garrymartin

BCIS do a quarterly outlook. Although material prices were negative in 2023-2024, they're likely to rise this year given the tension in the Middle East and how that affects shipping routes. Work output has been down over the last two years which likely reinforces some of the commentary above with regard to companies reducing their fixed costs where they can. https://bcis.co.uk/news/bcis-construction-industry-forecast/

Are the walls already done? i.e. will the ceiling plasterboard be supported by the wall plasterboard at the perimeter (wall butted up to ceiling) or are the walls already in (and hence ceiling boards butted up to wall boards)?

Spot on. And that can change over time too as the occupants age. I've also read somewhere that the air quality and lack of draughts in Passivhaus generally means the temperature can be lower than in a BR-compliant house and still feel the same.

I guess it depends whether it is the "highway" or an "access road" that they front...

I presume some other Local Authorities may be the same, but mine states the following - "Installed gates must be set back a minimum distance of 5.0 metres from the back of the highway and gates must open inwards only. The set back distance of 5.0 metres also applies to sliding gates".

Sounds like you already know what you're doing! The problem with the router bit with bearing is that the cut on the bead will follow the contours of the plaster, including all the little bumps you tend to get at the edges of things like doorways - especially when the frame is below the level of the plaster. Best option in this situation if this is the only tool available to you is to place a known flat piece of material onto the plaster and change the bearing diameter on the cutter to take into account the thickness of that material or you'll be doing lots of filling! Another option, and the one I'd personally go for if you have a saw table or know someone who does is to figure out your highest plaster point around the frame, and then cut off a piece to add to the frame that matches that width/thickness on the table saw. That way you can adjust for each door and you won't need to try to get a router into awkward spaces. The other thing I've done in the past is to "relieve" the back of the architrave - so take out some material on the architrave back that is against the plastered wall so that the piece against the frame lies flat. This method only works for small variations between the plaster and the frame though.

Tikkurila Anti-Reflex for white ceilings. Johnstone's TRADE paints - Aqua Guard Durable Water Based Satin for white woodwork, Acrylic Durable Eggshell or Acrylic Durable Matt for walls, or Perfect Matt if you have a wall surface that's far from perfect!

Also, if you're doing irrigation in the garden and the supply pressure is high, you may need another PRV on the outside connection for that dedicated purpose... "Water from the mains supply will typically sit between 3-4 bars of pressure which is too high for most irrigation systems, usually only needing around 1.5 bar. If used with mains pressure, irrigation systems can be much more costly to run, resulting in less efficiency in water distribution and even cause a burst in the system. To get around this, installers should ensure PRVs are installed alongside isolation valves to better regulate the pressure released from the tap."

Found the reference for the second PRV I think - it came from some guidance from @Nickfromwales on G3 certifiable UVC installs in new builds.

From what I've read, I see little to no disadvantage (aside from the small extra cost for 32mm pipe and fittings over 25mm) to installing 32mm MDPE from the meter to the dwelling even if the meter connection needs to drop down to 25mm. Indeed, there are several advantages including reducing pressure loss over longer distances. At least in my area, the standing charge appears to be the same, and even in areas where it isn't, we're talking £2-3 per year difference from what I can see.

Thanks @JohnMo - I originally had "32mm external MDPE, into Plasson stop tap, convert to copper, double-check non-return valve, drain valve, (PRV if >5 bar), external taps (with isolating valves and non-return valves), PRV, then 28mm..." So the PRV came after the external taps. I removed it because I'd at some point I added the (PRV if >5 bar) and assumed it was a duplicate, but perhaps it's both? Is there a reason to keep the external taps under 5 bar pressure?

You can sort of get the same result without actually directing the work... 😉 But I get your point. Regulation 16 is clear that "(3) A domestic client who controls the way in which any construction work is carried out by a person at work must comply with the requirements of this Part so far as they relate to matters within the client’s control." so Part 4 requirements will pretty much always be in scope, but only the stuff I can realistically be expected to control - I'm comfortable with that. At the end of the day, much of this is common sense - doing what is reasonably practicable is all you can realistically be expected to do. The most important thing for me will be contracting with organisations/people that understand *their* responsibilities with regard to CDM and H&S in general.

This is what I have in my notes; 32mm external MDPE, into Plasson stop tap, convert to copper, double-check non-return valve, drain valve, (PRV if >5 bar), external taps (with isolating valves and non-return valves), then 28mm copper on to all the internal feeds (UVC, hot manifold, HRC manifold, etc.) EDIT - just found a question I still haven't resolved; should PRV come *after* feed for external taps? Maybe someone else can advise on that one and I can update my notes with the answer! 😉

Agreed. I wasn't implying you don't need to follow H&S guidance, merely that if it hasn't been notified, it may not need to be. My own plan (when my appeal is allowed...) is to notify via F-10 regardless (I can't really see a downside) but then ensure I try to remain as a Domestic Client throughout - i.e. I don't tell people how to do the work, I contract them to deliver an agreed outcome. The common sense guidance is then more about a few key principles and H&S chats over a cup of tea than it is about reams of guidance and procedures.

That's very interesting. Have you assumed you should count your [and SWMBO] time in the 500 days or have you seen specific guidance for that? My understanding was that as self-builders, we are not ‘at work’ in the meaning of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, so our time would not be included in the 500 days.

The magic wording in planning is usually "new or intensified" although rather frustratingly, "intensified" isn't defined in law so is subject to some interpretation. So even if the access was "existing", its use would be very infrequent access for farm machinery. If then used to access a dwelling, I'm pretty sure the local Highways department would see that as intensification and would want to see adherence to their design standards and would at that point indicate whether they see it as a "drive" for direct frontage access or an "access road". I found my local Highways department to be reasonable about general advice, but unwilling to be drawn into definitive statements outside of formal pre-application advice, and even then, with no guarantee that their response to a planning application would be consistent. But having said that, I do think you'll need to bite the bullet and ask their advice.

I had assumed from the wording (possibly incorrectly) that @Drellingore was suggesting a new access road rather than a direct frontage access.

Oh, and if you haven't already, take a look at and try to remain a "Domestic Client" through all stages.

Not all self-builds will be notifiable. HSE must be notified of the project if: It will last longer than 30 days and involve more than 20 workers at the same time; or It will exceed more than 500 person days If the project is notifiable, then as you note, the HSE must be notified online using the F-10 form. Bear in mind that this is time on site, so you don't count off-site fabrication of timberframes or staircases etc.

Can't help with the cost, but just bear in mind (if you aren't already aware) that "impermeable materials over 5m² need Planning Permission: If your driveway is larger than five square meters and you use impermeable materials like traditional concrete, you'll need planning permission."

Be careful that when I asked National Grid (Western Power) for an estimate, they included all the network reinforcements on my estimate. When I challenged that, they said they always include them on a desk-based estimate and I'd need to formally request the connection to get the more accurate cost that would just cover the extension assets. Seems to me to be a mechanism for putting people off that don't know about the charging structure changes...

The whole charging structure changed on 1st April 2023 - you have to pay for extension assets (connection) but should not have to pay for reinforcement assets (cable and transformer upgrades). https://connections.nationalgrid.co.uk/significant-code-review/

The Manual for Streets shows how to draw and calculate visibility splays. Page 93 shows you how to draw visibility splay lines when the roads don't meet at 90 degrees. Looks like you need a combination of (b) and (c) to draw your lines https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7e0035ed915d74e6223743/pdfmanforstreets.pdf But there are probably other guidelines about safety when turning left out of the junction or right into it. Best to speak to your local Highways Department.

There is something called the Post Office Address File (PAF) that companies can license/subscribe to. That's the most up-to-date version of address information. Obviously it's up to individual companies how frequently they update their own data, or whether they subscribe to PAF or similar. First step would be to check that you are on the PAF in the first place - see https://www.royalmail.com/find-a-postcode If you are, then it's down to individual companies how quickly/frequently they update their data from the PAF master.

Are you in an airtight build? If you are, what have you done for venting?