Barney12

Multisolve is fine. Meths has limited cleaning ability. But, drink the Vodka!!

Don't get me started! On the plus side it is just past the closest pup to where I live. If it had blocked my route to the pub I would have set fire to it by now

Its still there. The local council have closed the road and are "assessing the risk of removing it!"........FFS!

Does this help? https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html

Now that is a good idea!

My usual route to the office was somewhat hampered by this.......

Right this weekend I'm going to tackle a job I've been putting off for ages. I need to add a branch to the base of the existing stack which rises from the ground floor to the flat en-suite. Its so I can put the outside toilet in for use by the various trades that will (hopefully) be arriving in due course. Thankfully I think I can lift the stack up by a few hundred mm to aid popping the new branch in but the stack is fairly tight to the corner of the wall. So..... I've got to cut out the section of 110mm stack, lift it up and somehow hold it up to enable me to core drill the wall for the branch, pop the new tee in, pop it back together and Bobs your best mate. What I'm pondering is how to cut and chamfer the pipe? If it will twist (and until I cut away the plasterboard boxing in, I cant remember if the floor screed covers the joint) then the trusty Fien multi-tool will do just fine. But if it wont twist, what then? Pad saw? Hacksaw blade in a handle? But how am I going to chamfer round the back? I have this crushing feeling this is a job that might put me in a bad mood Any tips greatly received!

Not true. He may have been asphyxiated by the growing layer of dust I was going to post a link to RedTube to help your happiness but then I remembered you are a mod

Most mass market new builds have the bathrooms OSB lined first. It so they can screw the sanitary-ware to the wall with a 1" wood screw Im rather with @Nickfromwales in that metal stud is horrid and I'd go with timber all day long.

On my last conversion I lost my favorite side cutters down the wall cavity. I've still not got over it I loved those cutters

I completely agree. However, there is a risk that self builders (perhaps with little experience) might misinterpret the "pitch" provided by many on this site (and ebuild before) that MBC is a "complete package". MBC's own "pitch" is similar. For clarity; I'm not for one moment saying that anyone is giving false information. However, there is a risk that people might interpret the "package" offering by MBC (and other timber frame co's) as "they do it all". What I was pointing out (in an attempt to be constructive and objective) was that they could improve by setting out more clearly what are your responsibilities in relation to groundworks and drainage. As I have said though, every site is different so it could only be generic advice but I think it would add to the offering. Of course as with most (all?) of us self builders..........we do have a habit of over thinking things.

Trying to be objective: i think this is an area where MBC really could be a lot clearer. I appreciate every site is different but you are left with little idea of "what" MBC will do at the slab stage and what they need doing in advance. I have yet to find a single tradesperson (groundwroker, builder, blocky etc) that doesn't look at you 'boss eyed' when you start explaining a passive slab design. Most have been doing "standard construction" for more years than I've been drinking in the pub . So even the "basics" start to raise questions.

Would you add a drain cock for each manifold? I.e. P.S. This is a great thread. Keep it coming!!

My biggest concern is availability of follow on trades. In particular I have an electrician and plasterer (not the same person!) that I know and trust. They are good and thus are booking way into 2017.

I'm not panicking (yet ) its taken 4 years to get to this stage so all progress is good progress!

You are not alone there with MBC. My groundworker is booked for the first week of March and I've yet to see a single drawing or design detail. However, I have promises that I'll have the information in time and communication is good.

Is it just me or does this system still seem to be something of a blunt instrument open to abuse? How would they actually know if a 'reel of cable and a few lights' (or a number of other incidental purchases) were actually used on your build?

Yes .......but.......... as @JSHarris has posted it will still go wrong! Mind you most of the gate motors appear to made it Italy which as someone who has owned a few Alfa's and Fiats should have realised is a clue to their general reliability

I reckon it's a moat and drawbridge

16mm for 27m? Crickey how big is your gate motor? Ours is closer to 60m and we ran 4mm 3 core SWA (as recommended by the gate motor company) and it works fine. We also ran exterior grade CAT5 in a separate duct, in reality we probably only achieved 150mm separation and again its fine.

Just measured our floor mount back to wall Ideal Standard wc: to top of pan: 405mm to top of closed seat: 445mm

Looking good! Not enough shots of your lovely puppy though

I've been doing a lot of digging on this issue as the costs are eye watering. The general consensus is "if its recirculating, don't bother". But you get the opposite view from someone trying to sell you one! The answer is partly driven by "how much" and "what" you cook. The reality I've come to realise is our hob is used very infrequently as veg is generally steamed and we rarely fry. In fact our cooking could be described as "basic". My wife though has taken some convincing on the issue!

National company or NI only?

I like that a lot. Picking out the spindles in white makes it look nice and contemporary and lighter.