Bonner

Don’t think I used more than three words but something like that.

It may be they just don’t like building materials as it could apply to everything. My claim was only slightly more specific ie. plastering materials, electrical components, timber, decorating supplies. Where it was a mixed purchase, I picked the biggest value materials. That was 3 years ago so things might have changed.

The vendor got consent (with S106). It’s on a road with the other back land developments so precedent has been set. Presumably not full fill trenches otherwise doesn’t concrete cost eventually overtake piling? Maybe I am worrying too much about the trench depth.

It would a lot easier to share the whole report and I prefer in principle, to be open and transparent but in this case need to be discrete. I will try to redact it later. If I am not mistaken, It seems to be mainly a concern about trees rather than soil bearing capacity. The report states (as previous post, site investigations done in January) Groundwater seepage was generally seen at 1.00-1.10m, thought to be mainly a perched water in the granular Head Deposits but also locally out of fissures in the DF where granular Head Deposits were absent.

Thanks for all the comments. The site is a former garden which has been cleared of said former (smallish) trees. It is still bordered on one side by tall conifers within 10m of the nearest foundation. Site of the house is virtually level however the back of the site slopes gradually up from 5-10 degrees. No signs of standing water but ground infiltration test was nil, presumably due to underlying clays (consent has been granted to discharge storm water to sewer). Note tests were done in January.

Well here goes, a few extracts from the report. Note it does not say piles are absolutely necessary, only recommended due to trench depth, stability and potential heave. Once again, appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks, appreciate all the comments. I will post more detail later.

Traditional lead flashing would look good with brick and oak.

Thanks, I would be able to live with that sort of cost. If it comes to much more the project is not viable for me. Will get in touch with a few contractors.

Thanks. I know I will need to talk to a piling contractor in due course. Just trying to get a feel of the cost risk for valuation purposes. From fairly recent experience I can estimate the cost from ground up, just go no idea if I need to add £10k, £30k, £100k for piling.

After saying never again, we are looking at another self build ‘opportunity’! The plot is ideal in terms of size and location but the compromise is soft clay requiring piled foundations. A full ground investigation has been done by the vendor which concludes that piling is definitely required. I know it is a piece of string question but can anyone suggest a reasonable cost difference between strip founds and ‘standard’ piles + ring beam? Looking at 220m2 two storey house with simple form factor so 110m2 rectangular footprint, timber frame and brick skin. TIA

Looks like it, should be parallel thread with flat end to seat on a rubber washer in the hose coupling

I think you need to put some tiles on there to see how they lay.

Another vote for 4 however it could look very different on a large area. I used this tool https://nsxpwebapp.nelissen.be/publicconfigurator/?l=en-gb&_gl=1*kft2zi*_gcl_au*MTk2NjIxOTc5OC4xNzg1MTM1NjUy to visualise the difference but still built a few square metre panels before deciding. Went for the natural look in the lower half of the picture to blend in with the older buildings in my location. The upper part (unplanned/feckup) shows how it different it looks with a lighter joint, same bricks, sand and white cement.

DIY installed and self certified a MVHR for less than £1500 four years ago, so more like £2k now. No need to spend £10k on a simple system, like everything we get carried away with specifying equipment. The only thing I would do differently is fit noise attenuation, there is some ‘cross talk’ between rooms although only noticeable when it is dead quiet in the middle of the night. Rather than looking at the most sophisticated system, start from trickle vents and think what would be better than that? DM me if you want details of equipment.

Doesn’t matter really, at least in England. We declared occupation over a year before completion. We also claimed for expenditure after completion (allowable decoration and landscaping etc.) Again doesn’t matter as long as it is an individual dwelling, it’s the planning permission which meets the criteria not the number of rooms.

Likewise, it is not a priority for me until it gets too warm and the boss reminds me that I told her ‘a heat pump can do cooling as well you know’. I want to try it with the UFH so don’t need to do any plumbing. Just need the confidence to play around with the settings, guess I am unlikely to break it or change anything which isn’t reversible …

@Ommm, before I dive in to switching my HP to cooling, did you manage to get this running properly? Any further lessons learned?

That’s me fiddling with the inverter settings during World Cup matches. Only installed a few weeks ago, I am sure the novelty will wear off.

I don’t recognise the top hat seal so pretty sure it was two separate seals

Yes, not an issue. Mine was like that, the waste seals on the top but plumbers put loads of silicone on the underside as well.

it’s the parrots!! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c232dnkkd3po

I used stainless brads for larch cladding. Got a Dewalt second fix, as @Super_Paulie said it’s quite big but works well.

We get through one bulk bag a month, bought four bags last summer @ £90 each. I used to get most firewood free from work and neighbouring woodland but only getting a few scraps now.

Plucking pheasants here! Seriously, pecking the bottoms of our glazed doors at four in the morning