Happy Valley

The Polysteel Warmerwall that we are using doesn't have any gaps. They are glued together and use clips between the built in wire mesh. The window and door openings are shuttered with wood and braced. If there were gaps how do you pour the concrete??

Welcome along. Find a structural engineer who understands ICF. Our SE recommended by our architect has used enough rebar to support a suspension bridge!! It shouldn't need much or any according to the manufacturer but SE's tend to err on the side of caution. Try and make it a design where there is little or no cutting of the blocks. We are using Polysteel ICF which only come in one length. A simple square or rectangular design suits it best. Ours is rather more complex meaning that there is more bracing/shuttering for the concrete pours.

It is a statutory obligation for landlords to provide space heating and hot water. As above the landlord (or managing agency if one is employed) should sort this...and very quickly!! We have a Manchester apartment and the hot water immersion failed some 18 months ago - we employed a specialist who came out to diagnose and then fixed two days later once the part was obtained.

Yes expecting to pay 10% more overall for our new build. Most materials have gone up by way more but our labour and professional fees have been static. We just poured the slab yesterday. I'd be content in the fact that you have sold your property when prices are at an all time peak. We have yet to sell ours as building within the garden and am hopeful that the increase in value offsets the increase in the costs.

Picture of the first pour above.

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Just poured 28 cu meters of concrete this morning for our ground floor slab. Two layers of mesh plus L shaped rebar for the ICF. Slab is 280mm thick and used 190 C28/35 with Sika Water resistant additive.

I cancelled some rebar from a company with TZ in the name as they messed up the order - it did not arrive. Managed to find a company in Wigan who did it all for £200 less and delivered within 3 days. Have ordered my steel beams locally - we don't know the exact sizes yet so are 50cm more than we think. Supplier happy to keep them on their site until we require them. Cost is going up by 5% at the end of month according to them so got my order in.

Employ a structural engineer once you have got planning consent. Ideally one that knows the architect as will need to work together.

Can I be so bold to ask how much the Tesla powerwall cost to supply and install? Do they need a specific design or make of solar panels to connect? I like the idea of self sufficiency especially in 5 or 10 years time but not yet convinced whether it will ever pay for itself before the batteries require replacing. We are not far away from you between outside Macclesfield so your experience with it will be extremely helpful.

It works for us. We have reliable and hardworking groundworkers. £250 a day each (two of them) including their equipment and £120 per 12 tonne of soil should it have to be removed. Turn up on site for 7.30 each day and work beyond 4pm if required for an hour without additional pay to get the job done. Has saved us a fortune over a fixed price contract. The guys are known to our builder who and all work within our small town of approx 8000 people so reputation is important to them. They are chocka block for the next 6 to 9 months at present.

Here is the one that I use. It's a simple document but does the trick for us. Should you use this below there is no guarantee for it's effectiveness nor is there any liability against me for providing the document. Ultimately it is up to you should you chose to use it or something similar. Obviously you change the dates accordingly to suit the fixed period/date originally signed together with fixed extensions to date (if any) You can change the 6 months extension period to whatever has been agreed - some of mine are 12 month fixed term extensions. Print two copies off and date them all the same. I as landlord sign them both send them out to the tenant (if not meeting) with a reply paid envelope and ask them to sign and return one copy whilst they retain one for their file. Addendum to the Assured Shorthold tenancy from 3 August 2019 to 2 February 2021(change dates to current tenancy term) at: Insert property address as per original agreement It is hereby agreed between the parties to this agreement that the tenancy will be extended for a fixed term period of 6 (change length as required) calendar months from 3 February 2021 through to 2 August 2021(change to insert own dates as required). The rent for the period will be £insert agreed rent per calendar month and is payable as per the terms of the original agreement. All remaining terms of the tenancy agreement dated 2 August 2019(change to insert date of tenancy signature) remain in full force. Signed: …............................. Signed: ….............................. Landlord: Type Landlord Name Tenant: Type Tenant Name Date: …............................. Date: …............................. Please note where is more than one landlord or tenant to the agreement one signature is sufficient for this agreement to be binding. Please note that this agreement only comes into force once it is signed and exchanged by both parties.

Have the tenants extended on a fixed term or month to month contract. A month to month (aka Statutory Periodic Tenancy) is the automatic default tenancy when a fixed term ends and allows the tenant to serve one months notice and the landlord has to serve two months to bring the tenancy to an end. When I extend a contract with a tenant who requires a fixed term I use an addendum to the original contract with provides the details of the fixed term extension and clearly states that all the remaining terms and conditions of the original tenancy remain in place. I use the DPS for my rentals and have not done anything with the deposits when a tenant extends on either basis. So far there has not been any issue with the DPS when they leave and claims agreed have been paid shared out. If you draw up a brand new tenancy agreement for a fixed term contract extension then I would have thought the deposit will require transferring and both parties agreeing to it through the DPS as it is in effect a brand new contract.

Thanks for the response I have other quotations from Express and one other company but these are the two which I am interested in. One quote is £36000 installed and the other £37800 + £7200 for installation making £45000 ex VAT We have 4 foot overhangs on the roof above the sliders to stop overheating in the summer. I am yet chip away at their quotes but with prices going up for most materials these prices might have increased since the quote and we are two months off ordering.

Thanks for the responses. Rationel are using Velfac V200E frames for the windows whilst Aluhome are using Origin OW dual flush aluminium casement windows. This is likely to be our home for the next 20 to 30 years all being well. We are near Macclesfield Cheshire.

We have two quotes from well known window suppliers Rationel and Aluhome for our 160 sq m new build home. The sliding doors are pretty large at 5m and 3.8m respectively within the same room. One set of windows have a U value of 0.82 and sliding doors of 0.9. Whilst the other set has a window U value of 1.2 and 1.6 for the sliders. The difference in price is £9000 Ex VAT (both include fitting). We are not building a passive house standard but are building with ICF and have low U values in the walls, roof and foundations. Whilst money is always a consideration and we do have a budget to work to the big question: Is it worth paying the extra amount for these lower U values?

Our ICF is built into a slope and the engineer has specified vertical rebar both sides at 150mm spacing and horizontal every 200mm. The walls not backing onto a slope have vertical rebar at 600mm spacings both sides and again horizontal rebar at 300mm. We also have starter bars and corner bars to put it. Seems excessive but would rather it be over engineered than not! I have just ordered £1000 of rebar and there will be more!!

Am currently paying £120 to £140 per trailer load behind a tractor and £250 a day for the digger driver. We have had to move a lot of soil and stone due to being a sloping site and probably over 30 loads in all.

Problem with GRP is that water can travel through the fibres of the CSM or chopped strand mat so where the leak is showing in the kitchen ceiling may not correlate with where it is getting in above. Is there a gelcoat finish on top of the roof? All gelcoats are permeable unless it is an epoxy based one so finding the leak could be difficult. It may be worth going up there with a moisture meter on a really dry day and check out the area concerned in an attempt to locate areas of increased moisture.

The quote that I have includes the following: Leaf removal Particle removal A 3 stage filter including carbon filter This allows use for toilets

I have a quote for a 3000 litre rectangular tank that does not require concrete to position. We will be using it for washing cars, outside taps, toilets and washing machine in a 160 sq m house with mainly 2 people living in it. Location East Cheshire so NW England (just). Is a 3000 litre tank too excessive and could we get away with a smaller tank? Also any recommendations on suppliers - currently have a quote from Owls Hall.

Thanks again all. Emailed my solicitor this morning.

Thanks - I think a solicitors letter or well formulated letter from us with guidance is the key. Currently looking at this: https://boundaryhelp.co.uk/home/boundaries-introduction/

Indeed - I don't want this going on or hanging over us when we wish to sell the house.

Thanks for all the responses. Whilst we prefer not to give them an inch we are mindful that this boundary is part of our existing home to be sold in a years time and also our new build we do not wish to have a long protracted legal battle that will stop us selling our existing home.