Roundtuit

Wardrobes before carpet if you can, but definitely not on top of. I put some wardrobes in slow-time (like, 2 years after moving in...), so we'd already carpeted the room to make it 'finished'. Roll carpet back, take up grippers, remove skirting, build wardrobe, refit grippers and carpet. Wasted a bit of carpet, but it was better than having a part/un-carpeted room for a couple of years.

You've linked to EPS rather than PIR/PUR insulation; that's quite different in terms of performance, and as @PeterW suggests, I wouldn't use anything less than 3x2 (75 x 50mm) for studwork.

Under the slab, or under the screed? 100mm is pretty poor if you're building to a good insulated, airtight standard, and if you are, 150mm isn't 'top spec' either. I assume we're talking PIR?

+1 to that. It can be hard to get trades lined up in the way a main contractor can, so the job takes longer and you will end up doing stuff yourself that falls between trades, that a 'general labourer' would usually do between fag breaks. I built that way and it's hard work, but we saved a $h!t-load of money.

Looks like a field/wood mouse. I'm sure it could scale the wall and get in as you suspect, but my money would be on it getting in nearer ground level and going up the cavity.

Looking for anything specific? I've had some good hedging and small trees bought on-line at good prices from Beechwood Nurseries (3fatpigs.co.uk), and had a couple of hundred lavender plants from various places. Bigger trees from treescapenursery.co.uk, but delivery will probably kill it for you. Good to buy local if you can; it's surprising what you can get at wholesale prices if there are growers in your neck of the woods.

Can't help thinking you could have made up a re-inforced flint panel flat, on the bench, then fixed it in to place and pointed in afterwards...

Wheelbarrow and shovel?

Sorry, don't know anything about Siga tapes, but I think those straps definitely need covering if you want to avoid leaks, unless you're wet plastering.

By the time you've masked that lot off, you could have had the job done I reckon. Brush and roller gets my vote!

Unfortunately, your project isn't as as important to anyone else as it is to you, and in my experience, you need to stay close to it at every step to manage this sort tiresome ball-ache. If you've lost confidence, I'd probably persevere with whatever you are currently committed to, then part company. Getting someone else to do Building Regs submissions shouldn't be a problem.

As above, you can't really tell what's going on until you measure it. From memory, you can set extract and supply fan speeds independently I think, to compensate for differences in resistance in the ducting. For info, we've got a single unit, and the humidity sensor (on factory settings) kicks in within a couple of minutes of turning the shower on; never have to use the manual boost.

Personally, as there is an element of labour involved, I think it could all be zero rated; materials, plus pump and operator. As above, ask them to have a chat with their accountant to reassure them that is correct, as you wouldn't want them to accidentally charge you VAT illegally. To be safe, when they send the amended invoice, maybe ask them to word it as something like 'supply and install'...

I'm assuming 'slide and hide' comes at a premium price and/or perhaps reduces the internal size of the oven. If you're not tight for space, and have normal length arms, I'd go standard pivot.

Depending on what your driveway or path surface is, you might also need a flat area at the bottom of the ramp (i.e shouldn't terminate the ramp into gravel; need a bit of flat/smooth area for a wheelchair at the bottom).

Our architect marked the rpz on the plans, then I did as best I could with a few heras panels to make it look right. No problem with the council, and more importantly, all the trees are good.

I think it's Building Control you need to convince. Warranty providers will just want to be assured that the job's been done in accordance with the Building Regs application I suspect.

40kg empty (two man lift?), or 40kg plus water? Some sort of gallows brackets should do it I'd have thought.

Great post, and full marks for effort! As an alternative to mortar I took a punt on a jointing compound for ours (Joint-it) as I didn't trust myself to do a decent job and keep the sandstone clean. Not cheap, but quick and pain-free; 25 sq m done in a couple of hours.

Not really, sorry! I'd always try trapping in the first instance; cheap, quick and with visible results (or not), and no risk of secondary poisoning non-target wildlife. Each to their own of course, but why do you want a video of a rat?

There's no drain on my exhaust duct, and I don't recall any requirement in the installation manual. I'd be hoping the exhaust air is pretty cool, and that the airflow would keep it dry.

I used aco galvanised slot drains in front of bifolds leading on to the patio (only a ~4m run), 1 brick below dpc. I ran a bead of sealant between the slot and the brickwork afterwards to stop surface water going down between. Seems to do the job.

Good point; we've got loads of down lights with gu10 bulbs. Having bulbs rather than fixed units let's you vary the colour temperature and brightness around the house quite easily, and change it if you're not happy. Also, 3.5 years in and not had the replace a bulb yet.?

PIR sensor switch for downstairs loo. No more grotty pullcord!

I'm guessing that the beading is there to cover a gap between skirting and floorboard. Personally, I'd have taken it off and filled the gap first, then the carpet could have been fitted neatly at the edges. Not sure you can really blame the fitter for that. The two-tone stuff looks like a join, maybe with the pile running the wrong way. If they had to put a join in, they really should have made you aware.