ProDave

Re sockets etc. It is surprising how many people say "put them where the architect showed them. Then when you walk around and start marking them out, you soon realise most are not in the best place. Another thing to think carefully about is lighting and light switches. e.g as a matter of course I like to switch the hall light 2 way (from upstairs and down) Most only do that with the landing light, but it saves the irritation of reaching the top of the stairs and realising the hall light is still on. I can't understand why this in not normal practice.

No not that. But I have found it http://klober.co.uk/shop/product/loft-vent-tray It creates a ventilation space, while still allowing the loft insulation to go as far as possible.

You need airflow in a cold roof to prevent condensation, so you will need to open up some ventilation. There is a product, which is basically flat plastic board, to insert down between the rafters to create a gap down to the soffits, but I don't know it's proper name.

I think this highlights "If in doubt, ASK" Someone on the forum would have been able to tell you about the window positioning for example.

I did the same for our plot with the SE looking at what came out of the hole. The only difference I left one hole open, with just a sheet of OSB covering it so I could look down it from time to time and see how the water table went up and down. I left it like that for nearly a year until we were ready to start.

The jets in the Polish ebay kit are in the range 65-70% so I think I will proceed and buy that.

I would use my submirsible pump if I felt the need to water the garden from the burn, but since our water is not metered, I see little point. At a previous house, we had a well in the garden from before mains water came to the village, as far as we could tell it used to serve at least 4 properties. I had a pump to extract water from that, which sat on a ledge just under the manhole well above the high water line. It wasn't self priming, but a non return foot valve took care of that and ensured once primed for the first time, it was ready for use any time we wanted. The pump I used was one that got chucked out from work with an odd 208V motor that got very bothered fed from 240V so I lashed up an old transformer to act as an autotransformer and it worked well.

You can tell a lot from the flame colour, if it burns with a yellow flame I would be worried. And there will be a CO alarm not far away

I did a lot of research into filter mound soakaways and made a long thread about it on ebuild but that is gone. (should be able to find it on the way back machine) You basically build a raised mound out of graded filter sand, and put the soakaway on that, then cover with earth. The sand is not cheap, it would have cost roughly £1000 There is a BRE document that describes the design of the mound. It is fiendishly expensive for a little 20 page publication, so I borrowed it from our local library on an inter library loan. I have to go out now, I will be back later with more details.

We have just spend the coldest winter for many years in the Highlands in a static caravan. The best thing we did was put a wood burning stove in it, and it hardly went out for 4 months. Keeping up with a wood supply for it was challenging and we burned coal overnight. Our heating bill for the small amount of electric heating we used, mainly in the bedrooms, was surprisingly small. We only had one pipe freeze and that was due to the mice stripping a section of pipe insulation on a little used leg of pipe. Thawed with a hairdryer and no damage done.

I personally see nothing wrong with what you propose and I would be inclined to make it clear you will take it to appeal if refused.

Joints on joists. The only waste is at the end. With 400 or 600mm joist spacing then each board is an integer number of joists. Usually you get even joust spacing, with an odd spaced one at one side. So start laying starting at the even spaced joist and there is no more waste than you would get anyway when you reach the end.

I have a gas hob, currently set up for mains gas. I need to convert it for LPG. The supplier has just told me no such conversion kit is available. So I have to do it the hard way, work out from the existing jets what sizes the new ones need to be. So the 4 jets currently in the hob are stamped 103, 103, 115 and 72 Anyone know how to calculate what sizes I need? Or do I just take a punt and buy this kit and just try it? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LPG-Gas-Jet-Set-4-Burner-Cooker-Hob-Calor-Propane-Nozzle-Conversion-Kit-NEW/222794793274?hash=item33df9ac13a:g:vh8AAOSwp7FaWkSm

Is that the cost to survey it or drop it? What will it land on if it falls over or branches drop off? If nothing, leave it, and keep away on a windy day.

Well the deal is done and kitchen ordered from Howdens. By removing the boiling water tap and the cooker hood as items that will wait, and a laminate worktop for now that will become the utility worktop later (when we eventually do get a stone worktop) and by some hard bargaining, the total price is down to about 60% of the original cost. That includes the two Lamona ovens and built in dishwasher. It's now a "figure 5 kitchen" rather than a "5 figure kitchen" Should all be here next Wednesday.

I borrowed the float on a very long arm (someone will tell me the proper name) to float ours.

Reminds me when I was an apprentice. Someone asked if he could book a sick day. For tomorrow.

I would actively be avoiding loft time in this weather. I guess you like it hot?

Built in ovens seem more of a standard size, but then there are built in microwaves like this one, only 382mm tall https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/cooking/microwaves/hotpoint-mn-314-ix-h-built-in-microwave-with-grill-stainless-steel-10151127-pdt.html

It only needs to be a microwave, but I have not yet found a proper built in microwave that does not have something else as well. As I say a pretend built in MW like this does not cut the mustard. https://ao.com/product/bmis3820-baumatic-microwave-stainless-steel-42229-50.aspx

That would be a big improvement on what Howdens are offering.

Microwave gets used daily. We just don't want a free standing one any more, and it must be a proper built in one.

Budget £0 or as close to. Style, well just about everything seems to be stainless steel and smoked glass. e.g Howdens offerings Microwaves: https://www.howdens.com/appliance-collection/ovens/?p=OvenType:Integrated%20Microwave%20Ovens,| Ordinaty Ovens https://www.howdens.com/appliance-collection/ovens/?p=OvenType:Single%20Electric,| Obviously wants to be a matching pair. Don't want to go "too basic" as the main single oven does at least need to be a fan oven and have a timer.

The trouble is, as we have been finding looking, there is no such thing as a standard size combination oven, or even a standard size singe fan oven. In order to buy the oven unit for the kitchen, we need to know the size of the appliances, and that really means buying them as there is no guarantee they will remain constant. We don't want to compromise the quality, i.e a pretend built in microwave (free standing unit with a surround plate) is out of the question.

We have been holding a "review" and it is abundantly clear the pot is about to run dry again, something I will have to address in another thread in due course. So we have now changed tack to what do we NEED just now and what can wait. We don't want to compromise the ultimate finished kitchen, so in terms of units, we can only go with whatever discounts we can negotiate, there is no room to alter that unfortunately. What we have decided, is the granite worktop will have to wait. We simply don't have the funds for it just now. Instead we will fit a basic laminate worktop and a basic inset stainless steel sink. Those will not be wasted, whatever we fit in the kitchen now, will ultimately end up as the worktop and sink for the utility room at some distant time in the future, when we will eventually get the granite worktop in the kitchen. With that, the purchase of the boiling water tap will go for now, just a basic mixer tap that again will end up as the utility room tap. We won't buy any sort of cooker hood just now, that will wait. I have a gas hob that is not the one SWMBO wants, but has agreed that we can fit it, for now. That is going in a wooden worktop so when eventually we get the hob she wants there will be no problem enlarging the hole if needed. I am going back to Howdens tomorrow having primed them with the fact we can't afford it, to see what savings or discount they have come up with. So appliance wise, we just have to source a matching pair of oven and microwave / combination oven at a sensible price. That is the next "forum challenge"