Roundtuit

Thanks, I was just thinking the same. I've got some 140mm stainless Spax timber screws I was planning to recess ~25mm into the second course to fix it; I'll see how it goes!

Thanks all; some interesting thoughts. I think I'd better experiment with a few methods using off-cuts before I go nuclear with the drill....

Hi. I'm building a retaining wall for a raised patio out of oak sleepers, screw-fixing each course as I go (only 3 high, laid flat, so 300mm). To fix the top course and lock the whole thing together I was planning on drilling some 20mm holes through all 3 courses and knocking 20mm oak dowels in. Just looking at ordering some dowels, and it's struck me that a 20mm dowel (taking into consideration manufacturing tolerances) might be too big for a 20mm hole. I could get 3/4 inch (19.05mm) dowels which would go in, and hopefully swell to fit tight? I've bought 20mm drill bit, so would rather buy dowels to suit if possible. What would you do? cheers

Does it involve a box of matches and an insurance claim form??

That looks just the job! My wife's got a long standing 'Romany Caravan' aspiration, and one day it'll make a good project. I keep my eyes open for an old 4-wheel trailer every time I pass an old farmyard, hoping to find one in the nettles I can buy for a tenner! I bet there are dozens around just rotting away, but I think they are becoming quite desirable for this sort of thing.

Demolition sounds expensive for crumbling outbuildings; I'd strip it out of the quote and get it priced separately, especially if there are any materials worth salvaging (old bricks, tiles?).

Wouldn't have thought so. Not heard any reference to 'unnecessary' work, just 'work', which you can continue to do following government guidance, working from home if possible. Having said that, there are a lot of businesses doing their own risk assessments about how and whether to continue to trade. If you're using a contractor, if you can find one open for business and following government guidance, I'd have thought you're good to go. If you're doing it yourself and it's not a full-time job, then l guess it's a bit trickier to call unless you live on site.

Ok, ok. I up my offer to 68. Final answer.

One shot only: 28?

Is Rat? No, no, no; is special kind of hamster! My money is on Bank Vole. A lucky escape!

Dig it out and put a French drain in?

Not sure about daytime - I only use mine when it's dark - but I've varied the temperature around the house, and within the kitchen; half 6500k (working area) and half 4000k (kitchen table area) both on dimmers. In the evening watching the tv, ceiling lights go off, and lamps come on (on a 3 amp circuit wired to a wall switch like some others on here have done), so I can vary the colour if I want. Is it really temperature that's the issue, or brightness? Dimmers might sort out brighness, but the only way I've seen to alter colour temperature is with colour-changing led strips. Doubling up your lights doesn't sound aesthetically pleasing.

What thickness? I think up to 100mm is relatively easy to cut accurately to get a tight fit (then just foam any 'errors'). I did mine with a hand saw; after the first few cuts, you get pretty good pretty quick. Anything thicker, and I think I'd have struggled keeping the saw square and there's a lot of friction on the sides of the saw.

Legally, if you're downhill, I think you have to accept 'natural' drainage going in your direction, but if it's due to some sort of activity on your neighbours land, like downpipes or water storage, then I believe he has some responsibility. Not sure that helps you much if a) he's not co-operating, and b) got no money, but depending on how you think it would go, I'd consider researching the legal situation a bit further (Google, not solicitors!) and perhaps suggesting that you can help him out with his legal obligation by putting in a perforated pipe FOC!

Where is the water coming from? Sounds like it might not be just percolating through the soil due to the wet season?

I've used Helifix in the past for stitching cracks; yours is a slightly different application, but i don't see why you couldn't use it for tying in the repair and tying the two skins together.

Ours was a BPC system. I self installed, then when I was ready, hired an airflow meter and adjusted all the vents to match BPC's design airflow figures (Ian's right - a bit of a circular, pain in the ar$e job, in that adjusting one vent impacts on the others...). I produced my own commissioning certificate for Building Control and they never questioned it.

I think ours was a minimum of 200mm behind, 600 in front and 500mm either side to ensure adequate air flow and maintenance access. Not sure if that would be the same if you have multiple units close together though.

It takes a few days for them to die after ingesting the poison, so hopefully they'll pop back next door to expire!

@Ralph I suspect you're correct. We've got Rationel windows and doors (will dig out the £/m2 when I get chance) but our agent advised an alternative to Rationel bi-folds as they were 're-badged' from a different manufacturer, so we've got Solarlux bi-folds.

If you haven't got a VCL in your bedroom ceiling, I'd take the plasterboard off and do it again to be honest. Plaster might give you an airtight layer, but it won't stop moisture migrating. If the pb is screwed on, most of if will be reusable.

OK. You're right. ?

It should be specified on your plans, but as we know, they're a bit hazy. Ask your BCO; that's who you need to satisfy if you want sign-off. For what it's worth, I think yes, it is necessary, and if it was mine I'd do it without hesitation. The idea is to prevent moisture from 'living' migrating into your structure, condensating where it meets cold air and causing problems further up the road. You can install a cheap polythene sheet with a staple gun to form a barrier, or as @PeterW suggests, foil tape over the timber to seal it to the foil PIR, effectively achieving the same thing. If you can fit PIR that neatly, you can do a VCL! ?

Not sure that's universally the case; my frame had no noggins, just 140mm studs with factory fitted PIR and an OSB outer sheath. It looked similar to Zoot's (apart from the anomalies already mentioned!) @zoothorn; I'd put a VCL in as it's not a biggie in terms of cost or extra work, although its going to be a bit messy where you cut the back boxes in.

$h!t happens, and things always look better in the morning! Assuming that the hole for the window in the gable has existed for a while and aesthetically looks ok (i.e no one identified that it looked 'wrong') then a new window might be the most palatable of the alternatives. If you can't recover the cost (also need to consider what time and energy this might take) perhaps there's the opportunity to mitigate some losses - discounted fees, extras free of charge etc.