Roundtuit

Just bought a load of Era 64mm tubular latches from screwfix. Pretty sure they're the same as Benchmarx sell, but cheaper. Don't know what they're like fitted yet though - hopefully find out tomorrow.

I didn't use split tape, and it wasn't too tricky once you got the knack. I'd advise running a pencil line down the window frame to work to though. I used a strip of 9mm ply, tapped a couple of small nails through close to the edge and bent them over at right angles so I could slide them down the side of the window frame for a consistent mark. That gave a pencil line at 10-11mm to tape to, which was covered by the plasterboard in the reveals. And I don't have any leaks round windows:)

A very timely thread, thanks! Just to expand a bit, any thoughts on sliding wardrobe doors? I think I'm going to need made-to- measure, but googling seems to lead to a couple of manufacturers supplying through a number of websites and diy sheds, at prices that seem rather steep for a couple of rails and panels. Any advice on the best value options please?

Top tip: You can't rely on smell or taste to detect food-borne pathogens. As general rule, don't mess with a 'use by' unless you're feeling lucky, but feel free to use your judgement with a 'display until' or a 'best before'.

No, not as I understand it, assuming we're talking about a straight forward self-build. The work should be zero rated, and it's difficult to reclaim vat paid in error. I'd ask him to re submit without vat, and point him in the direction of the appropriate vat scheme documents if he queries it.

Our sand came from Frimstone, who operate around west Norfolk/north Cambs I believe. I think we had 'Crimplesham soft' but I'd have to check. On the scale of things, the additional cost of white cement won't be a deal breaker if it's the look you want.

Do you have a choice of sand colour available locally? We selected a pale sand and used white cement for a similar effect.

You're still having a washing machine rather than a scrubbing tub though? I guess it's one of those 'lifestyle' choices about where the line is drawn on energy use. I like the idea of a pulley clothes airer in the utility room with the mvhr doing the drying job, but there is still a tumble drier going in for quick turnaround stuff (got teenagers; you know how it is...)

A combination of silicon and strips of vana tape. It won't be pretty, but even if it's not perfect, any leakage won't be worth worrying about, especially if you can get to both sides.

I'd trim the perimeter insulation, foam any gaps and trim level first, then prime a strip of screed (I used pro clima tescon primer - stickiest liquid I've ever seen!) and carefully seal screed to frame with airtightness tape. If you've got oak boards going down, you should be able to lap up the frame at least 10mm, which should do the job. Top tip - mark a pencil line to tape to; my free-hand attempts were always regretted. Alternatively, if you can trim the insulation back a few mill below the screed, just fill the gap with a flexible sealant, something like sikaflex ebt.

Hi. We're just second fixing. In the lounge, rather than wall lights for 'mood lighting' we've put in three 5 amp sockets in strategic locations for table/standard lamps switched by a dimmer switch on the wall (which was an idea I picked up from someone on here or the previous site, thanks!). Where we do have wall lights, I've bought some simple ceramic up/down-lighter fittings that are painted the same colour as the wall - they don't chuck out much light, but should be plenty to find where you put your beer down and won't break the bank if I change them at a later date. I've largely steered towards fittings that take bulbs rather than 'integrated' led fittings to give me some more flexibility on brightness, colour temperature and dimmability if I don't get it right first time. I'm rapidly developing a preference for the cool white (4000k) and daylight (6500k) bulbs rather than the warm/yellow tones. When you say 'spotlights', do you mean spots, or downlights? Just need to consider fire rating if downlights.

Yeah, fenland, so an underlying layer of peat. Engineered foundations are pretty much par for the course round here. I've just checked the paperwork - my mistake, 24 piles not 26; in round figures, £9.5k for the piling and £13.5k for 111 linear metres of ring beam ...and this is what it looked like!

We had 26 x 10m deep piles as you describe. It took about a week. The little tracked rig arrived on trailer behind a 4x4 so no big mobilisation fees, minimal noise and disturbance to neighbours. Filled with concrete with rebar down the centre for tying into the ring beam. I've no experience of other methods, but I'd happily use this again without a second thought.

Shop around. My initial quote was > £6k, and I ended up paying about half of that. Watch out for the extra costs for bricklayers adaptations and additional weeks if things overrun!

Wife and daughter have been out sofa shopping today. Bit premature I thought. Amongst other things, I still need to do the Bath surround/Boxing in, and we all know how long that takes. ?

Yesterday was the moment of truth, and we had our first airtightness test (will do no. 2 on completion). No tears were shed, and I think I should be pleased with 0.84 ach on a 270 sq m build. Can't help the urge to hunt down and fill the offending leaks though!

Plans look great - I like the open plan living thing. We're also on the Cambs/ Lincs border so can't be too far from you. Good luck!

I've just committed to Deta slimline for our fittings. TBH, they feel better than I expected for the price, and are guaranteed for 25 years so should be fairly robust. Should start fitting a few at the weekend so will know better then.

Good call. I reckon that if it doesn't fit in your lives just yet, don't try and force it in, and don't underestimate what you've achieved with a renovation job. I'm also an RAF reservist, and with that, a full time job, teenage kids and an ongoing build, I'm thinking it would have been an ideal retirement project...

PIR varies in thickness, and so does the accuracy of fitting, so you might want to check that you really do have 20mm where you want sockets. I don't see why the vcl has to be taught, other than it might be a PITA trying to fit it 'baggy'. If space is tight, I think I'd work round the room fitting vcl and noggins/25mm metal back boxes at the same time so you can leave a bit of slack where necessary. When the plasterboard is on, you'll have almost 35mm depth for wiring.

Double, nay, triple check the direction-of-flow arrow. You don't want your bathroom decorated like a portaloo on a rollercoaster ride.

Hi. I went through this challenge earlier this year, and my thoughts are as follows: as above, your cavity closers need to cover at least three bases; fire protection, thermal insulation and damp ingression (If your windows don't span the cavity to meet the outside skin and cover your closers, then you'll also need something aesthetically acceptable). If your block work isn't up yet, you can diy it by fixing timber battens around openings wide enough to fill the cavity (100mm), set back to allow for say 50mm of celotex, with a layer of dpm sandwiched in between that and the blockwork (I stand to be corrected on the correct location for the dpm!) I decided that was too much hassle, and used kingspan thermabate. Not cheap, but fire rated (unlike the cheaper stuff which appears to be really only suitable for brick and block builds), damp proof, and easy to work with for a first-timer! Prices varied widely, so shop around when you're pricing up the options.

I've just been quoted £48 for oak doors, which looks like being on the right side of average.

No, not an MBC build, but a 'supply and erect' package from a local timber frame manufacturer (who supplies nationally), using a local architect as part of the deal. I suppose it was a bit unusual in that the architects 'design' stage was paid for through the TF company (discount rate) as part of the frame contract, but the BC part I paid for directly. I've had loads of support and advice from the architect and consider it money well spent.

From memory, I paid about £2k for item number 1 of the building control stuff, so on that basis, you're getting 2-9 FOC, although 5,6,7,8 sound like 'bulkers' to help justify the price. SAP/EPC modelling was included in my BC application - they've already done the spec, so I'd have thought it was only half an hours work; a quick google suggests < £100. For me, section 3 feels like it's just into the realms of project management, and its value depends on how you feel about it. Personally I wouldnt have been happy with an architect specc'ing the job past the BC stage, and inviting/comparing tenders isn't rocket science. Gut feel is that even though they've made their role sound more detailed and complicated than it actually is, and spread some of the cost over the epc, the overall cost is actually quite reasonable.