficult) water getting down in the joints between. The cill bricks rely on the mortar joint remaining intact otherwise water is allowed to enter.

Pulling a Lath and plaster ceiling down is a horrible job ... use disposable coveralls, goggles and a dust mask. Putting plasterboard up is relatively simple once you master handling the 8x4 sheets overhead. A plaster board lifter is inexpensive to hire and well worth it if you are on your own etc.

Drill and plug or drill and use expanding anchors for fixing into ceilings. Ducting can/will vibrate as air flows through it and the last thing you want is nails working loose and coming free. Plus precast slabs can be incredible difficult to fire nails into.

Hi and welcome. i have to agree with both of the above answers, and will also add why they can damage fences etc. Jumping Jacks or Trench Rammers are a bit like heavy pogo sticks, in trenches they are contained by the sides, in the open and especially on hardcore if the foot lands on a large stone they can bounce off in all directions if not controlled well. Unl;ess you are doing a lot of very small jobs over a long period, it is worth hiring a good heavy weight plate compactor like the one pictured

I had not considered the possibility of this being a flat roof as the walls dont appear to have any fall from front to rear, or side to side so i assumed it would be a pitched roof. If its going to be flat then i would definitely go with a steel center support or the timbers will sag under snow load, if not under their own weight. more info on intended roof design would be handy.