Trw144

Can anyone tell me, does a condensing gas boiler just need low return temperatures to be most efficient (in order to condense) or is it also dependent upon having a wide delta t across it?

I ll take it within a couple of mm and use a rubber gasket to stop it rubbing on the tiles, ditto at the glass end of the steel. The tread is going to have a 5mm rebated shadow at the end also. Perhaps I need a sign advising fat people to stick to the inside of the treads, and put an outright ban on any Americans going to the first floor!

They don't have much flex to be honest, and I m told the glass (which will be fixed to every tread) brace the whole lot even more. The only one that had some flex was the top tread that was welded to the I-beam rather than the steel stringer. The I beam was thinner steel than the stringer and was flexing on the vertical so we welded some additional plates to stiffen it and it's fine now.

Yes, those box sections are something like 45 x 160mm, they need packing out with ply and then the final wooden finish will be a 15mm thick "sleeve" that will fit onto each tread. Final dimension will be 230 x 100mm

Using glass for the balustrade on stairs and landing. Plan is to batten the outer side of the glass and bring the ceiling across, up the side and back in - a bit like this.... http://pin.it/Zz5v0Qg Personally I m not keen on seeing the glass clamps, hence why I want to plaster over it. On the stairs I m getting some cover pieces to hide the glass clamps with the aim it looks like this.... http://pin.it/Koyv2OA

Here you go..... I ll have to measure thickness of the wall but it's nothing excessive. The treads are two box sections welded together. I have a cad drawing of it if it's any use?

Yes the tilers measured and cut them on site - they said it was fiddly as they sometimes had three steps to cut and align on the same tile. I was very impressed with the accuracy they achieved around the treads - the final tread is around 25mm bigger all round so all cuts should be hidden.

Yes I m pleased with how the stairs look - the glass and treads should be going on next week all being well. Cost wise they were nt too bad - the timber frame company put them in when it was erected (there are a few steels due to cantilever floors etc) and they charged £1200. Tiling the wall behind them has probably cost me just as much though! Thanks for the heads up on the mvhr plenums, will get them cut off before skimming.

That plant room is actually the side of the internal double garage hence why it looks big. I have a much smaller one where the mvhr and home automation kit is going (and probably the Hoover and ironing board!).

House feels like it's finally getting there now the plasterboard is going on and plumbing is going in so thought I'd share some pics as I m feeling happier with progress tonight....

That's what I had in the last house and have opted for the same again....

Hav nt seen in the exact breakdown but I m told it's the cost of shuttering down 4m deep on a relatively major road. Fortunately it seems we can connect to the sewer at the side of the plot, provided we get agreement from local parish (who own the land), and technical sign off from Welsh water.

Heard the bad news yesterday that my sewer connection will be £17k??! It's not far but the connection is 4m down on a relatively busy A road. Off to meet the guy in a second to explore a plan b.

Your not that scary to look at are you?

Keep me posted who you find - will be in the same position next month (all being well).

I ve used a lighting designer - the cost of the design was nt too bad (£1200 or something) but you do end up spending more on fittings! I ve sourced some myself (Ecoled for quite a few) - and some via the lighting designer. We ve certainly spent more than we planned but that's because we d have just stuck in a load of recessed spotlights everywhere, but no have some really nice feature and mood lighting

Sorry nick, don't quite follow what your saying. Can I have it in laymans terms or a diagram !!?

I m using shadow gap everywhere else but I assume I wont use it here and will have a silicone bead or similar at the junction of the plaster onto the fiora shower tray?

The blue walls are where the fiora panels are going. I ve marked a smal square roughly where the shower head will be...

Just want a bit of advice/input on plastering near a shower. I m having a 1100 x 2000m shower in our ensuite, using Fiora shower trays and wall panels (a type of composite material for those that don't know it... www.fiora.es) My plan was to use the waterproof Fiora panels on the 2m wall and 1.1m wall, but at the other end of the shower I did nt want to use the panels but instead have a plaster finish so it does nt feel so enclosed. The wall may get the odd splash but I don't think it should be too bad. My question is - what should I use of this wall - green moisture resistant plasterboard or something else? It will then be skimmed and then I planned on using one of the bathroom paints suitable for steamy/wetter environments? I ll do a quick sketch to help show the layout...

Person fitting my balcony glass is hiring a manitou and has offered to lift the bath on same day so saves on a genie lift. Bonus.

spreaders, but its sat on battens above the osb floor, with chipboard then on top, so I cant see it from below.. Does mean temperature is likely to fluctuate more than downstairs where it is set in the screed

Back to 3 bar this morning, I think if I see it rise back towards 4 bar today as the temperature increases then it would finally put my mind at rest.

This book......"Don't Do It" by Seymour Stress